it's spring and i am in love.....
with this abundant, beautiful and momentary beauty! precious, precious gifts of spring: violets!!!!
my deepest love, only second to roses (oh & holy basil.... and... well... you know how it goes). but violets were truly the first plant that really FOUND me & touched me-- on both a deep and subtle level. violets sprung up in abundance in my life.... in a time of beginning loneliness and isolation a few years back. as they popped up all over... i truly began to feel soothed and surrounded by these new friends, by their energy and love.
and i so rejoice in seeing them return spring after spring-- a little message of hope and partnership --- the gifts of the earth.
when i set out to share in blog-style, i really did envision something more "scholarly" or informative on a plant medicine level... but as you may already have gathered and i am really coming to define, to me, the spiritual is medicinal. and this is how i perceive plants. so willing to offer themselves, their beauty, their love, their knowledge & medicine. their spirit. we are so blessed. spring provides that reminder in so many small ways......
-----------------------------so, i'll pretend to formally educate you for a bit.....
*my favorite way to invite violets into my self and healing (beyond just praising their name as i joyfully pass of touch them about the land) is as .....food.
i love nothing more than putting a spring salad together. young garden greens with wild additions-- my favorites are both the violet leaves and flowers as well as mild mustard flowers and dandelion greens. Violets are a good source of vitamin c as well as flavonoids.
*violets make a delicious tea-- made as a cold infusion (pour room temperature water over the (chopped up) leaves and flowers and let steep for several hours) to retain the mucilaginous properties in the plant. This tea is soothing for a sore throat, cough or upset belly. I also love infusing a handful of violet leaves and flowers in honey (let it sit several weeks, before straining out) to use in the same way. The combination of violets and honey is particularly soothing to the throat, and can be added to teas.
*Freshly dried or wilted violet leaves and flowers also infuse nicely into oil. Violet infused oil makes a great massage oil for the breasts, especially those with fibrocystic conditions. Violet has a traditional use as a lymphatic decongestant- and this sweet little plant has been used traditionally to treat cancers.
-------------------- & back to my woo' business....
i think of violets as healing to the emotional heart (wonder why?).... nice in formulas for heartbreak and for soothing sadness of the heart. Last summer, an herbalist friend described using violets to help give softness & sweetness to folks who had started to "harden" or tense in their bodies as a form of protection from emotional pain......awwwww. violets help to ease us open to love and tenderness.
so beautiful!!!
my deepest love, only second to roses (oh & holy basil.... and... well... you know how it goes). but violets were truly the first plant that really FOUND me & touched me-- on both a deep and subtle level. violets sprung up in abundance in my life.... in a time of beginning loneliness and isolation a few years back. as they popped up all over... i truly began to feel soothed and surrounded by these new friends, by their energy and love.
and i so rejoice in seeing them return spring after spring-- a little message of hope and partnership --- the gifts of the earth.
when i set out to share in blog-style, i really did envision something more "scholarly" or informative on a plant medicine level... but as you may already have gathered and i am really coming to define, to me, the spiritual is medicinal. and this is how i perceive plants. so willing to offer themselves, their beauty, their love, their knowledge & medicine. their spirit. we are so blessed. spring provides that reminder in so many small ways......
-----------------------------so, i'll pretend to formally educate you for a bit.....
*my favorite way to invite violets into my self and healing (beyond just praising their name as i joyfully pass of touch them about the land) is as .....food.
i love nothing more than putting a spring salad together. young garden greens with wild additions-- my favorites are both the violet leaves and flowers as well as mild mustard flowers and dandelion greens. Violets are a good source of vitamin c as well as flavonoids.
*violets make a delicious tea-- made as a cold infusion (pour room temperature water over the (chopped up) leaves and flowers and let steep for several hours) to retain the mucilaginous properties in the plant. This tea is soothing for a sore throat, cough or upset belly. I also love infusing a handful of violet leaves and flowers in honey (let it sit several weeks, before straining out) to use in the same way. The combination of violets and honey is particularly soothing to the throat, and can be added to teas.
*Freshly dried or wilted violet leaves and flowers also infuse nicely into oil. Violet infused oil makes a great massage oil for the breasts, especially those with fibrocystic conditions. Violet has a traditional use as a lymphatic decongestant- and this sweet little plant has been used traditionally to treat cancers.
-------------------- & back to my woo' business....i think of violets as healing to the emotional heart (wonder why?).... nice in formulas for heartbreak and for soothing sadness of the heart. Last summer, an herbalist friend described using violets to help give softness & sweetness to folks who had started to "harden" or tense in their bodies as a form of protection from emotional pain......awwwww. violets help to ease us open to love and tenderness.
so beautiful!!!
SO BEAUTIFUL!
ReplyDeleteI want more more more! more blogs of laurel loveliness! you inspire me so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love
kathy