August and Nourishment

Breathing Yogis,

Receiving the breath in the belly – massaging the digestive organs and clearing anxiety and stress

        Expanding the ribs as the breath rises – removing  the layers of armor to let ourselves be seen

              Finally filling the upper chest  with breath – giving the heart space to bloom…the breath of surrender

And then letting it all go. Not holding anything back.  Trusting the you will be filled again, and again, and again.

This week in the women’s classes we talked about cycles and our connection to earth as the feminine.  Our three stages of life – Maiden, Mother and Crone (and proud to be one!).  And our monthly moon cycles.   (sorry men, didn’t want to completely send you over the edge)  Honoring all of it.  Connecting to that inner knowing and remembering.

And now we all begin to enter this seasonal cycle of late summer as it carries us toward fall.  The season of the harvest.  Bountiful.    Above is my personal harvest from the back yard today.  Grateful.  Nourishing for the body and soul.  Late August, with all of its color, warmth and never ending hum in the air makes me feel like I am getting a giant bear hug!  Go outside, close your eyes and give in to its embrace.

In my last note I mentioned Nourishing Herbal Infusions and I spoke more about them in classes.  So what is the difference between tea and an infusion??  Tea is about a teaspoon of herb, soaked for about 3-5 minutes.  An infusion is a full ounce of herb soaked for between 4 and 10 hours!

Why would I want to drink them?  Because they will allow you to throw away your supplements (what a waste since they are so expensive) and over time remove yourself from many medications.

What are some of the potential benefits?  Lower cholesterol, increased bone density (preventing or even reversing osteoporosis), cancer prevention, stronger teeth and nails, shinier hair, smoother skin, improved circulation and heart health, reduced wrinkles, increased libido….just to name a few of them.

What are the first 4 herbs we might want to consider for our infusions?  Stinging nettles, Comfrey, Red Clover Blossoms and Oatstraw

What would I need to have?  (2) quart size glass mason/canning jars, a mesh reusable produce bag (Crate and Barrel and Amazon sell nice ones) and a small electronic scale.  All very inexpensive items.  Oh, and of course the dried herb.  I place orders for herbs from Frontier about every 6 weeks.

So what if I am interested?  If you live in my area I  would be happy to have you come by and watch the process, see what I use and have a taste testing.   For those not in the area or who can’t come over, I written directions and links to You Tubes on my web site . 

How can I find out more about the specific herbs?  Descriptions, uses and benefits for the four herbs are all here on this site.  I would also ask you to do some research on your own and I can recommend some sites. 

This is all about taking back control over our bodies and our health.  Healing ourselves naturally from the inside.  We are the expert but we have to trust our inner guidance and nourish ourselves.   This is the Wise Woman Tradition.    I hope many of you join me on this next leg in our journey!

Drinking my Stinging nettle today……yum.

SARAH