Earth Medicine.....some personal stories

Yogis,

Do you have this running through your lawn or garden? She is ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), a member of the mint family which you can tell by her square stem. In spring she wears small delicate purple blooms, but for the rest of the summer she marches proudly forward with simple green scalloped opposite leaves on runners, tormenting many gardeners.  

I would like to share a personal story about ground ivy and how earth medicine works.

I don’t treat my lawn, so it is jam-packed with liver cleansing dandelion, bee loving clover and delicious chickweed. There is one area out front however that I was hoping wouldn’t fill with ground ivy. Over the last few months, each time I walked by I would pause and spend some quiet time pulling some, which was honestly more like a meditation as it certainly isn’t an effective plan.

During this same time, I have had some mucus in the back of my throat which is referred to as catarrh. I began doing research for potential causes and some herbal remedies. Well…..you guessed it. Ground ivy! No wonder it keeps creeping closer and closer to grab my attention. That is how plant medicine works. What you need will be found nearby. Nature heals.

Fresh flowering ground ivy can be used to make tincture or vinegar or dry her for tea. An astringent, she dries things up and is also an ally for mild lung problems, digestive issues and coughs. I am now popping a couple in my mouth each day. Thank you ground ivy!

Another example. I have a large pot on my back deck in which I always plant a cherry tomato bush. This summer I kept glancing out at the empty forlorn looking pot and saying I had to get to the nursery. Then forgetting. Week after week.

One day I was giving a Reiki session and the pot was directly in my line of vision. I noticed something. I saw some green. Later I walked out and immediately recognized the leaves. I smelled to make sure and it was indeed a tomato plant! I am now harvesting many small tomatoes each morning and a second plant has also popped up. This is not the first time that my thoughts have brought a plant. Nature is magical.

Finally, this week this little beauty appeared in my empty plant container. She makes me smile. What better medicine is there than that?

If you ever would like me to come introduce you to your own yard’s earth medicine, give me a call!

Popping Ground Ivy leaves into my mouth,
SARAH