Let the Medicine-Making Begin

Hello again!

I originally planned on finishing the remaining sections of my prior post during the winter break, but guess what?  I didn't!  I am going to go ahead and forgive myself for that one because I have bigger fish to fry right now:  In preparation for my new classes, Herbal Pharmacy and Herbs for Home Use, I have been busy setting up my lab and herbal dispensary.

Through your eyes, is it obvious how significant this room is to me? 

In one of my classes, I have a highly valued project that involves outside participants.  I'll be conducting a study of individual health concerns, taking into account their particular lifestyle and trying to find an herbal solution for them. I didn't expect to find myself in this role so soon, but words cannot express how fortunate I am for the opportunity.  I am looking forward to spending many thoughtful hours in this room, helping others. 

The advantage of making herbal medicines are too many to mention, but to name a few:  First and foremost, and this is very personal to me, the act of making herbal medicine is exhilarating.  I like to be creative, and pouring careful consideration into concocting  a healing remedy gives me a sense of personal expression that is still difficult for me to describe.  Secondly, people are not made from cookie-cutters.  That is to say, making one’s own medicine enables access to specific constituents that will benefit the individual's unique needs, unlike pharmaceutical drugs that tend to be more “one size fits all”.  Third, through making herbal medicine, I get the advantage of overseeing the quality of nourishment that is being fed to the human body. Unfortunately, this type of oversight is no longer the norm.

...And just for fun, here are a few photos taken for my Herbal Pharmacy class that walks you through my favorite tea-making process. 

 I get all my materials ready while the water is heating up.  For a lovely Sunday afternoon, I chose Oat Straw (Avena sativa), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus).  I'm using a mortar and pestle to mix up and crush the herbs and it smells amazing.  When I feel like I have it to the consistency I want, I put my blend into the tea ball.  By the way, I haven't measured anything today with anything other than my eyes.

 Pouring in the hot water and setting the filled teaball at the top of the cup.

 Steeping for 10-20 minutes.  I've covered the cup to prevent the volatile oils from escaping - I want them.

 Stir in some raw honey and it's tea time!