From the Christy Dawn Journal: Everything You Need to Know About Nourishing Herbs

When we are wildly, deeply, fully nourished, we thrive. And soon, you will laugh, realizing this ancient folk remedy probably grows right outside of your door.

Nourishing Herb infusions are teas made from wild weeds that steep overnight. Wild medicinal plants, such as Nettles, Dandelion, Burdock, Red Clover, Red Raspberry Leaf, Oatstraw, Cleavers ~ to name a few ~ are Mother Earth’s superior sources of micronutrients, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Domesticated greens like Kale just simply cannot compare to Nettles. 

These wild green plants grow wild — so when you drink them in, you are receiving the nutrition and spiritual energy of intact wild ecosystems, undisturbed soil, and plants that have adapted to thrive unattended, in sometimes harsh environments. 

Nourishing herbs gently cleanse. They purify the blood, remove toxins, improve circulation, elimination, and digestion. They make us more resilient in fighting infections and they nourish the adrenals and heal the body from prolonged stress.

Nourishing herbs ground and calm anxiety. Our bodies relax and energize, our hearts & minds open. When we drink them daily, they deeply nourish our cells and soul, quenching a thirst we never knew we had, much less knew how to satisfy. 

Oh, the miracles that happen when we move through life feeling nourished! We become more joyful, energetic, inspired and the throb of wildness that is carried by these plants awakens the wild remembering inside of us, giving us a fresh vitality and vigor. 

Drinking wild weed infusions is the primary and first practice I teach my herbal students and share with clients as a healer. Often, after a month of drinking one nourishing herb daily, ailments and grievances melt away, revealing a new found vitality and energy. 

We invite you to join us in this daily nourishing ritual. Choose one herb and drink it daily for 30 days. Notice the difference as you receive the healing energy of the wild Earth and ancient plants in your cells and soul. 

Need help choosing the right nourishing herb for your daily practice? Use your intuition or ask an herbalist. These are very safe herbs and you can’t go wrong. If you wish to be guided through a healing journey with the ancient plants, join The Apprenticeship to the Sacred Wild, starting on the Fall Equinox.

How to make a nourishing herb infusion:

You can use this technique with any of the herbs listed here. For this how-to we used Nettle, Christy’s favorite nourishing herb to work with.

Nourishing Herbs:

Nettles, Dandelion, Burdock, Red Clover, Red Raspberry Leaf, Oatstraw, Cleavers

Directions:

1. Buy 1 lb of dried, organic, whole plant material rather than powders. Mountainroseherbs.com or Pacific Botanicals are good suppliers.

2. Measure with your hand.

3. Place a handful of herb into a quart size mason jar.

4. Add hot water from the kettle.

5. Put the lid on right away, so the medicine does not evaporate with the steam.

6. Leave your nourishing herbs to infuse on your kitchen counter overnight. In the morning, strain your infusion and drink as much as your body wants on an empty stomach. 

7. Bring the rest with you to enjoy throughout your day.

8. If you can, take a moment to make this a nourishing practice. Enjoy your herbal infusion in a calm environment, and ask your body to open fully to receive the healing energy of the plants you are drinking.

9. Pour the plant material you had strained into your garden, house plants or compost — it is also very healing and nutritious for the Earth and you will see your plants thriving with you!