Remedies: Lunar Herbal Infusions

Posted by Claire Ragozzino

From stones to plants, nature provides us with an abundance of resources to nourish our bodies and minds. It’s easy to become depleted in the fast pace of urban living, but sometimes all we need are little connections to the natural elements in our homes and kitchens to help us sync back to nature’s rhythms. Working with the healing energy of crystals and the nutritive properties of plants through infusions is an easy way to begin to cultivate a relationship with these natural world teachers and harmonize our inner rhythms.

Infusions are typically slow-steeped concoctions of herbs in water. What’s the difference between a tea and an infusion you might ask? Infusions are left for a longer period of time with a larger volume of herbs, leaving you with a more potent product than a short-steeped tea. Herbalist Susun Weed recommends one ounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb to a quart of water steeped for 4-10 hours.

I started working with infusions several years ago after taking a Wise Woman Herbalism workshop on herbs for moontime. Having struggled with painful menstruation for years, I was eager to try anything that could help balance my hormones and sooth my cycles.  After just a few weeks of making infusions regularly, I couldn’t believe how naturally energized (these herbs are caffeine-free!) and alive I felt. Each sip felt like pure prana to my body. Working with Energy Muse, I started adding supporting stones to the infusions to add another layer to my blends. Sharing with you my favorite blend using gentle feminine herbs and stones to support hormone balancing, improve fertility and increase vitality.

• Nettle (Urtica dioica): Rich in silica, zinc, selenium and chromium, it’s known as the beauty herb for it’s many benefits in building strong hair, nails and skin. It also nourish and rebuild adrenals, kidneys, and blood. It’s astringent and cooling properties also aid the urinary tract.

• Rose (Rosa damascena): Rose petals are an antispasmodic, often used to relieve headaches and uterine cramps around menstruation. They also help to elevate the mood and support processing of heavy emotions.

• Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus): Subtle and sweet, the leaves of the raspberry plant offer high levels of magnesium, calcium and iron to the uterus. Raspberry leaf works to tone the uterine muscles and normalize blood flow during menses. This is one of the best normalizing herbs for the female reproductive organs.

• Red Clover (Trifolium pretense): One of the richest sources of isoflavones, plant-based estrogens, red clover is often used to support reproductive and breast health. Also rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C.

• Damiana (Turnera diffusa): Revered in ancient Mayan culture and Mexico today for its aphrodisiac qualities, this herb increases circulation to the reproductive organs and also supports soothing the nerves, stimulating digestion and enhancing the mood.

I’ve paired these nourishing feminine herbs with soothing, supportive stones from Energy Muse, like rose quartz and moonstone for a boosted infusion experience. Rose Quartz is a cooling stone that carries gentle, soothing energies that help to calm your emotions and rejuvenate your emotional body. It’s also the stone of love and the heart chakra, so set your intentions for practicing self-love and opening your heart to receive when working with this stone. Moonstone is the goddess stone and the keeper of feminine mysteries. This fertility stone is often used to sync your cycles to the moon and restore your inner rhythms.

These simple infusions can be made daily and enjoyed as a regular part of your diet. Adding in another layer of connection, intentional blends can be made on moon days – full and new moon – to harness the lunar energies in our lives.

FERTILITY BLEND

Herbs
¼ cup dried nettle
¼ cup dried rose petals
¼ cup dried red raspberry leaves
¼ cup dried red clover buds
¼ cup dried damiana leaves

Stones
1-2 small pieces of Moonstone
1-2 small pieces of Rose quartz

Bring 1 quart of purified water to a boil. Rinse the stones under cool water and place in the bottom of a clean quart-size mason jar. Add the dried herbs to the jar. Pour the hot water over top and cover with a lid. Place in the moonlight and allow to steep overnight. The next morning, strain the liquid out and drink at room temp or enjoy chilled over ice if it’s a hot day. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator until ready to drink. It’s best to enjoy your infusion within 36 hours of making.

Note: If you live in a region where these wonderful herbs grow wild around you, you can certainly harvest them fresh and use them for this infusion. If foraging for herbs, be sure they are grown in a clean environment, away from the sides of the road and the possibility of chemical spraying.

Makes 1 quart of infusion

*These beautiful stones are from Energy Muse, you can view this recipe post and more on their blog!