It has been made abundantly clear to me that when I get away from my herbal and personal care routines, I tend to get off track. When I was volunteering at the Abbey in Scotland, one of the things I missed was my herbal medicine making…and then again when I became immersed in switching lifestyles and going back to school in Louisiana. It is very difficult to maintain personal care when your main objective is surviving!
When I was in Scotland, I didn’t really have the proper place for it all, nor the equipment. While in New York I had accrued quite the collection of herbs, medicines and jars to brew it all up in. While on Iona, the first time I felt anything akin to homesickness was when I had a bad cold and no herbs to treat it with. And when I first came down to Louisiana, I was just so busy with school and part time jobs etc.
While on Iona, I got back on track by taking the opportunity to organize and facilitate an herbal discussion with the staff. Preparing for it really made me see how much knowledge I have, and how much I enjoy sharing it! Coincidentally, I was working within the Programme team at the time and I was able to use the staff session material to run a session with the guests a few days later. I was nervous leading up to it, but once I sat down in the circle it felt completely natural! It ended up being a really relaxed herbal discussion and the guests seemed really interested. Some of them even shared their own, personal, experiences with natural healing. I learned a few things too! It gave me a glimpse of my path and soul work.
More recently, I have established my own kitchen once again and self care routine. I have also re opened my Etsy shop, making self care products for the public, and I have been volunteering at the MLK Health Center and Pharmacy. Right now I am in the process of creating some classes…like the ones I led in Scotland…with expanded content.
One of the things I shared in that first circle was a jar of garlic honey. It’s such a quick and easy medicine to make…and we had everything I needed right in the Abbey kitchen at the time…empty jar included. The photo of the jar above came in handy more than once before I had to leave the island and not a drop was left!
It’s so easy to make. All you have to do is chop up a bunch of garlic (the smaller the pieces, the stronger the medicine…and garlic taste) and then cover it with honey. Let it steep for at least 30 minutes before using. Obviously, the longer it sits the better…but if you’re unwell, you won’t want to wait too long! I usually fill the jar about a quarter full with the garlic.
Garlic honey is wonderful when you feel a cold coming on, or when you are already sick. Sometimes I use it to sweeten some sage or thyme tea!
Some fun facts about garlic and honey and why they are good for you:
Garlic –
It’s a diaphoretic (makes you sweat), diuretic, expectorant,
stimulant, antiseptic, antiviral and antispasmodic. Heals wounds,
aides digestion. Great for colds! It keeps the respiratory system
nice and warm…(I eat it raw when I’m sick…much to my Iona
roommates dismay! Sorry, guys!)
Honey – It’s
hydrating and anti-bacterial. Immune boosting. Great for coughs
(anti-inflammatory), allergies (if raw and local), skin (masks and
cuts and scrapes). A drink of apple cir vinegar and honey is good for
digestion and joints…flushes out the system.
It’s
one of the first herbal medicines I learned to make. I remember how
excited I was when I learned how simple it was to put together. It’s
become a staple in my kitchen! I also love the way it tastes. 😉
XO