Happy Solar Eclipse in Aries. Have you been feeling it? I have and you better believe I was putting in the work to elevate with it! With the high vibrational energy I’ve been sailing on lately I felt it was fitting to highlight Lavender in this post and share how to make both a Lavender Simple Syrup and a Lavender Tincture. I’m also sharing about my hypnosis session that I had this past week and I’m so looking forward to my next one!
As I said, I’d been feeling this Solar Eclipse energy for the last several weeks. I was all over the place knowing what I want but not knowing how to get there. Running a business is not for the faint and trying to do things with agencies like the USDA and CCOF is its own beast I wasn’t aware of. I needed help and before I knew it I was confirming my scheduled appointment with Marlene Sugey, a Master Hypnotherapist/NLP Practitioner, Manifestation Mentor, and Mindset Coach. She’s also my longtime colleague and friend.
I set my intentions to manifest the discipline and willpower to be consistent and follow a schedule. I have blocks preventing me from this but can’t put my finger on exactly what they are. Just as I was prepared to be hypnotized into “work mode” the energy of healing past trauma showed up! HARD EYE ROLL!
A good practitioner will guide you and let you know when pre-requisites are needed to further your healing. That’s what Marlene did, my session meant to set me up for schedules and time management turned into a past review of hurt, anger, guilt, fear, and all those other negative emotions that keep our ego in control. All the feelings I need to face and make agreements with to move on.
As I traveled back and forth on my very own timeline letting my subconscious mind show me my blocks, I reminded myself to trust the process.
Now that we had got all those negative feelings out of the way we ended this session scheduling our next session to work on what I believe will make all the difference in my day-to-day work/life balance. Great!
The very next day I had several validating signs from the universe that I was making the right choices. To keep GROWING.
I was interviewed for a start-up business reality show and will find out this week if Mesquite Garden will be featured [update: MESQUITE GARDEN WAS CHOSEN AND FILMING TAKES PLACE IN JULY] and I had a perfectly aligned soul sign up for The Holistic Journey to Freedom Retreat taking place August 22 – 26, 2024.
I wrote Marlene right away knowing the frequency from the work her and I did just the day before had carried over giving back what I was putting out! ENERGY!
All in perfect alignment with this powerful Solar Eclipse. Gratitude.
You guys, I highly recommend Marlene Sugey! She’ll be joining us on The Holistic Journey to Freedom and has a special offer for those choosing VIP.
You won’t be disappointed.
Herbal Medicine Time
English Lavender has made her way into my heart and easily has become one of if not my most favorite herb, flower, plant, spirit, smell, taste, it just keeps going! I have about 40 English Lavender Plants in the garden now and have about 300 more on their way.
Lavender is known as one of the most medicinal herbs used in the world and for all the good reasons.
English Lavender, scientifically known as Lavandula angustifolia, is one of the most widely cultivated and beloved species of lavender. It is native to the Mediterranean region, particularly areas around the Mediterranean Sea, but it is also extensively cultivated in various regions around the world for its aromatic and medicinal properties. Here's an overview of English Lavender:
Appearance:
English Lavender is a small, woody perennial shrub that typically grows to a height of about 1 to 3 feet (30 to 90 centimeters).
It features narrow, linear leaves that are gray-green in color and grow densely along upright stems.
The flowers are clustered on slender spikes that rise above the foliage. Each flower is tubular with a small, bilaterally symmetrical corolla and is typically bluish-purple in color, although cultivars with pink or white flowers also exist.
The flower buds, stems, and leaves on the Lavender plant contain medicinal properties.
Aroma:
English Lavender is prized for its sweet, floral fragrance, which is often described as fresh, clean, and herbaceous.
The essential oil extracted from English Lavender is widely used for it’s calming and therapeutic properties as well as in aromatherapy, perfumery, and natural remedies.
Culinary Uses:
English Lavender flowers and leaves are sometimes used as a culinary herb, particularly in French and Mediterranean cuisine.
They can be added to baked goods, desserts, teas, and savory dishes to impart a delicate floral flavor and aroma.
Cultivation:
English Lavender is relatively easy to grow and thrives in well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil with full sun. The like it hot and do well next to concrete or walls that bounce back the heat.
It is drought-tolerant once established and prefers slightly alkaline soil conditions.
Pruning English Lavender after flowering helps maintain its compact shape and promotes better growth in the following season. It can be grown in garden beds, borders, containers, or as a hedge, and it attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
I harvest my Lavender blooms three times a year. I fertilize my lavender with 100% organic worm castings in spring as they wake up, and then again after the first two harvest. Fertilizing your lavender is not a common practice but my plants love it.
Medicinal Properties:
Lavender is renowned for its calming and stress-relieving properties, making it a popular choice in aromatherapy and herbal medicine. Here are some of its medicinal properties related to stress relief, calming, and promoting rest:
Anxiolytic Effects:
Lavender essential oil has been studied for its anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects. Inhalation of lavender aroma or using lavender oil in massage therapy has shown to reduce anxiety levels in clinical studies.
Sedative Properties:
Lavender is known for its mild sedative properties, which can help induce relaxation and promote sleep. It's often used as a natural remedy for insomnia or difficulty falling asleep. Research suggests that consuming lavender oil before bedtime may improve the quality of sleep and reduce insomnia symptoms.
Anti-Stress Effects:
Lavender has been shown to have stress-relieving effects, helping to alleviate symptoms associated with stress such as tension, irritability, and restlessness.
Muscle Relaxation:
Lavender possesses muscle-relaxing properties, which can help relieve physical tension in the body. Massaging lavender oil onto tense muscles or adding it to a warm bath can help soothe muscular aches and pains, promoting relaxation.
Antidepressant Effects:
Some research suggests that lavender may have antidepressant properties showing lavender can positively affect mood by promoting relaxation and reducing feelings of sadness or anxiety.
Improves Cognitive Function:
Lavender may also have cognitive benefits, such as improving concentration and mental clarity.
Anti-inflammatory Effects:
Lavender contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation in the body. Chronic stress can contribute to inflammation, so lavender's anti-inflammatory effects may indirectly contribute to its stress-relieving benefits.
I work with Lavendream Salve regularly for my migraine and tension headaches. Literally do not leave home without it.
I take the Lavender extract in my tea’s and lemonades for both the added Lavender flavor with the actual added medicinal benefits.
Here’s how to make your own Lavender Tincture
Making a lavender tincture is a process that involves extracting the beneficial compounds from dried lavender flowers using alcohol as a solvent. If you’d rather get your Lavender Extract or Tincture from Mesquite Garden it’s available now. I sometimes use affiliate links in my content. This won't cost you anything but it helps me to offset the costs of keeping my services and subscriptions affordable. I appreciate your support!
Here's a recipe to make a lavender tincture at home:
Ingredients:
Dried lavender flowers (stems and leaves and organic if possible)
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