Herbs for Self-Love

To connect with ourselves, feel grounded, and tune in, a wonderful place to start is by practicing a self-care ritual. When you perform a ritual with intention behind it, it allows you to truly be in the moment– this is a stress relief tactic all on its own. It’s quite different than a habit, or routine, which is something like washing your hands after using the restroom. A ritual has intention behind it because it’s more deliberate. Intention is a very powerful tool, mainly because it uses the power of the mind. Let’s not underestimate the power of the mind we all innately possess, as it can help us get through anything. Here is a ritual involving herbs for self-love.

Avena Sativa

A special herbal ally for self-care is Avena Sativa aka Oats or “Fresh Milky Oats.” Oats are a supreme nervous system tonic that truly restores a depleted nervous system. The seeds are used as medicine during the fresh milky stage (different from the mature seed used to make oatmeal).

The straw, or oat grass is highly nutritious, often overlooked by the general population but is essentially a local superfood packed with chromium, silicon, vitamin A, iron, selenium, b vitamins, vitamin C and more. The two parts of the plant used as medicine, a) milky oat seed  and b) oat straw are often prepared differently. Both provide nourishment that allows you to reconnect with your essential self.

Preparation

Milky Oat Seed is often prepared fresh in a glycerine or alcohol tincture. The alkaloids are best extracted in the alcohol, and water soluble minerals in the glycerine. The Oat Straw is prepared as an infusion with 1oz of herb to 4 cups just boiled water steeped overnight. This makes 3-4 cups, which is great to drink daily. The long steep really allows the therapeutic grade materials of the plant to be extracted into the water.

These two remedies help overcome hyper-reactive emotional states, and other kinds of severe stressors by simply providing nourishment to the body. One of my teachers told me, “Use Milky Oat Seed Tincture for a person with crying jags” another specific indication for a depleted emotional state. I also love milky oat seed tincture for neuropathy or other nerve troubles, as it is “trophorestorative” and helps the nervous system repair itself to optimal function. That would make Oats helpful for long term improvements and benefits of the body and mind.

Incorporating Oats Into Your Self-Care

Perform an act of self care by making a deliberate ritual of preparing Oats as medicine. Allow the medicine of oats, and the preparation soothe and calm your nervous system. Take 2-5ml of Milky Oats tincture 3x a day. Or drink around 3 cups of an 8 hour infusion of oatstraw daily for 3-6 weeks.

For more herbs for self-love, check out The Alchemist’s Kitchen’s Season of Love Collection here!