#Raspberry leaf herb

[55555-555-5]

[solarpunk-0possum]

if you're a uterus owner and you haven't tried raspberry leaf tea for your cramps you really should. For me it works better than ibuprofen. I just drank a cup and my cramps went way down. Plants are crazy yo.

[danikabonham]

[fernspirals]

Trying to take care of myself this week.

[fountainbeee]

Benefits and Uses of Raspberry Leaf Tea

Sharing some of the uses and benefits of the well known women's tea - raspberry leaf.

[thecupidwitch]

Herb’s Properties part 3

Aloe: femininity, healing, protection, beauty, love

Anise: dreams, youth, lust, blessing, cleansing, divination, offerings, protection, spirit protection

Alfalfa: protection, money, happiness, grounding, fertility

Bayberry: Good fortune, luck, healing, and stress relief.

Clover: money, prosperity, luck, happiness, spirit work, fae, protection, healing

Clove: healing, prosperity, friendships, money 

Catmint: healing, animal magic, relaxation, calmness, happiness, psychic ability, love, wishes, meditation

Cayenne: strength, curses, protection, heartbreak, curse breaking, love

Chives: protection, balance, divination

Lemongrass: psychic ability, divination, cleansing, communication, protection, love, luck, jobs

Magnolia: love, fertility, meditation, psychic ability, healing, strength

Mint: communication, energy, money, spirit work, cleansing

Olive leaf: healing, luck, protection, cleansing, fertility, offerings, blessings

Raspberry leaf: fertility, femininity, menstrual cycle, lunar magic, love, creativity, protection

Saffron: healing, offerings, wealth, strength, blessing, cleansing, psychic ability, sleep

Paprika: spell work, energy, psychic ability, curses, creativity

Tarragon: luck, calmness, secrets, peace, love, protection, meditation, spirit work

Valerian: spirit work, absorption of negativity, protection, self acceptance

Spirulina: power, strength, health, luck

Wheatgrass: cleansing, protection, blessing

Ylang Ylang: beauty, love, luck, happiness, relationships

Ko-Fi Herb’s Properties Part1 Herb’s Properties Part2

[edenesth]

TWTHH Spinoff: Little Touch of Heaven [Teaser]

Pairing: physician!Yunho x herbalist!reader

AU: historical au (Joseon era)

Summary: Dedicating his life to his work, Yunho had never bothered to entertain the idea of settling down. Despite encountering many charming women throughout his career, none had sparked his desire for companionship. But everything shifted when he met a certain herbalist whose medicinal knowledge seemed to surpass even his own. What began as mere intrigue might have gradually developed into affection.

A/N: Special thanks to the sweet @sundaybossanova for coming up with the main concept of Yunho's spinoff.

Main Story | Spinoff Masterlist | Part 1

"Mr. Ryu, I'm afraid I'll need all your raspberry and peppermint leaf supply for the day. Lady Park hasn't been doing too well in the early stages of her pregnancy," the physician announced upon entering the apothecary where he regularly obtained his medicines and herbs, his eyes busily scanning around for anything else that could be useful.

"Is that so? You might want to consider our latest batch of Codonopsis root imported directly from China just a week ago. It's highly effective in boosting vital energy and reducing fatigue during pregnancy."

Yunho's head shot up in surprise.

First of all, why hadn't he thought of that before? More importantly, the feminine voice addressing him sounded nothing like the elderly man who usually managed the store. He turned to find a young woman behind the counter, his eyes widening in astonishment.

"O-oh, um... hello there. I didn't realise Mr. Ryu had such a young wife," he blurted out before cursing himself, feeling embarrassed for making such a hasty assumption.

Your face immediately twisted in disgust, "Goodness gracious, you're severely mistaken! I'm his daughter!"

Way to go, you complete idiot!

This is probably gonna be the least angsty one out of all the spinoffs hehe but y'all know how I am, the climax might get a little exciting🙈 As always, I'm excited to hear your thoughts on the concept!

Tag list (1/8): Tumblr is a bitch and won't let me mention more than 5 users in a single sentence, so now my tag list looks like a complete joke🤡

@itstheghostofmypast @huachengsbestie01 @minghaoslatina @weedforthoughtz @minkiflwr @cheolliehugs |

@the-kpop-simp @writingwieny @stayatinykatsy @skzline @green-agent |

@stayinhellevator @vampzity @tinyteezer @evidive @vantediary |

@superbbananananana @kimyeolchan @chocolate-scoups @decadentstrangernacho @vic0921 |

@marievllr-abg @sunnyhokyu @seungmin-in-thebuilding @heyitsmetonid @sansaurora9904 @darkestacademiamindsx12-blog @pay13 |

@myblovedjyh @professormingisglasses @newworldwritings @chicken-fifi @thunderous-wolf |

@shythinggiver @madnpan @yandere-stories @anxiousskylar @frobin4ever @starssongs98 |

@dollce-exe @jan-l @lovelyred2 @haven-cove @watermelon2319 |

@dreamingofyeo @akimkim @scuzmunkie @satsuri3su @mismatchfluffysocks |

@borntoshineateez @st4rhwa @ddaeing @tropicalsstuff @bts-army380 |

@beauty143 @naps-over-degree @idfkeddieishot @sis-101 @lemon-sage17 @jcalicocatj

All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[witchygirlgray333]

Some topics + prompts for your grimoire or book of shadows

books you want to read

local folklore / mythology / legends

the wheel of the year

plants you have in your house or garden (their care, properties, uses, draw them etc)

theban alphabet

days of the week and their correspondences

write about a deity you worship / are drawn to

draw art for / of a deity you worship or are drawn to

colour magic

the elements

write about the crystals you own (draw them, write their properties, correspondences, uses, how it makes you feel etc)

how to make your own crystals

your birth chart

your sun, moon and rising sign

natural medicine (as a chronically ill witch I love natural medicine NOT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PRESCRIPTIONS! for example I take all my prescription meds and then if I'm having period pain I might drink some raspberry leaf tea)

positive affirmations / mantras that you connect with

how to manifest

history of witches

deities in a certain pantheon you're interested in or drawn to

write about a spell you've done (how you did it, why you did it, how you felt, the results of it, what you would change if you did the spell again etc)

chakras

write about a dream you've had

tarot reading tricks and tips

moon phases

sabbats

zodiac signs

family tree

poetry / songs / quotes you connect to (i like to find ones that make me feel powerful or witchy, or remind me of certain aspects of my practice. a song i like for this is rhiannon by fleetwood mac and i'm going to post more things like this regularly on my page)

feathers and their meanings

simple everyday magic

recipes

some ideas for the next sabbat you plan to celebrate

tarot spreads you like

write about a tarot reading you've done (any prep you did, the deck you used, the cards you pulled, your personal interpretation of the cards based on the art and how you feel, the meaning of the cards, how the cards relate to the questions you asked, final reflection on how you feel the reading went)

interesting mythology

tree of life

glamour magic

money bowls

crystal shapes and their meanings

grounding techniques

cleansing

protection

banishing

cord cutting spells

essential oils

types of divination

planets and their correspondences

angel numbers

witchy wishlist

go to supplies and ingredients (herbs and things that you use regularly)

favourite crystals

working with your inner child

if you've had a really good or particularly insightful meditation session it can be nice to either draw or write what happened and how you felt during it

witchy arts and crafts and diys you want to do

altar ideas

read a witchy book / watch a witchy video and take notes

write about your ancestors

witchy things to incorporate into your daily routine

what is a tower moment

witchy reset / self care days

the history of the area you live in

veiling

how to make your own incense sticks

shadow work

shadow work prompts

ok, that's all the ideas I have for now and I hope that helps someone! I'll be posting some pages from my grimoire and some more prompt / topic ideas in the near future which I'm really excited for.

P.S. please remember that everyone's practice is their own and you should do what feels right to you while respecting that other people have their own beliefs (as long as they're not hateful).

[55555-555-5]

I’ve been living!

[mistydeyes]

perfumes i think the 141 boys enjoy

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summary: Scent is one of the most powerful senses, so what kind of fragrance do the 141 boys + Alejandro like on their significant other?

pairing: 141 x Reader

warnings: none

a/n - i also work for a perfume company so I've had a couple of ideas about what scents the boys like :)

┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊

price - loves expensive, smokey scents on anyone. imagine the scents of a fresh cigar-that's what price wants in a fragrance. notes like pepper, leather, tobacco, cedar wood, and iris will make him crumble.

masculine

oud wood - tom ford notes: oud wood, sandalwood, chinese pepper

osmanthe kodoshan - maison crivelli notes: leather, tobacco, sichuan pepper, apricot, peach

functional fragrance - the nue co. notes: cardamom, iris, palo santo, cilantro

unisex

hinoki fantôme - boy smells notes: tobacco leaves, oak moss, and smoked leather

jazz club - maison marigela notes: pink pepper, rum, tobacco

lumière d’iris - veronique gabai notes: rose, iris, cedarwood, amber

feminine

baccarat rouge 540 - maison francis kurkdjia notes: jasmine, ambergris, saffron, cedar wood

cuir béluga - guerlain notes: leather, powder, vanilla

platinum 22 - floris london notes: rose, violet leaf, blackcurrant, oat, black tea

soap - woodsy, floral scents are soap's surprising pick. it brings back memories of the scottish countryside, adventuring in the woods and smelling the fresh flowers his mam had. notice notes of herbs (sage, rosemary, mint), lavender, and violet.

masculine

sauvage - dior notes: pepper, amberwood, bergamot, powder

h24 - hermès notes: clary sage, narcissus, rosewood

new york wall street - bond no.9 notes: sea kale, cucumber, lavender, ambergris, vetiver

unisex

voodoo chile - dries van noten notes: rosemary, patchouli, hemp

libre - yves saint laurent notes: lavender, musk

dirty grass - heretic notes: black pepper, lemon, hemp, violet

feminine

melancholy thistle - jo malone london notes: thistle, english ivy, cool wood

portrait of a lady - frédéric malle notes: frankincense, black currant, raspberry, patchouli

la tulipe - byredo notes: tulips, cyclamen, fressia, rhubarb

gaz - FLORAL CITRUS will make this man fall in love with you. it reminds him of a warm summer day sitting in the grass and smelling flowers. look for summery fragrances with notes of citrus, lemon, sage, and fresh herbs.

masculine

bleu de chanel - chanel notes: citrus, labdanum, sandalwood, cedar

polo black - ralph lauren notes: iced mango, lemon, tangerine, sandalwood, sage, patchouli

l'homme - yves saint laurent notes: bergamot, ginger, cedar wood, vetiver

unisex

cactus garden - louis vuitton notes: maté, bergamot, lemongrass

velvet cypress - dolce & gabbana notes: pine, lemon zest, bergamot, clary sage

eau de campagne - sisley notes: grass, citrus, herbs, jasmine, lily of the valley

feminine

brazilian crush cheirosa 62 - sol de janeiro notes: pistachio, almond, sandalwood, heliotrope, jasmine

her blossom - burberry notes: mandarin, plum blossom, sandalwood

flora gorgeous jasmine - gucci notes: mandarin, jasmine, magnolia, sandalwood

ghost - likes a light, musky scent! he loves when a scent adds to a person's natural smell (he hates sugary, gourmand scents). ingredients like musk, ambrox, pepper, sandalwood catch his eye as he pictures fresh sheets and a rainfall in a forest.

masculine

geranium pour monsieur - frédéric malle notes: mint, aniseed, sandalwood, geranium, frankincense

atlantis - blu atlas notes: orris, oak moss, violet, musk, ambrette seed

gentleman - givenchy notes: pear, lavender, patchouli

unisex

glossier you - glossier notes: pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, ambrox

not a perfume - juliette has a gun notes: ambergris

santal 33 - le labo notes: violet cardamom, cedar wood, iris, ambrox

feminine

missing person - phlur notes: musk, bergamot, jasmine, neroli, sandalwood

golden nectar - nest notes: florals, orchid, amber, musk

apollonia - xerjoff notes: white floral, orris butter, white musk

extra! alejandro - if ghost likes it simple and light, then alejandro is the exact opposite. he loves when he can smell someone's fragrance across the room. focus on bold fragrances with spicy notes of nutmeg, myrrh, and rum that is mixed with the gourmand of vanilla, almond, and tonka bean.

masculine

the last day of summer - gucci notes: cedarwood, cypress, nutmeg, patchouli, vetiver

bibliothèque - byredo notes: peach, peony, violet, leather, patchouli, vanilla

london myrrh & tonka - jo malone notes: almond, vanilla, myrrh, lavender, honey

unisex

tobacco vanille - tom ford notes: tonka bean, vanilla. cacao

dark rum - malin + goetz notes: anise, plum, leather, rum, patchouli, amber

tao dao - diptyque notes: sandalwood, cedar, cypress, myrte

feminine

lost cherry - tom ford notes: black cherry, tonka bean, almond

brazil aroma - costa notes: white jungle flora, orange oil, pink pepper, bourbon, vetiver, patchouli

babylon - penhaligon's notes: saffron, nutmeg, coriander, cedar wood, vanilla, cypriol

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[chaotic-gremlin-27]

Working with Regulus Black 🐍🖤

All info in this post is purely my own opinion since there isn’t a canon for marauders. If anyone has anything they would like me to add I would love to hear it!! /gen

Media: The Marauders Fandom

Type of Character: Depends on the media you’re interacting with but since this is for my birthday post we’re focusing on my fav type of him which is the Main Protagonist

Description: Regulus Black is the younger brother of Sirius Black who gets sorted into Slytherin. Canonically, he becomes a death eater young and then decides to revolt against Voldemort and dies trying. In the fandom, he’s often portrayed as a trans gay man who falls in love with James Potter. He’s characterized as snarky, sarcastic, smart as fuck, and traumatized as hell.

Domains

Surviving Abuse

Mental Health

Drug Addiction/Abuse and Recovery

Sexuality

Knowledge/Wisdom

Standing up against oppression

Epithets

The Horcrux Hunter

The Lover

The Haunted

The Forgiven

The Savior

The Forgotten Child

Things to work with them on

- Recovering from abuse

- Reconnecting with family and friends who help you be a better person

- Discovering your sexuality and gender identity

- Working on your mental health

Associations

Color: Black, Silver, and Dark Green

Elements: Air

Tarot Cards: The Hanged Man, Four of Swords, Seven of Swords, and Ace of Cups

Food: Sweet food (like candy, chocolate, baked goods, etc), Blueberry Pancakes (iykyk)

Herbs: Lavender, Mint, Cinnamon, Raspberry Leaf, Jasmine, and Chamomile

Animals: Cats, Sparrows, Corvids

Crystals: Obsidian, Serpentine, Onyx, Bloodstone, and Black Tourmaline

Incense: Basically herb list but as incense

Devotional Acts

- Interacting with the Marauders Fandom and their work

- Visiting you local libraries and small bookstores

- Reading classic literature

- Learning about topics that interest you

[ask-barbatos]

While the purity of Camellia Sinensis is a marvel in itself, the world of tea extends far beyond the simple leaf that is often called a True Tea. Let's talk about flavor-infused tea.

Infused tea

The practice of infusing tea with flavors dates back centuries, with evidence of flavored teas found in ancient Chinese and Indian cultures. Early methods of infusion involved adding herbs, spices, or flowers directly to the tea leaves during steeping. Over time, more sophisticated techniques were developed, such as extracting essential oils from aromatic plants and adding them to the tea.

Today, infused teas are typically created using one of two methods:

Direct Infusion: The most common method involves adding dried herbs, spices, or fruits directly to the tea leaves before steeping. This allows the flavors to infuse naturally into the tea, creating a harmonious blend.

Flavoring Oils: Essential oils extracted from aromatic plants can be added to the tea after steeping. This method allows for precise control over the intensity of the flavor and can be used to create subtle or bold infusions.

One of the most renowned flavor-infused teas is Earl Grey, a black tea infused with the fragrant oil of bergamot orange. The citrusy notes of bergamot dance harmoniously with the rich, full-bodied flavor of black tea, creating a truly exquisite beverage. Earl Grey is a versatile tea that can be enjoyed hot or iced, and it pairs well with a variety of foods.

Aside from Earl Grey, the world of flavor-infused teas is vast and varied. From the delicate floral notes of jasmine tea to the bold fruity flavors of berry teas, there is a flavor combination to suit every palate.

Pictured above: (top) Jasmine infused green tea from Fujian Tea Import & Export Co., (bottom) Blood Orange herbal tea from Harney & Sons Fine Teas. [Blend: Apple pieces, rose hips, hibiscus, beetroot, orange peel, orange flavor, marigold petals, safflower petals.]

Some of the other popular flavor-infused teas include:

Jasmine Tea: A green tea infused with jasmine flowers, offering a delicate floral aroma and a slightly sweet taste.

Chai Tea: A black tea spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, creating a warm and comforting blend.

Fruit Teas: A variety of teas infused with fruit flavors, such as strawberry, raspberry, or peach, providing a sweet and tangy taste.

Fruit teas are excellent for cold-brewed iced tea. I will cover cold-brewing later, so please look forward to that.

When choosing a flavor-infused tea, consider your personal preferences and the occasion. A delicate floral tea might be perfect for a relaxing afternoon, while a bold and spicy chai tea could be a comforting choice on a cold day.

The choice of infusion depends on the desired flavor profile and the characteristics of the ingredients being used. For example, delicate floral flavors may be best achieved using direct infusion, while strong, bold flavors can be created using flavoring oils.

If you wish to create your own infused tea, that will have to be a separate post. For now, it is enough to be able to identify the tea you are brewing so that you can handle it appropriately.

Brewing infused teas requires a balance of technique and intuition. First, identify the ingredients. When brewing a cup of tea, it's good to know what temperature and length of time to steep your tea for.

A tea labeled "Peach" may be a white tea with peach flavoring, and it may be best to brew it at a temperature appropriate for white tea. Blends may consist of varying ingredients that require different temperatures, so some experimentation may be in order to find the best brewing temperature to get the most of each flavor.

Herbal tea

Beyond the True Tea, there lies a world of herbal teas, each offering a unique blend of flavors and health benefits. Herbal teas are made from a variety of plants, including herbs, spices, and fruits. They are often enjoyed for their medicinal properties, as well as their delicious taste.

As no part of an herbal tea contains the Camellia Sinensis plant, these teas are not considered "True Teas". That does not mean we cannot enjoy them, however.

For the most part, an herbal tea will not contain any caffeine, unlike the tea produced from the Camellia Sinensis plant. This makes them more suitable to enjoy in the evening or late hours.

Pictured above: (from top to bottom) Roses, honeysuckle, chrysanthemums, mint and lavender.

Some popular herbal teas include:

Chamomile Tea: Made from chamomile flowers, this tea is known for its calming and relaxing properties.

Peppermint Tea: Made from peppermint leaves, this tea is refreshing and aids digestion.

Ginger Tea: Made from ginger root, this tea is warming and can help soothe an upset stomach.

Hibiscus Tea: Made from hibiscus flowers, this tea has a tart, fruity flavor and is rich in antioxidants.

As with many blends, it is helpful to experiment a little with the temperature and steep time to get the most of your tea. Intuition will follow experience.

The ideal steeping temperature for infused teas and herbal teas can vary depending on the specific ingredients and desired flavor intensity. However, here are some general guidelines:

Delicate floral or fruity teas: 175-185°F (79-85°C)

Bold, spicy teas: 195-212°F (90-100°C)

Herbal teas: 175-212°F (79-100°C), depending on the specific herbs used

Serving suggestions: Cream is usually not served with fruit teas, as the acidity in some will cause the milk to curdle. Lemon slices are commonly served with Earl Grey, however, as with the fruit tea, lemon can also cause cream to curdle. Sugar or honey are appropriate for nearly any tea.

It's always a good idea to experiment with different temperatures to find the perfect brew for your taste. I hope this has been informational and helpful to my students who wish to become better acquainted with tea.

[bunnywip]

𝙒𝙊𝙍𝘿𝙎 𝙏𝙊 𝘿𝙀𝙎𝘾𝙍𝙄𝘽𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙇𝙊𝙐𝙍𝙎

— PURPLE

Mauve.

Violet.

Lilac.

Magenta.

Plum.

Royal.

Lavender.

Grape.

Periwinkle.

Sangria.

Jam.

Heather.

Noble.

Berry.

Mulberry.

Orchid.

Amethyst.

Wine.

— BLUE

Navy.

Sky.

Turquoise.

Indigo.

Slate.

Deep.

Prussian.

Teal.

Ocean.

Peacock.

Cyan.

Azure.

Artic.

Sapphire.

Diamond.

Royal.

Ultramarine.

Aqua.

— GREEN

Pistachio.

Juniper.

Grass.

Parakeet.

Leaf.

Pine.

Basil.

Herb.

Lime.

Sage.

Chartreuse.

Fern.

Olive.

Emerald.

Shamrock.

Seafoam.

Moss.

Pear.

Mint.

— YELLOW

Canary.

Gold.

Daffodil.

Seed.

Lemon.

Butter.

Yolk.

Mustard.

Corn.

Bumblebee.

Sunny.

Honey.

Amber.

Blonde.

Banana.

Medallion.

Dandelion.

Platinum.

Buttscotch.

Dandelion.

Sunflower.

Saffron.

Dijon.

Fire.

— ORANGE

Yam.

Marigold.

Rust.

Clay.

Spiced.

Tiger.

Ginger.

Sandstone.

Apricot.

Carrot.

Amber.

Bronze.

Honey.

— PINK

Blush.

Coral.

Rosewood.

Lemonade.

Marshmallow.

Hot.

Magenta.

Bubblegum.

Fuchsia.

Rose.

Salmon.

Roseate.

Glowing.

Reddened.

Sanguine.

Peach.

Strawberry.

Punch.

Watermelon.

Flamingo.

Berry.

Rouge.

— WHITE

Milky.

Alabaster.

Pearly.

Cotton

Chiffon.

Egg-shell.

Bridal.

Snowy.

Bright.

Porcelain.

Chalky.

Creamy.

Ivory.

Empty.

Frosted.

Pale.

Lace.

Salt.

Coconut.

Silvery.

Tooth.

Daisy.

Porcelain.

Achromatic.

Delicate.

Fresh.

Bone.

Innocent.

— BLACK

Ebony.

Sable.

Crow.

Charcoal.

Grease.

Raven.

Midnight.

Pitch.

Dusky.

Inky.

Solemn.

Onyx.

Soot.

Jet.

Leather.

Obsidian.

Murky.

Cloudy.

— RED

Cherry.

Jam.

Sanguine.

Apple.

Rose.

Ruby.

Burgundy.

Maroon.

Crimson.

Merlot.

Scarlet.

Wine.

Brick.

Berry.

Blood.

Sangria.

Candy.

Blush.

Evil.

Imperial.

Ferrari.

Raspberry.

Carmine.

Chilli.

[sierrawitch]

Intuitive Magick: Rebirth Shower

by autumn sierra

I performed this ritual during a trying period of my career path experience. I’d been fired from a previous job—one that didn’t seem to fit for me from the start, but I pushed on since not every experience in life will be just how you’d like it. I fell into a thought process of self-loathing. How could I have lost my job? I should have done everything in my power to work harder, to make money, to meet expectations even if they were unrealistic.

But the reality was that I was losing my spirit. The job had turned me into a drone, a mindless thing meant to type numbers 8 hours a day, then leave to live its own life for 4, before repeating it all over again.

Realizing I’d been punishing myself for something that may have been what fate had intended for me, I knew I needed to escape my own mental prison. I did so with this intuitive ritual cleansing shower.

*This is a simple intuitive ritual. I preplanned nothing. If you feel moved to substitute any herb or action to better fit your practice, please follow your intuition.

What I used

Cedar wood incense for cleansing

Tuning fork for balancing energies

Ash for symbolic smudging

Oil for anointing and moisturizing

Meditation music

Comb

Bar soap and shampoo & conditioner

Bath towel

Self-love tea (raspberry leaf, rose, thyme, bay leaf)

What I did

First, I carried all of my supplies to the bathroom, trying to remain in the moment and remove focus from my negative thoughts. I returned to the kitchen to brew a (very hot) cup of tea and brought that with me as well.

Inside the bathroom, I closed the door, removed my clothes, put on some low frequency meditation music, and lit the incense. The smoke started filling the air as I rang the tuning fork in every corner of the room and then on either side of my head, and at my third eye. I smoke cleansed my body from foot to crown, reflecting on my emotions and the events that brought me to this point.

Gazing at my reflection in the vanity mirror, I slowly combed my hair, working the tangles. Each tangle reminded me of a difficulty I faced in my experience throughout my career, and the frustration of trying to undo the knots matched my frustration in my work.

I then dipped my fingers into the ash and smudged it over my eyes, wiping it down my face as a physical manifestation of the pain in my mind and in my heart, the disappointment and self loathing I had inside me. I smudged the ash over my chest and arms, allowing myself to feel all of the negative energy. I shed a few tears and stepped into the running water of the shower.

Instantly, I blocked the negativity from my mind and focused on the tones of the music. The warm water pelted over my skin, slowly rinsing the ash from my face. I imagined the darkness and sludge of my own emotions melt away with the water as well. When I felt comfortable, I began wiping the rest of the ash away, feeling my heart that the darkness was leaving me. Then I continued with my regular shower routine of washing my hair and then my body, from the head to the feet with intention and focus in every movement.

When all of the dirt and soap was washed away, I turned the shower off and dried myself from the head to the feet, wiping down and away to ensure that all negativity would be shooed from me. I anointed myself with skin-gentle oil on the face, chest, arms, and legs and massaged it into my skin before drinking the cup of tea I brewed earlier. This tea ended my ritual by cleansing my body internally.

I gazed into the mirror once again and reflected on my emotions and thoughts in the moment. My body felt lighter, my mind felt clear, and my heart felt calm. The music echoed off the walls and I memorized my facial features. I saw myself. Nothing less. In that moment, it felt as if my self from only an hour earlier had died, and this fresh self had taken her place. I was ready for a new beginning again.

Edit: I recently performed a second “rebirth” shower ritual after a difficult experience with a loved one. My emotions seemed out of my control, and I ultimately resorted to this method in order to reset and start from scratch, so to speak. At the time, I had no ash on hand. So I showed the physical manifestation of my emotional pain by lightly scratching the skin of my legs, up over my stomach and back, my chest, arms, neck, and face. This left red marks that I used in place of the ash as a symbol to wash away with the water of the shower. 5-10 minutes after the heat from the shower was gone from my skin, the redness of the scratches faded and disappeared. I’ve found that this is a nice substitute if ash isn’t kept on hand.

[turtlesandfrogs]

One of the interesting things I've noticed (been frustrated by) is that while some herbs have a whole bunch of studies done of them, and have multiple systematic reviews and are generally well studied (*cough* St. John's Wort *cough*) others have very little research done on them.

One example of this is red Raspberry leaf and its use for treating menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea in the literature. Red raspberry leaf is pretty well known by people in general where I am, to the point that people who don't know anything about herbalism at all know about raspberry leaf tea for menstrual cramps. It is in many herbal books, and if you look at online forums, loads of people are saying it's effective for them, some even going so far as to say it is the only thing that works for their cramps.

Seems like something worth looking into the science of, right?

But when I go to look at the research that I can access (as a non-student, non-researcher), there's very little on raspberry for this use. I found:

One article* in the Lancet from 1941 that looked at the effects of raspberry leaf on animal uteruses, which I would recommend not reading if you're squeamish about descriptions of animal experimentation.

A paper** that referenced the above and the traditional medicinal use of raspberry, and then treated human patients with dysmenorrhea with a combination of five different herbs in one pill. It did find a positive effect, but also one of the other herbs themselves are well studied in this and has a good amount of evidence to back it up.

A review*** that says they found both mild and effective herbal treatments in the literature, but doesn't let you actually read what they are without purchasing the article, which is a massive barrier. And it doesn't reference any clinical studies on raspberry leaf. Any. Which makes me suspect there aren't any studies to reference.

Another article that just references the 1941 article and traditional knowledge.

Finally, a paper in 2002****, this time on guinea-pig ileum. They did find that it had an antispasmodic effect on the guinea pig's small intestine in test tubes.

And that is it. That's all I can find through Science Direct or Google Scholar. No large scale, double-blind, placebo controlled studies in humans. No single-herb studies in humans. No in vivo studies in humans. No review articles, because there is nothing to review. To be clear, these things all exist for other herbs, and I'm super stoked to read them.

And I'm kinda really frustrated, because menstrual cramps are really common, monthly occurrence for about half the population. They suck. If you listen to people who drink raspberry leaf tea, they say it is very effective, going so far as to prevent menstrual cramps from ever happening. You would think that this would be something that scientists have studied, because that's a huge amount of possibly preventable pain.

And yeah, we have over the counter pain medication now, but it still seems like someone would have looked into it. Because I don't think I'm the only one who would prefer having a cup of tea over the other options.

* https://www.sciencedirect.com/sdfe/pdf/download/eid/1-s2.0-S0140673600713481/first-page-pdf JH Burn, ER Withell "A principle in raspberry leaves which relaxes uterine muscle" The Lancet, 1941

** Bone, Kerry. "Phytotherapy for pain management in dysmenorrhea." Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients 258 (2005): 57-60.

*** https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/95649 Rashmi Saxena Pal*, Yogendra Pal, Pranay Wal, Nikita Saraswat and Ankita Wal, "A Novel Approach on Review of Herbal Menstrual Cramps Relievers" Current Women`s Health Reviews 2019

**** https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.1040 Janne Rojas-Vera, Asmita V. Patel, "Relaxant activity of raspberry ( Rubus idaeus) leaf extract in guinea-pig ileum in vitro" Phytotherapy Research, 2002

[madamlaydebug]

Building a relationship with the plants and listening to them, is the guidance to exactly what we need for wholesome health 🌹

All herbs and plants hold a spirit, and are at different levels of spiritual development - which makes the healing property of one plant more or less potent than another.

Nature gave us everything we need to stay balanced and in harmony with it 💚🍃🍄‍🟫

🌾There is an herb for every organ in the body🌾

🧠brain: tulsi, blue vervain, gotu kola, lemon balm

🩵kidneys: sarsaparilla, burdock, dandelion root, uva ursi

🫁lungs: mullein, comfrey, plantain leaf, sage

🫀heart: hibiscus, hawthorn, ginger

🤎colon: cascara sagrada, senna, rhubarb

💜liver: dandelion root, milk thistle, turmeric, rooibos, licorice

💛stomach: marshmallow root, slippery elm, mugwort

❤️reproductive: damiana, red clover, red raspberry, yohimbe, astragalus root, yarrow

☘️Nature is our healer❤️‍🩹