Learning and Living Herbs

The universal practice of herbal medicine had been the most popular and the most powerful form of medicine for thousands of years. Every culture has their own customs and ways of growing, cultivating and using herbs. Whether it is culinary, medicinal, or the creative use of herbs they make us happy and healthier.

The amount of information out there on herbs is truly daunting at best. Just trying to find a book that will give you just the basics will sometimes deter you because you become intimated by the abundance of information. I know at one point I said, the more I know, the more I am hesitant to recommend herbs to other people, but I quickly got over that. There is a personal responsibility that goes with using and recommending herbs as far as I am concerned. I just keep reading, learning, playing and having fun with herbs all the time. My motto “Everything in moderation!” You can always add more.

Information overload is a problem in any subject. However, the more you learn, the better. Respecting every herb you use is fundamental. Feeling the energy, knowing the properties and learning while using and best of all having fun with the entire process. Using culinary herbs is a daily practice that we don’t even think about these days. Culinary herbs are one of the best ways to start deliberately learning the actions, tastes, and properties of herbs.

Start noticing the different tastes and actions of herbs like cinnamon is very warming, clove, fennel, cardamon, ground peppers, all warming, as well. The mints are cooling, rosemary is stimulating, lavender is soothing, garlic is pungent and warming, coffee is bitter and stimulating, honey is sweet, lemon is sour and seaweeds are salty. Just start noticing and being aware

Energetics of the different tastes:

Sweet – We are not talking about sugar (which has some of the opposite affects on the body) we are talking about the more subtle tastes of a plants roots, leaves and flowers. Sweet is harmonizing, calming, cooling, slowing, thickens, moistens and restores.

Spicy or pungent – Activates, energizes, warms, stimulates, drys and disperses.

Salty – Moistens, softens, sinks, drains, dissolves and resolves.

Sour – Coagulates, tightens, stimulates, and decongests.

Bitter – Stimulates, grounds, drains, cools, detoxifies, and dries.

So now you have some basic information. We will just continue to move forward and enjoy the process. Let’s have some fun and learn about herbs. We will plant them, care for them, harvest them, eat them, bath in them, make really cool stuff with them, cook with them. Make oils with them, make lotions with them, make bath salts with them, make incense with them, make tinctures with them, make pills with them, make salves with them, make soaps with them and much much more.

Be responsible, cautious, conscious, grateful and always use good common sense in your use of herbs. Most of all enjoy!!!