The Ancient Art of Tending to Yourself
Long before self-care took on the current commercialized optimization, it held a different quality, one that was patient, relational, unhurried, without agenda. Tending rather than optimizing. Women have always tended to themselves and those they love with plants, not as a wellness strategy, but as a natural way of being in a body in relation to the living world. As part of being a participant in a wider ecosystem.
Every time I walk through a garden in bloom or I prepare an herbal remedy I’m in awe of nature’s healing potential. Long before our modern wellness practices, something has withstood the test of time: using plants for greater well-being. Most of us are aware that herbs can be used to address health challenges but they can also be used to simply enhance our enjoyment, pleasure, and well-being.
Embodied herbalism isn't about learning the properties and constituents of plants in a textbook; it's about walking through a garden, sitting under a tree, picking flowers in the mountains, interacting up close with nature.
This kind of herbal practice is sensual, grounded, nourishing, and experiential. It looks like growing herbs in a patio container, playing with herbs and spices in the kitchen, making homemade body scrubs, and even simply brewing a cup of tea.
Below are some of my favorite ways to incorporate herbs into my day for nourishment and pleasure.
Body Oiling as a Practice of Self-Touch
Whenever I feel particularly ungrounded or mentally scattered, I return to this practice of nourishing my body with warm oil infused with healing herbs. I’m partial to following Ayurveda’s healing wisdom, engaging in abhyanga in the cooler months and as the seasons change, protecting and moisturizing my skin.
Something about the slowness, the repetition of applying oil in this manner is inherently soothing and calms my mind.
Herbal oiling is all about the senses; it’s indulgent, fragrant, luxurious. Herbal oiling is also an entry point into embodiment. When we deepen our awareness of our body by tending to her
This to me is true self-care, touching the body with reverence rather than utility, orienting in the direction of devotion rather than critique.
When was the last time you touched your own body with tenderness rather than utility?
Teas and Tisanes as a Sacred Ritual
One of my anchor points throughout the day is drinking a cup of herbal tea. The preparation is part of the ritual: the steeping, the waiting, the warmth, the scent, the taste.
Some days it’s a spontaneous affair. I’ll throw some herbs into a pot — fresh lemon balm, hibiscus, mint, maybe rose — when I want something for flavor and taste, something to savor and enjoy. Simple tisanes that delight and please.
If I’m frazzled I reach for the nervines — skullcap, milky oat, lavender, tulsi. Herbs that relax and settle my mind.
Other days I think ahead, crafting an infusion that steeps overnight, made of tonic herbs: oatstraw, alfalfa, rosehips, nettle or skullcap, a little red clover. Vitamins and minerals in abundance that hydrate and sustain.
Every now and then I go even deeper, preparing a decoction, most likely burdock root, for something earthy and warm, sipped straight without the sweetener.
Whatever it is, this daily moment of preparing and drinking helps me come into the present moment as I receive this easy nourishment from the plants.
Tisanes offer replenishment, a moment to pause and reflect, to gently nourish our bodies rather than resorting to stimulants and sugar.
This is my self-care ritual, a moment when I tune out the world and create something just for me.
What does it feel like to pause and nourish yourself without earning it first?
Flower Essences as a Balm for the Soul
One of my absolute favorite ways to use plants for healing and well-being, flower essences are gentle vibrational remedies that attune our energy to higher frequencies and help us release heavy emotions and outdated thought patterns and behavior. A type of energy medicine working on the mental, emotional, and spiritual levels, flower essences offer a gentle balm that gradually works from where we are and guides us in the direction of expansion.
Flower essences offer the chance to be intentional, to tend to our interior landscape with care and devotion. We can look at where we might need to soften, where we don’t feel safe, where we have trouble letting go
Essences work their magic to gently to expand our minds, release what we need to let go of, and open our hearts.
Whenever I offer essences to women who are new to this gentle form of plant medicine, we generally look at calming, grounding, and feeling safe and present in the body.
One of my favorites is self-heal, a deep purple-hued flower which sparks our intuition about what’s truly healthy for us. We know health is unique for each individual and this flower guides us to lean into that knowing.
What might you be carrying that hasn't yet been acknowledged?
If you are looking to approach self-care with a sense of fun and play, consider how herbs can support you in your daily wellness routine. Nature has always been here to nourish us. Let your senses guide the way.
