There is a quality and nourishment from moonlight that is vital to our human souls. After the rare event of two cloudless full moons in a row (not typical in a Pacific Northwest fall) that were just astonishing, I have been inspired to write about the way in which we can more consciously bring moonlight into our lives as a form of nourishment.
This idea of deriving nourishment from light of various kinds dates back to the ascetic practices of Daoist Immortals, yogis and yoginis, and medicine people from around the world. From the Asian medical perspective, the Moon is another source of Qi or Prana, a vital energy that we can ingest. While we indirectly ingest moonlight and sunlight through their transformed forms in the food we eat, there are also traditions of going directly to the source and supplementing our own vital energy from the Sun or Moon.
The Moon has particular qualities that we might find specifically nourishing. The moon is considered Yin, cooling, sattvic, soma-like. While the full moon is actually the most Yang aspect of the moon's cycle (the new or dark moon is the most yin), it is still considered to have potent Yin qualities. These yin qualities are particularly valuable in our overstimulating, mentally erratic times.
Simply tracking the moon's cycles and watching your own ebb and flow of energy can be a valuable exercise for most people. Many of my students and patients have been astonished to find how dramatically their energy shifts during the course of one moon cycle. Most folks find that there is a peak of their energy during the full moon with it being harder to sleep and having vivid dreams. Creativity also tends to be high. The lull of energy is often greatest at the time right around the new moon, with more a of a desire for introspection, sleep, rest, and inactivity. From new moon to full moon (waxing) energy seems to increase , and from full moon to new moon (waning) energy seems to decrease.
How does one get in touch with these cycles and harvest the energy from this luminous orb that watches over us? Here are a few suggestions:
1) Keep track of the moon's cycle-especially through directly observing during the night and day (yes, the moon is sometimes out during the day!)
2) Near the full moon, spend time outside under its light and feel it bathe your skin with its light (this is a form of passive moonlight harvesting).
3) Gaze at the Moon-this is an ancient practice from both China and Tibet. Gazing at a full moon for extended periods of time with your eyes relaxed and body relaxed is a way to expand consciousness and nourish yourself with its light.
4) Swallowing Moonlight- In this practice you gently raise your hands as if reaching out to gather up the full moon, then you bring them towards your face, and then down the front of your body to the level of the navel. As your hands are coming from the moon towards your body you are inhaling and as they sink down the front of the body you are exhaling. As you exhale, make an audible swallowing sound. Repeat this 3-18 times and on the last repetition finish with your hands resting on your navel, palm over palm. Visualize the moon in your belly, illuminating you from within.
These four practices are an excellent foundation for developing a relationship with the moon's energies. In the future, we will discuss moon dream practices, moon meditations, and other moon qi ingesting practices.
Enjoy the Moon!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Herb of the Week: Rosehips
Alright, it's been a little while since I've done an Herb of the Week. Maybe I should switch to Herb of the Month! That being said, it is truly an amazing time to go out and collect Rosehips. These little ruby gems are an easy entrance to the world of Wild Medicine. The are prolific, easy to identify, easy to collect, and very versatile.
Rose spp.
Description: The red fruits or ovaries of rose flowers, rose hips are easily identified by being one of the few fruits still on the branches in the fall and winter. They are found on rose bushes which are also easily identified by their prominent thorns. There are many different wild and cultivated species. Beware of nightshade berries that may appear similar (but no thorns). Strangely enough many species of cultivated roses do not produce "hips".
Collecting: The fruits can be collected any time after reaching maturity and ripening, however many people recommend waiting until after the first frost. This produces 2 results: 1)It can kill off any little bugs living inside the fruits and 2)It firms up the fruit making them less mushy to handle and work with.
Properties: Edible, mildly medicinal, rich in vitamin C, slightly astringent
Medicinal Uses:
1) Medicinal and Nutritive Tea-Rosehips' big claim to fame is that they are a very rich source of winter Vitamin C. There are many anecdotes of settlers being taught to use rose hips to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) from Native North Americans. Pouring hot water over fresh or dried rose hips will produce a beautiful, fragrant tart tea. Don't boil them though as this destroys a lot of the Vitamin C content.
2) Medicinal Honey-Another wonderful way to use rose hips that is easy enough for beginners and even kids to do is to make a rose hip honey. There are several ways to do this. The simplest way is to clean your fresh rose hips. Then place them in a jar after removing the vegetative part that connected them hip to the flower and the stem. Pour honey one the rose hips (you can fill a container 1/3 to1/2 full or more) and fill the honey as close to the top as you can. Steep the hips this way for at least 30 days and turn the jar every other day or so. After 30 days, strain the honey. You will have an amazing ruby-red honey flavored with tart complexities of rose hips! This can be taken straight for sore throats and mixed into tea or hot water to help through the cold season.
3) Rose hip decorations-While not exactly medicinal, rose hips can be dried and add a lot of color and scent to natural potpourri mixes and even strung and made into necklaces. There is some argument that this is where the word "rosary" originally came from: a string of dried rose hips that were then used to focus one's thoughts and prayers. This is a really beautiful way to include plants in our lives as more than just food.
4) Rose hip Syrup-Finally, rose hips can be used by themselves or combined with other herbs into an herbal syrup. This process can be quite simple, though many medicinal syrups are quite sophisticated. To make a simple syrup, pour 4 cups of hot water over 4 cups of rose hips. Simmer this for 15 minutes. The water will turn a bright red color. After 15 minute, strain the mixture and then simmer the remaining liquid for another 30 minutes. You are reducing the liquid here to try and be half or less of the original amount. After reducing by half, you can add sugar, honey, or maple syrup to sweeten and thicken. Sugar will actually produce the thickest syrup, the other two will be thinner. This Rose hip syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-6 months. The syrup can be combined with hot water or tea as needed or taken directly for sore throats. Rose hips also combine nicely with blueberries, black berries, raspberries, or other naturally tart berries for a more complex syrup.
Alright, it's been a little while since I've done an Herb of the Week. Maybe I should switch to Herb of the Month! That being said, it is truly an amazing time to go out and collect Rosehips. These little ruby gems are an easy entrance to the world of Wild Medicine. The are prolific, easy to identify, easy to collect, and very versatile.
Rose spp.
Description: The red fruits or ovaries of rose flowers, rose hips are easily identified by being one of the few fruits still on the branches in the fall and winter. They are found on rose bushes which are also easily identified by their prominent thorns. There are many different wild and cultivated species. Beware of nightshade berries that may appear similar (but no thorns). Strangely enough many species of cultivated roses do not produce "hips".
Collecting: The fruits can be collected any time after reaching maturity and ripening, however many people recommend waiting until after the first frost. This produces 2 results: 1)It can kill off any little bugs living inside the fruits and 2)It firms up the fruit making them less mushy to handle and work with.
Properties: Edible, mildly medicinal, rich in vitamin C, slightly astringent
Medicinal Uses:
1) Medicinal and Nutritive Tea-Rosehips' big claim to fame is that they are a very rich source of winter Vitamin C. There are many anecdotes of settlers being taught to use rose hips to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) from Native North Americans. Pouring hot water over fresh or dried rose hips will produce a beautiful, fragrant tart tea. Don't boil them though as this destroys a lot of the Vitamin C content.
2) Medicinal Honey-Another wonderful way to use rose hips that is easy enough for beginners and even kids to do is to make a rose hip honey. There are several ways to do this. The simplest way is to clean your fresh rose hips. Then place them in a jar after removing the vegetative part that connected them hip to the flower and the stem. Pour honey one the rose hips (you can fill a container 1/3 to1/2 full or more) and fill the honey as close to the top as you can. Steep the hips this way for at least 30 days and turn the jar every other day or so. After 30 days, strain the honey. You will have an amazing ruby-red honey flavored with tart complexities of rose hips! This can be taken straight for sore throats and mixed into tea or hot water to help through the cold season.
3) Rose hip decorations-While not exactly medicinal, rose hips can be dried and add a lot of color and scent to natural potpourri mixes and even strung and made into necklaces. There is some argument that this is where the word "rosary" originally came from: a string of dried rose hips that were then used to focus one's thoughts and prayers. This is a really beautiful way to include plants in our lives as more than just food.
4) Rose hip Syrup-Finally, rose hips can be used by themselves or combined with other herbs into an herbal syrup. This process can be quite simple, though many medicinal syrups are quite sophisticated. To make a simple syrup, pour 4 cups of hot water over 4 cups of rose hips. Simmer this for 15 minutes. The water will turn a bright red color. After 15 minute, strain the mixture and then simmer the remaining liquid for another 30 minutes. You are reducing the liquid here to try and be half or less of the original amount. After reducing by half, you can add sugar, honey, or maple syrup to sweeten and thicken. Sugar will actually produce the thickest syrup, the other two will be thinner. This Rose hip syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-6 months. The syrup can be combined with hot water or tea as needed or taken directly for sore throats. Rose hips also combine nicely with blueberries, black berries, raspberries, or other naturally tart berries for a more complex syrup.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Transition: Fall to Winter
It was cold this week. Not just the coolness of fall and dampness at night and in the morning, but cold. A few mornings this week it felt like there could have been frost. In the traditional seasonal calendar of China, broken into 24 periods, we just entered Frost Falls. The hint of winter is in the air.
How do we nourish ourselves during this time?
Well, what does our natural appetite and body wisdom suggest?
Have you been wanting to sleep more? Have you been wanting to put on an extra layer? Have you not been feeling quite as active? I would suggest that the wisdom of the seasons is reflected in the wisdom of the body, and our body has a lot to tell us right now.
For instance, which would be more nourishing right now: watermelon or baked squash?
Iced mint tea or hot chai?
Cinammon or Lavender?
In the transition from Fall to Winter, we can reflect in our bodies the changes that are happening in the external landscape. As the energy in the plants and trees sinks into our roots, we can sink our own energy by eating more root vegetables. As the animals eat more food and store up extra calories, so too can we eat more rich and deeply nutritious food such as butter, nuts, animal products, and oils. As the outside rests more at night in response to the external cycle of light, so too can we sleep more and wake up slower (Some of us might not have as much choice in this one as we'd like!).
Rather than going for a five-mile run, we might find it more nourishing to go for a walk. Rather than doing ashtanga yoga for 90 minutes, a shorter session of movement followed by a long periods of time in restorative yoga might be more nourishing. Instead of doing the Tai Chi form 2 or 3 times, doing it once very slowly with pauses might be what our bodies need.
Experiment with standing and sitting meditation practices-this time of year is a good time to enter into these kinds of practices.
In Japan, from this time of year all the way until March or April, many people wear a piece of wool, silk or cotton cloth wrapped around the lower back and abdomen from the pelvis to just above the navel. This hard-maki or hara warmer keeps the center of vital energy (qi or prana) near and below the navel supported and strong through the cold months.
Traditional Exercise to Nourish the Kidneys, the Water Element, and Protect the Body in Winter:
Sit or stand in a comfortable position where your hands can reach your lower back. Place the palms of your hands on your low back facing your skin. Gently massage up and down 81 times until your kidneys and lower back feel warm and nourished. This practice promotes longevity, nourishes the kidneys, and protects the body from cold in the winter.
How do we nourish ourselves during this time?
Well, what does our natural appetite and body wisdom suggest?
Have you been wanting to sleep more? Have you been wanting to put on an extra layer? Have you not been feeling quite as active? I would suggest that the wisdom of the seasons is reflected in the wisdom of the body, and our body has a lot to tell us right now.
For instance, which would be more nourishing right now: watermelon or baked squash?
Iced mint tea or hot chai?
Cinammon or Lavender?
In the transition from Fall to Winter, we can reflect in our bodies the changes that are happening in the external landscape. As the energy in the plants and trees sinks into our roots, we can sink our own energy by eating more root vegetables. As the animals eat more food and store up extra calories, so too can we eat more rich and deeply nutritious food such as butter, nuts, animal products, and oils. As the outside rests more at night in response to the external cycle of light, so too can we sleep more and wake up slower (Some of us might not have as much choice in this one as we'd like!).
Rather than going for a five-mile run, we might find it more nourishing to go for a walk. Rather than doing ashtanga yoga for 90 minutes, a shorter session of movement followed by a long periods of time in restorative yoga might be more nourishing. Instead of doing the Tai Chi form 2 or 3 times, doing it once very slowly with pauses might be what our bodies need.
Experiment with standing and sitting meditation practices-this time of year is a good time to enter into these kinds of practices.
In Japan, from this time of year all the way until March or April, many people wear a piece of wool, silk or cotton cloth wrapped around the lower back and abdomen from the pelvis to just above the navel. This hard-maki or hara warmer keeps the center of vital energy (qi or prana) near and below the navel supported and strong through the cold months.
Traditional Exercise to Nourish the Kidneys, the Water Element, and Protect the Body in Winter:
Sit or stand in a comfortable position where your hands can reach your lower back. Place the palms of your hands on your low back facing your skin. Gently massage up and down 81 times until your kidneys and lower back feel warm and nourished. This practice promotes longevity, nourishes the kidneys, and protects the body from cold in the winter.
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