Creating herbal oils is a simple and enjoyable process. Herbal Infused Oils can then be made into salve, lip balm, cream, used for culinary purposes, or simply used as a massage oil. There are several ways to make herbal infused oil: 1- Solar infusion Method, 2-Heat Infusion method, 3- Alcohol Intermediary Method. Personally I have mostly used the simple solar infused method, but I recently made comfrey oil using the alcohol intermediary method and I must say that I am very impressed. The oil is much more potent than any I have ever made, and it was ready within 24 hours! But each way has it's own strengths, so read on to learn about all three methods! First though, let's talk about choosing the herbs and the oil! Or if you already know which herbs you want to infuse, scroll down to get directly to the instructions! Choosing your herbs and oil
Choosing an Oil Everyone has their favorite oil to use in herbal oil infusions. I keep it simple and most often use organic olive oil since it is affordable and readily available. Plus, one of my favorite herbalists, Rosemary Gladstar recommends it! Other favorites oils for herbal infusions include sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and coconut oil. Herb to Oil Ideal Ratios Dried Herbs 1:5-1:8 Fresh Herbs 1:2-1:4 (Weight of herb: volume of oil) ...and there is always the folk method: fill a jar halfway with your herb of choice, and add enough oil to cover For best results, hand chop or use a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder to grind your herb before mixing it with the oil. This exposes more surface area of the herb to the oil which creates a more potent infusion. You can grind the herb into smaller chunks, or all the way to powder. Powdered herbs take more time to strain from the oil, so I prefer to grind the herbs into small bits. But the choice is yours so find your own preference by experimenting! Solar Infusions4I have heard this method called the 'folk' method . . .and so it is. . .simple, straightforward, and easy! You can use either fresh or dried herbs for this method, but if using fresh herbs care must be taken to ensure that the oil doesn't go rancid due to moisture from the plant material. Let the fresh herbs wilt to ensure the moisture is gone, and always be sure the jar you are using is clean and completely dry. It's also incredibly important to make sure the herbs always remain completely submerged in the oil. The process is simple: chop or grind your herbs, place them in a jar, and fill with oil. Place a lid on the jar, give it a good shake, and place it in a warm sunny location where you will see it often. Over the next 4-6 weeks, shake the jar and then be sure that after the herbs settle they are still submerged. Strain and keep in a cool, dark location. Heat InfusionsUsing heat to create infused oil produces a finished product in a short amount of time. There are many variations of this method, but the general idea is simple: heat the oil and herbs slowly and at a low temperature (120-140 Fahrenheit) to avoid burning the herbs. You can either use a crock pot, double boiler, or yoghurt maker. If using a double boiler, simply mix the herb and oil into the top pot and simmer the water underneath for 30 minutes to an hour. For the crock pot method, place your chopped/ground herb of choice in a clean, dry jar, add your oil (being sure the herb is submerged completely) and place this in your crock pot. Add water to your crock pot so that water reaches to just below the lid of the jar, and set to low. l keep the lid off the crock pot to be sure the oil/herbs don't get too hot. Let the herb and oil heat all day or overnight to create a strong and potent oil. Strain and rebottle, storing in a cool and dark location. Alcohol Intermediary InfusionsThis method creates a very potent oil that has a longer shelf life than oils made with the above methods. This is due to the addition to a small amount of alcohol to the plant material which prevents mold and microbial growth. The process is still pretty simple, but contains one additional step in the beginning. Use only dried herbs for this method. Grind your herbs into a course powder. For each ounce of herb, add approximately 1/2 ounce of whole grain alcohol (everclear or vodka) to the ground herbs and mix, just enough to dampen. If using the folk measuring method, fill your jar about 1/4 full of ground herb and add just enough alcohol to slightly dampen. Cover you jar and let it sit for 24 hours. Next fill the jar with your oil of choice and mix well, making sure that the herbs are submerged in the oil. Lastly, use one of the heat infusion methods above. Strain and rebottle. ReferencesOpening Our Wild Hearts to Healing Herbs Gail Faith Edwards
Materia Medica Monthly, Sajah Popham (online Program) www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Wild Remedies Rosalee De la Foret & Emily Han Rosemary Gladstar's Family Herbal Rosemary Gladstar Making Plant Medicine Richo Cech
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Happy Solstice! I wish you the merriest, most joyful day with a deep undertone of peace. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, just knowing that the days will grow longer is deeply comforting and brings much hope! This is a wonderful day to take some time to ritualize the dawning of a new era in your life; a time to let the old die and welcome the new. I am sure this year has brought much transformation for each and every one of us, and this day is a wonderful opportunity to take some time to journal, meditate, dance, sing, or do whatever you feel called to do to celebrate and revere your journey thus far. On this longest night of the entire year, I like to envision my own symbolic death and rebirth. Like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, we can celebrate the fires that have brought our transformations and embrace the new 'I' that is emerging. This Solstice is even more potent because today is also a Grand Conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn at 0 degrees Aquarius. Saturn has been transiting Capricorn since December of 2017 (minus a brief time in Aquarius in 2020) and Jupiter has been in Capricorn since December 2019. These two heavyweights have also been dancing with Pluto in Capricorn throughout 2020, creating extremely rare astrological happenings that have caused much change and upheaval (in case you didn't notice). But now, Jupiter and Saturn have left Capricorn and entered Aquarius, significantly shifting the planetary energies and creating new dynamics in the heavens. I will go into more depth on this subject in the coming newsletter for Aquarius season! But as Jupiter and Saturn leave Capricorn, the sun enters it, so let's talk about Capricorn for now! Capricorn is the last of the earth signs on the zodiac wheel. Taurus is fixed earth, and can be understood as earth in the form of rocks and minerals. Virgo is mutable earth and is best represented by the plant kingdom. Capricorn, cardinal earth, is earth in the form of humans and animals. This is one of my favorite ways to study each sign...through each of their unique elemental correspondences. Just observe nature in winter, and you will come to understand the Capricorn archetype. The earth is bare and seemingly dead, but the life force is alive and well: deep within the earth, trees, and each living being. This turning within is a necessary part of the cycle of life, of course. It is natural and normal to slow down and go within during the winter months, but we don't always follow nature's rhythm with our modern lifestyles. If we choose, as best we can, to emulate nature and her rhythms, I believe we can find balance, peace and repose. Solitude is another natural theme of winter and is a major cornerstone of the Capricorn constitution; time alone is as necessary as food and shelter for those with strong Capricorn in their charts. Another way to understand Capricorn is by considering the image associated with it. The bizarre combination of a goat and a fish (the Sea-Goat) can be hard to grasp at first, but it's symbology is simple; a goat that can climb the highest mountains with an inner depth that swims in the deepest seas. Capricorn is like a wise elder, who has climbed their own mountain of choosing, and has the silver hairs on their crown to prove it. Though Capricorn is often represented as a power hungry, cold scrooge, that is simply its shadow side. The higher expression of this archetype is inner power and absolute integrity, and the ability to reach meaningful goals that have been carefully chosen. Even if you are not a sun, moon, or Capricorn rising, these patterns exist within us all, and we can look to our natal charts to understand where these themes play out in our own lives (blog post on how to do that coming later!) Last but not least, to more deeply understand Capricorn we look to its ruling planet, Saturn. Saturn represents time, structure, boundaries (think of its rings), and discipline. Saturn is known in ancient astrology as the Greater Malefic, for its lessons are often 'hard' and usually involve a theme of 'going at it alone.' But is hard always bad? and is solitude not the greatest teacher? I think most would agree that transformation and growth rarely happen when things are easy. Like the winter, which can be cold, difficult and grim, our pain and challenges have the potential to show us that we are stronger and more resilient that we could have ever imagined. Astrologically, 2020 has been dominated by Saturn and Capricorn themes. Knowing this has very much helped me weather this long, 'winter like' year. I look forward to when we can gather together again and share our 2020 transformation stories, I am sure they will be bountiful! Until then, wishing you wellness, warmth, and some peace and quiet this Capricorn Season! Capricorn Melancholy Tea
2 parts St. John’s Wort flowering tops Hypericum perforatum 2 parts Chamomile Matricaria recutita or Anthemis nobilis 1 part Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis 1/2 part Borage flowers Borago officinalis 1/2 part Lavender Lavandula 1/2 part Roses Rosa The mere sight of this colorful tea blend will brighten your day! In addition to a healthy, whole foods diet, regular exercise, and plenty of deep restful sleep, this tea helps strengthen the nervous system and uplift one’s mood, especially during the winter months when sunshine is limited. Prepare as an infusion, using approximately 1 Tablespoon of herb mix per cup of water. Pour boiling water over herbs in your favorite tea pot or glass jar, cover and steep 15-30 minutes. Drink 1 cup three times per day. FDA Disclaimer: This formula has not been evaluated by the FDA, is not intended to substitute advise from a physician, and is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications, please consult with your physician before starting new supplements or herbs. |
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