Herbs to Ease Transitions

by Meg McGowan

In one of my past lives I was married briefly. While we were getting divorced, I began to garden. I planted flowers rather than vegetables, seeking nourishment of my spirit rather than my physical body. Vegetables, I felt, might require too much regular attention, might produce harvests that would demand to be prepared and preserved. (My nurturing was, at that time, reserved for my small son. The point of the garden was to nurture me.) Flowering plants simply rewarded my sporadic attentions with blooms. They offered themselves to be gathered up into vases or not, as time permitted. Creating my gardens gave me a focus for re-creating beauty and joy in my life.

On the outside, the gardens helped to transform what had been our home into my own home. The work itself had unexpected benefits on a deeper level. The time I spent in silent communion with the plants helped me to reestablish my connection to the natural world, and, though I had no language to describe my experience at the time, to the plant spirits as well.

Eventually, I was compelled to create an herb garden just outside my back door. Herbs were as undemanding to grow as flowers, yet they acted as a bridge between my spirit and body, adding nutrients and flavor to the food I prepared. I found that the energy of my herb garden was different than the energy of my various flowerbeds. In the front of my house the energy was playful and exuberant. Columbines, in shades of magenta and tawny gold, waved in the breeze like elaborate Japanese kites; sky-blue balloon flowers unfurled their petals to become stars, and snapdragons sprang to life under the fingers of neighborhood children. Bordering the south side of the house, my white garden, like the herb garden, depended on texture rather than color for interest -- yet its energy was airier, more ethereal. The herb garden had an energy that was solid, grounded and sacred, quite unlike any garden I've had since. In retrospect, I don't think it was a coincidence that the placement of the herb garden separated my back door from that of my next-door neighbor, whose energy was similar in many ways to that of my ex-husband.

In times of transition, rediscovering the gentle support of the plant spirits can ease feelings of being alone and adrift. Even those who may not recognize divinity in nature have felt stress and anxiety leave and peace descend when cocooned in a forest or lost in a meadow. Stress and anxiety often accompany major transitions; it makes sense that bringing the plant spirits into our daily lives can help us to cope more effectively with change.

Not everyone will find their connection to plant spirits through planting. No matter. Finding a sacred space in nature to walk or sit quietly can be a point of connection. So can enjoying a garden someone else has planted. Holding a leaf or a flower and meditating on it (best if picked with the plant's blessing), focusing on its life force, can be a powerful experience. An additional benefit is that taking time to develop your personal relationship with the spiritual nature of plants can help you to determine which herbs, essential oils, or flower essences are most appropriate at any point in your life.

Communing with plant spirits where they live and grow is vital. You can tap that power in other ways as well, by using herbs, essential oils, and flower essences with a reverent intention. This can enhance the spiritual benefits of any herbal application.

Incorporating ritual into your life can lend stability when all else is in flux. Essential oils can be used to anoint your chakras at the beginning and end of each day. You can choose specific oils to support your individual situation. The Fragrant Heavens and The Fragrant Mind, both by Valerie Worwood, are excellent references that address properties of essential oils beyond their physical effects. For anointing, Worwood recommends diluting one or two drops of essential oil in a half teaspoon of organic vegetable oil, preferably almond oil. In The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews (Llewellyn, 1989), Scott Cunningham suggests New-Mown Hay Oil to facilitate shifts in perspective and to aid in times of transition and transformation. A blend of woodruff (Asperula odorata), tonka bean (Pipteryx odorata), lavender (Lavendula officinalis syn. L. angustifolium), bergamot (Citrus aurantium bergamia) and oakmoss (Evernia prunastri or E. furfuraceae) essential oils, it carries a vernal energy of new beginnings. Other essential oils that may be appropriate are cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), lemon (Citrus limon), orange (Citrus sinensis and C. aurantium), sandalwood (Santalum album), spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi), vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) and vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides). Meditation and prayer rituals can also be enhanced by using essential oils in diffusers, incense, and aromatic candles.

Cleansing old energy from yourself, your belongings, and your space can set a clear intention for change. Wearing a medicine pouch containing herbs that speak to your purpose can keep the power of the plant spirits close throughout your days. Essential oils can be used for actual cleaning as well as energetic clearing. Herbs and essential oils can be combined with salts for intentional bathing. Using essential oil room sprays and burning smudge sticks are ways to both dispel old energy and bless new spaces.

Flower essences are, by nature, perfect for smoothing the trauma out of transitions, as they work to shift the vibrational energies of the body and soul subtly into alignment. (See "Herbs for Health: Flower Essences & Soul Work," Conscious Choice, April 2001.) As with essential oils, look for those that resonate with your immediate concerns. Two to consider are Sturt's desert pea (Clianthus formosus) and coconut (Cocos nucifera). According to Clare G. Harvey and Amanda Cochrane in The Healing Spirit of Plants: A Practical Guide to Plant Spirit Medicine (Sterling, 2001), the message of Sturt's desert pea is, "'My tremendous strength gives you the power to release all pain, initiate profound change, and start afresh,'" while the coconut says "'My sweet milk uplifts, nourishes, and helps one to endure life.'"

Herbal supplements that support the immune system, such as astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus), blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus), echinacea (Echinacea angustifloia and E. purpurea), garlic (Allium sativum), grapeseed extract (Vitus vinifera) and green tea (Camellia sinensis), will help to support your whole self through times of change. Codonopsis root (Codonopsis pilosulae), a lesser-known tonic herb, may also be helpful. Codonopsis is a Chinese herb that is similar to ginseng, but gentler. Like ginseng it is an adaptogen and a mild stimulant. It is especially effective for stressful situations because it reduces adrenaline while balancing energy levels. Codonopsis is a suitable tonic for both men and women.

The plant world nurtures, nourishes, and sustains us in measurable and immeasurable ways. As children we were more aware of their inestimable powers. In becoming reacquainted with what we once knew, we can, again, gratefully accept all that they have to offer us.

DISCLAIMER:  Choosing a holistic approach to medicine means choosing personal responsibility for your health care. "Herbs for Health" offers a doorway through which to enter the realm of herbal healing, an invitation to further investigation on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as a substitute for advice from a health care practitioner.