Rose - a fragrant remedy to soothe upset emotions

"The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together." 

Saadi (Iranian Poet, 1184-1283)

Moroccan Roses growing in the Atlas Mountains Dades Gorge where we went 

on our honeymoon. There is an annual rose festival in this region every year. 

Lush green oases produce heavenly scents at the foot of dry red earthen slopes.

This iconic bloom is strewn throughout literature as a symbol of love, passion, romance. Given as a token of affection to lovers and mothers worldwide throughout the ages, the unmistakable soft sweet scent of rose evokes a heart-melting gentleness, compassion and sensual femininity. Rose is revered in herbal medicine where a patient might require a 'herbal hug'.

While training to become a herbalist, my dear grandmother, Oma suffered a stroke, lost her ability to speak and became paralysed down one side. My family experienced the loss of our cherished matriarch to this condition and the anticipation of her passing. This prompted me to do my herbal medicine dissertation on how herbal medicine can be supportive for the experience of grief and loss.

I surveyed all herbalists registered with the most popular professional bodies of herbal medicine in Britain. Out of the many herbs used in prescriptions for a broad range of actions to support patients experiencing the emotional and physiological effects of grief, rose was by far the most widely used. The aroma of this gentle plant can be a soothing balm even in the depths of sorrow.

Rose petals and hips have a wide range of applications in health and beauty products, cooking and crafting. The buds and petals are cooling and mildly astringent, helping to reduce inflammation. Rose water has been used traditionally as an eye wash, skin tonic, and refreshing for over-heated skin.

The rose hip seed are rich in vitamin C and healing as a cold-pressed oil to restore scar tissue and skin irritations, as a tincture or syrup to boost immunity when depleted or at the change of seasons.

I often recommend adding a few drops of rose essential oil to a base oil and using this regularly to massage into pulse points or onto the chest and throat, common areas of tension where there is emotional upset. Tincture of rose can be taken as a herbal rescue remedy, a few drops on the tongue or added to water, in times of overwhelm or distress.

Love and rose petals,

I encourage you to fall in love with yourself first for the ultimate relationship at my upcoming Nurturing Rose Remedies Workshop on Wed 22nd July 2015 6.30 - 8pm - £10. Learn to create a healing range of delicate rose concoctions with many applications, but especially to soothe emotions and gently uplift spirits. Make your own handmade remedies to take home. 

Places are limited so booking & payment in advance is vital to secure your place on 0131 226 3223 or edinburgh@nealsyardremedies.com.

Share this event with your friends on facebook

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Love Letter ~ Join me for a cuppa...

How's your day been? Do join me for a cup of tea, make yourself comfy and let's catch up...

A reviving cuppa and restorative time out

I love trying out new tea infusions. Lately I have been enjoying freshly picked sweet cicely and hawthorn tops tea with my Tuesday evening foraging group, and treated myself to some me time and a pot of orange blossom oolong at a local cafe. What are your favourite brews just now?

It's felt extra important for me lately to get good quality time out as there's lots going on in my world just now. Alongside my wonderful clinic space at Neal's Yard Remedies in Edinburgh's city centre, I've recently started a new Friday clinic and have upcoming herbal workshops at The Salisbury Centre, a meditation and holistic centre in Edinburgh's south side, looking out to a beautiful garden.

I'm very much looking forward to the Sacred Self Care Day Retreat that I will be hosting there this weekend on Sat 23rd May. We will be connecting with and contemplating nature, exploring healing rituals for self care from around the world, making nature art and natural remedies. There are still spaces so do get in touch if you'd like to join us. I'd love to see you there.

Foraging for Herbs and Nature Art Medicine

It's very well timed for another lovely event that I'm looking forward to attending myself, a Nepal Benefit Cacao Prayer Ceremony and fundraiser for the recent catastrophes in Nepal that will take place in the evening also at The Salisbury Centre after the herbal retreat day.

There are a couple more herbal events also happening this weekend that I am offering for free on Sunday at Spa in The City on 'Herbal Travel Self Care' and a 'DIY Natural Beauty Retreat', with more events in the planning for the summer. Visit my events page and upcoming love letters for more info on these. I am working on a couple of other exciting new offerings too which I will be revealing more about in a few weeks...

In other news, I was honoured to be asked to feature alongside an amazing and inspiring line up for a free online series of interviews by Faith Canter, celebrating the release of her upcoming book. My interview is this Friday 22nd May, so I hope you get a chance to watch it! Here's the link if you would like to sign up.

Merry Marigolds Celebrating 

The Secret Herb Garden's 1st Year Anniversary

I am so grateful to be working with nature. It really grounds me, especially when I have many projects and events happening in a short space of time. With the flurry of goings on, I have to create opportunities to unwind and keep in balance. For me, going on relaxing non-work related outings outdoors and planning trips away from home is essential to keep my spirits high, keep my perspectives in check, and to have things to look forward to.

I recently enjoyed a visit to The Secret Herb Garden with my hubby for their 1st birthday bash. They served fabulous food and drinks infused with and inspired by herbs. I caught up with one of my herbal tutors from university, David Pirie, and joined the herb walk he was leading around their wonderful plant nursery, green houses and fields of vibrant herbs.

So what do you do to get grounded and back in balance when you have lots going on? Do you make the time for your body and mind to unwind when life gets hectic? Let me know about your self care rituals. I'd love to hear from you.

I look forward to connecting with you further on my latest blogs, upcoming events and clinics that you can find further information about in the links below. Any feedback and suggestions for future blog posts and love letter features are warmly welcomed.

Take great care of yourself,

Fiona Morris

MA BSc (Hons) Dip SBM MNIMH

Medical Herbalist, Massage Therapist 

& AstroTarot Reader

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

Herbal Wellness Plans | Courses & Workshops | Wild Remedy Walks 

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Natural Healing with Dandelion Wild Edible & Herbal Remedy

I love this humble, hardy little plant. The dandelion is the bane of many gardeners with its tenacious roots and resolve to bounce back despite any efforts to destroy it. That's part of its character that I love so much, its strength and resilience.

I also love its vibrant yellow colour blooming even brighter in the sunshine, but also cheery on more overcast days. It tends to close up however as evening approaches and when it senses wet weather is on the way. To gaze on its bright blossoms is uplifting for stress and moods, extracts of the flowers also add this warming colour to healing skin applications.

The whole plant is nutrient and cleansing so great for supporting our organs of detoxification, kidneys, liver and gall bladder. It's rich in potassium, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium, vitamins A, B, C, K and more.

The bitter root has a stronger action on the liver and gall bladder, as a cholegogue, increases flow of bile, which improves a sluggish digestion, a great and gentle remedy for constipation, even suitable in pregnancy, compared to some of the stronger and more laxative herbal remedies.

The leaf is also bitter, but a bit gentler so more suitable for kidney cleansing, an effective diuretic, which is rich in potassium unlike pharmaceutical diuretics which depletes this mineral. It's a great aid for water retention and swelling. A herbalist who I used to work with when I was at Napier's Clinics, Dee Atkinson says she uses it as part of a blend to support swollen feet and ankles on long haul flights.

Its name in French 'Pissenlit', literally means to piss in the bed, so be aware that it does flush the system and increase urinary output. Perhaps don't take it just before bedtime!

The latex from the stem has been used as a traditional remedy to apply to warts, and also used to help heal burns and stings. Natural and wild first aid at its best!

The flower pollen also has anti infective benefits. Its flower is also rich in vitamins and minerals, so good to help heal skin irritations, strengthen skin quality and detox tissues to aid muscle and joint aches and pain. You can apply the oil directly on, or make into creams or balms for external use, use internally blended with salad dressings for a nutritious cleansing edible.

Someone on my facebook page said she thought she remembered someone making a wash for the skin and the eyes with the flowers too, and wondered if people thought its properties similar to calendula. I haven't come across any specific comparisons between dandelion and calendula as yet, but certainly with their yellow-orange colour they are rich in carotenes, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, which convert to Vitamin A in the body, beneficial to eye and skin health.

The flowers are both rich in nutrients soothing to skin irritations applied as an infused oil. I would think of calendula as having more anti fungal benefits and better for skin granulation and healing, so better for cuts & grazes though dandelion flowers also would be beneficial. Certainly a lot more freely available growing everywhere, such a generous plant! Why not give it a go? Click here for the recipe.

For edible use the flower have a delicate, light floral taste, lovely to sprinkle the petals as a salad or meal garnish. The green bases add a little bitterness when infusing into an oil which promote detoxification but can be removed if for edible use and a less bitter flavour is preferred. I like to leave a bit of green myself for the cleansing effects.

You could also add in leaves to the mix to increase bitterness for a stronger detox effect, as it's good for generalised water retention and excess swelling, promoting anti inflammatory action. Be cautious of this if you have diagnosed health conditions, on medicines. Consult your GP and herbalist for guidance.

In Western countries, the leaves are gathered for spring salads or to use as a wilted bitter green in side dishes. The roots are more popularly eaten as a vegetable in Eastern countries like Japan.

The roots are well known roasted as a coffee substitute, although coffee lovers should be warned it doesn't really taste like coffee. It is however an extremely nutritious hot drink, which is more supportive to the bowels and less irritant to the kidneys compared to coffee, so certainly helpful if you are considering reducing coffee consumption. I like to mix roasted dandelion root with chai spices for an invigorating digestive drink, that blends well with nut and seed milks for a healthy milky hot drink alternative.

As a tea the flowers and leaves can be infused fresh or dried, and the dried roots boiled (decocted) for a detoxifying drink. Quite helpful for headaches linked with liver congestion and poor diet, or taken regularly when embarking on a period of cleansing and detoxification.

The seed heads are also fun for making wishes and therapeutic to play with. I spotted this video on Youtube recently which highlights one of the many fun things you can do with dandelion with kids and adults alike. Brought a big smile to my face :)

I have recently connected with Christine Argo, a naturopathic herbalist and high priestess of the Church of Nature, a non-denomination spiritual centre inspired by the healing power of nature. It's a beautiful concept, and right up my alley with my own passion for creative healing, nature and more spiritual approach to healthcare.

If that sounds like your kind of thing too, I'd invite you to check out her soulful natural healing work, particularly her recent radio show exploring the many uses and energy of our beloved Dandelion plant. You can listen in on this link to access the recording in the Nature's Channel FM archives, at her Power of Flowers to Heal show.

While listening in myself, I discovered that dandelion as a flower essence is absolutely perfect for me just now. These sunny, vibrant, social, generous little plants can be personified as folk who love life so much to the point of getting overwhelmed through wanting to do too much! Definitely a tendency I have. No wonder these lovely lion flowers are speaking to me so strongly at the moment!

I will make the flower remedy and try it out on myself, it's exactly what I feel I need. I also made a detoxing tea from the fresh flowers, which is an ideal complement to the reflexology and acupuncture treatments to support my flow and mobility which I am receiving from my wonderful friends and experienced colleagues Sue and Paul of The Natural Health Clinic, based at Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh not far from me. 

I intend to use the root more to feel grounded and improve my core and digestive processes which can get out of balance when I get all over-excited mentally and my head becomes top heavy just like dandelion's big round head on its thin little stem body! I had a lot of trouble with this especially when I was studying at university for my MA Philosophy and BSc Herbal Medicine honours degrees.

Eight years collectively of heavy duty mental focus, I'm still getting back into balance after all that! That's why I love hanging out with nature so much. I find it truly healing on every level.

I could go on waxing lyrical about my dandelion buddies, but I shall leave you with that for now. No doubt they will make a reappearance on my blog again in the future. If you want to try making your own remedy, here's the link for a simple dandelion remedy recipe.

I was also interviewed by the lovely Natasha of Forage Botanicals on the medicinal uses of dandelion, check out her podcast to hear more about our sunny leonine friends: http://www.foragebotanicals.co.uk/listen-podcast//e05-dandelion

I'd love to hear about your experiences and uses of dandelion, or reflections on what I've mentioned here in the blog. If you fancy it, I'd love to hear from you in the comments or on any of the social media links below.

Have a doodle dandy day!

Fiona Morris 

Herbalist & Holistic Therapist

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

Herbal Wellness Plans | Courses & Workshops | Wild Remedy Walks

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Dandelion Flower Infused Oil Making

There are many applications for Dandelion Flower Infused Oil. Here are but a few...

~ Apply oil directly onto irritated or inflamed skin, joints or muscles, with or without added essential oils as desired and as required, 2-4 x daily and consistently for therapeutic use.

~ Make oil into a balm by melting in beeswax or other plant waxes and butters at amounts to suit desired consistency, for a less greasy and more protective external application.

~ Blend with body and facial skin creams at 10-50% for a lighter and more absorbent skin application.

~ Use internally straight off the teaspoon up to 3 x daily as a nutrient and healing herbal remedy to promote tissue cleansing and healthy skin.

~ Drizzle on food as a base for a healthy detoxifying salad dressing, with apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, herbs, etc.

To make your own Dandelion Flower Infused Oil at home:

1. Pick lots of healthy looking dandelion flower heads, from a chemical spray free area. Bring a basket or paper bag to collect them in and protect them on the way home.

1a. Optional, but highly recommended extra step: I like to make some sort of nature art with them after picking, sit and connect with them on a picnic blanket and enjoy some tea or snacks near where they grow, do a bit of meditation, stretching, reading or journaling.

2. Make sure you use an appropriately sized, clean and completely dry jar sterilised by submerging jar and lid with freshly boiled water for 5-10min.

3. Fill jar with flower heads to the neck.

4. Cover with a cold pressed oil of your choice, ideally organic to minimise trace chemicals toxicity. I used sunflower in this one for its light texture and extra sunny solar powered energy, but you can use any oil you wish.

You could try grapeseed oil for something, nice and light, easily absorbed. Almond oil is a bit richer but still light and more nourishing. Olive oil is found in most kitchen cupboards, heavier and great for Vit E and anti fungal benefits, but flavour can be quite strong if you are making it for edible purposes. For external applications and dry skin, flavour is less important and richness may be more desirable.

4. Seal with lid (using dried flowers avoids mould growth, or secure piece of muslin over the top, and leave on sunny window sill for 2 weeks at least.

5. Give a shake, turn or stir daily with sterile spoon to ensure that no stagnant pockets of air and moisture from fresh flowers allow mould to develop.

As there is moisture in fresh flowers, it can be good to cover with muslin and rubber band or string to allow moisture to evaporate out. Using dried flowers avoids this issue, but loses some of the lovely fresh vital constituents. For fresh flowers and covered in muslin, stir instead of shake daily for obvious reasons!

If you use a lid on fresh flowers you may want to remove the lid every 2-3 days at first before shaking to check for water evaporation on the lid, leave off for a short while to allow any moisture to evaporate and reseal. Muslin not required when dried, but different if flavours fresh or dried. Either
way promotes healing however so do whatever works best for you. It's all good :)

6. Flowers will settle and shrink a bit, so you can add some fresh ones to top it up after a few days. For an extra potent oil, strain off and press out as much oil as possible after a couple of weeks, and repeat the process using the single infused oil with a fresh jar full of dandelion flowers to make a double infused oil.

7. Strain off through fine sieve, muslin or clean cloth into a sterile bottle or jar, seal well and store in a cool, dry, dark cupboard and use as required. Use within 12 months.

Note: Do not use for anyone with known sensitivities to the Daisy family, aka Asteraceae, Compositae.

One person's healing medicine can be another person's poison, so do patch tests before 24hr before using, particularly for those with sensitive skins. We are all individual and may react differently. This applies to any plant remedy. Check with your local herbalist for guidance.

If you haven't already checked out my dandelion remedies blog for more medicinal benefits and musings on the whole dandelion plant, you can do so here.

I'd love to hear your creative uses and experiences for dandelion flower oil. Do please share your thoughts with me in the comments or social media links below. I look forward to hearing from you :)

Have a sunshiny dandelion day,

Fiona Morris 

Herbalist & Holistic Therapist

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

Herbal Wellness Plans | Courses & Workshops | Wild Remedy Walks

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Homemade Lavender Lemonade Recipe

Another sunny day! I recently tasted a locally produced shop bought lavender lemonade from a local cafe, and was delighted by its unique combination of relaxing and refreshing. 

I was inspired to make my own following a recipe shared with me by one of my lovely social media connections @blessing_beads. It looked so easy and a great way to make use of my dried lavender supplies so I decided to make my own version. It turned out beautifully and with many requests now for the recipe I am sharing it here for all to enjoy.

Ingredients to make 1 litre jug (serves 3-4, simply double or triple to make more):

1-2 teaspoons dried lavender (to taste delicate - 1 tsp, strong - 2 tsp, use in tablespoons for fresh herb, more lavender colour if using more, of course), 1 litre water, 2 fresh lemons, honey to sweeten (or try stevia or plant based syrup for vegan alternative), tray of ice cubes, optional fresh mint or edible flowers for garnish & LOVE.

1. Make a lovely lavender flowers infusion. Stir in 1-2 heaped teaspoons according to taste to a cup or mug of boiled water. Cover with a saucer to keep the aromatic oils from evaporating off and infuse for 15-20min. Strain off the herb and allow the liquid to completely cool.

Lavender is a herbal natural remedy to soothe nerves, ease headaches, aid unsettled sleep, insomnia, calm the spirit. It also has anti inflammatory and antiseptic benefits, so not just a pretty face and beautiful scent. It has many applications internally and externally, but note that a little goes a long way. 

I add just a pinch to herbal tea blends (no more than 5-10%) for an added chill factor, to promote unwinding and relaxation. Just watching them float in the water while they infuse is a meditation in itself. Treat yourself a clear glass mug, cafetiere or teapot for this purpose.

2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of honey to suit your taste. Locally sourced raw honey is ideal if you can get it for additional therapeutic actions to support digestive, detoxifying and energy producing processes. Add it to the lavender infusion while it is still warm to dissolve it in easier, but not straight off the boil to help preserve its beneficial enzymes.

Most honeys are already pre-heated to high temperatures to strain off residues so you don't need to wait for the water temperature to cool if its not raw. Check with your producer to find out if you aren't sure. Small scale producers are less likely to do this, so pick some up at your local farmers' market. You can also taste the difference.

3. Slice 1 of the lemons into quarters and squeeze out the juice, straining it into a jug to remove the seeds and press out the pulp with the back of a spoon to extract all the juice.

4. Add the lavender honey infusion to the lemon juice.

5. Slice the lemon for garnish and add to the jug with a tray of ice cubes to cool and top up with water to make a litre's volume. 

You can simply put in the fridge to cool if you don't have ice, or pour into a sealed container secured by rocks in a cool stream for a while if you're out in the wild.

6. Add springs of mint if you wish. I tried this and found the strong mint flavour took away from the subtle taste of lavender, so preferred to garnish with a few foraged edible flower heads growing near me. 

Check out what's available where ever you might be located. I took this batch outside with me to enjoy while reading my book under the blossoming cherry trees in the park, so a cherry blossom garnish gave it an extra delightful touch of love.

There you have it... 

Sweet, simple and soothing sunny day refreshment, without the preservatives and the refined or artificial sweeteners of many shop bought versions, and made by your own fair hand makes it taste like something else. Make fresh batches as required. You can make up a pot or two of lavender infusion up to a day in advance for larger volumes. Cheers!

I'd love to hear your thoughts, how you liked it if you give this a try at home, or to receive your favourite tips how you make your own homemade lemonade extra special. You're welcome to comment below the blog or leave a note on any of the links below.

To your flourishing health and well being,

Fiona Morris 

Herbalist & Holistic Therapist

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

Herbal Wellness Plans | Courses & Workshops | Wild Remedy Walks

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Love Potion No 1 - Rose & Pomegranate Elixir

This Valentine's Day I decided to get my family in the mood for love by treating them to pancakes for breakfast smothered in Love Potion No 1. aka homemade Pomegranate & Rose Honey Elixir. Here's how I did it so you can recreate it at home if you wish...

The first thing I did was to gather the most heart warming ingredients I could find in my kitchen cupboard. I offered them to the goddess, a reflection of our higher self, infusing them with heartfelt intention, extra potent love energy, and healing blessings.

My Love Potion ingredients included: pomegranate, rose petals, honey - a homemade gift from friends, lemon, water, cinnamon, cardamom, and the most important ingredient, LOVE.

Each item chosen for their sweet or citrus aromas, heart opening colours and emotional uplifting benefits, I first arranged the ingredients on a beautiful blue platter with some special stones lovingly gifted to me and bought myself, including rose quartz and ruby fuchite.

I sprinkled a handful of dried rose petals in to a half cup of water, adding a teaspoon or so of cardamom pods, couple of lemon slices, a stick of cinnamon and brought the magic pot of love to a simmer.

Reducing the gently simmering liquid to about half for about 10-15min, I used a masher occasionally to press and stir the concoction to release the juice from the pomegranates and break open the cardamom pods to release their flavour. I added a few more rose petals for luck.

I then poured the mixture into a bowl through a fine sieve, pressing the liquid out of the herbs and squishing any remaining pomegranate fruit with the back of a wooden spoon.

This left me with a ruby red infusion which I poured into a measuring jug to add honey to (for a vegan option you could try maple syrup, or get it back on the hob to melt in some unrefined sugar).

I added the warm ruby liquid with honey in equal parts, and stirred with spoon until completely blended, adding loving thoughts, wishes and gratitude for the people it's intended for.

And voila! A rose and pomegranate love potion concoction for St. Valentine's day. 

We enjoyed it as a syrup for pancakes. It was delicious and went down a treat...

There was even some left over to enjoy on Pancake Tuesday, and to add to smoothies to make them taste just heavenly! It's a lovely way to get a late winter immune boost with the lemon, cinnamon and honey too.

All the extra smells, colour and texture of the cardamom and cinnamon spices also added to the magic of the potion concocting! The lemon made it really good on the pancakes. The pomegranate gave the elixir a richer red colour than the rose petals do alone.

Although there is something to be said for the simplicity of pure rose syrup. I might try to keep it simple next time to get the full flavour of rose, but I personally can never resist adding a pinch of spice to give it a special twist.

Hope you enjoy giving it a go yourself. Feel free to make it your own with your favourite ingredients. A vanilla pod or star anis, for example, would give it a certain je ne sais quoi.

I'd love to hear what you come up with and your own creative ways to serve it to your dear ones.

Rose petals and cinnamon sticks,

Fiona Morris 

Medical Herbalist, 

Massage Therapist 

& AstroTarot Reader

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

Herbal Wellness Plans | Courses & Workshops | Wild Remedy Walks 

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Welcome to share with anyone who might appreciate it!

Herbal Tarot Reading ~ New Moon in Aquarius, Tues 20th Jan 2015

Welcome to your New Moon in Aquarius Herbal Astro Tarot Reading! This month your gift is coming to you from sunny Penang Island in Malaysia, where I am enjoying a visit with my dear parents who retired here almost 13 years ago.

This is the third New Moon reading I have enjoyed offering on this blog and loving the feedback I have been receiving, so this year I intend to offer these every new moon for the year ahead.

The New Moon invites us to set new intentions for the cycle ahead. When it falls in Aquarius, the emphasis is particularly in trying out something new, innovative and out of the ordinary.

As Aquarius is an air sign, it's a good time to explore our mental realms and make a stand for your own unique version of self expression. It's a fantastic inspirational challenge while we are still basking in the refreshing newness of 2015, with a brand new year on our doorstep.

If you have taken part in my earlier readings you will know that I combine my holistic herbal practice into the readings so you can also look forward to some natural health and wellness tips to support whatever card reading you intuitively choose.

In today's reading I am using the Shadowscape Tarot that were gifted to me by a wonderful friend and herbalist tarot reader friend, Elly.

So now onto your reading...

********

Take a moment to relax and 

sit comfortably where you are...

Inhale a few deep breaths into 

your heart, closing your eyes...

Allow your intention for the

next lunar cycle to come to mind...

Ask for any guidance that would be 

supportive for you to receive right now...

When you're ready, open your eyes...

Choose a card, then click on the number of the card you feel most drawn to:

Card 1   Card 2   Card 3

Love and blessings,

Fiona Morris - Herbalist & AstroTarot Reader

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

Herbal Wellness Plans | Courses & Workshops | Wild Remedy Walks
Holistic Body Massage | Indian Head Massage | Tea & Tarot Readings

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PLEASE NOTE!
If you are reading this on the main home page of my blog, **Stop scrolling down now** to avoid spoilers of your card reading in the blogs posts below.

New Moon Aquarius Herbal Tarot ~ Card no 1

New Moon in Aquarius Herbal Tarot Reading

You chose card no 1 ~ The Chariot

The Chariot shows a woman standing upright dressed in protective armour in a winged chariot drawn by two white unicorns. They have already come far on their journey from the ethereal kingdom in the clouds down to sea level where they are poised ready to enter a new stage in their journey, from the realm of air into the ocean.

Under the water is a crab resting on a moon disc, the guardian of a shin golden orb of energy deep in the watery depths. Five ancient wise turtles circle around the crab and orb as their wise protectors.

This card often appears when you are already well on your way of a magical adventure of discovery whose origins began in a moment of inspiration. It encourages a moment to take stock of the journey so far. To prepare to reach your goal you have previously had to get organised and planned out the various stages, knowing that there may be hidden obstacles and unknowns to contend with.

Now is the time brace yourself for here for a new stage in your journey. This requires you to summon the warrior courage, confidence and energy to embark on what is to come, taking a moment for some deep breaths and reflection on the lessons of previous successes and challenges that may be brought to this present moment. 

You're readying yourself before you forge forward again, plunging into uncharted waters and new depths. Remember that you can always draw on the support of your guides, protectors and companions whenever you may veer unexpectedly off course. Take time to rest up and repair to resource yourself for your current mission and get back on track with renewed vigour and optimism.

A Natural Remedy Tip 

for Weary Travellers to Get Back on Track

Ginger is a fantastic re-energising remedy to help you get back in balance while on your travels, whether taken boiled up fresh as a tea, drops of herbal tincture diluted in water, chewed raw in slices, as crystallised chewy or hard sweets. 

Ginger is a classic remedy to aid digestion, relieving nausea from indigestion, sea sickness, travel sickness, morning sickness, or dizziness. It's a gently warming circulatory stimulant that helps settle the stomach, energise, and steel the nerves to continue moving forward towards your destination. 

Try buying some fresh ginger to add to curries and stir fries. I also love cutting long raw slices and adding it to infuse with a bottle or jug of water to sip on throughout the day as a reviving pick-me-up.

********

I hope you have enjoyed your reading and you find it supportive to you moving forward into the cycle ahead. I'd love to hear how this resonates with you and welcome you to leave a comment below or on my Nourish and Flourish FB page.

If you have friends you think might appreciate it, please do share :)

For occasional updates of upcoming new moon readings, soulful self care tips, herbal wellness blog adventures, holistic clinics and events, I invite you to click here to sign up for your free Nourish and Flourish Love Letters delivered by email directly to your inbox. 

Healing blessings,

Fiona Morris - Herbalist & AstroTarot Reader

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

Herbal Wellness Plans | Courses & Workshops | Wild Remedy Walks
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New Moon Aquarius Herbal Tarot ~ Card no 2

New Moon in Aquarius Herbal Tarot Reading

You chose card no 2 ~ Two of Pentacles

The Two of Pentacles shows a dancing juggler playing with two large golden coins, perfectly balanced on a precipice overlooking high mountain peaks. He's perfectly calm and nimble in his flowing movements surrounded by his flying faerie friends. His monkey companion is sitting peacefully at his feet, so still that a golden butterfly perches on his nose.

When a pentacle card appears in a reading, this encourages you to pay attention to earthly matters, such as money and security. While this can be a heavy and difficult area for many, the character shows that getting into balance in this area can also be light and fun if you intend it to be so and focus your attention here. 

Allow your relationship with money and stability to become a dance of flowing energy that feels joyful and uplifting. Remember that we have guides and helpers around us that we can tune into and get in touch with to support us when our flow becomes blocked. The high peaks suggest a fresh perspective that can bring light and healing to any issues in this areas.

The monkey, usually symbolic of hyperactive physical and mental actions, is sitting quietly demonstrating that even the wildest of minds can be trained and simply by being calm, delightful gifts and abundance can come almost without effort, manifesting in joyful and magical ways.

You may find opportunities to take a lighter, more playful approaches to finances and stability arise easily just now. Try out some meditative sitting or movement to shift any stuck thinking in these areas. You might end up surprising yourself and inspiring others in turn.

A Natural Remedy Tip

for Meditation, Calm and Flexibility

Frankincense is a precious tree sap resin and remedy with many benefits. The scent of Frankincense alone as incense or essential oil helps to calm the mind and deepen breathing, a perfect complement to enhance a meditative state. 

Taken internally as capsules or diluted in water as a water tincture, it can help not only help promote a more relaxed state, but it is also used in traditional herbal medicine as an anti inflammatory to joints and muscle tissue, and tonic to the respiratory system. Frankincense can encourage increased strength, flexibility and easier breathing. 

As a well known sacred herb and gift from one of the three wise men on the occasion of Jesus' birth, this golden coloured plant extract also has energetic connections with giving, receiving and abundance.

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I hope you have enjoyed your reading and you find it supportive to you moving forward into the cycle ahead. 

I'd love to hear how this resonates with you and welcome you to leave a comment below or on my Nourish and Flourish FB page.

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Healing blessings,

Fiona Morris - Herbalist & AstroTarot Reader

www.fionamorrisherbalist.co.uk

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