This is the beginning of a series of posts about water based herbal preparations. It’s all about the basics and a great place to begin your herbal journey!
Water based preparations are more than just a cup of simple chamomile tea, as wonderful as a cup of chamomile tea is. Water based preparations are, in my opinion, the best place to start when working with herbs especially nourishing herbs such as stinging nettles, oat straw and red clover. Water is available freely in most places, and safe to work with. Water can be used hot or cold and left to infuse with herbal goodness in solar warmth or lunar coolness. Water based preparations offer hydration. Water is the universal solvent, it dissolves plant minerals and vitamins rendering them bio-available and carries vital plant constituents to the body. Water also allows for flavour and scent to work it’s magic on the olfactory system, helping to deliver effects swiftly.
One of the first exercises I did when beginning my herbal studies was to compare different water based preparations. Using just one kind of herb I made hot water infusions with dried plant material and hot water infusions with fresh plant material. I made cold water infusions with dried plants and cold water infusions with fresh plants. I used lots of plant material to make rich infusions and small amounts of herb to make tisanes or teas and compared the differences in flavour and effect. I simmered the herb and made decoctions. I set infusions out under the Sun to brew in warmth and under the Moon to brew in coolness. And that is where we will begin now, with my favourite water based preparation style for Spring and Summer blossoms:
Lunar Herbal Infusions.
Oh my goodness, I am so excited to share this with you. Especially as it is Summer here in BC and there are plenty of blooms to choose from for a lunar herbal infusion.
Lunar infusions could be made with any fresh herb, or dried too. But the real magic happens with lunar flower infusions. I first experienced a cold water lunar infusion in Spring at herb school, it was a Dark Moon Violet lunar infusion. A jar was filled with little Violet flowers and wild waterfall water, then left out overnight under the dark new moon. When my teacher had me pour the infusion into pretty little tea glasses and hand it out to my beautiful class mates I was not expecting much at all. So when I took my first sip as we all stood around the warm fire pit I was taken by surprise, my eyes went wide and I do believe I exclaimed “Holy crap!!! I feel like bursting into song!” followed by the inspiration to actually sing a lyric written by Bjork (although I shyly spoke instead of singing), well, it’s not exactly her lyric (the correct word is blood, not flowers) but it is the words invoked in me at that beautiful moment:
“I’m a fountain of flowers, in the shape of a girl”
To taste a Violet lunar infusion was like being inside of the Violet bloom itself, to be wrapped in her petals and be drenched in her incredible aroma, her nectar gliding down my throat and through my body until I was filled with Violet vibrations and burst into a fountain of flowers. Woah. Who needs psychoactive drugs when you can burst into an explosion of flowers with one sip of Violet lunar infusion? Another very good reason to ditch the stimulate/sedate path and re-sensitize, don’t you think?
Suitable blooms for cold water lunar infusions include fresh Rose, Violet, Red clover, Evening Primrose, fruit blossoms such as Apple, Lilac (for bathing), Elderflower, Hibiscus, Lavender (just use a little Lavender or it will be too strong to drink, but excellent for bathing and beauty), Honeysuckle…. There are endless possibilities. I personally prefer flowers that are rich in aromatics because they remain vibrant and alive using the cold water lunar process. Hot water infusions change and dilute the aromatics.
Last week my little family and I went out to Darke Lake near Summerland and camped for a few nights. The wild roses were in full glory so I filled a big jar with petals, topped it up with clear, fresh, wild mountain stream water then set it out under the stars for the night. Next morning I took my jar of Rose lunar infusion, a towel and a small basin up the creek to a waterfall and indulged in a private waterfall pool Rose bath, under a fallen Cottonwood and giant Devils Club leaves. I offered some to the water first, rinsed and then used the petals to wash my face and body. I finished with shower of Rose infused water and petals, allowing it to run into my mouth. Then I watched as the petals floated away downstream, feeling absolutely incredible. Yet another way to enjoy your lunar infusion.
So… Do you wanna try this out for yourself? Hell yeah!
Here’s how to make your own Lunar Herbal Infusion:
Gather your blooms fresh.
Gently fill a mason jar with the whole, intact flowers, or petals, if you are gathering wild rose for instance and want to leave the rest of the flower to ripen into rose hips.
Pour filtered water over your beautiful blooms, seal with a lid then give a very gentle shake or tip upside down a few times.
Hug and kiss your jar of magical infusion. Give it some love!
Place your jar of goodness under the Stars and Moon and leave to the power of Luna for the night.
Upon rising in the morning find yourself a glass and a strainer then go out and get your incredible Lunar infusion. Strain into your glass and sip joyfully. Be careful… You might just explode into a fountain of flowers.
With Luna Love,
Danika.
Love this! Will be following a long on your adventure!
Lovely article ! I’ve long favoured the simple water infusion to tinctures. I feel that I experience a deeper intimacy with the plant when I make and drink water infusions as opposed to tinctures. Just received a lovely Rishi essential tea pitcher for Xmas and can’t wait for my favourite herbal ‘weeds’ to come back (here in snowy Vermont USA) so I can enjoy their encouraging influence on my path to wellness from chronic lyme disease.
Hey, have you ever made raw rose petal jam with the wild roses. I used to do that every summer and intend to again this summer. Just opening the little jars and inhaling was a wonderful experience later in the year .
Hi Flamekeeper,
Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed this. I have never made raw rose petal jam. It sounds amazing! I would love the recipe if you ever felt inclined to share. 🙂
This is fantastic. I have never heard of anything like this, but I’m so intrigued and I’m going to start doing more things along these lines! What flower would you recommend for someone who has never done this before?
Hi Candace,
I’m so glad you are intrigued. Well, since here in North America it is violet season, I would recommend you start with violets. You will not be disappointed. Following violets are lilac, so lovely for bathing with and then, of course the roses bloom. Have fun!
I will have to fire up my dew collector this season. If I place botanicals in the collection bowl, then instead of adding water, the infusion can be made with full moon dew as the night progresses and it collects 🙂