Tips Tuesday: Put a Little Love in Your Heart

​Put a Little Love in Your Heart (with Herbal Tea)
by Helen Hazelmare, Brown Horse Herbal
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Greetings from the snowy state of Wisconsin! We're officially in deep winter now, surrounded by kapha energy as we trek into Kidney and Metal Season. Our lips, hands, and hair dry and crack and we struggle to remain hydrated despite all the (frozen) water surrounding us. And, though the light has begun to elongate the days, many of us find difficulty in coping with the isolation winter brings.

This is a sentiment which speaks to many of us now, whether or not we are currently experiencing winter or conceptualize the frozen season in this way.

The notion of putting a little love in your heart, mind, and body is a welcome prospect now more than ever--and even better when you share it!

The following recipes are more ingredient lists than strict measurements that you can tailor to your own tastes and what you constitutionally need at any given time. Begin with equal parts in your herbal blend, tasting as you go. Experiment and get curious! 

I Love You Mix
This is my signature tea blend for soothing bodies and calming heart-minds, lightly sweet and astringent.

• Rose Blossoms (Rosa spp)
• Lavandin (Lavandula officinalis)
• Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
• Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyna)
• Rose Hip (Rosa canina)
• Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)
• Milky Oat Tops (Avena sativa)
• Krishna Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

I Love You Remix
This version offers a similar sense of comfort with a bit more pungency.

• Rose Blossoms (Rosa spp.)
• Rama Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
• Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora)
• Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
• Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Once you've discovered the version you enjoy, make sure to blend up a batch to give as gifts for friends and family or just-because offerings for your neighbors. A little love grows when given freely--and we all certainly benefit. 

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Helen Hazelmare is a maker of stuff & things and a writer of cautionary tales. She is currently living an abundant life, weathering storms and being evermore grateful for harvests. Find her work at medium.com/@hazelmare and www.brownhorseherbal.com. 

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