Herbal Energetics Workbook II: Plant Energetics

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Herbal Energetics Workbook II: Plant EnergeticsText and photos by Rosalee de la Forêt.©2016 Rosalee de la Foret, LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author. With the exception of someone printing one copy for their personal use.

The herbal and plant information in this ebook is for educational purposes only. The information within the Herbal Energetics Workbook II: Plant Energetics eBook is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other medical professional. If you have or suspect that you have a serious health problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Always consult with a health care practitioner before using any herbal remedy or food, especially if pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition.

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Published by Rosalee de la Forêt, LLC, Twisp, WAFirst digital edition, March 2016. Published in the U.S.A.

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Introduction...................................................................................................4

Warming or Hot Herbs.................................................................................5 Ginger Tea Recipe................................................................................6

Cooling Or Cold Herbs..................................................................................7 Peppermint & Hibiscus Cooler Recipe.................................................8

Moistening or Damp Herbs..........................................................................9 Marshmallow Cold Infusion..............................................................10

Drying Herbs................................................................................................11 Dandelion Pesto................................................................................12 Raspberry & Lady’s Mantle Infusion..................................................13

About Rosalee..............................................................................................15

Table of Contents

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In the previous presentation and workbook “Herbal Energetics Workbook I: What’s Your

Constitution? we went through the basic qualities of hot, cold, damp and dry and how these combine to create your personal constitution.

Just like humans, plants also contain the four qualities of hot, cold, damp and dry. In herbalism we match the herbs to the person in an “opposites” approach in order to help people find balance. In other words, if someone is too hot, we give them cooling herbs. If someone is too dry, we give them moistening herbs, etc.

We determine a plant’s energetics in several ways.

Sometimes we can easily observe a plant’s energetics by tasting or consuming it. For example, if you had just a sip of cayenne tea and then a sip of cucumber water, you could easily determine which one is warming and which one is cooling.

If possible, experiencing these qualities yourself are the best way to learn and understand plant energetics. That’s why this workbook contains simple recipes for you to try and experience.

Other times a plant’s energetics aren’t immediately obvious. To physically observe its effects after taking it we may need to wait

a couple hours (e.g., diuretic, which increases urine) or even a couple of months (e.g., tonic herbs such as astragalus).

Besides physically observing the plant ourselves, we can also refer to herbalists, past or present, who have recorded their own observations. Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda have the most developed records of these observations, but it also exists within Western herbalism. (See my Herbal Bookshelf for a list of my favorite books on energetics).

Now let’s jump in.

The rest of this workbook is a brief look at the characteristics of the four qualities within plants. You will get the most out of this ebook when you also watch the accompanying video: Herbal Energetics Part II: Plant Energetics and the Art of Herbalism.

Each quality (hot, cold, damp,dry) is followed by a short recipe. I know that going through the trouble of making a recipe isn’t as easy as simply reading about it. However, making a recipe and experiencing the effects is a lot more fun than simply reading about it. Also, by personally experiencing these effects you are making this practical and relevant to your everyday life.

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Introduction

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Warming herbs tend to be:

• Warming to some degree• Stimulating (e.g., circulation)• Increase metabolic fire• Move stagnation• Relieve pain due to coldness

Examples of Warming Herbs

Cayenne (Capsicum annuum)Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)Turmeric (Curcumin longa)Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)Garlic (Allium sativum)Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)Ginger (Zingiber officinale)Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

All plants exist on a scale. It’s important to realize that, when a plant is labeled as warming, it exists somewhere on that scale. In other words, while cayenne and rosemary are both warming, they are not warming to the same degree.

Warming or Hot Herbs

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Ginger is a great herb to start with since it’s easy to find and most people like the taste.

I’ve included instructions for both fresh and dry ginger. I recommend trying them both - or to keep it simple, the one you can most easily obtain.

With fresh ginger…• Put one tablespoon of minced fresh ginger

into a cup. • Cover this with 8 ounces of just-boiled water. • Cover the cup and let steep for ten minutes.

Strain if desired.

With dried ginger…• Put 2 teaspoons of dried ginger powder into a cup• Cover this with 8 ounces of just-boiled water. • Cover the cup and let steep for ten minutes.

There is no need to strain either of these, unless you would like to do so.

Once your tea is ready, I am going to guide you through some simple steps and observations.

Step #1. Smell your tea… What do you notice? Does the tea have a smell? Do you notice any changes in your body when you smell that tea? Is it a pleasurable smell? Or do you dislike it?

Step #2. Sip your tea… How does it taste? Sweet? Sour? Salty? Bitter? Spicy?

Step #3. Take another sip…What do you notice within your body? Here are some possibilities. Do you notice yourself taking a deeper breath? Do you have any sensation in your sinuses? Do you feel the digestive process begin? (More salivation, tummy rumbling?)

Step #4. Take another sip…What do you notice about its warming or cooling qualities? Do you feel heat when you sip this tea? Heat on your tongue or in your belly? Or do you feel more cold sensations?

Ginger Tea Recipe

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Cooling herbs tend to be:

• Cooling to some degree • Address infections (clear heat)• Relieve high fevers • Sedative (relieve excitation)

Examples of Cooling Herbs

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)Chickweed (Stellaria media)Echinacea (Echinacea spp.)Violet (Viola spp.)

Oregon Grape (Mahonia spp.)Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)Gentian (Gentiana lutea) Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)Burdock (Arctium lappa)Peppermint (Mentha arvensis)

All plants exist on a scale. It’s important to realize that when a plant is labeled as cooling, that it exists somewhere on that scale. In other words, while dandelion and goldenseal are both cooling, they are not cooling to the same degree.

Cooling Or Cold Herbs

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This delicious and refreshing drink will quench your thirst on a hot summer day. Peppermint is a cooling aromatic plant, while hibiscus gives us a slightly sour or tangy taste. If you don’t have fresh peppermint use roughly 15 grams of dried peppermint (or to taste)

Ingredients

• 20-30 grams fresh peppermint (about a large handful)

• 5 grams of dried hibiscus (about 2 tablespoons)• 1 tablespoon of honey (or to taste)

Mince up the fresh herbs finely and place them in a large jar, at least 2 quarts in size (I like to use a large measuring glass with a spout to facilitate pouring later). Add the hibiscus.

Pour 1.5 quarts of water over the herbs, stir. Let this steep for 10-15 minutes, covered.

Strain into a half gallon glass jar. (I use a strainer and a funnel.) While still warm add the honey and stir until it is fully combined with the tea.

Let cool on the counter or in the refrigerator.

About 10-20 minutes before serving fill the rest of the jar with ice. Serve cold, preferably in a beautiful location. This recipes makes approximately 2 quarts. Drink within 24 hours.

Peppermint & Hibiscus Cooler Recipe

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Moistening herbs tend to be: • Soothing to dry and irritated tissues• Add moisture: demulcent, mucilaginous

Examples of Moistening Herbs

Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)Common Mallow (Malva neglecta)Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)Chickweed (Stellaria media)Violet (Viola spp.)Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)Linden (Tilia spp.)

Slippery Elm (Ulmus spp.)Evening Primrose (Oenothera spp.)Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.)

All plants exist on a scale. It’s important to realize that when a plant is labeled as moistening, that it exists somewhere on that scale. In other words, while linden and marshmallow are both moistening, they are not moistening to the same degree.

Moistening or Damp Herbs

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This is a moistening tea that soothes dry and irritated tissues (for example, a sore throat or inflamed tissues of the digestive tract). It’s also a refreshing beverage on a hot summer day or whenever you are feeling parched and dried out.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup cut and sifted marshmallow root (roughly 1 ounce or 29 grams)

• lukewarm water

Place the marshmallow root in a pint sized jar.

Fill the jar with lukewarm water and cover with a lid.

Let sit for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. The water should change color to a soft yellow.

Strain off the roots. The resulting liquid should be thick and viscous.

Marshmallow Cold Infusion

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Drying Herbs

Drying herbs tend to be:

There are two types of drying herbs. The first type is drying to the whole person because it promotes fluid loss.

The second type is drying to specific tissues because it tightens and tones those tissues. As a result, the affected tissues have a drying sensation but, because the act of toning the tissues keeps moisture in, the overall effect for the organism is moistening.

Type 1: Constitutionally DryingPromote the loss of fluid (diuretic, diaphoretic, sialagogue, emmenagogue, etc. For more information about these terms see my Herbal Glossary page.)

Type 2: Drying to Specific TissuesTighten and tone lax tissues (i.e., astringent)Decrease excess loss of fluid (e.g., diarrhea)

Examples of Drying Herbs

Type 1: Promote Fluid Loss

Dandelion Leaf (Taraxacum officinale)Nettles (Urtica dioica)Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)Echinacea (Echinacea spp.)

Type 2: Tone tissues to avoid excess fluid loss (astringents)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)Rose (Rosa spp.)Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)Oak Bark (Quercus spp.)

All plants exist on a scale. It’s important to realize that when a plant is labeled as drying, that it exists somewhere on that scale. In other words, while dandelion leaf and nettle are both drying, they are not drying to the same degree. It’s also important to distinguish if an herb is drying because it promotes fluid loss or because it is toning specific tissues, thus preventing fluid loss.

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I love this pesto as a dip, on bread, pasta, salmon, or even a couple tablespoons on eggs.

Use fresh young dandelion leaves for this recipe to avoid the overtly bitter taste of older leaves. If you don’t have an area to harvest dandelion leaves near you ask your local grocery store if they can order them in.

Ingredients

• 2-4 crushed cloves of garlic• 1/2 cup cold-pressed olive oil• 2-3 cups young dandelion leaves• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese• a dash of sea salt• a squirt of lemon juice (optional)• 1/4 cup ground nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, pecans)

I prefer to make this recipe in a food processor. If you have one of these handy devices simply place all the ingredients in the processor and blend until well mixed together.

If you do not have a food processor you can make this in a blender and, since I have burned out many blenders doing this, here are my very precise instructions on how to make dandelion pesto and not break your blender in the process.

• Place oil, garlic, and salt in the blender along with half of the dandelion leaves.

• Blend well and then add the other half of the leaves. When finished blending, itshould be of a good consistency although still a little runny.

• If you have a strong blender then add the rest of the ingredients and blend. If not, pour the mixture into a bowl and add desired amounts of parmesan cheese, ground nuts, and lemon juice.

Dandelion Pesto

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This is a nutritious blend of herbs that I commonly use for women’s reproductive

health. Both raspberry leaf and lady’s mantle are mildly astringent and specifically used to tone the uterus. However, while these herbs are commonly used for women, they are beneficial to men as well. If you want to simplify this tasting experience, omit the lady’s mantle and rose petals and use 20 grams of raspberry leaf instead. The directions remain the same for this simplified version.

Ingredients

• 10 grams of lady’s mantle (approximately 1/2 cup)

• 10 grams of red raspberry leaf (approximately 1 cup)

• 5 grams rose petals

Place all the herbs in a quart-sized jar or a quart-sized French coffee press.

Fill the jar with just-boiled water. Cover with a lid.

Wrap this in a towel and leave for four hours or overnight.

Strain off when done and drink as desired (iced, etc).

Raspberry & Lady’s Mantle Infusion

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Rosalee de la Forêt, RH (AHG), is passionate about helping people discover the world of herbalism and natural health. As an herbal consultant, she helps people find natural solutions to their chronic health problems. She also teaches extensively about herbalism internationally and as the Education Director at LearningHerbs.

Rosalee has been privileged to study with many wise herbalists along her path including Karen Sherwood, Michael Tierra, Paul Bergner, Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, and jim mcdonald.

When she’s not immersed in herbs you can find her curled up with a good book in a hammock, swimming and kayaking in lakes and rivers, hiking and taking an absurd amount of plant photos.

Want to learn more with Rosalee? See her online courses: Taste of Herbs and Herbal Cold Care.

Visit Rosalee at HerbsWithRosalee.com

About Rosalee