Healing Allies: Lavender
“It always seems to me as if the lavender was a little woman in a green dress, with a lavender bonnet and a white kerchief. She’s one of those strong, sweet, wholesome people, who always rest you, and her sweetness lingers long after she goes away.”
Myrtle Reed, American author, 1874-1911.
Lavandula Angustifolia or Lavender is a calming ally for an overtaxed nervous system. Lavender is a wonderful healer in each of her forms: essential oil, salve, tea, or tincture. Best used to relieve anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, indigestion, headaches, pre-menstrual cramps. Used externally, Lavender’s antibacterial, antifungal make it an important component in a natural first-aid kit for burns, bug bites, scrapes, and cuts.
This herb enhances dopamine and GABA, two powerful neurotransmitters, to support the parasympathetic nervous system. Lavender acts as an anxiolytic that is an uplifting, nervine, carminative, and neuroprotective agent against oxidative stress. Lavender provides spasmolytic, stomachic, diuretic, antidepressant, and antimicrobial support to the body when needed. It can also help reduce addiction-related to cravings.
Dr. Deborah Frances suggests combining lavender with feverfew and ginger to relieve a migraine headache. Use them at the first signs of the headache for best results. Putting your feet in a hot water bath, while applying cold towels to the forehead to help decrease a migraine headache near its onset.
I love using lavender in an Epsom salt bath after a stressful day. It’s soothing to my heart and my nervous-system.
You should always consult your physician before starting botanical medicine to meet your individual needs.
A Supportive Ally for Vitality
Lavender is an excellent ally in supporting the qualities of human vitality. In A. H. Almaas Diamond Approach teachings, Almaas presents the concepts of true human nature or essence. Essence is the untouched nature of who we are without ego or personality. The essence of luminous black expresses stillness and peace. Here in this essence, we find the stillness to witness our vitality.
