New Year Resolutions for Herbalists
Follow me this month while I try to clear out my own chaos and get a few tips on how to get your herb cabinet and/or business back in order! January is a perfect time for reflection and planning, but also, we have time for getting things done since the rush of garden season is still a few months away, the snow keeps us at home a bit more....as does the promise of a warm house and hot cup of tea. Each day, I am going to tackle something that needs constant care or attention, but that is often left to become dysfunctional as the year goes on. Will this be the year, I actually keep on top of things? Who knows...but if not, I will repost next year!
January 11~
Time for Some New Tea!
We all have our favorite teas and coffees, our favorite foods that make our endorphins come out and about. If it aint' broke, why fix it? A month of new beginnings in the way we approach life, means we have to take some risks and mix things up a bit...but no need to be dramatic. Start slowly...pick one type of daily indulgence and change something about it.
I drink either tea or coffee every day and I drink a seasonal tonic tea as well. The tonics stay the same each year, but if I have noticed particular problems with family health or local contagious bugs, I put in a little bit of a particular herb to address it. My daily tea/coffee, though, is how I start my day...my routine of steeping while fixing breakfast and then settling down with the morning paper. Breakfast time and the paper reading is not going to change--so starting this morning, it is going to be a daily cup of something different. I must have 50 boxes of nice herbal teas and several bags of gourmet coffees--all just sitting there while day after day, I have my usual: Scottish Breakfast Tea or Sumatran coffee-black......or with a touch of cinnamon,cloves and cardamom. They are delicious and I have them because I like them--but I also know that tastes can change/improve/become more adventurous, if given the opportunity. Moreover, remember that all teas are medicinal at some level and it is thought that for the best remedial effect overall, it is more effective to NOT use it every day--rather a few days on, a few off. The same idea can be applied here--using different teas regularly, exposes you to individual, useful plant properties that may be really helpful to you. Variety, really IS the spice of life!!!
Caffeine is a definite draw, but not a deal breaker, so this morning, I had some Chamomile tea with toast--those two go together so well!! Tomorrow, Assam or Chai......
Breaking out of one rut, helps to get out of others. It sets a new tone. Maybe I could tweak some old formulas....or come up with some new herb class ideas..........