Betony, Wood betony, Hedge nettle, wound wort – Stachys officinalis, Betonica officinalis (original – for thousands of years)

Easily grown in the garden. Once considered to be a cure all. Mint family.

Ancient and important nervine.

Middle ages – demon possession and results of witchcraft (alien abduction).

General tonic, affinity to the liver, gall bladder support, and nervous system, circulation to the brain, Bitter, stomachic, sedative. Increases appetite – stimulant, gut inflammation, inability to digest fats – weak digestion. Helps us remember to eat.

Opens circulatory pathways -poor circulation.

Bed-wetting, weak bladder.

Parkinson's disease. Arthritis.

Lost wonder, shut down, lost enchantment.

Headache – esp frontal, dizziness, loss of memory (esp when caused by stress)

nervous debility,

lack of energy,

sciatica,

chronic rheumatism,

sinus congestion,

dizziness,

reduce lower back pain,

Myalgic encephalitis ME,

Overthinking, obsessively focused

Prevents night anxiety & nightmares,

helps us deal with the present situation.

Improves gut instinct and reactions.

Most embodying, earthy, grounding... brings us back to head, body and roots, disassociation, wanting to disappear/get out of the body, turning away from being in this world,

overwhelmed, traumatised, forgetful, emotionally erratic, protection from losing our minds to the exterior stresses.

Combine with Valerian for anxiety states, with Vervain for relaxing properties, with Hawthorn when scattered with no focus. With Hypericum for burns and wounds.

Caution – use low doses during pregnancy – recommended 5 drops x 2 per day.

Catnip/Catmint – nepeta cataria

Deep Sleep and Relaxation

calming sedative, anxiety with restlessness and irritability. jittery from too much coffee or stress, calms excitability, restlessness, release tension in the body. either catnip tea or tincture - supports the nervous system. has a bitter/pungent taste - easier as a tincture. Beneficial for children's nervous ailments. Pain and Menstrual Cramps - ease muscle tension and cramping. smooth muscle cramping in the intestines and uterus. Use with ginger - digestive and muscle cramping formula. Soothing an Upset Stomach - relieve spasms and cramping, antispasmodic properties, ease stomach ache and flatulence. mild diarrhoea and nausea related to nervous tension. use catnip leaves and flowering tops.

Frankincense – Boswellia carteri

Fast acting natural anti-inflammatory for mind and body, gentle psycho-tropic benefits

Relieves anxiety, anger and despair/Spiritual connection/Meditation/Relaxation.

Promotes healthy cell regeneration.

Skin - mature, dry, aging, scars, wrinkles, used in embalming (Egypt).

Stops wounds bleeding, Speeds healing of cuts, Acne, Insect bites and Boils, Bruising.

Enters and oxygenates the brain, brain tumours, stimulates limbic system

Cancerous tumours – can discriminate between healthy & cancerous cells.

Mild pain reliever, improves circulation, reduces exhaustion.

Helps discharge toxins from the liver

Anti-sceptic, antibacterial

Aids absorption of nutrients – increases gastric juices & bile, stimulates peristalsis.

Arthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis – pain relief.

Colds and Respiratory conditions, breaks down phlegm, expectorant.

Bad breath, toothache, mouth sores and infections, strengthen gums.

Uterine health regulates oestrogens production.

Reduces risk of uterine tumours/cyst formation.

Regulates the menstrual cycle of pre-menopausal women and teens.

Childbirth – bruising, calming, wound healing, pain relief, stretch marks reduction.

Hawthorn – helps with boundaries, attention deficit, can't focus, can't sit down, irritable, nervousness, nervous stomach. Constipation, atonic bowel, heartburn.

Allergies, sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma.

Cardiac tonic - ailments related to the heart and blood vessels - blood circulation, making it a good preventive therapy for people with impaired cardiac function, heart failure - slow down the progression of heart disease, high blood pressure/low blood pressure - used preventive health care. Heart restoration

Useful in dissolving kidney stones.

nervous disorders and palpitations, restlessness, insomnia, anxiety and.

Induce peaceful sleep - combined with herbs like lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), oats (Avena sativa) and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum).

Relieve night sweats and ailments related to menopause.

Lemon balm – Melissa

Aromatic mint family. Important in European domestic medicine for hundreds of years.

Sour mint. Basic nerve sedative. Hyper-sensitivity. Calms the nerves. Relaxant on all levels. Palpitations, high blood pressure associated with nervousness – calms a rapid pulse.

Hyperthyroidism – specific.

Relaxing diaphoretic, Safe for young children – use for fevers.

Depression following fevers.

Digestive, similar to catnip, relaxing digestive for cramping and spasms, reduces irritation and irritated nervous digestion.

Calms agitation, reduces the severity and duration of herpes outbreaks, bolsters immunity, topical and internal through tea.

Reduces the heat of anger, emotional heat stroke – hot, dried out and bothered, combative, ready to blow..

Tension, anxiety – moves anxiety along, underlying tension, over excited... shows up as inflammation.

Promotes conception. Helpful for menopause. Impotence. Menstruation – deficient and painful.

Linden, Lime flower -Tilia

Relaxing diaphoretic – marshmallow family.

very popular tree planted in city's – easy access – can be high up – can't reach. Heart shaped dark green toothy leaves, slightly lumpy, true leaves, then a bract on a stem-let between the twig and the flowers – yellowy green canoe shaped leaf smooth. Identification is easy.

Flowers smell wonderful – strongly aromatic.

Calming relaxing and cooling – in the heat of the summer.

Nervous tension and excitation, release heat from the body – helpful for anger, also fever.

Agitation – nerves buzzing, jitteriness – take linden. Racing heart, palpitation, cramping of the heart muscle, anything cardiovascular – first call along with Hawthorn.

The tree's are a whole eco system in themselves, providing home for it's communities of insects, birds, protecting the creatures while protecting itself.

The pain of isolation, having no one to depend upon, exhaustion of being alone and trying to hold it all together. Anxiety, fear, overwhelm,

Makes a great tea, add honey, helps us meet our own needs.

Oat Straw (husks of grains)/flowering tops – Avena sativa

Getting our oats – energy, foundations of strength.

Oats have the highest content of iron, zinc & manganese of all grain species – good source of minerals.

Vitamin E oil,

Improves performance and stamina of athletes.

Nerve restoration, neurasthenia, anti-depressant, tranquilliser, brain tonic, cardiac tonic.

Can help with pharmaceutical and illicit drug & alcohol withdrawals– combine with valerian and skullcap.

Tension and irritability through overwork, overwhelm, Headache with pain at back of the neck.

Sleeplessness, shingles, hyperactivity in children and adults. Nerve tremor.

Combines well with Wood betony.

Avoid combining with Passionflower.

Avoid if gluten intolerant.

Skullcap, Mad dog – Scutellaria lateriflora

Bitter mint with sedative properties, relaxing nervine : fear, insomnia, hysteria, nervous system malfunction/irritation, anti-spasmodic, anti convulsive, brain and CNS vasodilator, sedative, delirium, lessens cerebral excitement – over thinkers.

Assists in withdrawal of pharmaceutical & illicit drug addiction, headache, migraine,, disturbed sleep, nervous stress following bereavement or sock.

Supporting nervine for workaholics – long hours – mental exhaustion, helpful for ME, post stroke, epilepsy. Traditional remedy for rabies.

Sunstroke – chronic/lasting side effects.

Gestational diabetes – fetal agitation, mothers skin irritated.

Children– wakefulness, fever, digestive constriction, colic, flatulence, stomach pains. Fever, dizziness, headache, over-sensitivity.

Menstrual pain, pre-menstrual tension, irritation, spasm.

St. Johns wort, Solstice wort - Hypericum perforatum

Best to harvest on a hot summers day – on or around the Solstice. Feast of St. John 25th June.

Sunshine herb – where light needs to shine to lift mood and calm the spirit. Break through the clouds. Helps when we are lost in the darkness... helping us to see our way through to the light.

Multifaceted plant:

Nervine, anti-depressant, nerve pain, analgesic (mild), anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, strengthens the heart, antiviral, astringent, good for cold, damp, stagnation – depression, agitation, jittery, unsettled.

Self loathing, not able to see yourself, emotional constipation – stuck, uncomfortable, painful, backed up, Trauma is about survival – to get through it.. Helps us feel protected. Promoting feelings of safety and security, away from unwanted influences.

Hypericum helps us let go, become less gloomy and hopeless. Alleviates bad dreams and night terrors.

Neuralgia (facial and intercostal), Sciatica, post-operative pain, physical shock, pain in coccyx, polymyalgia with tingling of fingers or feet, peripheral neuropathy, brings feeling back into the extremities.

pain of dental extractions, injuries to flesh rich in nerves, Shooting, stitching pains, Puncture wounds, dog bites, cats, rats where pain shoots up the arm from the wound, Painful piles, tetanus, Temporary relief from Parkinsonism, Anxiety, Stress, depression, Menopausal nervousness, Menstrual cramps..

Research has shown some radioactive protective properties.

Take for a duration, 5ml x3 per day for at least a month, write a diary of your emotions, check in with yourself to see how you're feeling after a week, two weeks, a month.. your mood, emotions, relationships, guts.. use as a tincture and as a tea – sun tea – hot or iced. Tastes nice as a tea – acceptably bitter..

Valerian – Valeriana officinalis – the Spikenard of the New Testament

Gentle, non-toxic, non-addictive tranquillisers. Aromatic.

Favourably influences the Central nervous system, acting as a natural relaxant to the higher nerve centres.

Sedative, hypotensive, hypnotic, carminative, mild anodyne for temporary relief of pain, relaxant, anti-spasmodic – convulsions in infants, epilepsy.

Tension headaches, migraine, shock, shell shock, Nervous tension, excitability, sleeplessness, restlessness, palpitation, high blood pressure, hypochondria, irritability, mental confusion, menstrual pain, muscle and intestinal cramps.

Expectorant – bronchial spasm – smokers cough, antidiuretic,

Relives anxiety, assists in withdrawals from pharmaceutical, illicit drugs and alcohol, no evidence of dependency or potential for abuse (Angelica – also).

Combine with Skullcap,Wild lettuce, Hops, Passion flower, Motherwort for heart conditions, Oat straw and Lime flowers.

The tincture - most useful method of use for this plant, it can be added to Valerian tea to enhance effectiveness. Use half a teaspoon to a teaspoon, can be added to a bath,

Valerian should not be given for severe depressive states. Large doses can cause giddiness and mental confusion, a dose of a few drops - enhances concentration during the day.

Vervain, Enchanters herb – Verbena officinalis

Sacred to Greeks and Druids

Protection and blessing. Easy to grow – harvest flowering spikes and leaves.

Intense idealism and self-will, with a lack of physical energy to sustain the output.

Useful for times when we are manic, wound up, traumatised and/or consumed by tension..

Helps us to relax when we've forgotten how to.

Deep tension fuelled by fear, paranoia, so tense – hyperactivity verging on aggression – speech is spitting, PMS – murderous, reactivity – nerves frayed, intense times & people, adrenally dominated, obsessive, highly critical, perfectionists, up and down blood sugar, generally dissatisfied, reactivity & anger, liver tension & stagnation, irritability, deep tension, shoulder and neck tension. Frayed nerves, premature ejaculation. Anti-spasmodic, relief from tension and stress, Relaxing nervine with affinity for liver and kidneys, bitter – digestives, Sedative, diaphoretic, hypnotic, galactagogue, alterative, emmenagogue, aphrodisiac, anti-diarrhoeic.

Post viral fatigue syndrome, ME, Nervous exhaustion from prolonged physical exertion, Epilepsy and convulsions, congested liver, jaundice, Promotes the production of milk in nursing mothers, Amenorrhoea.

nervous breakdown, also grief, bereavement.

combines well with oats and chamomile for post-natal depression – won't harm the baby.

Just one drop can help. Take regularly to break connection to reactivity,

Quite bitter – easier as a tincture.