LADY'S MANTLE
Lady’s Mantle
Retrieving Memories of Love from Childhood
My new Favorite Herb! Over the last few months i have bathed with her, slept with her, body scrubbed with her, included her in my yoni steam blend, drank her tea and infusion. She is also a major player in my Venus Anointing Oil! Bringing the herbs into my life this way opens me up to what they are trying to communicate to just me, not the masses, but my own particular healing. What arises always shocks me and takes me by surprise.
I have been journeying with her the last few months in ALL the ways. It’s been my daily infusion choice, actually she was calling out to me and I listened. I love when this happens. In my experience when this happens it’s usually not for physical remedy. The herbs that call out to me are usually on a more metaphysical level. Before any formal herbal training this is how I established my relationships with many of the herbs...I just listened! If I haven’t journeyed with them personally, experienced their medicine personally and if they are not in my material medica I will rarely feel comfortable commenting on them or recommending them. The reason is because often times I have found in my own experience that I receive a very different (yet specific) healing from what their medicinal use is. I chose to write about Lady’s Mantle because it reminded me how often this has happened to me with countless other herbs.
Lady’s Mantle , Alchemilla Vulgaris, is native to Europe and Asia and the high mountain ranges of South America and the Himalayas. Her leaves and flowering shoots are collected in mid summer and the fresh root is also used! She is Astringent, a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, an emmenagogue, a wound healer (inward and outward) and an all around female reproductive tonic, especially for fertility and childbirth. She’s helps alleviate pain associated with menstruation and stimulates proper menstrual flow. Her element is Water, and planet association is Venus, connecting us to the earth mother and all aspects of the feminine. In my Celtic herbal studies she represents the cloak of Goddess Brighid, a mantle of healing and feminine wisdom/power, wrapping you in her protection. The dew gathered from her leaves early in the morning is said to be the fountain of beauty and youth.
My first sip of her infusion (not mixed with any other herbs) immediately transported me back to my childhood to a specific place. I was in a Chinese restaurant called China Castle that is no longer in Chinatown in Philly. We went there oftenbg v as a family. I felt joy arise in the center of my chest, my spiritual heart. Joy is very different from happiness, it occurs less often than happiness for me and I always associate it as a Divine emotion, it rises from inside, happiness does not. Anyway, I spent a good bit of time sipping and reminiscing and getting lost in the catalogue of memories that she was gifting me. I couldn’t believe how her physical taste was identical to this Chinese tea that I just adored as a child, in those dainty ornate Chinese teacups. Wow, the emotions that came up! I felt a sadness that my Dad wasn’t here for me to share this story with and to reminisce with, I felt the love that existed witIn my birth family unit, I laughed at the remembrance of Chinese food being the cure for my parents hang overs, I could smell the restaurant, see the tables, the tablecloths and the food. It was incredible! I was filled with gratitude for her reminder of how loved I was as a child, that’s what she gave me!
Oftentimes, as adults working on ourselves and our imprints we will look towards our parents (ancestors) and focus on what tools we weren’t given. Now, as I parent, I recognize how unfair and how irresponsible that is. This journey with Lady’s Mantle reminded me of how important it is to always remember the tools you were given and allow that gratitude to wash over you...often!!! I was given LOVE, so unconditionally, so freely, so often and in so many ways and that’s about the best tool you can be given.
When I sipped her tea, I was blown away by how delicate and sweet it was. I was reminded to incorporate these qualities more often into my days. When I bathed with her I envisioned my husband and how I’d like to be more tender in our relationship...I’ve got lots of fire, in case you haven’t noticed!!! When I created a body scrub with her I felt her protection and started to chant “I am fluid, I am flowing, I have compassion and love for all.” And next “I am grateful for the lessons thus far and am ready to end this cycle and start a new one.” These words arose from within, my inner intelligence guiding the way!
I am so grateful for these herbal allies and all that they offer me.
Love
Danielle