We are delighted to have renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar share a joyful and uplifting tea blend recipe that is her personal favorite! In this blend, Rosemary includes some common and familiar herbs in proportions that can be easily adjusted depending on the desired herbal benefits. In the video below, Rosemary tells us a little about each herb in the blend and how to put them all together so we, too, can enjoy this wonderful tea!
Rosemary has been learning, teaching, and writing about herbs for over 40 years. In that time, she has written 11 books, many of which are considered staples on any herbalist’s bookshelf, including Medicinal Herbs: A Beginners Guide, Herbal Healing for Women, The Science and Art of Herbalism, and Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. She is also the founding President of United Plant Savers, founder of the California School of Herbal Studies, and cofounder of the Traditional Medicinals tea company.
Uplifting Herbs
Hawthorn: An herb of the spirit and the heart, hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) is one of the best herbs for deep-seated grief. Its ability to strengthen emotions and the heart is symbolic of how it grows, a beautiful yet gnarly tree with protective thorns and rich red berries. Although typically we think of using its berries, hawthorn leaves and flowers have similar constituents and more readily infuse in a steeped tea. For this reason, the leaves and flowers are included along with the berries in the recipe below.
Lemon balm: Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) lifts the spirits while calming and relaxing the mind and body. It’s a delicious herb so especially when preparing this recipe for someone who is not accustomed to drinking herbal teas, be generous with the lemon balm. If possible, use fresh or freshly dried lemon balm for optimal flavor.
Milky oat: Milky oat (Avena sativa) tops strengthen the nervous system. They have a mildly mucilaginous property and they are soothing to irritated nerves and especially indicated for frazzled or agitated emotional states.
St. John’s wort: Another herb that lifts the spirit is sunny St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum). It is useful for support when one is dealing with mild depression or feeling weighed down. It has also been used traditionally for energetically protecting the body and the home.
Rose: Soothing and beautiful, roses (Rosa spp.) make any tea blend brighter! Ideally use fragrant roses. Rose is a plant that has the capacity to nourish and encourage our hearts, yielding a soft but strong heart that is open, but protected.
Join Rosemary Gladstar in the video below as she shares her Uplifting Tea blend!
Rosemary Gladstar’s Uplifting Tea Blend is a delightful and easily adaptable formula! Add butterfly pea (cl*toria ternatea) flower—one blossom per cup—for an enchanting blue infusion, or hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) for a red infusion. Drink 2-3 cups a day for a couple weeks to enjoy the uplifting benefits. This recipe can also be made into a syrup and then added to sparkling water for a dazzling blue or red drink!
Give this uplifting and easily adaptable formula a try any time you need a bit more pep to your step! Ingredients 1 part hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) leaf, flower, and berry DirectionsRosemary Gladstar's Uplifting Tea Blend
1 part lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) aerial parts, fresh or freshly dried
1 part oat (Avena sativa) milky tops
1 part St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) aerial parts
1 part rose (Rosa spp.) petal
1 blossom of butterfly pea flower (cl*toria ternatea) per cup, optional
A pinch of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) or honey
Note: This recipe can be easily modified by adjusting the proportions of any herb to enhance desired benefits.
Cautions: Safety concerns have arisen over use of St. John’s wort. This plant stimulates liver detoxification, and therefore, will reduce the clearance time for certain pharmaceuticals so please check with knowledgeable herbalist or pharmacist before taking St. John’s wort with prescription drugs. St. John’s wort may cause photosensitivity and should not be used during pregnancy without professional guidance.
There are a couple of cautions when thinking of using hawthorn, especially for those with chronic heart conditions. Folks taking beta-blockers or other cardiac medications should consult an experienced practitioner, such as their primary care physician, before taking hawthorn, and those with congestive heart failure are advised not to take hawthorn (Gardner & McGuffin, 2013).
Cheers This Herbalist Day!
Herbalist Day is a special holiday to celebrate our unique journeys as herbalists, the herbal mentors and influencers that have helped shape our learning and experience, and the greatest teachers of all, the plants themselves.
In the spirit of Herbalist Day, we share this special herbal tea blend from Rosemary Gladstar with you. It’s also in the spirit of Herbalist Day that we share 20% off all Herbal Academy herbalism programs to welcome you into our herbal classrooms! If you’re interested in exploring or expanding your herbal knowledge with education, consider signing up April 10 through April 17 to get 20% off your herbal courses.
Get 20% off Herbal Courses here!
Cheers, and Happy Herbalist Day!
REFERENCES
Gardner, Z., & McGuffin, M. (2013). American Herbal Products Association’s botanical safety handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
