New Moon Monthly~Botanical Mythology

New Moon monthly Botanical Mythology

We believe in natural cycles: the seasons, the moon, the ocean's tides, rhythm of a yoga practice;  beginning with OM and ending in Savasana.  Subsequently, we've decided each month, at the onset of the moon's birthing cycle, to honor this time for creation and new beginnings. 

Each month we will share one herb or plant we use for personal healing, spiritual growth, meditation, or culinary joy. Our hope is to plant this seed of connection to the natural world in fertile and receptive soil

Rosemary for Remembrance 

Maybe Rosemary seems too obvious, culinary, or non-jungly but, she’s just the right kind of earthy magic for this new moon in Taurus. While Rosemary was more wild and abundant in our former home North Carolina, framing in garden beds with abandon in even the coldest east coast winters, we cultivate her with care in the jungle on Isla Solarte as well.

Like the somatic magic we often feel in savasana, the power of being in a liminal space, somewhere between nothingness and becoming, rosemary can invite memory to rise up from the body of your being. 

Studies have shown rosemary contains compounds that can enhance your cognitive function, improve memory retention, and even shape neuro pathways.

How, you ask? When you inhale rosemary, the oil in her vapors crosses through the mucous membrane in your nose enter into your bloodstream. Memory recall is significantly improved with rosemary flowing through the veins. (Iran.J. Med Sci. 2020.45269.10541) Not into scientific studies, Try it for yourself!

Contemplation

Rosemary is the salve that softens sharp edges around memory. She can invite us into a sacred space of self-discovery.

Gather either a few drops or Rosemary EO on your wrist or better still, a sprig of the herb fresh. Take a seat and give yourself space and time for grounding and connection.

Rub the herb between your hands and hold your palms to hover (or oil on your wrist) just above your face. 

Take a slow, smooth, and cleansing inhale breath, followed by a reciprocal exhale. Breathe slowly and with intention. Notice how you feel. 

Let your mind travel behind your immediate memories, wander away from your life, your family, friends, and experiences. 

Rosemary invites us to travel beyond the surface and dive down deep into our DNA.  What is rooted within us of our ancestors, of lineage, of personal mythology?

Where do you connect your thread of life to the web of connection we all weave?

Sit and breathe with this contemplation for 5 -10 minutes (set a timer for accountability) and then let yourself free write any associations or memories which rise to the surface. 

This new moon is in, Taurus, an earth sign, so grounding in what’s true and authentic can be a salve for our souls now more than ever. Rosemary reminds us that our beauty and value are rooted in the natural world and all we need to do to reconnect is remember.