Ever since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, many of us have been engaging in social distancing and avoiding leaving our homes unless necessary. There are a number of people working from home, but many people are out of work and struggling to make ends meet. While grocery stores are working hard to keep shelves stocked, plenty of people are still without adequate food and necessities. Our economy has crashed. Our healthcare system is in crisis.
COVID-19 has been turning the world as we know it inside out. It is certainly a frightening, unnerving, and uncertain time for humankind.
I know so many people are struggling right now—physically, emotionally, financially. My husband and I have been in the process of opening up a new business (our holistic medical clinic), scheduled to open on April 1st. With everything that has been happening, we will very likely have to push back our start date. We don’t know when will be an appropriate time to start seeing patients in-person. We, like most people in our country, are faced with financial insecurity as we are not employed and have poured time, energy, and money into our new business that is currently on pause.
With that being said, I have been doing my best to see the light in all of this. This pandemic is certainly not something to be taken lightly, but I have to believe that there is some sort of gift—some higher purpose—for this collective crisis. I understand that I come from a place of privilege when I say that, as I do not have kids or elderly parents to care for, I have some savings to rely on, I live in a warm apartment, and my pantry is fully stocked with food.
I have had the privilege of time and space to reflect on the deeper meaning behind all of this—for which some people might say that there isn’t one, which I fully understand. I empathize with everyone who is stressed and struggling right now. It is a collective struggle—humanity is in crisis and we are grieving our lack of true, meaningful connection now more than ever as we are forced to isolate ourselves.
We are all grieving—and have been grieving for quite some time—for our planet and for our lack of human connection and belonging. In a world that has become increasingly divisive and polarized, this uncertain time has called for us to fully realize our interconnectedness and interdependence, and recognize how much we depend on each other for everything in our lives.
During this pandemic, we have also been pushed into a place of stillness and, ultimately, surrender. It is an uncomfortable feeling for many. We have always been so busy doing, producing, creating, making money…that this global pause to our “doing” has many of us feeling like our lives have been upended. We may feel ungrounded, ridden with anxiety, unsure of how to “be” rather than “do.”
Yes, we are struggling. Yes, we may be scared and anxious and worried if we will be able to pay our rent next month or keep our business doors open after all of this is over. But this event is asking us to stop, to go inward, to see what needs healing.
Our Earth is asking us to heal. Our Earth is asking to be healed herself. As we stay inside, our air is less polluted and our waterways are cleaner than ever. While our lungs are being faced with the threat of COVID-19, our Earth’s lungs are breathing deeper, attempting to heal from the environmental consequences of the actions of humankind.
Not only is our Earth trying to heal, I believe that she is asking us to reflect on what needs healing in ourselves, in our communities, and in our world. What do we need now more than ever? We need each other. We need to heal our relationships with one another and with our planet in order to survive and thrive as a species.
This illness, while inarguably a tragedy, may be the medicine we so desperately need in order to reawaken to our interconnectedness and realize what is at stake if we return to our old patterns, our old behaviors, our old ways of being, and our habit of social divisiveness after the pandemic is finally over.
Again, I want to emphasize that my intention is not to downplay the seriousness of this pandemic. People are very sick and we are struggling; this is our new reality. My wish is to share a different perspective: one that is perhaps more empowering and provides our lives with meaning during a time when we might feel like there isn’t any.
Herbal Allies for Stressful Times
There is a lot of great (and not-so-great) information already out there about supporting your immune system, preventing viral infections, and ways to stay healthy during an outbreak. I don’t wish to add to that; instead, I want to offer you a few key herbal allies that can help support us all physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually during this uncertain time.
Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
Hawthorn is the ultimate heart remedy. Energetically, Hawthorn opens up the heart space, allowing you to embrace compassion, acceptance, and understanding. Hawthorn encourages you to open your heart to receiving love but most importantly, to giving love in times when your heart space feels blocked due to fear, anxiety, anger, or grief.
Hawthorn asks you to embrace strength and courage in times of uncertainty, especially in the event of a tragedy or crisis, or when you are suffering from grief, loss, or fear.
Hawthorn brings you back into your place of power. He reminds you that you are a vital, strong human, supported by the Earth and capable of giving.
I remember a time a few years back when I meditated with Hawthorn. I took a couple drops of the tincture and sat with the medicine as I felt my heart space blossom open, expanding in size until I could feel his power envelope my whole body. My arms began to vibrate with this expansive energy, and they literally lifted off of my crossed legs in an effort to embrace the abundant amount of love that I could feel coming towards me. Hawthorn is my “hug” remedy: he opens up my heart space so that I can compassionately embrace myself and others, whether physically or emotionally.
Since the heart holds our spirit, Hawthorn is indicated whenever there is a spiritual disturbance, as in the case of shock, panic, and fear. When the spirit is disturbed by these emotions, the heart is often affected, and we can become ungrounded, anxious, exhausted, and disconnected, and we may suffer from anxiety-induced chest pain, palpitations, or high blood pressure. Hawthorn berries are food for the spirit and connect the heart to the light within the spiritual realm, while grounding us within our physical reality.
As a nervine remedy, Hawthorn quiets the nerves and reduces stress. The berries make a lovely cordial or syrup.
Like the other members of the Rose family, Hawthorn is full of bioflavonoids, and can thus help regulate the immune system and protect against oxidative damage.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Lemon Balm gets her name from the lovely bright, lemony scent of her leaves. Lemon Balm is a safe and gentle herb, great for children and adults alike. Lemon Balm is a mild sedative and is useful for stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Her fresh, lemony scent can help lift your mood if you are feeling down or mildly depressed. Lemon Balm can also be helpful for children with attention or sleep issues.
Lemon Balm’s medicine is wonderful for those who are constantly worried and overwhelmed. She allows for a sense of calm and lightness in the midst of chaos.
As a carminative, Lemon Balm helps ease digestive upset, especially that which is due to stress and anxiety.
Lemon Balm is also indicated in fevers with nervousness and fevers in young children due to its diaphoretic properties. Infuse the leaves and drink as a hot tea to promote sweating.
Lemon Balm has also demonstrated antiviral properties and has been used quite extensively for herpes simplex viruses, among others.
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Mullein is a biennial: she grows a rosette of leaves the first year and a tall, flowering stalk during her second year. She is perhaps best known as a remedy for ear infections, as an oil infusion of her yellow flowers can help relieve the associated pain and congestion.
In her second year, Mullein is an expression of strength: her tall, slender stalks are strong and sturdy. Yet touch the leaves and you’ll notice their fuzzy softness. Mullein gracefully embodies the opposing qualities of strength and softness. Her message is for us all to do the same: to remain strong in the face of uncertainty and fear, yet supple in order to adapt to change and embrace compassion, love, and community.
As a demulcent, Mullein is a wonderful herbal ally for dry and irritated mucous membranes, specifically seen in acute respiratory illnesses with dry coughs. An infusion (tea) of the dried leaves can be helpful and soothing.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
I wrote a whole post on my experiences with Red Clover awhile back. Moreso than ever before, we need herbal allies that offer us a sense of optimism and hope during this uncertain time.
Red Clover’s gift is helping you connect to your playful, hopeful side. She is also a powerful ally that can help guide you through major life transitions or events. During a crisis, it can be hard to find hope amongst the chaos of change, but sweet Red Clover’s healing power lies in her ability to bring hope to any situation.
Red Clover wakes up the giant well of love that already exists inside of you—love for yourself and love for all other beings—helping us connect more deeply and authentically to one another during a time when we are physically distancing ourselves.
As a nutritive herb, Red Clover can augment a healthy diet and ensure that you are nutritionally replete when your immune system needs it the most. Red Clover also acts on the lymphatic system, helping to remove waste and keep the immune system functioning properly, thus helping us release both physical and psychospiritual toxicity.
Holy Basil / Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
A medicinal herb used commonly in Ayurveda and meditation, Holy Basil is a wonderful ally for supporting a sense of calm and mental alertness. As an adaptogen, she helps to nourish and replenish the nervous and endocrine systems, especially during times of stress.
Holy Basil can help foster an elevated level of conscious awareness, allowing you to be more receptive to your intuition and to spiritual guidance during times of uncertainty. Drinking a cup of Holy Basil tea prior to meditation can help ground and center you, promoting a deep sense of mindfulness, awareness, and inner reflection.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
While not a plant, Reishi mushroom (along with many other friends in the mushroom kingdom) is perhaps one of the best allies for connecting with ourselves, each other, and the intricate web of vital energy that connects us all.
Chinese medicine treasures Reishi as a medicine for the spirit and the heart. Reishi helps reconnect you to your heart space—the seat of your spirit—and can therefore reduce symptoms of anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and other similar disturbances of spirit.
I love how herbalist Asia Suler writes about Reishi as “A Psychedelic of the Unseen.” She talks about how a psychedelic is “any substance that expands our consciousness,” and while Reishi is not a psychedelic in the same sense as psilocybin mushrooms, he helps us connect to a deep part of ourselves and allows for a shift in our perspective.
Reishi elevates your mood and awakens your inner sense of belonging and connection, allowing you to feel expansive and recognize your interconnectedness with all of life.
On a physical level, Reishi is known to modulate the immune system and can help promote a healthy immune response. He is also classified as an adaptogen, which means he helps the body better respond and adapt to stress.
During this time of social isolation due to COVID-19, we are all trying our best to do what we can to stay calm, support one another, and remain healthy. Reishi can be a powerful ally in our efforts to do so.
I just took a dose of my favorite Reishi elixir (thank you for your special remedy, Mythic Medicine!) just prior to writing this paragraph. Whenever I work with Reishi, I feel like my sense of connection to Earth and to all other living beings reawakens. I become more self-aware of myself and how we are all a part of this vast web of interconnectedness, and how everything we think, do, and say impacts those around us. It is awe-inspiring when we truly sit with that realization.
I hope these words were helpful. Our herbal allies can provide us with such powerful support during these critical times. Even if you don’t have any of these herbs available, even just imagining their medicine and working with them by journaling, visualization, or meditation can be effective in obtaining their psychospiritual support.
It’s important to do whatever we can to stay grounded and connected during this pandemic. Reach out virtually to your community, to your loved ones, to those who are living alone or who don’t have the same support structures that you may have. Let’s remind ourselves of our interconnectedness and interdependence. We are all in this together. We all need each another more than ever. And we will all heal from this—together.
Photo in featured image courtesy of Praveesh Palakeel.
