Blood Cycles
Menarche or the first menstrual cycle of a woman’s life has the potential to be a celebration of entry into the fertile years. Her first bleed is the point that a girl moves towards womanhood. Many of the young women we work with are lucky enough to be part of a wider community of elders who are gifting menarche ceremonies to the next generation. An awful lot of young women however are not gifted this loving nourishment. Lady’s Mantle herb is one of the plants that can offer support and nourishment to women throughout the all of their cycles and a wonderful one to introduce to young girls at the beginning of their own cycles, so that they may empower themselves.
This turbulent time sees little preparation or conscious awareness for millions. Just a little awareness and recognition can make a huge difference to the future menstrual and emotional health of an individual. Period issues, for example, account for a huge quantity of the over the counter analgesic medicines sold annually. Utilising the plants that grow freely around us can alleviate this enormous strain on resources and our health.
Lady’s Mantle
Regarded as a herb that offers a wealth of both magical and medicinal qualities, Our Lady’s Mantle spreads her wild-heart-woven healing cloak like a mantle of strength, wisdom and healing. As her common name implies, she does indeed have a special affinity for women. Alchemilla, is derived from the Arabic word alkemelych – (alchemy), earned by virtue of its wondrous workings. This beautifully flowering herb has long been associated with the healing energies of the Divine Feminine in her personification as Earth Mother. A few drops of the dew, which is in fact a vascular secretion of the plant’s in a process called guttation, nestled in the beautiful cup formed by the soft leaves are a magical Elixir with the power to enhance any potion or magical spellcraft.
Lady’s Mantle has a special affinity for the breasts and is a valuable ally for women dealing with breasts that are lumpy, swollen, or achy before menstruation. Being part of the Rose family, it is high in tannins, And is excellent when used in a sitz bath, to treat all kinds of genital issues and to heal perineal tears after childbirth. We have blended the Lady’s Mantel with Nettle and Raspberry leaf as these herbs complement and potentiate each other with a wonderful synergy – in the Ladies Lovelies drops
£15 + £5 P&P
Sacred Bathing
Throughout human history, sacred bathing has been a tradition. Egyptians, Native Americans, Russians, Greeks, and Romans all had bathing rituals. The Mayans would take a sacred bath as a form of spiritual healing. They would bring in incense, prayer, and plants to clear the body’s life force energy. This is so they could wash away negativity, fears, trauma, anger, and stress. Some cultures trek to specific waters to bathe in their healing properties: the Hindus to the Ganges and Europeans to Lourdes. Universally, water is seen as an ideal element to work with in rituals concerned with healing, restoration and cleansing. It is also used in ceremonies designed to deepen an individual’s relationship to their intuition and inner knowing.
As part of a Menarche ceremony Lady’s Mantle can be harvested around the time of the full moon – chose a day that is dry and bright. If it is the spring or summer months, the drops of magical elixir can be collected carefully and added to a precious potion of spring water; 5 fresh leaves are also gathered, and added to the water, which is left in the sunlight for drinking later. We like to use the number 13 to celebrate the 13 moons, so we collect this number of leaves choosing the larger ones whilst we talk about our maternal ancestral lines. These leaves are kept and added to a bath.
Alchemilla
I am Millie Ore
Alchemical priestess,
Guardian of umbilical chords. From my soft elegance
I implore you to touch my velvet swathes.
Drink droplets from my ever-replenishing core. Climb the heights of visionary scaffolding
Weave together our ancestral lines, embellish upon them. These lines,
Transmutable energy,
with the ability to create gold from dust. I pull you closer,
Tighter,
Heal with silken threads.
Look at me, take heed, know your mother’s mother’s mother…
Ladies Lovelies Drops
Lady’s Mantle, revered for its mystical qualities, has been associated with wisdom and female power, ruled by Venus and is applied for many imbalances affecting the womb. Science owes its womb toning, astringent properties to the tannin content of the herb. It helps movement out of stuck situations and away from the past.
Raspberry leaf is again toning to the womb and is used successfully during pregnancy to aid in birth. It is extremely protective and nourishing.
Nettle is used as a cleansing herb to support the kidneys. Ruled by Mars it empowers the fire element in a person, breaking up excessive or waterlogged emotions.
Protection, nourishing & balancing
These drops support:
- Connecting to Wisdom & feminine power
- Imbalances affecting or stemming from the womb
- Movement out of stuck situations and away from the past
- Birthing a creative project
- Fortification within relationships
- Birth support
- Period pains
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
Contains: ladies mantle (transform), raspberry leaf (femininity), nettle leaf (fortification)
Our recipe
- The nettles are harvested around the Spring equinox full moon – the moon phases are super important to our work – we place them in spring water for 3 hours and then bring it to the boil and immediately turn the water off and bring off the heat leave for a further 3 hours
- Strain the nettles out – these can be eaten
- The liquid is now vibrant green; we measure it and turn into a syrup
- The raspberry leaf is harvested on the April full moon – hand pick the leaves – place the fresh leaves in a glass jar and cover with organic vodka – leave for a lunar cycle in a special place to that it can absorb the energies – we love to work near Birch trees for their feminine energies.
- The Lady’s mantle is harvested on the August Full Moon – copper is a good tool to cut the plants with as it seals the qualities in the cut herb – fill a jar with the herb and cover with organic vodka – again we place the potion under the birches for a lunar cycle before straining
- September time, all the elements are ready to be mixed together – 3 equal parts – we love to sing and tell stories of the harvest and speak the intentions into the potion at this stage
