Infusion for Sleep & Working with the Element of Air
Today I’m going to share with you an infusion recipe to help support your sleep.
This simple infusion will help relax those tired nerves of yours helping you drift off to dreamland.
Infusion for Sleep & Working with the Element of Air
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Have you ever woken up tired but by the time you get through your day you know that night sleep will be avoiding you once again?
Do you often wake up during the night & struggle to get back to sleep?
Have you experienced a day where you were so tired but you just couldn’t relax to the point where you could get to sleep?
Do you struggle to fall & stay asleep?
If you answered yes to any of those questions then this might be the assistance you’ve been looking for.
Sleep was once something I avoided saying silly phrases like “I can sleep when I’m dead” or “no rest for the wicked”. While I’m not entirely sure what wickenss I was implying they were excuses I used to not worry about getting good quality sleep.
However as we grow older & wiser we begin to understand the importance of a good quality sleep. We begin to learn about the various bodily functions that can only occur when the body is asleep such as:
Tissue growth & repair
Release of necessary hormones such as growth hormone, melatonin, cortisol, leptin & ghrelin levels
Clearing metabolites & potentially toxic compounds that have built up over the awake state
Brain maintenance as your brain organizes information consolidating memories.
Your vital energy is restored
Learn more about the importance of sleep HERE & HERE
Now that we can see why sleep is important & what happens during sleep what can we do to support the body to fall asleep & stay asleep? One thing you could do is reach for some plant allies & allow then to assist you in your desires for slumber.
Let’s talk about some of these plant allies.
Infusion for Sleep & Working with the Element of Air
Passionflower
Passiflora incarnata
Taste
Sweet indicating it contains mucilage which builds up tissues & helps strengthen the constitution
Herbal Actions & Affinities
Nervine Sedative calming the nervous system reducing stress throughout the body.
Nervine Hypnotic helping induce deep & successful sleep
Spasmolytic easing muscular cramps or spasm
Anodyne easing the sensation of any pain you may be experiencing
Energetic
Slightly cooling & drying
Contraindication
It may interfere with the effects of prescription sedatives
Ruling Planet
Venus
Ruling Element
Air
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
Taste
Sour cooling off excessive heat
Herbal Actions & Affinities
Nervine sedative whose effects are relatively mild but powerfully calming on the nervous system
Nootropic assisting in elevating cognitive function helping a scattered mind become more focused
Energetic
Cooling
Drying
Relaxing
Contraindication
If you have hypothyroidism & are taking medication avoid this herb
Be cautious when using other sedatives.
Ruling Planet
Jupiter
Ruling Element
Air
Damiana
Damiana aphrodisiaca
Taste
Sweet
Bitter the longer you infuse it
Herbal Actions & Affinities
Nervine tonic/ Trophorestorative meaning it is healing & restorative to the body & specifically to the nervous system
Mild sedative
Energetic
Drying
Warming
Tonifying
Contraindication
Hypoglycemic medications
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Ruling Planet
Venus
Ruling Element
Air
Infusion for Sleep & Working with the Element of Air
As you can see all of our plants today are ruled by the element of the Air & this is not just a coincidence.
Let’s talk a bit about this element, it is the element that sustains our life, no air = no breath = no life.
Air represents the Yang dynamic and the masculine quality of life embodying an every changing & constantly moving volatile element.
It is energy moving up & out as opposed to the receptive feminine energy of down & in.
Air has a quality that is Hot & Moist
Glyph is the upward facing triangle with the line horizontally through the center
Platonic solid is the Octahedron
Air is the element of the mind, intelligence & knowledge. It strengthens memory & brings order to thoughts.
When in excess Air can create a state of dryness, coldness & tension. It generally affects the nervous system, lungs, large intestine & overall movement of the body.
When in balance the breath is smooth & even with regular digestion & is clear focused & calm with a regularity in one's rhythm.
Sleep is one way you can nourish the element of air in the body.
Air plants assist the body through sympathy (like treats like) or antipathy (opposite cures opposite)
Air element plants do fit into a couple different categories herbal such as:
Relaxants & many are spasmolytic (antispasmodic)
Stimulants that work by stimulating the nervous system
Carminatives that remove excess air from the body
Demulcent by mitigating dryness through mucilaginous its properties
Nervine helping to calm, sedate & nourish the nervous system.
Nervines can be in a few different categories from nervine hypnotics like Passionflower to nutritive tonics & trophorestoratives like Damiana & Lemon Balm.
If you’re interested in working directly with the element of Air you can do so in a couple different ways.
I like the processes in the book “Magical Symbols & Alphabets, a practitioner's guide to spells, rites & history” by Sandra Kynes. Grab a copy HERE
Some ideas are:
Through immersing yourself in the element. Go stand outside on a windy day & just listen to the messages in the breeze.
Through meditation
With the glyph (symbol) or platonic solid
By working with certain crystals: Blue Lace & tree agate, ametrine, angelite, aragonite, aventurine, celestite, chrysoberyl, desert rose, moldavite, opal, clear quartz, sodalite, sphene, staurolite, blue topaz & blue tourmaline.
By working with specific colors of candles: light blue, gray, lavender, pink, red, silver, white or yellow
Or just allow your own intuitive faculties to point you in the direction of how air wants to work with you.
Recipe & Tutorial
2 tbsp Passionflower
2 tbsp Lemon Balm
1 tbsp Damiana
12 oz hot filtered water
Method
Combine all your herbs in a large mason jar or tea press
Cover herbs completely with 12 oz hot water.
If using a mason jar stir thoroughly. If using a tea press, press the herbs below the water line
Allow the herbs to infuse for a minimum of 2 hours on the countertop
When ready to consume strain
To heat up place in a pot on the stove
Add honey to taste & enjoy
Dosage
Drink the infusion 45 minutes to 1 hour before going to bed
Comment down below & let me know how you like to support your sleeping habits?
Be sure to come back next week where I’ll be sharing a recipe for a warming salve you can use for achy muscles & creaky joints. Thank you for spending this time with me today & may you find Peace wherever you are!
Watch the Video & Tutorial HERE !