For the last few months I have been starting nearly every day with a trip to my neighbourhood “sit spot”. A quiet place with direct morning sunlight that I like to sit and soak in. The other day on a rainy morning an older gentleman passed me on my walk and asked, “too wet out for sitting today?”. I guess I have become somewhat of a neighbourhood fixture, lol. One of my favourite parts of this ritual is visiting the deer - or rather they visit me. When I get to my craggy sit spot, I try to transmit a calm, gentle energy in the hopes that the resident deer will like me. Well, I think it’s been working because lately the resting deer don’t even flinch when I get near, and the other day three hung around me, sleeping and stretching. I come away from my brief wildlife encounter feeling like the parasympathetic queen. Totally at ease and (bonus) recharged from the sun. I try not to let my logical mind convince me that these city deer are just not afraid of people, and instead convince myself that I have transcended to be a priestess of the natural world, or maybe just a legit animal whisperer. Don’t let the haters get ya down. I think about what herbal energy I am trying to match and the answer now seems obvious: lemon balm.
Who doesn’t love lemon balm? To me the energy of lemon balm feels young, playful, effervescent, and refreshing. Lemon balm is a member of the Lamiaceae (aka mint) family, and is native to the Mediterranean region although it spread throughout Europe around the 9th century and is now naturalized globally. Her botanical name, Melissa officinalis, comes from the Greek word meaning honey bee. This is because bees love lemon balm, and it was believed that planting it near a hive would attract and calm bees. Sometimes Melissa officinalis is referred to as “bee balm”, but tread carefully here to not confuse it with the other bee balm, Monarda spp. Two totally different plants that, depending on the person’s lexicon, might be called the same common name. Hence why botanical names are so important!
There is a ton of bee lore in Greek mythology. The goddesses Demeter, Aphrodite, and Artemis were all served by priestesses called the Melissae, a group nymphs who cared for the bees and protected the honey. Bees and the Melissae are in countless myths, but in general, Artemis of Ephesus is the goddess most associated with bees.
Lemon balm has been used as medicine for at least 2000 years, and is still a beloved remedy to herbalists today. The 11th century Persian physician, Ibn Sina, wrote that lemon balm “makes the heart merry and joyful.” I couldn’t agree more. It is soothing and uplifting, which makes it great for anxiety, depression, headaches, and stress. It’s a gentle sedative so it can work well for insomnia, especially when combined with other sedative herbs, and it’s gentle enough that children can take it. It is slightly warming, and works as a carminative to aid in digestion (hello nervous stomach), and it’s also a diaphoretic, making it a welcome addition in teas for colds and flus. And on that note, it’s an anti-viral too! Helpful for cold sores (applied topically) and other viruses. Currently there are some promising studies coming out about its effectiveness in preventing and aiding with Alzheimers. Exciting stuff! There’s a traditional, nun-made concoction called Carmelite water, also known as Eau de Mélisse, which was used as a remedy for anxiety, nervous palpitations, and as an overall wellness tonic that consists of lemon balm, lemon peel, angelica root, and nutmeg. I found a modern day rendition here for sale on some German E-deli website. Looks pretty damn cool.
I typically just have lemon balm in the form of an infusion, but I have played around with making lemon balm syrup before and it was delicious. Would also be great in an infused oil or honey. The flavour is light and lemony, so the leaves can be enjoyed raw in salads, on desserts, you name it.
Melissa has many magical uses as well. She’s a plant ruled by the moon and considered to be a feminine energy, possessing powers of healing, prosperity, and love. Supposedly just carrying a sachet of lemon balm can draw your heart’s true love to you. As a sedative, it has also long been used in dreamwork and for connecting to spirits.
That’s Mona, hanging out in the garden. Somehow I discovered that this dog has a love of lemon balm. She happily gobbles up a leaf anytime she is offered. I find it so cute and sweet because she’s not the most chill dog, so it’s like she knows that she needs to take some lemon balm to calm down. The fact that it tastes so good probably helps too, hehe.
Here’s the big ol sturgeon moon from the other night. This was also on Lammas, one of eight Wiccan sabbats, that signifies the mid point between summer and fall. Big energy abound! As always, thank you for reading. I have made the executive decision to move the Healing Arts Press from a weekly publication to a bi-weekly one. I’m heading to Europe in just over a month and have so much to do, so the extra down time will be a real gift and I think having a bit more time to write and refill my creative cup will benefit us all. I hope it goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyways) that if you’d ever like to talk herbs, or aren’t sure what herb would be right for you, I would love to hear from you. Reach on out. Alrighty sweet friends, be well and go find some lemon balm!
In holy gratitude,
Anika
(p.s. I like to leave a little something for you all, so this week I’ll share a recent podcast episode I loved, with one of favourite instagrammers, Georgie Ryan. Enjoy!)