Tonic Herb of the Month
Passiflora

Passionflower

(Passiflora incarnata)

This month we are featuring Passionflower, a beautiful and supportive nervine. Stop in and try some of our locally grown passionflower from Sacred Roots Herbal Sanctuary.


Part Used: Dried leaves & stems

Tastes/Energetics: bitter, sour, cooling

Actions: nervine, anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic, antispasmodic, anodyne

Uses: Passionflower calms the nervous system, improves mood and relieves anxiety. Passionflower is one of our favorite herbs for supporting sleep. As a sedative and hypnotic, it helps with the transition into sleep. It also quiets a racing mind and helps to break circular and repetative thought patterns that may be keeping you up at night. Its ability to tone down mental chatter makes it an ally for those who are incessant thinkers and chronic worriers. As an antispasmodic, passionflower is useful in any condition of muscle or nervous contraction or over-stimulation. It has been used, for example, in Parkinson’s disease as well as menstrual cramps, seizures, hysteria and nervous twitching. It can also calm nerve pain, such as the pain that accompanies shingles.

Contraindications: do not use concurrently with pharmaceutical sedatives.

Folklore: Passionflower’s unique floral arrangement inspired early Christian missionaries to appropriate its distinctive morphology as a symbol of Christ’s crucifixion. The 3 pistils represent the holy trinity, while the 12 petals represent the disciples. Passionflower’s corona resembles purple and white striped threads, which emerge in a beautiful crimped pattern. This visual conjures the feeling of a frayed and excited nervous system and serves as a reminder of its ability to calm & center our scattered & frazzled nerves.

Don’t forget that winter is the season for rest, and we should all be cutting back on our projects and surrendering to sweet slumber. Think of passionflower to help you align with the calling of the season.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Save the Date:

Registration for 2025 Foundational Herbology Opens December 18th

This 9-Month In-Person Program begins March 15th. We meet monthly throughout the seasons to explore the elements, body systems, plants and medicine-making.

Early Bird Registration lasts until February 1st

Space is limited to 15

Learn More Here

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January 5th~ Infused Broths & Soups

with Bailey Ballenger

Learn how to give your soups and broths extra nourishment through the addition of immune boosting herbs and mushrooms. Featuring Nettle, Astragalus, Turkey Tail, Chaga, & Reishi. In each class we will prepare two recipes that we will make & taste together.

3 – 5 pm

Also in this series:

~ Infused Cooking Oils & Butters ~ March 9th

~ Fresh Foraged Herbs: Pestos, Dips & Vinegars ~ May 4th

Register Here

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April 5 & 6~ Reading the Body Intensive

with Margi Flint

Join us for a special opportunity to learn from the renowned herbalist & author Margi Flint. This two-day intensive will focus on visual assessment of clients’ face, hair, tongue and nails. Reading the body’s colors and features can inform us of deficiencies, patterns and organs in need of support. Understanding these signs offers practitioners direction and confirmation for the herbs to be selected.  You can see many of these indications change when better health is achieved. Be sure to read the full description through the link below.

Saturday & Sunday

10:00-4:00 both days

$330 for the weekend

Register Here

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SUNDAY MORNING TEA CEREMONIES:

with Silvy Franco

Join Silvy for a meditative ceremony to commune with Camelia sinensis. Ceremony begins at 10:00 am and goes for an hour. Pre-registration is required. Suggested Donation: $20

Register Here