The first half of this month is a time when the Jewish people mourn, not just in our hearts but in our bodies. We don't travel, swim, do laundry etc. We take on practices to help us feel the pain of exile - from land, from the Divine and from ourselves. And yet the day that is the pinnacle of all sadness and mourning (Tisha b'Av) will one day be the day when the birth of redemption takes place.
This tension, between pain and joy and exile and redemption, reminds me of birth. The same day we physically contract, we physically expand. The same day our wombs were full, they are now empty. The same day life entered this world, the prospect of death did too.
Tisha b'Av is as much about birth as it is about death and perhaps that is also what we are mourning: there is no birth without death, and there is no expansion without contraction.
I am blessed that in my heritage, we have the opportunity to grieve this truth. Since we have time, space and ritual to sit in this challenging reality, it gives us the courage to open ourselves up and surrender to it. And by surrendering to it, we just might be able to appreciate it.
I think it's this very appreciation that will lead us through the most intense birth canal of all... that of a new world.
Peppermint | Mentha × piperita
It’s hot this time of year and peppermint helps us keep cool and keep calm. You know that tradition of eating mint after a meal? Well, it’s because she helps with digestion and calming the stomach. This month, there’s lots for the stomach to roll around about, so peppermint might just be what the doctor ordered. She’s also great for reanimating the spirit - just smelling mint get brighten the eyes, something we most certainly need during this time of year.
What animates your spirit?
Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare
What a yummy tasting herb that is also an incredible digestive aid. In some cultures, you just take a handful of fennel seeds after a meal - both for good breath and also for good digestion. She also works wonders for milk production (you’ll notice that she is part of most lactation tea blends). One of the words we use for Hashem is el shaddai, or breasts. Howe beautiful that one of the names of G!d could be breastfeeder! The golden milk, the nectar of life! This month, when we are at our lowest we shouldn’t forget who is the one providing us with the ultimate milk, G!d.
What gives you milk in your day to day life?
Rose | Rosa
Gentle rose, the queen of flowers. Cooling and and astringent. Romantic and fragrant. The month of Av is not only about destruction, it is also about love. Yup, Jewish Valentines Day is this month. It falls on the full moon, and ee call it Tu B’Av - and it is a day of finding your soulmate in a vineyard dressed in white. Dancing in nature, unmarried men would come and find their wives. Sounds fun, right?
How will you bring more love/passion into your life this month?
Holy Basil | Ocimum tenuiflorum
She is one of the most important herbs in Ayurvedic medicine, and I drink a cup of her almost every day! She is a upreme tonic used to treat colds, flu, ulcers, poor digestion, inflammation, diabetes chronic fatigue, depression, arthritis, respiratory distress, bronchitis, asthma, infections, eczema and psoriasis amongst other conditions. In terms of mental health, she is one of the premier herbs to offer to those who are deeply stressed, overwhelmed, anxious and often shut down, tired and anxious. She lifts the spirits, calms anxiety, improves resiliency, vitality and raises energy levels. During a month when there is likely to be an added amount of anxiety, you can’t go wrong with this one.
What do you do when you feel anxious? How do you reground?