A quiet, wet morning here. A candle is lit at my desk and the window is open to let in the layered sounds of owl, rainfall and crickets. I am alone at home, taking a few moments to center before jumping in to the marrow of the day. The waking hours have been full-on as of late; I feel like I am walking the edge between bounty and overwhelm, the particulars of each day being both heart-rending and profoundly engaging. Simply put, it is harvest season and life is brimming with details that are both hard and joyous.

 

As always, the plants are with me in this messy dance. This month in Herbal Mystery School we are under the veil of Fennel, which means that we are working with this plant devotionally on a daily basis. This devotion takes many shapes, but this morning I sat with fennel on the porch, dosing a few drops of the seed-tincture on my tongue while lightly gazing into the flame of a candle. I bring my attention to the edge of the flame, where the fire dissolves into the air around it. Air and fire; the strongest elements of this particular plant medicine. Fennel is an ancient flame-keeper; Prometheus stole fire from the Gods by hiding it in a bundle of fennel stalks to bring it to the human race. Invoking the resonance of this myth, my vision slips inward and the spice from the fennel seed sparks; my body becomes a torch. Where does my own flame meet the air of the turning season around me? Where is my edge? How can fennel help me calibrate this flame? I sit here for a few moments, breathing with this illuminant.

 

And then there are the gifts of air. We see this quality in their feathery fronds, there is an expansive spaciousness to the flavor of fennel. Fennel is rich with volatile oils; every part of the plant is strongly aromatic. The rich taste and scent is the medicine. Fennel is known as a carminative in herbal medicine; a carminative soothes and settles the gut, eases digestive upset and relieves cramping and gas. In other words, Fennel moves what is stuck. Fennel lends the quality of airy expansion to that which has clamped, cramped and clenched. Fennel encourages us to loosen up, to let go, to summon ease, to feel the winds of change. When you feel yourself tense in the overwhelm; this is the plant to reach for when there is a lot on your plate, both figuratively and literally. 

 

So I bring fennel on my walks with me every morning. We wander together. With everything feeling so full-on, I dose with fennel as my airy, playful guide. Fennel asks me to meet intense change with spacious flexibility while grounding into the integrity of my own flame. I've included a recipe for a fennel seed digestive cordial below, if you want to take part in the medicine this month. :) 

 

To the fullness of it all,

x Liz 

 

 

A sweet and simple recipe: place crushed fennel seeds in a jar, pour honey over the seeds. Cover it all with brandy or other alcohol of your choosing. Let sit for four weeks, shaking it up ever so often to check in and say hi to your potion. After one month, strain and bottle. Sip on a thimbleful before or after dinner, when experiencing digestive upset or when you want to invoke the spirit of fennel. The flavors will age nicely as time goes on. 

 

If you don't ingest alcohol, I would recommend making a fennel seed glycerin. It's also so lovely to have on hand and kids love it, too. You can use the same ratios as above, but just replace the brandy with glycerin and leave out the honey. Crushed fennel and glycerin will be all you need!