I’d like to briefly talk about three herbs I have been taking this week to help with feelings of sadness and heartache. I lost a friend unexpectedly earlier in the week which left me with a literal ache in my heart. I felt scattered and found it difficult to concentrate on everyday tasks.
The first two are from one tree, Albizia Julibrissin also known as Mimosa or Silk Tree. For those unfamiliar, it is a small tree native to Asia with a hardiness zone of 6B-9. It reaches heights of 15 - 25 ft. and its span is 25-35 ft. Several cultivars exist producing white, pink, or deep pink flowers.
In terms of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, both the flowers (He Huan Hua) and the bark (He Huan Pi) are used. It is widely known as the Tree of Happiness. The flowers and bark each have slightly different energetics although both augment the Heart and Spleen, relieve constraint, and Calm the Spirit. The bark moves at the Blood level to help circulate blood, stop pain and reduce swellings where the flower moves more at the Qi level to help regulate Qi (energy). Among the many benefits the flowers soothe the Liver helping to relieve insomnia, mood swings, and depression. What they do together is move Blood and Qi throughout the body. Albizia is helpful when we feel stuck or experience loss, feel sadness, or experience depression.
The third herb is Rosa Chinensis Flos, Chinese Tea Rose flower or Yue Ji Hua in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine. The rose shrub is well known to us in the US and is a perennial shrub around the world. Rose is the flower associated with love, so much so that it is the most gifted flower on the largest love day of all, Valentine’s Day. It’s no wonder it has an affinity for the heart!
This pretty little flower enters the Liver channel and affects both the Liver as well as the Heart. It invigorates the Blood and promotes movement of Qi much like Albizia bark and flower and has additional benefits of opening the Heart, relieving chest pain and emotional heartache, easing anxiety and nervousness.
I have been taking these combined in a tincture, which I find convenient.
While traditional tea doesn’t provide a therapeutic dose, Organic India makes a lovely rose tea that I enjoy.
https://shop.organicindiausa.com/Tulsi-Sweet-Rose/p/OIN-500161&c=OrganicIndia@Tulsi@Bag
There are flavors and energetics associated with all herbs along with cautions and contraindications that should be taken into consideration before taking any herb. Let me know if I can help you determine if any of these herbs might be right for your individual constitution.