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Come away with me, just for a night. Leave your routines and pressures behind you. We’ll walk down a little darkened path through damp woods, then you’ll be safely wrapped in the smells of our campsite. Let the vanilla sweetness of the Ponderosa trees pull you in. Let the smoky softness of a glowing campfire hold your attention. Come, my dear, and let me make you comfortable with plenty of soft blankets and a place to rest your feet. You’ve entered another world, just for a time. So please, get cozy. Release your pressures and your fears. Let me hand you a warm elixir that will sink you ever-deeper into those soft blankets. You may sleep here tonight, protected by the warm glow of our enchanted campfire. There is no rush to return to reality. 

Sometimes, we all need an escape from the routines of our daily life. For me, a quiet night spent in the woods is about as good as it gets. But when I’m too busy or sick to physically get away, there are a few herbs I turn to to help me melt, just for a bit. 

The first is wild rose, a plant I strongly associate with deep self-love and care. Its soft, motherly energy can be felt year-round in the form of dried petals and/or homemade rosewater, which I keep on hand for occasions just such as this. 

Another plant ally  is my ever-favorite Grandmotherly presence of Ponderosa. The sweet vanilla and soothing conifer flavors are like the caress of unconditional love. They remind me that I am here, that I am safe, that I can be whatever I need to be in this moment. That’s powerful medicine alone, but when combined with kava kava becomes even more powerful. 

Kava kava is native to the islands of the South Pacific, where it’s been used for generations in ceremony and daily life to promote a feeling of relaxed calm, particularly in tense discussions or feuds between people or amongst families. Indeed, Kava has the incredible ability to just dissolve tensions. It’s unlike any other herb I’ve worked with. As Herbalist Jim McDonald so wonderfully explains: 

“What is so distinct about kava kava is that it's so promptly and significantly relaxant; mental stress subsides as a result of relaxation, not sedation.  In fact, while the body lets go, mental acuity remains...you can definitely take kava and still be cognitively functional. This is, however, dose dependent... small doses of kava relax the body and notably clear the mind, medium doses calm the mind and have a much more pronounced relaxant action on the muscles, and large doses still the mind and make the limbs a bit wobbly.” 

Kava kava helps you let go physically. Focus on your body in this moment. Are you carrying any tension? Is your jaw set? Are your shoulders hunched? Do you feel a heaviness in your chest or stomach? Now, ask yourself: do those tensions serve any important purpose in this moment? If the answer is “no,” now might be a good time to gently and intentionally explore Kava kava (after speaking to your doctor if you are on any medications.) Many of us tend to hold onto tension long after the source is gone. We hold that uncomfortable conversation in our stomach, that traffic jam as a heaviness on our shoulders or chest, and that pressure of the deadline we’d been working towards as a set in our jaw long after we’ve completed the necessary work. Perhaps it’s a symptom of our evolution that we’ve created a world where our flight or fight reactions are rarely useful, but we still have them none-the-less. The trick is learning how to let them go. How to melt. 

If you’re ready for a break, reach to Kava kava. If you need a little comfort, reach to Kava kava. But use it intentionally when you really need it; it shouldn’t be used as a daily way to escape your pressures or issues. It should give you a temporary vacation, a way to re-vitalize and gain the strength to address the underlying issues that gave you that tension in the first place. Think of Kava kava like that camping trip - a relaxing evening outside your norm that lets you forget about the pressures of your life just for a bit, so you are more equipped to face them again on your return. If you plan to turn to it for an evening, turn off other distractions. This is not the blend to use if you need to catch up on work or projects; instead, clear your schedule of to-do’s or assignments and leave some space for sketching, writing, or talking with a dear friend. Allow it to connect you to the earth. Picture your energy traveling downwards, past all of the many things sprouting and wriggling and preparing for spring. Go deeper, into the bedrock, filled with the enchantments of ancient fossils, a sign that the sturdy earth you stand on was once a powerful ocean. Sink even deeper until you can practically feel the warmth of the Earth’s mantle. Grounded. Rooted. Connected. 

Kava kava has a unique and strange flavor and a numbing effect on the mouth. It’s at first spicy and earthy with an odd bitterness, then turns to tingly and numb. This means that it’s best paired with things that are particularly aromatic to carry the experience beyond taste. That’s why I love to pair it with vanilla and ponderosa. 

Be safe when using Kava kava. It shouldn’t be used by pregnant or nursing mothers or if you’ll need to drive or operate machinery since higher doses can impair cognitive function. Start low to see how your body reacts to it. Don’t mix kava with alcohol or other drugs; instead, allow yourself the experience of kava kava by itself. Always talk to your doctor before trying a new herb, especially if you are already taking any medications or supplements. Also, be sure to buy “noble kava,” which are tried and proven strains that have been used for generations. Other varieties are on the market with the potential for unpleasant side-effects. 

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