Wild Tea - A Handful of Herbs

A handful of herbs - yarrow, plantain, wild mint, lady’s bedstraw

I’m looking forward to hosting our Wild Tea Workshop in a few weeks time. The practice of gathering wild herbs and making some tea is an act both simple and profound.

Tea is our national drink, we all know how to brew a cup, but it’s rare to take time to ponder exactly what tea is. Beyond the plant itself (most of the black or green tea we drink comes from a single plant - camellia sinensis) is an alchemical process of transformation and release. By taking the elements of water and fire, in most of our cases tap and kettle, we create a crucible - the mug! - in which the healing qualities of a plant can be released and made available to us.

There is no simpler way to deeply connect with the subtle medicine of the wild herbs that exist alongside us. To pick a handful of herbs from your garden, window box or while walking the dog is a blessed moment in the hectic whirl of life. A few stems of herb robert, a handful of nettles, a sprig of yarrow, some rosemary - infused in a cup with hot water (make sure its covered to retain the volatile essential oils) brings the outside world in.