Motherwort. She is such a gift to the overwrought nervous system. She is a soothing balm for weary, weathered souls. She holds us in her loving embrace, nurturing a feeling of safety and connection in our being. She helps us heal issues related to mothering - feeling overwhelmed as a mother, postpartum adjustment to motherhood, bonding issues, separation anxiety, sleep issues related to attachment, feeling abandoned by one’s mother, coming to terms with having chosen to mother or not to mother, the irritability that inherently arises at times in being a mother, the difficulties in relationship to mother, etc. Interestingly it is seen as oxytocic in effect, meaning Motherwort helps create a feeling of connection.
Bitter and acrid in flavour, it is most commonly helpful for body types that tend to constriction and atrophy.
Being a nervine, it is helpful in depression and anxiety, panic attacks, overexcitement, restlessness and insomnia. It has an affinity to the pelvis and uterus, being helpful in painful or irregular periods, and helping to clear tension patterns from the pelvic region and low back. Affecting the neuroendocrine system, it helps regulate moods and hormones - in puberty, premenstrually, in postpartum and perimenopause.
It can be helpful for irritability, hot flashes, insomnia and palpitations common to perimenopause.
It has an affinity to the thyroid gland and can be especially helpful in hyperthyroid states. It is considered a heart tonic helpful not only for heart palpitations, but also relaxing the heart centre and being supportive in issues of blood pressure regulation.
The bitter flavour stimulates the vagus nerve, reducing sympathetic excess and supporting digestive function.
This plant is perennial and grows abundantly in the wild in this region. It flowers early summer and has a second flush of growth in the Fall. So if you miss it early in the season, you can catch it at the tail end of the growing season. Best to harvest before it flowers, as the flowers are accompanied by tiny sharp spikes that are painful to encounter when you are pressing your tincture or garbling your dried plant material to make tea.
Being bitter and acrid in flavour, most people don’t love this herb as a tea. Though if you really need it, you will probably find enjoyment in its more intense flavour. A small amount mixed into another tea blend works nicely as does a tincture made from the fresh plant.
Much of my understanding of this plant comes to me through Lise Wolff, Matt Wood and of course from the plant herself.
Oh I love this! Motherwort popped up in my backyard last year for the first time that I’ve seen so I mad a batch of tincture, time to set that bottle out and put it to use! Thank you.