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Herbal Tincturing
May. 12th, 2005 08:02 amOn 5/9, I spent the better part of the afternoon tincturing up 8 herbs. I used an 80 proof vodka, mostly because of cost issues. Since there is water content in the vodka, I have to do a little more work. Every morning for at least 2 weeks, I need to go into my cabinet and shake each jar. That's pretty minimal and justified the cost savings. The higher the proof, the less you need to do. If I were to invest in, say, Everclear, I'd be able to put it in, seal it up, and it'd be ready to press in 2 weeks. The alcohol strips out all of the medicinal/soft tissue/essential oil properties from the plant matter. It dehydrates the herbs and all of the good stuff stays preserved in the alcohol. What's left is pretty stripped. Because I used 80 proof, I need to shake the material daily to make sure that the plant gets more contact with both the water and alcohol portions of the menstrum. Some parts of herbs are soluable only in water, others only in alcohol. While a 100 proof vodka is preferred, 80 proof is good for solutions needing more water, such as dried herbs. For fresh herbs, something like Everclear is the only acceptable menstrum, since the water will come from the plants.
I hand chopped and ground the herbs. I could have put the herbs in a coffee grinder, but there was something so visceral about the act of crushing and cutting and crumbling the herbs by hand. My fingers were sensitive for a full day after, but it was the ache of accomplishment and wasn't really any worse than when you pick up a guitar after a long time of not playing. I had a sharp pair of scissors to help me cut up the things that wouldn't crush with my fingers. And I learned quickly not to crush blackberry leaves by hand, as some of the tiny thorns can stick mercilessly into tender fingers.
These herbs are for medicinal use. Tincturing is an excellent method of preserving the properties of an herb, concentrated, for use up to several years after they are bottled. A dosage can be a drop or two from a strong herb, or 30 drops from a moderate herb, in a glass of water. Those that are not opposed to the sharp alcohol and herbacious tastes can take the drops right on the tongue. Some are meant for topical use.
What I started on 5/9 is, in effect, my herbal medicine cabinet. These are for use with family, friends and those that seek out my help. I will not be making these for general sale in the store. They are medicine after all. Just because it's natural does not immediately mean it's safe.
I wanted to do more than just mix up these herbs and alcohol. I wanted it to be a spiritual process. Alchemical. I took all of my tools, my herbs, the vodka, and the containers to my sacred circle. I banished all extraneous or non focused energies and sat with all of these items for a while. I asked Raphael to make the containers true vessels for my work. I enjoined Michael to sanctify the tools I would use; the scissors, the mortar and pestle, the implements for labeling. I requested Gabriel to grace the vodka as alchemical menstruum. I petitioned Auriel to favor the herbs I brought. I then stood in middle pillar and engulfed myself in the energy of Tipereth to align myself with my most healing energies, completing the fifth element of my work. I poured a bit of the blessed vodka for mama Gaia, because the old gal loves a shared drink. I then restored the balance of energy inside and out. Back up to the living room, and the grinding began.
I'm using 1/2 pint canning jars, approximately 25 grams of herbs and 175 grams of menstruum. A yellow stripe of electrical tape across the lid holds the details of what's in each vessel. I kept the case that the canning jars came in to store them in my herbal cabinet. It's cool and dark there.
And so begins the cache of tinctured herbs I will be using for healing. This feels like home.
I hand chopped and ground the herbs. I could have put the herbs in a coffee grinder, but there was something so visceral about the act of crushing and cutting and crumbling the herbs by hand. My fingers were sensitive for a full day after, but it was the ache of accomplishment and wasn't really any worse than when you pick up a guitar after a long time of not playing. I had a sharp pair of scissors to help me cut up the things that wouldn't crush with my fingers. And I learned quickly not to crush blackberry leaves by hand, as some of the tiny thorns can stick mercilessly into tender fingers.
These herbs are for medicinal use. Tincturing is an excellent method of preserving the properties of an herb, concentrated, for use up to several years after they are bottled. A dosage can be a drop or two from a strong herb, or 30 drops from a moderate herb, in a glass of water. Those that are not opposed to the sharp alcohol and herbacious tastes can take the drops right on the tongue. Some are meant for topical use.
What I started on 5/9 is, in effect, my herbal medicine cabinet. These are for use with family, friends and those that seek out my help. I will not be making these for general sale in the store. They are medicine after all. Just because it's natural does not immediately mean it's safe.
I wanted to do more than just mix up these herbs and alcohol. I wanted it to be a spiritual process. Alchemical. I took all of my tools, my herbs, the vodka, and the containers to my sacred circle. I banished all extraneous or non focused energies and sat with all of these items for a while. I asked Raphael to make the containers true vessels for my work. I enjoined Michael to sanctify the tools I would use; the scissors, the mortar and pestle, the implements for labeling. I requested Gabriel to grace the vodka as alchemical menstruum. I petitioned Auriel to favor the herbs I brought. I then stood in middle pillar and engulfed myself in the energy of Tipereth to align myself with my most healing energies, completing the fifth element of my work. I poured a bit of the blessed vodka for mama Gaia, because the old gal loves a shared drink. I then restored the balance of energy inside and out. Back up to the living room, and the grinding began.
I'm using 1/2 pint canning jars, approximately 25 grams of herbs and 175 grams of menstruum. A yellow stripe of electrical tape across the lid holds the details of what's in each vessel. I kept the case that the canning jars came in to store them in my herbal cabinet. It's cool and dark there.
And so begins the cache of tinctured herbs I will be using for healing. This feels like home.
