While still considered an alternative medicine, we have seen that for thousands of years herbal remedies were the only medicine available. The use of herbal remedies has weathered an up-and-down relationship with the medical establishment as well as the devastation of witch hunts. Herbs and essential oils may have taken a back seat to chemicals in the manufacture of many drugs but that, too, is changing as more people seek a natural approach to healing.
That natural approach extends to our gardens. Chemicals used on our plants or in the soil ultimately end up inside of us. Composting and going organic may require a little more work, and it does not produce uniform, picture-perfect plants. However, by going organic we are guaranteeing that we will have the best possible herbs to put in our food and our remedies without causing harm to the environment. Also, while gardens take work, it is work that puts us outdoors in the fresh air and it provides good exercise.
Whether it is an outdoor garden or containers on a porch or windowsill, tending to plants makes us more aware of nature’s cycles, which is healing and brings balance to our lives. Gardening provides the perfect opportunity to slow down and be in the moment. Watching the herbs we nurture grow and mature, and harvesting what we have grown fosters a meaningful satisfaction. While gardening connects us with the natural world, it also puts us in touch with ourselves on a fundamental soul level.
Gardening teaches us patience. It takes time to grow things. Also, we may not have success with every plant we want to grow. Rosemary is one that still eludes me, but someday I will have a healthy plant that I can shepherd through the winter.
Just as cooking a special meal for those we love is satisfying and rewarding, so too is working with herbs and making remedies for ourselves and our families. Gardening and working with herbs takes us outside of ourselves. It harkens back to the wise folk who cared for their village neighbors, and it creates a connection through time that binds us to the earth and to each other. I find it amazing that something as simple as an herb can be so powerful in so many ways.