Little yellow flowers clustering like stars, drawing in the bees and the light. Wild and bright on the river banks, squished between fingers, their magic shows a secret fire, blood red, hiding inside. Sunshine, they say. Warmth that radiates through time can be saved for the darkest months, in a petal of a little yellow flower. This herb is well known and honoured by the sun-loving, seasonally-affected folks who need that extra light, that warmth of summer, the brightness of sun, when cloud cover, short days, and long dark nights shroud. This is St. John’s Wort. It’s one of the first herbs I had heard of to support our bodies, our energies that get depressed in the darker seasons. It’s known to lift and hug the spirits. Brightening your secret blood fire, too. Applied topically, St. John’s wort has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. Internally, as a tea or tincture, St. John’s Wort can help relieve join and muscle pain, poor digestion, chronic inflammatory states, stagnations, hypothyroidism, and toxic burdens. And because it is a strong liver hepatic, it will interfere with other medications and pharmaceuticals, so must not be taken internally if taking medications, including contraceptives. Also can cause photosensitivity and should be avoided for folks with rosacea.
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