Higher Self 100ml

Higher Self

Higher Self is a tincture to allow you to focus . To clear your mind of distractions. To create space for ideas to come to fruition.  To clear the fog and allow crystal clear thinking and an positive outlook. Its for creating that lightbulb moment and helping you to follow through with it.  

Gotu kola - There is a saying about gotu kola that two leaves a day keeps old age away…. A beautiful herb which I have grown and used for many years, gotu kola looks like a cute little lily pad.  But don’t be deceived by its cute appearance - it is a voracious spreading herb ( grow it in a pot if you don’t want it to take over!!) with its trailing, spreading roots bearing more than a passing resemblance to the long trailing tissues of both our nervous and vascular systems. Which provides a clue as to its usage. It has a long and illustrious history in Ayurveda as a brain and memory tonic supporting attention and the acquisition of wisdom. It is referred to in some quarters as a potential adaptogen and adrenal tonic.  It is thought to support the maintenance, rejuvenation and protection of nervous tissues especially when folks are feeling depleted, anxious and sleepless in the face of ongoing stress.  As with nearly all herbs, gotu kola is not a one trick pony, it supports blood flow to the periphery and healing of the skin and tissues. All the gotu kola in our formulas is grown by me in my little garden without chemicals, just compost and love!

Ginkgo - An elder of the tree world, with some specimens growing for thousands of years, ginkgo has enjoyed a long reputation in herbal medicine throughout the world for supporting people as they navigate older age.  As an elder in the herbal world and with leaves that resemble a hemisphere of the brain, it is a renowned brain and circulatory tonic.  Alongside being one of the most famous circulatory tonics it is specific for  protecting and supporting those for whom brain fog, low mood, fatigue and nervousness are associated with poor circulation and older age. The ginkgo in this formula was foraged by me in the autumn months as the leaves change from green to gold.

Bacopa - An Ayurvedic herb - bacopa is used extensively for sharpening the mind and expanding spiritual practices in people of all ages. It has a positive action on memory and mood and has a particular affinity for those people for whom nervousness is an issue or those who cannot see the light from under the mountain of stress they are under.  As a mood tonic it helps support a brighter outlook, supports energy, and enhances the focus required for study.   It has a traditional strong friendship with ginkgo and gotu kola whereby they create a synergy that enhances their individual actions.

Lemon Balm   A delightfully lemon scented member of the mint family, it has been used since ancient times to clear the mind and lift the spirits.   From my perspective, even the scent of it makes me feel more alert and calmer at the same time. This dual directional action is something that is quite prevalent in plants for whom they contain a lot of aromatic oils.  Alongside uplifting the mood and reducing tension and nervousness, lemon balm restores and feeds the nervous system, especially one ravaged by stress.  As a brain tonic it is specific for improving memory and cognition alertness and retention in those who may be under pressure such as people in the throes of study and exams.  It may also be of benefit for those for whom the stress of these modern times and perhaps study can mean nervous palpitations, upset digestion, or frequent infections.  Lush and beautiful throughout the year here in the upper regions of the North Island of New Zealand, the lemon balm in all our blends is grown by me without the use of any chemicals – just love, (a little) attention and lots of compost!

Ginger   A beautifully warming and moving herb, ginger has been used since antiquity throughout India and Asia.  It is hot in nature and helps to stimulate the blood and open the blood vessels, allowing better delivery of the other herbs in the formula to the brain.  On its own it has a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action which supports healthy aging, circulation, digestion, and immunity.  As many of the herbs in the formula are cooling in action, ginger drives and balances the formula.  The ginger in this formula is grown by our Pacific neighbours in Fiji and dehydrated and processed by me to ensure a strong and potent extract.

Lions Mane Known as the brainy fungi, lions mane is a culinary mushroom which supports the production of a molecule named nerve growth factor ( NGF)  . This molecule is thought to support the maintenance and rejuvenation of nervous tissue throughout the body. Lions mane is specific for those with age related memory decline.

Rosemary Although thought of as “just a culinary herb” rosemary really has a lot more to offer.  In ancient Egypt and Greece, it was seen as symbol of fidelity, love and loyalty. Greek students drank rosemary infused wine and wore rosemary garlands to improve their memory while Culpepper suggested that rosemary reduced dullness of the mind, and reduced stupidness, loss of speech, and lethargy. Rosemary stimulates cerebral blood flow, clears brain fog, stimulates retention and recall and uplifts the mood while simultaneously calming anxiety and supporting circadian rhythms.  The rosemary used in Higher Self was grown from seed by me and uses no chemicals, just compost and love!

This tincture is handmade from scratch by me and utilises home grown lemon balm, rosemary and gotu kola and locally foraged ginkgo . It harnesses the full solar and lunar light of a full month and is made in the old way. The old way honours the herbs and the relationships that a herbalist has with them. The daily shaking of jars, the straining, the love and thought that goes into each and every bottle. This is the way of the past and definitely the way to the lightness of the future that I want to see.