21 Consulting Lemon Balm
“As sweet as Balm, as soft as air, as gentle.”
Reflection
There is an innate wisdom in the Earth. Our kinship with plants can enlighten and empower us. As we consider and consult the greens that grow so near to us, what do we learn— what Earthly gifts are they so freely offering to our body and soul?
What do we know about lemon balm?
It’s beautiful. Bright green, heart-shaped, and saw-toothed leaves emerge as opposite pairs from upright stems that grow as tall as three feet. Its flowers, small, two-lipped, delicate, and white, emerge in a swirl from stems as clusters of tiny trumpets. This herb smells likes lemons!
It’s growable. A perennial hardy herb. Though a part of the mint family, this plant does not have the root system of its kin. However, that does not stop it from dispersing! The flowers produce four seeds that germinate easily without any help from a gardener. Though they tolerate many various conditions, they flourish in nutrient rich, well-drained soil in the full sun. Most potent just before flowering, which is a great time to harvest it.
It’s got roots. Native to the Mediterranean and to western and central Asia, today this plant grows in many regions. While it is cultivated, it has also naturalized throughout the world, and much of it is wild collected. It has been used for centuries. First noted with the Greeks as an ingredient in a medicinal wine, it was also used early on to make tonics and lotions.
It is vulnerable. In some areas of our globe, this plant is threatened. Unsustainable wild collection practices and other unmindful land management methods such as deforestation, livestock overpopulation, have reduced the numbers of this herb in the wild.
It’s got a name. Commonly referred to as lemon balm, this herb’s name stems from the Greek balsamon, which refers to a sweet-smelling resin, but its botanical name is melissa officials. Melissa comes from the Greek word for honeybee, melisso. Officinalis, Latin, means of the shop. which is an allusion to its use by apothecaries who sold it in their shops. Intriguingly, in North America, this plant was called wa du li si: bee. Bees love it- they have been described as having a special attraction to it. This has not gone unnoticed. People have said that if you plant it in your garden, you will always have bees. At one point in time, beekeepers rubbed bee balm on their beehives to attract bees as well as to encourage their bees to stay home. Beekeepers also planted balm near the hives to ensure the bees would return home after a hard day of work away. Because of this, this plant has also been referred to as honey leaf. Known for its healing powers, it has also be called the elixir of life. Because lemon balm was traditionally used to make people happier: to balance emotions, this herb has been named “the bringer of gladness.”
Its enhances wellness and beauty. People use it to make cosmetics and it has been the ingredient of many body care recipes including masks, perfumes, shampoos, and conditioners. People have used in baths for its positive effects on the heart and the skin and overall well being. Its potent oil is utilized in aromatherapy to lift the spirits and dispel depression. Because the oil of lemon balm is difficult to gather, this oil is one of the most expensive to purchase and is hard to find.
It’s edible. Sweet and mild with sparks of citrus, the whole plant is edible. It is often used as a spice for flavoring to cooked dishes or raw salads. It is very nice as a tea on its own or in a blend with other herbs. To make the tea, I prefer to use its leaves fresh. I think there is more of a flavor with the fresh leaves when compared to the dried. Use it in anything to get that lemon flavor.
It’s got nutrients. This herb is high in fiber. It contains vitamins C and thiamin, a B vitamin. Speaking of B vitamins, according the the Medical Medium, “Lemon balm is a B12-conserving herb—which means that it monitors your stores of this vitamin and keeps your body from using it all up.” It also has many minerals including boron, manganese, copper, chromium, molybdenum, selenium, silica, and iron.
It’s medicine. Known around the world for its ability to calm the nervous and digestive systems, it has been recognized for ages as being beneficial in terms of health. For all areas of health: for the body, the mind, and the spirit. In Chinese medicine it is recognized for its cooling and dying abilities and in ancient Indian practices, applied to calm the stomach and balance mood. It is an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, and antiviral properties. Externally, diffused through the air or made into a salve, compress, or poltice, and internally as an infusion, tonic, tincture, tea, or capsule, throughout the ages, this herb is used as a sedative to reduce stress—to calm the body and the mind and to assist with sleep. Its magic dispels irritability, chases away melancholy, and cures digestive issues through ridding the body of toxins and by reducing inflammation. It pulls out poisons. Used effectively to draw out the poison of insect bites including scorpion stings. It even has effectiveness against sore teeth, tonsillitis, cold sores, and bladder infections. It controls blood sugar levels and detoxifies the eliminative organs such as the liver, the spleen, and the kidneys bringing clarity to the mind and enhancing memory.
Fun Fact:. Lemon Balm oil repels fleas and flies and other like insects.
What Advise for living does this plant give?
Be known through those who adore you. Be fragrant. Let your presence be as a magnet, attracting all to your side. Bring calmness to others. Draw out the poisons of this world and dispel all discord.
Resources:
Engels, Gayle, and Josef Brinckmann. “Lemon Balm.” HerbalGram, no. 115, Aug. 2017, pp. 8–16. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=awh&AN=125110625&site=eds-live.
Epstein, Kyra. “GRIEF MEDICINE: LEMON BALM.”
Medicine Tea: Following Your Heart into the Wildness of the World. https://kyraepstein.wordpress.com/2017/04/25/lemon-balm/ Assessed 20 June 2021.
Jones, Megan W. “Lovely Lemon Balm.” https://www.moonmaidbotanicals.com/lemon-balm-uses.html. Assessed 20 June 2021.
William, Anthony. “Lemon Balm: A Life-Changing Herb.” https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/cilantro-life-changing-food. Accessed June 20, 2021.