Spring is here, at last, and the world is all a-shimmer with dew and last night’s frost. After a long winter of dark and cold, the earth has begun to stir again. There’s a palpable change, and we can all sense it, in the air, in the earth, in our bodies. Spring is a season of new beginnings, inspiration, a time to create and explore. As nature begins to flourish around us, now is the perfect time to rejuvenate ourselves in the same fashion as the beckoning meadows. 

In spring, I like to gather nettles and violets. Nettles for their wealth of vitamins and minerals, and the energy boost they provide after sleepy winter months. Violets for their flavonoids, mucilage, and diuretic properties. They also taste mild and delicious in infusion form, making them ideal additions to mocktails.

Around this time of year, my mom would start crafting her incredible herbaceous mocktails; drinks that are both refreshing and healthful. I have many fond memories of us staving off the heat with her creations. My mom is an absolute wizard when it comes to mixing ingredients to just the right proportion, guided purely by intuition. She (and now I, thanks to her influence) never really measured things. It was always “a splash of this,” “a sprinkle of that.” As a result, each drink was a little unique, but somehow always perfectly balanced.

With herbaceous mocktails, the trick is balancing the bitter with the sweet, adding just enough sugar to lift the flavors without overpowering them. It’s also important to find the right ratio of ingredients; some herbs have stronger flavor profiles than others, so finding the right balance can feel rather alchemical at times. 

In this overwhelming and often stress-inducing world, there is little that is more healing than moments of precious tranquility. Stress has a profound impact on the body and mind, with studies showing it can lead to macroscopic changes in brain structure over time (Mariotti, A. 2015). This, in turn, can lead to other issues, such as a weakened immune system, difficulty in absorbing nutrients into the body properly, and a general decrease in quality of life. Amidst the whirlwind of life, there are centers of calm to be found—places where we can pause, reorient, and connect with Eirene, the Greek goddess and personification of peace.

Passionflower (passiflora icarnata) is one such herb that can aid us in finding these centers of calm. A commonly known nervine, used for promoting restful sleep, softening tension, and even easing occasional aches and pains. Native to Central and South America and now flourishing in many other areas of the world, its hypnotic blossoms invite us to slow down, find our footing, and welcome tranquility into our tired minds. 

The connection between the moon's phases and the menstrual cycle is rooted in various cultures across history. This connection is grounded in the observation of natural rhythms and cycles, which were often personified and mythologized to explain and connect human experience with the divine and natural world. The word menstruation derives from the Latin and Greek word for moon, mene.