PMC: Blue Vervain

This week we meditated with Blue Vervain, Verbena hastata. 

 

Areas for Further Investigation: Blue Vervain for improving hearing if compromised due to tension. 

Pre-Meditation/Taste

Hilariously the group decided the taste was "horrible" and was willing to put no further effort into describing the flavor or smell. It is a bitter herb. The conversation was relaxed.

Meditation 1

•The colors of blue and black (like the kidney colors in Chinese medicine) at the heart. Makes me think of the kidneys being able to better support the heart. 

•I had a negative reaction to the bitter herb. Then felt pleasant, my mind wandered. I thought about my plans for the week. I found it slightly warming.

•"Backstage at a sandwich shop" (meaning in the kitchen of a panini place). There was a man shaving a parmesan slab onto a sandwhich, he added some of this herb on top. He then wrapped it in white paper, cut it in half, and dinged the bell. The front end staff brought it out to the customer. The person unwrapped it a bit, ate a bite, the plant entered his body, I see the pathway it took down into his stomach, then he barfed it all out.

•I feel the tension releasing around the edges of my face like a heart shape, like an Elizabethan era hair pull back shape. I see back then I had privilege and I imprisoned people as I liked (including a PMC group member). I did what I liked. I see this is a time I can release the tension I still hold from that bad way of treating people. I can let it go. It is over. I have experienced the karma of it. Done.

Meditation 2

•This time I had a restful, deeper meditation. I was focused on my sense of hearing, slight ringing in my ears. Slight pressure in the back of my head (base of head/top of neck). 

• I see butterflies, a unicorn, and a rainbow. I saw someone sitting at a typewriter and rainbows were coming out of the typewriter as they worked. I don't think this vision came from the herb. 

•I feel more of my face muscles relax around teeth, jaw, and upper neck. Back in the Elizabethan time, I had demanded money from this current PMC group member and they did not think I deserved it and I locked them up as their consequence. On a soul level they thought "when you deserve it, I will give it to you" and now (lifetimes later) they are comfortable inside that I do deserve it (as a consumer exchange). 

Summary & Traditional Use

Tense Personalities and Necks: Blue vervain is known for being helpful for people who live with a high degree of tension and very high standards for both themselves and others. They often have high ideals and have trouble relaxing, because their ideals do not allow it. It could be used with rock water essence for this, which helps with freeing oneself of rigidity too. Blue Vervain is considered good for "strong above, weak below" (mentally strong, especially women, less energy going to digestion and sexuality) another option for this is blackberry. Blue vervain treats neck tension (we experienced release in this area, as well as jaw and face), headaches, earaches. Can be used for flus and illnesses that include neck tension in the symptom picture. 

Social Tension: This relaxation effect appears to be helping out when Astral in Body is smoked socially and when my Worker's Woes tea is consumed (also includes hops), both illustrate how neither alcohol nor illicit substances are needed to kick back and have a good time--herbal allies are there for you. Blue Vervain is also used in Astral in Body for its magical and concurrent protective effects. 

Herb for Menopausal Symptoms: Although it can also be helpful for "nymphomania" in menopause. Well known for use with hot flashes for tense, "list writers" per M Wood, vs Black Cohosh for hot flashes in dark brooding types.  Liver tension--the liver works on hormone processing. I would look at the personality clues first. The plant meditation revealed how well it reduced tension and opened up a healthy level of relaxation to the group. In clinical practice I see it helping bring in some lax time in individuals that meet the personality traits, which in combination with other physical effects seems to ease physical symptoms, particularly associated with peri menopause and menopause.

Menstruation: A side note, this herb supports the following menstrual symptoms: anger or intense food cravings before menstruation, painful or irregular periods. It did bring on my period the next day (several days early) which I was not happy about. I did have a lot of tea! It is unclear whether this was a proving for showing it helps with irregular periods or bringing on the reds. My period is normally shipshape thanks to all my herb friends, so it was definitely different because of this herb. 

As a Bitter...: Last, but not least, if you take too much of this herb (it is a bitter!) it can cause vomiting. Because it is so bitter, it is unlikely that a person would consume enough to induce this effect by accident. The vision does remind us that it is not a "food herb"! Enjoy in amounts that are comfortable to you. Other adverse effects will be bypassed by vomiting, lol. In general bitters support digestion, pick the right ones for you and more is not better. 

Invitation

Have you used Blue vervain or related flower essence Vervain? Please share your insights and experiences below. Interested in Plant Meditation Club? We will be starting a group in April 2025. I hope you join. :)

Herbalist Lead