Herbs For The Emotional Heart
“A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.” - Thomas Carlyle
Close your eyes, and place your hand against your chest. Can you feel your heart beating? This is your heart space, the place of joy, love, and connection.
A healthy heart space allows us to tap into our intuition and highest truth; unprocessed emotions such as grief, depression, worry, and heartbreak obstruct the free flow of energy within our hearts.
Many ancient healing traditions have recognized the significance of the heart space.
The heart space is home to the most refined version of the ojas "essence of energy" in Ayurveda. It is associated with mental health, greater consciousness, and the free flow of prana.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart is regarded as the "ruler/emperor of the body." The heart houses the shen (spirit). A healthy shen manifests through peacefulness and healthy relationships; if the shen is disturbed, a person can experience anxiety, insomnia, worry, irritability, and loss of concentration.
Herbs and flower essences can help to nourish our hearts, easing emotional blockages and imbalances. Here are some of our favorite herbs and flower essences for the heart:
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca): You will often find motherwort in formulas for high blood pressure or anxiety; emotionally, motherwort may be able to help those experiencing melancholy. Nicolas Culpeper once said, “There is no better herb [motherwort] to drive melancholy vapors from the heart, to strengthen it and make the mind cheerful, blithe and merry.”
Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.): Hawthorn leaves, flowers, and berries are all said to contain cardiac toning properties. This cardiotonic herb is used to support the heart, lowering blood pressure, and improving circulation. Energetically hawthorn can help open up the heart space for greater love and courage.
Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis): Bleeding heart flower essence is recommended for individuals who are feeling sadness and grief as a result of a breakup or the death of a loved one. This flower ally aids in the development of emotional self-sufficiency.
Schedule a consultation with Gina Kearney RH (AHG) to discover which herbs and flower essences can support your physical, emotional and energetic health.
