The Calming Benefits of Chamomile Flower Essence

I just tried to do nothing for two minutes. I sat in front of my computer watching a picture of an ocean while listening to the sound of crashing waves, without touching my mouse or key pad. It worked for about ten seconds. Then my eyes darted around the room, looking for something to occupy my mind. Then I recrossed my legs and cleared my throat. Then I ran through my to-do list, which included a need to get my itchy little fingers on the computer so I could check out Facebook and Twitter and my blog! Finally the two minutes elapsed. But I can’t honestly say I did nothing. In fact, if my life depended on being able to completely stop the mind chatter and inner antsiness that goes along with it, I’d say I’m in hot water.

Maybe that’s where I need to be! Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches hot water is better to drink than cold. When we drink cold water our bodies have to use energy to warm it up. Whereas warm or hot water is immediately absorbed, relaxes the stomach and aids in digestion. Another thing about drinking hot water is that it’s like taking an internal hot bath. You might say hot water is the poor man’s anti-anxiety agent, calming our nerves the way a hot soak can while soothing away the anxiety and tension we hold in our stomachs.

I prefer drinking hot water in the colder months, even though it’s boring and the water tastes a little musty to me. It’s often all I need to calm down when I’m stressed and overwhelmed. But hot water in Spring and Summer? I don’t think so. So here’s my compromise. Chamomile sun-tea. It tastes fine at room temperature, delicious ice cold on those super-hot Chicago days and relaxing heated up at night.

And I always add a few drops of Chamomile flower essence to the tea, whether hot or cold or in between. Chamomile flower essence is best used when we are moody and upset but unable to release emotional tension, especially when it’s held in the solar plexus. It helps to balance our emotions and accept our limitation.

It won’t be long before those sunny miniature daisies will be popping in our back yards. They bloom from late Spring through late Summer which will give us plenty of opportunities to make sun tea. Just take ¼ cup freshly trimmed flowers rinsed in cold water. Place them in a clean glass jar or container with four cups of water. Seal the jar or cover a bowl or pitcher with a plate or cheesecloth held in place with a rubber band. Let the jar in steep in direct sunlight for eight hours or more.

Its name comes from the Greek for “ground apple” because of its apple-like fragrance, but expect the taste to be fresh and flowery with hints of banana and lemon. For a different taste try adding mint, lemon verbena or fresh strawberry, peach or apple slices. Strain the flowers before drinking up a thirst-quenching therapeutic glassful.

That’s right. Therapeutic. Chamomile tea has many therapeutic uses, as Beatrix Potter knew when she wrote about the feverish Peter Rabbit getting Chamomile tea from his mother. Early Egyptians used the herb to cool fever caused by malaria. Here are some other suggestions for how Chamomile can soothe help. Add a cupful of flowers to a warm bath and soak for twenty minutes. To relieve insomnia or calm an upset stomach, drink a cup of Chamomile tea before bedtime (two tablespoons of flowers in two cups of boiling water steeped for ten minutes should do it). Soothe burns with a poultice made with Chamomile flowers. A cool Chamomile tea compress can be a balm for irritated and strained eyes. Is it that time of the month? Chamomile can relieve menstrual cramps.

I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, Chamomile is one of the most loved and useful herbs known to man. Anybody can benefit from Chamomile, but probably it’s best suited for those of us who can’t sit still for two minutes. So if you want to drink in a sunny, calm disposition this season, plant some Chamomile and grow your own calm.