Linden

Written By Molly Branch, Clinical Herbalist

Linden  - Tilia spp. 

The linden tree can be recognized by its heart shaped leaves, indicating its affinity for the heart. Herbalists consider this the “doctrine of signatures,” or when looking at a plant tells you what organ system it remedies. Linden has traditionally been used as a cardio tonic, strengthening the heart and cardiovascular system with regular use. It is also a relaxant nervine, soothing those with anxiety that manifests in the heart/chest through palpitations and tightness. Energetically, linden is slightly cooling and moistening, making it a remedy for those with hot, dry tissue states - ranging from dry throats and hot fevers to burned out nervous systems. 

Because of its aromatics and mucilage content, linden makes a delightful tea. Brewing a hot or cold extraction will work here, but the key is to let it infuse for at least 45 minutes to extract the mucilage. Water extracts the healing polysaccharides to create a soft, sweet floral tea. I enjoy a cup of linden tea when I feel frazzled, fried, and overwhelmed. Other specific indications for linden are grief, trauma, and shock. 

There are many traditional uses for linden but my preferred use for this plant ally is through its “spirit medicine.” Linden is a supreme remedy for any heart that is hurting - to soothe the pain and tension held in the heartspace, allowing yourself to soften and drop into your body to connect with spirit. The primary way I like to connect with plant spirit medicine is through bath rituals. When we come to understand how water can change molecular structure and hold the vibrational frequency of plants, we open up a whole new world of ways to use water as a conduit for spirit medicine. In submerging yourself in an herbal path, we invite the wisdom and “medicine” of whatever plant ally we choose to work with. 

For intense grieving and heartache, brew a strong infusion of linden tea, strain it, and add it into your bathwater (and maybe keep a little for yourself to drink). This is a ritual I learned from Robin Rose Bennett. The relief and comfort brought to the heart space when submerged in a bath of linden truly is an immense hug for the spirit. Draw yourself a magical linden bath with the intention of opening your heart to receiving whatever “medicine” linden has for you, light a candle, burn some blessing herbs, and maybe put on a Coyote Oldman playlist while you float into bliss.  

Linden recipes:

Simple Linden Tea: 

1 tsp of linden : 1 cup boiling water - cover and let steep for 45 minutes or overnight 

Tea for Grief: 

2 parts Linden 

1 part Hawthorn 

1 part Rose 

Tea for Chest-centered Anxiety: 

2 parts Linden 

2 parts Lemon Balm

1 part Motherwort 

½ part Lavender

Tea for Insomnia:

2 parts Linden

1 part Passionflower

1 part Chamomile 

½ part Lavender 

Tea for Fever:

2 parts elderflower

1 part linden

1 part yarrow 

Molly Branch, Clinical Herbalist

My name is Molly Branch. I’m a clinically trained folk herbalist living on the New Hampshire Seacoast.

I am passionate about working with plants & alternate healing modalities. Cultivating deep relationship with plants and the earth has allowed me to weave The Old Ways & ancestral wisdom into my daily life, a path to which I am completely devoted. My calling is to create beautiful healing space through plant spirit medicine, acting as a conduit between people & plants through teaching others how to weave herbs and rituals into their daily lives. It is my hope that these rituals may feed the spirit and allow them to bloom.

With over ten years of studying plant medicine and alternate healing modalities, my practice is an ever-evolving fusion of the wise woman tradition, Vitalist herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and astrology. I spent ten years working at an herbal pharmacy in Portsmouth which provided me with invaluable insight and experience in working with a wide spectrum of people and serving the community. 

Current offerings include one-on-one consultations, educational workshops, and small batch seasonal potions. I have special interest and training in female hormone support using a TCM lens and pelvic steaming, and feel called to help women connect back into their wombspace and the sacred rhythm of the earth. I am honored to help anybody who feels drawn to working with me.

Aside from working with the plants, my greatest joy comes in simple pleasures: slowing down to spend time in nature, swimming in the salty water of mama ocean, reading a good book, and creating beautiful things - paintings, pottery, poetry, songs on the harp, delicious food, ritual baths, deep connections with beloved creatures (humans, cats, etc). I love to travel, to see new places and learn their history, culture, folklore, and traditions... I am particularly fond of folklore.

I am a Sagittarius sun, Pisces moon, Leo ascendant with deep connection to my Celtic (Irish/Scottish) and Mediterranean lineages. My favorite part of the day is morning, when the dew is out and the coffee is brewing (I also get excited in the evenings about these forthcoming mornings). I have a BA from the University of New Hampshire in English Teaching with a minor in Psychology. In another life I might have been a maiden churning butter…an image of her plays in my head on a loop. More on that later. 

http://bloomdewherbs.com
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