Rosemary the beautiful, scrappy, and deliciously fragrant herb
Most of us already know rosemary as a friend in the kitchen, here are some of my favorite ways to include rosemary as a healing herb for everyday use.
Hello and welcome back to the newsletter. I hope that my last few posts featuring various herbs have been interesting and useful. The herbs have so much to teach us! Lately, my connection with Rosemary has been growing. Rosemary (rosmarinus oficinale) is a fragrant Mediterranean herb with a rich history of use as food and medicine. Known to be antibacterial and antimicrobial rosemary was burned in any space where there had been a death. Even the smell of Rosemary has been shown to alleviate depression and help with sleep.
It’s no wonder Rosemary is used often to cook with meats. In times before refrigeration this would have kept food from spoiling. This plant is happy in poor soil and requires little water. Plenty of sunlight is rosemary’s friend. Rosemary spread out from the arid regions of Northern Africa and southern Europe to Western Europe and the Americas. Its use is common in Mesoamerican herbalism, usually as a tea, to ward off headaches, stomach cramps, ease colds and more. Rosemary is well known as a hair strengthening herb and nourishing to the scalp. Perhaps this is also connected to rosemary’s reputation as an herb of remembrance. Rosemary would accompany those honoring loved ones who have died, and studies have shown that memory improvements have been achieved through frequent use of Rosemary.
In recent years I built a small bed of a few Rosemary plants. They have been happy and thriving in their new location. Shortly after, Rosemary revealed itself to me as an oracle plant. Thanks to my teacher Julie Charette Nunn I learned that I could tune into the plant for divination purposes. Rosemary has guided me through many rough waters, and I am grateful. Sitting with Rosemary has opened me up to deeper parts of myself. Her resilient nature has helped me to tap into my own sense of self sufficiency, and even good humor!
Here are some of my favorite ways to incorporate rosemary into my daily life:
Rosemary smudge stick: gather a small bundle of fresh rosemary about 6-8 inches long. Using a thin twine or simple sewing string bundle the herbs together and tie off at the base of the stem. Allow to dry completely. Burn as a smudge or incense over a heat proof bowl or container. The smell is wonderful and calming. I love burning rosemary after I’ve had people over or after I’ve finished sweeping as a reset for the home.
Rosemary honey: gather a small basket full of freshly cut rosemary. Chop into small, but not tiny pieces and fill a clean jar. Pout honey over and let sit a week or more, giving a few stirs as it settles. When desired, place a spoonful of rosemary honey in a mug and fill with hot water. After a few minutes it’s ready to drink and perfect for when you have a sore throat or simply want a warming beverage. Delicious with a little milk or cream added. Rosemary honey keeps a long time.
Rosemary hair oil: Same as with the honey, fill a jar with freshly chopped rosemary. Pour olive oil over the herb and let sit, ideally a couple weeks. Strain and put back in jar. Use this oil to rub into the scalp and coat the hair lightly in oil. Wrap hair up in an old cloth or bandana and let sit at least an hour. Wash out with shampoo. Sometimes a couple washes is necessary. Then proceed with your regular hair care. To double up on rosemary for the hair include a rosemary hair rinse (below).
Rosemary hair rinse: make a quart of rosemary infusion using 1 oz by weight dried rosemary to one quart boiling water. Let sit until cooled and strain. After washing hair pour 1-2 cups over hair, squeeze out excess and dry hair as normal. Rosemary is known to strengthen the hair, maintain color, and shine. Do not drink rosemary infusion as it contains high concentration of volatile oils!
Here is a link to my post about Rosemary on Instagram:
If you’d like to learn more about Rosemary I suggest looking up Rosalie de la Forêt’s work, as well as Juliet de Bairacli. Both are major fans of Rosemary and have lots more to say of her healing charms.