Rest & The Power of Gratitude
Rest & The Power of Gratitude “Take time for the quiet moments, as God whispers... and the world is loud.” There is a kind of tiredness that sleep doesn’t touch.A tiredness that comes from carrying too many stories, too much noise, too many expectations, too much... doing. Your body actually needs something very simple: Stillness. Presence.A returning home to itself This is where rest begins. And one of the most powerful ways we can return to ourselves is through a gratitude practice. A slow breathing, a gentle noticing, softening-into-yourself kind of gratitude. What Is a Gratitude Practice? A gratitude practice is the simple act of intentionally noticing what is good, nourishing, or supportive in your life — big or small. It’s not about pretending everything is perfect.And it’s not about bypassing difficult feelings. It is about drawing attention. gently, to what feels good and to what we are grateful for. Gratitude pulls our body out of survival mode. Think of it as it helps your body feel “You’re safe enough to soften now.” What Happens in the Body When We Practice Gratitude? (These are real, measurable physiological shifts.) When you give your attention to gratitude — even for 30 seconds — the brain begins to release: Dopamine - A neurotransmitter that creates feelings of pleasure, motivation, and reinforcement.Dopamine says: “Yes, this matters. Do more of this.” Serotonin - Often called the “contentment molecule.”It’s linked to mood, emotional balance, and feelings of calm. Oxytocin - The “bonding hormone” released when we feel connected — even in solitude.Gratitude toward God, nature, a memory, or a plant can release oxytocin too. Reduced Cortisol - Studies show that a regular gratitude practice can lower cortisol by up to 23%, reducing inflammation and stress. Together, these shifts move you out of sympathetic arousal (fight/flight/freeze)and into parasympathetic rest — the place where: digestion improves the heart rate slows blood pressure lowers muscles unclench sleep quality increases the mind becomes clearer we feel more like ourselves we have more patience This is why gratitude isn’t just a mindset practice —it’s a 'healing' for your nervous system. How Gratitude Changes Your Day When you practice gratitude regularly, even for just a few minutes, the structure of your brain begins to shift. Research shows that grateful thoughts strengthen the medial prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, emotional regulation, and perspective. Over time, gratitude: helps you respond rather than react increases resilience increases your capacity to experience joy softens the mountain of daily stressors rewires the brain toward noticing what’s nourishing creates a deeper sense of meaning A Simple Gratitude Practice that Kim teaches in our Coming Home to Yourself Program 1. Sit Somewhere Quiet - Anywhere:your kitchen table, your bed, your car, beside the woodstove, in the bathroom with the door closed. 2. Take Three Slow Breaths - Inhale gently.Exhale longer than you think you need.Let your shoulders soften. 3. Place Both Hands on Your Chest - Feel your breathing.Feel your warmth.Feel your heartspace. 4. Ask: “What helped me today?” - The answer can be small.A stranger’s kindness.Your warm cup of tea.A soft scarf.Your dog’s tail wag.A memory.A moment of strength you didn’t know you had. 5. Name Three Things - Whisper them.Write them.Think them.It’s the naming, the noticing that matters. 6. Now, if you can, keep Naming things that you're grateful for It can sometimes feel difficult at first, but once you've thought of 3 things, others start to come more readily. If nothing comes, don't worry, you can feel gratitude simply for this moment of peace to able to breathe. Herbs That Support Gratitude & Rest Plants play a part in our emotional and spiritual lives.There are herbs that help the nervous system slow down enough to feel gratitude. We are not just thinking about gratitude - we want to feel it in our bodies. Rose Opens the heart, softens defensiveness, helps you notice beauty and tenderness. Hawthorn Strengthens the emotional heart; helps us feel connected, grounded, and less overwhelmed. Holy Basil (Tulsi) Considered a sacred plant in many traditions.Uplifts the mood, clears mental fog, and brings a sense of spiritual-centered calm. Milky Oats Rebuilds a depleted nervous system; restores your ability to feel joy and gratitude without strain. Linden Gently relaxes tension and invites emotional ease, making space for gratitude to arise naturally. Lavender Calms agitation; helps the mind soften into presence. Herbal Blends for Restorative Quiet In the evenings or whenever you feel overstimulated, these blend beautifully with a gratitude practice: Sleep Easy Blend Crafted to quiet an overstimulated nervous system and help the mind drift into deeper rest.Perfect before bed or during moments when the world feels too loud. Nerve Calm Blend Steadies the racing mind, eases tension in the heart and belly, and brings you back into your body.Ideal before journaling, prayer, meditation, or your gratitude practice. If you sip one of these blends while writing your gratitude list, you’ll feel your body begin to slow down, and then your thoughts slowly will follow.... A Closing for Your Heart Gratitude doesn’t make the hard things disappear.It brings breath into the places that feel tight.It reminds us that even in overwhelm, sadness or grief, that beauty exists. As you move through the next few days, may you find small moments of quiet.May you feel the whisper of your internal voice, of God's... beneath the noise.And may you remember that rest and gratitude are forms of nourishment your body knows how to receive - if you only allow it. You can find herbs to support you HERE
Herbs for Grief
Grief is something we all move through at different points in our lives. Herbs hold us gently,so the heart can breathe, soften, and slowly heal.
Sweet Summertime Mocktail - A fun, fizzy, non-alcoholic drink
Sweet Summertime Mocktail - A fun, fizzy, non-alcoholic drink Skip the skin-dehydrating, immune and energy depleting, and liver-burdening surgery store bought mocktails, and give our easy, breazy Sweet SummerTime Recipe a try. Years ago, one of our local mothers called to have us blend up a new tea they could serve at her daughter's wedding. I blended up Lemongrass, Hibiscus, and Peppermint for their wedding drink. Shortly after the wedding, the Mother of the Bride called me and said: "This iced tea was a huge hit. Everyone loved it. Thank you!" Of course, we had to make this available to our customers at the shoppe! And call it Sweet Summertime Herbal Tea blend. Delicious and Nourishing in the Summer or Winter, served Hot or Cold - you win with Sweet Summertime! The herbs in Sweet Summertime Tea are loaded with Vitamin C, known to be cooling to the body whether taken hot or cold. These herbs support digestion (indigestion) and GI discomfort. Not only that - the blend of herbs contain Vitamins A, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, iron and many other vitamins, phytonutrients, and polyphenols. They also contain antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory. They support liver health and the upper respiratory tract, and the throat. There are numerous studies about them lowering high blood pressure, cholesterol. They are immune-boosting and skin-loving. They support us nutritionally - and taste great! What's not to love? 100% Organic, Nutritious, and Delicious! You'll want to have plenty on hand this summer - and winter! We love to combine Sweet Summertime with any of our other main teas, such as Brain Food, Heart Support, or Nerve Calm Teas. Try our delicious & refreshing Sweet Summertime Mocktail Recipe This recipe makes 3-4 cups. In a large 6 quart size pan, bring 4 cups of filtered water to a rolling boil, turn off. Add 5 heaping Tablespoons of Sweet Summertime Tea to the pan and cover with lid. Add 2-3 teaspoons of Infused Lavender Honey and let cool. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours for perfectly cooled ice tea, then strain the herb out... Add ice to your glasses, and pour to 1/2 way full. Fill the rest of each glass with sparkling water (or club soda), gently stirring afterward to combine. Garnish with fresh mint, line wedge or a sprig of rosemary, Refreshing! Add 2 full droppers of any of the following tincture to your iced tea or mocktail for a nutritional herbal boost. Click on any of these tinctures to try them. Nerve Calm Tincture Heart Support Tincture Brain Food Tincture Hormonal Balance Tincture Menopause Tincture One Too Many Tincture We love sharing fun ways to help you 'get the herbs in' for you, your family, friends and at your next family celebration. Grab your Sweet Summertime HERE all year round!
