Roar!
We’ve entered Leo Season!
If you know someone with a birthday between July 21 and August 22, they were born under the sun sign Leo, represented by the lion. I appreciate leonine energy. It is playful, charismatic, and jovial. Until it needs a nap. Or gets a little out of sorts, and then ROAR! Get out of the way. There is no mistaking a lion’s intentions, and that clarity, I appreciate.
Astrology is a filter through which I view the world. As a human and a bodyworker, I pay attention to which body part each sign rules and how these parts may be affected as we cycle through the year. Starting in spring, we have Aries ruling the head and we travel through the signs until we reach Pisces, which rules the feet. Smack in the middle then, is our heart, ruled by Leo.
Along with body parts, each sign falls under a certain element, and is ruled by a celestial body. Leo is a fire sign, ruled by the sun. This feels appropriate as we enjoy the hottest time of the year during Leo season. Summer days are still begging us to jump into water, eat lots of juicy melons, roast some marshmallows, stay up late, and wake up early because that sun is OUT!
Radiating confidence and courage, the energy of Leo, like the Sun, rests easy as a natural-born leader, taking center stage. According to Oxford Languages, the word courage originates from Old French corage and the Latin root cor, meaning ‘heart.’ Acting from a place of courage feels intrinsically linked to the heart and the cardiovascular system. When our blood is flowing freely through our veins, reaching and warming our periphery, it feels easier to be courageous. Our skeletal muscles have the energy they need to act, moving us toward our goals. When our blood flow is restricted, when we’re cold and our blood is focused on keeping our vital organs warm, we contract, we pull inward. We are not feeling courageous, and we are not feeling the strength and capacity to take the lead. On the other hand, if we’re so damn hot we can’t think straight, we are in no head-space to lead or act from a place of integrity either. Balance is key.
In step the herbs. We want to support a healthy venous structure and circulatory flow. We also want to cool down when the thermometer reads 106° as it has done for too many days this month. There are many cooling herbs to enjoy–think mint, lavender, lemon balm, rose hips, and chamomile. Squeeze half a lemon or lime into your water, add cucumber slices and a sprig of mint and you're a happy, hammock-napper. One of my favorite herbs for iced tea is hibiscus. Not only does it brew up a beautiful, red hue (that will not stain your clothes or countertops), its demulcent, antioxidant properties support us throughout the year.
Read more about the benefits and cautions of hibiscus and I bet you’ll feel drawn to weaving this herb into your daily life as well!
I created this Hibiscus Spritz for a gathering and we cannot stop brewing it up at home! As with any recipe I offer, play around different herbs as well as the level of sweetness. I made the tea a bit concentrated as we wanted to dilute it with sparkling water. If you’d like to enjoy it as simply tea and not a spritz, use 1/3 cup hibiscus instead.
I purchase hibiscus flowers at Shelton’s, Oliver’s, or online.
Hibiscus Tea
To a quart jar, add:
1/2 cup dried hibiscus flower
1 Tablespoon cinnamon chips or 1 stick cinnamon
Thumb ginger root, sliced
Fill with water. Let infuse in the sunlight for a few hours before straining. Alternatively, let infuse overnight in the moonlight or in fridge. Strain & sweeten with honey or simple syrup to taste.
Herbal Simple Syrup
Steep a strong cup of herbal tea. I chose tulsi, but mint would be an excellent choice for this spritz.
Bring water to boil. Pour one cup water over ¼ c herb, cover and let steep for 3-5 minutes. Longer steep makes a more bitter tea. We’re going soft and sweet here. Strain and make simple syrup by combining 8 ounces of this tea with 1 cup sugar. Slowly heat until the sugar dissolves. Let cool.
Sweet & Salty Rim
Combine equal parts sea salt, sugar & powdered herbs & spices. For this drink, I chose hibiscus & schisandra. Other good options could be ginger, mint, tulsi, chamomile or whatever you have on hand!
Hibiscus Spritz: putting it all together.
To one cup of hibiscus tea, add 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon simple syrup and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Sprinkle a circle of your Sweet & Salty Rim blend on a plate. Wet the rim of a pretty glass with a wedge of lime. Dip the glass in the rim blend. Add ice cubes. Fill the glass ¾ full of hibiscus tea and top with sparkling water. Enjoy!
Happy Birthday to my sister!
July 25 is her birthday and she embodies the joie de vivre of the happy lioness. I laugh loudest when I laugh with her. Here she is, proudly holding the cake she made for our mom’s birthday celebration.
Love you, Kristen!
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You never know dear, how much I love you.
Please don’t take my sunshine away.
Our Dad would love Van’s version of this family favorite.
My friend has an inspiring, heart-centered project I’d love to share with you.
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Thank you for considering supporting this project—I couldn't do it without you.
Sincerely,
Anne-Marie Allen
I loved this idea immediately and offered a self-care package to be gifted with each completed garden. Her book is now available and offers a great template for building one’s own healing space. Perhaps you’ll considerdonating to this very good cause
