Get Cozy with These Autumnal Herbal Blends

If you’re new to the wonders of herbs, one of the best things to know is just how diverse they are in the ways they can be enjoyed. Depending on your purpose and preferences, your options are wide this autumn if you’d like to get cozy with some blends.

Purifying your Home:

Many people enjoy cleaning out their home – both physically and energetically – before the cold temperatures of winter settle in. The ritual of cleansing the energy of a person or space is often referred to as smudging. The most common herb to use when smudging is white sage, as it’s known for its purification properties. Though white sage can be used alone, it can also be blended with other strong, traditional autumnal herbs to strengthen the purification process and add warm aromas to your home (and even ward off werewolves, if you throw some wormwood in there).

For an experience that’s both purifying and pleasing, mix together some white sage for cleansing negative energy, sweetgrass for welcoming positive energy, wormwood if you’re worried about werewolves (or just enjoy the warm, woodsy scent), rosemary for protection, and the crisp, autumnal scent, and top it all off with some soothing sandalwood.

Always exercise caution when smudging. Respect the power of the flame, have something nearby for putting out the fire, and use a safe container to catch ashes as you move throughout your space.

Enriching your Meals:

As the weather cools, everyone starts to crave rich, hearty flavors in their meals that will warm them up and enrich their palate. One of the most popular autumn herbs to cook with is rosemary, its bold, woodsy flavor is the perfect addition to roasts, stews, or vegetable sides. Sage is another popular choice, especially around Thanksgiving when it’s time to roast turkey and vegetables. Adding thyme to your dishes – especially those with meat and vegetables, and especially in soups – brings a savory, sweet earthiness to the meal. If you’re cooking Italian, consider oregano for a sweet, yet slightly peppery bite to your meal.

Enjoying a Smoke:

Perhaps it’s how the air smells in autumn, the cool temperatures, or the scent of wood crackling in fireplaces, but there’s just something extra cozy about lighting up some herbs in fall. If you have your own herb garden, you know it’s time to harvest your medicinal herbs like marshmallow, dandelion, echinacea, and valerian. Passion flower, hops, lavender, chamomile, and vanilla will be easy to find this time of year and a joy to include in any of your blends.

Enjoy smoking an herbal blend like Dream Lodge, with active ingredients of valerian, hops, wormwood, and tarragon and other ingredients like lavender, marshmallow, and passion flower. This blend is perfect for autumn, especially if you find yourself needing help relaxing your body and mind.

If you’re looking for something more invigorating, enjoy smoking an herbal blend like Amazon. With active ingredients of calamus, clove, passion flower, and vanilla bean, it’s a great autumnal blend that will have your mind and body finding balance and attentiveness.

The herbal blend Moon doesn’t use too many traditional autumn herbs – though there is a presence of lavender and passion flower – but it’s still a great choice to enjoy close to the autumn equinox when the harvest moon is rising. Bring yourself balance and calm while celebrating the changes in the world and the beauty of the brilliant and bright harvest moon.

Bolstering your Immune System:

With the weather changing and cold and flu season approaching, everyone’s immune system is about to struggle. When consuming herbs via food, steeped water, or smoking, you have the added benefit of strengthening your immune system. A few particular herbs to focus on for this particular purpose are echinacea and astragalus for an immune boost, rosemary for antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, oregano for antibacterial and antiviral, and thyme for vitamins and antioxidants. If you’re already fighting something off, add some sage, cloves, or lemon for an immune boost that also has soothing properties.

Warming up with Steeped Blends:

Autumn is the perfect time to curl up with a warm mug of your favorite beverage and enjoy the changing beauties of the outdoors. This is just another way you can enjoy herbs this autumn, steeping your herbs in hot water so you can sip on flavorful blends that can do anything from detox your body to bolster your immune system to help balance your body and mind or calm your spirit. Any previously mentioned blends will work just as well when steeped. If you enjoy the effects of one of the smoke blends like Dream Lodge, Amazon, or Moon, you can also find them in liquid form. If you choose to make your own blends, keep an eye on what we’ve suggested and what positive properties come with each. If you’re struggling with taste in your own blends, add cinnamon, ginger, and/or vanilla to help the flavor.

If you’re ingesting a new herb for the first time, it’s always a good idea to look into the herb beforehand. This is especially true when you’re taking prescription or over-the-counter medications as some natural herbs can interact with drugs.

Whatever your preferred method may be to enjoy your herbs, we at Bear Blend wish you a cozy, pleasurable, and healthy autumn!