Waking the Body After Winter
Winter teaches the body to hold. Shoulders creep up, the jaw tightens and our circulation slows. Spring is season of thaw, warmth returning and everything
Welcome—my name is Dave, and I’ve owned Mother Nature’s Remedy for the past 20 years. We’re a little herbal wellness center tucked in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, and I opened the doors with one simple hope: that people could walk in carrying heaviness… and leave with a little more light.
Over the years, I’ve come to think in what I call the Three T’s: Tea, Topicals, and Tinctures. They’re three different ways of working with plants, but if I’m honest—tea is where the relationship starts. Tea is the daily one. The steady one. The one that meets you right where you are.
Spring always makes me fall in love with it all over again. When the dark, damp days of winter lift, I feel it in my chest first—like the body wants to breathe wider. I start hiking more, chasing mountain sun, and I get back into the garden. Hands in the soil. Herbs going in. That moment when you feel earth between your fingers—there’s something grounding about it that no screen can replace.
One plant I return to again and again is lemon balm. I keep it close—grown, harvested, dried, and always within reach. It has this bright, gentle lemon-minty taste that feels like spring itself. On days when the mind is loud, lemon balm tea helps soften the edges. It doesn’t knock you out—it just brings you back to center, like a calm hand on the shoulder.
And when the day has been long, I’ll pair it with chamomile. Chamomile is comfort. It’s the warm blanket. Together, lemon balm and chamomile feel like an exhale—especially in the evening, when you want your nervous system to stop gripping so hard.
The truth is, I don’t just “make” herbal remedies—I live alongside them. The jars, the blends, the garden rows, the quiet cups between tasks… it’s all part of how I stay connected.
As always, listen to your body, go slowly, and do your own research—especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, have allergies, or take medications. Tea is simple, but your body is sacred.
Dave Slocum is artist and owner of Mother Natures Remedy in Woodland Hills, CA helping people to get in touch to move forward. mothernaturesremedy.com
Winter teaches the body to hold. Shoulders creep up, the jaw tightens and our circulation slows. Spring is season of thaw, warmth returning and everything
The first warm day doesn’t knock. It slips in through the window. Spring air feels different. It’s sweeter than winter. Brighter. You open something without
A spring sacred circle is simply an intentional gathering to help bring in change. It’s not a ceremony in the formal sense. There’s no script
I’ve been making mystical jewelry for many years here in New Orleans a city with deep esoteric roots and traditions. My workshop is my creative
Subscribe and receive every seasonal issue instantly — including access to the complete digital archive.
Annual Subscription: $40