Ripe & Ready with Raspberry
MIND
The brambles of raspberry, Rubus idaeus, and blackberry, Rubus fruticosus, seem to me a reflection of our brain, our mind. The canes can appear in many forms: wild and free, messy and tangled, trained and focused. This bitter, cooling, astringent ally is a tonic that requires balanced use. Too much can be drying, the right amount beautifully strengthens tissue. Physically the mature brambles make way and create protection for newer canes, so too, this is used by humans birthing to tone the womb and make safe passage for tiny humans to be born. While there is some contradictory information, traditional wisdom teaches that raspberry leaf is nourishing before, during, and after with proper dosage. It is rich in vitamins and minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, vitamins B, C, E, and rich in vascular protective flavonoids. You will find raspberry leaf in many of our daily nourishing teas!
“Red Raspberry is such a plant of abundance. While the fruit is delicious and packed with antioxidants, the leaf is a lovely, light aromatic with varied uses. I most commonly formulate with it as a uterine tonic and astringent herb, though it’s fluffy texture also works well as a base in herbal smoke blends. Raspberry leaf makes a beautiful infusion, hot or iced and tends to feel cooling and refreshing to the system.” Tasha
BODY
If you've had an unripe raspberry you know how sour and unpleasant it can be. You might even decide you don't like raspberries at all after one bad experience! But juicy, sweet, ripe raspberries can make your mouth water with joy and pleasure. Raspberry leaves that are too young, or have moved passed their prime readiness, though still lovely are not quite as floral or nourishing as those in the right time.
Yes, there is a season, a cycle, a rhythm for all experiences that is in right relationship or optimal flow. Encouraging sacred timing, strength and tone in the center, and preparing one to move in the right moment is the gift of raspberry.
What tone, nourishment, flow is your body calling for? What pace, rhythm, cycle, season are you in. Are you acting in ways that are aligned with this, or are you acting against this? How might you shift into what is healthiest and most resonant for you?
“Raspberry leaf has been used for centuries as a tonic for the female reproductive system, and is well-known for its gentle nurturing qualities. However, this powerful herb also benefits those without a uterus - it can strengthen the male reproductive system, and its high vitamin and mineral content makes it a wonderful nutritive for all bodies. It is safe for children, and when brewed as a tea, can help soothe a child’s upset stomach, or even be used as a mouthwash for canker sores and sore throats.” - Kelsey
SPIRIT
Raspberry is a wonderful ally for learning the blessing of balance and right relationship: too much or too little, too fast or too slow, too late or too early, each dichotomy finds ease in a middle ground. When we are seeking to tone our sense of internal rhythm, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually, raspberry is there to help show us the way, to help us create space for our authentic process. If you find yourself yearning to deepen into the flow of you, you are invited to journey with our beloved ally, raspberry.
Brambles and thorns also have a long history of magical and spiritual use. The rune Thurs ( |> ) has many traits including “thorny matters” and is represented by bramble plants. In this way, it shows about reactive versus directed actions. There is protection in the brambles too; they are considered a boundary medicine that helps us grown into our fullest and most expansive selves. In this sense protection is for something, not just from something. In fact, many of our revered healing allies have thorns, large or small. So, what thorny matters are you experiencing? What wild ways or remembrance of your whole self needs a boundary to be fully supported and realized?
“Raspberry is a helpful tonifying herb dispenced to aid digestive, urinary,and reproductive tissue. As a male repro tonic Raspberry supports prostate health and is indicated for BPH a prostate disease. Pairing with Garden Sage, and Saw Palmetto assist this action. Raspberry as a Flower essence assists in emotional release and is indicated for those who hold sour emotions, or store negative feelings from a past emotional trauma.” -Akil
“Raspberry has been a lifelong herbal ally for me; I grew up with a big patch below my bedroom window. As a child I would move my screen over and drop down into the bush to munch on the delightful berries. My mother always thought it was the birds gobbling them up before we got to them. Known to be a wonderful ally for pregnancy, due to its tonifying action, as well as being nutrient rich and for its help with easing nausea. Raspberry can help boost fertility and works well on this when combined with red clover. I love combining raspberry leaf with mint in the summer time as a cooling tea. Raspberry can be used as an incense when you need assistance setting boundaries. Additionally raspberry can be used in spells involving water or Venus, as it is associated with this element and planet.” - Lilli