Heres some recipes I came across on our state herb newsletter on how to make herbal sleep pillows. These can be tied to your bed post, tucked into your pillow case or under your pillow. Tuck extras into the linen closet where they will scent the sheets. The following recipes will fill several small pillows or one 12' to 14" pillow. These mixtures encourage sleepiness. Orris root should be used in pinhead or chopped form because powdered can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Refreshing Sleep Mix:
1/2 cup chamomile flowers
1 cup rosemary leaves
1 cup pine needles
1 cup lavender flowers
1 tsp. crushed anise
1 Tbs. pinhead orris root mixed with 4 drops bergamot oil
Sweet Hop Mix:
4 cups hop bracts
2 Tbs. ground allspice
2 Tbs. dried orange peel
2 Tbs. lemon balm or lemon verbena leaves
2 Tbs. pinhead orris root mixed with a few drops of allspice oil and a few drops neroli (orange blossom) oil
Flower-Mint Sleep Mix:
2 cups rose petals
2 cups spearmint
1 Tbs. ground cloves
1 Tbs. pinhead orris root
Herbal Sleep Pillows
These are supposed to be helpful in getting restful sleep and are also called 'Dream Pillows' to help soothe nightmares (the sentiment being that we associate certain aromas with pleasant (or unpleasant) happenings in our life experience). A couple of things to remember if you're very sensitive is to wash the fabric before making them, as dyes and sizing can cause headaches in some people and not to use oil, fragrance or essential oil in dream blends. Also be certain that your herbs and flowers have not been treated with any chemicals. One book on 'Making Herbal Dream Pillows' is by Jim Long, as well as two others he's written. He also has a website which is listed in the Garden Watchdog at:
www.Longcreekherbs.com
where you can get supplies of herb mixes or if you're time challenged, ready-made pillows too! and lots of other neat stuff.
Sweet dreams....
very cool thanks !!!! I will have to try that !!
Cottage Rose,
Where can you find "pinhead orris root"?
My local Health Food store only carries the powder. Do you have to find a "mystic" store to get it?
Here's a link for orris root granules...maybe it's 'pinhead'-sized granules, as orris root is from iris florentina.
http://www.frontiercoop.com/shop/merchant.mvc?
Frontier Bulk Orris Root Granules, 1 lb. package $24.65
Frontier Bulk Orris Root Powder, 1 lb. package $26.85
Frontier Bulk Orris Root, Cut & Sifted, 1 lb. package $21.30
Very cool thread! Thanks for the recipes and the link to buy Orris Root. I'm anxious to try these and I sometimes have trouble sleeping (menopause is a pain!). I love the idea of making sachets for the linen closet too!
Thanx for the link, jcangemi.
And thanx for the recipe, Cottage Rose
Cajun...you will most definitely want to check out Dr. John Lee MD website and learn of the wonderful benefits of topical all natural progesterone cream. I'm pretty much flying through menopause symptom free and no hot flashes. Progesterone cream helps you sleep too. Also take 1000 mg. calcium citrate and 500 mg. magnesium before bed. It helps you sleep and its good for your bones and heart.
Oh great, Rose! Thank you! I sure will be checking out his site (I'm sorry, but did I miss the link?)
Sure appreciate your advice here. I'm doing just OK thru menopause, but would just like to do what I can to make it easier on everybody else (lol wink).
HI C2. . . . .there's a wealth of info there. . .he was recommended to me by a dear friend last year after I had major surgery which plunged me into the big 'M' immediatelly. . . he also wrote some very informative books. .. Hope you get some help
.http://www.johnleemd.com/
i have an orris rooted iris in the garden somewhere...
if anyone wants one, bother me about it come spring, it is really easy to grow and multiplies rapidly.
DeepRoots, you may be hearing from me in the spring. I'd be happy to trade something for one or two... Right now I have some dwarf cannas for sure, and probably a few other things you might like.
ok, lets just see if the fire ants don't kill them....
i lost a huge clump to ants making a mound on them last winter.
I used to make these, loved them. I designed the rose garden specifically for fragrant roses to use for them, added orris, lavender and hops and let them blend for a while. The pillows were lace extravaganzas topped with a dried rose bud with a bow. Great gifts.
I make "nightshades"... good for the eyes and shutting out light and feels good. Just make a face mask of some very soft fabric and fill it with flax seed. Don't make it too heavy.