Here is a little ode to Calendula 🌼 I adore these flowers. They have a sunny, joyful personality and disperse any sadness in the blink of an eye. At this time of the year, it is easy to discover their bright orange and yellow heads in wild gardens.

I remember the first time I used this plant for healing purposes. More than 20 years ago, my best girlfriend came back from the dentist with a swollen cheek. I asked her, how I could be of help and she said: “Find a garden and pick some calendula flowers. We can squash them and put them on my face.” Off I went. I knew exactly where to find the flowers. Just outside of my hometown, hobby farmers own some flower and vegetable patches. I was lucky to find an elderly lady in her garden amidst an abundance of calendula flowers, their heads glowing in the evening light. Long story short: I told her about my friend. She let me pick her flowers. I went back to my friend with a bag of scented sunlight. We made the paste, and the swelling was gone the next day.

Ever since this experience, just seeing the flowers brings delight and appreciation. Calendula is a soothing wound and skin remedy, able to heal all kinds of burns, swellings, bruises, stings, cuts and scratches. It‘s an essential to have in one‘s first aid kit, but can be used as daily skin care too. Making your own calendula flower oil is super easy.

🌿🌼

HOW TO MAKE CALENDULA OIL ~

Pick a few handful calendula flowers (heads only) at the peak of blossoming. Best time for harvest is around noon.

Brush off any dirt or bugs, but do not wash them.

Fill the whole flowers into a glass jar and cover with a high-quality organic oil. Use olive oil when making the oil to heal wounds. Use almond, jojoba or sesame oil when making the oil for daily skin use.

Let the jar sit at a sunny spot for 4-6 weeks. Shake the glas daily, or stir with a wooden stick.

Filter and fill in brown glas containers.

Use with appreciation and delight!

*

If you want to learn more about healing plants, their properties and usage, new ‘Ayurveda & Healing Herbs’ workshops and courses will be announced soon. Stay tuned!

Sundari Ma