Mini Series: Self-Care During Your Sacred Moon Cycle

Part 2: Herbal, Ayurvedic & Green Teas + Recipes

Krystal Ariel

Published in

Kiva Yoga Institute

4 min readJun 30, 2019

I recommend reading:
Part 1: Self-Care Rituals To Help You Relax & Unwind

…before reading this one. :)

Herbal & Ayurvedic Teas

Switching to a menstrual cup and cloth pads did ease a lot of the pain and bloating I experienced during my moon but I still felt heaviness, discomfort and every once in a while I’d experience pain. During times of intense pain, I seek medicine from natural herbs. In this case, tea.

Teas are really helpful during your moon. A cup of hot water by itself is warming and comforting. Throw in some magical herbs and you’ve got a medicinal recipe for ultimate self-care. There’s also something very soothing about taking the time to brew a cup, sitting in a peaceful place, holding the warm cup in your hands and sipping in silence.

Before we get into the teas, let’s get into some herbs and their benefits…

Moon Herbs

Green Tea Leaves:
Green Tea Leaves contains L-Theanine which is an amino acid found in tea leaf. L-Theanine is great during your moon because it is a natural mood booster and alleviates emotional stress. It allows more focus during the day and better sleep at night.
Ginger:
Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, which means it eases pain from cramps and other moon related symptoms. It lowers prostaglandins, which trigger inflammation and blood clotting.
Cinnamon:
Cinnamon is an anti-inflammatory. It improves circulation and optimizes blood flow throughout the body. This herb reduces pain and bleeding.
Chamomile:
Chamomile has a calming effect on the body. In Ayurvedic medicine, it balances both pitta and vata (the doshas associated with menstrual pain).
Fennel:
Fennel reduces the intensity of symptoms. It also helps with nausea, weakness, eases digestion.

Anise Stars:
Anise is used in many cultures to relieve menstrual pain. My Cuban grandmother personally gave it to her daughters and to me during our monthly time. In Ayurveda, anise star supports apana (downward flow of energy) and calms vata, which dominates all movement in the body.

Rose Petals:
Rose petals are calming. Specifically to pitta dosha. They help with menstrual cramping and pms related symptoms. Be careful not to brew tea with flowers that you bought from the florist. Maybe find a friend that has an organic rose garden or plant your own so you’re sure that no toxic chemicals or pesticides have been sprayed.

Now you know a little bit more about which herbs are most helpful during your sacred moon cycle. This was a mini list but the list of herbs and spices that are beneficial during your moon is long. Do your own research and look up ingredients that are readily available to you in your kitchen.

Here are some of my favorite tea recipes using the herbs I just mentioned.

Moon Tea Recipes

Chamomile Tea

You can use tea packets BUT if you have access to fresh chamomile, opt for that instead. Boil water and brew…
1 tbsp of buds for 5–8 minutes.

Femme Tonic

This is my own personal recipe for a tridoshic, Ayurvedic moon blend.
1 tbsp Fennel Seeds
3–4 Rose Petals
2–3 Anise Stars

Green Tea Chai

You can packets at the supermarket or find a local green tea vendor and add…
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cardamom
1/4 tsp ginger
Pinch of clove

My favorite part about working with herbs is that I get to mix and match depending on what flavors or benefits I wants to experience. Maybe take some time to play around with different mixtures based on colors, nutrients and effects. Speaking of nutrients…

Let’s geek out over essential nutrients and what foods to eat during your moon. Part 3: Essential Nutrients, Grocery List + Moon Meal Plan