Elderberry
Sambuccus nigra
Adoxaceae
Physical use
The hero herb to call upon at the first sign of a sore throat or inflamed lymph node is elderberry. Science has now confirmed what traditional herbalists have known for centuries: the use of elderberry at the onset of a cold or flu can help reduce the duration and severity of illness. It also promotes sweating, which supports your body’s natural defence system, also known as the immune system. Elderberry helps clear a runny or blocked nose by reducing the production of catarrh and phlegm (pathogenic mucus secretions).
Conditions
- Immune support for bacterial and viral infections
- Protective to the heart and veins
- High antioxidant content which can be supportive in conditions of fragile capillaries, varicose veins, spider veins etc.
Thermal qualities
- Neutral to cool
- Mildly bitter
- Mildly pungent
- Sour
- Sweet
Chakra
- Throat
- Root
Energetic use
The Elder Tree is a symbol of wisdom, transformation, death, and deep magic. Folklore and fairy tales often portray this tree as a gateway to other worlds, to what some shamans call “non-ordinary reality.” It is the one to call upon at the end of a phase in life, as well as at the beginning of a major cycle.
Just as elderberries help move stagnant blood and fluids, any kind of emotional or spiritual stagnation can be shifted by seeking higher knowledge. We must allow our old selves to decompose before we can bloom into a new phase or way of being.
- Follow what you are curious about
- A wise guardian, assisting us as we step through the doorways of darkness
- Offers protection through cycles of transformation