i.y.a.r.- herbs and healing

1 iyar 5781

it is rosh chodesh iyar (the first of the month of iyar). iyar is known for being a month of healing because of the proliferation of herbs that are coming up during this time. the famous sage reb nachman said 'iyar' is an aconym for a phrase form the torah talking about the healing powers present in the world (not trynna get preachy).

in honor of iyar, i want to make this post about healing.

i try to think of tea as medicine in my life. i try to think of weed in the same way as well as other plants and herbs. yes, tea is a drug, but there is a fine line between drug and medicine (my non-professional opinion is that the difference lies in dosage but that is still a pretty lame definition). 

 

this is something that is especially true during the winter months. i get depressed in the winter. it is the lack of sunlight, the cold, and the more time spent indoors. on a very basic level, my energy goes way down in the winter and it is harder to motivate myself to even do basic things like feed myself well. i love doing gong fu cha while i am preparing dinner. i will also drink tea to help motivate myself to go for a long walk. i especially like tea for helping me with my writing or even while i do research for writing (not this blog, my more serious recreational writing). tea also helps make sure i stay hydrated in the winter where i have little desire to drink water.

 

i approach weed in a similar way. i will roll a spliff to help motivate me to go for a long walk. weed helps me with my prayer and meditation. tea and weed are a winning combo for me and my writing practice too.

 

on the very basic level these drugs help me do things that are good for me and they help me enjoy doing those activities. but what is the difference between drinking tea to help motivate/energize me or to help with my depression and drinking tea for the sake of having the fanciest expensive gushu? 

 

for some people, tea is for a level of enjoyment and pleasure. these people are connoisseurs and can appreciate the finer things. i have had fancy food and i have had trashy food. what makes a meal truly enjoyable for me is the experience. no matter how ‘good’ the food is, i prefer to eat with good company and in a good setting full of fun, warmth, joy, and laughter. sensory pleasures, for some, is about enjoying the moment and fully appreciating our corporeal world and the beauty it has to offer. yes, good tea can be wonderful but enjoying tea just for its inherent quality feels a bit lacking to me just like the fancy restaurant that is missing some soul. so if company and atmosphere improve my meals, does company improve my tea drinking? yes and no.

 

i love drinking tea with others but i also enjoy it as a solitary experience. the same goes for weed. i enjoy my private introspective time. i pray, i meditate, i go out in nature, i sing, and i write. these activities are all enriching and fulfilling things to do. these activites are crucial elements that help bring joy and peace to my life and good tea and good weed make them better.

 

i have my weed/tea for when i am being social and hanging out and i have my weed/tea for when i want my alone time. they are different experiences and they are each beautiful in their own way. now if only i could get my health insurance to cover gushu from 500 year old trees…

xoxo,

atzei besamim