“Better mood? Better energy? Better sex? I thought, sign me up!"
Certified Reiki Master Teacher and herbalist Colleen Ordonio opens up about her ever-evolving relationship to self-care and her passion for Pine Pollen - an adaptogen which in her words "lifts the veil and allows you to see, breathe, and feel with clarity.”
Colleen shares a potent recipe for a Pine Pollen Oxymel - inspired by the ancient Greek remedy using herbs, acid and honey - to increase energy, creativity, and libido - we are making this immediately.
Colleen's Inspiration
I’m in favor of self-care. We take this phrase for granted, “self-care.” We put on a face mask and call it self-care. We get bottomless mimosas and call it self-care. We binge watch our favorite hospital-based drama on Netflix and call it self-care. And while I am no stranger to face masks, mimosas, and Netflix - I firmly believe that self-care requires a sacred container in which we set. A sacred container that allows us time to be present in an act of compassion to better our longevity, balance our stress, and soothe our hearts.
I’m a multi-tasking, traveling, teaching, and experimental friend, lover, and dog mom of two. Wearing a lot of hats calls for real, aggressive self-care experiences to find balance of yin to my yang. I found myself diving into “self-care” practices that soon turned into indulgences that turned into a mess of slowing down to the point where I just stopped. The stress flowed in, the weight came on, the fatigue and lethargy increased, so my tasks, travels, classes, my experiments and relationships became nothing short of “going through the movements.”
Pine Pollen came in like a breath of fresh air. Better mood? Better energy? Better sex? I thought, sign me up. After nearly six months of a break, I called in Pine Pollen.
It was time for a new herbal ally.
Pine Pollen is a potent, sensual, and playful adaptogen that brought me back to life. With powerful aphrodisiac properties and support for healthy metabolism, circulation, and the overall immune system, Pine Pollen brings rejuvenation to the entire body and mind. Containing constituents to raise dopamine levels (hello happiness!) as well as providing a boost in testosterone to balance out levels of lowly-hormones, this nutritious herbal ally has infinite healing benefits for anyone in need of revitalizing.
The energetics of this beautiful ally were radiant, supportive, and nourishing. With tons of nutrients in tow - I’ve found that Pine Pollen, with consistent use, definitely increased my creativity, my libido, and overall energy levels (I made it off the couch and to the gym!) with massive increases in my overall mood. I felt like myself again. I was back. I saw, I felt, I inhaled clarity with every breath. The veil had been lifted. This is self-care.
To do this, I dove in deep with this for a month by introducing it into my daily practices. My favorite method? The Pine Pollen Oxymel.
Pine Pollen Oxymel
Oxymel is derived from the Greek word oxymeli, which translates to “acid and honey.” It has been documented and used from the age of Hippocrates as a method of taking herbal remedies that have strong tastes or aromas...
Ingredients3-4 tbsp. Sun Potion Pine Pollen apple cider vinegar* organic honey* *(equal parts, about 1/4 cup each) |
MethodIn a clean, dry mason jar (I used a pint jar), place enough dried herb to fill the jar ¼ of the way full Use equal parts vinegar and honey to completely cover the herbs until the jar is slightly less than full (you’ll need room to stir/shake) you’ll be looking to have a ratio of 1 part herbs, 2 parts honey/vinegar Stir the mixture with a clean, dry spoon to combine all of the ingredients well Close the jar tightly by screwing on the lid and shake well Store the jar in a dark, cool place and shake every couple days option 1 Strain the mixture after 14 days and place in a dropper bottle option 2 Don’t strain, and mix well before dividing into dropper bottles + shake well before consuming |
DosageStart low, to gauge how your body reacts. feel free to increase at your own discretion Low: 1 tsp. per day / Med: 2 tsp. every 8 hours / High: 1 tsp. three times a day |
