5 Flowers Breast Massage Oil & Salve…. Violet, Red Clover, Dandelion, Calendula, St Joans Wort flowers are allies for the breasts. Many experience breast soreness & pain pre-menstrually or during menopause. Sometimes the pain is connected to congested lymph nodes, cysts or possibly tumor. We hear how important it is to do frequent breast self-exams, and it is important. Both to develop an intimacy with our own breasts & to notice subtle changes that occur throughout the moon cycle.
Massaging the breasts with herbal oil or salve helps the hands glide easily over the skin, & feels relaxing while feeling for any possible lumps. Violet, Red Clover & Calendula move stagnant lymphatic fluid. Dandelion, Violet, Red Clover all have an affinity for the breasts and have been worked with for centuries to treat breast pain, cysts, tumors & mastitis. St Joans Wort is a wonderful ally for nerve pain & trauma. These 5 flowers can also be drunk as a tea, to treat the breasts from the inside as well.
In Chinese Medicine, the Liver meridian flows into the breasts. So if there are breast issues, the Liver energy is stagnating & not flowing well. Liver energy is like the energy of Spring, a very creative energy that rises up & out, much like the plants rise up & out of the earth during Spring. That energy needs to sprout & grow freely. But if we feel repressed, supressed, exhausted, trapped or afraid to speak our truth, feel unsupported or unable to flow, our creative energy feels stuck & stagnates in the Liver meridian. This Liver Stagnation can cause many different symptoms, including hormonal imbalance and breast issues. So if we have breast pain or find a lump in our breast, it is good to yes see a Doctor, massage breasts & drink tea with herbal allies like the 5 flowers, and also ask ourself: Where do we feel stuck in our life? Are we afraid to speak our truth? What creative seed is trying to sprout? Where is our creative life force needing to flow? Do we feel exhausted, too exhausted to sprout & flow?
These questions are not judgements. Sometimes the liver pattern is inherited ancestrally. And reinforced societally.
To make the 5 Flowers Oil & Salve, you must first infuse the flowers into oil and then add beeswax to make the salve. I use olive oil for the flower infusion. First I make St Joans Wort oil by infusing fresh St Joans Wort flowers that have been picked on a bright sunny day into olive oil. The St Joans Wort oil must be made with fresh flowers, or it will not have a medicinal effect. I infuse the fresh flowers in olive oil for about 6 weeks in a bright sunny window. I fill the jar with flowers, cover in oil, and then put a paper towel over the top of the jar so that the moisture from the fresh flowers can evaporate. Every day I press down any flowers that may have risen to the surface of the oil. It is important that the flowers remain submerged under the oil so that mold does not form. After 6 weeks the oil is a bright red color. I strain out the flowers using a cheesecloth and sieve, and then let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add 10 ml liquid vitamin E per every Liter of infused oil. The vitamin E helps to act as a preservative.
Next I infuse the other 4 flowers, Calendula, Dandelion, Violet, Red Clover into olive oil. I work with dried flowers, so that there is no worry that mold will form. I put the dried flowers into a pot and then cover the flowers with olive oil. There should be enough flowers that when you add the oil, a knife will stand up when inserted into the flowers. Then place this pot into another pot with water, or a double boiler. Simmer for 1.5 hours on low. The water in the lower pot or double-boiler should be simmering, but you do not want your oil to boil or the flowers will burn. Make sure that no water accidentally splashes into the pot with oil. After 1.5 hours remove the pot with the herbs and dry off the bottom of the pot with a towel. Let the oil cool down a bit and then strain out the flowers using a cheesecloth and sieve. Once the oil has cooled to room temperature, add 10 ml liquid vitamin E per Liter of infused oil.
Next you will combine the St Joans Wort oil with the 4 Flowers Oil. The ratio is 1 part St Joans Wort oil to 4 parts 4 Flowers Oil. Now you have 5 Flowers Breast Massage Oil! Remember to label your 5 Flowers Breast Massage Oil. It is easier to massage the breasts with oil than with salve, but sometimes a salve is preferable. For example, if you are traveling and don’t want to risk spilling oil.
To make the salve you will combine the 5 Flowers Oil with beeswax in a pot in a double boiler over low heat. The ratio for any salve made with olive oil is about 750 ml of oil per 100g beeswax. However, this ratio forms a rather firm salve and I recommend using slightly less beeswax so that the salve has a more oily consistency, which will make it easier to massage into the breasts. First heat the oil in the double boiler, then slowly add the beeswax, stirring to melt the beeswax. You can test the consistency by dipping a frozen spoon into the mixture. The salve will immediately harden on the spoon, so you can rub the salve off the spoon onto your skin to check the consistency. If it feels too oily, add more beeswax. If it feels to hard, add more oil. I always put 3 or 4 spoons into the freezer before I make salve, so that I can check the consistency. But once you are pleased with the consistency, pour the mixture into little tins or glass containers. Let the containers sit several days to become solid, before putting the lids on. Store your salves in a cool dark place, like a cabinet. Remember to label them.
I think it is fine to massage the breasts every day with the oil or salve. Even massaging 2 or 3 times a day is fine when you want to help move stagnant lymphatic fluid that has hardened into cysts. For lymphatic massage, the touch should be very light. It is not helpful to do a deep or firm massage on the breasts, a light gentle touch is whats needed. Its also nice to drink a cup of the 5 Flowers Tea before or after your Breast Massage. This will help treat your breasts from the inside and the outside. It may take 2 or 3 months of daily care to resolve the pain. During this time, remember to support your liver with movement such as dance and walks in nature. As well, remember to ask yourself those very important questions written above regarding stagnation and new growth. And always remember that humans need each other, if you need the support of a counselor or herbalist or bodyworker or physician, or a dear friend or family member, do reach out and receive the support that you need. Blessings.
