Plants, Animals, and the Lessons They Carry

Plants and animals have always been a big part of my life.

From my mother’s wisdom with herbs to her willingness to care for every injured creature that crossed her path, I inherited both a reverence for the natural world and a tendency to step in as caretaker.

Sometimes, that care is beautiful. Other times, it edges into self-sacrifice, the kind where we give until we are depleted. There’s a shadow work nugget here: the urge to prove ourselves. “Don’t you see how much I care?” That seeking of misplaced validation.

If this feels triggering, that’s okay. Please know I am not judging you, and no one outside of yourself is either. Even if others have judged you in the past or may again in the future, those opinions only hold weight if you allow them to. Easier said than done, I know, but hang in there.

The truth is: awareness is the first step.

The patterns we inherit, whether from family or experience, live in us. They show up in our choices, our habits, our default ways of being. The beauty? No matter where we are in life, when we pause long enough to notice, we can start to shift. We can start to witness those thoughts, mindsets, and behaviors with the intent to understand and accept the happenings in our lives. I say this as respectfully as I can, for everyone experiences life differently.

This blog was inspired by a recent event. I’ll spare you all the details, but it started with a memory I had the I seemed to relive as I was remembering it.

When I was a kid, I stepped on a yellow jacket. My mother knew exactly what to do, without missing a beat, she mixed up a paste of plantain and baking soda, and pressed it gently to the sting. At the time, I didn’t realize just how deeply this moment would impact me. Not so much because it hurt, but because of how my mom handled it.

Years later, I found myself telling my yoga teacher how my mother had shaped my life in the most beautiful of ways, mentioning the yellow jacket story and how the women I surround myself with hold me and love me in ways I can’t describe. I kid you not, literally the same day, it happened again. I stepped on a yellow jacket while I was with her and a dear friend of mine.

This time, it was that dear friend who came to my side, who jumped right into action. She knew to search for the plantain growing nearby. Just like my mother once had, she tended to me with care, and I realized in that moment how life has a way of circling back, reminding us that the love we once received flows forward in the love we now allow ourselves to accept.

Practice Nugget for Today

Take a few breaths and reflect on the moments in your own life when you were held, tended to, or guided by others.

Ask yourself gently:

Where in my life am I still giving past the point of nourishment?

Do I recognize when my care crosses into self-sacrifice? And what would it feel like to offer care without needing it to prove that I am enough?

If you’d like, sit with these questions in stillness or journal them out.

Then place your hands over your heart, close your eyes, and breathe deeply into that space. With each inhale, remind yourself: “I am already enough.” With each exhale, release the need to prove it.

With all the love,
Alee

My Top 5 Plant Allies

My Top 5 Plant Allies

Since I was a child, herbs have been part of my life in quiet but meaningful ways. I remember warm milk with nutmeg at bedtime, cups of chamomile tea to calm me, and the wild remedies my mom made whenever I was stung or scraped. Everywhere we went, she pointed out plants and herbs, teaching me to notice them and trust them.

Over time it became more than just family tradition, it grew into a pillar of who I am and how I understand my connection to life itself.

As an adult, I began making my own oils and salves and came back to plants not only for their wellness benefits, but also as guides in my spiritual journey. I started to see how the same herbs that supported my body also supported my energy and spirit, just as my mom had always shown us in her own way. This path intertwined with my yogic lifestyle, where I found the same truth mirrored: that the body, mind, and spirit are always connected, and the practices that support one part of us ripple into all the others.

Over the years, I’ve come to lean on certain plants again and again. They are simple, gentle, and easy to find, yet deeply supportive on physical, emotional, and energetic levels. Today I want to share four herbs you can find in almost any store, and one that’s perfect to wildcraft for bee stings and bug bites.

From the left chamomile, calendula, lavender, rose

Chamomile: Classic Comfort

Before I ever tasted chamomile tea, my family used warm milk with a sprinkle of nutmeg to help me calm down and sleep. Looking back, I see this as my very first experience with the soothing power of simple kitchen remedies. Nutmeg carries a gentle, warming energy that protects, grounds, and comforts the spirit, making it a natural ally for rest.

Chamomile became the next step in that journey. I was about four or five when I realized how calm I felt after a cup of tea before bed. That ritual of slowing down and sipping something warm became an anchor in my earliest years.

Chamomile carries the energy of softness and surrender. It soothes tension, eases irritability, and helps the body shift into rest. It feels like being wrapped in a cozy blanket.

Traditionally, chamomile is used for digestion, sleep, and relaxation. Research supports its ability to calm the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and soothe upset stomachs.

Rose: Nourishing Love

Roses have always captured my heart. Their colors and fragrance lift me instantly, reminding me to slow down and pour love into myself for just a moment. They feel soft, kind, and loving.

Rose is the herb of the heart. It encourages compassion and self-kindness, almost like an emotional healing balm.

Rose petals are rich in antioxidants and can be used in teas, skin infusions, or aromatic blends. They support skin health, circulation, and overall vitality while calming the mind.

Lavender: Nature’s Relaxation

The smell of fresh lavender is something I never get tired of. It reminds me to exhale, soften my shoulders, and return to the present.

Lavender brings peace and protection. It clears scattered energy, balances emotions, and supports deep rest.

Lavender is widely used for stress relief, sleep support, and skin care. Its oils and teas are well known for calming the nervous system and relaxing muscle tension.

Calendula: Sunshine for the Body

Calendula feels like a little burst of joy every time I see it. Its bright orange-gold blossoms remind me of sunlight and warmth. I am always so grateful for its protective and healing benefits. Not super fragrant, but quietly beautiful and kind.

Calendula is associated with protection and vitality. It uplifts the spirit, inspires creativity, and protects from the inside out.

Calendula is best known for its skin-healing properties and is often used in salves, oils, and teas. It supports wound healing, soothes inflammation, and has gentle antimicrobial qualities.

Plantain: A Wildcrafted First Aid

Plantain was the very first herbal remedy I experienced. As a child, I was stung, and my mother crushed fresh plantain leaves with baking soda to make a quick poultice. I am most familiar with broadleaf, but the narrowleaf variation is just as powerful.

Plantain carries the energy of grounding and repair. It helps us release irritation, draw out what doesn’t belong, and nurture calm in the body and spirit.

It is one of the most common “sidewalk herbs,” often growing in cracks, yards, and fields. Plantain is known as a drawing herb, excellent for bug bites, stings, splinters, or minor wounds. Its leaves can be chewed or crushed and applied directly, or made into salves and oils.

Simple Wildcraft Remedy
Crush fresh plantain leaves with a little baking soda and water until a paste forms. Apply directly to a sting or bite and cover with a bandage. Reapply as needed until swelling or discomfort subsides. 

*Bonus for the all purpose power tea: Brew blend as directed allow it to cool, and use the cool liquid for a compress to help with swelling and discomfort.

My All-Purpose Power Tea Blend

These herbs can be used on their own or blended. I often combine chamomile, rose, lavender, and calendula into teas, oils, or bath infusions for physical, emotional, and energetic support.

Recipe for roughly 16 oz of tea.

1 teaspoon chamomile
1 teaspoon rose
1 teaspoon lavender
1 teaspoon calendula (one whole flower head)

Steep in 16 ounces of hot water for several minutes. Be sure to cover to keep in the delicate properties.

Adjust the amounts and steeping time and water level to your taste.

If available to you, add raw or manuka honey for sweetness and of course, it’s added health benefits!

Can be enjoyed in your ice tea, be sure to blend with your favorite green or black tea!

Chakra Connection Bonus

For those who love to weave herbs with energy work, here’s how these plants align with the chakras.

Chamomile supports the solar plexus. The energy is perfect for easing anxiety, restoring confidence, and helping you move from tension to trust.

Rose resonates with the heart, encouraging love, compassion, and emotional balance. It is also excellent for supporting root and heart chakra healing.

Lavender connects with the third eye, supporting clarity, intuition, and peaceful awareness.

Calendula aligns with the sacral, inspiring creativity, joy, and renewal.

Plantain grounds into the root, offering stability, resilience, and healing from the earth itself. It carries the energy of drawing, both drawing out and drawing in. It removes negativity and creates space for wealth, making it a traditional money-drawing plant.

And because plants always have a way of showing up beyond the “official list,” here’s a little bonus. Nutmeg connects with both the root and sacral chakras. Its warm, protective energy helps us ground, release tension, and encourage flow, while also carrying the essence of comfort and home.

Try It Yourself

Herbs are companions that meet us where we are, steady and reliable, always ready to bring balance. I encourage you to work with one or more of these plants and see how they work for and resonate with you.

Dive Deeper

Journal Prompt For You:

What is one plant ally that has been with you since childhood, even in a small way? How might you honor it now as part of your wellness journey? (Yes, that one tree in the neighborhood counts.)

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