🌘 Solstice – Tranquility, ritual and the quiet power of plants
On December 21st, the sun turns. We are in the longest and darkest nights – a time that invites us to calm down, reflect, and come home to ourselves before the light returns.
I received a text that touches on exactly this:
|
When I read this, something lands inside me. The darkness becomes an invitation to slow down – something I feel after a hectic autumn. Solsnureminds us of hope, cycles and that the light always comes back💜.
🌑 Darkness as nourishment – and the quiet magic of small rituals
We don't always need to go into the forest or light a big fire to feel connected to nature. Sometimes the deepest connection happens in the simplest things:
✨ when you rub something on your chest and feel the plants' heartbeat
✨ when you breathe in the scent of an herb that has been with humans for thousands of years
✨ when you let your body fall asleep because you remember that you are nature
That's exactly why I want to share my own little winter rituals with you – and what they do to me. Maybe they can become yours too?
🌼 Chamomile Balm – The small, soothing giant
This is not just an ointment. She is a sister, a support, a little altar candle in everyday life.
Chamomile balm is designed for much more than itching, rashes, dry skin, eczema and psoriasis. It is a soothing herbal friend , a safe haven you can lean into when the darkness calls for rest.
Below you can see some slightly different ways I use Chamomile Balm than what I first think of with this soft, green treasure.
✨ Morning ritual — “Near the earth, near myself”
Start your day by taking a little Chamomile Balm in your hands and rubbing them together lightly before raising your palms to your nose. Close your eyes and breathe in the warm, sweet scent of chamomile.
Then gently massage your neck, chest, diaphragm and stomach, and feel how your body settles, little by little.
I love starting the day like this. It's as if nature itself says:
“Here I am. I support you today too.”
“Here I am. I support you today too.”
✨ Evening ritual — “Soft transition to sleep”
Sit on the edge of your bed with a little Chamomile Balm in your hands and breathe in the same pleasant scent that greeted you in the morning. Feel the day letting go. Gently massage your feet, preferably a little extra on the heels, over the instep and each toe, and let your hands glide over your ankles with long, soft strokes.
Notice how your breathing deepens, your calm spreads, and your gratitude takes up space before night falls.
Chamomile is not only soft and gentle – it is one of our strongest sleep plants , as a fellow herbalist so aptly calls it:
Chamomile – Your midnight guardian.
This is partly due to Apigenin , the natural plant compound in chamomile that acts as a mild but effective sedative. A 2024 clinical review showed reduced nocturnal awakenings with chamomile.
I'm going to use Chamomile Balm a lot as a night cream from now on, because it can help me sleep better and deeper throughout the night without the multiple awakenings that typically come during hectic times. Feel free to apply it to your chest as well for extra peace.
|
🌼 Chamomile balm + Calendula Balm with Lavender — Night cream blend for inner peace
When I need extra support in the dark times (and I often do!) I make my own little mixture by hand:
• a little Chamomile balm
• a little Calendula Balm with Lavender
It becomes a little evening elixir - nourishing, moisturizing and endlessly soothing.
Lavender from our garden spreads a wonderful aroma.Lavender is one of the most research-backed plants for sleep, and the purple and deliciously fragrant flower is also important for anxiety.
Several clinical studies show that lavender essential oil improves sleep quality, calms anxiety and prolongs deep sleep, and Linalool – the superfood in lavender – lowers nerve pressure and gives the body a signal that it can safely fall asleep.
🌿 Body balm – Wild plants like rhubarb, sorghum and fenugreek help the body sleep
There's a lot of chamomile in the wonderful, supple Body Balm too. It's absolutely magical when I need to land – a soft, warm end to the evening when I'm in the bathroom. Here I get herbal medicine, stretching, breathing, grounding and calm all at once.
The body balm contains a whole bouquet of the wild plants we harvest here on the farm:
yarrow, red clover and St. John's wort.
St. John's Wort Picking for Body Balm💚Together with chamomile oil, they create a soothing symphony:
💚 St. John's wort – sleep-inducing, comforting and soothing for the nervous system
💚 Chamomile – relaxing and inviting into the night
💚 Red clover – circulation-promoting and balancing
💚 Yarrow – grounding, warm and relaxing
I use Body Balm in a very special way in the evening – and maybe you'd like to try it too?
You will be as soft as a kitty cat with Body Balm ✨ My bedtime ritual – so the body finds peace, and the mind follows
When I'm done with my evening routine, I take a small dab of Body Balm in my hand and do this:
I bend forward and let my upper body hang heavily over my thighs and calves, until my hands reach the bottom of my ankles.
In this position – where the back, pelvis, hips and back of the thighs are allowed to stretch –
I apply Body Balm to my calves, from the ankles up to the knees.
I apply Body Balm to my calves, from the ankles up to the knees.
I massage with slow, good strokes while I hang there. The body loosens up a little, and a little more, with each stroke.
Then I get up slowly – and feel ready for bed. I take St. John's wort, chamomile, red clover and yarrow with me into the night.
I feel the warmth and calm spreading through my legs – and then up into the rest of my body.
Many people use Body Balm in their everyday lives for dry skin, massage, leg cramps and muscle tension –
but in the winter darkness, she is as much a sleep friend as a skin friend.
but in the winter darkness, she is as much a sleep friend as a skin friend.
You can also try combining Chamomile Balm and Body Balm in your evening rituals 💚
|
🔥 Panther balm — Stimulating morning ritual
During the day, I alternate between Chamomile Balm and Panther Balm , depending on what I need.
When I feel that my body needs a lift, circulation and clarity – then it's Panterbalsam's turn.
Panther balm is also super nice to have in the sauna room!✨ Morning wake-up ritual:
In the morning, after massaging Sea Buckthorn & Nettle into my face, I take a little Panther Balm in my hands and breathe in the fresh, powerful scent of the herbs several times. Then I apply a thin layer to my forehead and over my eyebrows before massaging my chest and stomach.
It's as if the body opens up to these plants; a small daily reminder that I am nature, and that I can start the day with clarity, circulation, and a little lift from the herbal powers.
This is grounding for me.
A reminder that my body is nature, and that plants actually change my energy – for real. This is stress-melting . And maybe you feel the same?
|
❤️🔥 Sensual and Essential Sensual – Ritual for Darkness, Light and Coherence
In the transition between darkness and light, between Solsnu and the days when the light slowly returns, there is something almost sacred in turning towards sensuality. Sensual and Essential Sensual are created for intimacy – both with yourself and with a partner – but they are about much more than the physical. They invite connection, emotional presence, earth contact and life force.
When I use these products, I feel my heart soften and my energy take on a little spark in the winter darkness; a reminder of our senses, our bodies, our love, and what binds us together – both with each other and with the earth.
🌙 Herbs for deeper sleep – a simple recipe for winter nights
You can make a little “sleepover” with herbal tea:
Sleep that soothes and protects you into a good night:
🌟 1 tsp chamomile
🌟 1 tsp lavender
🌟 A little meadowsweet or lemon balm if you have it
🌟Stretch for 10 min
Drink before bed. Breathe. Let the darkness be dark – and good. You can combine this with Chamomile Balm on your chest and feet for maximum effect.
🌞 Solsnu – we are moving towards brighter days
On December 21st, something always happens in my heart. It's like my body knows it before the rest of me:
The light returns. The days long to stretch. Something new will sprout.
Let's celebrate it together.
With peace, with warmth, with plants – and with small rituals we do for ourselves and those we love.
With peace, with warmth, with plants – and with small rituals we do for ourselves and those we love.
Thank you so much for being a part of the Vossabia universe. I hope you feel inspired to find your own little winter magic moments.
And maybe find new ways to use our diverse and delicious products.
Want to share your own ritual? Maybe we'll learn some new uses for our own products? 💚🐝
Please respond to the email – I love hearing from you.
A light and warm Solsnu to you, from the heart and from the plants 🌞🌿
Please respond to the email – I love hearing from you.
A light and warm Solsnu to you, from the heart and from the plants 🌞🌿
Greetings from Renate 💛Queen bee 🐝 in Vossabia