Blessings on the first Full Moon of the Year – January 6 2023
New Creations
Raspberry plants have a strong resonance with birthing, and not just of babies. Birthing includes the idea of something coming into being that did not exist before. It could be a garden, a creative project, a new habit, or a friendship. It seems fitting for the new year and the first full moon to focus on raspberries and birthing.
The Raspberry Birth Connection
Midwives and herbalists have long recommended raspberry leaf tea to pregnant women. The leaves are rich in minerals including iron, calcium, and potassium. They are also high in vitamins B and C. Drinking raspberry leaf tea is credited with strengthening and 
toning the uterus and helping ensure a healthy pregnancy, labor, and birth.
Raspberry leaves provide solid nutritional support but they provide energetic support as well. We can invite the energy of raspberry into our lives to support any birthing process. One way to do that is to drink a daily cup of raspberry leaf tea to honor any new endeavors. (Raspberry leaves are easily found at your local herb store or in the tea section of your grocery store.) Taking the time to brew and sip tea, while aligning yourself with the energy of the plant, can point you in the right direction in supporting new projects.
What are You Bringing into Being?
Any new project has a gestation period – a time when the idea or project is unseen but growing and forming. As you sit with your tea and journal consider these questions:
- What new things are trying to birth in your life? (perhaps stronger friendships and community, improved health, more peace, better balance, a creative project, or a new job)
- How can you best support this birthing process? (Remember that raspberry leaves strength the uterus of pregnant moms. How might you strengthen your system to bring this concept into being?)
The heart of this practice is to identify what it is you want to bring into being. This is not always an easy task as we often have competing thoughts and responsibilities. So give yourself time with the first question – what do you want to bring into being? And the next step is to identify how you will nurture and sustain the process. This question is also challenging and may require time and energy to work out a plan. But this step of supporting the process is a key component.
You are shepherding something previously unknown into existence. Be patient but diligent. Let raspberry leaf tea guide you in this journey. Brew and sip your tea as you contemplate this new beginning and create plans for bringing the invisible into form.
Some Final Notes on Birthing Raspberries into your Garden
Raspberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow in the home garden. They need a dedicated area, but will then gift you with a steady supply of leaves for tea, as well as many sweet berries. And they very much lend themselves to a grazing garden where you can wander and just pick delicious edibles to pop into your mouth. I have two varieties in my yard – Fall Gold and Red Latham – and they provided prolific eating all summer and filled up my freezer. Probably the most important thing to consider is selecting plants that do well in your growing area. Your local extension office (find yours here) can provide details on varieties that do best where you live. You won’t be disappointed if you choose to bring raspberries into your yard.
if you’d like to subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss an entry, please use the box at the right.
Lunar Blog Post Series
This post is part of my lunar blog series. Each full moon I write about one of the plants featured in my book, Growing Mindful. Each new moon I write about a topic related to gardens, mindfulness, and spirituality. For more details and a list of past lunar blog posts, click here.
