Spirited Spirits: Group Hug
Ah, lemonade; the quintessential summertime drink of the United States. Whether it’s at a barbeque, brought to a picnic, or just kept in a cold pitcher on the porch, very few things compare with it’s thirst quenching and heat beating abilities. With this in mind, lemonade makes the perfect canvas with which we can add numerous intentions to. This one in particular adds chamomile, and is designed for sweetening moods, aiding in relaxation, and for promoting a sense of togetherness when shared.
The Ingredients
Lemon: The star of the show in this case. Lemon is renowned for it’s cleansing properties, helping to remove negative energies and emotions from a situation. With the context and intentions of sharing this, it can also help cleanse any negative emotions between the two people. As it helps brighten the drink, it also brightens and elevates moods, attracting positive energy to replace it. Beyond this, lemon is also great for promoting protection, love, and fidelity; all good things to share and enjoy with people you care about.
Honey: Instead of using a plain white sugar for this drink, we opted for honey instead for it’s extra level of spiritual sweetening it provides. Honey, when shared or offered as a gift, sweetens the mood of the person towards you or the group it’s shared with. It’s a great way to aid in bringing people together, regardless of how well they may know each other. It also has been used to help repair relationships, strengthen bonds between people, and for promoting prosperity. Again, all good things for people you care about!
Chamomile: The addition of chamomile adds a subtle floral note and an herbaceous bitterness to the lemonade. Chamomile is primarily known for aiding in sleep and relaxation. Some people use it a meditation aid, or to help protect from negative energies. Think of it as an ice breaker here: when shared, it helps remove any tensions in the gathering and allows people to feel closer.
When would I make this?
Although I doubt there’s any bad times to make this drink, this drink is specifically thought of to be made by the pitcher and shared in a group. Bring this to any sort of social gathering you can think of, whether it’s friends, family, or even coworkers getting together. The intentions work together on two main levels depending on how well everyone knows each other. For circles where everyone is really close to everyone, this helps elevates the mood and can help alleviate negative feelings that are being brought into the group. It leaves everyone feelings better, and provides a ton of general blessings and benefits for everyone there.
Where I really recommend this drink is for social gatherings where people might not be that close already. Maybe it’s a gathering of extended family that doesn’t meet very often, maybe you’re hanging out with new coworkers, or maybe you’re meeting a significant other’s friends or family for the first time. Sharing a drink like this will help alleviate a lot of those nerves of seeing people you don’t know well, and foster a stronger sense of togetherness than you might otherwise. Besides, who doesn’t like lemonade?
Personally, I plan on bringing this to a few picnics this summer. For other ideas on what to take with you, or what intentions might be there already, check out our previous post on intentional picnics here! Picnicking the Pagan Way
What else do you all like throwing in your lemonade to spice it up, or is there something you’ve always wanted to try with it? Let us know down below!
Group Hug
Ingredients
- 3 Qts Water
- 4 Chamomile tea bags
- 2 Lemons, zested
- 1 Cup of Honey
- 1 Cup of Lemon Juice
Instructions
- In a medium pan, add 2 cups of water, the lemon zest, and the honey.
- Heat and stir until all the honey is integrated into the water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and add the tea bags.
- Simmer for five minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Allow to cool to remove temperature, and strain. You can prepare and store this part ahead of time, or just to leave on hand.
- Add the rest of your water prior to serving, stir, and enjoy.