Mortar and pestle
Making medicine with a mortar and pestle is an ancient healing art. As you grind herbs for tinctures and infusions, you carry forward Native American ancestral shamanic healing. With a mortar and pestle, you invest yourself in the medicine you make.
Materials
A mortar is the bowl and a pestle is the grinding tool. A standard mortar and pestle set is made of marble, porcelain, lava stone or granite. These materials will not stain, won't absorb the materials you grind, and can withstand hard materials without denting or flaking. Avoid absorbent materials, such as wood. You do not want herbs to transfer from one grind to another.
Use
When making medicine, grind small amounts of ingredients in the mortar. Begin by pressing down on the herbs with the pestle. If you have to break up hard ingredients, move the pestle to press the ingredients to make them finer. Complete the process by rotating the mortar over all of the ingredients until ground to the necessary consistency.
Tincture
Medicine Woman Tradition (see References) offers step-by-step instructions to make yerba mansa tincture. Yerba mansa tincture is used as an astringent and an antiseptic and may help heal deep cuts or upper respiratory ailments. Measure out 2 oz. of yerba mansa and 10 oz. of menstruum (alcohol and water in a 60/40 ratio). Use your mortar and pestle to grind the yerba mansa before adding it to a 12 oz. glass jar (the size of the jar can vary but you don't want too much air space between the mixture and the lid). Add the alcohol solution. Cap the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dry place for two weeks to two months. Press all liquid from the yerba mansa to harvest the tincture.
Infusion
Make herb-infused honey. Fill a mason jar with a dried herb. According to Medicine Woman, use rose petals for burns and infections. Elderberry honey stabilizes your immune system, energizes and can be used to treat wounds. Fill the jar about halfway with herbs. If you use a root, use less than if you use flowers. Grind roots or other tough matter with your mortar and pestle. It does not have to be finely ground, just enough to open it and break it down. Grind flowers or leaves to a finer texture. Push the herbs down in the jar to make more room. Add raw honey until the jar is full. Store in a warm place for about six weeks or until the honey tastes like the herb.
Tags: mortar pestle, yerba mansa, mansa tincture, Medicine Woman, your mortar, your mortar pestle