Thyme is such a magical herb. It's pleasant smell is earthy, but also fresh. It reminds me a little bit of the smell right after it rains in the summer. Thyme is also delicious and has quickly become one of my all-time favorite herbs. It also has a fascinating history, and as someone who is interested in botany and biology, I had a lot of fun digging into thyme's history for this post.
Look how pretty that thyme is!
Thyme has been known and used for protection and healing for thousands of years. Here are some facts about time, according to history.com:
*Ancient Romans used thyme not only to purify their rooms, but also to flavor food.
*The Ancient Greeks used it as incense and in their baths. They believed that thyme represented courage. *Ancient Egyptians used it when embalming.
*Thyme was used to help fight nightmares in Europe in the Middle Ages; they would place it under their pillows. During this time, thyme was used again as incense, but during funerals to help the dead safely find their way to the afterlife.
*Thyme was used a lot during the Black Death in poultices as well as other remedies.
*The Victorians loved thyme as well. It was said that if you found a patch of thyme in the woods that fairies must have partied and danced the night away right on that spot.
*Witches still use thyme in their ritual practices. If you'd like to read more about how thyme can be used in witchcraft, check it out here (it also has a medicinal honey recipe):
Fairies clearly knew how to have a good thyme.
Aside from the spiritual side, thyme has some antiseptic properties, thanks to the chemical compound thymol present in this herb. Before antibiotics were created, thyme oil was used on bandages. You've probably used thymol before and didn't even realize it! You can find thymol in hand sanitizer, acne medication, and mouthwash. It always amazes me how humans figure out how to use plants to help them!
Lookin' good, thymol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymol
So, why the "thyme" part in Pear and Thyme? Well, I want to channel that protection and courage in my blog. Embracing my body takes a lot of strength. I hope that my words can help to make change for fat people, a sort of protection. But having a plus sized-focused blog is also a way to protect myself from my own hateful thoughts and ideas about my body. It definitely boosts my self-esteem and confidence! I also have been focusing a lot on the spiritual side of my life, and I've found a lot of comfort and peace in my own rituals that aren't governed by guilt or shame.
Living a life based on overwhelming shame, fear, and guilt is pretty much like having this lady in your head 24-7. And what kind of life is that?
Have you used thyme a lot in your cooking or otherwise? What's your favorite herb, and what do you like to use it for? What do you do in your daily life for protection and courage? It's normal to feel some amount of fear from time to time to keep us safe, but too much can be debilitating. Do you ever feel like feelings of shame and fear have held you back from living your best life?
In case you want to read more about thyme:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyme