Self-Love in a Bottle
- Fabienne
- Aug 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 3
A Sunny Potion to Support Your Healing and Your Pet's Calm
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give to those around us -- animal companions included -- is our own healing.
When we begin tending to the parts of ourselves long left out in the cold, something shifts in the world around us. Our animal companions feel it too. Because healing doesn't happen in isolation, it ripples outward, softening the relational spaces between us.
If you’ve ever watched your animal relax more deeply, as you finally exhale… or seen them become more playful once you’ve cleared an emotional fog… you already know this: When your nervous system finds more safety, theirs can too. The Self-Love Potion I am going to introduce you to, is not for them, it’s for you. But the calm, grounded presence it fosters becomes a shared gift.
Trauma Patterns and the Nervous System
In trauma recovery, we often talk about survival strategies. Some of them could be pleasing, caretaking, rescuing... maybe you relate? These are adaptive responses and they once kept us safe. But over time, they can disconnect us from the most essential relationship of all: the one we have with ourselves.
The nervous system plays a central role in this. When we’re caught in hypervigilance or codependent patterns, the body rarely feels safe enough to rest. Self-love becomes an abstract concept, far removed from the day-to-day urgency of keeping everyone else okay.
This is where ritual and plant support can help invite us back.
From "Daring to take up Space", by Daniell Koepke
It's not just okay to make self-care a priority -- it's imperative.
You're allowed to put your needs first.
You're allowed to say no to people.
You're allowed to turn down plans and take longer
and go more slowly.
You're allowed to give yourself the majority
of your time and energy.
That isn't selfish and it doesn't make you a bad person.
It's self-care, and it's survival.
You don't own it to anyone to sacrifice
what you need to cope and survive.
You can't pour from an empty cup.
You can't effectively take care of other people
if you aren't first taking care of yourself
and your own needs.
Your self-care is fundamental to being a source of care and support of others.
Shrinking and ignoring
your needs helps no one.
Herbs for Self-Love and Solar Strength
The herbs in this blend are all connected to the sun and Venus; symbols of warmth, vitality, beauty, and heart connection. In sensory herbalism, these plants are known to uplift the spirit, soften inner harshness, and restore connection with joy, sensuality, and self-worth.
They don’t force healing, but remind us of who we are beneath the survival story.
Ingredients (for humans only):
4 tablespoons dried Damiana
4 tablespoons dried Calendula
1 tablespoon dried Rosehip
1 tablespoon dried Rose petals
1 tablespoon dried Chamomile
2.5 dl Vodka
How to prepare:
Mix all the dried herbs in a sterilized jar and cover them with about 250 ml of Vodka.
Since the herbs will absorb the liquid, keep adding Vodka throughout the day until all the herbs are fully saturated and covered (this may take up to 2.5 dl).
Close the lid and shake the jar gently.
Store the jar in a cool, dry place and shake (or gently turn) it daily.
After 4 weeks, strain the potion into a brown glass container or bottle.
Take a few drops several times a day as needed.
Nervous System–Loving Actions of Each Herb
Herb | Emotional & Nervous System Support |
Damiana | Uplifts the mood, supports nervous exhaustion, gently opens the heart and sensual self. |
Calendula | Brings light to inner darkness. Energetically cleansing and emotionally warming. Supports gut-nervous system link. |
Rosehip | Strengthens inner resilience, rich in Vitamin C (supports stress recovery). |
Rose petals | Calming and heart-opening. Eases grief, self-doubt, and emotional constriction. |
Chamomile | Soothes anxiety and restlessness. Supports digestion and sleep; gently grounds overactive energy. |
A Ritual for Receiving
You don’t have to do anything special to "earn" self-love. But inviting it in with intention helps retrain your nervous system to receive.
While taking your drops, you might place one hand on your heart, one on your belly, and speak gently:
I am safe to care for myself. I am allowed to receive. I am worthy of tenderness.
Let your animal companion lie beside you, if they choose. They’ll feel the shift.
Because as you soften, they settle. As you remember your worth, they no longer have to carry what you’ve forgotten.
The Deeper Thread
In my work with humans and animals, I witness again and again that our companions often carry the echoes of our own emotional patterns. Not out of duty—but out of love.
And when we meet our inner world with compassion, something shifts in them too. As we release, they settle. As we come home to ourselves, they come home too.
If your animal has been guiding you toward something deeper, trust that. They already sense who you're becoming, and they walk beside you, not behind.
If this stirred something in you, I invite you to explore my sessions and offerings for healing the human–animal bond. You don’t have to walk the path alone. And you never have.
With warmth and possibility,
Fabienne
The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases. The statements on this website/blog/shop have not been evaluated by any Swiss or international authorization and supervisory authority for drugs and medical products.
Do not use herbal products on children, or if you are nursing, pregnant, taking medications, or undergoing treatment for any medical condition, without first consulting a healthcare professional.
