Why Salvia?
The Wikipedia Etymology
The name Salvia ("salviya") derives from the Latin salvere ("to feel well and healthy, health, heal"), the verb related to salus (health, well-being, prosperity or salvation), referring to the herb's healing properties. Pliny the Elder was the first author known to describe a plant called "Salvia" by the Romans, likely describing the type species for the genus Salvia, Salvia officinalis.
The common modern English name sage derives from Middle English sawge, which was borrowed from Old French sauge, and like the botanical name, stems from Latin salvere.[6][7] When used without modifiers, the name 'sage' generally refers to Salvia officinalis ("common sage" or "culinary sage"); however, it is used with modifiers to refer to any member of the genus. The ornamental species are commonly referred to by their genus name Salvia.
The name Salvia also means healer in Latin, This is the old name for sage with medicinal properties, and is a cognate with the word ‘salve’.
The Sage plant, (part of the Salvia family) is used in many cleansing rituals as well as in cooking.
Sage in Hindi is Saadhoo or wise person, saint or hermit. A mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom.
There are about nine hundred species of mint like shrubs make up the very large genus Salvia. The name Salvia comes from the Latin word meaning “to heal”. There are three main branches of Salvia: the largest is found in Central and South America, with approximately five hundred species; another in Central Asia and the Mediterranean has about half that number; and one in East Asia has around one hundred species.
A few years ago, my partner Glenn and I were walking the dogs along the river and we were playing with ideas and names for a website I was thinking of creating. I wasn’t sure which direction I planned on taking it, if I wanted to focus primarily on teaching yoga, mentoring teachers or if I considered adding reiki, and chakra balancing. We both had this idea of working from home one day; Glenn, doing therapy with his clients (he’s a counselor) and me teaching yoga. We live in a cozy house on a river in Northwest Indiana. We have a large yard and thought it was a beautiful space that would offer peaceful walks and private conversation as well as an abundant space for yoga classes, workshops, meditation and reiki sessions. (He is also a reiki master). Glenn pointed out all the salvia/sage plants growing on the property and that is when Salvia Wellness was born. I love word play, and I felt that Salvia (not to be confused with salvia divinorum!) and sage had definitions that fit with my intention as a teacher. There’s a bit of a rabbit hole you go down when you discover the etymology of a word. There’s a history. A story. And in that story, you learn something, sometimes you learn a new word, sometimes you learn a new way to define yourself. Maybe in that act of defining, you heal yourself. And who doesn’t love a good story?
