The Traveller’s Fortitude
There are journeys that demand more from the body than the spirit expected.
Dust in the lungs, cold in the bones, tiredness that settles behind the eyes like sand.
This tincture was made for those long stretches - the days of shifting weather, shared cups,
crowded rooms, changing climates, and relentless movement.
Not a shield of fear, but a quiet strengthening - a steadying of the body’s inner defenses,
so the traveller can continue with confidence.
The Caravan Guard Tincture
Strength • Immunity • Endurance of the Body
Old-World Origin
On the colder mountain passes - from the Rif peaks to the Pyrenean trails - healers prepared warming
brews rich with resin, evergreen leaves, and hardy desert herbs. Thyme for strength. Rosemary for breath.
Oregano for the deep cleansing fire. These herbs were carried like currency, traded beside wool,
salt bricks, leather boots, and dried figs.
The caravan didn’t just depend on strong feet - it depended on strong lungs.
This tincture honours those mountain botanicals that protected travellers from the elements.
Ingredients (120 ml)
Herbs
✶ 1 tsp dried wild thyme
✶ 1 tsp dried rosemary
✶ ½ tsp dried oregano (strong, use sparingly)
✶ ½ tsp juniper berries (crushed)
✶ 1 small bay leaf
Alcohol Base
✶ 150 ml French Calvados (apple eau-de-vie, warming and ancestral)
-or-
✶ 150 ml high-quality grappa (if Calvados is unavailable)
Non-Alcoholic Base
✶ Raw apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
✶ ½ tsp raw honey or date honey (optional)
The Preparation
Crush juniper berries gently. Add all herbs into a clean glass jar.
Pour over the Calvados or grappa until everything is submerged.
Seal, then wrap the jar in a piece of wool cloth - mountain travellers
believed herbs kept their strength when held against warmth.
Steep for 30 days in a cool, dark place. Shake gently every 3-4 days.
Strain through muslin, bottle in amber glass, and mark with a symbol of resilience
(a single mountain line, a small circle of thorns, or a leaf with veins).
How to Use
✶ 2-3 drops at the first sign of tiredness
✶ 3-5 drops in warm water with lemon
✶ 1 drop behind the ears before cold weather or crowded spaces
✶ 3 drops daily during long travel cycles
Symbolism
✶ Wild Thyme - courage of the body, microbial cleansing
✶ Rosemary - breath of clarity, guardian of the chest
✶ Oregano - fierce protector, internal fire
✶ Juniper - purification, boundary of the body
✶ Bay Leaf - triumph & health in ancient trade routes
✶ Calvados - distilled fruit of winter, ancestral warmth
Intention
"May my lungs stay clear, my body strong, and my journey uninterrupted."
Author’s Note
This tincture emerged from my winter crossings - when the chill clung to the bones and breath felt too thin.
It remains a quiet protector in my traveller’s apothecary.
CaravanSerai Gypsy