There’s a particular kind of chaos that lives in the modern day. It’s not loud, exactly. It’s more of a low hum, an undercurrent of constant doing, scrolling, refreshing, replying. The quiet panic of unfinished to-do lists and group chats left on “read.” Somewhere between my third cup of coffee and the fifteenth “quick check-in” email of the day, I realized that I had become the human version of a buffering symbol. Always spinning, never landing.

So, when I stumbled upon The Land of Milk & Honey Apothecary™, founded by herbalist and journalist Rachel J. Pilgrim, I wasn’t looking for another wellness product. I was looking for a pause button. Something that didn’t just sit prettily on my shelf but actually changed the rhythm of my day.

Enter: Elevate Tea and Rich Incense, a pairing so simple yet so utterly transformative that it made me rethink what “self-care” even means.

A Cup of Calm with a Side of Intention

Let’s start with Elevate Tea, because this little jar of herbs deserves a standing ovation.
The first time I brewed it, I didn’t light candles or set intentions or do any of those ethereal things we like to pretend we always do. I was standing in my kitchen in pajama pants, hair in a bun that had clearly given up, watching the water boil like a hawk because patience has never been my spiritual gift.

But even before the tea touched my lips, something shifted. The scent, herbal, grounding, a little sweet, felt like walking into a hug I didn’t realize I needed. The blend itself is a thoughtful mix of holy basil (tulsi), Oatstraw, and damiana, three herbs that sound like they belong in an ancient apothecary and yet somehow fit perfectly into the life of someone whose phone has 37 open tabs.

Holy basil is the calm friend who never raises their voice, no matter what’s going on.

Oatstraw is the nurturer: soft, gentle, and nourishing in the way a warm blanket feels on a rainy day. And damiana? She’s the one who whispers, “Relax, love, you’re safe now.” Together, they don’t just take the edge off; they remind your nervous system what peace feels like.

It’s not that this tea fixes your anxiety or makes the world less chaotic; it’s that it gives you a space to meet yourself again. You can’t rush it. You have to boil the water, steep the leaves, and wait. That’s part of the medicine.

Rachel calls Elevate a “nervine and adaptogenic” blend, which is just fancy herbalist speak for “plants that help your body chill out and find balance again.” But I’d describe it more poetically: it’s what happens when science meets soul over a steaming cup.

The Woman Behind the Ritual

Here’s where this brand really gets me: it was born from something real.

Rachel J. Pilgrim, journalist, herbalist, and founder of The Land of Milk & Honey Apothecary™, didn’t start this as a trendy wellness project. She started it in 2021 after being diagnosed with panic disorder and anxiety. Her healing didn’t begin with a prescription or a pricey retreat; it began with her grandmother’s wisdom, Florentine, an Antiguan nurse who loved tea and gardening.

That image alone undoes me a little: a woman surrounded by leaves, tending to her plants the way she tends to her spirit. There’s something deeply ancestral about that. Something that reminds me of the women in my own family who always seemed to have a tea, a prayer, or a story ready for any ache life could offer.

Rachel’s apothecary is built on that same principle: healing doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be intentional. She blends traditional Caribbean and African American herbal knowledge with modern research to support the nervous system in ways that are both soulful and scientifically sound.

Every detail, from the herbs to the packaging, feels like it’s been steeped in care. There’s even an affirmation printed on the Elevate tea packaging, an invitation to slow down and “speak life into yourself.” And honestly? That’s what this brand feels like. A gentle reminder to stop surviving your day and start savoring it.

The Smoke That Softens the Room

If Elevate Tea soothes you from the inside, Rich Incense transforms your outside world.
Let’s be honest, incense has a bit of a reputation. It can either smell like a yoga studio that forgot to open a window, or it can completely change the energy of a space. Rich falls gloriously in the latter category.

Made with natural ingredients and infused with lavender and cedarwood oils, it smells like what I imagine calm would smell like if you could bottle it. The lavender is soft and floral, gently wrapping around your senses, while the cedarwood brings this grounded, woodsy depth that makes you want to exhale in relief.

When you light it, there’s this subtle crackle and the faint curl of smoke that starts to spiral upwards, like the air itself is remembering how to breathe again. The scent doesn’t overwhelm; it lingers. It reminds me of the quiet after a rainstorm, when the air is heavy but hopeful.

Rachel designed it to “shift the energy of a space and clear mental fog.” And it does exactly that. For me, lighting Rich has become my way of drawing a line between productivity and peace. It’s my signal to the universe: “We’re done now.”

A Ritual in Two Acts

There’s magic in pairing these two, the tea and the incense.

It’s a small act of rebellion against the culture of constant doing. You light the incense, let the scent soften the air, and while it burns, you sip your tea slowly. One works through breath; the other through taste. Together, they become a dialogue between your body and your space.
Fifteen minutes. That’s all it takes.

Fifteen minutes where your mind isn’t running laps. Where you’re not refreshing your inbox or mentally rewriting a text you haven’t sent. Fifteen minutes to just exist.

It’s not about the performance of self-care; it’s about the practice of it. The kind that doesn’t need to be photographed or hash tagged. The kind that’s just for you.

And that’s what The Land of Milk & Honey Apothecary™ does so beautifully. It gives you permission to make wellness ordinary. To let calmness live next to your coffee mugs. To find meaning in the mundane.

The Science of Surrender

Now, because I’m a bit of a nerd (and Rachel clearly is too), I appreciate that there’s actual science backing up the poetry.

Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) is known as an adaptogen; it helps the body regulate stress hormones and return to equilibrium. Studies show it can support mood and reduce anxiety symptoms.

Oatstraw (Avena sativa) contains minerals that nourish the nervous system and support recovery from burnout. It’s like nutrition for your nerves.

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) has long been used as a mood enhancer and gentle relaxant, promoting emotional balance and well-being.

These herbs aren’t random; they’re synergistic. They work together, amplifying each other’s effects while keeping the blend gentle enough for everyday use.

As for Rich Incense, lavender and cedarwood both have strong grounding properties.

Lavender has been shown to lower heart rate and reduce anxiety, while cedarwood’s earthy aroma helps promote clarity and focus. So yes, the calm you feel isn’t just imagined, it’s chemistry.

But beyond all that science, there’s something intangible happening too. A small act of care that re-teaches your brain safety, one breath and sip at a time.

My Own Ritual

I’ve started keeping both the tea and incense on a small wooden tray by my kitchen window. It’s my “reset station.”

Every afternoon, around the time my brain starts to fray at the edges, I take five minutes to make a cup of Elevate Tea. I light the Rich Incense while the water boils. I open a window, let the smoke curl into the air, and just… watch.

No phone. No agenda. Just me and the sound of water, the smell of cedarwood, the slow, unfurling calm that only plants can teach you.

It’s become my favorite part of the day, the little in-between moment that catches me before I unravel. It’s amazing how such small things can make such a big difference.

What Makes This Brand So Special

In a world where wellness often feels like a luxury, The Land of Milk & Honey Apothecary™ feels like an invitation.

Rachel isn’t selling you a transformation in a jar. She’s reminding you that you already have everything you need; you just have to make space for it. The tea and incense aren’t the magic. You are. They just help you remember.

There’s also something deeply communal about this brand. TLMH doesn’t just sell products; it collaborates with local therapists and wellness spaces to make herbal mental health support accessible. It’s not about gatekeeping wellness; it’s about sharing it.

This is what the wellness industry has been missing: heart. Context. History. The kind of healing that honors the women and ancestors who taught us that tending to ourselves is not indulgence, it’s survival.

My Takeaway

The first time I tried Elevate Tea and Rich Incense, I thought I was just buying two new self-care tools. What I actually got was a ritual.

It reminded me that calm isn’t something you chase, it’s something you cultivate. It’s a cup of tea, a wisp of smoke, a few deep breaths, a whisper that says, “Come home to yourself.”
I’d give Elevate Tea a solid 10/10 for both its flavor and its effect. It’s soothing without being sleepy, grounding without being dull. And Rich Incense? Another 10/10. It smells expensive without being overpowering, natural without being too “earthy.” The perfect blend of clarity and comfort.

Together, they’re not just products, they’re an experience. A reminder that your emotional well-being doesn’t have to come from grand gestures. Sometimes it’s just a mug and a match away.

So yes, I still have my chaotic days. I still scroll too much, overthink too often, and drink more caffeine than I should. But now, I also have a ritual that brings me back, a sensory little ceremony of tea and smoke that tells my body: We’re safe now.

And that, truly, feels like the sweetest kind of healing.