Animal Totems

It is said that we have several animal protectors that come to us in times of need to teach us lessons in life. These totems can be found through meditation or through the frequent appearance of them in your life. If you keep stumbling across an animal, either in real life or virtual life, it could be that totem is trying to tell you something. Pay attention!

Skunk has been with me since childhood. I never paid much attention to him until a few years ago. I stumbled across the meaning of a skunk totem and I was taken by him:

The skunk is a very powerful totem with mystical and magical associations. It teaches how to give respect, expect respect and demand respect. This totem helps you recognize your own qualities and assert them. Skunks are fearless but very peaceful. These are two wonderful qualities that you can learn from your skunk totem. If you have skunk medicine will find that the use of fragrances will elicit dynamic responses in the people around you. Your sexual response will be heightened and you will have a greater ability to attract people. Individuals with a skunk totem must learn to balance the ability to draw and repel people. Skunks remind us that there is a time to be with people and a time for solitude. Skunks are silent animals and through their silence, they teach us not to brag --it will push people away rather than attract. People will notice you without any help.


A few years ago I saw a dead skunk on the side of the road. I pulled over and made my daughter pick him up for me. He's in my freezer right now but in a few weeks I am going to a brain tanning workshop and he's going with me. I WILL come home with a tanned skunk pelt to put on my altar. I cannot wait!


Swallow has flown into and out of my life since childhood as well. Every spring I eagerly await their arrival and the day they no longer fly through the air around our barn my heart feels a little heavy. I could just stand and watch them fly around for hours. They are so carefee and joyful, dipping and swooping. Their ability to take bits of mud and dried grass to build a nest on the rafters is amazing. 


This totem heralds the arrival of summer and brings warmth and protection to your home. It also tells you to pay close attention to conversations - are you saying more than you should? Are you listening closely to what others have to say? Swallow also brings a warning to not let small things get to you - don't let the mundane activities of life take up all you time and prevent you from moving forward. Rise above the small stuff and you will gain a better perspective on your life. The key is objectivity.


 Our cat once caught a swallow. He was still alive so I was able to rescue him and let him fly away. The colors of his dark feathers was brilliant and iridescent. Nature has a way with colors! This month I am pondering the meaning of these two totems and seeing what lessons I can learn from them. Learning and accepting their medicine brings me closer to my true self.


What totems are you learning from?


descriptions from: http://www.linsdomain.com/totems-s.htm

Plant Healer Anniversary Edition

It's hard to believe it's already been 1 year since my friend Kiva started the Plant Healer Magazine yet, this issue marks the 1 year anniversary!

This issue is 264 amazing pages of articles from well known herbalists, up and coming herbalists and even kid herbalists! There are lots of drawings, color photographs and art work pertaining to herbs. It is published quarterly and features a variety of articles including monographs about plants, herbal marketing, herbal medicine making, herbal birthing, the roots of herbalism, herbal botany and many more topics that are of interest to the traditional herbalist.

You'll also find stories, cartoons, poetry and a variety of herbal posters to amuse and delight yourself!

I had the pleasure to write 2 articles for this issue in addition to offering a full paged drawing titled 'Harvest' to contribute to this beautiful publication. It has to be one of the most beautiful and informative herbal publications that can be found.

To celebrate the anniversary issue, Kiva and her partner Jesse Wolf Hardin are offering some amazing bonuses to go along with the usual subscription rate, including a discount to attend the Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference in September 2012 at Mormon Lake in Arizona! The discount will only be available for the next few weeks though so if you're interested, you need to grab it up soon. Click on the banner to head on over there:

Winterizing

Whether I like it or not, Winter is knocking on our back door. We've already had the wood burning stove heating us for the last month or so, sooner than I remember in past years. We rely on the heat from this little stove to keep us warm in the winter. We supplement with some kerosene heaters, one in the basement and one upstairs to keep the pipes from freezing. The main level stays nice and toasty but the house is 2000 square feet.

A recent article over at Natural Home magazine's blog inspired this post as most of their Winterizing tips won't really work for us:
~we turn our water heater on for 1 hour each day to heat water. Twice in the coldest part of winter if we need to shower that day.

~we don't have a thermostat because of the wood stove

So, here are our Winterizing techniques:

~Cover windows with the plastic film to keep out drafts upstairs

~Cover windows with wool blankets at night to keep out cold air. During sunny days we open some of them up to let light/warmth in.

~Seal off the upstairs and use only for showering

~Sleep down in the warmest part of the house during the coldest parts of winter

~wear lots of layers: 2-3 skirts, leggings, 3-4 shirts, hat, fingerless gloves

~roll up towels to place at bottoms of doors to keep out drafts

~hang curtains in doorways at night to trap all the warmth in our sleeping area

~use ceiling fans to circulate warm air

~layer our bedding: flannel sheet, fuzzy blanket, down comforter, wool blanket (helps to trap in heat)

~sleeping with hats on our heads

What are ways you keep your house and self warm during the winter?

Lady's Slipper Ring

I want to introduce to you a wonderful new monthly program a friend of mine created, the Lady Slipper's Ring. In Ananda's own words:


I have just *two* sets left for the mystery Lady's Slipper ring Members who would like to start now - all others will begin with December's herbals and practices.


This month is Luscious! - and you'd get to be on the same page with the members who have begun already. Annual payments get a whole month FREE and the first two annuals get the LINDEN set!!
(Easy monthly payments are still available though!)


Are you ready for bliss with no apologies?♥ ♥ ♥


All Lady's Slipper Members receive:


~ One complete three piece herbal collection every month


~ Rich and Engaging Support Content each month regarding the collection, the self care invitations that accompany the theme, and activities to awaken your conscious body. (via PDF)


~ One Q&A/Support email exchange per month 


~ Accountability through mirroring:  intention exercises which will be returned/mirrored to you periodically during the year, reflecting to you your beauty and purposes, and reminding you of your deeper self. 


~ Pre-public notice of all offerings from Plant Journeys/Amrita Apothecary


BONUS PLUS ~ One jar of decadent face cream each season especially designed for the Lady's Slipper Ring!! That's four jars per year - enough to keep you well hydrated and pampered!


SUPER BONUS ~ I already have an incredible *Linden blossom - Neroli Cream and Facial Therapy Oil set* ready to be delivered to the *FIRST TWO* MEMBERS of the Lady's Slipper Ring to pay for the full year's registration today!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have just joined the ring and all I can say is WOW! I am excited and thrilled to be a part of this! Each month is packed full of simple, rewarding things to do to make you feel better about yourself and open yourself up to the true potential you really have. It's like a big hug delivered to your mailbox, followed by a gentle massage and a light, loving caress. Each month you'll receive suggestions and tasks to do that open up your mind and heart without being overwhelming. I'm already in love with this amazing journey of self worth and herbal love. If you are feeling a bit down, lost, misguided or burnt out, the Lady's Slipper Ring is perfect for you!


Hurry over before she fills up and grab yourself a slot! You won't regret it.

garlic

garlic, originally uploaded by herbalrootszine.

it's something at least!

i posted on our homeschool blog, brown school of life.

Practical Primrose

The October newsletter for Herbal Roots zine is up:

Practical Primrose

If you subscribe to the free monthly newsletter you'll receive a free issue of Herbal Roots zine as well.

And, in case you missed it, Homeschool Freebies spotlighted Herbal Roots zine on Tuesday:

Gotta Love Garlic

Hurry, I'm leaving the link up a few extra days due to the high demand!

2012 Wall Calendars are Available!

i had a lot of fun creating these for next year! each month features the corresponding herb for herbal roots zine with a watercolor drawing of the herb, a bit about the plant and a craft, recipe or remedy that won't be found in that issue.

show your love of herbs and herbal learning with this beautiful calendar! pictures of each month and full details can be found on my website.

Fall Issue of Crone's Gazette

My good friend Kathie at Two Frog Home created a little publication titled The Crone's Gazette back this spring. The fall issue has just come out and she is offering a crazy promotion: the first 20 issues given out are FREE! Hurry on over and snag yourself an issue. I have a column in it titled the Foraging Crone which is full of seasonal herbs and recipes. This issue also has articles about Aprons, Herbs, Canning, Rainwater Harvesting and more!

She is also accepting submissions for writers for the Winter issue which is due out on December 21. If you're interested in writing, see the writer's guidelines.

Whirlwind!

so, it seems that i have just dropped off the face of the internet but in fact, i am still around, just overwhelmed with everything in my life!

facebook also makes me lazy, it's so easy to just pop a one-liner in my status bar and instantly upload photos from my iphoto to there that i don't have the energy to put into regularly updating my blog. i hope to change this as the weather cools off and my life slows down a bit, perhaps in another month or two!

in the meantime, i wanted to let everyone who's been inquiring know that we are well and busy and just so full of gratitude and love. we just returned from the traditions in western herbalism conference and it was just as amazing as last year. i was lucky to be able to take my partner (he hates that i call him that, wishes i'd call him my old man...) and my youngest 2 kids. i so wish i could have taken my older daughter, she so wanted to go but it fell on her dad's weekend. i hope to be able to take her along next year though.

so, here are the whooping 5 photos i took at the conference this year! i'm so bad about breaking out the camera and snapping photos. 

from top to bottom: 

1. view of campground from top of mountain...the white speck of a van in the far righthand side was our van. we hiked from there, up the side of the mountain and back several times a day. oh and down the other side of the mountain too occasionally...

2. chuck garcia, such an amazing curandero from california. loved his class immensely! very heart felt and emotional. i would love to be an apprentice with him. 

3. jaden posing with chloe and leah of rising appalachia. it was love at first site for her, she followed them all around camp and even drew them a picture. 

4. rosalee de la foret and me. rosalee labels herself as my number one fan. i can't think of a sweeter person to have for that role so i'll go with it! she's pretty amazing herself.

5. john gallagher, the mastermind behind learningherbs.com and herbmentor.com and me. john has dubbed herbal roots zine as 'the most bad-ass herbal publication'! flattery will get you everywhere! :D i was sporting quite the sunburn from our final day at camp....the only day it didn't rain while we were there.

The Tree Year - June

It's been several months since I've had a chance to update the Tree Year but since my cedar has berries on it, I wanted to update.

Herbal Ally Challenge #12: Make a Salve

The next challenge is to use some of your oil to make a salve. Salves are great for applying your ally where you need him without a huge mess. They are compact and can be traveled with easily and ready to use when the fresh herb isn’t around. 

Assignment 1:
Read a few different perspectives on salve making:

Healing Wise by Susun Weed pages 273. Similar excerpt can be found at this online article: Be Your Own Herbal Expert part 6 by Susun Weed 

Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech pages 87 - 88 (Second part of Chapter 10)

The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook by James Green Chapter 18: Ointments, Salves & Balms pages 201 - 208 (click to see online...5 pages are missing from this version)

Assignment 2:
Make a salve using any oil(s) you have previously infused with your ally. If you have an oil for each part of the plant, make a salve out of each.

To make a salve, you will need your infused oils, beeswax and vitamin E. You can purchase vitamin E capsules at your local drugstore. You’ll only need a few drops. 

Measure your oil and place it in the top of a double burner. For every 4 parts oil, add 1 part beeswax. For instance if you have 4 oz. of oil, you’ll add 1 oz. of beeswax. 

Gently heat until the beeswax is melted. Dip a teaspoon into the salve and bring out, shake off. Let it set up either at room temperature or in the freezer for quicker results. When it has hardened, you can tell how thick the salve is. If you think it’s going to be too hard, add a bit more oil. If you’d like it harder, add a bit more beeswax. It will become a bit harder than it is on the spoon so keep that in mind when you make any adjustments. 

When it is the consistency you want it, use the tip of a sharp knife to poke a hole in the vitamin E capsule and squeeze it into the salve. Stir and pour your salve into a wide mouthed jar or metal container. 

Assignment 3:
Journal any thoughts you have on salve making. Write about why you think salves will be a good mix with your herbal ally (or why not).

Take a moment to write down any uses you might have for a salve with your herb. Does he have an affinity for muscles? If so, he may be useful for rubbing on sore muscles after a long day in the garden. Does he stop bleeding? Then his salve is a great addition to the first aid kit to staunch bleeding. Salves can be used for healing sore or damaged muscles, nerves, bones, cuts, stings, insect bites, animal bites, diaper rash, mild burns and much more. 

After making a list of the obvious uses for your salve, make a second list of possible uses for the salve, whether or not you have ever read about the oil being used for these ailments. Part of exploring your ally is to learn new things, so trial and error will help you discover new uses.

Assignment 4:
Continue meditating with your plant and journal your experiences. Note any changes to your plant in size, color, bloom cycle, etc. Pay attention to your ally’s journey of life. You’ll want to continue doing this throughout the lifecycle of your ally.

Assignment 5:
Catch up on any other Challenges you’ve fallen behind in. It’s always good to go back and review what you’ve been doing just to refresh your memory. 

Herbal Ally Updates and Survey

I apologize for the lack of Herbal Ally updates. Spring is catching up with me!

I promise to continue offering them and I will have the next one posted shortly. In the meantime, I wanted to take a survey for those participating in the Challenges. If you could answer the questions in comments, that would be helpful for me.

1. How often do you feel you can manage to get a new challenge? once a week, once every 2 weeks, once a month? What pace works best for you?

2. Do you feel you are benefitting from the amount of challenge that is offered each time? Is it too much? Not enough? Anything I could improve upon?

3. Are there any specific challenges you'd like to see offered/covered in the future? Do the challenges seem balanced enough between the emotional/creative side and the practical/knowledge side?

4. Would you be interested in creating a challenge and offering it on your blog as sort of a herbal ally challenge blog post party, similar to past herbal blog posting parties? This is an idea Ananda suggested as a way to help me out when I get to bogged down to do the challenges myself: different people would volunteer to post upcoming challenges, either those they made up or from a list I'd provide.

5. How would you feel if the challenge took that direction and was co-hosted?

6. Anything else you'd like to add, suggest or say?

I truly appreciate your feedback on this! I want this challenge to continue and I have enjoyed doing what I've offered so far, I just feel I am letting everyone down by not being able to post them in a timely manner at the moment. Please be honest, you won't hurt my feelings! This is exactly why I started the challenge because I knew if I didn't host it publicly, I'd personally not follow through. :) I am thrilled so many have joined in and I don't want to let you down!

Update: Spring is Raining Deadlines and Tornados

"...the sky is a poisonous garden tonight..."

-Concrete Blonde

Thanks to everyone who signed up for the Culinary Herbalism course! I've only begun the first lesson but I know I'm going to love working through it.

Right now I am swamped in deadlines: Herbal Roots zine issues, an article for Rhythm of the Home, a handout for a presentation on Wednesday about Herbs for Children, trying to get soap made for the upcoming market season (starts in less than 2 weeks!!!) and so on. Then there's everyday stuff such as dishes, laundry (which is hard to do while dodging thunderstorms and tornados), cleaning house, milking the goats, tethering the goats (again when weather is cooperative), schooling the kids....deep breath!

So, unfortunately, something has to slide and right now it is the Herbal Ally year. I promise to add another challenge as soon as I can, I am not abandoning it, nor have I forgotten about it! If I can get through this next week or two, I will hopefully reach a plateau and can breathe a bit....hopefully.

The garden that has been planted so far is doing well. Onions are sprouting, garlic is filling in, strawberries are blooming (it is SO hard to pinch those blooms off but I'm determined to do it right), and lettuce is growing like crazy. Unfortunately, so are the weeds. And with the rain, I haven't been able to get out there regularly to weed.

We've had lots of crazy weather lately. A tornado ripped through the St. Louis airport Friday night and did lots of damage. There were also several communities damaged, we lucked out and it went south of us. There's more of that predicted for tonight.

This spring has been cold and wet and gloomy. Unusual and that's the description I'm seeing all around the country from others who pay attention to that sort of stuff. I have a feeling that this is going to be the new norm unfortunately.

I have a ton of planting to do: 10 flowering trees (2 each: crabapple, dogwood, redbud, hawthorne, goldenraintree), 3 each: hawthorn, witch hazel and crampbark plus 8 cranberry bushes. The cranberries will be the most intensive since I have to amend a bed for them with peat moss, sand and other additives. I'm looking forward to having fresh cranberries though!

Herbal Ally Challenge #11 Completed

Love letter to my ally, Nettles:

Final Day for Sign Up!

Today's the final day to sign up for K.P. Kalsa's Culinary Herbalism course on Learning Herbs. If you are wanting to sign up for the course but can't afford to pay all at once, they are now offering a payment plan. The details are at the bottom of the page.

I've had a chance to check out the first lesson and I am loving this course! I know I'm going to learn a lot about using my food as medicine and I'm excited for this because sometimes my family is not always on board with taking the weird concoctions I offer up to them when they are feeling a bit under the weather. Any chance I can get to play a bit of kitchen witchery and create a meal that not only tastes spectacular but is healing is well, well, I'm all over that!

If you've taken any of the past courses John has put together at Learning Herbs then you KNOW this course is going to be amazing. K.P. himself will be on the website for the first week of the course but it will remain open to all of those who signed up indefinitely so if you're like me and finding time to do something can be difficult and weather based, you can tuck it away for a rainy day.

The sign ups close around midnight tonight unless it fills to capacity before then. There was a glitch in the system a few days ago which wouldn't allow anyone to sign up so it has not filled as quickly as it should have so there's still lots of openings left!

Winner of Crone's Gazette

Congratulations to Karisma! Her comment was selected via the random.org generator to win a year's subscription to the Crone's Gazette!

Karisma, I'll be in touch shortly to get your information for the subscription.

Thanks to everyone who signed up!

Culinary Herbalism Enrollment Now Open!

I'm excited to announce that K.P. Kalsa's course Culinary Herbalism through Learningherbs.com is now open! Enrollment will only be open through Saturday, April 23 so if you're interested in taking this course, sign up now! For the first 6 weeks of availability, K.P. Kalsa will personally be on the website answering any questions you may have. After that, access to the course will still be open but K.P. will no longer be personally available.

I am completely excited about taking this course and have already been enjoying the recipes offered from the first two videos. The great thing about this course is there is no time limit on how long it takes you to go through the course so you can work at your own pace while learning to create meals for yourself and your family that are not only healthful but healing as well.

Here is a list of the 10 lessons. Each lesson has a video, mp3 (of the video), transcript and homework page (in the form of recipes! sounds like excellent homework to me!):

1.  Herbs as Food    
Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food. Natural healing systems from around the world use food as a way to keep healthy and use taking herbal medicine as a way to concoct tasty, healing meals. 
   
• Herbs are foods
• Include healing herbs in your foods
• Healthy individualized eating
• Food and herb potency spectrum
• Food as medicine dining
• Culinary herbalism recommended books

2.    Preparations    
Many delicious foods are also healing. Therapeutic herbs can be cooked into tasty soups, breads and beverages. It takes creativity and a little know-how to decide how to best prepare each culinary herb.    
Kitcharee, the famous healing food from Ayurveda

• Healing bean dishes from around the world
• Herbal soups and broths
• Congee, the culinary herbalism superstar from Asia
• Herbs in bread
• Herbs as juice
• Healing herbal yogurt drinks from India

3. Basic Recipes    
Onion, garlic and ginger form the “trinity roots” healing trio from Ayurveda. Healing herbs taste great in puréed green vegetables. Healing herbs make great pesto.    
 
• The healing properties of onion, garlic and ginger
• Prepare puréed green vegetables blended with healing herbs
• Healing, delicious herbal appetizers and party snacks

4. Skin
Herbal medicine is a treasure trove of healing for the skin. Tasty culinary herbalism recipes make medicine delicious. 
   
• Vegetables for skin inflammation
• Culinary herbs as skin healers
• Root vegetables for liver and skin health

5. Digestion    
Fragrant culinary spices are big medicine in Asian herbalism. Use appetizing herbs to treat gas, indigestion, heartburn, ulcer, nausea and constipation. Enjoy your food while you heal your digestion. 
   
• Tasty aromatic spices for gas
• Teas and soups for digestive disorders
• Spices warm up slow digestion
• Soothing herbal food recipes heal a hot tummy
• Heal even tough digestive issues with culinary herbalism remedies

6.  Immune system    
Culinary herbalism heals the flu. Use yummy herbal teas for fever. Berries and medicinal mushrooms create a strong immune system.    

• Chilies for cold and flu
• Culinary herbalism for children’s immune systems
• Chinese herbs for flu and fever

7. Respiratory system    
Culinary herbalism can support long term respiratory health, and effectively treat respiratory disorders. Use a potent Chinese herb for postnasal drip and an Ayurvedic herb to release sinus congestion. Clear your breathing with herbal soups.  
  
• Treat sinus infections with culinary herbs
• Herbs for asthma and sore throat
• Food and herbs for runny nose

8.  Tonics    
In every herbal system, tonic herbs are the secret to staying healthy for life, and many are also tasty culinary herbs. Learn about health building foods and how to incorporate tonic herbs into your cooking.    
• Food and herb recipes for hormone balance
• Ginseng soup for stamina
• Herbal tonic soups
• Culinary herbalism sleep remedies
• Culinary herbalism for diabetes
• Chinese curative dessert soups

9. Musculoskeletal 
and Cardiovascular
Food and culinary herbs can keep your skeleton strong and your joints moving. Tasty recipes balance your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. You will want to eat them every day.
    
• Fruit soup for healthy joints
• Common kitchen spices for a healthy nervous system
• Herbal soups for a healthy heart

10.    Detoxification    
It’s the basis of every natural healing system. Culinary herbalism can make detoxification tasty and enjoyable. Use selected root vegetable foods to heal your liver. Prepare soups and curries to support your kidneys. 
   
• Asian culinary herbal vegetables for blood sugar & cellular  
   detoxification
• Common kitchen spices for cleansing
• Culinary herb teas and soups for the kidneys
• Selected grains for weight loss and kidney health

Hurry because they can only accept a limited number of enrollments and if enough people sign up before Saturday, enrollment will close early. It will be a long time if ever this course is offered again so sign up while you can!

For more information and to enroll, go here. And remember, if you do sign up, you'll also be helping to support my baby, Herbal Roots zine as I receive a commission for each sale which I am putting back into making my zine even better through better technology.

Thank you and I hope to see you there!