Loam

The last leaves of the Cottonwood

Hang on tightly, resisting the wind.

Cruel cold gusts push through the night

Stealing color and leaving mist in its wake

Roots take stock.

Maple leaves explode with beauty -

a plant that knows she works well with deadlines.

Flowers hide invisibly inside capsules of potential

luring animals to eat her flesh, so she may find

Loam to sleep under

for the winter

Until light and warm rain

Crack her heart open again.

Crock Pot Ginger Oil ~ Infusing fresh ginger root!

This particular recipe (which I first posted about six years ago) has made a celebratory buzz this week, including an appearance over at the Poppy Swap blog!  . So, I thought I'd give it it's own blog post for easy access and future reference.

Ginger oil is soooooooo yummy. It makes an excellent homemade gift for family, athletes, elders, cooks, and gardeners alike.

Enjoy!

CROCK POT GINGER OIL NEWSLETTER

xo

Ananda

Herbal Newsletters For You

Greetings Plant Lovers!

As many of you know I began releasing a weekly newsletter seven weeks ago. Since seven is my lucky number, ( I was born 7-7-75), I thought I'd take today to provide you with the links of the newsletters thus far. :) In order to not miss an issue, I invite you to sign up (in the right side bar) so you get yours delivered free right in your email box for your reading pleasure and herbal inspiration!

 (time sensitive newsletters not included)

In chronological order from least to most recent:

Honey Scented Summer Plants

Nourishing Herbal Milk Decoctions

Heart Healing

5 Herbal Power Tools for Fall 

The Revolutionary Act of Drinking (wild) Tea

Aromatic Herbs (and two easy recipes) 

October Apothecary (Pine Syrup!) and Enchanted Herbals

Crock Pot Ginger Oil

Roots and Seeds and You

Announcing: Plant Journeys Herbal Empower-Mentorship!

Today is a chance to let nature remind you that we are not separate. 


How will you take that chance? 


~~~~~~~~~


Dearest Readers, 




For the very first time in the herstory of my own plant journeys and teaching, I'm offering you a personal, long term commitment on this path.


**I'm SO deeply grateful** and excited to be able to bring to you this service and to help facilitate your relationship with nature and your own herbal journey.


Read on for the juicy details, and I'll see you on the other side of the wall of green! 
Enrollment Closed! Please sign up for my free newsletter to stay in touch about future offerings. 


Yours,


Ananda

Healing through the Heart ~ Recognition and Activation

I stand rooted in my power.

There is so much heart work happening in the world today. If I think too long about it, or dare to watch a piece of news, I am overcome with grief, anger, disbelief, and hopelessness. The disconnection between our human bodies and the experience of love in its endless expressions is a gaping wound of humanity. We lack connection to our creator; both our sense of an invisible spiritual creator as well as our very real source of life and nourishment, mother earth.

Love employs healthy patterns, choices, and boundaries.

Many of us feel this pain in both its aspects, and many of us are re-connecting to healing ways of the heart. There is nowhere left to go, really, but inward to find our divine centers and to create a way of being in the world that reflects a deep, compassionate source of love. The barbed wires and flames and whirlpools we encounter, must be greeted with respect and an acknowledgement of its powerful ability to strengthen our heart muscle.

Love is the root of all healing.

Understanding the magnitude of our heart’s ability to accurately guide us, we can lean toward our intuition as a partner on the journey instead of running away from perceived fear warnings. As we move closer to ourselves and our process of centering, grounding, and feeling, we create a type of resilient security that allows for more authentic love to become available again. Moving towards our emotions and our Selves can be tremendously scary, and monumentally liberating. Creating daily practices of self-care which cultivate strength and safety are of immense and lasting value.

I am open to beauty.
I am an expression of Nature’s beauty.
My body is a story of beauty.


I breathe in from the trees, the ocean, the wind, the sweet inspiration of fire. I breathe out that which I no longer need, that which does not serve me. I retain in my blood the innate wisdom of my body, my knowing heart, and my ancestors. I bid farewell to invasive, inauthentic advice towards me. I listen intently to my body: Heart, I am listening, speak. Limbs, I give gratitude for your hard and loyal work, thank you. Lungs, you speak my truths and you have my permission to sing. Back, spine, organs, you are my beautiful inner dance of stretching and rhythm and change, I feed you and I am listening. Blood, you are my waters and I give to you liquids; waters, teas, soups, and minerals, I float upon you. Womb, mystery of eternity and connection: I am here. I am listening.




Healing is the act of nourishing wholeness.


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

Herbal Blessings!
~Ananda

The Honorable Exchange ~ Relationship and Wildcrafting

If there's one strong imprint I came home from the Women's Herbal Conference with, it's a deeper commitment to my relationship with Nature.

As a wildcrafter, I'm very conscious of what I take, how I take it, and what I give back. I've always taught my students the factors in friendship that create honorable exchange. However I'm realizing, after some time spent in class with other wild plant tenders, that in this era, our giving back must be increased exponentially.

Karyn Sanders asks us: "What if all the herbalists gave back 7 times what they took. How would our world look in seven generations?"

And my mind exploded.

It's time to bring more than a ceremonial give-away when we harvest. Not that that isn't vital - it's that more than that is critical. Upon harvesting, I'll now be toting with me seeds, water, compost, rabbit droppings, and various items that not only feed the soil, but sow the healing seeds for the next century. I'll be encouraging the wild seeds to blow in the wind, bow towards the earth, swim in the river, or travel on the fur of a creature.... however their dispersal needs are met. I'll be watching more closely the communities, habitats, directions and neighbors of the plants, and their tribal habits for thriving. I'll be sensitive and active in meeting their needs, for they generously meet mine.

Herbalists: let us walk our talk. We are the medicine.

And the Elixir Winner Is.............

TOMISHA!

You have won yourself a free two ounce bottle of my Hawthorn Flower Elixir! Congratulations! It won runner up for best tincture.

Your elixir will ship out tomorrow morning. Thanks for playing!!

xoxo