GREEN

The threshold of spring is upon us. The fervor of the season emerges in me like a wild cat hungry for catnip..... I scrounge at the little bits of green at the forest edge. The pungency of the mustard greens awakens me on the deepest level, bringing clarity and renewal to my whole being. The long wait during winter is nearly too much. I can't bear the separation of wild, flourishing nature at my fingertips. She howls from underneath the snow, sucking up wise soil but yearning for sunshine.

The first green buds peek out from the safety of the mother bark. And indeed the catnip roots itself well before forming any leaves, for it must protect it's species from wild cats like me who might tear up the whole plant out of sheer exuberance.

Anima Center Events

For those of you who travel and for those of you searching for just the right sacred journey to save for:

THIS IS IT

Anima Center's Sacred Canyon is the place to go.

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We invite and welcome your participation in any of the following workshops and gatherings, held in a magnificent river canyon and ancient place of power, deep in the mountains of the enchanted Southwest… 5 hrs. from the Tucson airport, or 4.5 hrs. south of Albuquerque.

Anima Wilderness Learning Center & Medicine Woman Tradition

SUMMER EVENTS(by donation)
May 22-27: The Wild Women’s GatheringA six day event for women only, with a focus on primitive camping, interaction with the natural world and personal rewilding: learning to trust our senses, instincts and needs – and to heed our callings and live our dreams regardless of constraints, norms, fears and habits.

June 12-17: The Woman Spirit GatheringAnother six day women’s event, a memory-making celebration of the spirit of womanhood, dedicated to self nourishment, sisterly sharing and sweet savoring – with inspiring teaching circles, wonderful outdoor feasts, swimming, singing and riverside dancing!

July 3-6: The Shaman’s Path IntensiveFor men as well as women, a four day long workshop imparting insights and techniques for heightening awareness, connecting with inspirited nature, exploring alternate realities, instigating ecstatic states, developing our powers to affect events, and defining and fulfilling our individual most-meaningful purpose.

Aug 1-6: The Medicine Woman GatheringSix days of presentations and discussions, plant walks and medicine making – for women who feel called to a healer’s life of intense awareness and personal responsibility. The Medicine Woman Tradition defines healing as contributing to wholeness and balance… of our selves, of others, and of the living world we are a part of.

Aug 29 -Sep 1: The Wild Foods WeekendFour days of learning to identify, gather, preserve and deliciously prepare a wide number of the wild native foods of the mountainous West and Southwest – increasing observation skills, self confidence and our ability to survive, while helping us connect deeper to the natural world and cycles of life that we are each a natural part of.

If you can forward this announcement to your email lists, it would be greatly appreciated. For more information, or for Registration forms you can download, please go to the Anima Events page at:www.animacenter.org

Anima Center also offers Retreats with meals in riverside cabins, Vision Quests, personal Counsel, resident Internships and Apprenticeships, and empowering Correspondence Courses including the Way Of Heart, Shaman and Medicine Woman paths. There is no set charge for any of the various opportunities, services, courses and events… only a suggested, sliding scale donation.
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Herb Mentor - Fantastic Herbal Resource

Passing along the word about one of my favorite online herbal places ... www.herbmentor.com ....

Although I am affectionately considered a 'casual user' you can basically tailor the intensity of your herbal learning through the site for seriously cheap. (how DO they do it?) It's awesome.

Herbalist Angie Goodlow posted a great entry about it that covers the details (not worth trying to duplicate!) so here ya go:

The Herbalists Path

Thanks Angie and thanks John!!!!

OPEN HOUSE - Great Hollow Wilderness School!

Great Hollow Wilderness School

Whole Earth Homeschool Program
FREE Open House
March 6th 9:00am to 12:00pm

Come get a taste of what Great Hollow has to offer your homeschoolers!! We are offering this FREE Open House to families who have never experienced Great Hollow Wilderness School.

The Whole Earth program consists of several weekly classes focused on Nature based education or adventure leadership. We develop long term mentoring relationships with our students as we facilitate a deeper connection to nature, other people, and themselves.

During our open house we will take you on a nature walk, participate in some of our favorite nature awareness games and team building initiatives and explore some of the beautiful places we visit during our programs. You will get a chance to meet some current students who can give your children an idea of a student’s perspective.

Space is limited, so call 203.746.5852 to reserve a spot and get directions!!


Great Hollow Wilderness School
225 Route 37, New Fairfield, CT 06812
E-mail: homeschool@regionalymca.org

Coming of age: Spring

The Earth turns in her growing skin, uncomfortably like a first sip of wine or a first kiss. The sun glows down, seducing the green from slumber, like a dance from Baubo. The snow, on it's way down to the roots, turns an ugly shade of slop, sticking angrily to our pants and boots, as if to stamp her adolescent complaint on our day. The ground melts and freezes, melts and freezes, obeying the shapeshifting weather. Mother in her round power soothes her belly with bird songs and wintergreen leaves crushed under paws. She breathes up the birch sap with each contraction, giving flow to life and anesthesia to winter's sting. She sings up a grand Menarche in each Maple trunk, and releases the snowdrop munchkins from hiding. She hums the bears awake and cracks the chains of early dusk. Grandmother drum keeps the veil thin while Spring becomes.

Welcome.

Blog Party: Aphrodisiacs

Welcome!

The Herbwifery Blog Party is anchored here this month, with lovely herbalists sharing their favorite routes to a juicy libido.

UPDATE: A new guest post from Robin Rose Bennett on Passion Honey has been added! Yum!

Kristena from Blessings of an Herbwyfe shares with us the sensual wisdom of Damiana.

Julie at Crow's Daughter takes us on a lyrical journey with our ally Hawthorne.

Darcey Blue at Gaia's Gifts offers a Lover's elixir recipe. mmmmm

More entries can be emailed to me, posted at Herbwifery.org, or on a comment here.

Green Blessings!

Wishing Willow

Pure feminine essence.