Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Ah...the Herbal Goodness

As dreams are the healing songs
from the wilderness of our unconsciousness-
So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes
are the healing dreams from the deep
singing mind of the Earth.  -Pendell


In preparation for our School of Earth Medicine, we have been creating an herb garden for education and use.  It has been a healing and amazing gift to work with these plants; to watch them grow, to come out at night and lie flat backed with them under the stars, to harvest them with respect and hang them to dry with reverence - anticipating the powerful and potent tinctures, salves, oils, and teas they will become.  With all the craziness going on outside in the world of humans, I find comfort and solace in the plant realm.  Sitting and being present with a single green friend or in a garden community you begin to feel time slow and eventually come to know the reality -  that time does not exist.  I marvel at the myriads of life forms on our planet, the differing ways of being, of breathing, of communicating and reproducing.  There is so much to be learned and never a dull moment!
 
 
There are a number of species I am growing this year for the first time.  Some are subtle and quiet like ashwaghanda, providing green bushy foliage for her neighbors, while others like Lion's tail (leonotis or wild dagga) take all the attention with brilliant showy orange flowers.  And perhaps my favorite newbie is evening primrose, who blooms her majestic yellow flowers at night under the moonlight.  One night I disappeared down in the garden until quite late and when I came back to the house, my husband called me a night pollinator because apparently I had yellow evening primrose pollen all over my face- I couldn't help it, the flowers smell so divine!   Sigh, so many plants to learn so little time...
 

We built an herb shed/farm stand out of recycled materials a few months back and now it has been filled to the brim with medicine, hanging to dry. 
 

 
 
 

Mullein, mints, feverfew, wormwood, lavender, sages, tulsi, rosemary, oregano, lemon thyme, Leonotis, yarrow, and many others.  Harvesting all the herbal goodness to store and create an apothecary for fall and winter. 

Bless and give thanks for Abundance, Health and Strength. 
Spread Love!

 
 
Tell your people they must learn to wake up their feelings. 
Their heart must arise from it's sleep. 
It must rise and STAND up. 
That is how you find the track to God.
-The Elders of the Kalahari Bushmen
 
 
 
 
 

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