Resilient Self-care in Challenging Times

Photo by Chelsea shapouri on Unsplash

"Let food be thy medicine" - Herbs heal. They have power. They have personality, history and spirit. They are spirits - plant spirits and nature's soul. They can be protection in challenging times, in times of suffering and pestilence. These tiny nature gods grow in our gardens, on our balconies, in a pot on our kitchen windows. Their magic is all around us - for the soul has many secrets. They can be prescribed in teas, potions, lotions, baths, washes, oils, tinctures, wines, juices, ambrosia, soaps, floor washes and topicals. This blog is about Gardening and Magic. It's heroes are the roots, saps, flowers, leaves, resins, barks, seeds, pods and rinds. These musings are inspired by herbalism, botanicals, medicinal and magical plants, wise women, shamanic healing, animism and folk remedies. From fruits to moss, pods to chewing roots, fungi to flowers, petals to bark, and every herb leaf and seed in between - I present the useful plant.

Whether your recipe is rose or honey, geranium or cardamon, fig or pollen, turmeric or clove, ginger or lavender, elder or hop, rosehip or hawthorn, cacao or calendula, aloe or sage, sea-salt or rosemary, mint or lemon balm, neroli or cedar, myrrh or jasmine, sassafras root or High John, lemongrass or angelica, frankincense or dragons blood, garlic, patchouli or rue - there's something here for you.

These little rituals with the root help to make us resilient, self reliant and able to doctor malady of soul, situation and circumstance. These recipes will simply get results. My intent is for collective health and mutual flourishing. Grow your own garden magic, be master of the root in uncertain times.