I’m settling into a new area and navigating all the changes that come with that. It’s been actually an opportunity to step into something more than being an herbalist - a space to be a true tender of community, a nurturer of people and a steward of the land. I’m sure it’s comical to folks who ask what I do and I try to articulate it all. That yes I can help you find a good set of herbs for a calming tea but I’d rather be able to sit down and enjoy that cup with you. To hear what’s going on in your life and what you’re moving through. To care for the spirit of the person with the spirit of the plants.
To clarify because I didn’t proofread haha - more than the clinical style herbalist I was in my previous area. Moving into something more like the cottage witch wise woman I dream of.
I love the way you put it: "yes I can help you find a good set of herbs for a calming tea but I’d rather be able to sit down and enjoy that cup with you." I think that really captures the entire idea of what I'm feeling. Even though we are trained in herbal medicine, we are still a product of society with how we are taught to only treat the physical. And somehow this is more noble, more acceptable than tending the greater picture too. It's wild really. And I totally understand the difficulty of describing to people what you do 😂
Thank you for sharing this intimate revelation with us. Simply intersecting with kindred souls is a fine endeavor, though you do much more. (I too love herbs, which grow abundantly for me, but I prefer to watch them sunning themselves, weaving together like tapestries, smelling their aromas and ultimately giving bunches of them away --rather than using them strictly medicinally.) I consider you a fine writer and very much enjoy reading your posts. 😊
I resonate with this sentiment so much! I am far more interested in the medicine that goes beyond chemical constituents. I want to know what they smell like, where they came from, what their hopes and dreams are, how they interact with the world around them. Also love that you share the love by giving them away, such a joy.
i had never thought about it but i too am not an herbalist. i love the land and the plants but not much else except their power and beauty. thank you elucidating your experience. dovetails perfectly with mine.
Yes! There are so many different ways to interact with the medicine of a plant/land than just through traditional herbalism. I think our ancestors knew this too. Singing about plants, crafting with plants, making food with plants, bathing in plants, these were all forms of medicine and protection for them. This is so much more fascinating to me than what we are taught in Western herbalism.
Ive been going through a similar radical process myself of allowing myself to be and acknowledging that as good enough and perfect. Just like you, I have found this to allow my unique gifts to shine through in a way that they could not as long as I was trying to live up to the expectations of others or those that are common in our society. Keep shining your light🌟❤️
I love to hear that! We can't force ourselves into a shape that doesn't fit like a square block in a circular hole. Best of luck on your own journey my friend!
So beautiful! Hung on every word. I love how we think our curiosity means. one thing but really it means something else that we could never fathom. That makes life more enjoyable….the uncovering of it.
Absolutely, my biggest lesson was to stop trying to decipher my own curiosity and to just follow it! Humans naturally are problem solvers. We want to know all the who, what, when, where and why's which I think can greatly limit our own expansion.
Val, I feel you. I have been coming to a similar conclusion over the last couple years. I feel the earth yearning for the whispers of her manifold tales to be heard and translated. Just as they always have. Beautiful♥️ Thank you for sharing!
I love that, I think there are many of us who are meant to be mediums, channels for the earth to speak through. It sounds like you are one such person!
This resonates so deeply. I love plants and herbs and dabble in home herbalism, but I know I'll never be an herbalist because I'm not into the chemistry of it all. I'm more into the spiritual connection with the plants, the land, the seasons and cycles. So I understand completely where you're coming from.
Yep, I think it took me so long to realize that the medicine I've been trying to create goes far beyond just plants and their medicinal value. Like you mentioned, it's the land, seasons, cycles, all of it weaving in and out of each other. Being a part of the bigger picture is so much more nourishing for me personally.
I love how you put words to this distinction so much. I’m currently in a year long herbalism course and am finding myself pivoting from heavy research. It’s easy to get lost in the “usefulness” of an herbal remedy, but especially when it comes to the earth, it’s so vital to come back to what it’s all for in the first place: to provide the feeling of companionship, connection, and peace 🌿🌼⛰️
Exactly! I think when we get so tied up in the "usefulness" of a plant we end up completely missing the bigger picture, and the true medicine of a place or plant. We've tried to distill herbalism into a container that is palatable to Western society, but true herbalism is folk medicine that ties together folklore, culture, spirit, and belonging.
I love this Val, thankyou! I have been struggling lately with naming my role/job/self. I've been in a container really delving into the creation of my business and my soul work, receiving intuitive messages to 'be more me' but then feeling the need to define myself. This has really helped. xx
I'm so glad Jo! It's so difficult in our Western society to exist in these liminal spaces. Its left-brained tendencies love to organize and categorize, but I think its perfectly valid to live outside those parameters. It is always a struggle though when there is so much noise!
Ooof I appreciate this and resonate with it.
I’m settling into a new area and navigating all the changes that come with that. It’s been actually an opportunity to step into something more than being an herbalist - a space to be a true tender of community, a nurturer of people and a steward of the land. I’m sure it’s comical to folks who ask what I do and I try to articulate it all. That yes I can help you find a good set of herbs for a calming tea but I’d rather be able to sit down and enjoy that cup with you. To hear what’s going on in your life and what you’re moving through. To care for the spirit of the person with the spirit of the plants.
To clarify because I didn’t proofread haha - more than the clinical style herbalist I was in my previous area. Moving into something more like the cottage witch wise woman I dream of.
I love the way you put it: "yes I can help you find a good set of herbs for a calming tea but I’d rather be able to sit down and enjoy that cup with you." I think that really captures the entire idea of what I'm feeling. Even though we are trained in herbal medicine, we are still a product of society with how we are taught to only treat the physical. And somehow this is more noble, more acceptable than tending the greater picture too. It's wild really. And I totally understand the difficulty of describing to people what you do 😂
I can deeply relate to this!
Thank you for sharing this intimate revelation with us. Simply intersecting with kindred souls is a fine endeavor, though you do much more. (I too love herbs, which grow abundantly for me, but I prefer to watch them sunning themselves, weaving together like tapestries, smelling their aromas and ultimately giving bunches of them away --rather than using them strictly medicinally.) I consider you a fine writer and very much enjoy reading your posts. 😊
I resonate with this sentiment so much! I am far more interested in the medicine that goes beyond chemical constituents. I want to know what they smell like, where they came from, what their hopes and dreams are, how they interact with the world around them. Also love that you share the love by giving them away, such a joy.
i had never thought about it but i too am not an herbalist. i love the land and the plants but not much else except their power and beauty. thank you elucidating your experience. dovetails perfectly with mine.
Yes! There are so many different ways to interact with the medicine of a plant/land than just through traditional herbalism. I think our ancestors knew this too. Singing about plants, crafting with plants, making food with plants, bathing in plants, these were all forms of medicine and protection for them. This is so much more fascinating to me than what we are taught in Western herbalism.
Ive been going through a similar radical process myself of allowing myself to be and acknowledging that as good enough and perfect. Just like you, I have found this to allow my unique gifts to shine through in a way that they could not as long as I was trying to live up to the expectations of others or those that are common in our society. Keep shining your light🌟❤️
I love to hear that! We can't force ourselves into a shape that doesn't fit like a square block in a circular hole. Best of luck on your own journey my friend!
So beautiful! Hung on every word. I love how we think our curiosity means. one thing but really it means something else that we could never fathom. That makes life more enjoyable….the uncovering of it.
Absolutely, my biggest lesson was to stop trying to decipher my own curiosity and to just follow it! Humans naturally are problem solvers. We want to know all the who, what, when, where and why's which I think can greatly limit our own expansion.
So true! New Mantra unlocked! “Just follow it!”
Val, I feel you. I have been coming to a similar conclusion over the last couple years. I feel the earth yearning for the whispers of her manifold tales to be heard and translated. Just as they always have. Beautiful♥️ Thank you for sharing!
I love that, I think there are many of us who are meant to be mediums, channels for the earth to speak through. It sounds like you are one such person!
As are you. What a true joy!
This really sparked something tender for me. I can’t articulate it, but I feel really grateful. Thank you.
Thank you for taking the time to read :) wishing you all the tenderness and beautiful unfolding!
This resonates so deeply. I love plants and herbs and dabble in home herbalism, but I know I'll never be an herbalist because I'm not into the chemistry of it all. I'm more into the spiritual connection with the plants, the land, the seasons and cycles. So I understand completely where you're coming from.
Yep, I think it took me so long to realize that the medicine I've been trying to create goes far beyond just plants and their medicinal value. Like you mentioned, it's the land, seasons, cycles, all of it weaving in and out of each other. Being a part of the bigger picture is so much more nourishing for me personally.
I love how you put words to this distinction so much. I’m currently in a year long herbalism course and am finding myself pivoting from heavy research. It’s easy to get lost in the “usefulness” of an herbal remedy, but especially when it comes to the earth, it’s so vital to come back to what it’s all for in the first place: to provide the feeling of companionship, connection, and peace 🌿🌼⛰️
Exactly! I think when we get so tied up in the "usefulness" of a plant we end up completely missing the bigger picture, and the true medicine of a place or plant. We've tried to distill herbalism into a container that is palatable to Western society, but true herbalism is folk medicine that ties together folklore, culture, spirit, and belonging.
I love this Val, thankyou! I have been struggling lately with naming my role/job/self. I've been in a container really delving into the creation of my business and my soul work, receiving intuitive messages to 'be more me' but then feeling the need to define myself. This has really helped. xx
I'm so glad Jo! It's so difficult in our Western society to exist in these liminal spaces. Its left-brained tendencies love to organize and categorize, but I think its perfectly valid to live outside those parameters. It is always a struggle though when there is so much noise!
Yes too much noise drowning the inner voice.
Your words totally resonate! Similar experience…..
I love this and deeply relate to this!