january - around the sun with herbalism
MOON CHILLIES is back… & supercharged with a new theme:
AROUND THE SUN WITH HERBALISM, or ASH for short.
This world is out of control… but that doesn’t mean we have to allow that energy to rule our lives. We can choose to use our tools, and to keep seeking the truth… as Buddha said:
3 THINGS CANNOT BE LONG HIDDEN:
the sun
the moon
& the truth
Nature, in all its forms, is the most powerful force on earth. In fact, we have been witnessing the battle between nature and science over the past couple years with Covid. This class won’t cure Covid (sorry), but it will get us closer to nature’s true design for us humans; and help us get a bit closer to being grateful stewards of our planet and ALL its plants and animals.
Herbalism is a long forgotten form of healthy living, one of the many things we can regain to instill balance back into our lives. And who knows, maybe that will keep us from battling the ‘next’ pandemic.
When we seek balance in our lives, we want to balance not just our roles in life, but also sync ourselves with nature’s cyclical rhythm. This is true for our smaller moon’s cycles, and for our seasonal shifts around the sun each year.
It is my belief that turning to the wisdom of herbalism bridges nature and science together. Using this wisdom is something our ancestors knew to be both instinctual and common knowledge, and something we can harness in our everyday life practices.
We will learn a variety of herbs throughout this year, and we will apply this knowledge to many different products and uses. Any plant that has medicinal, culinary, or aromatic mojo is considered an herb; and technically, any plant that produces seeds, has a non-woody stem, and dies down after flowering. My hope is that you will consider these herbs your friends, and continue adding new and exciting relationships as time goes by.
I chose to make an herbal candle for January, and feel this brings us the ability to celebrate both our intentions for the new year, and to bring a little sun into our wintery cold nights.
Per usual, I like to begin the new year with an intention and thought we could add this mindful practice into our candle creating. If you wish to incorporate an intention and want a little help generating your word, I included some questions to help generate your imagination… and please do not forget to BREATHE ;-)
If you wish to skip this step, please move on down to the questions about HERBS; these answers may help you focus in on a smaller group of herbs for our candle project. It also may make obvious what wasn’t before, regarding the herbs and/or observations you choose to focus on a daily basis (or lack of).
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INTENTIONAL YOU:
Do I feel separate from my body? Separate from my spirit?
What am I shutting down or quieting?
What is heavy on me like an anvil?
What can I say to myself that will relieve the burdens I am carrying?
What am I afraid will happen if I lay this burden down?
What expectations am I unable to meet?
What have I been trying to do differently?
Where am I missing some boundaries?
How can I honor myself, and love my way to lightness of being?
What is your intention for 2022?
___________
HERBS & YOU:
What herbs do you already use?
Do you have a favorite herb(s)?
What wild herbs can you find near your home?
What unused herbs seem to call you?