Stepping Closer

Intention is everything. Lately, I’ve been in an internal space of reflection. Becoming hyper-aware of what moves me closer to my Self and what takes me further away from my Truth. With this awareness has come a clarity regarding the spaces from which I draw the most energy when my intention is in pure alignment with my Greater Self. During my last meditation, upon reading a couple of statements from the book Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, I said to myself, “I trust my vision”. It was such a powerful statement to make, and it brought me to tears. I know some who know me now may be surprised to know that I struggled for many years with doubts and insecurities. Believing in my vision was no simple task. Let alone working towards it. After years of shedding tears, skin, and blood — all associated with the doubts, fears, and insecurities that held me back– I can finally confidently say that I fully and truly trust and believe in my vision. And when I speak of trusting vision, I’m not speaking only of ideas and goals for what we want in our career — that is definitely part of what I speak of — but I am also speaking of the deeper vision, our intuition, our hunches, our gut feeling.

As someone with a deep connection to my sacral chakra by way of my womb, I’m constantly feeling things “through my stomach”. You know those moments when something doesn’t feel quite right and our hearts start beating faster in anxiety or our stomach “drops”. Or the ones when things are in alignment with our best interest and our hearts feel calm, though we may still experience those little butterflies of euphoria in our stomach that may leave us feeling a tad unsettled. Some of us are raised in a society that deem these feels are just paranoia or over-emotionality, yet these intuitive centers within our bodies are not to be ignored . They yearn to be nourished in the same way that we care for our hair and nails to ensure that they are strong and grow (if that is what we want for those parts of ourselves). Through the process of realizing the importance of caring for our heart and body in tandem, I have come up with a uterus and heart centering exercise  for nourishing and grounding these two channels.

To begin:

  • Get comfortable and close your eyes and begin to relax. Take in slow long deep breaths through your nose. Let your breath return to its natural rhythm. Resist the urge to control your breath. The cool inhale, the warmer exhale.
  • Notice the gentle rise and fall of your chest and belly.
  • Put your attention now to the space just behind your pubic bone where you imagine your uterus to be. This exercise is still relevant and effective whether you are still menstruating or whether you are in menopause, whether you have your uterus or for whatever reason you no longer have a physical uterus.
  • At one and the same time, draw in a slow deep breath from the base of your uterus, at your cervix and slowly move up the energy of your breath through your uterus and up through your heart and just above your heart.
  • Gently hold your breath until you feel the impulse to release it.
  • As you release the outbreath, send the energy back down through the crown of your heart to the base of your uterus and back to your cervix. Allow the energy of the outbreath to move freely.
  • Rest and repeat this three more times.
  • When you stop, feel into the subtle energies moving between your heart and your uterus.
  • This is a great exercise for enlivening the uterus/heart energies. It also flexes and restores resilience to the facial envelope, which supports and contains the heart, and gently frees the tissues that support and hold up the uterus. This is a great exercise to incorporate in your daily mantra and meditation practice

Wholeness.

The Mother Wound: Reflective Alchemy for the Subconscious Heart

May this medicine carry you. This is the time when we reclaim our heart's power to transform our lives with love. Many of us are feeling big changes and profound purification taking place. The moments are promising but also bring a depth of work to be done. This is a month to open to the power of creation and let it rip through our psyches until we are breathless with the fun and wonder of the Light. This is the month to step into our heart’s power. But not without moving through and with our shadow, first. Astrologically, the planets are on fire: Uranus is in Aries, with Mars, Mercury, The Sun, and The Moon all in Leo. Saturn has also been making its journey in Sagittarius. The trajectory of these planets, in combination with some other planetary alignment, bring with them the following lessons: "asserting our individuality from the mainstream, releasing our masks covering the authentic heart-felt self, letting ourselves be used as vessels for our divine essence and our purpose in this lifetime, radiating our confidence and delight in our power to create a magnificent life, courageously standing up for the kingdom and community we want to live in, releasing our inner child to play, create, express, and becoming champions of love and awakening…” With all of this in mind, 3 important questions were posed to guide us through the cycle which we find ourselves in:

  1. How can I feel more connected to others?
  2. What spiritual lesson am I trying to master right now?
  3. Who in my life do I need to reach out to right now?

The answer to these questions give us a clearer picture of the things occurring internally which are reflected externally in interaction and communion with the world around us. There is something very deep happening for many of us, and we offer this spiritual elixir as a light for our work with the shadows. May this medicine nurture us.

how can i feel more connected to others?

Do the work of healing your inner child and releasing past and present traumas. 5 of Cups. In the image of this card we see a man, surrounded by 5 cups which have been spilled, a child stands next to him, unclothed and looking toward a couple standing close to the edge of a creek. He looks down at the cups almost as if blindly searching. This suggests that we are dealing with an aspect of self that is disappointed or searching for something one feels one did not receive at a crucial time in life. This suggests that we may even be at a loss for a sense of emotional security and, therefore, emotional intelligence. The shadow we are presently working through is represented by the traumas that we may have acquired during our younger years -- our parents perhaps did not support our development (spiritual and emotional) in the way that we may have needed. This could have been due to their own inner or outer hardships - being overworked and underloved. Further, the alchemy being beckoned through this card is one which reminds us of the true reasons as to why we may have a hard time trusting or even believing that others are capable of offering the support and companionship that we may need. This alchemy asks us to really be honest with ourselves about what needs to be looked at. Where are the weeds in your garden and how can you fully but gently uproot them?

Pry further. What do I need that I didn't get? Perhaps several answers arise: to be allowed visibility; to be allowed fullness; space for errors and integrative learning; more hugs and kisses; to be told that I am beautiful and enough. Your personal answers could vary but are equally important in this process of healing the inner child.

what spiritual lesson am i trying to master right now?

Spirit asks you to release the fear of lack and the need to (subconsciously or consciously) "steal" from others what you think you otherwise would not be able to have. Release self-deceptive attitudes and ideas. The lesson is on inner abundance as influenced by the power of the mind. 7 of Swords. The 7 of Swords is a card that appears in your Tarot reading to reveal issues of breaking free, doing things your own way and abandoning group ideals. The 7 of Swords is seen as a card of saving yourself; this can have positive elements to it, as in many personal transformations, but it can be negative as well, revealing the core selfishness present in many of our decisions. There is also an element of haste in this card, an indicator of moving fast in a decision making process. When we see the 7 of Swords, we are being asked to more closely study our own behavior. Projections run amok in times like these. Projections may be felt as reflections even when they aren't. The medicine of the 7 of swords is for us to really be intentional about how exactly we are interacting with our peers and environment. Perhaps you are upset at someone who you think may have wronged you, but you are not clearly identifying your role in the entire situation. Where, within your mind, can you make a shift or transmute a thought to create a more harmonious exchange with friends, family, the world around, and the inner self? How can you find and shine your own light and stop being threatened by or envious of another's?

who in my life do i need to reach out to right now?

Go forward to the places and the people who support your hopes and dreams. Reach out to your innermost self for the jewels and fortune contained within. These may comes as lessons or shadows. Still, the medicine is there. 9 of Cups. This card depicts a family - a man with a baby upon his shoulders and a woman sitting near them, smiling as she admires the fruits of her labor. Behind them you see people dancing and another family walking near the waters. This scene is very pleasant and heart-warming. This card is about returning to the spiritual family, invoking ancestral guides, and communing with benevolent forces. This is actual a perfect number in observing the sequence of the cards mentioned above - 5, 7, 9. This is an appearance that speaks of progress. The 5 of Cups had us confronting that feeling of not having received all that we needed to feel secure and abundant in the world. The 9 of cups brings the cycle of healing that wound to a new place - we now begin to integrate the lessons and see the wound for what it has the potential to be - a place for the light to shine through. Right now, we are being beckoned to unity with our soul groups, spiritual community, natal family, and inner selves. Perhaps, there has been a rift in your connection to some of these units. Perhaps, it is hard for you to connect with your natal family. Perhaps, the deeper question in this time is, "how can I be the point of difference which ultimately unites and balances?" This time is prosperous in the sense that it lends it energy for transmutation and the ability to truly be the shaper of what we surround ourselves with. At this point, there is a balancing act happening between the inner child and the inner mother. The inner child may need to be reminded, "I am okay". It is an empowering process - to accept the parts that we feel have been rejected. In this process, we begin to see the patterns that emerged early; we recognize the voice of our mothers within and how they have served to either hurt us or uplift us. Nevertheless, transforming the mother voice from pain and criticism to abundant and unconditional support is a superior part of what happens through these shifts. We begin to feel safe again. We begin to access the inner child for true creative and manifestation potential. We begin to heal the wound of inadequacy. When we reach a certain point in this dance, we then have access to our authentic self.

Now, to aid in this powerful healing, there is a very specific ally that speaks to us. Her name is Motherwort. Used in at least 4 of our potions, this plant is known as the helper of mothers and their children, hence the name Motherwort. The English name (motherwort) reflects the long history of use for easing tension, anxiety, cramps in new and expecting mothers, and supporting the circulatory system. This is a plant native to Eastern Europe and Asia, brought to the US by the northern european colonizers. It has naturalized throughout the US, although, according to the USDA plants database, not in California. Motherwort is indispensable for healing the mother wound as it provides support for both the heart and the womb. With Motherwort, we are able to release longheld grief and gain clarity about generational traumas and blockages so that we may be able to heal them. It is also perfect for birthing mothers as it creates a shield and possibility for a trauma-free birth experience.

Here is an outline of Motherwort's super powers:

  • She helps regulate tachicardia (uneven heart beats) especially when due to stress and anxiety; this happens very quickly after dosage and can be a powerful ally for someone who feels their heart beat frequently due to tension and anxiety and especially for someone whose fear of having anxiety can turn into panic
  • She calms the nervous system's overactivity: reducing the sympathetic overdrive that expresses itself as nervous tension and anxiety: worryworts who pace, tighten and get jumpy
  • She has a distinctly soothing quality to her calming powers, like a "big hug from mom," as my herbal teacher introduced her to me exclaimed fondly 
  • She is decidedly bitter, one of the more bitter plants in the mint family, which makes her an ally for stimulating digestion and even more so, an ally for someone who tends to leave their bodies and/or 'zone out' when facing fear or elevated emotions ~ the bitter flavor brings us back into our bodies and helps draw the energetic center of our awareness further down from our minds to our core, as well as bringing us into the present moment
  • She is considered to be a 'cardio-tonic,' a plant that helps restore optimal functioning to the heart: 
    • Leonurine, an alkoloid that is found in Motherwort, is a mild vasodilator and anti-spasmotic to smooth muscle tissues, including the heart
    • She helps bring down high blood pressure when this is a primary symptom of anxiety and stress response, especially when their are signs of heat and excesses of nervous and digestive systems as well, she is a cooling herb
    • There are recent studies showing her ability to decrease clotting and fats in the blood (great for pre-flight worriers who also might have some stagnation issues) as well as such and such
    • She is a traditional remedy for 'gladdening the heart,' 
  • She may assist with bringing back into balance a over active (hyper) thyroid as part of a larger regimen addressing thyroid excess
  • She has a strong relationship with the needs of mothers and female reproductive transitions:
    • She is an emmenagogue (stimulates the uterus/brings on menses) in larger doses and can be used to help assist a mother the final weeks/days prior to labor, easing labor pains, soothing fears and relaxing elevated central nervous functions as well as calming the heart during such a high intensity period of transition - if pregnant, use only with the supervision of a well studied herbalist or midwife as dosages and frequency matters depending on personal needs
    • Also used post labor to assist with the healthy tone of the uterus as well as a preventative for infection ( largely due to motherwort's assistance in properly evacuating the full contents of the uterus post partum)
    • Motherwort can be a great ally for a formulation addressing PMS symptoms as it has quick relief for the tension and often can assist with the constrictive headaches prior to menses (I like to combine with rosemary and lavender or skullcap for this) in combination with other herbs, nutritional and lifestyle recommendations based on the person
    • For a lady with hot flashes, anxious tension and heart palpitations, motherwort is a great friend to help cool and calm, careful to dose according to bleeding patterns, not too heavy if there is menstrual flooding
    • Motherwort has been said to help mothers who over mother, allowing them to let go and surrender the need to feel in control, especially when they have no idea how controlling/overly involved they can be, it as become their new normal and see worry as a form of caring. 

If you would like to know more about the potions we have which contain Motherwort, check out the list below in the corresponding sections in the Shop:

  • Venus Potion found in the '7 Planetary Powers Potions' section.
  • Spirit Gate found in the 'Tea Blends' section.
  • Fluidez and Chakra Balancing Tea Blend found in the 'Age of Aquarius Healing Collection'.

Also check out our next post (full moon), for a more in depth survey on healing the heart, the womb, and our connection to the mother - inner and outer.

With Love.

*some information on Motherwort via http://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/benefits-of-motherwort.html

Plant Spirit Reading™: Phase 1

Plant and Tarot Teachings:

Did you know that plants and tarot energies correspond with each other to deliver a signature of vibrations that can be used in conjunction as somewhat of a full spiritual prescription? With this in mind, we have developed "Plant Spirit Readings". Through these readings we touch upon not only the situations that surround us (via tarot clarification) but also the remedies (plant spirits) that are most useful for our journey throughout this time. These remedies may or may not have to be administered internally -- sometimes you only need to be around the specific plant to get its healing effects, no consumption necessary.

 

What Allies Speak to Us In This Time:

cards:

5 of Wands

(19) The Sun

2 of Disks

plant spirit remedies:

Agrimony

Pau D' Arco

Catnip

(respectively)

With the initiation of the 5 of wands, we find ourselves moving through certain contractions. Though the image reveals a variety of influences presenting themselves to play a factor in these moments, it is also true that the Wands speaks directly of the spirit. 5 within the minor arcana of the tarot tends to signify a point of diminution -- a contraction that leads to birth, to expansion. A 5 of Wands contraction tells of a shift within the spirit that may feel uncomfortable but ultimately leads to pure illumination and inner shapeshifting. When this vibration presents itself, there can be a series of opposing energies creating agitation. Through this motion, your inner self is asking you to be clear about what you want and/or need. The 5 of Wands may have you confronting "others" who may pose a feeling of competitiveness, ultimately as pure reflection of what it is that you really want for yourself -- these people may be there precisely for that lesson: they make you uncomfortable with the need to be a better version of yourself. This entire process involves a sorting through, a purging if you will. It does so through presenting us with one or several of these scenarios: it can imply someone playing mind games through speaking in a way that does not reflect their intention; it can also show up as discordance within a work situation or approach to your career - disorganization, procrastination, etc; it can even be a general sense that it's time to lay down some battles and let yourself be moved into the next phase with the certainty that this letting go will not leave you at a loss.

The journey through the 5 of Wands enables us to step with a deep longing into the vibration of 19 aka The Sun. Just the image of the sun alone is highly promising. Here we see the union of two energies: feminine and masculine, passive and aggressive, high and low. Here we experience the synthesis of all the inner shifts that had taken place up until this point. The Sun reminds us that we have the capacity for true enlightenment if we choose to stay with the discomfort that often accompanies the process of lasting change. This is a very high frequency moment in your life -- The Sun implies that you have reached or are reaching a level of spiritual maturity that you will infinitely benefit from. The resonance of this is that in this time your pursuits are prosperous -- whether you are diving deeper into self-awareness and realization or whether you have been working to establish more harmonious connections with all of life, this is a process of allowing yourself to step into a renewed sense of trusting which aids you in moving forward in life with more optimism while also maintaining the balance of upholding clarity within and without. Confusion has now dissipated and you can see life with a more brilliant understanding. 2 of Disks helps you to engage this newfound lucidity in a more practical manner. The 2 of Disks indicates form, fertility, unexpressed creativity, and cooperation. The 2 of Disks is an energetic card that represents the powerful combination of grace and effectiveness. With the duality it represents, this card speaks of the balance we work to maintain. It fuses the energies of the 5 of Wands and The Sun: When the 2 of Disks appears in a spread, it infers that you have too much going on at the moment, and may be finding it difficult to concentrate and make discerning decisions and choices. The message of the 2 of Disks is that challenges will be met with confidence and things will go well. This tells of attempting to cope with two separate situations at once. Stop procrastinating and make a definite decision one way or the other. Do what must be done to stabilize your material assets. With all of these factors at play, the 2 of Disks encourages us to stay centered and focused. If there is any perfect time to believe in yourself and affirm your power, now is the time. 

So through these cards we convene with the energies of fire and earth: renewal and grounding, purification and nurturing, upheaval and balance. Through these cards, we see the need for a true uprooting to make space for a new grounding. The plants allies that speak to us in this time aid in this process are a great help for this transition. Agrimony and Pau D' Arco are specifically synergistic plants: they work very well by themselves but get a boost by being used in conjunction. Agrimony has a powerful energy that aids in healing the heart and offering protection to one's aura. Practitioners of certain traditions use agrimony to block curses and remove jinxes. Applied for healing the liver, treating stomach irritability, and relieving jaundice, this beautiful healer lends its energies for true protection on both a physical and spiritual level. Often employed in treating candida and other such infections, Pau D' Arco has been used for a wide range of conditions: various cancers, inflammation, arthritis, fever, and a variety of pains. Pau D' Arco is a highly empowering plant which The Guarani Indians used to fashion their hunting bows from the wood in the hope that the tree’s vigor will be transferred to both bow and hunter. In our tea blends section, we have two blends which contain one or both of these allies. La Limpiadora is a profoundly cleansing formula which helps to carry through the effects of both of these medicines. It is one of our bestsellers as it not only clears infections, but also cleanses the colon. The Harmony Way is another one which contains agrimony and is sure to bring a deep grounding and sense of security to the entire self. The Sol Immunity/Fire in our elemental extracts section contains Pau D' Arco and has been noted to be excellent in uses particularly to boost the immune system and cleanse the body of infections. Another way to integrate these frequencies is to simply to spend time around the plants if you have access to them in your vicinity. One that is commonly found in surrounding environments is Catnip, and as the culminating aid for the phase, Catnip is a strong-scented mint that can be used in baths to relieve muscle aches that accompany flu and illness. Also used to invoke the feminine energy, this very cool medicinal plant is indispensable for balancing the solar energy that the sun has bestowed with all its brilliance.

Are you willing to engage with the balance of seeming opposing energies which ultimately bring a major shift in the consciousness of your being? Will you allow these allies to instill the reasoning and clarity necessary to emerge with more strength for the next phase in your life? Tune in. Go deep. The results are rich with promise.

To receive our monthly Plant Spirit Readings and other reflective offerings, please subscribe to our newsletter. You can also schedule a 10 or 21 card Plant Spirit Reading via the Consultations tab for a more in depth reading regarding your personal process.

Hot Spots in Kiskeya

During my most recent moments in Kiskeya (aka the Dominican Republic and Haiti), I have spent much of the time on the balcony of my room - basking in continuous sunlight, sipping my infusions slower than usual, breathing chemtrail-free air, chatting with my aunt and other family members about plants and their healing offerings, writing, reading, not doing, being. I also have been spending time doing things that feel activating to my heart and soothing to my nervous system such as genealogical research and sinking my feet more deeply into the soil, touching upon roots in this place that I’ve been enchanted by since child.

Kiskeya is one of my absolute favorite places in the world. Rich with plants in every home, mango trees on every corner, and a sense of connectivity between all the fibers of being, I feel very at home in this place outside of my own body. This most recent journey has enabled me to connect more deeply with the people whom I love the most - cousins, aunts, uncles, my grandparents, and some dear friends. Making most of my communal voyages by feet, I spent much of the time traveling from the balcony at my aunt's house to the porch gating my grandpa's old cottage. The decision had been made that I would use this time to go deeper into my roots and listen to the stories of times before my birth so as to get a clearer picture of this part of earth in which the seeds that became me first lay. Still, with all this being the case, I took moments to venture through the barrios and enjoy communion with local spots for pleasurable activity. My first stop was at one of my favorite eateries in town - PAPAUPA VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT.

Located in the heart of the capital, Santo Domingo, Papaupa is a spot I always make a point of going to whenever I visit DR. Offering hearty options for the meat-eater and plant-based foodie alike, this restaurant offers both vegetarian and vegan options that are sure to awaken your senses and remind you of well-known Caribbean dishes - vegan patties made out of plantains, fries made with batata, and jugo de cereza y guayaba - to name a few. A tropical oasis, tucked in a busy corner in the city, Papaupa never ever disappoints. Every time I find myself in this space, I make sure I eat extra slow and savor every bite.

As if the paradise of the island isn't enough to enchant, Kiskeyans have been blessed with the DR. RAFAEL MA. MOSCOSO NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN. A garden named after a Kiskeyan botanist who catalogued the flora of the island of Hispaniola. Featuring a Japanese garden, a pavilion of medicinal plants, palms, succulents, ferns, and even a butterfly garden, this location is the site for much photography and relaxation. I personally venture here to study and talk to the life all around, and during this trip I have spent about 12 hours here, enjoying time and space with plants I did not even know existed. El Jardin Botanico is one of the places we will be frequenting during our immersion trip to Kiskeya in October. Check out the Gold Water Education Center's "Campo Medicine" offering for more information.

Limestone. Turtles. Fish. Water. Caves. Ducks. Bats. A cenote. This is the organic makeup of a site I have visited countless times and even have a house next to. LOS TRES OJOS (The Three Eyes) is a highly frequented location. In part something like an open-air cave in Santo Domingo, the idea of bats may spook some away from ever visiting, but I promise that if you do, you will not regret it. The creation of this site was "accidental" - that is to say it was not thoroughly intended by man though it was intended by nature. Los Tres Ojos came about as a result of tectonic fractures when underground caves collapsed. Ultimately and naturally, some of the underground water networks were exposed while other parts of these caves filled with water, creating habitable space for the water spirits that I know and love. A deeply mysterious location, these lakes are filled with a rich history - Tainos were the first to inhabit the cave, performing ceremony and ritual and communing in depth with the mysteries. When you visit The Three Eyes, you will voyage through the cave in a wooden “boat” keep in route by ropes which are manually pulled to bring us closer to the portion where we enter cenote. A very raw experience, I personally never leave the island without visiting Los Tres Ojos. It's like stepping into a parallel universe filled with even more water and friendly creatures.

Have you been to the Dominican Republic and visited any hot spots not listed here? We would like to hear about your experience. Get in touch!