Nourished

I think my feet have only just settled back onto the ground after the most sacred of weekends. I got to spend my time with black indigenous and people of color herbalists: covering a number of topics from ‘transformation through the shadows’ to ‘herbs that set you free’. Our last day (Sunday) made space for two people who have paved the way and shown how deeply spiritual working with plants actually is: Tatianna Tarot and Maryam Hasnaa. I thought my hand would fall off from scribbling notes and trying to catch every golden kernel they spilled (yes, it was that good!)

Perhaps more than the dizzy excitement of being surrounded by such inspirational people who are also throughly enmeshed in plant healing and medicine; is that we were brought together by the Master herbalist herself: Karen Rose. Her keynote speech was one that made me hurry off a catch up What’s app chat with my sister; find a cozy blanket and top up my tea before settling in. She spoke deep and true about the delicate yet powerful and consistent cycle that is life on this earth. And how through the death of the old, the new is able to grow and arise.

As I step out into what most assuredly feels like my soul’s purpose, I heard her words in my bones. Helping people through life, be it stories; homemade meals in my kitchen or in medicinal salves/balms and teas has always been my jam. I have made things with my hands for others for as long as I can remember. To know that my great and grandmothers did the same with their herbal medicine has only reaffirmed my steps.

And so, I continue to work on my formulas, keeping them simple and full of plants which is where the healing and the love is.