The Pigs (and Pandemic) Made Me Do it

My kiddo’s little buddies, Spunky & Bubba.

Or, Compost Is Part of the Medicine.

At the beginning of the pandemic, one of the first services to be put on pause was citywide composting. I was devastated! Composting is one of those things that feels really good to do. Keeping waste out of landfills, keeping pollution-spewing fossil-fuel-consuming trucks from carting said waste to the landfills, and best of all, building the soil to support life to thrive – these are all major for being in good relationship with the Earth. I’d say if there’s one thing you could do for the planet, it would be to compost.

I caught the compost bug back in 2009 after I studied permaculture. The following year I participated in the NYC Compost Project, becoming a “master composter.” I kept a worm compost bin back then, and stored excess food scraps in the freezer, which I carted by subway from Brooklyn to Union Square Greenmarket, the nearest place I could compost on a regular basis. Not long after I joined the neighborhood community garden and was part of the compost team.

Before NYC expanded their composting program, one of the farms at the neighborhood farmers market, Evolutionary Organics, began collecting food scraps. Every Saturday, I’d bring those frozen scraps to the market just a couple of blocks away. Then came the citywide effort, also with a sizable operation at the market. I found great joy in this weekly routine of seeing people happily cart their food scraps there.

And then came the pandemic. Even though I consider compost to be an essential service, apparently the city government didn’t agree. Honestly, I felt a bit lost, and very sad to be throwing all of that precious organic material into the landfill.

It broke my heart every time I made herbal medicine – tinctures, infusions, syrups – and tossed the leftover, called the marc. When I could, I’d bring those spent herbs with me to the park to leave as offerings for the trees.

Thankfully one of our neighborhood restaurants started collecting compost scraps on Sundays, but for some reason it just never became a consistent habit to get over there. I’d say only about 1/4 to 1/3 of our scraps made it there.

And then the guinea pigs arrived.

We got Bubba & Spunky for my son’s birthday. I don’t know if you know this about guinea pigs – they are prolific poopers. They’re herbivores so their poop makes great compost. They eat a lot of grass, and they’re pretty picky about it. A lot of it ends up getting tossed with their precious pellets when we clean the cage. I couldn’t stand by and just let all of this great organic matter go to the dump. I had to start composting in earnest again.

I recalled an article in the New York Times about a way to compost at home that didn’t require a service or difficult-to-acquire inputs. I went to Natty Garden, the neighborhood garden center and got myself some coconut coir and ordered wood ash from a shop on Etsy.

Oh the satisfaction of turning food scraps, guinea pig poop, and grass into black gold! It’s really quite the alchemical process. It’s really satisfying to be a part of and witness that transformation of trash into treasure. Even more, it’s a great pleasure to partake in this regenerative process that benefits the life in the soil and beyond.

Some of the compost is already going back to the Earth. I added it as a sheet mulch layer in a native medicinal wildflower meadow that I’m working on in the Catskills. And whatever compost I’m making now will go to the struggling street trees in my neighborhood.

Composting is one of those multilayered solutions to the predicaments of our modern lives. It mitigates pollution, prevents extraction of Earth’s precious gifts, keeps material resources in the community, builds soil (a much overlooked and vital part of the health of the land, and us!), encourages vitality and diversity in the ecosystem, and brings us closer to the natural rhythms of Mama Nature that our modern lifestyles sever us from. Compost is part of the medicine we need to restore health to our world.

Am I getting too personal here? I mean, looking at someone’s discarded stuff, that’s pretty intimate!

Your Guide to Ethical Wildcrafting

Hey Plant Lover!

Whether you are a seasoned wildcrafter or you’ve never harvested wild plants for food or medicine before, there’s something that’s vital for all of us to consider. That’s the impact our choices have on the life we share this planet with.

Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash

Birds, insects, microorganisms, furry creatures – like us, they depend on the plants for their survival.

And then of course there are the plants themselves. There are close to 400,000 vascular plants on Earth. And nearly 2,000 are discovered or newly studied each year, many of which are on the brink of extinction. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 plants on Earth are threatened with extinction.

So why are plants and other life forms disappearing?

There are a variety of causes, the most visible being habitat destruction and loss. This comes in many forms. Fragmentation of forests from clear cutting, pollution of water by agricultural and industrial runoff, widespread pesticide and herbicide use, sprawling commercial and housing development.

These are but symptoms of a greater issue. At the root, the loss of life on this planet is an ideological problem:

We see ourselves as separate from nature.

By “we” I mean those in the developed world, plagued by colonialism, capitalism, consumerism, racism.

These lenses have clouded our vision of the truth.

The truth is that we depend on all of life to work in concert. That each one of us – animal (including humans), plant, fungi, mineral – are an integral part of the whole. And that our human neuroses – fear of scarcity, fear of other, fear of death – have put us into this stupor of forgetfulness and destruction. We blindly take from the Earth what we think we need without thanks, and without reciprocity. This isn’t need, but greed.

If there’s anything the COVID pandemic is showing us, it is that our destructive habits impact every one of us. The predominating culture looks at the gifts of the Earth as commodities to be extracted, bought, and sold. Clean healthy water is a human right, a right for all living beings. Yet we have dreamed up that it has a monetary value. This dream is killing the beauty of life on this planet. It is time to shift this dream.

There is abundance, joy, pleasure, and enough for all when we reciprocate with the Earth. This has been a basic fact of life for all earth-based cultures on this planet. People who have not lost this sense of belonging to the Earth (and not the f*ed up flipside idea of Earth belonging to us) live this truth. I look forward to the day where more of us not just understand this but embody and live it.

One small way to begin to live our belonging is to live in reciprocity with the healing plants.

I’ve created a guide to Ethical Wildcrafting with this at its core. It’s adapted from my book, Northeast Medicinal Plants and is inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer’s words in her book, Braiding Sweetgrass.

Sign up to receive it in your inbox here, or click the image below to get your copy – It will arrive in three easily digestible parts.

I’m delivering it in installments so that you can slow down to take in the information and practice it.

By signing up you’ll also learn additional ways to connect with healing plants and receive information about my new offering, INFUSE – a monthly immersion to deepen your relationship with healing plants. You can always unsubscribe at any time.

I invite you to comment below or email me liz (at) gatheringground (dot) nyc to share your experiences with connecting with the healing plants.

References and Further Reading:

How Many Plant Species Are There in the World? Scientists now have an answer

The Real Cure for Covid is Renewing Our Fractured Relationship With the Planet

**Legacy Lost: **A Brief History of Colonization and the Loss of Northeastern Old-Growth Forests

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Additional Guides to Ethical Wildcrafting From Fellow Herbalists:

Forest Medicine by fellow Timber Press author, Scott Kloos

Herbal Remedies Advice by Rosalee de la Forêt

Learning Herbs by Devon Young

Sierra Botanica by Rachel Berry

Herbal Allies for the Uprising

Hello Every Body, Every Heart, Every Spirit!

I’ve been thinking about how I could be of service right now and I was reminded by a friend of what I could share during this time, and what she suggested was this: Are there any Northeast plants that we can draw healing and wisdom from at this time of uncertainty and uprising? In other words, which plants can help us sustain our minds, bodies, and spirits through the long haul of doing The Work?*

So how can the plants help? Our green allies offer us guidance, nourishment, and healing so that we can show up in the ways we are needed while also reducing the risk of burning out. They help us stay grounded and allow us to better perceive universal truths.

I believe that it is essential to know and partner with the community of plants growing in our own backyards. These plants contain information for us about the land where we live.

And the plants we need also often grow close to us, showing up just when we need them. So I’m sharing plants that grow where I live, in northeastern North America. All of them can be found in Northeast Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use 111 Wild Herbs for Health and Wellness (Timber Press). Many of these plants grow in other parts of the world, too. If you aren’t in the Northeast, seek out the plants that grow near you, find the plant folk who live in your area, or look for related species to the plants listed here.

Agrimony (Agrimonia species)

The leaves, flowers, and burs of Agrimony in tea (infusion) or tincture from, as well as the flower essence, bring relief to those who hide their pain beneath a cheerful disposition. Agrimony leaves can be burned as an agent of cleansing and purification, to remove any energies projected onto us.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

This beautiful flowering plant is closely related to Echinacea and has similar immune stimulating properties. The flower essence allows our old trauma and shadows to come to the surface so that we may process them with compassion. Jordan Pagán of Ostara Apothecary describes it as an “anti-repressor,” making Black-eyed Susan a very fitting essence for the times.

Black-eyed Susan

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Borage for courage! Both Borage leaf infusion helps restore the nervous system when we become depleted and exhausted. The flower essence instills courage while lightening our hearts when we experience heaviness and grief.

Burdock (Arctium species)

Drinking a daily Burdock root decoction or infusion for several weeks at a time has the power to clear deep seated anger and toxicity in the blood. According to herbalist-yogini-doula Sokhna Mabin Burdock can bring healing to deep ancestral wounds. So deep your great-great granny will feel it.

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Have you seen this prickly plant? Pretty fierce looking. The funny thing is, it’s a signal to us that this plant relieves pain. The leaves and roots in tincture would be beneficial for this. The flower essence helps those who are being bullied or are in conflict with authority figures stand in their power.

Cinquefoil (Potentilla species)

Cinquefoil can be used similarly to Agrimony (see above). It also has a history of being used in Hoodoo. It can be used for unbinding. The plant sends a message to those meddling in our lives to keep their hands off. (Its 5 leaflets are reminiscent of the hand shape.)

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

Comfrey is a powerful wound healer. So powerful you must take care when using it topically as it can heal the skin over a wound, potentially trapping in infection. Use comfrey topically only on well cleaned superficial (not puncture) wounds. The flower essence can be partnered with for healing deep emotional wounds. Take care with using Comfrey internally (especially the root), particularly if there is a pre-existing liver condition.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

The Tree of Peace of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Instills peace in our hearts and our nerves. Wound healing. Pine flower essence promotes self acceptance and helps one to release long held guilt. Learn more information on the Bach Pine essence here. Eastern White Pine flower essence, according to Woodland Essences offers “the Foundation of ancient wisdom to help us remember how to ‘put the pieces back together.’ A guiding light to illuminate and support one's re-membering. Stability and balance in thought and action.”

Hawthorn (Crataegus species)

Hawthorn is a guardian tree offering us tender heart healing and protection. Check out those thorns – they are formidable. Birds nest in Hawthorn branches for a good reason. Protection. Also, each thorn has the potential to become a branch – sit with that metaphor for a while. Hawthorn leaves and flowers are gently calming and her fruit gently regulates heart rhythm, helps to move fat through the blood and digestive tract, and balances blood pressure.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)

This gorgeous wild bitter mint soothes the heart and nervous system. She calms heart palpitations and eases hypertension. Whenever I feel like freaking out, Motherwort cools my nervous anxiety and tension. Tincture form is my favorite way to take this medicine. Take care to use low doses if you have hypothyroidism (the herb is used to calm hyperthyroidism).

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Mugwort initiates us into the ways of the medicine plants. She helps shift our perception so that we can see the world from a fresh perspective, one more aligned with the natural world. In other words, she help help you get and stay woke. Drinking Mugwort infusion, taking the tincture, or using the infused oil topically enhances our ability to dream (dreaming is happening all the time, dreaming is really waking up). With Mugwort’s help we can dream the new world we know is possible. Do not use Mugwort during pregnancy, it is stimulating to the uterus (which makes it helpful for regulating menstruation and stirring creativity).

Mugwort

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Standing tall like a beacon, Mullein activates and heals the physical and energetic spine. Drinking the infusion or tincture is calming to the nerves and helps us process grief, which is held in the lungs.

Rose (Rosa species)

One of my favorite spirit nurturing herbs. Rose shifts our mood, cools anger, and stimulates our senses. She is a powerful healer who opens us up to our true, peaceful, sensual selves.

Skullcap (Scutellaria species)

If you are looking to slow incessant mental chatter, Skullcap is a good friend to have around. Taking a bit of the tincture before bedtime slows the mental roll and eases us into restful sleep and healing dreams.

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum species)

Solomon’s Seal is a gently restorative tonic for building the body and spirit back up after illness or exhaustion. The flower essence is used for protection and wise decision making. It is also said to enhance synchronicity. According to Healing Spirits Herb Farm, it helps us adapt to changes that have already occurred.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

Everyone deserves a good night’s rest and Valerian does the job, for most people. For a small percentage of folks, Valerian is more activating than relaxing, so do a test on a day where you don’t have a lot of commitments to see if you are one of the rare few who don’t benefit from the relaxing effects of Valerian.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Last but certainly not least, Yarrow is a favorite herb for protection and clearing energy. The flower essence helps us establish and maintain healthy boundaries. The herb in poultice or salve form helps to stop injuries from bleeding. It’s an essential ally for every revolutionist’s first aid kit.

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I dedicate this post to those with boots on the ground, doing the heavy lifting around undoing racial oppression. May you find your favorite green allies, may you find the ones to lean on when you need to nourish and restore your being.

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*From my view, the work includes the reconfiguring of our perceptions, in concert with rebuilding and restructuring the systems and structures to be beneficial to all humans. The work is staying with the awareness of how we relate to the world, staying with the practice of relating to each other with care, and of being vulnerable and open to the ways we relate with regard to the construct of race. For me and other white folks, it’s opening our eyes to the ways in which we benefit from the systems and structures of racial oppression and how we can leverage our privilege to bring more awareness to this raw and gaping wound.

I am by no means an expert on this topic and this post is not meant as an education about the history of racial constructs and white supremacy. So I’m sharing a few organizations and resources to educate yourself on this topic. It is deep and there are many more to explore – this is just the tip of the iceberg to get you started.

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond

Brownicity

The Action PAC

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

Green Is in the Heart

This is the 4th post I’m sharing on the Communication of Color, particularly through the lens of the plant realm. You can find the previous posts here:

The Power of Red in Times of Disruption

Orange ya glad? How Orange Stimulates Joy

Yellow Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair

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Hello!

How are you doing?

By my count it’s day 72 of the “quarantine”* (or whatever you’d like to call it).

It’s also the 10th week of distance learning for my 7 year old, and his teachers are trying to keep it fresh. One of the teachers recently sprung an impromptu dance party on the class. She played “Groove Is in the Heart,” one of my favorite 90s hits by Deee-Lite. Maybe you know it (if not, or if you want to take a trip down memory lane, the video is below). Well, it took me back and got me moving, my heart pumping. And it got me thinking about the heart and about this week’s post about the color Green.

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Green is in the heart, according to the chakra system. The fourth chakra (Sanskrit: anahata for “unhurt,” “unbeaten,” or “unstruck”) lives at the heart center, the place where love, compassion, and caring are expressed. This is also where past hurts, jealousy, and relationship wounds live. When there is wounding in our hearts, we may have difficulty empathizing, we may find it difficult to be kind with ourselves and with others. There might be a lot of negative self talk or limits set around our perceived ability to express love. We may feel that the “grass is greener” on the other side, in other words we may be green with envy.

As Kermit says, it ain’t easy being green. Maybe that’s because many of us are living in our heads, cut off from our hearts. It’s always the right time to work on healing our hearts to nurture self love so that we can create a compassionate, loving society. I always look to the Earth for inspiration and guidance for healing. It’s a lovely synchronicity that Earth and Heart are anagrams in the English language.

The first thing I do when I feel disconnected from my heart is tap into the energy of the Earth. I bring awareness to my heart and then I let that awareness dive down through my body and into the soil. I let it continue to travel down through all of the layers of this magnificent planet right down to the core. The core is the heart (cuore, Italian for “heart”) and our Great Mother’s heart beats out the electromagnetic field to nurture us with her energy, and to shield us from the powerful rays of the Sun. Tap into that energy of fierce love and protection when your heart is aching and see what happens.

There are a lot of beautiful treasures from the Earth (aka, stones) to sit with when you are needing a boost of heart energy. You can call on their energy if you don’t have them on hand. Do your best to obtain them from a sustainable source if you seek to sit with them physically. Here are a few that resonate with the heart: green calcite, malachite, moss agate, tree agate, green garnet, fuchsite, fluorite, and chrysocolla. Pink is another heart centered color and stones that feature pink also light up the heart, including rose quartz, pink calcite, rhodonite, rhodochrosite, and ruby in zoisite (which also features green). I find it interesting that pink and green vibrate on a similar frequency - my dad and son are both color blind (deuteranopic) and sometimes have trouble differentiating colors in the pink-green color range, depending on the value.

And of course, the plants! Just being outside communing with the green ones is enough to restore some balance to the heart. If I’m feeling a little stuck or fatigued, simply looking out my apartment window at the lushly leafed-out trees gives me a little boost of heart energy and refreshes my spirit. Houseplants could do the same.

There are so many beautiful herbs that resonate with the heart, some more specifically than others. Many of them feature the colors green, pink, or red prominently. Green often indicates nourishing and cleansing, while red and pink speak to the blood and the heart, both physically and energetically. Here are just a few lovely green allies that soothe the heart.

Hawthorn (Crataegus species)

She’s a fiercely protective tree whose leaves, flowers, and fruit are most often employed for healing the physical and energetic heart. The berries help break down fat in the blood and digestive tract, and the fruit, leaves, and flowers lower blood cholesterol, regulate the heart rate, and balance blood pressure Her sharp thorns are also a signature for her protective nature and her action on the heart.

Beach rose (Rosa rugosa)

Rose (Rosa species)

Swoon! Rose has my heart all a-flutter. We know her well for her love-invoking abilities, her renown as a romance enhancer, her transportive perfume. Rose is also a protector of the heart being antioxidant and cooling to the blood. Her thorns – technically prickles – like the thorns of Hawthorn, are another signature of her cardio-protective properties.

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

The flowers of most cherry species have a gentle soporific quality and the bark of P. serotina in particular is used traditionally to induce sleep, often where there is a cough that keeps one up at night. Like Hawthorn, black cherry regulates the heart’s rhythm and helps lower blood pressure.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)

This gorgeous bitter mint is well known for its heart regulating properties. It’s even right there in the species name, cardiaca. Motherwort alleviates hypertension and heart palpitations while soothing the nervous system. One of the signatures of this plant is the way the leaves grow in a rhythmic or syncopated pattern up the stem. (Thank you Julia Graves for sharing that signature)

My favorite perch, in Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

One of my favorite trees, Eastern White Pine soothes the heart’s rhythm and brings peace to the nerves. Like Motherwort, the signature is in the syncopated pattern of the whorled branches. Simple spending time with this tree offers a reassurance that everything is going to be okay.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)

Deeply nourishing and restorative Stinging Nettle is like the magnet in our heart’s compass leading us to our True North. Rich in chlorophyll, plant proteins, and other compounds that balance our bodies in just about all of the ways, this plant is a great foundational herb. It has been relied upon for millennia for its life-sustaining properties, notably by ascetic monks living in caves, like Milarepa, who turned green from consuming so much of the stuff.

Unfurling heart-shaped leaves of Violet (Viola sororia)

Violet (Viola species)

This forest-edge-dwelling cutie emerges in spring to wake our hearts up to the season of new beginnings. Drinking the leaves daily for a few consecutive weeks helps to cleanse the blood and nourish the body. Heart-shaped leaves tip us off to this plant’s ability to ease a grieving heart.

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*The quarantine, La Quarantena, a term coined by Venetians during the Black Death is derived from the 40 days (quaranta giorni) of isolation of a ship’s crew and cargo to prevent the spread of disease. Our quaranta giorni has now reached settantadue and will likely continue a few more settimana before we shift to a new stage of coming out of our bubbles.

In next week’s post we’ll move on up the rainbow body to the color Blue. Stay tuned…

Yellow Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair

This is the third post in a series I’m sharing about colorful signatures in the plant realm. Here they are in order so far:

The Power of Red in Times of Disruption

Orange ya glad? How Orange Stimulates Joy

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Photo by Natalia Luchanko on Unsplash

Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair

In the morning when we rise
In the morning when we rise
That's the time, that's the time

I love the best

I wonder if Donovan was secretly singing about Dandelion, because that’s who I picture as my true love when I hear this song.

Dandelion blossoms in spring

Like the rays of the golden sun, yellow brings things to life. Yellow is the epitome of cheery. Yellow boosts our confidence and our energy.

Our bodies’ sun lies in the solar plexus, the 3rd chakra (sanskrit: manipurna meaning “city of jewels”). This is the center of identity, self-expression, and will. Our sun is how we show up, in every sense. How do we rise to the occasion? It’s also the place where we create boundaries; it’s where I end and you begin.

To restore the energy of an imbalanced solar plexus, add a little yellow to your life.

You can sit with yellow stones with an intention to boost your confidence or turn down those negative self-talk voices. Here are a few you might want to try: citrine, yellow calcite, yellow sapphire, golden healer, tiger’s eye, and pyrite.

The plants that balance our solar plexus are plentiful. Many of them have yellow flowers, and sometimes roots.

Black-eyed Susan bloom

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia species)

With gorgeously golden rays and a deep dark center, Black-eyed Susan flower essence brings our shadow to the light, allowing us to process what is at the recesses of our psyches with love and compassion. Medicinally, this beauty is akin to its relative, Echinacea, being a detoxifier and stimulant to the immune system. It is sometimes utilized in formulations for Lyme Disease, a condition that can rock a person to their core (aka, the solar plexus center).

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

One of my favorite plant allies. Dandelion is a rooted grounded reflection of the sun above, with radiant golden blooms. Dandelion blossoms used topically are a mild pain reliever and make a great massage oil for the solar plexus. The root is well known for its liver-supportive effects. (The liver and gallbladder are also located in the solar plexus region - yellow is a signature for these organs).

Goldenrod and Bull Thistle

Goldenrod (Solidago species)

As the light of the day begins to wane, Goldenrod shines the way into the darker months. Like Dandelion, Goldenrod makes a lovely massage oil for the solar plexus. It’s also a great ally for disorders of the urinary tract (yellow) and for treating candidiasis.

Saint John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Delicate golden blossoms that bleed red when you squeeze them speak to the ability of Saint John’s Wort to balance both the root (red) and solar plexus (yellow). Lots of caveats to working with this one. If you want to work with this plant but feel it’s contraindicated for you, you can work with the flower essence or the oil, topically applied to the solar plexus region.

Sunflower

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Towering above reaching toward the sky with its tall stalks, yet facing downward as if looking down upon us humble creatures below, Sunflower is a reminder of the fruitful relationship between the Earth and the Sun. Its abundant seeds are nourishing and cleansing, its fragrant petals infused in oil and blended with the other golden blossoms mentioned here, again, make an excellent solar plexus massage oil. The flower buds orient to the sun and the flower essence helps us do the same, bestowing a more shining expression of our truest selves.

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These are just some of my favorite plants that prominently feature yellow. Do you have a favorite yellow ally? Share in the comments below!

Photo by Dmitry Grigoriev on Unsplash

The Power of Red in Times of Disruption

Do you have a favorite color? Or, like me, do you feel drawn to a particular color depending on the day, season, or mood?

Right now, the color that is calling to me is RED. It’s shouting to me, really, which is what Red can do sometimes. It’s really no surprise, given a moment to think on it, why Red has come into my awareness at this time. Read on, dear one, to find out why…

How does RED make you feel?

Red is anything but subtle. Red is seductive and provocative, grabbing our attention like a siren. Red is about extreme emotions. We can be red in the face with anger, blushing red with embarrassment, or feeling red hot for a lover.

Red pumps through our veins, through our hearts. Red is the foundation, the great equalizer. Our red blood reminds us that we are alive, we are mortal, and we are kin.

Red is the color of the root chakra (sanskrit: muladhara). The root is quite literally the seat of our sense of security. It is primal and reassuring. Spending time with Red in this sense, tells us that everything is going to be okay. It allows us to let go of our fears, our fear-based impulses, and encourages us to act from a grounded place and from the heart. Like the roots of a tree enmeshed in soil, our consciousness can be rooted in the solid ground of our Mother Earth. Slowing down to feel her pulse from groundedness, our own hearts are awakened and we remember: She provides us with all that we need. And knowing this we know not to fear for lack of having needs met. The abundance of the Earth is with us always.

Simply meditating on the color red or wearing it can bring about these feelings of security and courage (from Old French, corage, feeling from the heart). Sitting with or holding stones like carnelian, bloodstone, jasper, or garnet can invoke these feelings.

And of course, I must tell you about the herbs! Yes, there are medicinal plants that can help us feel more rooted, juicy, and abundant, too. And in the Divine Wisdom of the Universe, these plants feature red as a predominant color. Plants featuring red flowers, fruit, roots, or bark also have a physical influence on the blood, too. Here are just a few examples.

Rose (Rosa species)

One of my absolute favorites in the world of medicinal plants. Rose is ubiquitous for a reason. Rose is powerful! Energetically, she is cooling, drying, and anti-inflammatory. Read here for more on this amazing ally.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

Have you ever had Hibiscus tea? Jamaican Sorrel? That is some beautifully red stuff right there. Like Rose, Hibiscus is has a great effect on the blood. It’s cooling (refrigerant), antioxidant, and balances blood pressure and blood sugar, too. Hibiscus helps regulate menstruation, reducing excessive flow. According to David Frawley and Vasant Lad in their book The Yoga of Herbs, “Hibiscus flowers are sacred to Ganesh, the elephant god, the god of wisdom who destroys all obstacles and grants the realization of all goals, who dwells in the first or root chakra.”

Wild geranium

Wild Geranium (Geranium species)

The ethereal pink blossoms of Wild Geranium pull me in to a trance. Medicinally, the roots and leaves stanch bleeding internally and externally and check excessive discharges (like diarrhea). Energetically, the flower essence helps us release old stories, old trauma, and old insecurities allowing us to operate from a more empowered place.

Red Root (Ceanothus americanus)

If that name doesn’t say it all?! Red Root is warming and stimulating and gets things moving. It is typically used to improve lymphatic and blood flow in thick, heavy, cold, sluggish conditions. A tincture of the fresh root is preferred for this purpose. However, the dried root in a decoction (simmered “tea”) mixed with other warming roots and barks (ginger, cinnamon, clove, etc). makes a really great chai-inspired blend to stimulate the root and sacral chakras. It’s a delicious way to stoke creativity and the feeling that we live in an abundant universe. Precautions: Do not use red root if you are taking blood thinning or blood clotting medications or are pregnant.

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

Talk about abundance! Red Clover enriches the soil with nitrogen, improving the fertility of the Earth. It does the same for humans (increase fertility, that is), while also gently cleansing the blood. Its triple leaflet is symbolic of the magic number 3, the triskelion, the holy trinity. There is a sense of stability, wholeness, and completion in three: past/present/future, beginning/middle/end, birth/life/death, etc. I also associate red clover with Taurus, the most grounded and earthiest of signs. Precautions: Do not use red clover if you are taking blood thinning medication and discontinue use at least 2 weeks prior to scheduled surgery. There is some thinking that red clover is contraindicated for those with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer.

Bloodroot

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

I look forward every year to seeing this ephemeral beauty blooming in the woods. Its blooms are white, yet its root exudes a blood red sap when cut. Bloodroot flower essence helps us resolve deep-rooted traumas passed down through our family line. Certainly a very important remedy for our times. Only partner with this plant energetically or as a flower essence as it is endangered. To learn more about preserving wild spaces and species like bloodroot, check out United Plant Savers.

Trillium grandiflorum

Trillium (Trillium species)

Here’s that magic number 3 again: three petals, three sepals, and three leaves. Trillium is another beautiful native plant that is endangered due to habitat loss and disturbance. The flower essence couldn’t be a more spot on root-chakra remedy. According to Flower Essence Services, this remedy fosters a “secure sense of personal welfare and financial well-being; ability to serve and give to others” while balancing out “distortions in survival chakra, fear due to materialistic emphasis, greed for possessions and power; poverty consciousness that leads to overly-materialistic focus.”

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How does the color red make you feel? Is there a plant featuring red in its flowers, fruit, or bark that helps you feel especially courageous or rooted? Leave it in the comments below!

Herbal Resources for the Budding Herbalist

Are you just starting out on your herbal journey? Or maybe you’ve been on the path a while and are looking for some new herbal inspiration to add to your repertoire?

In either case, I want to share with you some of my favorite go-to herbal resources, from books and blogs to farmers and suppliers. Where possible, I link directly to the websites of the authors or publishers of books (as opposed to corporate giant sellers), otherwise I post a link to Thriftbooks. All recommendations are completely unsolicited and I receive no compensation for the links – these are just books and folks who’s perspectives I admire and appreciate.

If you are looking to purchase bulk dried herbs, jump here.

Ada Thilen (1852-1933) Reading

Enjoy!

And do share in the comments if you have your own favorites, too!

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Favorite Herbals (in no particular order)

Northeast Medicinal Plants by Liz Neves

• I would be remiss to omit my own book from this list! It’s a super user-friendly field guide to medicinal plants that grow wild in northeastern North America. Even more - it includes instructions on how to make a wide variety of medicinal preparations, how to ethically harvest from the wild, and where and when to find specific herbs at their peak.

Iwígara by Enrique Salmón

• A beautiful guide to native or naturalized plants and the relationships people native to Turtle Island (North America) have with them.

The Earthwise Herbal series from Matthew Wood

• Two book series featuring in depth profiles on a broad range of herbs used traditionally in the “old world” (Europe, Asia) and the “new world” (the Americas).

Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar

• One of the first herbal books I acquired and still love dearly. Rosemary Gladstar is like an herbal fairy godmother who brings herbal medicine down to earth and super accessible.

The Gift of Healing Herbs by Robin Rose Bennett

• An excellent, comprehensive herbal from one of my first teachers.

The Complete Women’s Herbal by Anne McIntyre

• Great resource for folks who either once had or still have uteruses.

The Yoga of Herbs by Vasant Lad and David Frawley

• An Ayurvedic perspective on a wide range of herbs from two master herbalists.

Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra

• An Eastern perspective on herbs from a west coast herbalist.

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica by Dan Bensky, Steve Clavey, Erich Stöger, with Andrew Gamble

• A deep dive into the herbs most often used in Chinese Medicine.

Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to Do Is Ask by Mary Siisip Geniusz, Edited by Wendy Makoons Geniusz

• Late great Native herbalist Keewaydinoquay Peschel is a big influence on this herbal in the Anishinaabe tradition, being a direct teacher to the author.

Working the Roots by Michele E. Lee

• One of the few herbals steeped in African American tradition.

Native Plants, Native Healing by Tis Mal Crow

• A nice concise guide to Muskogee Herbal Medicine.

Native American Ethnobotany by Daniel E. Moerman

• An encyclopedic volume documenting the herbal knowledge of indigenous people of North America.

Dandelion blooms (Taraxacum officinale)

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Favorite Herbal Specialty Books

The Language of Plants by Julia Graves

• An amazing resource on the Doctrine of Signatures, the language that plants speak to us that reveals their medicinal gifts.

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susan Weed

• A classic herbal for pregnancy that is still relevant today.

Herbs for Children’s Health by Rosemary Gladstar

• A lovely basic herbal for common children’s ailments.

Naturally Healthy Babies and Children by Aviva Romm

• A trusted guide I turned to often when my son was a babe.

Herbal Antibiotics and Herbal Antivirals by Stephen Harrod Buhner

• Excellent, deeply researched resources on antibacterial and antiviral herbs.

Adaptogens by David Winston with Steven Maimes

• Just about everything you need to know about adaptogens, plants that help the body adapt to stress.

Invasive Plant Medicine by Timothy Lee Scott

• Yes! Let’s celebrate the gifts of the abundant weeds! That’s just what this book does and I’m grateful.

Planting the Future edited by Rosemary Gladstar and Pamela Hirsch

• And on the flip side, let’s also celebrate the native plants of North America that call for us to steward wild and mindfully cultivated spaces. A beautiful honoring of native medicinal plants.

Pharmako/Poeia by Dale Pendell

• A fascinating look at plants with a poetic and alchemical bent. One of a series, I haven’t yet had the pleasure to read its companions. I haven’t read it in a while, but adding this here makes me want to revisit it!

Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

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Favorite Books About Herbal Spirituality

Plant Spirit Healing by Pam Montgomery

• A beautiful guide for connecting with plants on the spiritual level.

Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan

• A shamanic treatise on our deep connection with plant spirits.

The Secret Teachings of Plants and Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm by Stephen Harrod Buhner

• A poetic and practical duo of books. Get ready to have your heart sing with the plants!

Healing Magic by Robin Rose Bennett

• A fun, witchy approach to honoring the plants and the wild Earth.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

• A profoundly poetic love song to life with deep botanical and indigenous wisdom.

Image by Romany Soup

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Favorite Field Guides

Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel

• An excellent way to learn how to identify plants based on the patterns found in their forms.

Native Plant Trust’s Go Botany

• Key out plants based on their physical characteristics and learn where they grow, specific to New England.

USDA Plants

• Discover the range of plants, their taxonomic classification, as well as their conservation status.

Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide

• A classic guide for identifying plants in the wild - the downside is your key to IDing success is that the plant in question is in flower.

Peterson’s Field Guide to Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster

• A comprehensive field guide that includes full color photography and documented uses of herbs that grow in eastern and central regions of North America.

Cleavers (Galium aparine)

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Favorite Blogs & Herbalist Sites

Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine

• Juliet Blankespoor and Co. post amazingly comprehensive plant profiles, recipes, and more.

Enchanter’s Green

• I love Kiva Rose Hardin’s perspective on herbs and her well researched and experience-based herbal profiles.

HerbCraft

• Jim McDonald offers some great videos and posts on a variety of native and introduced herbs.

Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

• 7Song has a wonderfully in-depth knowledge of botany and herbal medicine based on 20 years of experience.

School of Evolutionary Herbalism

• Sajah Popham offers a wealth of herbal knowledge based in alchemy, astrology, and herbal wisdom traditions from around the world.

Sassafras in bloom (Sassafras albidum)

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FAVORITE FARMS & HERB SUPPLIERS

Frontier Co-op

• When all other places are out of stock, I turn to Frontier.

Healing Spirits Herb Farm

• Organic and biodynamic herb farm in the Finger Lakes region of NY that’s been around since the early 1980s.

Jeans Green’s

• One-stop-shop for most of your herbal medicine making needs.

Local Harvest

• Find local herbs, CSAs, food, and more locally grown products in your neck of the woods.

Maine Seaweed

• Larch Hansen, the Seaweed Man, is one of the kindest, most heart-centered folks. He’s been hand harvesting seaweed from the Atlantic Ocean for the last 40 years and counting. I recommend signing up for his very thoughtful newsletter.

Mountain Rose Herbs

• Many folks go-to for bulk herbs, me included!

Sawmill Herb Farm

• Susan Pincus is an amazing human who grows organic herbs for the Northeast region - this is where the herbs for my classes comes from!

Herbs from Sawmill Herb Farm

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A Selection of Favorite Herbal Artisans

Since I make most of my own herbal medicine, I don’t often have a need to purchase herbal products - though I do love to support friends and earth-conscious artisans who lovingly craft herbal medicine in small batches for market. Here are some of my favorites.

Dropping Seeds

• Looking for an herbal smoke blend to chill you out or help you kick a tobacco habit? Friends Johanna & SirRoan make a whole line of smoke blends that can also be made into tea for sipping or bathing.

Furnace Creek Farm

• A seller at our local greenmarket, FCF makes delicious herbal elixirs, pre-prepped tisanes, and other wonderful herbal products. I recommend the candied elecampane in particular for these times!

Gather Perfume

• Swoon-worthy scents for your sensual pleasure - from the very practical salve & skincare to indulgent perfumes.

Linden Tree Herbals

• Michigan-based, woman-run company that makes vibrant tisane blends, salves, and more herbal goodies.

Ostara Apothecary

• Friend and collaborator, Jordan Catherine Pagán handcrafts beautiful herbal elixirs and flower essences for your psycho-spiritual needs. She also offers private energy healing and breathwork sessions, which I highly recommend at this time!

The Root Circle

• Herbalist Lisa Fazio, based in the Adirondacks, crafts herbal tinctures, salves, bioregional incense, and more.

Tweenfontein Herb Farm

• New Paltz based Tweefontein Herb Farm uses biodynamic and permaculture principles in their herb growing and has a line of herbal elixirs, fire cider, and more.

Wild Carrot, aka, Queen Anne’s Lace
(Daucus carota)

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NYC-based Herb Shops

Flower Power

• The Original NYC herbal apothecary.

MINKA Brooklyn

• In addition to offering membership-based online mystical curriculum, MINKA now offers bulk herbs and herbal products (including some that I make), available for pickup or delivery.

Radicle Herb Shop

• Atlantic Avenue herb shop accepting pre-orders for pickup and delivery.

Remedies Herb Shop

• Brooklyn herb shop open for pickups and deliveries.

Sacred Vibes

• Karen Rose offers herbal consultations as well as a range of herbal formulations for a variety of needs.

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COVID-19 Herbal Resources

While there is currently no cure for COVID-19, the following resources may offer herbal guidance to lessen symptoms or shore up the immune system to better weather infection.

• Bunce, Larken. COVID-19 Resources for Herbalists and Community Health Workers

• O’Donoghue, Seán Pádraig. Thoughts on COVID-19

• Wood Buzzard, Heather. COVID-19 Herbal Resource Hub

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Photo by Katherine Hanlon on Unsplash

Have an herbal resource you’d like to share? Leave it in the comments!

And don’t forget to pre-order my new book, coming out in June: Northeast Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use 111 Wild Herbs for Health and Wellness (Timber Press).