These are just a few of the many plants that can offer deep support to help us transition from stress to restorative rest, supporting our boundaries and calming the chaos.

As we move into the season of forced cheer and crowded tables, we often feel pressure to suppress frustration and keep the peace… especially around family. But what happens when you silence that deep tension? You create stagnation, emotional exhaustion, and burnout… The Power of Outrage The world gives us plenty to be angry about. Whether it’s watching systems fail the most vulnerable among us, witnessing the relentless extraction of our planet’s resources, or feeling the hea

For some folks, the idea of an herbalist is somewhat mysterious. What exactly do they do? And do they all do it the same way? Perhaps you want to become an herbalist yourself, but you aren't sure what the options and possibilities are. Or, maybe you think you have a pretty good idea of what an herbalist is, but, depending on your background, your idea might be entirely different than someone else's... For example, do you picture a dreamy nature-lover plucking mushrooms in the

Not all herbal education programs are the same. If you are interested in learning this life skill, you are most likely seeking the most reliable and accurate information available for your time and money. But with so much information available on the internet, it can be overwhelming to decide which path is the best one for you . Your options are wide and can range from: Local workshops with community herbalists, Large online programs that teach thousands of students each year

It strikes me as odd that essential oils are so popular in the wellness community— when their production and usage is anything but holistic. What does holistic truly mean? Does it just mean "natural"? It's so much more than that. Holism and its holistic practices are characterized by the belief that all systems possess interconnected parts that can be explained only in reference to the whole. For example, we use the term holistic in regards to health when referring to the t

How demulcent herbs save us from hot, dry inflammation  As Spring emerges with her bouquets of pollen, there seem to be two main kinds of seasonal allergy sufferers: the runny, drippy, puffy folks, and the dry, scratchy, hot folks The runny, drippy, puffy folks we will have to save for another time- since the herbal action we are about to discuss is more likely to intensify these symptoms than ease them. Today we're looking at the dry, scratchy, hot folks. This may still come

How to prep your garden and yourself for an abundant year ahead As the end of the growing season arrives, it may still be sweltering hot where you are with wildfires raging. In other areas you may be getting hit by record-setting hurricanes. In others, still, the weather may feel the same as it’s felt all year... Regardless of the temperature where you are, in the northern hemisphere, the end of the growing season is often near the Autumnal Equinox: a time of balance between

Supporting and Regulating the Nervous System with Nervine Herbs What is a nervine herb? A nervine is a plant that has an effect on the nervous system. Sounds vague, but when we think about the role that the nervous system plays in every aspect of our mental health, including our response to stress and anxiety, it makes sense why nervine herbs are some of the most commonly known and well-accepted herbs not only in traditional use and modern peer-reviewed research— but in the m

And the myth of "cleanses" and "detoxing" Ah, Spring. The time of year when nature starts coming out of her Winter slumber and so do we. With the promise of warmer, longer, sunnier days ahead, nature conveniently (though not likely coincidentally) provides us with exactly the nourishment our bodies need to transition out of a sleepy, low energy Winter and into a more active and energized Summer. As we navigate this transition, both our insides and our outsides might need a li

The Legend Liquore Strega, an Italian digestif distilled from a secret recipe of around 70 herbs and spices, has been produced out of the...

Aside from freezing and canning, the best methods for preserving cocktail ingredients from the garden are syrups, shrubs, and tinctures.