The Many Roles of An Herbalist
The first time I ever helped someone’s sleeplessness and stress with a simple tisane blend, I felt such a strong sense of familiarity, rightness, and resonance that I knew that something in my life had irrevocably changed. Stepping from curiosity into active involvement in herbalism was a form of initiation for me, a door opening into a world I’d always wanted to be a part of, but wasn’t sure I was good enough for. This transition also shifted my role in my community, and I became a person that others came to for help, advice, support, and information much more often than previously.
Now that I have witnessed and helped so many others through the same portal, this moment of transformation is something I think of as the taking on of the green mantle. I imagine it like the fairy shawl of Manx folklore, woven of living flowers, moss, and mushrooms that rests upon the shoulders of all who follow this path of devotion to the healing powers of the green world. When I meet someone with a deep connection to the plants, it almost seems as if I can see that mantle on them, and it never fails to remind me of the importance of connection and relationship in herbalism.
7Song’s Scientific & Humorous Approach to Herbalism
In the summer of 2022, our Creative team traveled to Ithaca, NY, to spend a few days learning about 7Song (@7Songsevensong) and his Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. Our friend, esteemed herbalist 7Song, has been inspiring herb students at his school since the early 1990s. While some herbal schools are rooted solely in plant medicine, the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine focuses on the human body, critical thinking, and botany. As a self-described cynic, 7Song brings humor and practicality to an often challenging field of work.
Visit 7Song at 7song.com
Follow him on Instagram @7songSevenSong
Follow him on Facebook @Sevensong.Sevensong
The Sacred Copal Tree + Ceremonial Uses for Día de Muertos
Copalli—the Nahuatl word for Copal—is a resin extracted from the Copal tree and has been used in Indigenous practices for thousands of years. In honor of Dia de Muertos, our friend Patricia Cortez has written a beautiful blog about her memories of how her Mamá Trini trained her in El Salvador to work with Copalli. We love the story of how she learned to befriend and honor the Protium Copal tree and the traditional way of using maguey cactus to harvest the copal. And did you know that in 2016 the Mexican government designated Dia de Muertos as a Cultural Heritage to the world? We all have Ancestors to honor and celebrate regardless of where we are from. What do you recall about your ancestors and how do you honor them?
Voiceover graciously provided by Patricia Cortez.
Patricia Cortez is a bilingual-bicultural holistic practitioner at Eugene Reiki Healing in Eugene, Oregon. Visit her here: www.eugenereikihealing.com.
2022 Grants 4 Plants: Meet the Winners!
As many of you know, each year Mountain Rose Herbs offers Grants 4 Plants to change-makers who have a vision to take care of people while protecting our planet. This year, we received hundreds of applications for four $4,000 grants. We were astounded by the passion, creativity, and commitment of our plant-loving community. Grants 4 Plants is a celebration of herbal education, environmental stewardship, and the ever-growing herbal community. Please join us in congratulating this year’s grantees: Bottoms Up Community Garden, Insight Garden Program (IGP), Salish Place of Remediation Education (SPoRE), and Quail Springs.
