Let’s Talk About It…

It’s no secret. Our culture is terrible at supporting those going through trauma.

Women experience depression and anxiety at much higher rates than men, and symptoms show up differently. Not only are gender differences present, but how trauma expresses itself varies by the individual.

Silence and seperation during traumatic times are expected in our culture. How often will you see someone going through depression tell you about their feelings? Even in spiritual circles, the “love and light” troupe only reinforce the idea that we should sweep our hard feelings under the rug, never again to see the light of day.

Energy can get trapped in the body and create conditions that put the body ill at ease. This is the root cause of many diseases. We have to not only honor and process our feelings, but find ways of offering our bodies support during these times.

Nothing will replace the loving kindness, gentle touch, and words of affirmation and encouragement of friends, healers, and mentors that show up all along the way. Plants have evolved alongside humans for as long as we’ve been here, making the plant kingdom wonderful allies to us during times of distress.

It is part of our duty to be vigilent for these angels that show up all along our healing journeys. The right people and the right things will show up.

The Healing Journey

Upon reaching my personal rock bottom, I was ill with a sore throat that stayed around for years, I had adrenal fatigue, my hair had been falling out, and I had panic attacks that would leave me gasping for air on the floor.

I wasn’t sure how I had gotten there.

My healing journey and my spiritual awakening coincided with my becoming a mother. Suddenly, I had no friends, a good deal of my family had passed away suddenly, my brothers became addicted to heroin, and I found myself without a community in which to raise my son. Soon after, my marriage fell apart and I had no one to turn to.

I knew that my health would continue to deteriorate unless I took action. I began to learn about herbal remedies and was willing to try anything, because the pharmaceuticals I was taking were leaving me feeling drained and zombie-like. I took an apprenticeship at a local apothecary and discovered some plants that worked for me.

I got therapy, volunteered, cleaned up my diet and started to exercise. I was getting stronger! I was still on the search for answers and looking for ways to be productive again after just existing for so long.

There’s a time in all our lives that knocks us flat on our backs.

You don’t have to journey alone. There are answers out there. Let us help you find them.

5 Ways to Ground Your Energy

Feeling anxious, depressed, worried, or nervous? These emotions can often signal that we need to get into the present moment and out of a cycle of thoughts or behaviors. Here are 5 ways that you can send this tension from your body to Gaia where this can be transmuted and leave your body feeling lighter.

1. Go stand in the grass. Send the energy down into the earth.

2. Breathe deeply, sitting with your legs criss-crossed and your hands face down on your knees.

3. Listen to music that resonates with you.

4. Move your body in a way that feels good to you in the moment. You can do yoga, go for a walk, dance, run. If you’re feeling confused, ask your body what it wants.

5. Create something. Draw. Paint. Play your guitar. Write your feelings down. This will be the hardest one to do while you’re triggered, so try a few of the suggestions above first to get your body out of reactive mode and moved toward feeling centered.

Do you have questions or is there something that worked for you? Let us know!

xo

3 Ways to Support Your Body this Spring

When we think about naturally supporting our bodies in its processes, herbalists will often look to the time of year.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), spring is the time of the liver.

1. Eat bitter greens. Bitter greens are the first to begin to thrive here in Virginia, such as chickweed, dandelion, arugula, and chicory as early as March— and, if you ‘re lucky, can easily be found growing in your backyard. Bitter greens stimulate the digestion process (specifically, bile production) to help with the breaking down of the food you eat, making bitter greens especially powerful at the beginning of a meal. Bitter greens are thought to give support to the elimination functions of the liver and help rid the body of excess heat and inflammation. Just a word of caution— don’t forage in areas that have been treated with chemicals.

2. Drink dandelion root tea and lemon water. Roasted dandelion root is a delicious way to support the liver in the spring. Warm lemon water first thing in the morning all year long is one of the easiest ways to have daily support to the elimination processes in your body.

3. Abstain from sugar, alcohol, and caffeine and increase water intake. It may seem counterintuitive, but consciously limiting sugar and caffeine will give an enormous boost to your overall energy levels.

Try these for two weeks this spring to see results for yourself. As always, be sure that this is in alignment with your medical doctor before implementing dramatic changes to your lifestyle.

What resonates with you?