I have been reading the beautiful and inspiring SouleMama blog by the incredible Amanda Soule for a few years and I am continuously inspired by her values and vision of her family life in beautiful Maine.  Part of what has kept me reading her blog for so long is that her life seemed so incredibly exotic compared to my own upbringing – growing up in the metropolis of Tokyo and the southlands of L.A. is a bit different than the openness of the ever-greening Northeast Kingdom.  I continue to read her blog and having now lived for a while in Maine, it reads less as a well-written and culturally-sensitive ethnography and more of a Materia Medica of plants that might not live directly in my bioregion but I’ve met before in my travels - acquaintances with the possibility of a deeper friendship.

Living in Portland, ME for nearly two years, I found myself in the same places SouleMama was featuring on her blog, and even saw her with her family at a restaurant (I was star-struck to say the least).  So, in an effort to blog more consistently about the life and work of the clever Apothecary I inhabit, I am taking inspiration from SouleMama and beginning a weekly ritual of a “Right Now” blog post.

Right now, I am…

:: thinking about Slipper Elm Ulmus pumila and is mucilaginous-ly nurturing qualities.

:: wearing animal print boots that remind me of childhood quilts made by my talented mum.

:: considering opening a second shop on Etsy of a more magickal persuasion.

:: hoping that business continues to pick up and I can sustainably to support our family through service to plants and people.

:: loving the folks I’ve met so far through our brick-and-mortar shop.

:: laughing at a puppy who has such joy for life.

:: enjoying having a private space to work and think and pace and dance over and over again.

:: smiling at the thought of an evening with the A-babe and reading her stories about bees and puppies.

:: deciding what plant to study for the next Clever Hedgehog School of Herbology.

:: feeling the difficulty I am sure many herbalists feel when having to choose just one plant.

:: readying myself for a busy-quiet weekend with the pup while the household attends the MANA conference.

:: brewing some Slippery Elm oil.

:: considering preparing a Slippery Elm honey as well.

:: working on my flow as we move from late winter to early spring.

:: watching a cloudy dessert sky promise rain and hoping that we get a good soak.

:: listening to I Blame Coco who sounds a lot like her father.

:: remembering to breath and stick to the rhythm that sustains my bitty soul and not the linear march of the end of the month and its many financial responsibilities.

:: feeling grateful that there are so many herbal folks sharing wisdom on the digital web o’ wonder.

:: wanting to spend the next few days reading continuously and writing, but a few hours here and there will do.

:: wishing everyone a really beautiful weekend full of good company and quiet moments.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be exploring Flower + Gem Essences that are particularly useful during pregnancy, labor and postpartum (to learn more about what Flower + Gem Essences are visit our previous blog post).  The wonderful thing about Flower + Gem Essences is that they are good remedies that, by their very nature, can do no harm which makes them wonderfully safe to take during pregnancy.

Now let’s look at the Second Trimester:

Woah, I am really, really pregnant.

You’ve made it through the First Trimester and you may just beginning to feel that you’re getting a hang of this whole pregnancy thing.  Energy is up, a desire for intimacy may be returning, issues around body and size might be emerging, and nesting may have begun in earnest.  The following essences lend support in balancing the busy-ness of being pregnant and preparing with the need for rest and stillness, all while helping to strengthen your sense of agency throughout your pregnancy.

LAVENDER “I am peaceful”

The Second Trimester can be a period of renewed energy after the First Trimester and suddenly the thought of preparing for baby feels less daunting.  Take advantage of your heightened energy, but allow time for stillness, rest, and seek activities that help develop a sense of peace.  Lavender is a wonderful essence for promoting a peaceful state of being.  Lavender also helps to protect the spirit from unwanted psychic burdens of friends, family, and strangers noticing you’re pregnant and not always making the most sensitive of comments.  If you suffer from stress-induced headaches or tend to be wound-up throughout the day, Lavender might be a good remedy for you.  One of the other wonderful qualities of Lavender is its abilities to help us mellow enough so that we are able to dream better and envision the future with more clarity.

SCLERANTHUS “I choose confidently”

Scleranthus is a wonderful herb for transitory periods where you are between two points – the Second Trimester is in the middle of your pregnancy, no longer in the early stages of pregnancy, but not to the point of preparing for labor.  Here is an essence that can help clarify the path ahead and the choices you are making which are defining your upcoming labor, the birth of your child, and the change in your life and family.  Scleranthus strengthens your inner compass, which helps with becoming more decisive, but on a deeper level encourages fuller and more active participation in your unfolding life.

CITRINE “I am energized”

The bright yellow-gold stone of Citrine is your own source of all-natural celestial rocket-fuel!  A radiant burst of energy, Citrine helps to infuse us with optimism not only because we feel energized but because are brightness is being recognized – we feel better understood.  Citrine also helps us to store needed energy and maintain it throughout the day, in part because it encourages laughter which is one of the best ways to recharge tired minds, bodies, and spirits.  Citrine helps you feel the pregnancy glow and polishes off lethargy with flourish!

We carry Lavender and Citrine in our Etsy Shop and Poppy Swap Shop.  Essences such as Scleranthus can be found from a variety of resources such as the Flower Essence Society and Bach Flower as well as local health food and natural healing stores.

Next time we will look at Flower + Gem Essences for the Third Trimester.

Our Golden Herbal Powder Blend will have you shining bright – dispelling the clouds of fatigue, the fog of exhaustion, and the overcast humdrum of dull living! Live with shine, we say, and strengthen your adrenals with our sunny tonic. Our Golden Powder Blend is a wonderful daily remedy for those wanting to help rebuild adrenal strength and is beneficial for those with hypothyroid conditions. We also recommend Golden Powder Blend as part of a prostate health regimen.

MACA Lepidium meyenii: Maca is the strong foundation of our adrenal tonic, addressing issues of adrenal exhaustion, chronic fatigue, and having a balancing affect for those with hypothyroid conditions. Maca is also a good reproductive tonic, as it has aphrodisiac affects and improves the quality of sperm. As an adaptogen, Maca helps us adapt to stress.

PINE POLLEN Pinus massoniana: Pine Pollen is a golden sunbeam of nutrition! Full of vitamins and minerals, Pine Pollen contains 20 amino acids, including the 8 essential amino acids and minerals such as Calcium, Iron and Zinc. Pine Pollen helps to regulate metabolism, increase energy and dispel brain fog. A friend to the prostate, Pine Pollen is a wonderful preventative ally of prostate disease.

MESQUITE Prosopis pallida: A wonderful, sweet and low-glycemic food, Mesquite is a good source of fiber and easily digestible protein.

Our Golden Herbal Powder Blend can be purchased in our S H O P.

Beware the Devil’s Nettle and all its accompanying glamouries – it knows well the art of divination, the charms of love, and has an affinity for blood.  The common name, Yarrow, is from the Old English gearwe which is thought to be derived from heiros, further linking Yarrow to the art of magick.  Placed over the eyes, Yarrow promotes clairvoyance, and Deb Soule recommends putting the herb in sachets to help connect with the green world.

Matthew Wood puts is succinctly when describing those who might be aided by the healing powers of Yarrow: “The Wounded Warrior, the Wounded Healer.” (1)  For those folks who serve on the front line in their lives, who are often the first in and the last out in any endeavor, and who are prone to ignore health needs until they are lying flat on their backs.  A particularly good remedy for the healers among us who have difficultly following their own recommendations of vital living, healing and resting.  Yarrow is for the ones who appear strongest and are often the most sensitive and bruised – they won’t let you know, but when they do the pain can seem immense and unraveling.  Yarrow is an everyday tonic with the skills of a crisis manager and can help those who feel they must always be the strongest to express their vulnerabilities in ways that restore true fortitude.

Yarrow is an herb of the blood and through its ability to move blood, by releasing and contracting, it is able to help regulate high, persistent fevers.  Yarrow is a good herb for general uterine congestion which can include a variety of conditions, such menorrhagia as well as amenorrhea, and is useful in the treatment of endometriosis, uterine prolapse, menopausal symptoms like night sweats and restlessness.   As a blood mover, Yarrow has an affinity for the kidneys and also acts as a mover of water, addressing issues like water retention and promoting healthy discharge.

wikipedia.org

While a hot cup of Yarrow tea will help to release heat and promote sweating, a cold cup of Yarrow tea will have a stronger affect on the stomach and kidneys, strengthening digestion and assimilation of nutrients.  Yarrow is also useful in promoting circulation because it relaxes peripheral blood vessels and can be used in treating rheumatic and arthritic conditions.

Topically, Yarrow flowers and leaves can be used in hair rinses for scalp health and to prevent hair loss.  The herb is also good in facial steams for acne prone skin, headaches, asthma, hay fever, and stuffed sinuses.  Chew on the leaves to relieve toothache and use as an antiseptic and astringent soak for cuts, abrasions, bee stings, psoriasis, and hemorrhoids.   The ever-wise Maude Grieve assures us that Yarrow tea dispels melancholy, which is reason enough to keep Yarrow nearby.

For the Wounded Warriors, Wounded Healers among us, Yarrow can be taken as a daily tonic at low doses (1 – 3 drops up to 3 times daily) for general health and well-being.  Make an extract of Yarrow in a base of Witch Hazel Extract as a wonderful hemorrhoid treatment – once extracted, pour some of the blend on to a pad, chill them in the fridge, and wear for hemorrhoid pain relief and repair.

(1) Wood, Matthew. The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 2009.

WORTS + CUNNING APOTHECARY is pleased to announce the formation of The Clever Hedgehog School of Herbology: A collaborative learning experience of botanical medicine and mystery.  Join us for the inaugural class on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 from 7 PM – 8 PM and participate in a collaborative exploration of herbs – a study group of herbal remedies, folklore and common usage.  We’ll share stories, explore Materia Medicas and spend a hour learning about our relationships to the plant world.

There will be tea, at times there may be chocolate, and there will always be good conversation.

The Clever Hedgehog School of Herbology is free to attend – still the empty green teapot of prosperous dreamings will be passed around for donations.  For classes that involve the creation of remedies, a suggested donation will be announced, with no one turned away for lack of funds.  We shall meet at the Apothecary located at 1220 N Spencer, Mesa, AZ 85201.

Announcements for upcoming CHSH classes will be published on our blog and Facebook, with a kind request that attendees RSVP via Facebook.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be exploring Flower + Gem Essences that are particularly useful during pregnancy, labor and postpartum (to learn more about what Flower + Gem Essences are visit our previous blog post).  The wonderful thing about Flower + Gem Essences is that they are good remedies that, by their very nature, can do no harm which makes them wonderfully safe to take during pregnancy.

Let’s begin by looking at the First Trimester.

Wow, I’m pregnant (!) (?) (.) (!?)

While every pregnancy is different (we’re all unique, folks, it’s true), often during the First Trimester there can be increased emotional and physical sensitivity, sometimes morning sickness, irritability and a vast array of emotions about being pregnant.  The following Essences may be helpful in bringing balance to these various emotional states, ultimately giving space to be able to process what we are feeling and who we are becoming.

MILKWEED       I am nourished

Milkweed is an incredibly nourishing essence, one that feeds the roots of our soul.  For Milkweed, nourishment is getting exactly what we need by being exactly who we are – which is a wonderful lesson in living in maintaining the “I” in the myriad of roles we live as someone’s lover, friend, child, partner and community member.  The first trimester can bring morning sickness, irritability, apprehension, joy, excitement and extra sensitivity – Milkweed is an ally during these early days, helping us to maintain a balance that feeds our spirit in the unique way it needs to be cared for.

CALIFORNIA WILD ROSE       I love expansively

A wonderful heart opener, California Wild Rose helps us to fall in love with the art of everyday living.  The essence of California Wild Rose infuses the spirit with enthusiasm, highlighting the ways that simple tasks such as eating well, resting deep, and laughing often are powerful services towards ourselves, the world and our relationships.  I recommend heart-opening essences and herbs like California Wild Rose during transition phases in our lives because an open heart leads to greater compassion for yourself, your responsibilities and the ones you love during times of change.  California Wild Rose is also wonderful for dealing with fatigue and it helps prepare the body for the journey ahead.

CHAMOMILE       I am bright

Chamomile is a brightening essence, good for morning sickness, and is an excellent remedy for tension.  Soothing and harmonizing, Chamomile helps bring perspective to the day-to-day, helping everyday nuisances slide off your shoulders.  Chamomile is an excellent essence to take throughout your pregnancy and labor.

CERATO       I trust myself

I am including Cerato in our collection of First Trimester essences for those folks who have a lot of self-doubt of their inner knowing and their ability to make good decisions for themselves leading them to over-depend on the advice and recommendations of others.  A great essence for those who often say “I just don’t know” and worry that any decision they do make will ultimately be the “wrong” choice.  Cerato helps grow an inner confidence and shifts the process of decision-making into one full of obstacles to one full of amazing, affirming choices.

We carry Milkweed and Chamomile in our S H O P and essences such as California Wild Rose and Cerato can be found from a variety of resources such as the Flower Essence Society and Bach Flower as well as local health food and natural healing stores.

Next time we will look at Flower + Gem Essences fot the Second Trimester.

iced tea time, ya’ll, in the apothecary!

I was raised on family stories of not-so-law-abiding ancestors who lived fast, and in some cases, died young.  Having now lived for a short while in Austin, I’ve come to appreciate one of my ancestors, the wild west train robber and outlaw, Sam Bass.  My Uncle Sam’s death is re-enacted annually just a half-hour from our home on the 4^th of July which is a strange experience for me, but an altogether Texas way of celebrating the 4^th.  He was an interesting character, whose appearance was said to be gentler than the typical rough-and-tumble outlaw.  I imagine that if Sam were alive today we’d sit in the Apothecary’s backyard drinking iced tea and planning our next direct-action protest (I figure that I could direct his wild west energies into more social justice oriented activities and less train robbing).  So in honor of my outlaw ancestry and in an attempt to love the heat, our newest creation in the Apothecary is an iced tea.

Our Watering Hole Iced Tea Blend is lightly caffeinated and bursting with red color but promising coolness.  Our Iced Tea is slightly sweet, slightly sour and completely delicious.  A great post-workout drink and for when you’re feeling overheated, heat-cranky or wanting to lure friends and family away from their busy schedules for some sweet and easy conversation, Watering Hole Iced Tea Blend is here for you.

ROOIBOS Aspalanthus linearis: Righteous, red bush Rooibos (pronounced roy-bus) comes to us from the western region of South Africa’s Cape Region.  Rooibos is an herb rich in antioxidants and restorative properties used in the treatment of such conditions such as allergies, eczema, indigestion, headache and tension.  Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free and cooling to the body.

HIBISCUS Hibiscus sabdariffa: Another name for the beautiful red Hibiscus flower is sour-sour which aptly describes its cooling flavor.  Hibiscus is especially rehydrating with its electrolyte content and is also rich in vitamins A and C as well as beta-carotene.

YERBA MATE Ilex paraguariensis: Blood cleansing, lightly caffeinated, and stimulating to the mind, Yerba Mate helps us to tolerate the hot weather that brings us to drinking iced tea in the first place!  Improve your memory, cleanse your body and stress less all while keeping it cool – nice.

JASMINE Jasminum officinale: We included fragrant white Jasmine flowers in our blend because of their harmonizing effect on the mind, body and spirit.  Dream-inducing, Jasmine helps us dwell more deeply in beauty, transforming the heat of exhaustion into the fires of passion.

Visit our S H O P to enjoy our Watering Hole Iced Tea Blend and many other fine herbal concoctions!

In an effort to write more about the things we love (namely herbs, teas and enchantment) and meet other inspired folks out on the webbed-net, we are taking part in The Witches Yuletide Ball hosted by the bloggers over at On the Broomstick and The Witch of Howling Creek.  Our post will be featured at On the Broomstick on December 10th and we’ll be sharing what we love about Yule as well as tea and its charm.

What are some of your favorite activities, teas or memories during the winter season?

One of the favorite activities in the Apothecary around Yule is an abundant amount of thrifted, bizarre and glittering Yuletide decorations.  One of our favorite ornaments is a picture painted on a bit of slate of a rather startled-looking snowman dressed up as a moose.  Ah, the memories…  We miss you, Maine!

EDIT: Read the Blog and enter a chance to win our Star of Yule Tea Blend here!

To visit the Apothecary, take a trip of the stairs or the slow but effective elevator.

Have a cup of tea and a sit down!
(Comfy chairs are soon to follow but until then you can admire our Scandinavian simplicity.)

Shelves are stocked with herbal delights – a few that haven’t made it to our online shop yet!

The photos are a bit blurry, the lights a bit bright, but there were pots of tea brewing and folks knocking at the door.
We’ll post clearer photos on Facebook in a bit but enjoy the preview of our little space!

Thanks for stopping by!