Blazing Star Herbal School: December Edition 2019
(Early December 2019)
Happy Saturday Evening Everyone,
Hope it is a sweet one for you!
Winter arrived with a roar last weekend, almost 2 feet of snow fell and covered up the last remnants of the Fall and cleared the Fall "to-do" list away as it seems quite possible we will not see the earth again until April! We've made gingerbread and eaten it with lemon curd and whipped cream, consumed lots of Turmeric Chai and settled in my the fire with art books, novels and poetry to get started on.
That is my wish for you all...slow down, listen, and look, i hope that you will find inspiration, creativity and insight on the blank snowy slate. Dream well.
You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.
You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.
You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.
You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.
You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice…
Pablo Neruda
In this news letter you will find information about happenings at Blazing Star Herbal School as well as a look into the future as we welcome our 20th cycle of Apprentices in 2020. You'll also find a couple of seasonal/self care recipes, and a review for the Prison Herbal, and I will share with you some of my favorite reads for inspiration. So read on read on!
Also, if you have an herbal product or a book that you would like to be reviewed in the coming months please send it my way! Also feel free to reach out and let us know if there is a particular class you are hoping for or an announcement to be made. Like with all small businesses it really helps us if you all register well in advance for classes and events so that we can better plan and accommodate everyone.
I am happy to announce that the Therapeutic Herbalism Apprenticeship beginning in March 2020 is FULL! If you were hoping to join us but did not get around to it please email me and I will begin a waitlist!. Looking forward to working with this amazing group! There is still room in the first year program though that is filling fast also. The early bird discount which saves you $250 end on Dec 31 (or as soon as the program fills)
FOR THE LOVE OF CONIFERS
For the Love of Conifers will be offered under the December Full Moon on Thursday Dec 12th, at 7pm A collaboration between Devon Whitney of Hedgerow Healing Arts
$30 buys you a seat at the table featuring Evergreens and celebrating the Light! Click here to register(registration closes Sunday Dec8th)
An extravagant moonlight feast for your spirit, soul and senses featuring Conifer Nourishment Medicine and Magic under the December Full Moon, A feast of knowledge, beauty and yumminess!
Warming and mildly stimulating/energizing in nature, the members of the Pine Family (evergreens) make wonderful year around medicine. Known for their affinity for the lungs and respiratory ailments, they are often used for coughs that are cold, wet and damp in nature. The needles of Pine Family trees are all very high in vitamin c, which supports proper immune function and helps prevent colds and flus from taking hold.
Use the medicines of these trees to make teas, steams, infused oils, essential oils, vinegars, honeys, elixers, syrups, salves, smoke medicines and more!
They are extremely versatile as well as ecologically sustainable. When we use the local plants growing abundantly around us I believe we begin to attune to and harmonize with our local landscape, ecosystem and its rhythms. In other words we're more in tune with the Earth and her subtleties, seasonal shifts and more....use the pine family evergreens to help achieve this balance and harmony so many of us crave!
It's so easy to harvest and dry these trees. If I'm using these fresh (say for an infused oil) I usually use the needles and very young, thin twigs, bark, wood and all. If I am going to dry them, I am typically going for the needles. Always cut branches just above points of new growth. I usually harvest into a brown paper bag and let them dry right in there.
Common Evergreens in our regions are
White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
Spruce (Picea sp.)
Together we are seeking the way of the right relationship which is the first truth of the medicine way. Together we can. And will create space for new dreams, listen to those calling to become seeds and explore how to gestate them over the winter.
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." ~ Albert Einstein