confused

When you have doubts, celebrate. You have remained curious, and you haven’t settled for secondhand answers nor fixated on a conclusion. You’re free from certainty, the great weapon of the ego, undoubtedly.

When you feel fear, celebrate. You are moving into the unknown, leaving the known world, the dying world, the old world. Stepping into the new. Fear and excitement are so close here. The illusory armor of the separate self is breaking apart; life is flooding in. Fear is trying to protect you; bow to it.

When you feel anger, celebrate. Feel its ferocity, its power, the cry of a velociraptor. Life is surging through you, raw, unfiltered. You are on the verge of finding your song, fighting for a cause with passion, standing up for those without a voice, knowing what you deserve. Anger is related to courage, your willingness to move toward life and protect what you love, even in the face of danger.

When you get lost, celebrate. In every great journey, heroes lose their way sometimes, doubt their own power sometimes. Get lost, and find yourself. Find presence, the breath, the beating of the heart. Take the giant step of not knowing which step to take; a perfect step. Trust the doubting, too. And your path will find you, moment by moment. Your true path cannot be lost, ever.

When you feel sorrow, celebrate. You are not numb. You have not closed your heart to the unwanted. You are wide open to life, sensitive. This old, familiar friend has come to you for help. She is not a mistake. She only wants to warm herself by the fire of your presence, be given a space at the table, next to joy.

When you feel that you cannot celebrate life, celebrate. You are honest, you tell the truth of the moment, your eyes are open.

- Jeff Foster

Notes on Genus Prunella

By ANA

The plant ally I want to speak about today is called SELF HEAL! Her proper name is Genus Prunella and she’s part of the mint family (although she doesn’t taste minty)

Although she looks similar to lavender, most people think she’s an invasive weed. An easy way to identify her is by her square stem, which is true for all mint family.

In actuality, she’s native to the US as well as all of Europe and Asia.

She’s been used as food and healing ally by most people’s ancestors for a long time.

What’s really amazing about her is that she’s the most well studies medicinal plant in the world! This is crazy because most people don’t know about her, but there are hundreds of things she can be used for including:

She’s amazing as a poultice for skin ulcers and to help stop bleeding. She’s amazing for internal ulcers.

She’s great for inflammation, arthritis. She protects against cancer, she fights infections, helps prevent complications from diabetes, and can be used to treat herpes.

She’s also great or all kinds of gut issues including everything from basic stomach ‘upset’ to IBS.

There’s not a lot that this little lady can’t do.

Other than reacting with blood thinning meds, she’s a safe ally.

She can be put into a stew. She’s also great in an oxymel, which is where you pour honey and vinegar over your herbs and let sit until it ferments.

This can be used as a dressing, added to water to sparkling water as a healthy soda of sorts, or just taken by the spoonful.

She can also be taken as a tincture or an infused oil- oiling with infused herbs is an amazing technique to add to your daily wellness practice.