I can finally say “I Am Shaman” with some sense of integrity and a little more clarity of purpose.

This post is dedicated to my Shaman. All of you. I love and thank you

Consider this “a continuation of a story” that began with my first cup in November of 2013. Much has happened between then and now. Consider this an update as I acclimate a while before another transforming event occurs…

I am especially grateful to Mother Ayahausca, I don’t know how she does it, but I do know our Madre is responsible for some renewed magic in my life.  She started broadcasting again in early June, in a span of 2 or 3 days I heard the word “motherwort” once too often. I finally paid attention when my companion Ron walked into the house with a beautiful plant in his hand and asked, “What’s this?”

I hit the Internet with my questions, the trail with my feet and I haven’t looked back since! The Grandmother of the North had come to introduce herself! Although I understand she has always been around, I do not recall ever noticing her before – she was found growing on the edge of our property, we live in the core of our city.

Motherwort/Marihaunilla

My First Tincture

After a darkest winter of processing and self-examination, of waiting (although I did not know what for) and asking different questions, it was as if all the months of “discomfort” made sense in a single moment!  The familiar tugging of “the calling” came rushing back and I followed, grateful to have recognized it and afterall, I couldn’t start my apprenticeship until everything was growing again. I simply had to wait for spring to arrive so that my allies could reach me.

Full Moon Evening Primrose

Sniffing The Peppermint

 

As I write this I have been over 2 months immersed in all things “herbal”, and as I uncover the secrets of this sacred knowledge I am blessed to have been on a journey this past 2 years that taught me how to consciously interact with our plant spirits. I am spending many hours “sitting with the plants”.  My days are sprinkled with foraging, harvesting, garbling, shaking, stirring, grinding, hanging, mixing, measuring and macerating.  All the while, Ho’oponopono-ing and singing along the way.

This has been a valuable venue for playing with the accuracy of my intuitive guidance and interpreting the “messages” from the plant world around me.

Tonics, Tinctures, Vinegars, Oils & Medicinal Incense

My Ever-Shifting Medicine Cupboard

 

Since mid June our local plant allies and I have co-created well over 30 powerful remedies.  I am fascinated and amazed by the abundance of well-being growing all around us.

An early morning meeting with magical Mugwort, a powerful spirit.

Mugwort Smudges wrapped in purple cotton.

 

I have been tending the grounds I live on for 4 summers, this year the yard looks a lot different to me realizing I have been tending to a garden that has been trying to grow all along. This spring instead of pulling everything out and cutting all the grass area, we let parts of the lawn grow. To our amazement, the most valuable plants (those we used to call weeds) were waiting for us to notice them.

Yarrow: The Warrior’s Herb

Plenty for winter from our little yarrow patch in the yard, nature is abundant!

 

I am beginning again and although I feel as if I have a LOT to learn and a ways to go, I am also left with a sense that I am simply returning to that which I already knew and had forgotten.

 

I came to Ayahausca with a desire to be better, particularly with respect to my chosen profession, a profession that up until Aya found me, was my spiritual path.  I now find myself in the unusual place of standing with a foot squarely planted in two congruent and converging worlds – both of them turn lives around significantly in their own beautiful ways, since last August I am constantly being shown the mirror between them. Seems I am to remain a cosmic match-maker.

Several times I have deliberated over forsaking one pursuit for the other, but since my lessons with Aya started and as I go forward, I am firmly encouraged to remain true to my intuition and original vision. On the surface, my two realities appear to be separate and very different, to me it is crystal clear how much the two need to meet!

I am happy to rise to the challenge of creating something entirely new and different, and far more trusting that the answers are with the plants. It’s ALL good!

We are building it and they are coming… 🙂

See you in ceremony!

AHO!

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