November 7, 2011

Article

First things first: Join Susun Weed Nov 9th at 9:30pm EST for a special teleseminar sponsored by the Herbal Collective Magazine and Marilyn Zink:
Herbs, Holistic Health & Wellness – register here

Also join Sara Deutch for an inspiring telseminar also on Nov 9 at 8pm EST
Creative Autobiography – Telling Your Story

Your Weekly Message from Susun:

At last the leaves are coming down and we can rake. The work on a farm never ever ends. One task leads seamlessly into the next. The barn needs to be hauled out. To do that, we need to move the compost pile so there is an empty space for the new pile. In order to move the compost, the gardens need to have dead stalks removed and (you knew it was coming) the leaves raked away. Join us for leafy fun this weekend.

We will also be pressing cider this weekend. And probably making apple sauce and apple butter and maybe even an apple pie. Yum! Your work effort of six hours gets you a free pass to stay overnight and eat dinner and breakfast here. The food is fantastic, and usually includes a wild salad.

Work weekends at Wise Woman Center coming up: Nov 12-13, Nov 19-20, and December 3-4). Do join us – call 845-246-8081 to participate.

What? You think it is too late in the year for wild greens? Not so. The greens of early spring are found in the fall too. The garlic mustard is our mainstay for late fall salads. Wild chives, catnip, lemon balm, and ground ivy liven the flavor. Come help us pick salad and put the gardens to sleep for the winter. You will learn to recognize the plants we harvest so you can find and use them at home!

Herbs that have been hanging to dry in the studio are now ready to be taken down and stored in brown paper bags. There’s going to be a big bag of shiso (Perilla frutescens); also called Japanese basil. It is a tasty and important immune system tonic and has an emerging reputation as an adaptogen, too.
We will have several enormous bags of cronewort (Artemisia vulgaris); also known as mugwort. I use it primarily to keep the goats in a healthy relationship with their parasites. But it is also well known as a dreaming herb. And dreams are the work of the winter.

The raspberry (Rubus) leaves and canes need to be cut into small pieces, so they are ready to make into infusion. Youtube on Raspberry Leaf here

I find the commercial raspberry leaf too astringent and tannic for my taste at infusion strength. But the home harvested raspberry is mellow! And there will be a small bag of tansy flowers and stalks (Tanacetum vulgare). Tansy is one of Juliette de Bairacli Levy’s favorite herbs. I got my starts from Gretchen Gould, the Amazing Grease lady, who warned me it would take over! Tansy is a poisonous plants known for its ability to repel ants and all manner of pests. I don’t have a plan for what I will do with it. Yesterday the goats were chomping on the tansy plants so perhaps it will be a companion with the cronewort for keeping worms in good relationship in the goats guts.

I had, as always, a wonderful time at Rowe Camp and Conference Center. I have been teaching there for over 25 years and it feels like a home away from home.

Next on my list: move some winter greens into the greenhouse. Talk to you later.

Green blessings.
Susun Weed
susunweed.com

 

Listen to internet radio with SiS NSpirit on Blog Talk Radio

 

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IN THE EYES OF A CHILD by JoAnne Dodgson

It is a sacred thing to share our dreams. To give voice to our hearts’ desires. To envision something not-yet-known and hold the seeds of new potentials among a circle of friends. To feel the nourishing embrace of our intentions, our vast spirits and creative minds. 

In a recent ceremonial gathering, a young girl, “Maya,” joined our circle.  She helped me set up the altar and was so thoroughly engaged with the whole process.  Unwrapping sacred items and placing them tenderly around the woven cloth on the floor.  Smelling the bundles of sage, sweetgrass, osha and ceremonial tobacco.  Holding the feathered wings from the hawk and owl.  Touching the animal furs.  Lighting beeswax candles.  Telling stories and sharing laughter along the way. 

During the ceremony, Maya steadily held her place in the circle, curiously witnessing the happenings.  In closing, the ceremonial pipe went around the circle a final time to offer each person an opportunity for inner reflection and connection with the medicines of the handcarved pipe, our prayers, spirit guides and the healing herbs.  This time Maya reached out to hold the pipe. 
She traced her fingers along the carvings in the pipestone.  She cradled the pipe in her arms, holding it sideways across her body in front of her heart.  Without speaking a word, she looked around the circle, gazing directly into the eyes of each adult, one by one.

Her whole being radiated with absolute comfort, peace and joyful ease.  The littlest one in our circle had something to teach about authentic beingness as she touched each of us with her presence, her sharing of connection eye to eye, beauty to beauty, ancient wisdoms to ancient wisdoms, heart to heart. 
The sacredness of dreams and new potentials, the uninhibited sharing of Love, the honoring of each and every one in the circle of life….all held in the eyes of a child. 

Visit Joanne Dodgson’s page on Wise Woman University to see her courses:

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Join Sara Deutsch for a FREE Teleseminar

Wednesday, November 9th at 8pm EST.
Come on a guided journey into your past to recover the buried treasures of your memories. Reconnecting with the tastes, sounds, feelings, images, and wisdom of your life will transform your awareness of you are and bring new resources into your present.

Five minute, whole-brain techniques, such as free-flow writing, mind mapping, drawings, imagery and collage, will dissolve memory and writing blocks so you can freely and easily tell your story as vignettes, short stories, myths, poems, fables, or even as chapters in your novel. Learn more about Creative Autobiography here.

Sara Deutsch, M.S., (Ph.D.abd) draws from doctoral study in Psychology, Psychobiology, East/West Psychology, years in a contemplative order, cross-cultural adventures, multimedia explorations, and 27 years of college level teaching.
Click here to Register!

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Wise Woman Radio

Susun Weed interviews Jana Beeman (“Amira”), a national bellydance and yoga workshop instructor, Director/ Choreographer of the Essence of Egypt Dance Company and produces a line of instructional DVD’s for learning bellydance and yoga at home.

Click here to Listen

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Portals to the Self: A Women’s Circle by the Sea

We invite women to gather for retreat and replenishment on Isla Mujeres, an island in the Mexican Caribbean, sacred to Ixchel, the Mayan Moon Goddess and historically a place for healing rituals among the Mayan people.

Our abode will be the NaBalam, an intimate, informal hotel on the beach where landscaped trails, tropical gardens and the beauty of the ocean will provide a perfect setting for the retreat.

We will create a circle of abundance, compassion and support as we weave together our stories and wisdom becoming midwives of our dreams. Yoga and ceremony at ancient Mayan sites.

www.islawomensretreat.com or contact Karen at: kfrlisw@aol.com

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Published by wwezine on November 7th, 2011 Tagged Ezine Articles, Wise Woman Radio

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