MORE MEDICINES DURING SHAKY TIMES
The photo of me taken by my friend and fellow witch, Jessie Robertson (photographer and co-director of The Witches of Vancouver documentary) says it all. Life is messy and shaky, sometimes a little more, and other times, we get the reprieve of a little less.
When life is shakier, it affects us energetically and physically. I find that when I am overwhelmed, depleted, and exhausted, these are my favourite go-to allies:
PLANT SPIRIT MEDICINE SPOTLIGHT: WOMB SUPPORT
I work with common plants. The ones that you can consume often, find around on the side of the road, on lawns and other nearby areas. I hold great regard for entheogens, but my allies are usually quiet and unassuming. A few are listed here, today being plants that support the Womb (energetically and physically):
PLANT SPIRIT HEALING SPOTLIGHT: HERBAL INSECT REPELLENT
It's camping season. I just returned from a beautiful time away camping in the Cuyamaca Mountains, and though the creeping, crawling, and flying critters offer medicine of their own by asking me to pay attention, my preference is to be able to pay attention to other things by not having to constantly swat at them and itch my skin. For this reason, here's a remedy that I have found to be effective, without needing DEET formulations. I also list energetics of certain plant beings.
UNDER THE NEW MOON: DECOLONIZING, GROWTH, MANIFESTING
Sometimes, my own fears and irrational habits surprise myself. I have internalized oppression of general Chinese/Taiwanese culture (not to mention cultural purging that modern China has experienced) and Christian patriarchy; being a female in a white-centric worldview also adds nuanced complexity. So many painful and limiting layers. So much living small and self-oppression. But I'm hopeful. I think the first step is awareness, then release, and lots and lots of patience and self-love. I find using shamanic and ritual-based practices effective in identifying the limitations as well as work through them. (For those who know me and my work, I’m all about integrating the spiritual with practical, everyday life. Spirituality without real-life application is lip service).
INTERVIEW WITH A SHAMANIC INTUITIVE
As mentioned on Instagram, I've been a regular listener on Julie Parker's The Priestess Podcast for quite some time. She curates beautiful, relatable content on mysticism, alternative healing modalities, the Divine Feminine, conscious business, and so many other topics that I care deeply about. It was an IMMENSE honour to be interviewed by Julie on shamanism, plant spirit medicine, and my work here at Ceremonie. We had such a fun time chatting (including my interpretation of how Adam and Eve from the biblical story of Genesis is rooted in shamanic expression, my childhood, and even the unusual name for my favourite doll), that I completely lost track of time!