Welcome to Module 5 of your healing journey: healing our heart. It is within this module that you reach the true fruits of your labor. You have been doing the tender-ass work of the meeting the intergenerational, familial, lived experienced trauma that lives in your foundation for understanding the world [root], in the ways our relate to your intimacy [sacral], and the ways you alchemize your power [solar plexus]. You have been plowing, amending, and fixing your soils with nourishment, trust building within yourself, and creating compost of what no longer serves you to reweave your birth rite: reconnection to your sacredness and the sacredness of all beings. In this module we are in celebration. We are busting out delicious elixirs, fresh cacao, and warm hands onto these open, receiving + giving hearts that deserve our tending. During this module, we weave into our first form: LOVE. Welcome to anahata, that which is unstruck, forever true.
Plant Ancestors this month
Week 1: Rose [Rosa spp]
Week 2: Hawthorn berry [Crataegus monogyna]
Week 3: Motherwort [Leonurus cardiaca]
Optional: Hibiscus [Hibuscus sabdariffa]
Week 2: Hawthorn berry [Crataegus monogyna]
Week 3: Motherwort [Leonurus cardiaca]
Optional: Hibiscus [Hibuscus sabdariffa]
Week one
Distance Gathering 1
MONDAY AUGUST 9, 2021 7-9:30p EST
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 11, 2021 7:30-10p EST
To prepare for session 1 gather
Prepare your space in front of your altar
[minimum have a bowl of water + candle lite]
Journal + writing/drawing tools
Herbal tisane: Rose [Rosa spp]
To prepare your herbal tisane bring 1 quart of water to a boil then add the herb material
[fresh or dry] inside the pot of water, allow to simmer for 15 mins minimum without the lid on
All handouts
Download or print the following handouts:
Anahata/Heart Chakra
Rose [Plant Profile]
Healing our heart [Botanical cards]
MONDAY AUGUST 9, 2021 7-9:30p EST
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 11, 2021 7:30-10p EST
To prepare for session 1 gather
Prepare your space in front of your altar
[minimum have a bowl of water + candle lite]
Journal + writing/drawing tools
Herbal tisane: Rose [Rosa spp]
To prepare your herbal tisane bring 1 quart of water to a boil then add the herb material
[fresh or dry] inside the pot of water, allow to simmer for 15 mins minimum without the lid on
All handouts
Download or print the following handouts:
Anahata/Heart Chakra
Rose [Plant Profile]
Healing our heart [Botanical cards]
Access Access our distance gathering session 1 via Zoom link: MONDAY, WEDNESDAY
You are encouraged to log on to our Zoom meeting 5-10 minutes before our set gathering time
Monday
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89319948212?pwd=bUhDdGt1NFYvdkZqMEMzaTBSRkNMQT09
Meeting ID: 893 1994 8212
Passcode: seed
Wednesday
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81379949106?pwd=bmZnU0xVVWc2NUpnQ3VmRzJCL29sUT09
Meeting ID: 813 7994 9106
Passcode: seed
August Gathering Recording #1
[link will be available here up to 36hrs after the gathering date via email and on your respective WhatsApp thread]
You are encouraged to log on to our Zoom meeting 5-10 minutes before our set gathering time
Monday
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89319948212?pwd=bUhDdGt1NFYvdkZqMEMzaTBSRkNMQT09
Meeting ID: 893 1994 8212
Passcode: seed
Wednesday
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81379949106?pwd=bmZnU0xVVWc2NUpnQ3VmRzJCL29sUT09
Meeting ID: 813 7994 9106
Passcode: seed
August Gathering Recording #1
[link will be available here up to 36hrs after the gathering date via email and on your respective WhatsApp thread]
Self-Healing Practice #1
Maintain an intimate + committed partnership with your nourishing herb 1 quart a day.
Open/close each day with a blessing herb
Optional: Work with 1 quart of an herb from the body system or chakra that we are journeying with to strategically nourish yourself
Open/close each day with a blessing herb
Optional: Work with 1 quart of an herb from the body system or chakra that we are journeying with to strategically nourish yourself
REVIEW
READ
REFLECT
Describe your relationship your heart chakra. Who + what lives here for you?
What is your relationship to your heart, with yourself + others? How has this shifted from conception to where you are now?
How do you balance receiving + giving?
What can you do today to nourishing + strengthen your heart?
What are ways that you can practice receiving today?
*
Return to the Anahata meditation. Allow your intuition to guide to what is true for the collective.
What lives in the heart of the collective?
What does the collective heart need right now to heal the wounds we hold here?
*
Share your reflections + questions on our WhatsApp thread
What is your relationship to your heart, with yourself + others? How has this shifted from conception to where you are now?
How do you balance receiving + giving?
What can you do today to nourishing + strengthen your heart?
What are ways that you can practice receiving today?
*
Return to the Anahata meditation. Allow your intuition to guide to what is true for the collective.
What lives in the heart of the collective?
What does the collective heart need right now to heal the wounds we hold here?
*
Share your reflections + questions on our WhatsApp thread
EXCERCISES
After connecting the Anahata/Heart Chakra handout and Ch 8 from Opening to Spirit, choose 1-2 practices to nourish meaningful connections with your heart. One of the practices you choose to invite into building compassion and presence in your heart might be one of the following meditations below.
Practice: Radical Gratitude Spell
(by adrienne maree brown, read by Fhatima Paulino)
(by adrienne maree brown, read by Fhatima Paulino)
Metta Meditation/Love + Kindness
Week two
At your own pace engage with each part of the exercises that bring us to the physical manifestation of the heart: our cardiovascular system.This is the site of the sacred bridge that literally courses through our entire body, bringing magick and oxygen, and alchemizing the stars on the earth, and the seed in the starts. Here we meet the generosity and abundance of spirit that has always been ours. During this week, we are called to feel the abundance we deserve as we lay our hands on our heart acknowledging the strength, wisdom and resilience within.
Each time you engage with each exercise, prepare your space [this assures
A bowl of water or fire to protect you
An herbal tea
Journal + writing/drawing tools
Sitting before your altar whenever possible
All handouts
Download or print the following handouts, they are also included in the corresponding section below:
Cardiovascular System
Cardiovascular System Herb List
Hawthorn berry [Plant Profile]
A bowl of water or fire to protect you
An herbal tea
Journal + writing/drawing tools
Sitting before your altar whenever possible
All handouts
Download or print the following handouts, they are also included in the corresponding section below:
Cardiovascular System
Cardiovascular System Herb List
Hawthorn berry [Plant Profile]
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Check-in
Check-in
Before we gather next, please show this community some love.
Send us a note, photo, video of how your heart is, what's moving through your these moments, and any medicine that needs to be witnessed!
You're welcomed to send more than one update!
Send us a note, photo, video of how your heart is, what's moving through your these moments, and any medicine that needs to be witnessed!
You're welcomed to send more than one update!
PLANT MEDITATION
Hawthorn berry [Crataegus monogyna]
Hawthorn berry [Crataegus monogyna]
Prepare
Herbal tisane: HAWTHORN BERRY [Crataegus monogyna]
To prepare your herbal tisane bring 1 quart of water to a boil then add the herb material [fresh or dry] berries inside the pot of water, allow to simmer for 15 mins minimum
this is a BITTER + somewhat pungent plant ancestor, take it slow, the longer you let it sit the more intense the experience will be
Herbal tisane: HAWTHORN BERRY [Crataegus monogyna]
To prepare your herbal tisane bring 1 quart of water to a boil then add the herb material [fresh or dry] berries inside the pot of water, allow to simmer for 15 mins minimum
this is a BITTER + somewhat pungent plant ancestor, take it slow, the longer you let it sit the more intense the experience will be
LISTEN
Feel free to follow our plant wisdom share by using the materia medica (also known as a plant profile) above side by side as you listen.
HOLISTIC ANATOMY + PHYSIOLOGY
Cardiovascular System
Cardiovascular System
....
MEETING OUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
READ
*written by a cis white women, you are NEVER required to read white authors on this journey.
REVIEW
Remember that these herb lists are cheat sheets with more technical herbal action terms you can find in your herbal action glossary
from week one module one
from week one module one
REFLECT
Describe your family’s general relationship with cardiovascular health.
Describe your community’s general relationship with their cardiovascular health.
Describe your relationship with your cardiovascular system.
Describe your community’s general relationship with their cardiovascular health.
Describe your relationship with your cardiovascular system.
MEDICINE MAKING
HERBAL PREPARATION:
Flower essences
HERBAL PREPARATION:
Flower essences
LISTEN
How to make a flower essence
To make your mother essence:
Bring tweezers/gloves/scissors, a clear bowl/cup, fresh water
Before setting out on your harvest, set an intention for the medicine you are trying to call in
Before the plant you want to work with, sit + observe them! Notice what their shapes, colors, smells, tastes, feel + energetic body teach you. Their medicine is in how they look
Without touching the flower itself, pick enough flowers to cover the surface of your bowl
Let the bowl sit out under full sun 2-8hrs [2, tropical/humid, 8 northeast sun]
Fill your bottle half with a menstruum of choice [brandy, vodka, rum, etc]
Using the dropperful, fill the rest of your bottle with the flower water
Label: name of plant, mother essence, menstruum, place of harvest, date
Gift the flower water to the land
To make your stock essence:
Fill your bottle almost full with you menstruum of choice [brandy, vodka, rum, etc]
Add a determined amount of drops to the bottle
Label: name of plant, stock bottle, menstruum
*
Share what you create with our circle!
*
Feel free to review the Herbal Preparations document if you should have any question
To make your mother essence:
Bring tweezers/gloves/scissors, a clear bowl/cup, fresh water
Before setting out on your harvest, set an intention for the medicine you are trying to call in
Before the plant you want to work with, sit + observe them! Notice what their shapes, colors, smells, tastes, feel + energetic body teach you. Their medicine is in how they look
Without touching the flower itself, pick enough flowers to cover the surface of your bowl
Let the bowl sit out under full sun 2-8hrs [2, tropical/humid, 8 northeast sun]
Fill your bottle half with a menstruum of choice [brandy, vodka, rum, etc]
Using the dropperful, fill the rest of your bottle with the flower water
Label: name of plant, mother essence, menstruum, place of harvest, date
Gift the flower water to the land
To make your stock essence:
Fill your bottle almost full with you menstruum of choice [brandy, vodka, rum, etc]
Add a determined amount of drops to the bottle
Label: name of plant, stock bottle, menstruum
*
Share what you create with our circle!
*
Feel free to review the Herbal Preparations document if you should have any question
PLANT COMMITMENTS
Explore
Our cardiovascular herb list, do you need to journey with a plant ancestor to support your cardiovascular system?
Add this babe to your daily nourishing herb infusion for the next 2 weeks, what do you notice?
Notice if there are any overlaps between your nourishing, musculoskeletal, immune-lymphatic, genitourinary, digestive + cardiovascular herbs: are they the same herbs?
Were there herbs that support you in multiple ways?
Continue your commitment
Blessing smoke to open/close the day [daily]
Drink 1 quart infusion of a nourishing herb + CONTINUE WITH YOUR DIGESTIVE herb [daily]
Our cardiovascular herb list, do you need to journey with a plant ancestor to support your cardiovascular system?
Add this babe to your daily nourishing herb infusion for the next 2 weeks, what do you notice?
Notice if there are any overlaps between your nourishing, musculoskeletal, immune-lymphatic, genitourinary, digestive + cardiovascular herbs: are they the same herbs?
Were there herbs that support you in multiple ways?
Continue your commitment
Blessing smoke to open/close the day [daily]
Drink 1 quart infusion of a nourishing herb + CONTINUE WITH YOUR DIGESTIVE herb [daily]
PLANT WALK + IDENTIFICATION
Continue your seasonal plant chart for your region
[documenting the plants you notice by description, drawing + name when known]
Go on 1-2 walks before we gather next
Create 1-2 journal entries for both plants you are familiar + unfamiliar with you met on your walks
Feel free to review our Plant Identification Guide + the common plants growing found in Module 2
[documenting the plants you notice by description, drawing + name when known]
Go on 1-2 walks before we gather next
Create 1-2 journal entries for both plants you are familiar + unfamiliar with you met on your walks
Feel free to review our Plant Identification Guide + the common plants growing found in Module 2
Week three
Distance Gathering 2
MONDAY AUGUST 23, 2020 7-9:30p EST
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25, 2020 7:30-10p EST
To prepare for session 2 gather
Prepare your space
Journal + writing/drawing tools
herbal tisane/tea: MOTHERWORT
A representation of what helps you feel, be in your power
blessing herb [the homie you have chosen to open/close each day]
a glass of water for drinking + snack
gather: an object that represents or supports your embodiment of LOVE.
this may be a representation of people, ancestor foods, affirmations that help you feel in your power, etc
All handouts
Download or print the following handouts
Motherwort [Plant Profile]
August Gathering Recording #2
[link will be available here up to 36hrs after the gathering date via email and on your respective WhatsApp thread]
MONDAY AUGUST 23, 2020 7-9:30p EST
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25, 2020 7:30-10p EST
To prepare for session 2 gather
Prepare your space
Journal + writing/drawing tools
herbal tisane/tea: MOTHERWORT
A representation of what helps you feel, be in your power
blessing herb [the homie you have chosen to open/close each day]
a glass of water for drinking + snack
gather: an object that represents or supports your embodiment of LOVE.
this may be a representation of people, ancestor foods, affirmations that help you feel in your power, etc
All handouts
Download or print the following handouts
Motherwort [Plant Profile]
August Gathering Recording #2
[link will be available here up to 36hrs after the gathering date via email and on your respective WhatsApp thread]
Self-healing practice #3
PLANT CONNECTIONS
All healthy relationships grow from self-reflection and open communication. Before our next gathering:
Ask your NOURISHING HERB
Ask your BLESSING HERB
Ask your DIGESTIVE HERBS
Ask your HEART
if you would like to continue the journey working with them.
Allow tension to exist. Some times we need to work with the emotions, energies, plant ancestors that bring us the most discomfort, for here lies the medicine of our psychic surrender and deep physiological realignment.
If you have a clear INVITE AN ANOTHER plant ancestor to nourish your journey welcome the change. You will have the opportunity to do this at the end of each month. The intention is to commit to building an intimate relationship with at least 1 nourishing herb and bless herb. Nourishing herbs can only do their work through long-term commitment, our physical body takes a bit to acclimate, purge, and then assimilate nutrients
Ask your NOURISHING HERB
Ask your BLESSING HERB
Ask your DIGESTIVE HERBS
Ask your HEART
if you would like to continue the journey working with them.
Allow tension to exist. Some times we need to work with the emotions, energies, plant ancestors that bring us the most discomfort, for here lies the medicine of our psychic surrender and deep physiological realignment.
If you have a clear INVITE AN ANOTHER plant ancestor to nourish your journey welcome the change. You will have the opportunity to do this at the end of each month. The intention is to commit to building an intimate relationship with at least 1 nourishing herb and bless herb. Nourishing herbs can only do their work through long-term commitment, our physical body takes a bit to acclimate, purge, and then assimilate nutrients
Commit
Blessing smoke to open/close the day [daily]
Drink 1 quart infusion of a nourishing herb + digestive herb & cardio tonic-STRONGLY SUGGESTED [daily]
Blessing smoke to open/close the day [daily]
Drink 1 quart infusion of a nourishing herb + digestive herb & cardio tonic-STRONGLY SUGGESTED [daily]
Plant Journal
Spend 10 minutes journeying with the spirit and physical [make an herbal tisane/tea, see instructions above] medicine with one our nourishing herbs. You are welcomed to replay my the guided plant meditation during our last session [go to the recording, available on your WhatsApp thread], journey with your own instruments or silence. Spend 5 minutes writing your downloads, messages, images, and the places the plant ancestor went in your body.
At least 1x a week
Spend 10 minutes journeying with the spirit and physical [make an herbal tisane/tea, see instructions above] medicine with one our nourishing herbs. You are welcomed to replay my the guided plant meditation during our last session [go to the recording, available on your WhatsApp thread], journey with your own instruments or silence. Spend 5 minutes writing your downloads, messages, images, and the places the plant ancestor went in your body.
At least 1x a week
REVIEW
Return to each week on this online portal, in your notes, your journal entries, and in your heart. With much compassion, practicing less judgement about what you were not able to get to, really hold, read or practice, come to experience the journey. There is no shame between us. I, like our community holds that the world is spinning, it's difficult to feel into the healing spiral these moments are bringing. That's okay. Let it take as long as it needs to take. Return to the places you want to deepen, the practices you want to nourish, and with much honor to yourself, honor your capacity at this moment.
if you are ready + eager to dig into some of the themes that have arisen during this month, check out the additional resources below.
if you are ready + eager to dig into some of the themes that have arisen during this month, check out the additional resources below.
ANCESTOR + COLLECTIVE CONNECTIONS
Research (by asking living ancestors, connecting to ancestors from the diaspora, reading, watching videos, listening to the music, eating the foods, call on ancestor spirits while meditating of ancestors who are familiar):
Connect with abundance and love as a state of being, as a path, as “spirit.”
-How did your lineage bring together their divinity & humanity?
How did your ancestors connect with the cycles of giving and receiving?
How do your ancestors carry practices of compassion for those who have
committed harm?
How did your ancestors cultivate love in their relationships?
Gather photos, food, + object that represent your ancestors in this energetic
center to add to your altar
Connect with abundance and love as a state of being, as a path, as “spirit.”
-How did your lineage bring together their divinity & humanity?
How did your ancestors connect with the cycles of giving and receiving?
How do your ancestors carry practices of compassion for those who have
committed harm?
How did your ancestors cultivate love in their relationships?
Gather photos, food, + object that represent your ancestors in this energetic
center to add to your altar
EXERCISE
After your ancestor research, prepare yourself and your ancestors a heart loving drink. This is a drink that is to be shared with another person [in person, via the inter-web] or drank with your altar.
Feel free to be inspired by drinks that your family prepared for you growing up, one that you've heard being associated with your ancestry via living relatives, those that visit you, or you've read about.
Your meal should include:
1 ancestral ingredient
1 floral plant ancestor
a sweetener [honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, etc]
tons of love
Let us know the heart drink you prepare to nourish your heart and the collective!
Feel free to be inspired by drinks that your family prepared for you growing up, one that you've heard being associated with your ancestry via living relatives, those that visit you, or you've read about.
Your meal should include:
1 ancestral ingredient
1 floral plant ancestor
a sweetener [honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, etc]
tons of love
Let us know the heart drink you prepare to nourish your heart and the collective!
remember to share any love, update, or ask for any support you are needing from our collective over the next few of weeks we are apart.
PREPARING FOR MODULE 6
Week 1: Mullein [Verbascum thapsis]
Week 2: Mint
[choose your variety: chocolate mint, spearmint, apple mint]
Week 3: Elderberry + Elderflower [Sambucus nigra]
Week 4 Optional: Licorice Root
Week 2: Mint
[choose your variety: chocolate mint, spearmint, apple mint]
Week 3: Elderberry + Elderflower [Sambucus nigra]
Week 4 Optional: Licorice Root