You hold the power...

I believe that you hold the power to make the medicine you yearn for and need. I want you to feel empowered within the herb realm. It is your birthright to have the tools to create your own medicinal apothecary; a sacred space to fill with loving remedies made by you and your herbal friends. creating salves, tinctures, or a simple lip balm with friends or family is an extremely nourishing event. 

one of the reasons I got into herbalism was because I was sick of reading labels and not being able to pronounce half or more of the ingredients. If you're putting something onto your skin (the largest organ of your body) you definitely want to be able to feel confident that the ingredients are simple and recognizable. I believe that if you can't eat it, it shouldn't be on your skin. Hence why I stick with whole plant infusions into a carrier oil like sunflower oil. Because, realistically, if I wanted to I could make a salad dressing with my sweet dreams oil (mugwort, chamomile, & hops in sunflower oil), and not worry about anything. awesome and simple, right?

I wanted to share my favorite books that I have come to know and love in my herbal studies so far. reading is one of the most powerful tools we hold. 

Pick up one or all of these at your local used book store,

yay for recycling!

yay for supporting your local bookstore!

yay for keeping your money in your local economy!

1. Rosemary Gladstar 

The Beginner's Guide is amazing. It is simple but holds amazing information that  I go back to often. it begins with how to's for salves, lotions, tinctures, etc. and then introduces you to the many medicinals herbs she has chosen. 

Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health is a more in depth and detailed book, giving explanations and aids for many ailments. 

2. Susun Weed 

This book is an all time favorite for me. It was gifted to me by a dear friend/herbalist for my birthday last year which makes it feel that more special. Susun Weed focuses on 7 herbs so that you can really get to know these plants on an intimate level. The beginning of the book outlines the Wise Woman Tradition, which is a beautiful explanation about getting back to the goddess. My favorite part is how in the beginning of the chapters the plants introduce themselves to you. Each in it's own unique tone and voice, the plants give you the vibe of their medicine. It sets a really awesome tone and a fun, imaginative learning environment. Magical and unique, a must have in the library!

3. Bonnie Rose Weaver

Bonnie is amazing and her book is an extension of her plant intelligence and kind heart. I go back to this book often because it is so intuitively organized and just feels good. She managed a small urban farm in the heart of San Francisco; growing, tending, and making medicine. I love the book because it is personal and also informative. I learn something new each time I pick it up. *if you live locally I saw it in the Moonrise Herbs window just the other day*

4. Karin C. Uphoff M. S., M.H.

What a book! Seriously, this is an amazing asset to your library. Karin is a wealth of knowledge, and while the information is dense, it is accessible and digestible. I love her writing style and detailed explanations of the systems of our body. There are diagrams, recipes for cleanses, medical advice, and so much more. 

5. Brittany Wood Nickerson

This book was gifted me less than a month ago, I haven't really put it down. I go to it for anything from dinner recipes, her "vital roots" kimchi recipes, or her creative style of writing about the lifestyle she lives and insight she gains from it. I have always felt a deep sense of love and praise for the culinary herbs like rosemary, thyme, & oregano and she goes into detailed explanations of each. This book would be a great addition to anyone and everyone's life.

6. Jeff Carpenter & Melanie Carpenter

When I found this book last year I couldn't believe it was real. They provide you with ALL of the information you would need if you were interested in running a medicinal herb farm. From how to build drying racks to the temperature to dry certain herbs at. They lay out all of their framework and how things flow for them. The book goes into detail about all of the uses of each herb, how much they yield from an acre of a specific herb, and so much more! A must have if you're interested in farming medicinal herbs. 

7. Robin Wall Kimmerer 

I saved the best for last. This is one of the best books I have ever read. "Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants." Robin has a writing style that waxes poems about the trees, brings you to tears about motherhood, and provides information and studies about the ecosystems that are surrounding us. I loved the balance of it all. I will probably read this book once a year. Go pick it up, you will not regret it!

one more idea! pick up a native species book & go on plant walks around your neighborhood or wildlife area. identify different friends along the way! this is such a simple and fun idea for a Sunday morning ritual. you'll be surprised to see how many plant allies are around, ones to help anything from your liver to your heart. it's fun to find a book that lists the energetic and spirit medicine of the plant as well! 

reach out with any questions

& happy reading!

Ritual Magic

I believe that many of us are yearning for ritual in our lives. Feeling lost, we may or may not feel connected to any of the "American" traditions we grew up with and have hope for something that feels more meaningful.

Ritual may look different for each individual but I hope that my products can inspire a little more ritual magic in ones life. Follow your intuition, light a candle, ask yourself what you need. Start to dream up something you'd like to do every solstice or full moon, the sky is the limit and there are many celebrations to be had!

Creating ritual asks us to:

connect,

get creative,

& lead with the heart.

A Summer Solstice Full Moon Fire Ritual, 2014.

Photo taken by River Walker, Edit by Mia Pirillo

There are everyday self care rituals like making a morning elixir to send you on a magical day feeling loved and nurtured.

There are weekly rituals like attending or hosting a family/friend dinner to share space, ideas, & homemade dishes.  

There are monthly rituals like a new or full moon to remind us of our interconnectedness and community.

There are seasonal rituals like Spring Equinox or Winter Solstice to tune into our surroundings and commune with presence to the place and time of year we are in.

Tuning into the elements offers great inspiration for ritual: fire and water hold especially magical rituals for me. Sitting around a bon fire with my beloved friends can really instill a deep sense of peace and contentment. Making myself a special elixir to sip on with some sparkling water, tincture and flower petals helps me feel powerful and loved. 

This year was the first year I did not celebrate Christmas or New Years Eve in the traditional sense that I had before. It felt SO good, and it is not to say I will never again but to know there is a choice feels damn good. Instead, I created new rituals. Winter Solstice, the darkest and shortest day of the year. A beautiful time to sink deeply into the darkness and reflect. I took a hot herbal bath with my Sweet Dreams Bath Blend followed by a self massage with my Redwood Body Oil and made a biiiig pot of nourishing soup to share with our beloved neighbors. On New Years Eve our neighbors shared their yearly ritual with us. Sitting around a big bon fire, reminiscing and reflecting. At midnight, burning a sheet of paper with what we are letting go of from 2017 and what we are igniting and bringing forth in 2018. A simply beautiful night, an intentional way to start the new year. 

In the end, it seems as if what it always comes back to is connection. Ritual helps us better connect to ourselves, our environment, and our community. Ritual gives us meaning and inspiration, grounds us and brings us back to our center. 

Comment with any rituals you practice or are planning on practicing soon! 

xo,

Jess

1.8.18 Welcome to Root, Rise.

As the season shifts and I find myself more inclined to be inside cozied up to the fire, I decided it was time to begin sharing with you the creations I've been working on. A dream come to fruition. Last year was my first year realizing I would like to hone in on growing medicinal herbs and creating products from what I grew. Sitting here in January 2018, I am really feeling called to concentrate my growing efforts fully to medicinals. We will see what this year holds, I am so excitedly thumbing through the seed catalogues, and am inspired by the many dreams running through my mind and heart.

Root, Rise. is a labor of love dedicated to bring about awareness to self care rituals, herbal alchemy, and all of the magic that lives in between. I began practicing herbalism once I took a course with Jane Bothwell of the Dandelion Herbalism Center. As she taught us the ins and outs of her experience within herbalism, I finally felt that I was in a class that rang true, that felt like home. Everything in me lit up, a remembrance. Because if each one of us were to go back in our ancestry, we would realize that "herbalism" was not long ago a knowledge woven into everyday life, practiced by our family members. That different "weeds" and "foods" helped with this or that. Once I took this course I couldn't stop thinking about herbs and their properties. I started teaching myself by reading books that had been recommended to me, attending workshops, daydreaming, playfully making products for myself and loved ones. 

I feel strongly about bringing you the most potent and powerful product. The plants are with me every step of the way, through each season. Waxing and waning, growing and creating. The symbiotic relationship I find myself in nourishes and nurtures not only me, but the ecosystem and environment that surrounds me. I grow medicinal plants to reclaim my wildness, my truth. And in turn create potions and products that are imbibed with the true essence of magic. 

In my products you can truly taste, feel, or smell the freshness. Each one transports you right back to the actual plant. 

With very few ingredients the plant is able to come through strongly and clearly.

Thank you for joining me on this journey, I am so grateful you are here!