Autumn Alchemy

searching for gold + botanicals for health

My own photo, Colorado

Our young maple, perhaps only 20 years old, stands in the center of our backyard. Mid October, the tips of its branches are turning bright ruby. Our sacred rowan’s berries have ripened to a complementary scarlet.

The high midday sun reflects these reds. An endless haze of wildfire smoke has filled our skies more or less since July. Fires to the West, waters to the East. These are wild times, and my heart is with all who are grieving and lost right now.

Yet, when I close my eyes and see into the energy of these times, this month especially, I see gold. Sparkly, luminous gold.

It’s in the dark. It’s hidden by shadow and muck. But it’s there. It’s blessing us with healing and love. Waiting for us to notice its presence. Waiting to be brought to the light.

“Openings in the chaos.”

These are words I spoke to a dear friend recently. She was in that magical, tender space of feeling the pain of the collective and a calling to share her gifts (which are so needed) in larger ways.

In my reading of our collective energy, it's as if many of us have had a weighted blanket over our ability to share our most heartfelt offerings with others. A heaviness has kept us spinning in place, unable to understand why nothing seems to budge.

This is shifting. Energetically, there are real openings and invitations for you to step through right now. Cracks in the heaviness are appearing, inviting you to shine.

This was true for my friend, and I’m guessing it holds true for many who are reading these words now.

(Psst — Pluto just went direct and headed into Aquarius. I think the glimpses of levity I’m sensing might have something to do with this. Cardinal Sun signs should really feel the openings!)

On a personal note, I turned 44 last week.

A relatively quiet day, the year ahead feels potent in ways I didn’t expect…

It’s as if I’ve been caught in a sudden dust storm, and though it’s hard to breathe, I feel in inner twinkly delight at what shall be revealed when the dust settles.

I sense the presence of that gold in the dark, personally and collectively.

I’m reminded, too, that this is alchemy.

In alchemical traditions from East to West, the human soul is gold.

Have you forgotten this? That you are gold.

The human path is one of alchemy. It is your birthright to alchemize your pain and shadow into the light of your true nature.

I think these glimpses of gold I keep sensing are invitations to step deeper into the alchemical path…

I’m writing a longer piece at the moment that will have more details on the unexpected chaos I’ve found myself navigating.

In the meantime, I do have a few seasonal shares with you. October is a magical month, and my hope is that these tidbits help you connect with the magic within and without!

Blessed Be the Botanicals

Teas, tinctures, soups, and more…I am filling my days with support from the plant world.

Because life is a lot right now.

Grief and stress, so prevelant right now, can lower the immune system.

Rushing through changing seasons without pausing to check on our natural rhythms, asking our bodies what we truly need, can wreak a wee bit of havoc on our health.

We aren’t alone in our efforts to stay sane and healthy though!

The plants have always been allies for our us, offering us wisdom layered in energy and chemistry, support forged in evolutionary bonds.

And fortunately, you don’t need to pillage the local herbal in order to bring more plants into your daily life. Here are a few simple and easeful ways that I love, and I hope they inspire you, too.

Herbal Teas

The magic of herbal teas is endless — drink a variety of tea and drink it often. With anxiety on the rise and so many in the throws of grief, here’s a simple relaxing tea to support your overall well-being. 

Rest & Relax Tea

Mix together equal parts:

• lemon balm

• passionflower

• spearmint

• chamomile

Add a 1/4 part skullcap if you have it — it’s one my personal favorites for chilling out, but can be quite bitter if you use too much.

Steep about 2 tsp mixed herbs per 6 - 8 oz hot water. 

Medicinal Mushrooms

Medicinal mushrooms seem to be everywhere these days — and here are a few of my favoriate ways to add them to my everyday diet:

1. Sprinkle some medicinal mushroom powder into your smoothies, salad dressings, and soups. 

2. Make a medicinal seasoning salt by mixing together mushroom powder, dulse (a nutritious seaweed), and pink Himalayan sea salt.

3. Add medicinal mushrooms to your morning coffee—I love chaga and reishi for this—or make an herbal coffee blend. Here’s one of my personal recipes:

Many people like to add roasted dandelion root to their coffee blends. This is great once in a while, but it can almost be too cleansing for everyday use if you have a sensitive system.

Ginger 

According to the late and great plant wizard Stephen Buhner, fresh ginger (not dried) is a great antiviral. It’s certainly worked for me — it I down some ginger shots (yes, it’s a little painful, lol) at the first sign of illness, it rarely takes root.

Try adding fresh ginger to soups, stir fries, and salad dressings (it makes a surprisingly good addition to homemade caesar!). You can also make ginger juice tea for a super potent brew

Ginger Juice Tea

Juice fresh ginger and add hot water, lemon, honey, and cayenne. If you don’t have a juicer, you can blend fresh ginger with water until it’s drinkable. I like to freeze the juice in ice cube trays so I can just add hot water when I need it.

From Bruhner: Have one cup daily as a preventative. If you feel a tickle of something "off", bump up your daily dose to 4-6 cups a day with 3-4oz of ginger per cup. Even if this doesn't completely wipe the illness out, it should slow the spread of the virus in the body and help protect mucous membranes from damage.

Note: This is a medicinal dose of ginger and not recommended for pregnancy. Check with your doctor to see if you have any other contraindications. 

Garlic & Onions

I once had a herbalism teacher who had studied with a Mayan healer for decades. In the paraphrased words of her Mayan teacher, “Don’t trust anyone who doesn’t eat garlic.” 

Reminds me of our vampire mythology…and there might be something to this! Perhaps garlic helps ward off both the pathogens and ghosts who would do us harm…

So level up your garlic this Halloween ;)

Some ways to get more garlic in your diet:

1. Chimichurri (especially with oregano — another powerhouse for immunity) and pesto

2. Throw one or two cloves of garlic into homemade salad dressing

3. Add raw onions to salads and salsas

4. Make some garlic and herb infused olive oil

5. Add extra garlic and onions to soups and stir fries (I never use less than a whole head of garlic in a pot of soup!)

6. Stock up on fire cider and use it in your salad dressing or anywhere else you need vinegar—there are tons of recipes online

Raw or cooked? Raw garlic has amazing benefits—but you don’t have to eat it raw if you don’t want to. If you’re going to cook your garlic, just mince it and then let it rest. I’ve read everything from 20m to an hour is necessary to retain the key healing benefits, so I try to err on the side of caution.

Healing Broths

Nothing feels more nourishing than a nutrient-dense, medicinal broth. Plus, staying hydrated is a key part of a healthy immune system. Here are a few of my most used broth bases. Together, they can be adapted for a variety of healthy soups. 

Euro-Style Broth Base & Soup

1. Sauté your aromatics in olive oil—onion, carrots, celery, etc.

2. Add a whole head (yes, a whole head) of minced and rested garlic. 

3. Add ½ cup mixed dried herbs—rosemary, oregano, and thyme have antiviral properties, so if you go for a good Mediterranean seasoning blend, you should be covered.

4. If you’re adding other veggies that need sautéing, add them now.

5. Add 4-6 cups water and bring to a boil.

6. While water is coming to a boil, add

   • 3-5 slices astragalus

   • 1 slice reishi (if your slow cooking, you might want to take this out earlier, as it can get bitter)

   • ¼ cup dried nettle (if you have frozen or fresh nettle, add it closer to the end)

   • ¼ cup cat's claw bark in a muslin bag (if you have powdered cat’s claw, add less and directly to the broth)

   • A few bay leaves

7. Stir in lentils or precooked beans, if using, or dried and soaked beans if slow cooking.

8. Simmer for about an hour, or slow cook all day.

9. Remove the astragalus, reishi, cat’s claw, and bay leaves

10. Stir in greens (kale, spinach, fresh nettles) and cook for just another 5 minutes.

11. Enjoy :)

Curried Broth Base

1. Sauté your aromatics in coconut oil—onion, carrots, celery, etc.

2. Add a whole head (yes, a whole head) of minced and rested garlic. 

3. Add as much minced ginger as you can handle.

4. Add ¼ - ½ cup good curry powder. If your curry doesn't have a lot of turmeric, add another tablespoon of that.

5. If you’re adding other veggies that need sautéing, add them now.

6. Add 3-4 cups water and bring to a boil.

7. While water is coming to a boil, add

   • 3 - 5 slices astragalus

   • 1 slice reishi (if your slow cooking, you might want to take this out earlier, as it can get bitter)

   • ¼ cup dried nettle (if you have frozen or fresh nettle, add it closer to the end)

   • ¼ cup cat's claw bark in a muslin bag (if you have powdered cat’s claw, add less and directly to the broth)

   • A few bay leaves

8. Stir in lentils or precooked beans, if using,  or dried and soaked beans if slow cooking.

9. Simmer for about an hour, or slow cook all day.

10. Remove the astragalus, reishi, cat’s claw, and bay leaves

11. Stir in greens (kale, spinach, fresh nettles) and cook for just other 5 minutes.

12. Stir in 1-2 cans coconut milk (optional).

13. Enjoy :)

Chili-Style Broth Base

1. Sauté your aromatics in olive oil—onion, carrots, celery, etc.

2. Add a whole head (yes, a whole head) of minced and rested garlic. 

3. Add ¼ cup chili powder, ¼ cup oregano, and 1 tablespoon cumin. You can add turmeric to taste for an extra boost.

4. If you’re adding other veggies that need sautéing, add them now.

5. Add 4-6 cups water and bring to a boil.

6. While water is coming to a boil, add

   • 3-5 slices astragalus

   • 1 slice reishi (if your slow cooking, you might want to take this out earlier, as it can get bitter)

   • ¼ cup dried nettle (if you have frozen or fresh nettle, add it closer to the end)

   • ¼ cup cat's claw bark in a muslin bag (if you have powdered cat’s claw, add less and directly to the broth)

   • A few bay leaves

7. Stir in precooked beans, if using, or dried and soaked beans if slow cooking.

8. Simmer for about an hour, or slow cook all day.

9. Remove the astragalus, reishi, cat’s claw, and bay leaves

10. Stir in greens (kale, spinach, fresh nettles) and cook for just another 5 minutes.

11. Enjoy :)

These bases can also be strained to make a pure broth for sipping or freezing.

Nettle harvest from my garden

Support for Dark Days

As our days grow literally darker, the world seems to grow more chaotic. At least here in the US: Between hurricanes, floods, wildfire, and even volcano grumblings — not to mention the upcoming election and continual outbreaks of socially-induced insanity — there is a lot of heaviness that we’re dealing with.

But this darkness is an invitation into wholeness.

Darkness asks us to integrate what we’ve been rejecting.
What we’ve been rejecting is actually part of us.
And we are meant to be whole.

So join me in embracing the dark this season.

With this week’s upcoming Persephone workshop on Thursday, we’ll journey into the dark to receive the gifts this dark goddess wishes to bestow upon us. (Recordings available.)

As a reminder, paid Subscribers get free access to this workshop! Upgrade now and look for the “October Gift” post for your access :)

A dark selection of poison plant flower essences, sacred perfumes, and ancestral oils await you in the Alchemessence Botanica.

Save 10% on select allies for the dark with the code ​DARKDAYS.​

Expires October 31st at midnight

Upcoming Events

The Art of Psychopomp

October 26-27, 2024 | Online

This is the best time of year for ancestral healing, clearing ghosts, and offering healing work for those on the other side. Sound intriguing?

Thoughtforms, Intrusions, Extractions & Curses

November 23-24, 2024 | Online

To be healthy, happy, and authentically ourselves, we must have a coherent energy field—in other words, we must be in alignment with our own natural energetic imprint.

But when foreign energy is present, it’s difficult to maintain coherence. And depending on the type of energy present, the effects can be very uncomfortable—from physical pain, to low energy, to depression, to feelings of stuckness and more.

Join me to explore the most common types of foreign energies that influence us, where they come from, and how we work with them.