An awesome interview in Mask magazine on herbs, healing and politics:
"A lot of new age or spiritual healer types promise that they can support people “stepping into their best lives” or in becoming “whole” or “well.” I think of how tied to privilege that is, the belief that they can be whole or healed or okay. For too many people I know and love, this is impossible in the face of ongoing state violence, racism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, and classism. And it feels defeating to be told it’s our responsibility to “get well.”
I try to view healing work through a harm reduction lens and love this quote from herbalist Sean Donahue: “It makes no sense to speak of healing people if we are not willing to address what is making them sick and ultimately killing them. ... [M]y prescription for everyone who walks into our clinic is the complete transformation of this society, and ... anything else we do is harm reduction – necessary and often life saving but not curative. And while I don't have a roadmap to guide that transformation, I can tell you one thing – the first step is refusing to accept the cruelty and suffering around us as normal. Because the trouble with normal is that it always gets worse.”
During this time it is essential that we find support in plant medicine. Plants are our allies and will help keep our body and minds balanced as we organize. We are going to need many adaptogens and nervines – herbs in these medicinal categories generally help strengthen our nervous system and increase our resiliency under shifting conditions and environmental stress. Three herbs that I think will be crucial are skullcap (scutellaria lateriflora), passionflower (Passiflora Incarnata), and mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris). Skullcap for anxiety relief, headaches, insomnia, muscular and skeletal pain. Passionflower to de-stress, relieve nerve pain, heart palpitations, and as a general sleep aid and anti-depressant. Mugwort so that we can connect deeper with messages coming through in our dreams. Mugwort is a digestive stimulant and eases nervous tension.
Full article:http://www.maskmagazine.com/the-woo-issue/work/cameos-jennifer-patterson-antonia-estela-perez
"A lot of new age or spiritual healer types promise that they can support people “stepping into their best lives” or in becoming “whole” or “well.” I think of how tied to privilege that is, the belief that they can be whole or healed or okay. For too many people I know and love, this is impossible in the face of ongoing state violence, racism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, and classism. And it feels defeating to be told it’s our responsibility to “get well.”
I try to view healing work through a harm reduction lens and love this quote from herbalist Sean Donahue: “It makes no sense to speak of healing people if we are not willing to address what is making them sick and ultimately killing them. ... [M]y prescription for everyone who walks into our clinic is the complete transformation of this society, and ... anything else we do is harm reduction – necessary and often life saving but not curative. And while I don't have a roadmap to guide that transformation, I can tell you one thing – the first step is refusing to accept the cruelty and suffering around us as normal. Because the trouble with normal is that it always gets worse.”
During this time it is essential that we find support in plant medicine. Plants are our allies and will help keep our body and minds balanced as we organize. We are going to need many adaptogens and nervines – herbs in these medicinal categories generally help strengthen our nervous system and increase our resiliency under shifting conditions and environmental stress. Three herbs that I think will be crucial are skullcap (scutellaria lateriflora), passionflower (Passiflora Incarnata), and mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris). Skullcap for anxiety relief, headaches, insomnia, muscular and skeletal pain. Passionflower to de-stress, relieve nerve pain, heart palpitations, and as a general sleep aid and anti-depressant. Mugwort so that we can connect deeper with messages coming through in our dreams. Mugwort is a digestive stimulant and eases nervous tension.
Full article:http://www.maskmagazine.com/the-woo-issue/work/cameos-jennifer-patterson-antonia-estela-perez
