New Year Resolutions for Herbalists

Follow me this month while I try to clear out my own chaos and get a few tips on how to get your herb cabinet and/or business back in order! January is a perfect time for reflection and planning, but also, we have time for getting things done since the rush of garden season is still a few months away, the snow keeps us at home a bit more....as does the promise of a warm house and hot cup of tea. Each day, I am going to tackle something that needs constant care or attention, but that is often left to become dysfunctional as the year goes on. Will this be the year, I actually keep on top of things? Who knows...but if not, I will repost next year!

January 16 ~

Clear Your Energy 

Just as we have to make physical changes to maintain health, I have found that there are also "unseen" aspects to life that also need to be regularly addressed. In the past, I have been pretty good about attending to this, then I got lazy.....but recently, I am back on track and everything is better for it.

Whether you are simply treating family members, or seeing clients and students...YOU and your teaching/healing space are also affected by their energies. Sick people can be in really bad moods, scared, clingy and generally, needy. Students can often bring in excess energy from newly stimulated enthusiasm--great for them.. and a little for you--but, not everday. They can also be needy and some have a very negative attitude or personality that has to be managed for the sake of the larger class. This is taxing, mentally and emotionally, but I also feel it affects the actual space. After a sick client or a rambunctious class leaves, their impressions are still lingering. Ongoing and acute family issues impact your space too. How can we keep ourselves balanced and "clear"...ready to meet the next client, student or family obligation with our full attention and clarity? How can we keep our offices/classrooms/homes calming and embracing healing spaces?

Without sounding too esoteric, I think we often need to clear our space. On a daily basis (or think of a thorough spring cleaning binge), we clean our space--pick up, vacuum, dust, open a window, light a candle or spray room freshener. There are all very down to earth reasons for this--cleanliness and disease control...but after it is done--in spite of the work--we FEEL better. The active intent to clean and then refresh with a nice scent makes us feel positive about our space. On a smaller scale, a regular "clearing" of space used for healing benefits the healer and the clients/students. After a session with a very troubled person, I want to be able to recenter myself and make sure the area is serene for the next person--or for my family. To do this is much less work that normal house cleaning, but perhaps needs to be done more often.

I have a few places where I do the bulk of my consultations, teaching and medicine making. In those areas, I use incense of cedar and calendula before and after each session. I have certain stones that I keep nearby that are thought to keep "energies stable". Seeing them  keeps me focused on how I am reacting and enables me to stay on track if things are difficult. I also have other small symbols of my work that have meaning for me and an amulet bag that I keep full of herbs that are special to me. So, I can clear the room with incense, but once a month or so, I also cleanse my tools of the trade. Depending upon size and purpose, I tend to do this in a few ways--exposing them to moonlight and/or actually putting them in a bowl of clean water with sea salt and calendula and cedar for several hours. Sometimes, lavender is added--and interestingly, lavender is derived from the word  lavre , which means: "to wash". I am the type of person who needs to DO to learn and absorb things, but for others, prayers over certain areas would work as well. I also have  rosemary plants in my garden and home since lore suggests it will keep a home happy and free of distress. I know others who have a spray of the plants I mentioned and use it to clear their personal space or work space on a daily basis--or as needed...... and as many of us know, having a cat or two laying around, always clears spaces of low/poor energy. That is one of their many gifts to us. Whatever works. The real trick is to give value to the affects of situations and people's needs on others and their surroundings...and if you are a healer,  to be able to maintain your healing space and your own energy, as a haven for those who need it.