The image and the concept occur again across disparate cultures throughout human history: a great tree that grows at the heart of everything, connecting many worlds. As we prepare to begin the new year, we will explore the ways that connecting with a living tree can help to re-root your own cosmology and find ground, center, and new meaning in your life.
Near the mouth of the river that the Irish have always understood to mirror the Milky Way stands an ancient burial mound whose dark inner chamber is illuminated by a ray of light at dawn on the Winter Solstice. On the eve of the Solstice, we spend time with the tales of two mythic figures conceived in that burial chamber – Óengus Óg and Cú Chullainn -- and delve into what their stories tell us about darkness and light, and about this world and the Otherworld.
The English word "solstice" and the Irish word "grianstaid" both refer to the times of the year when the sun seems to stand still in its place on the horizon for days. As we approach the Winter Solstice, we explore the importance of times of stillness, of fallowness, of darkness, and explore plants that can help us embrace these ways of being.
Through the past several months, we have been spending time with plants and fungi that produce compounds that have played a role in shaping the consciousness of all living things. In this year's final installment of the "Elder Voices" series we take a broad look at the role of psychedelic/neurognostic medicines in the ecology of consciousness.
It is far too easy to fall into a fog of despair and confusion in these times, and it can feel hard to relight the fire of insight, the fire of inspiration, and he fire of will when they seem to dwindle and smolder. We will spend time with plants that can help kindle and nourish the fires of the heart and mind and spirit, bringing back the clarity and vitality required for us to bring forth blessing in the world.
Each of the molecules we call "psychedelic" or "psychotropic" and each of the organisms that produce these molecules is a unique expression of the intelligence of life itself. Once a month, in a series we are calling "Elder Voices," explore one of these medicines and the ways it interacts with human minds. This month, we will explore the unique medicine of mescaline and the cacti that produce it.
In a time when fear, anger, anxiety, and reactivity abound, we could all use help keeping a cool head. Come learn about plant allies that can help soothe agitated minds and bring clarity and calm.
"As above, so below. As within, so without." So goes a well known Hermetic maxim that has guided magicians, astrologers, and alchemists for millennia. In this class, we will explore the connections between personal and planetary healing, and how to find balance within ourselves in turbulent times so we can better bring blessings to the world.
Irish tradition tells of how the great god Manannán, son of the sea, would come bearing a silver branch that could help humans hear the music that wove the world into being and see the sacred dimensions of everything. The late John Moriarty said that developing the capacity for "Silver Branch vision" was the key to transforming our hearts. On the eve of the beginning of the dark half of the year, we gather to speak of Silver Branch Vision and the plants and fungi that can help us cultivate it.
In many parts of Ireland, Samhain was the time when the Rí, the "Sacral King," ritually wed the spirit of the land in the presence of his ancestors, his living kin, and his descendants. Join us as we explore what we know of this ancient tradition, and how animists can breathe life into it today in new ways.
As Samhain approaches, the spirits of the dead are close at hand. Join us as we explore plants like Cannabis, Henbane, and Mugwort that can help us connect with the spirits of the dead, and plants and fungi like Wood Betony, St. John's Wort, and Diamond Willow Fungus that can help keep unwanted spirits at bay.
People dealing with chronic infections like Lyme disease have been dealing with challenges to their cardiovascular health for years. Recently, research on Long COVID has brought medical science closer to understanding how chronic infections affect the heart and the blood vessels -- but conventional medicine has few solutions to offer to ameliorate people's symptoms and challenges. Fortunately, herbs can help. Join us as we explore the role herbs can play in helping to address the cardiovascular dimensions of these chronic infections.
