White pine, spruce, and goldenrod frame my experience and memories of my first time at The Great Lakes Herb Faire.
We started out during 95° weather that allowed just enough space in our heads to attempt to pack the necessities for the next five days and not much else. Even still things were left behind, some important and some not so. We made our way from the Shenandoah Valley to Chelsea, Michigan and I found myself cooler, calmer, and more collected cradled in white pine’s welcoming embrace, in the presence of regal spruce, and as the recipient of goldenrod’s radiant generosity during Erika Galentin’s class “Aromatic Distillation as a Ritual Journey of Self-Reflection.” What a gift to share the experience with others and have time to steep in the plant and people magic like a good, strong cup of tea.
Later in the evening I shared my class “Ember & Smoke : Incense as Plant Devotion*” to a vibrant crowd in the yurt. I’m grateful to the planning committee for making room for an unknown herbalist to come teach a class on this topic that grabbed a hold of me several years ago and continues to be one of the ways I connect with and listen to the plants. I’m delighted to have connected with others interested in identifying and working with local plants on this sustainable and sustaining fragrant path.
Heart-full-to-the-brim delighted.
If you were in that class, I thank you! I hope our time together watered the seeds of your personal incense practice and that you’ll share some of your journey with me on Facebook, here on the blog, or privately.
There wasn’t enough time to cover everything I was hoping to share in that class just as there wasn’t enough time to meet every person, join in every conversation, or take every class. And still so much to be grateful for … the friends who made our entry into camp as smooth as still water, all the smiles shone in my direction, and the seeds shared in classes like Leslie Williams’ “Practical Chemistry for Herbalists” and Brooke Sackenheim’s offering on recognizing and addressing burnout for the herbalist. Micah McLaughlin’s class was not titled “Making Space for Others by Taking Space for Self” but that’s the name of the seed packet I walked away with and Alexander Weyer’s offering was a sprinkle of stardust and food for the love of plants and planets.
We left this amazing gathering and all the beautiful people it drew to it as the rains came and drove home through the misty green and golden hills, colors oddly mirrored in photos of golden ginkgo leaves on the walls of the McDonald’s bathroom. Signs abound and the green voice echoes.
*If you didn’t receive the handout and would like one, email inger@apothecaryoftherose.com and I’ll send you a PDF.
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