This class will feature the energetics, history, folklore, and magical uses of Holly. During our time together we will craft protective house amulets out of fresh Holly branches for students to take home. A sound healing journey to meet the spirit of Holly will complete the experience.
Join Vanessa and Sharon for this monthly drop in series to deepen your relationship to the land while cultivating good practices and right relationships through a decolonized viewpoint of plant medicine. 10% of all proceeds are donated to Liberation Medicine School, a POC and Queer led movement around liberatory practices of decolonizing ourselves and society.
The art of making medicine from the land grew from indigenous knowledge systems all over the world. Now, deprived of accessible and holistic healthcare, we’re continually told our performance is our worth. This ideology has led to the problem of "prescription" to enhance our “performance”. Because this method of treatment is to better serve capitalist interests, it only continues to further deplete our mind, body and spirit. In resistance to this, a movement has been growing to reclaim ancestral wisdom and reconnect with the parts of ourselves that long to be recognized as a whole.
Many of us here are settlers. Our ancestors aren’t from this land and it isn’t easy to learn, remember, or reclaim our wisdom ways. We have multiplicitous, converging, and sometimes conflicting ancestries; most of whom left their traditions behind to “become” American. Because so few of us have ancestors who carried forward the traditions and medicines of our heritage, we’re eager for a tangible connection to self, community, and spirituality. Mistakenly, we often turn to those cultures we believe have an evident connection to Spirit and Land and take from them, instead.
We believe returning to the land and our ancestors for healing is an act of anticapitalist political resistance. We thwart capitalism in our refusal to engage in exploitation and appropriation. Instead, we embrace relearning our traditions, and nurturing our community. This class was born out of a sincere desire to combine self care with community care, and good practices of rebuilding a relationship to the land, and each other.
Each 2hr class will include cross cultural comparisons of:
History + Folklore
- Physiological Attributes
- Subtle Energetics
- Magical + Spiritual healing qualities
- Elemental + Planetary associations
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This class is held within a loving container of sovereignty, body positivity, compassion and inclusivity. All are welcome.
If you feel called please bring a small biodegradable offering (flowers, herbs, chocolate, etc) for our community altar (more about that here https://www.madronahouseapothecary.com/community.html).
Floor cushions and chairs are provided. Please dress comfortably and bring anything you might need to feel comfortable during our time together.
All class notes, recorded lectures and free booklet on Western and Ayurvedic terminology of actions and energetics are accessible through an online teaching platform for 30 days after class.
Cost: Sliding Scale $20-$40
We believe this work is important and should be accessible to all. Sliding scale is available with priority given, in order, to BIPOC, those who have limited ability/disabilities, those who are chronically ill and/or those who are living at or below the poverty line.
One sponsored spot is open each month for individuals who identify as BIPOC.
Pay it forward option: sponsor or co-sponsor someone otherwise unable to attend. Please reach out if you'd like to apply for sponsorship.
Sharon is a queer independent scholar, writer, and diviner working in arts, activism, and education. Their areas of interest are in semiotics, divination, and connecting to a meaningful ancestral practice in reciprocity and right relationship with the land. Descended from multiple Northern European-American lineages, they identify themselves as a cunning/traditional craftsperson working within syncretic American folk traditions, primarily rooted in the study of Irish traditions and folklore.
Vanessa Ainslie (she/her), LMT, CLC, CST, AWC
Owner and founder of Madrona House Apothecary, Vanessa is a healing arts practitioner and educator striving to create an inclusive community based healing arts center. She brings 13 years of practice and offers Trauma Informed Bodywork, Energetic Healing, and Personal Ritual. Her practice is rooted in reconnecting to the pre-abrahamic land-based practices of her ancestors in right relationship with the Spirit of this land. Vanessa is a 4th generation immigrant from Greece with both Sephardic Jew (from the Middle East and Mediterranean areas ) and Ashkenazi Jew (from Poland, Russia, Hungary, and Lithuania), German, Blackfoot, and Cherokee.
This class will be held at Madrona House Apothecary + Healing Arts
1423 34th ave unit c seattle wa 98122
Look for the red cow restaurant and take the concrete stairs to the immediate left. Come up the wood porch to the right and through glass door that says Unit C! Street parking is abundant in the neighborhood.
We have an up sloping driveway with 5 concrete stairs that lead to a wood porch with 3 more stairs.
Due to the nature of being an Apothecary we are not a scent free environment. We do, however, strive to keep our space free of any synthetic fragrances and APPRECIATE YOUR ABSTAINING FROM WEARING ANY SCENTED BODY PRODUCTS.
Due to the increasing demand for our events registrations are non-refundable and are non-transferable to another event.
Studio doors lock promptly at the start of all events to protect the privacy + belongings of students, as well as to promote sanctity of space once an event has started.
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Upcoming Classes:
Jan 7: Juniper
Feb 4: Elecampane
March 3: Turmeric
April 7: Burdock Root
May 5: Nettle
June 2: Neem Leaf
July 7: Hibiscus
Aug 4: Blue Vervain
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