Tuesday Jan 7th, 7-9pm

This class will feature the physiological actions, energetics, history, folklore, and magical uses of Juniper. During our time together we will hand craft incense for participants 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 Actions + Constituents
Subtle Energetics
Magical + Spiritual healing qualities
Elemental + Planetary associations

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Class size: 12-14

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.

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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.

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About your hosts:

Sharon Arnold (she/they)

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

Vanessa Ainslie (she/her), LMT, CLC, CST, AWC
Vanessa is a healing arts practitioner and educator offering 13 years of experience working through a trauma informed lens. In her private practice, she offers somatic bodywork, personal ritual, energetic + spiritual healing. This soul tending work focuses on exploring early wounding as a means of re-mything limiting self beliefs to establish good boundaries, energetic hygiene and sovereignty. As an educator she offers practitioner trainings, plant medicine learning labs, ancestral reconnection, and grief processing.

While Vanessa is a descendant of many mixed lineages including Sephardi and Askenazi Jew of Middle Eastern, Mediteranean and Baltic regions, she is also a 4th generation immigrant from Greece. Her practice is rooted in exploring and reclaiming the ancient traditions of her Greek heritage in right relationship to the Spirits of this land and its Ancestors.

Founder of Madrona House Apothecary, Vanessa strives to collaborate an intentional, accessible, and inclusive space for healing and education, prioritizing the need for both self-care and community-care as tools for a resilient, liberated, well and bright community.

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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.

Accessibility Info:

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.

*Please note:

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:

Feb 4: Elecampane

March 3: Turmeric

April 7: Burdock Root

May 5: Nettle

June 2: Neem Leaf

July 7: Hibiscus

Aug 4: Blue Vervain