Melissa, commonly called Lemon Balm, holds a special place in my heart–she has ever since the moment I discovered her name literally means “honeybee”. (Bees are powerful totems for me, my husband, and our farm.) Melissa’s roots go back to ancient civilizations whose ceremonial lives…
I appreciated the healing nature and golden magic of calendula, sometimes called marigold, long before I began working with it in my massage and aromatherapy practices: calendula oil was the first thing a wise woman gave me to soothe my cramps when they paralyzed me…
Ah, the ubiquitous rose! Symbol of purity, inspiration, beauty, devotion, elegance, fidelity, compassion, spirituality, sensuality, and, of course, love, the celebrated rose has enjoyed almost too much attention and adoration. Countless poems, novels, pictures, movies, and, yes, Valentine’s Day advertisements have alluded to the lore of…
On a recent wild-crafting hike, I came across enough Elder bushes at the peak of bloom to call forth memories of my Danish grandmother’s garden. The experience got me thinking about the lore behind Elder… Part of the honeysuckle family, Elder is considered sacred…
