Last weekend I completed a 9 month herbal course with the Gaia School of Healing and Earth Education. What a journey this was – not only did it birth a deeper, more whole relationship to the plant world for me, it also facilitated a deeper, stronger relationship to myself. For this I cannot be more grateful. Although I have worked with herbs on my own for years, this class was the first time I had participated in a community of like-minded, like-hearted people who care about, respect and listen to the plants just as much as I do. With our beautiful, wise teacher Sage leading us on, we opened doors into the plant realms that we had always sensed were there, but never truly stepped into.

Our final weekend included a lot of ceremony to honor the time we spent together and all the work and energy we put into the course. We also each presented a final project related to our herbal interests and gave handmade gifts to one another. Here’s a few photos of the weekend and the year:

There was so much medicine making, collecting, listening, journeying, creating, loving, and healing going on. I send thanks to my teacher and my classmates for walking with me on this path. (I miss you already! Let’s see each other soon!)

Most of all, I thank the plants for all of their deep wisdom, for accepting me into their arms, for teaching me their healing powers, for rooting me deeper into this good earth, for giving of themselves so selflessly. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I will forever be a student of the green beings.

The other weekend I took a brief jaunt to the enchanting island of Nantucket to visit dear friends. Have you been? All I can say is that this special, magical place is truly one of my favorites. The Gray Lady, aptly named for the fog that often descends upon the land, is a place where elfin forests of Tupelo trees grow tall, where lighthouses beam steadily throughout the dark silent nights, where the town is cobblestoned and quaint and recalls older, slower days.

While I was there the Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) was in full bloom, spreading its sunshine hue across the island and adorning the Gray Lady in gold. I was able to gather some of this wild growing island herb, and it dries now in my kitchen until I store it away in dark cupboards.

Aptly the genus name Solidago comes from the Latin words  ’solido‘, which means ”to strengthen or make whole.” Traditionally this herb was used as a vulnerary to treat and heal external wounds. But I also find it quite interesting that the genus name begins with Sol – Spanish for ‘sun’ – for this sunshine-holding herb certainly does capture the essence of summer sun, summer warmth. For this reason it is such a lovely herb to have on hand for the winter months, when dark days need brighter light. Goldenrod makes a delicious tea, one of my favorites. I use it when I want to feel some sun in my body and find that it has a cheery, warm energy about it.

The time for harvesting Goldenrod has now past and the yellow flowers have turned to white seeds that disperse in the wind. We will not see this herbal gold again until late next summer – look for it along roadsides, railroad tracks, on the edges of water or in open meadows.

I thank this herbal beauty for the golden medicine it gives, keeping me in touch with summer as dark winter descends.