Today as I write this it is Samhain (Sowan), one of the two Celtic Fire Celebrations that later became all Souls Eve. That seems quite an important memory to hold for this ‘changing’ world when so many souls are departing the Earth.

It is also the celebration of the harvest, the end of Apple gathering and I can attest that the Rosehips – same botanical family – are best gathered before this day.

It is also the time of root gathering and preparing.

Today in the Southern Hemisphere we welcome the dark nights and shorter days, but with ‘fire’. The fiery colours of deciduous trees and herbs (Rosehips, Witch Hazels), the fiery nature of many roots and fruits (Horseradish and Cayenne peppers) that are so important for our health and wellbeing.

Holding that thought, my latest book (A Women’s Health and Wellbeing Kete, a DIY Guide) that Mary Allan transformed with her editing, design and photographic skills into a book that has beauty and grace and is I am happy to say, popular, with over 200 copies sold. Thank you to all of those readers.

“This book is a beautiful photo-rich A-Z guide expertly written to inspire women to look to their garden and into the wilds for plant medicine that will inspire, empower and uplift them, carrying them into a place of improved wellbeing.

This book is for:

The gardeners, plant lovers and plant medicine makers, the teachers and those who want to enhance the their own health and that of their families. It is for  Women of all ages and stages.

Photo – Cover

We are planning on Volume Two.

You can order your copy from;

In NZ and Australia

Mary Allan www.solsticeherbs.co.nz

Isla Burgess www.islaburgess.com

In North America;

From Linda Conroy www. www.moonwiseherbs.com

Elsewhere, please contact us.

The ‘thinning of the veils’ between worlds at this time and again at October 31^st, is a time to re-think our contribution to the Natural World’s demise, maybe it is also an opportunity to consider how to take time to connect more intimately with the other life forms that we share the planet with. I hope so.

Arohanui to all,

Isla

With Isla Burgess, Viriditas Herbal Resources and Publishing.

I am reminding myself of this daily as my ‘safe havenising’ continues; for me this is week four. There is chaos, complexity and entropy manifesting globally.

I am making the most of the extra time I find I have, to gather, prepare, preserve, pickle and freeze both plants for medicine as well as food. The garden here, (for those who have read my regular blogs in the past and have continued as my life got busier and blog writing irregular), is now incredibly productive. I see the idea of what I wanted to co-create starting to evolve. There are more than 150 medicinal plants growing here now, planted, native and newly naturalised. Fruit and nut trees, and a myriad of food plants are now well established. Just in time I feel for this extraordinary challenge ahead.

Rosehips

The ‘Traditions, Art and Science of Herbal Medicine’ courses I offer here at ‘Viriditas’ and the retreat in March, do have as a focus knowing what plants grow around us, knowing what healing they offer and how best to access that healing. This the plants offer, for the exchange of mutual respect and due consideration to their long-term survival. That is I think, how the land here, in the wilds of Central Otago attracts so many course participants.

During my time here I have written ‘The Biophilic Garden. Connecting People, Plants and Inscape’ and last year ‘A Women’s Health and Wellbeing Kete A DIY Guide’. The latter with Mary Allen, Herbalist, Photographer and great Editor. They are both available from my website. www.isla.burgess.com Books

I have been thinking about how to be more pro-active in this time when we are shielding ourselves from an invisible kind of life form that needs living cells to survive.

This year’s peppers

I have written the following for anyone who might just find it useful. It is available using the following link;

Staying Well in a Changing World

Isla Burgess, Viriditas Centre for Herbal Resources and Viriditas Publishing.

https://islaburgess.com/international-college-of-herbal-medicine-resources/

Stay well.

April 10^th 2020

Some thoughts on today’s world.

Viruses such as Covid – 19  don’t just mysteriously materialise from nothing – human’s have a hand in its emergence somewhere along the line.

Whatever we think about cause does in some way depend on our ‘world view’.

Is it that the endangered Pangolin illegally trafficked carried the virus?

Is it that the virus escaped from the research facility near the market in Wuhan?

Is it one country’s plan to destroy others economic power (or other conspiratorial theories)?

Is it that the warming of the climate triggered an epigenetic change in similar viruses?

Is it that ‘Gaia’ has simply had enough of the damage human’s have inflicted on her wellbeing?

Whatever the trigger, this time of having our freedom curtailed in some way, our way of life changed, does give us time to reflect, hopefully on how we contribute to the wellbeing of the whole of the Natural World.

Knowing the plants that grow around us, how to sustainably gather those plants, how to best prepare them has never been more important. That weedy patch in your back yards likely contains more nourishment that any vegetable you buy from the supermarket.

The enormous range of nutrients and other phytochemicals  in the following ‘pesto’ is a reminder of just how easy this can be;

Autumn Herb and Wild Weed Pesto

The secret here is to only have 1-2 leaves of stronger tasting plants and more of others.

Yesterday I picked a few leaves of Dandelion, Rocket, Baby Silver beet, Puha, Parsley, French sorrel, Chickweed, Basil, Chives, Garlic chives, Beetroot leaves, Kale leaves, Nasturtium leaves, Mint leaves, young Celery stalk and a few Calendula flowers;

2-3 leaves of Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Yarrow, Wild Mallow, Fennel, Evening Primrose leaves, young Horseradish leaf.

These are chopped and added to a blender with ½ cup of lightly toasted Sunflower seeds or Sesame seeds and 2-3 cloves of Garlic. I add 1/4c vinegar to ¾ olive oil and blend until smooth. My neighbour’s young children loved it as do all course participants that visit here.

It is hard to believe how such a mix could taste so good, as well as being totally nourishing. Eat with cheese, on salads, as a dip with carrots or crackers, with fritters or fish. Used as a spread in place of butter or avocado.

Stay well, the impact on the planet of this reduction in movement around the world, reduction in the use of Earth’s resources, might just allow us to survive as a species.

Thought for today

“How can we be well if we cause suffering to other life forms?”

A Women’s Health and Wellbeing Kete

I am excited to launch this new book with Mary Allan as both Editor and Designer/Photographer. Mary has aded beauty and grace to the writing, it has been a pleasure to work with her 

Also announcing a ‘Plant Immersion, Incubation and Inspiration’ Workshop in

Tasmania in February 22nd and 23rd. 2020