Crafting

 I have started crafting, which has been the most intimidating component of this journey so far.  Today, I put together a Hawthorn Cordial, which ought to be good for my heart and my gut.  The more I learn about our gut microbiome, the more interested I become in the myriad of ways to support that system. Studies have been linking our gut health to the health of many of our body systems.  The idea that we have as many things living inside us than we have cells is really fun to ponder.  Microbiome (nih.gov) 

I have been interested in digestifs lately after having one at a restaurant a few weeks ago.  After dinner drinks have always seemed so highbrow and that is not how I see myself.  This cordial includes hawthorn berries, apple, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, honey and brandy.  I will let you know how it tastes in about a month.  I have very high hopes for it.  I have been trying different ones and while I can't say I love them, they are interesting.

10 days ago, I threw together a body oil, choosing ingredients because I had them, not because of the intent of the concoction.  That bothered me a great deal.  That is not how I want to practice herbalism.  I want the things I make to be made from start to finish with intention.  There are no clinical studies that can support the notion that medicine made with intention is better than medicine made without it.  But there are healing practices around the world that have existed for centuries without clinical studies to support their efficacy.  If I ever hope to share my craft with other people, I have to know that I put my heart and soul into each item I prepare.

I am trying to remedy the oil I prepared by steeping the herbs and oil in my kitchen window, where it can be illuminated by both sunlight and moonlight.  I also dropped in a quartz crystal into the jar to aid in the infusion of light.  I also send my own energy into the jar each day as I stir it and bless myself with the oils that cling to my chopstick that I use to stir it.  I started to do the same thing this morning with the cordial I was making, not setting an intention, but simply working.  I stopped myself and prayed over my work area, asking these ingredients to bless my life with their healing.  I would like to have lit a candle or burned some incense or sprayed a hydrosol, but I forgot in my excitement to make the cordial.  

I wander into this world of mysticism and magic with a hesitant step.  I have a skeptical component of myself that is firmly in place, probably to keep me safe, to not become victim to the manipulation of others.  But this, the imbuing of energy, is coming from within me, following my own instincts after getting instructions from others.  I want to open this door more fully, but I suspect that will come with time and growing trust in this aspect of life.  I suppose it could be called faith.

My experience with faith has often been rigid only to be derailed by questions or doubt later on.  But this walk is a bit different in that it is generated within me.  I am being guided, certainly, by my teachers, but I can create all of these things without spirit if I choose to.  But I know that when I put my heart into a project, preparing food for instance, it is better.  It is crafted rather than simply made.  I am learning, new to this experience, staying open to the possibility of healing magic.  It fits well with my ideology that we are all components of the Divine.  

I have also been asked to trust this process.  I have needed to use herbs in the treatment of various personal conditions.  I have a strong history of trusting what I purchase on the shelf of my drugstore to be the right option or even the only option in the treatment of a disorder.  I grab the ibuprofen when I have a headache.  It is taking a conscious effort to grab the turmeric and ginger instead.  It is requiring a shift in my thinking.  I admit, when my body hurt after too much activity, I did resort to the ibuprofen, but only after I utilized other modalities, including herbs and ice which helped, but not quite enough to get me through the night.  It seems to be the difference between theory and practice.  It is requiring a bit of effort on my part to change my way of thinking and choose herbs first.  I believe ultimately it will be gentler on my organs and beneficial to my microbiome.