Cultivating lunar awareness is what it's all about here. Synchronizing with the Moon as our ancestral women did keeps us in flow with the cyclic nature of our world. We make better choices from this place of being and this affects ourselves, our families, our communities and the collective whole. Yes, it will make your life easier. Yes, it starts with you. Join me for a once a month virtual MoonLodge that I pray sparks in-person lodges for your community women.  Thank you for sharing. xo- Jen  

A lunar connecting blend to grace our walk with the Moon as we circle and hold council together. It can be a challenge to stop and drop down into ourselves these days, right? But life is easier when we make this happen. Support is all around with the New Moon and the medicine plants beckoning us to do just this. Try drinking this around the New Moon and see for yourself how easy it can be. Deliver some to a sister in need and watch how easy it is for her too. 

Ingredients:
3 parts each Red Raspberry Leaf and Nettles
2 parts each Oatstraw, Lemon Balm and Hibiscus
1 part Jasmine Flower and Roses

-Blend your dried herbs together and store in a glass jar with a label.
-Add 4 heaping tablespoons to 1 quart of boiled water, cover and steep 1 hour.
-Find your favorite mug for sipping, add honey if you like, and plan to sip it all over the course of each New Moon. ENJOY! 

Trust your way, wise one. May our paths cross soon. Thank you for commenting and sharing. xo-Jen

One way we can honor the Winter Solstice is by creating a releasing ritual at home or in circle with family or others in order to release what is out of date, outmoded and no longer serves you and therefore the greater whole. Winter Solstice is the shortest day, and longest, darkest night of the year. It holds the promise of the Light, just on the other side of it, beginning to return. We help birth the Sun back into being just by simply releasing what is no longer needed. We are deepest and longest, on this very day, with the Divine Feminine within her dance with the Divine Masculine, which peaks on the Summer Solstice. This ancient practice honors the dance, the medicine generated from their dance, and helps us open to healing. We need only to make ourselves available through simple, intimate acts with our Divine. Creating an altar, making releasing bundles, time together, and sparkling celebratory drinks are our way on the Winter Solstice. My third son was born today and this deepens the already special night that it is for our family. He always tells me he's from the Sun. I believe him. 

Elderberry Bellini
1-2 tablespoons Elderberry syrup
Prosecco
Lime wedge

Mix gently in a beautiful glass and enjoy!

Elderberry Sparkling Water
(The Non-alcoholic Bellini)
Yes! Simply use sparkling water with your syrup. Children rave over this and delight in having beautful drinks in elegant glasses with their favorite grownups. As I'm writing this, I'm sipping this one... it's in the pics and so good! The Prosecco is in the frig for tonight.

Our immune systems often get taxed this time of year, right? Elderberry provides. Elder shores up the boundaries in all directions to the possiblity of passing colds and flus around as we celebrate through the holidays. This is such a delicious, gorgeous, and easy way to celebrate. Who said medicine usually tastes awful? Never with Elder!

– Quick & Easy Elderberry Syrup Recipe–
1 cup fresh (or 1/2 cup dried will do) Elderberries
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup raw wildflower honey 
½ tsp fresh chopped ginger root
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ tsp Cinnamon powder

• Slow simmer berries, ginger, and cinnamon in water for 30 minutes. Mash the berries a bit during this simmer with the back of a fork or potato masher. Cool a bit and then strain, mashing the berries to get all the goodness. Compost the solids.
• I pour this infused juice into a large measuring cup and add 1 cup raw wild flower honey and the 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice for every cup of infused elderberry juice. Stir, bottle and label. This is fine out of the refrigerator for one day or store in the refrigerator and use up within 1 week. 
• Add by the tablespoon to warm water, seltzer, or into cocktails described above.
• ENJOY!
• You can also take by the tablespoonful every few hours when exposed to viruses or have active flu symptoms.

​This is another way to honor the releasing season we are in. As we reflect on the year passing and what worked, what bloomed, what was a complete bomb, and how we may have tripped ourselves up, making bundles to burn today solidifies our accepting of our part in it all. It's a simple act with deep rippling effects on so many levels.
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Here's what you'll need to gather to make your releasing bundle:

• A 6x6" square of repurposed cloth/cotton/hemp and any natural fabric. You can certainly make it larger if you’re feeling that. Any color will do although black is traditionally called upon.
• Offerings of dried plants of loose tobacco, mugwort, or lavender. What do you have and feel you want to call upon? That’s perfect. I use small pinches of any or all of these and always white sage to shake up and make space around that which we want to move.
• Small slips of paper to write your releasing wishes on.
• A natural fiber cord, thread or string to tie it up with.
• I also have cornmeal, natural material beads, and other tiny natural items like pine needles, tiny pine cones, seeds and pods, strips of bark, or tiny feathers