Ancestral Apothecary » Ancestral Apothecary

The Curandera’s Toolkit Class in Oakland

atava — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:40:35 +0000

6 Mondays, 2/13-3/26, 10 am to 12:30

Cost: $250 (includes materials fee)

Location: 3798 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA

Ancient cultural healing systems like curanderismo have much wisdom to offer us on our healing paths. In this class, you will learn the basics of holistic healing from the perspective of Mexican curanderismo.

We will explore the basic concepts of health and illness and how it impacts our body, mind & spirit. We will work with the healing energy of the sacred elements, with an emphasis on herbal medicine.

Class time includes a local herb walk so you can get to know how to recognize and use our local medicinal plants. In class you will also have a chance to make and take home many different herbal medicine preparations.

Class will be taught by Atava and a few special guest teachers. No class will be held on March 12th.

$100 deposit required to save your space in the class. The balance is due at the time of the first class.

For the latest updates, find this class on Facebook.

My first formal intern/apprentice

atava — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:15:00 +0000

This month, I have my first intern. I met Marisela Alvarez through the Institute for Civic Leadership at Mills College, where I was asked to be her mentor. I am very grateful that Marisela will be working with me. As the owner and sole employee of my small business, Ancestral Apothecary, I always have much more work than I can handle.

Also, there is a age-old tradition of young people apprenticing with healers. Much of what there is to learn about the art of herbalism, healing and curanderismo is best absorbed by first hand experience.

Much of my own training was through apprenticeship. I have been blessed to work alongside many great healers, including Choctaw herbalist Karyn Sanders, and Mexican curanderas Dona Enriqueta Contreras and Estela Roman.

Dona Enriqueta, Curandera from Oaxaca, Mexico

When I lived with Dona Enriqueta at her home in Oaxaca, I was up at sunrise to help her prepare her home for the patients she would be receiving that day. I helped by cleaning, cooking, shopping, and assisting with clients.I had a hard time keeping up with Dona Enriqueta’s busy pace, even though she is decades older than me.

Living and working with her really demystified my romantic view of curanderas. I learned that the life of a curandera is 95% hard work and selfless dedication to serving one’s community.

There are many projects Marisela will be helping me with, including:

Medicine making

Herbal inventory

Herbal gardening

Marketing my business & products

Promoting my classes

We decided to start blogging about our experience of working together. Mari has already created a wonderful blog: Remembering Ancient Healing.

Hopefully I can keep up with Mari! I hope you enjoy this special dialogue between us.

Herbal Medicine Faire & Healing Arts Salon

atava — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:13:08 +0000

Saturday November 26th

1-5 pm

3798 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA

Come out to support your local grass-roots herbalists, healers and business women as you enjoy an afternoon of free herbal and healing classes.

Stock up on your supply of herbs for winter and find unique holiday herbal gifts.

Taste, sample and enjoy the herbal products from Ancestral Apothecary and Community Herbalist.

Our offerings include:

Tarot readings & dreamwork

Free mini herbal wellness classes

Free Jin Shin Jyutsu Self-Help class

Flower Essence and Cordial Bar

October Newsletter

atava — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:23:07 +0000

It’s been another busy month for me!

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of teaching the Curandera’s Toolkit Class at the Sol Collective in Sacramento.

We made delicious herbal honeys, elderberry cordial, and a wild cherry cough syrup.

The weekend included a sweat lodge and a trip to the oldest community garden in Sacramento. A special and healing time was had by all participants, including several young people who came to the class.

I will be teaching several more workshops at Sol as part of their ongoing Curanderismo Class Series which will be happening the first Sunday of the month. To keep up to date on this exciting class series, visit Sol’s Facebook page.

Fall is the Time for Berries.

Last week, I went on two herbal field trips with my herb school students. My first trip was up to the high Sierras, where we enjoyed an abundant harvest of elderberries.

Elderberries, which are strongly anti-viral, are the perfect herbal ally for this time of year. To learn more about this amazing plant and to get some great recipes, see my blog post on elderberries.

My final trip was to the coast, where we gathered the last of the season’s aralia berries and camped overnight at Samuel P. Taylor State Park.

Aralia is our native California relative of the highly esteemed medicinal plant, ginseng. I was glad to be able to gather some berries this year to add to my immune boosting cordials.

To view the rest of this newsletter, see: http://community.icontact.com/p/ancestrlapothecary/newsletters/php/posts/medicinal-berries-ancestral-dreams

Fall Blessings,

Atava

Report Back from Valentine’s Herbal Love Potion Party

atava — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:16:12 +0000

Last month we had a great turnout at the second annual Valentine’s Herbal Love Potion party.

Those attending enjoyed sampling some of the most popular Damiana Delight cordials from last year ( Spicy & Vanilla Cardamon). This year I created a few new exciting flavors including Flower Kiss (rose & jasmine) and Lady Grey’s Delight (vanilla & bergamot).

Happy truffle makers

Liz and her helpers were busy rolling out dozens of chocolate truffles, all infused with special herbs and flower essences to inspire love and

Magic, romantic truffles

romance. They were a big hit and completely sold out.

Each workshop participant had the opportunity to craft their very own love potion by adding flower essences to a base of damiana cordial.

Thanks again to our wonderful host Marie. A good time was had by all.

Ancestral Apothecary Open House and Community Healing Event

atava — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:36:52 +0000

Ancestral Apothecary Open House
Saturday December 11th, 2-5 pm
3798 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA (across from Safeway)

Meet your local herbalists and healers!
Taste and enjoy herbal goodies and elixirs!
Receive free Jin Shin Jyutsu and Sound Healing Sessions!
Support Oakland Grown & grass-roots health care!

We’re opening the office for your chance to shop at Ancestral Apothecary and stock up on herbal teas, cordials, yummy herbal edibles and special hand-crafted herbal gifts.

During this event, many of the wonderful practitioners from my office will be present giving free demonstrations of bodywork, sound healing and more!

Schedule of Events:

2:00-5:00 pm Ancestral Apothecary store and tasting station open
2:20-2:40 pm Free Lecture: Herbal essentials for boosting immunity
3:00-3:40 pm Free mini Jin Shin Jyutsu® & acupressure sessions
3:40-4:00 pm Jin Shin Jyutsu® self-help class
4:20-4:40 pm Sound Healing demonstration

Raffle! Each $20 purchase from Ancestral Apothecary entitles you to one raffle ticket. Top prize is a Wellness Consultation with Atava. $150 value!

To see this full color newsletter, click on the following link:
http://community.icontact.com/p/ancestrlapothecary/newsletters/php/posts/ancestral-apothecary-open-house

December News and Events

atava — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:29:59 +0000

This season, give the gift of health to yourself and your loved ones!

Join Ancestral Apothecary at one of our upcoming classes and events.

Learn to make your own herbal potions & products.

Shop for hand-crafted herbal gifts at your local grass-roots herbal apothecary.

We’re proud to be part of the Oakland Grown Holiday Challenge and are included in the Oakland Grown Holiday Gift Guide.

Gift certificates available for all our services and products.

Click here for more information on upcoming events and to view a complete version of our December newsletter.

October E-newsletter for Ancestral Apothecary

atava — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:12:27 +0000

Medicinal Mushrooms, Dreaming with the Ancestors, Herbal House Parties and a new herb store in San Anselmo.

Enjoy!

http://community.icontact.com/p/ancestrlapothecary/newsletters/php/posts/this-season-ancestors-and-immunity

August Newsletter

atava — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:39:46 +0000

Image from Aztec Codice Badiano. Written in 1592 by Aztec herbalist Martin de la Cruz. Stolen by the Catholic Church but returned by the Vatican in 1990.

Happy August!

Click here for a full color copy of my August Newsletter. I report back on the curanderismo class I attended at the University of New Mexico this past July. I have become very interested in the Codex Badiano, which is the oldest written record of medicine from Meso-America. I’m also inspired to learn more about the lives and history of the great curanderos of Mexico and the American Southwest. I am starting by reading The Hummingbird’s Daughter, a book on the life of great curandera Teresita Urrea.

You can subscribe here to receive this monthly newsletter.

Summer Blessings,
Atava

March Newsletter

atava — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:40:03 +0000

Greetings!

Spring hasn’t officially arrived, but springtime is in the air and many gorgeous flowers and trees are blooming. Yesterday, when walking by a stand of plum trees, a divinely sweet aroma wafted up to my nose. There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh plum blossoms! And one of my absolutely favorite trees is in bloom- the voluptuous magnolia. I love the spirit and medicine of magnolia and it is one of the key ingredients in my herbal formula Siete Flores.

As we enjoy the blooming trees and flowers around us, it is a nice time to remember the medicine of flower essences. Flower Essences offer a subtle yet profound system of healing. They work on an energetic level and help to harmonize our mental, emotional and spiritual bodies. Flower essence can support the healing process for all kinds of people and situations. I have used them successfully to help my clients dealing with depression, anxiety, fear, unresolved anger, addiction, trauma recovery, loss, intimacy issues, career and life path concerns, ancestral healing and much, much more. Flower essences also work great with children and animals too!

In honor of this flowering time, during March all my new and returning clients will receive a $15 discount on all Flower Essence Consultations.
Call 510-541-2715 to schedule your appointment today.
For more information click here to go to my services page.

For the complete, in full color March Newsletter, click here.