Ancestral Apothecary » Family

Healer Heal Thyself, Part 2

atava — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:53:59 +0000

During the end of the December I had a very challenging time due to a health crisis with my father. I spent a lot of time in the hospital visiting my dad, who was in a critical state for over two weeks during the end of December.

As a healer, I am always learning from my personal experience and this time was no different. I have been reflecting on the things that helped support me and my family during this extremely difficult time. First and foremost were the countless prayers from friends and family. Many people of all religious and spiritual persuasions were praying for us and we could all feel the comfort, strength and support that came from these prayers. Thank you to everyone for your prayers, they most definitely did make a positive difference.

Polish Madonna, Our Lady of Czestochowa

Herbs and flower essences also held me through this stressful time. A bottle of Rescue Remedy was always on hand and I used it liberally on myself and my dad. I made a flower essence mister with Rescue Remedy and an essential oil of Jatamansi from Floracopeia that I used to spray in and about the hospital room. I also used a flower essence formula for extra psychic protection created by Dori Midnight, called Boundaries in a Bottle. Flower essence misters are a great way to bring the healing power of nature into sterile and clinical environments like hospitals and the work place.

My trusted herbal allies helped keep me healthy, rested and calm. Each day I took several doses of elderberry cordial and echinacea root tincture to keep my immune system strong. Herbal nervous system tonics like scullcap, california poppy and passionflower helped me to sleep and also helped to restore my overworked and shaky nerves. Medicinal Mushrooms and herbal adaptogens gave me strength, endurance, and the ability to adapt to a very stressful situation in the best way possible. I particularly loved taking the Ayurvedic herb ashwaghanda in warm milk (with a sprinkle of nutmeg) each night to nourish my body and to also insure a good night’s sleep.

I also received several acupressure and Jin Shin Jyutsu® sessions from my beloved colleagues (Thanks Toni and Claudia!) that helped to return my mind/body/spirit to a place of balance. I would arrive at Toni’s office exhausted, overwhelmed and tense and leave calm, relaxed and energized. I realized, once again, how valuable it is to have hands-on healing work to help support the body during a stressful or traumatic time.

Basically, during the month of December I was the recipient of all of the healing systems that I practice. For the past 18 years I have supported many people through crisis using similar tools: herbs, flower essences, bodywork, and spiritual support. In this New Year, I have renewed faith in the power of these ancient systems of healing because they really work! I give thanks to the healers of all eras and all cultures who have dedicated their lives to keeping these sacred and precious arts alive.

Many Blessings,
Atava

Herbal Medicine Making: Tinctures, the Folk Method

atava — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:54:13 +0000

by Atava Garcia Swiecicki, Herbalist and Medicine Maker in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Fresh scullcap, ready to tincture

There are many ways to prepare and preserve herbs for daily use. One way is to make an extraction in alcohol, or a tincture. Alcohol extracts and concentrates many of the plant constituents and is also a great preservative.

The folk method for making tinctures is simple. Just buy some of your favorite hard alcohol (about 80 proof) like vodka, brandy or tequilla. Put your herbs in a glass mason jar and leave some room on the top. Cover the herbs with enough alcohol so that there is about 1 inch above the herb.

Now, place your herbs in a cool dark place and let them sit for one month. It is nice to give your herbs a shake every now and then to keep things well mixed.

The alcohol-herb mixture is called an herbal maceration. In one month, you can strain out the liquid by using cheese cloth or muslin. Now you can store the liquid tincture in the right sized amber glass jar.

The leftover herbs from the tincture making process is called the marc. I like to give my marc to my garden or guardian tree in the yard.

Ancestral Images: Hamtramck, Michigan

atava — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:46:15 +0000

My father, child of Polish immigrants was born in Hamtramck, Michigan. My grandparents ran a bar there in the 1940′s. I am in the middle of writing an story about my family and I began to wonder if images of that bar still existed. I found many, so I’ll have to check with my aunt to see if she remembers the exact name of the bar. Meanwhile, I found this video of archival footage of Hamtramck on youtube:

It’s strange and wonderful to see these images and to imagine my grandparents as a part of this world.