“Our ancestors knew the answer: they knew that mankind comes into this world seeking perfection. That perfection comes with self-development. That perfection will come when man has the ability to create all that he can conceive. We are a genetic treasure. The moment we are conceived we bring to the world the combined experiences of all our ancestors. We will pass this on to our children and they will be better than we, and on through time to the next generations.” Maestro Tlakaelel – Mexihka/Toltec Elder, Mexico

We were blessed to host Maestro Tlakaelel last October here in the Bay Area through Circle of Ancestors.

Thanks to Curanderismo, the Healing Art of Mexico.

Baba Yaga, powerful goddess of the Slavic world.

Date: 3/2, 4/6, 5/4, 6/1 and 6/16

Time: Friday evenings 7-10; Saturday 10-5 plus evening fire circle.

Vasalisa the Brave

These circles are a space for exploring and remembering the indigenous mind of our Slavic ancestors. Class time will include prayer, ritual, dreamwork, genealogical work and other methods of indigenous science to help to activate our remembrance process.

This work is based on my studies and training in the Indigenous Mind Program and the pioneering work of my mentor Dr. Apela Colorado, founder of the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network.  As a Master’s degree student in the Indigenous Mind Program,  I deeply explored my Polish ancestral roots and wrote about my process in my thesis entitled: Journey Into My Polish Indigenous Mind.

Cost: $375

To Register: Application required and $100 deposit to secure your space. Please email atava@ancestralapothecary.com for an application.

Vyedma Baba, Slavic wise woman & healer. By Max Dashu.

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

Making offerings at Olawalu Petroglyphs in Maui

I am honored to be invited to be on a panel of speakers talking about “Honoring Ancestors as Spirits of Place”  of the Earth Medicine Alliance Conference. 

I invite you to join us in this special weeked of dialogue and ritual around the theme of Honoring Spirits of Place.

For more information on the Earth Medicine Alliance, visit their website:  http://www.earthmedicine.org/

Calling All Dreamers!

 Do you have powerful dreams that are calling for your attention? 

 Looking to connect to spiritual guidance from the dream world?

 I am excited to announce that a new cycle of Dreaming with the Ancestors will begin on October 28th at my Oakland office.

My intention for this group is to create a safe and sacred space to explore the ways in which the ancestors and the spiritual world communicate to us both in sleeping and waking dreams.

In my experience, these dream groups have become a place for spiritual empowerment, healing, transformation & community building.  I am continuously in awe at the magic & synchronicity that is experienced in each circle.

To reserve your space in this small, intimate dream group, call 510-541-2715, or emaill me at atava@ancestralapotheary.c0m

On October 22nd, esteemed elder and Sundance chief, Tlakaelel from Teotihuacan, Mexico, will make a rare appearance in the Bay Area.  Tlakaelel has been teaching about the great Meso-American cultures for over 50 years.

He will be speaking about 2012, Myth and Reality at the Ohlone Center of Herbal Studies in Berkeley.  For more information, see our Circle of Ancestors website.

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