Wisdom
Welcome to our blog, where ancient wisdom meets modern spirit! Here you’ll find articles written by herbalists, healers, witches, holistic health practitioners, astrologists, and experts in many other fields of healing. We hope to present a collection of wisdom that is multi-faceted, multi-cultural, and intergenerational. Enjoy your exploration!
Recommended Readings
Grounding into The Emperor: Reflections on The Tarot
Up until the tender age of thirty-one, the Tarot played a rather enigmatic role in my life. The Tarot was all at once mystical, foolish and beguiling. As a child, I would often see my Plutonian sister searching for life’s answers in her colorful Tarot deck. In typical younger sister fashion, I rejected the Tarot,
The Astrology of 2020: Shedding the Past To Make Room For A Revolutionary New Age
György Kepes January, 1, 2020 — Astrologically, 2020 is one of the most significant, life-changing years in human history. Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto will form conjunctions in Capricorn for the first time in nearly four thousand years, beginning a whole new age in humanity. This year presents profound shifts, as the planets insist that we
Season of Love Crystal Guide
This season, as we consider practices to connect to our love for ourselves and others, we might go towards ritual, such as spells, prayer, or working with crystals. Crystals can offer a tangible and visible reminder of love, plus, they’re absolutely beautiful to keep around the home. Below, Katherine Stanbury— a modern mystic, yogi, oracle
Recent Knowledge
5 Herbs for Sexual Healing
Yes, that’s a Marvin Gaye reference. These days, who doesn’t have some sexual healing to do? Many of us have endured or at least been exposed to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or sexual trauma. At once a taboo subject and an oversaturated trope, we live in a confusing, “sex sells” society that conflates capitalism with
WTF is Wellness: Pain is the Great Human Connector
Where does your mind go when you think of pain? There are so many ways in which we try to escape from, fix, cure, change, or avoid pain. Our relationship to pain is both a fascinating and inescapable one. Unlike joy, happiness, peace, or even love, pain is something that every single human being on
Exploring Sacred Sex: The Body as Spirit
Western culture typically elevates the spirit above the body. It is no wonder that our society has trouble with the concept of “sacred sex” when the spiritual has been so firmly separated from the body and the physical plane. Yet in my own life, some of my most profound and moving spiritual experiences have been
Leo Full Moon: Embracing Our Love + Desire
February 8, 2020 — The Leo Full Moon arrives on Saturday at 11:33pm Pacific Time, reminding us to open our hearts and share our truth, without fear. In the wake of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction, the collective energies are continuing to ramp up, the chaos mount, while the shadow of Mercury retrograde begins to submerge us
Meet the Maker: Shari Auth of WTHN
This week, we chatted with Shari Auth of WTHN, whose company’s approach is based on 2,500 years of time-tested healing + the latest in modern research. Their Oops I Did it Again Supplement has been a lifesaver for many after a long night out! Each herbal offering shines a light on discoveries that validate the
You Don’t Need to Break Up
Many times we expect more out of a partner than we do of ourselves. We expect them to do certain things, act a certain way, forgive us our shortcomings, to entertain us, and to do the same level of personal work that we are doing. But in the Buddhist teachings, the common advice is, “It’s
CBD and Sexual Healing
CBD and sexual healing is not a new concept. Before its criminalization, cannabis was often prescribed by doctors for relief from gynecological issues. Traditional cannabis recipes were for oral, vaginal, intranasal, anal, and topical application, instead of for being smoked. And now CBD oil is commonly used for various applications. As Foria Wellness explains: The
A Morning Beverage with Plant Alchemy Water Soluble CBD
As we launch into the Season of Love here at The Alchemist’s Kitchen, something we discuss often is how to incorporate acts of self-care and the power of plants into our daily routine. Most of us drink coffee or tea in the morning, or some form of adaptogenic latte (made with Ashwagandha or Anandamide. Lately,
Purchasing Hemp Flower in New York State
In 2018, when the Federal Farm Bill was signed, hemp was decoupled from cannabis and no longer categorized as a Schedule I drug from the Controlled Substances Act. While marijuana and marijuana-derived products remain illegal on a federal level, the bill states that hemp-derived products with less than 0.3% THC are now legal to cultivate
5 Herbs for Sexual Healing
Yes, that’s a Marvin Gaye reference. These days, who doesn’t have some sexual healing to do? Many of us have endured or at least been exposed to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or sexual trauma. At once a taboo subject and an oversaturated trope, we live in a confusing, “sex sells” society that conflates capitalism with
Meet the Maker: Shari Auth of WTHN
This week, we chatted with Shari Auth of WTHN, whose company’s approach is based on 2,500 years of time-tested healing + the latest in modern research. Their Oops I Did it Again Supplement has been a lifesaver for many after a long night out! Each herbal offering shines a light on discoveries that validate the
Nature’s Aphrodisiacs: 5 Herbal Remedies for Mood and Pleasure
“The aim of human life is to know thyself. Think for yourself. Question authority. Think with your friends. Create, create new realities. Philosophy is a team sport. Philosophy is the ultimate, the ultimate aphrodisiac pleasure.” – Timothy Leary Aphrodisiacs are often mysterious or obscure: ingredients that inspire treasure hunts hopefully ending in love potions. I’ve
How We Experience Love
During our Season of Love Giveaway we asked you, our community, to respond to a question asking, “When was a time you were shown love?” Your answers inspired us, touched us, and made us laugh. From snack time, to bed time, and all of the moments in between, we are so ecstatic to know all
Ten Ways to Incorporate Tantra into Your Life
How do you celebrate the Month of Love? The ancient wisdom of Tantra can help expand our experiences in love and life. With deep roots in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, Tantra is an art and science of making love to life. Here are a few techniques to bring Tantra into your daily life – 1.
5 Herbs for Sexual Healing
Yes, that’s a Marvin Gaye reference. These days, who doesn’t have some sexual healing to do? Many of us have endured or at least been exposed to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or sexual trauma. At once a taboo subject and an oversaturated trope, we live in a confusing, “sex sells” society that conflates capitalism with
Tap That Astrology: Alchemist’s Kitchen Products for Every Sun Sign
This is the season of love, so it’s the perfect time to center practices that amp up your capacity for connection—with yourself and others. The following products from Alchemist’s Kitchen are as useful for facilitating everything from sexcapades to romantic bliss to rekindling the flame with lost or forgotten parts of self. Read on for
Leo Full Moon: Embracing Our Love + Desire
February 8, 2020 — The Leo Full Moon arrives on Saturday at 11:33pm Pacific Time, reminding us to open our hearts and share our truth, without fear. In the wake of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction, the collective energies are continuing to ramp up, the chaos mount, while the shadow of Mercury retrograde begins to submerge us
February 2020 Astrology: Patience, Easy, + Integration
February begins in the wake of the paradigm-shifting Saturn-Pluto conjunction, which arrived last month, bringing all that it promised and more. Here we sit precariously, amid explosions, electric jolts, and great uncertainty. Luckily, February is gentler and slower, allowing us to integrate these shifts while assuaging our fears and anxieties. With Venus meeting Chiron this
The Lover and the Loved Spell
The goal of this love spell is to release any fear and pain held within the body and heart, and ultimately to open up your life and heart to love through renewed passion, vision, and positive, fulfilling relationships (in the form of both friends and lovers,) all in the highest good for you and your
A Conversation With Curandera Atava Garcia Swiecicki
Last month, I was lucky enough to speak with Curandera Atava Garcia Swiecicki, MA, RH (AHG), the founder and lead instructor of Ancestral Apothecary, School of Herbal, Folk and Indigenous Medicine—- a school which was born from Atava’s dream to create a more diverse community of herbalists and healers in the Bay Area. Atava has
Samhain’s Past and Present: Season of the Witch
We call it the Season of the Witch; the season of autumn’s arrival, the harvesting of crop, and the earth’s transition from life to rest. While deeply rooted to all of nature’s cycles, witches are most commonly associated with the autumn season and its ties to Halloween (cue the green skin and warts!) Whether we
The Lover and the Loved Spell
The goal of this love spell is to release any fear and pain held within the body and heart, and ultimately to open up your life and heart to love through renewed passion, vision, and positive, fulfilling relationships (in the form of both friends and lovers,) all in the highest good for you and your
Ten Ways to Incorporate Tantra into Your Life
How do you celebrate the Month of Love? The ancient wisdom of Tantra can help expand our experiences in love and life. With deep roots in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, Tantra is an art and science of making love to life. Here are a few techniques to bring Tantra into your daily life – 1.
The Spirit of Adornment: Mala Beads
There are many ways to adorn the body— through makeup, clothing, tattoos, piercings, and fragrance. Adornment transforms the body into a landscape for self-expressive artistry, a showcase of gratitude for the vessel that allows us to walk this earth. The ancient and indigenous roots have inspired adornment for centuries, and serve as a reminder of
