Remedy & Rhyme - by Joyful Roots

#14: Nettle – Awakening


Listen Later

In this episode, we step into the threshold between winter and spring with nettle as our guide. One of the first greens to rise from cold soil, nettle teaches us about awakening before we feel fully ready — about rebuilding after long seasons of rest, grief, illness, or creative dormancy. Mineral-rich and deeply nourishing, this fierce plant reminds us that true vitality doesn’t come from forcing energy, but from restoring our foundations. Awakening, like early spring, is steady and intentional — a quiet reanimation of blood, bone, and spirit.

We’ll explore nettle’s prickly wisdom around boundaries and containment, drawing from Celtic sovereignty myth and the powerful image of the guarded well. What does it mean to approach life — and ourselves — with clarity instead of hesitation? How do we protect what is still becoming? From poetic reflection to practical ways of working with nettle as infusion, food, and seasonal ally, this episode invites you to rise slowly, nourish deeply, and cultivate a sustainable aliveness as we move into spring. 🌿

 Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals.

🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net.
Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: [email protected]. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading
  • Hoffmann, David. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press, 2003. (Comprehensive monograph on Urtica dioica.)
  • Tilgner, Sharol. Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth. Wise Acres Press, 2009. (Detailed clinical insights on nettle leaf and root.)
  • Gladstar, Rosemary. Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing, 2012. (Accessible overview of nettle as a nourishing herb.)
  • Wood, Matthew. The Earthwise Herbal, Vol. I. North Atlantic Books, 2008. (Energetics and traditional uses of nettle.)
  • Mills, Simon & Bone, Kerry. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy, 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone, 2013. (Clinical perspective on nettle leaf and root.)
  • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “Urtica dioica L.” Plants of the World Online.
  • https://powo.science.kew.org/
  • American Botanical Council. HerbalGram Monograph: Stinging Nettle.
  • https://www.herbalgram.org/
  • https://theherbalacademy.com/nettle-plant-walk-video/
  • Bone, Kerry & Mills, Simon. “Urtica dioica.” Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (for research summaries on allergies and urinary support).
  • Irish sovereignty myth (Niall and the Loathly Lady):
  • Cross, Tom Peete & Slover, Clark Harris (eds.). Ancient Irish Tales. Dover Publications, 1996.
  • Mac Cana, Proinsias. Celtic Mythology. Hamlyn, 1970. (Overview of sovereignty goddess traditions.)
  • Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. The Sacred Isle: Belief and Religion in Pre-Christian Ireland. Boydell Press, 1999. (Context on sovereignty and land traditions.)
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Remedy & Rhyme - by Joyful RootsBy Kimberly Kling of Joyful Roots