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Our wombspaces are SO MUCH MORE than our menstrual cycles. They are locations of profound power, pleasure, wisdom and great teachings. 

In this week's medley episode, I bring together three episodes that illustrate some of the depth and breadth of the palace of the pelvis.

First, I offer an invitation to consider your wombspace as not just a physical location in your body, but a place of sacredness, an actual altar, that you can offer your presence and care to. 

Next, I share a snippet of a conversation with Stacey Ramsower, who beautifully articulates the interplay of grief and pleasure -- specifically in the postpartum time, but it can be applied to any time when our identities are massively changing.

And finally, I share a glimpse into the potent conversation I had with Abigail Rose Clarke about the mesentery -- which is the embryological origin of all the abdominal organs, and has so much to wisdom about how strength is not just about being firm and solid, but also about being soft and nurturing. 

I honestly just loved these conversations when I had them, and realize they're from long enough ago you may not have listened to them, so I highly recommend diving in -- especially in this wombspace of the year as we both reflect on what we've passed through in 2024, and look to where we're going in 2025. 

On this new moon, may you feel more connected to your wombspace, to the wisdom and teachings held there, and to the seeds of possibility you're generating in the palace of your pelvis as we enter into the wheel of this new year.

Happy new year, beautiful friends. Let's bring some magic into this one. 

Resources:

• Listen to the full episodes:
  • Episode 34: What if your womb was an altar
  • Episode 65: Grief + pleasure w Stacy Ramsower
  • Episode 93: Teachings of the mesentery with Abigail Rose Clarke
• Free guided visualization: Womb connection and clearing practice

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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Ahh, solstice has passed and winter has officially arrived - into the landscape and into our bodies.

While this holiday time can feel like a lovely time to connect with family and community, it can also be a time of a lot of conflicting emotions.

But when we tune into the energy of this season, the impending wintertime, the wombspace of the year,

it's actually so much more about quiet, reflection, inner listening than it is about outward connection like the holidays ask of us.

On today's medley episode, you'll find snippets from three previous episodes oriented to the winter season, and ways to engage with the energy of it:

First I share some ideas about practices, and even some self-reflection prompts to explore in the weeks surrounding solstice, or the yin time of the year (right now).

Then, herbalist Jade Alicandro speaks to the qualities of winter from a western and Chinese medicine perspective, and some foods and herbs you can incorporate aligned with this season.

And finally I share about ways to honor not only the rite of passage in the wheel of the year, but also the rites of passage in the wheel of our lives, and particularly the major transitions that occur in our womb phases.

I hope these glimpses into some wintertime practices, including embodied seasonal herbalism and how to engage more intentionally with the season offer you ideas of how to find meaning in this potent time of the year.

A time that so many turn away from... and instead encourage you to consider turning towards it. 

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Honoring winter in your body and beyond
• Free Womb Connection + Clearing Guided Visualization
• Episode 45: Embodying Winter with Seasonal Herbalism
• Episode 48: 9 ways to honor winter solstice
• Episode 100: Rites of passage in your womb story

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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How often do we hear the term “integrative medicine” and what people are really practicing is symptom suppression medicine with more natural, herbal or supplement methods?

I think it’s very hard to break away from that “treat the symptom” approach when you’ve been indoctrinated into it, and when so many patients are familiar with it.

But occasionally I’ll have a client who says they want to get to the root of what’s going on, and when faced with some of the lifestyle and dietary changes they may have to make, they’d rather not go there.

Which is totally fair. But there’s only so much bandaid approaches can do.

Like yeah, you can reduce the severity of your menstrual cramps in the moment, but if you don’t explore you circulation, the tension you may be holding in your pelvis, some of your ongoing stressors, your sleep, your nutrition, triggers for inflammation etc… well, it’s likely just going to keep being there cycle after cycle.

Which doesn’t mean it has to be hard, sometimes very simple shifts can make a huge difference, but they DO have to be made in order to make the difference.

Which is what I love about this conversation with NP and Ayurvedic Practitioner, Amy Eldredge.

She shares about how some of the simplest changes can be profoundly impactful and in some cases even clear up a condition entirely.

She also talks about the wisdom of samprapti, which is essentially an understanding of HOW disease manifests in the body (or mind) and how identifying it when it’s in the earlier stages (before it sets in) is true preventative medicine.

She speaks to how the western paradigm doesn’t even recognize disease until it’s in the fourth stage.

Annnnd we speak to her journey from conventional medicine into Ayurveda, her visions of what could be possible if primary care providers worked alongside Ayurvedic practitioners to help reduce the onset of disease in the first place.

Her visions (and her on the ground work) is inspiring, and I hope it helps you to feel a little more hope in what sometimes feels like a broken healthcare system.

Another world is possible. We just have to create it.

Listen to learn:

• where Ayurveda and western medicine overlap and where they differ
• How Amy went from 7 years as a Primary Care Provider seeing 700+ patients to her private Ayurvedic practice
• What her insider vision is on how true integrative care could look
• About the phases of disease from the Ayurvedic lens (they’re subtler than you might think)
• How simple healing can be

Resources:

• Episode 3: Ayurveda and your hormonal health
• Episode 97: Nourish Your Nervous System with Ayurvedic Wisdom
• Episode 147: Agni? Ayurvedic concept of digestive fire
• FREE Womb Connection and Clearing guided visualization

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensu

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From pleasure to tissue healing to nurturing presence to tending generational trauma, so many of us have no idea what's possible in the palace of our pelvis. 

One thing that is especially wild to me is that we often believe what we see in the media is reality. 

As if all of us can just immediately feel lubricated and aroused and we can just have overwhelming orgasms in a five minute quickie. 

Maybe this is true in the Honeymoon or New Relationship Energy phase, when our bodies are just living in a state of arousal, but once we get beyond the excitement of the unknown and start acclimating to our partner/s, it takes *time* to become aroused. 

In today's episode, Juliana Rose Goldstone shares some real talk about arousal, including the time it takes (average 45 minutes for those of us with internal anatomy) annnnnd a pretty in depth map of our embodied pleasure centers (including the parts of the clitoris, locations in the vagina and the vulva), which you won't wanna miss.

And then we talk scar tissue remediation, which is far more interesting than it sounds at first. Her descriptions of the melting of scar tissue that can happen when the environment is right are illuminating.

It's not just about the biomechanics massage or therapeutic technique, but also about the emotional state, the biochemical state and more that can help us release years (potentially) decades of scar tissue buildup and tension. 

She tells a story of a client with chronic back pain who was due for surgery, who no longer needed surgery after working on the scar tissue from an episiotomy. 

This is big, whole body, whole being stuff. 

There's so much more in this conversation, so I invite you to listen for yourself.

Listen to learn:

• the real deal of arousal in a female body (internal anatomy)
• what scar tissue really is vs what you think it is
• 4 different factors for effective scar tissue remediation
• an innovative style of holistic pelvic care
• why nervous system relaxation is foundational

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Juliana's offerings
• Sign up for Natural Contraception - The Herbal Way (reg closes 12/13/24)
• Episode 27: Sex, relationships + psychedelics
• Episode 52: Beyond Aphrodisiacs
• Episode 64: Vagus nerve and sexual arousal

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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It's pretty astounding how many different perspectives there are on natural contraception. 

Everything from, "that doesn't work" to "that's dangerous" to "it's the best thing on the planet" and on and on, really.

Because I'm currently *launching* the Natural Contraception- The Herbal Way program, I thought I'd come on here and share some of the common misconceptions I hear (and some of the fears folks have) and give a little clarity on what's true and what's not. 

As usual, there's often a little truth in everything, and of course I'm biased, but with 16 years of Fertility Awareness practice as my sole form of contraception and 20 years (well, in 2025 it will be 20) of study and active practice with herbal medicine, I can say confidently that there is a LOT we know about how to prevent pregnancy without hormones, IUD's, or even barrier methods. 

In fact, Fertility Awareness is a very reliable form of contraception when practiced correctly ("perfect use" in contraception terms).

Which is not without risks and most of us practice imperfectly, at least occasionally. We're not robots... at least not yet. 

So what are some of the most common myths and misconceptions about natural contraception? And what actually works?

Listen in to this episode to find out. 

Listen to learn:

• how effective FAM and natural contraception can be compared to hormonal birth control
• why I think it's foundational to track your cycle *especially* if you have irregular cycles, PCOS, are postpartum or perimenopausal
• how many times you can ovulate in a cycle
• why apps are almost never a reliable way to know when you ovulate
• whether herbs for pregnancy prevention can be dangerous
• how herbal abortion differs from herbal contraception
• what actually works! 

Resources:

• Check out the Natural Contraception - The Herbal Way program! Class starts Dec 10th, enrolling until Dec 13th, 2024
• Today's shownotes: Check out some FAM studies and reliability resources
• Episode 18: Herbal uterine tonics
• Episode 90: 5 effective non-hormonal birth control options
• Episode 105: What is your fertile window, and what is it telling you?

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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The truth is that behavior change is NOT easy. 

Most of us can't just say we want to do something, and then just do it. Especially if it's something we're trying to incorporate into our lives for a long period of time, regularly.

We have rhythms and patterns we are accustomed to. Sometimes they're healthy for us, and sometimes they're not. Sometimes we're choosing them, and sometimes they're just our default.

In working with clients for years, and also through my extensive health coach training, I've found that most of us don't have an easy time implementing something new into our lives, even if we know it's healthy for us or even if it's something we 100% want (myself included).

So today I decided to riff on the framework I see as foundational in the process of implementing something new.

Honestly I was inspired to speak to this partly because of this week's very controversial holiday (honor to ALL the indigenous people of Turtle Island who are certainly not represented accurately in the stories we learned in school). 

But the act of true thanks-giving and allowing ourselves to feel gratitude is to me, the first step in effectively adding something new into our lives. 

Not because our gratitude encourages change in itself, but because when we feel that sense of abundance in our lives, we can move from a foundation of feeling what's good, and what's possible. Accepting ourselves where we have been and are now, before beginning to envision what's next for us. 

Instead of coming from a place of lack, we're coming from a place of nourishment.

And from there we can move into vision, gathering resources, intention and goal setting, creative action and then maintenance over time. 

I speak to all of this and, as usual, so much more in this week's episode. 

Listen to learn:

• some of the reasons we often don't achieve our goals 
• the foundational pillars of behavior change from my perspective
• why I think gratitude is a huge and often missing factor 
• what the difference is between vision and intention
• how normal it is to face obstacles after implementing change
• how this is relevant to the upcoming Natural Contraception course 

Resources:

• Grab your spot on the Natural Contraception course waitlist here
• Today's shownotes: How to create new pathways of embodied possibility
• Episode 12: The simple practice of making herbal teas
• Episode 107: The healing practice of everyday rituals
• Free guide: Track your cycle naturally (FAM basics)

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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What herbs are must-have remedies for every home apothecary? I think every herbalist would probably answer that differently. 

But there are certain foundational herbs that are not-to-be-missed, partly because they are safe, gentle, and versatile. 

Those are the kinds of herbs we cover in today's episode.

Clinical herbalist and host of The Herbalist's Path podcast, Mel Mutterspaugh shares about 5 of her absolute favorites to have on hand as a mama (or parent) for those common accidents, ailments or conditions that require a little first aid care.

Which herbs, you ask? We cover plantain, comfrey, echinacea, yarrow and calendula. 

Especially for those bumps, scrapes, bruises, gashes, splinters, colds, flus, fevers, etc... these simple herbal remedies are some of our best allies!

I remember when I first discovered I didn't need to go to the pharmacy to get first aid supplies. I truly barely ever even set foot in there anymore.

So much of what we need is growing right outside your doorstep, or easy to grow in your garden. It's the kind of home herbalism we all deserve access to. 

Simple, accessible, effective and abundant. 

Mel shares practical tips, stories and experiences from her own family and community herbalism work in the apothecary she used to run. 

We talk everything from sprains from ski injuries to flus and fevers to pulling out an embedded blackberry thorn and more. 

It's a fun and informative conversation that I hope you love. 

Listen to learn:

• how leading outdoor trips led Mel to herbal medicine
• why Calendula is Mel's favorite plant (+ how it helps "where the sun don't shine")
• what Echinacea does aside from supporting our immunity 
• why plantain might be called "nature's band-aid" + how it helps the gut
• the magic of comfrey as a topical application + was we both think of those pyrrolizidine alkaloids it contains 
• the versatility and first-aid-kit-in-a-plant that yarrow is
• a couple great tips on encouraging kids to actually *take* their herbal medicine from Mel's 11+ years of experience as an herbalist mama

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to all of Mel's offerings, courses, etc
• Grab your spot on the Natural Contraception course waitlist
• Episode 4: Herbal spotlight on Tulsi
• Episode 12: The simple sacred practice of making herbal teas
• Episode 82: Making herbal vinegars, oxymels, shrubs
• Episode 134: Herbal baths and compresses
• Download the FREE Track your cycle naturally guide

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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Fire. The energy of light, of transformation, digestion, metabolism, creation, vitality, radiance.

In Ayurveda, the concept of Agni (which is akin to digestive fire) is a key to digesting, metabolizing and absorbing both food and information. 

It's not solely related to the gastro-intestinal tract but relates to anything we are taking in -- through our meals, sensory experiences, information, etc.

So the state of our Agni has a direct impact on everything from our hormones to our organs to our brain function.

And while we ideally want to experienced "balanced" agni, it's more likely to experience imbalance in some way (typically fast, slow or variable).

According to today's guest Ayurvedic practitioner Kimberly Kubicke, the quality of our agni corresponds to our hormonal and overall health. 

Not only do we need to support the optimal function of agni, but we also need to both cultivate an optimal environment for it *and* maintain it over time. 

For those of us with wombs, our fluctuating cycles and the major transitional times like postpartum and perimenopause are all impactful ON our agni, too.

Learn about many ways to caretake your unique agni on today's episode.

Listen to learn:

• what agni is
• why agni is not just "digestive fire" but also relates to brain function
• the four kinds of agni according to Ayurveda
• how to protect, support and maintain your digestive fire
• some initial practical steps you can take to support your own agni
• how agni impacts our hormones and vice versa

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Kimberly's offerings
• Grab your spot on the Natural Contraception course waitlist here
• Episode 3: Ayurveda + your hormonal health
• Episode 49: How to create a sacred window 

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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Well hey my loves, it's a freaking wild time in the world. Full of uncertainty. Who knows what's coming this week, this year, in the next decade, and on and on. 

There is so much we have no power or control over. But one thing we DO is our own bodies and ideally also, our choice of what to do with them. 

But when we talk about choice related to our bodies, it's often speaking to access to contraption or termination options provided by practitioners or medical establishments outside of ourselves. (and unfortunately widely controlled by those in power in our governmental or religious organizations). 

What I mean when I speak to choice is something entirely different. It is the POWER inherent in practicing natural contraception from the lens of Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) combined with herbal allies to help us prevent pregnancy if needed. 

It is entirely within our capacity to prevent pregnancy with no outside assistance. And that, to me, is embodied sovereignty.

Today I share a little about 5 benefits of practicing natural contraception based on my personal 16 years of doing so, and teaching tens (maybe hundreds now) of others to do so too. 

My life and work has been profoundly shaped by this practice, so I'm excited for you to hear these benefits especially if you're considering walking this path, too. 

Listen to learn:

• what I mean by natural contraception
• how learning your unique rhythm + cycle can change your life
• how practicing natural contraception is an act of resistance
• about FAM as a skill to build towards resilience
• how natural contraception compares with hormonal birth control
• 5 benefits I have found practicing FAM for 16 years and counting

Resources:

• Free Guide: Track Your Cycle Naturally with FAM
• Grab a spot on the Natural Contraception course waitlist
• Episode 5: Are you ovulating? And why it matters
• Episode 84: Herbal support for transitioning off hormonal BC
• Episode 105: What is your fertile window?
• Episode 143: What is FAM?

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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I don't know how else to say it... we are in times of collective, regional, political, global and personal upheavals that somehow feel more unraveling than previous generations.

Is that true? Are there people who've faced so much all at once previously? Yes, probably. 

The reality is that it's likely that humans have faced collective trauma over our entire evolutionary history. We've always had periods of relative upheaval... whether through disease, war, famine, colonization, natural disasters, or who knows what else.

Maybe it's part of the human condition, to endure crisis.

But we're exposed now, through our devices, to many crises happening all at once. With vivid imagery. And consequences. 

Perhaps we're at a threshold of how much we can hold, each of us. Our hearts. Our bodies. Our minds. 

The too-much-ness is so apparent right now.

Which is why we all need tools, strategies, practices to support us.

Today's guest, personal trainer and somatic nervous system coach Lizzy Zima, has both personal experience and professional training in how to support ourselves through times of upheaval and crisis. 

She lives in Swannanoa, NC - one of the most devastated communities after Hurricane Helene - and has recent stories and embodied wisdom to share about what it's been like on the ground in a disaster zone *and* what helped her most when she was in her most activated sympathetic nervous system states.

She also shares some simple somatic practices to explore if (and when) you're feeling stuck in a "freeze" state to help you sense safety in a gentle way.

Mostly this is a poignant and timely conversation in a world that feels unsteady.

Listen to learn:

• how strength training can support perimenopausal health
• some basics on sympathetic nervous system activation
• what "mobilization" looks like when adrenaline + cortisol are pumping
• why it's key to learn about how to tend your nervous system
• how to identify and navigate the "freeze" state

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get Lizzy's links + free offerings here
• Episode 17: How stress messes with your hormones
• Episode 97: Nourish your nervous system w Ayurveda
• Episode 142: Relaxation through song + ancestral folk traditions
• Grab Lizzy's free somatic deep rest meditation

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

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