Welcome to a space of quiet centering and shared breath. This is Gentle Fridays, a weekly gathering for rest and co-regulation—a practice rooted in the understanding that our nervous systems seek calm and connection, just as animals in a herd breathe together to find safety.

In this session, we come together to acknowledge what we’re feeling, to place our ingredients on the table before making the soup. We read from David Whyte’s "Consolations" on the true meaning of maturity—the courage to inhabit the past, present, and future all at once. We pull a card from the Flower Speaks deck, receiving the message of the Daffodil and the power of concentrated thought.

This is an invitation to build resilience, not as a sprint but as a marathon. It is for anyone seeking a nervous system regulation practice, plant spirit guidance, or simply a reflective community where all of your being is welcome. A reminder that in challenging times, we are skilled chefs in a shared kitchen, and together, we can make something nourishing.

Featured in this session:

• A guided breathing and centering practice.

• A community check-in and shared reflection.

• A reading on "Maturity" from David Whyte's Consolations.

• Plant spirit insight from the Flower Speaks oracle deck (Daffodil).

• Shared wisdom from the community on practices for staying centered.

Join the Sky House Community:

• Explore our herbal courses and garden gatherings: http://skyhouseherbs.com

In this episode, I explore the idea of robustness—what it means to stay steady, rooted, and responsive in the face of challenge. From a seasonal and herbal perspective, robustness is a measure of health: not the absence of difficulty, but our capacity to meet life as it is without losing our center.

Winter is a time that naturally asks us to slow down, turn inward, and build reserves. Drawing on lessons from nature and community, I reflect on how resilience is shaped through challenge, vulnerability, and connection rather than isolation or hardening.

In this conversation, I talk about how robustness can be cultivated through simple practices, relationships, and plant medicine—especially during winter, when our systems need extra support.

In this episode, I explore:

- What robustness is and why it matters for mental and physical health

- How resilience is built by meeting challenge rather than avoiding it

- Lessons from nature about strength, adaptability, and seasonal cycles

- Community and co-regulation as foundations of collective robustness

- Quiet winter practices like candle gazing to help organize thoughts

- Singing, humming, and vocal toning to calm the nervous system

- Staying connected to nature as a source of steadiness and strength

Herbal allies I discuss for supporting robustness and resilience include:

- Licorice root – a deeply nourishing adaptogen for building reserves

- Motherwort – a comforting herb for the heart during distress

I also touch on nourishment beyond herbs, including sunflower oil, and how fats and oils support the skin, nervous system, and overall vitality during the colder months.

This episode is an invitation to think about robustness not as pushing through or toughening up, but as the ability to remain present, connected, and supported—especially in times that feel uncertain or demanding.

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

JOIN the 2026 Year One Herbal Foundations Course - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/herbal-foundations-enrollment 

Resources:

Book: “Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words” By David Whyte:

https://amzn.to/4bgYC7s 

Join Us Each Week for “Gentle Fridays:Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times” live ZOOM gatherings on Fridays at 12 pm EST

https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/upcoming-events 

Bear Medicines from “Why Am I So Cold” https://youtu.be/MPtY8fYaDd8?si=nlGoppI7cF-UYI3l 

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MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

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Chapters: Winter Robustness: Staying Steady in Challenging Times

00:00 Intro

00:40 Robustness

02:15 Reading

06:40 Reflection

07:56 Trees

09:40 Redwoods

11:40 Community

13:05 Practices

13:20 Candle

14:55 Humming

16:10 Oiling

17:20 Adaptogens

18:40 Nervines

19:40 Motherwort

21:00 Licorice

22:10 Closing

Sometimes, the world asks us to hold more than we thought possible. In these changing times, how do we stay rooted, regulated, and connected to our own sense of strength?

Welcome to Gentle Fridays. This is a space of quiet gathering, a co-regulatory container for our collective nervous systems. Together, we practice the ancient, mammalian art of finding calm alongside others—through breath, shared silence, and honest check-ins.

In this first session, we explore the concept of robustness—the health found in meeting the world with a vulnerable and firm presence. We share simple, grounding practices for daily life: vocal toning for release, candle gazing for a wandering mind, and the protective ritual of body oiling. We also discuss plant allies like motherwort for the heart, passionflower for the unraveling grip, and the elemental medicine of sea salt.

We close with a message from the plant spirits, drawing the Sunflower card—a reminder that true leadership and radiance begin within, especially when we feel our light is dim.

Join me, Ashley Elenbaas, a clinical herbalist, as we tend to the body, mind, and spirit through plant medicine and shared humanity. This is a practice of resilience, a return to the quiet center from which we can rejoin the fray.

In this episode, we explore:

The science and soul of co-regulation and nervous system support.

Grounding practices for overwhelm: toning, candle gazing (trataka), and body oiling.

Herbal allies for the moment: motherwort, passionflower, and sea salt.

A community check-in and a plant spirit reading for collective insight.

Resources:

The book referenced is Consolations by David Whyte.

Learn more about my work at Sky House Herb School: http://skyhouseherbs.com/ 

If this space offered you solace or strength, please subscribe. New episodes arrive each Monday on the main podcast. May you carry a sense of robustness and gentle connection into your week.

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

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MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

Have you ever found yourself asking, “Why am I always cold?”

In this episode, I explore coldness through a vitalist and herbal lens, understanding it not as a problem to fix, but as a signal from the body.

From a Western herbal perspective, feeling cold can reflect environmental exposure, stress and depletion, lack of nourishment or rest, grief, or a vital force that has grown tired. Rather than forcing warmth, we begin by listening.

🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/MPtY8fYaDd8 

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

I talk about tending the body’s internal hearth—our digestion and core—and how warmth is best rebuilt slowly, from the inside out. We explore bear medicines, plants that support deep nourishment and winter resilience, including Angelica (archangelica and dong quai), osha, and burdock. I also touch on warming and circulatory herbs such as ginger, cinnamon, and chai spices, and how to use them with care. And of course our adaptogens like ginseng and eleuthro.

This conversation is an invitation to meet cold—physical and emotional—with curiosity and kindness. Building warmth, like building a fire, takes time, patience, and steady tending.

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MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

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We’ll talk about:

- How cold functions as meaningful body language

- The role of nourishment, digestion, and lifestyle in maintaining warmth

- The importance of prevention and tending the body before depletion sets in

- Herbal allies that support circulation, digestion, and the vital force include

- The connection between emotional warmth and physical warmth

- Why building reserves—like building a fire—takes time and gentle care

This is not about pushing the body or forcing heat, but about tending, and slowly rebuilding warmth from the inside out. My hope is that this episode offers reassurance, practical guidance, and permission to meet yourself with softness during the colder seasons—both literal and symbolic.

Resources:

The Shamanic Herbal by Matthew Wood - https://amzn.to/3NjQIjL 

Adaptogens by David Winston - https://amzn.to/3ZduAu1 

Angelica (both types) and Osha tinctures from Herbalists and Alchemists - https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/

In times like these, many of us are carrying more than we realize—in our bodies, our nervous systems, and our hearts. This pop-up livestream is an invitation to pause, gather, and sit with the plants together.I’ll begin with a short centering practice, followed by a gentle check-in, and then I’ll share a handful of herbs I’m finding especially supportive right now for stress, overwhelm, grief, anger, and exhaustion. These are plants you may already have access to, and I’ll speak to them in a practical, embodied way.There will also be space for a few participants to share what they’re experiencing so I can offer personalized plant spirit support. I may ask about things like hot/cold or damp/dry patterns, constitution, or invite a brief tongue observation. From there, I’ll suggest one to three herbs that may be supportive in this moment.I may also draw a tarot card during the hour as a reflective tool—to offer perspective, grounding, and symbolic guidance rather than prediction.This is not a political discussion or a place for debate. It’s a space for presence, nervous system care, and remembering that we don’t have to carry everything alone.

Winter asks something very different of us than the rest of the year.

In this episode, Herbs for Hibernation (Not Hustle): Reframing the New Year, I invite you to step away from the pressure to optimize, fix, or reinvent yourself—and instead explore winter as a season of maintenance, nourishment, and sacred smallness.

🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/VzKlsEsfyQA 

Rather than pushing for growth, we talk about what it means to conserve energy, tend the nervous system, and listen closely to what the body and spirit are actually asking for right now. I share herbal allies—like gentle chamomile—that support rest, digestion, sleep, and emotional steadiness, along with simple rituals to help you slow down and reconnect with yourself during the darker months.

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

This is a quiet, reflective conversation for anyone feeling tired, tender, or overwhelmed by New Year expectations. You don’t need a new version of yourself this winter. You may simply need care.

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MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

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✨ In this episode, we explore:

Why winter is a time for hibernation, not hustle

.How “sacred smallness” can support mental health and resilience

.Identifying where your energy is leaking—and how to protect it

.Herbs that gently support winter wellness and the nervous system

.The importance of sleep, nourishment, and mindful consumption

.Simple rituals for reflection, self-care, and inner connection

This episode is especially supportive if you’re navigating fatigue, emotional heaviness, recovery, or a desire to live more in rhythm with the seasons.

You’re welcome to listen slowly—perhaps with a warm cup of tea—and take only what feels nourishing.

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

Study with Me!  Year One Herbal Foundations - Enrollment Opens 1/15

Click Here: https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/herbal-foundations-enrollment 

Resources

Rukmini Walker - Sacred Smallness - https://www.rukminiwalker.com/blog/you-are-a-sacred-spark-of-the-one-supreme-whole 

Victoria Erickson - 2026 Year of Smallness - https://www.victoriaerickson.com/ 

Chamomile Tea (organic source) - https://amzn.to/4bo8FHK 

Black Cohosh Root Tincture (organic) - https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/shop-products-bck-black-cohosh-extract 

Astragalus Root Tincture (organic) - https://amzn.to/3NAXaCX 

Reishi Mushroom Tincture and Capsules (organic) - https://amzn.to/4qMrf0N 

Damiana Leaf Tincture (organic) - https://amzn.to/4qMrf0N 

Chapters: Herbs for Hibernation (Not Hustle): Reframing the New Year

0:00 Intro

1:40 Hibernation

4:40 Smallness

7:40 Community

9:55 Values

12:20 Resources

14:40 Mind

15:56 Chamomile

18:40 Cohosh

20:20 Astragalus

21:30 Reishi

23:10 Damiana

24:40 Cannabis

26:07 Rituals

27:40 Morning

29:10 Closing

30:10 Course

Kickstarter 【LATE PLEDGE】

👉 Claim Your Bundle Before January 11th: https://nla.to/KS26

Wood Betony (Stachys officinalis) is one of those herbs that herbalists quietly fall in love with — steady, intelligent, and deeply restorative. In this Herb of the Month episode, I’m spending time with a plant that has been used for thousands of years to support the nervous system, ease tension held in the head and neck, and help us come back into ourselves after stress, illness, or emotional strain.

🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/Kd6OL112law 

Often described as a connector of the head and the heart, Wood Betony is especially helpful when the nervous system is tired but wired, when headaches are born from tension rather than inflammation, and when someone feels scattered, depleted, or disconnected from their center. This is not a stimulating herb — it calms without dulling, grounds without sedating, and can be used safely long-term by children, elders, and sensitive folks alike.

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

In this episode, I share the history and folk wisdom of Wood Betony, its biochemical actions, and how I use it clinically — along with personal reflections and a poetic meditation on what this plant offers when life feels frayed at the edges.

If you’re building a home apothecary or looking for an herb that restores coherence rather than pushing the body, Wood Betony is one worth knowing.

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

✨Old Italian Quote:  "Venda la onica e compra beonica," which translates to "Sell your coat and buy betony," highlighting its immense value as a medicinal "magic bullet" or panacea in the Middle Ages, esteemed so highly it was worth more than basic clothing for its many purported cures. 

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MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

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In this episode, we explore:

- Why Wood Betony has been a cornerstone herb for over 2,000 years

- How it supports nervous system regulation without stimulation

- Its unique role in tension headaches and stress-related pain

- The cooling, grounding nature of this plant

- Why Wood Betony is appropriate for long-term use

- How it helps restore a sense of self after burnout, illness, or overwhelm

And a big thanks to everyone who supported our 2026 Kickstarter! You can still Late Pledge! We really appreciate you!

Resources:

Wood Betony Herb - Mountain Rose Herbs - https://mountainroseherbs.com/wood-betony?srsltid=AfmBOorrJjc5kE3btX-_JV1Jdi7EWEWWqd0GoWx3oM9ixOgpVJC3ZACp 

Wood Betony Tincture: Herb Pharm - https://amzn.to/4jmAv9t 

Book: “The Earthwise Herbal: Old World Medicinal Plants” by Matthew Wood - https://amzn.to/3YUTZZb 

🚀 KICKSTARTER 2026

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Save $200 by pleading to my courses via Kickstarter

The weeks after the holidays can bring up a lot—physically and emotionally. As a clinical herbalist, and as someone with a history of disordered eating, I know how quickly overeating can turn into shame, restriction, and a desire to “fix” or control the body.

🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/ilzpL2Ecjqw 

🚀 KICKSTARTER 2026

✅https://nla.to/KS26

In this video, I’m not talking about cleanses, detoxes, or dieting.

Instead, I share how I support digestion, metabolism, and nervous system regulation gently and sustainably after periods of overeating—by adding support rather than taking food away.

🚀 KICKSTARTER 2026

✅https://nla.to/KS26

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

We’ll talk about:

- Why overeating often happens during the holidays (physiologically and neurologically)

- How stress, disrupted routines, and nervous system activation impact digestion and appetite

- Why restricting calories or doing cleanses after overeating can actually slow metabolism and worsen gut health

- The role of bitters, carminatives, anti-inflammatory, nourishing, and nervine herbs in post-holiday support

- Simple ways to support metabolism through movement, digestion, and nervous system regulation—without punishment

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

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MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

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🚀 KICKSTARTER 2026

✅https://nla.to/KS26

The five herbs I discuss are traditional, accessible, and rooted in long-standing herbal systems including Western herbalism, Ayurveda, and Greek medicine.

This is about repair, not control—and helping your body return to rhythm after a full season.

🌿 This video is especially for anyone who feels tender around food, digestion, or body trust right now.

Chapters: 5 Herbs to Support Your Body After Holiday Overeating (No Cleanse, No Diet)

00:00 Intro

00:43 Holidays

03:30 Cortisol

07:30 Sleep

11:30 Digestion

15:30 Fasting

19:30 Cleanses

23:30 Carminatives

27:30 Bitters

31:30 Inflammation

35:30 Diuretics

39:30 Nettles

44:00 Nervines

49:00 Movement

54:00 Encouragement

58:00 Kickstarter

🚀 KICKSTARTER 2026

✅https://nla.to/KS26

Neck pain has a way of quietly taking over daily life — from chronic tension and headaches to limited movement and irritability. In this episode, I share my personal experience with ongoing neck pain and the simple, supportive strategies that have helped me reduce pain and improve mobility over time 🌿

Rather than pushing through or ignoring discomfort, this conversation focuses on understanding why neck pain happens — especially the relationship between stress, muscle tension, and strength — and how small, consistent practices can make a meaningful difference.

🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/o3GiKRVAw_o 

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

In this video, I cover:

Common causes of chronic neck pain, including stress and postural strain

The balance between tension relief and strength for long-term neck health

Simple stretches you can do at home — or even in the car line

When heat vs. cold therapy is most helpful

Herbal allies for neck pain and muscle tension, including black cohosh and blue vervain

Topical remedies with menthol and camphor for quick relief

The role of hydration and magnesium in supporting muscle relaxation

How gentler self-care practices (like warm baths) support healing

Why listening to your body and asking for support matters

This episode is an encouragement to be kinder to yourself, to move away from “pushing through,” and to remember that managing pain is not a personal failure — it’s a shared human experience. You’re not alone in this.

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

———— 

MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

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Support our Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nightlightastrology/nightlight-daily-horoscopes-2026/rewards

Join our 12/20 Winter Solstice Event in Minneapolis: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/winter-solstice-gathering-tickets-1440802923329?aff=oddtdtcreator

Resources

Paint Your Parts Workshops with IFS Therapist Katrina Rachuy - https://www.patchworkhealing.com/

Charlotte’s Web Pain Relief level 5 ointment - https://pinestreetclinic.com/products/level-5-pain-relief-ointment-1-55-ounces?currency=USD&variant=39843963404382&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&cmp_id=22576631406&adg_id=185485424568&kwd=&device=c&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22576631406&gbraid=0AAAAADdMOrp7AULiPsvRyR0hXllQ6Rzbm&gclid=CjwKCAiA0eTJBhBaEiwA-Pa-hbThiXeXalht25pVQV4jkgHupWmlNX14YffS0hWDGoqZ9UWhbUw82BoChcUQAvD_BwE

3 Herbs:

Black Cohosh Root - https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/shop-products-bck-black-cohosh-extract

Blue Vervain Aerial Parts - https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/shop-products-bvv-blue-vervain-extract

Solomons Seal Root - https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/shop-products-sol-solomons-seal-extract

Kozi Hot/Cool Neck Pillow - https://amzn.to/3MwQANq

Magnesium Calm - https://amzn.to/48G33qV

Chapters: Neck Pain: Simple Strategies And Herbs To Reduce Discomfort

00:00 Begins

01:05 Topic

03:35 Solstice

04:15 Background

06:20 Mechanics

08:05 Stress

09:25 Thermo

11:05 Topical

13:40 Amber

14:40 Herbs

18:05 Combo

20:25 Press

21:05 Shrugs

21:40 Stretch

🚀 KICKSTARTER 2026

✅https://nla.to/KS26

In this cozy winter conversation, I’m sharing some of my favorite ways to move through the holiday season with mindfulness, warmth, and intention. I talk about the herbs and crystals that resonate most with me this time of year, how I think about thoughtful and heartfelt gift-giving, and why creating small moments of comfort can support our emotional well-being.

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🚀 KICKSTARTER 2026

✨ Tools for a deeper astrological practice await.

👉 Support Our 2026 Campaign: ✅ https://nla.to/KS26 

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We explore herbal remedies like yarrow and calendula for homemade salves, warming teas (hello, chai!), and grounding plants like wood betony that help us slow down and stay connected. I also share a few of my go-to gemstones for winter—garnet, amber, and others that offer steadiness, energy, and a sense of inner glow.

Toward the end, I pull a tarot card to offer some guidance for moving through the holiday season with clarity, presence, and community connection.

🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/Btr5qxRpJyI 

🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX

🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 

🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ 

———— 

MY ONLINE COURSES

🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

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