What is the best way to harvest and store the herbs you have just picked? Herbalist Ashley Elenbaas will share her essential tips for harvesting flowers, leaves, and aerial parts of medicinal herbs based on her 15 years of experience in the field. Ashley will share her tips for harvesting herbs like Chamomile, Bee Balm, Linden, and Nettles. Plus, you will get to know the essentials for storing your herbs to preserve optimal freshness.

Join Ashley as she takes us on a delightful tour of her garden, revealing her favorite medicinal plants and providing tips on cultivation and usage. From the astringent benefits of Lady's Mantle to the nutritional power of nettles, Ashley covers a wide range of plants that are both beautiful and beneficial. Discover how these plants contribute to skincare, herbal tinctures, and overall well-being. Tune in to learn how to integrate these natural wonders into your daily life and wellness routine.

In today's video, Ashley is joined by her friend and podcasting colleague, Sarah Rossington, The Hardcore Therapist, to talk about life, challenges, and why life is so dang hard! Blending their backgrounds in counseling, parenting, herbs, and their shared love of music, Ashley and Sarah explore the tough questions often asked about life, mental health, and the daunting task of self-care and self-preservation. Join this lively conversation with lots of twists and turns and learn more about the stories and practices that keep Ashley and Sarah engaged and invigorated in their work.

If I were stranded on an island and could only bring one plant, this would be the one I would choose. Monarda fistulosa, also called Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Wild Oregano, Sweet Leaf, and Oswego Tea, is a versatile plant from North America. The leaves, flowers, and stems all carry medicinal actions, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diaphoretic, and nervine, among many others. In this video, Ashley will share how she uses this herb from her garden with family and clients and the traditional uses she has gathered from studying the work of Matthew Wood and Tis Mal Crow. This is a plant that not only benefits pollinators but would be a great choice for any medicinal garden.

Latin Name: Monarda fistulosa

Parts Used: Aerial Parts (leaves, stems, and flowers)

Preparations Used: Tea, Poultice, Tincture, Tea Compress, and Salve

Join Ashley in this enlightening video as she delves into the world of herbal vinegars. Discover the ancient art of extracting herbal medicines and preserving food with the power of vinegar. Vinegar's unique solvent properties make it an ideal medium for extracting essential compounds from plants, including minerals and trace minerals. Not only does vinegar serve as a potent solvent, but it also boasts medicinal properties, enhancing the functions of the lungs, kidneys, and skin. Ashley will guide you through the benefits of vinegar extractions and provide a step-by-step tutorial on creating your own herbal vinegar extraction, bringing the healing powers of herbs directly to your fingertips.

In this episode, join Ashley as she takes you on a journey through her garden and the nearby woods to discover the healing powers of various medicinal plants. Learn about the benefits and uses of these powerful plant allies and how they can support your well-being. Ashley shares her personal experiences, tips for identifying and using these herbs, and a few fun anecdotes along the way. Tune in to explore the ancient wisdom of plant spirit medicine and find inspiration for your own healing journey.

In this video, herbalist Ashley Elenbaas explores the profound significance of returning home. She delves into the hidden connections we may overlook when revisiting our birthplace, drawing from her own experiences and the teachings of the 13 indigenous grandmothers passed down through a cherished mentor and friend. Using the symbolism of a tree, she emphasizes the importance of nurturing one's core, likening it to tending to the trunk to ensure the fruition of its sweet fruits. Additionally, she discusses the notion of risk and discerning the opportune moment for transformative change.

RESOURCES

Learn more about The 12 Grandmothers - https://www.grandmotherswisdom.org/the-grandmothers

Ashley's Interview with Mason Hutchinson of HerbRally: https://youtu.be/Tmf8atqD27o?feature=shared

Book: Seven Herbs: Plants as Teachers by Matthew Wood: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Herbs-Plants-as-Teachers/dp/0938190911

Ever pondered the connection between our past lives and the paths our future selves tread? Join Ashley in an enlightening conversation with Michelle Brock, a seasoned spiritual development life coach from New York City. Michelle specializes in past-life regression, delving into the depths of our history to unravel the mysteries of our present selves. In her illuminating book, "Who Do You Think You Are: An Interactive Journey Through Your Past Lives into Your Best Future," Michelle takes readers on a profound journey of self-discovery. Together, Ashley and Michelle explore the fascinating realm of working with plants to aid in past life exploration, tapping into our innate intuition and the transformative power of changing our perspectives. Dive into this insightful dialogue as we uncover the profound connections between our past, present, and future.

RESOURCES

Book: "Who Do You Think You Are: An Interactive Journey Through Your Past Lives into Your Best Future," by Michelle Brock.

Purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4W1BC8F

Connect with Michelle Brock - https://michelle-brock.com/

Herbs to Support Past Life Work

Microdosing - Watch my latest episode here. My Microdosing Adventure: A Clinical Herbalist's Perspective - https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=RzJNZYPvwx0

Lion's Mane Mushroom - Watch an episode on the science of Lion's Mane here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=IZb7vUWeBC8

Gotu Kola Herb - Learn More here. https://shop.organicindiausa.com/products/gotu-kola

In this video, Ashley shares her experience of living a spiritual life as an herbalist. Ashley hopes to start a conversation about what living a spiritual life looks like and how she incorporates this living framework into her daily work as an herbalist and into the choices she faces in her daily life. Ashley shares how she came to her current understanding of "spiritual but not religious" and her struggles along the way. In this video, she will share how her background in yoga philosophy, psychedelics, and the Vitalist tradition all inform her current work as a clinical herbalist and educator and how she balances her work in the spiritual and material realms of life.

RESOURCES

Book, Hari Kirtana das "In Search of the Highest Truth: Adventures in Yoga Philosophy" - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y494KYK?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_GZDNB20AGY66FWEDRC33

Book, Matthew Wood "Vitalism" - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1556433409?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_NQBDNHDCK6K7MPEKWAQV

My husband, Adam Elenbaas, Podcast: Nightlight Astrology https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ea17ncqbPXJBPAFiNKgDJ?si=463490118dd34ad0

Most people underestimate cinnamon and see it as a common benign kitchen spice. However, cinnamon has long been used for sugar regulation and circulatory support. In this video, we will discuss the energetic effects of cinnamon on both cold and hot temperaments and easy ways to add cinnamon to your daily routines.

Study Herbs in the 2024 Sky House Herbal Apprenticeship Program! There is still time to register! https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/herbal-foundations-enrollment

RESOURCES

Herbs and Natural Supplements an Evidence Based Guide, 4th Edition Volume 2., Braun, Leslie, and Cohen, Marc (2015) Elsevier Publishing, pg. 190-195.

Ranasinghe P, Pigera S, Premakumara GA, Galappaththy P, Constantine GR, Katulanda P. Medicinal properties of 'true' cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): a systematic review. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Oct 22;13:275. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-275. PMID: 24148965; PMCID: PMC3854496. - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3854496/

Frawley, David and Lad Vasant (1986). “The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine”. Lotus Press, pgs. 111-112.

Metzger, Jane. 15 Uses of Cinnamon. - https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/uses-for-cinnamon/

McConnell, Molly (2023). “They Ayurvedic Benefits of Cinnamon. - https://www.starwest-botanicals.com/blog/-the-ayurvedic-benefits-of-cinnamon/

Livingston, Erica (2024). “Cinnamon in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Balancing Yin and Yang” - https://talkleisure.com/cinnamon-in-traditional-chinese-medicine/?expand_article=1#Historical_Background_and_Usage_in_TCM