I am honoured that my first 'human' shamanic teacher Willow agreed to be a co-conspirator for our newest medicine trail. The foundations of all my Spirit Work are grounded in my year-long one-to-one training and continuing friendship with her. It is a juicy treat indeed that she wove for us, and one I am eager to encourage you to see what would happen if the shoe or boot did fit...

Willow is a Shaman, a Hedgewitch, Tree Witch, a Wisewoman and Druid. She is also a Shamanic Teacher of Healing and the Old Ways.

Willow loves nothing more than to be deep in the mysterious Wildwoods connecting to ancient Ancestors and the magic and mystery. She is a Mother of 2 and Grandmother of 6...who delight in her magical nighttime fairy tales! You can find out more about her on her website -www.shamanicwillow.co.uk

Calling us in for the Spring New Moon is a Tea Tale Trail set down with the delightful Rutland celebrity Alison Stead

Alison is a Spiritual Medium, fellow writer, and intuitive.

Her contact links can all be accessed via her Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/alisonstead_spiritualmedium?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Our Imbolc Tea Trail is a rich and potent offering with the frankly fantastic Story-Carrier Tracy Chipman. I was blessed with meeting Tracy at the very first Oxford Storytelling Festival in a red tent overflowing with inspiration, creativity, far lands and magicks.

Tracy Chipman weaves the ancient rivers of oral storytelling, writing and somatic practices, creating unforgettable experiences that invite us towards mythic awareness, more embodied experiences, and self-discovery. She now resides in northern Wisconsin, occupying the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe Peoples. In March 2023, Tracy published her first book, Borealis Mundi - Resting in Place, Loss & Grace. Please visit her website, www.tracychipman.net, to learn more about her work. Or find her on social media: IG @all.here.dwell.free FB @storyteller Tracy Chipman

Press play to join us on a most wondrous medicine trail...

Our first Tea Trail of 2024 is conjured into being by the remarkable Shamanic Medicine Woman Carina Johansson. She follows the path of the Völva and lives in the forest of Söderåsen in the south of Sweden where she teaches Shamanism and Seidr.

I first met Carina when I traveled to Sweden many years ago for a training in Shamanic Counselling with SCSS. Despite the deep insights that came through being partnered with her for the work, it is perhaps the laughter and unconditional friendship that I remember most from those times.

If you wish to know more about Carina and the individual client work and courses she is offering, please contact her by her email: [email protected].

Join us in the undeniable magic of a healed heart.

A story for the Covid in the Human

It is with humbleness that I share the insightful and inspiring transmission that came from my dear friend Leah Barnes this month. Leah and I met through Annapurna Living many years ago as part of their women's collective.

Starting around age 5, Leah wanted to be Wonder Woman, but with a better outfit. She might have even used a jump rope as a golden lasso in attempts to make her younger sister tell the truth....evidence of her strong desire to learn and know. She's still a big sister and eldest daughter, but also a mother and wife; still craving knowledge and wanting to save the day for the people she loves, but learning to journey for herself in new ways too.

On one of her trips to India she learned about Sheroes Hangout -- an organization fighting for the rights and recovery of acid attack victims through advocacy and cafes staffed by survivors.

Instagram @sheroes_hangout

In our third of the Wild Hearts Sipping Cups of Tea series, I followed a trail set down by The Faerytale Apothecary's friend, teacher, and fellow story carrier Sarah Mooney. Sarah works with myth as a way of remembering herself and the cosmos. She believes our ancestors seeded all that we needed to flourish within a story, sometimes in the silences between the words, sometimes in the way the story invites us to listen. She lives in Glastonbury.

Press play, and come with us, if you dare...

In the Faerytale Apothecary's second experimentation with intentionally pinning down other co-conspirators, I am most proud to offer up the debut Medicine Trail of my little sister.

Saoirse is a caring, kind, and loving Animal Listener. As a Witch, she makes a wonderment of Lotions 'n' Potions to help both people and animals, but mostly animals.

Another co-conspirator made it very clear that nothing could happen without them, so it is with a twinkle of mischief that I also welcome you to the magics, medicines and disruptions of Venice...

As part of the Wild Hearts Sipping Cups of Tea series, it was with utter delight that I followed a trail set down by The Faerytale Apothecary's very first human co-conspirator.

Issa (pronounced eeeesssa)is a priestess, chaos witch, and wise woman of a certain age. During the day she works as a staff wellbeing expert for the civil service, making sure people get a fair deal at work. She also leads staff pagan networks so people can come together and share their faith and love of the earth. She holds the space where people need to be and holds the people when the space is too big for them. She is a daughter, a mum, and a grandma, who enjoys travelling Britain with her tiny caravan.

Join us on a most marvelous adventure!

The Faerytale Apothecary's Wild Hearts Sipping Cups of Tea is an experimental affair seeking to follow the Medicine Trails left by Words from Specially Appearing Stories. The recordings will often times be messy unedited affairs that aim to include all the languages from all the peoples (regardless of species or corporeality) into the conversations. There will be no written transcripts, simply an offer to sit a while, listen and see where you might be taken, prompted, curiosly led to. Other humans will be invited to gather our good weather gear for the trip from time to time. Our starting point may sometimes shift in location but home will always be with That Which Dwells Beyond The Gap In The Old Stone Wall - the creative space for my ongoing Doctoral Research. Research which will no doubt pop in on occasion too. Individual Words will be our doors to inner (and perhaps sometimes outer) landscapes. There will be Spontaneous Stories making Guest Appearances. We will explore what it may mean to be Touched by a Story. We will welcome Ordinary Story Speakings. We will Gather Glitterings in our Baskets as we make our way. All served up about once during a month with a drop of tea crafted by a Wild Heart or two. To listen to the gathering, simply press play...