Become the Village Wise Woman

This is not as easy as I would have hoped. You really have to find a niche for yourself at the beginning. There is SO much information out there, so many angles you could take, that to try to incorporate them all would create insanity.

As I’ve said before, my niche will be herbalism. But even that needs some sort of learning method. It’s hard to resist all the information, classes and courses on herbs. I see others that have 20, 30, 40 years experience doing things that I’ve only just discovered, and I feel woefully inadequate, especially when they’re my age. Then I feel that maybe my niche is already being done better than I could ever do, and in the place I want to do it, and I should just leave it to them.

That’s when I tell myself to siddown and shaddup. But in a nice way.

I have to constantly remind myself of who I am essentially. Is that odd or does everyone lose themselves all the time too? Maybe it’s decades of being trained to cater to everyone else’s needs, and I just don’t consider what I need or want. I wonder if these successful herb people were the kinds that had supportive families, and weren’t stifled when they tried something new, even if it was writing a book at age 7 or putting together a community event at 9 or selling the purses you made out of old blue jeans at 11.

It’s hard to remember who you are when you never knew who you were, or who you could have been.

So now, I’m trying to listen, to remember my unique place in the world. And I’m wondering how to make the transition from amateur hobbyist to sought-after wise woman.

I’ve dabbled in all sorts of Wise Woman/Village Witch things, wandering from making amulets to hands-on healing to astrology. But I think I’ve found my home in herbalism.

Sometimes it takes me awhile to “get” things, especially regarding myself. I have a dozen books on herbs, herb growing, herb use and from the pic you can see I have a little herb collection, about half are home-grown on my tiny deck in containers and dried in my loft.

It never occurred to me to be an herbalist. Hell, I talk to all the plants I brush past as I walk my dog daily. I make incenses to burn at least weekly. I liberally use them in foods and in home treatments. I get outraged at the land rape of developers and when chain stores pave over perfectly lovely fields to put up a crappy dollar store.

It really feels like home to me. It’s one of the few things I would do without needing pay. Think of it: all morning tending gardens, all afternoon brewing and creating useful tinctures and botanicals, and in the evening, a cup of fresh tea or tonic while watching the kitties roll around with the catnip. Perfect.

The day after I realized all of this, I found there’s a conference in August! Only a five hour drive. I am SO going. If you’re near New England, maybe I’ll see you there :)

http://www.womensherbalconference.com/

Years ago (9 to be exact) I became an ordained minister through ULC.org (its free and denomination doesn’t matter.) I’m not sure what the legalities are in other countries, but in the US I can legally perform marriages/handfastings and other religious rituals. Mentally, it makes me feel more “official” as a village wise woman. Like if someone says “well who are YOU to do this?” I show them my ordination certificate, my bachelor’s degree and my massage therapy certificate for good measure. lol

I really don’t think any of those are necessary for this, but it does give a mental boost.

I think I should take each day and recognize the lessons of it. For me, hands-on is the best way to learn. For example:

Learn about what the weather and nature have to say (Nature Speak by Ted Andrews will be a resource, as well as intuition)

Learn about my own body’s dis-eases and what can be done to alleviate illness (body/mind correspondences, herbalism, intuitive cures)

Setting up protection for my home with smudging and elemental guardians(right now it is a waning moon, good time for banishing the unwanted)

Paying attention to synchronicities and being in the moment instead of ignoring and avoiding.

Knowing that caring for myself and my needs first is an important step in being able to help others.

I think the best way to reach a goal or to become something is to act as if you already have it or you are that person. Dressing the part, eating what “they’d” eat, saying what “they’d” say, spending your day as that person will become habit. It’s also easier to see how to get there when you see through “their” eyes.

I kind of wish I could spend a weekend alone to get into the swing, but no such luck. Okay, off to start my first day of my “new career”!