Healing from the Ground Up:
Lessons from Our Herbal Allies for Healing, Guidance, and Wisdom
One reality that has been brought to light is our interconnection and how important relationships and reciprocity are in creating the support we all need to not only survive, but to thrive. This includes cultivating a respectful, kind, and loving relationship with ourselves, others, and the natural world around us. As we begin the process of re-emerging into our new post-COVID world, Sarah Gibbs, herbalist at Blue Sky Botanicals, and Jennifer Speiden, yoga therapist at Inner Awareness, invite you to glean some wisdom regarding self and community care from some teachers who have been here for a while: our plant allies. Plants have been used for generations to help promote healing, support wellness & well-being, and build resilience in body, heart, and mind. They have a lot to teach us. We just need to listen.
This past year has been tough.
The game plan for this playshop is that in our first hour together, Sarah will introduce you, in a full sensory and experiential way, to our herbal ally of the day: who they are, their story, how they can be of service, and how you can support them. In the second hour, Jennifer will guide you in an accessible, multi-level yoga practice (weaving movement, breath, and mindfulness) to help you experience (in an embodied way) some of the wisdom that that day’s plant encourages us to remember. Our hope is that their teachings can help us all tend to each other and collectively grow in our community garden of beings.
Here are our lead teachers for this summer …
Saturday, June 12: Nettle
Our first guest teacher shall be nettle (aka stinging nettle). On more formal occasions, they are known as Urtica dioica. You will learn some of their superpowers as a powerful nutritive tonic, kidney ally and allergy supporter. Some of their gifts include that they can be made into food, teas, dyes and medicinal tinctures. In our time together, you will learn how easily nettle can be grown and used making it a truly accessible herbal ally in our lives. Inspired by the gifts and lessons of nettle, you will be guided in a brhmana yoga practice that serves to help build and nourish the body, breath, and mind while inviting us to “pay attention” to our senses. Nettle likes to reminds us that if we don’t pay attention we might get stung.
RSVP to this event on Facebook: Healing From the Ground Up: Nettle
Saturday, July 10: Dandelion
Saturday, August 14: Skullcap
More on these workshops later.
When: All playshops run 10 am – 12 noon.
Where: Inner Awareness, 657 Coal Hollow Rd., Christiansburg, VA
Cost: $35. To reserve your space for the 6/12 event, please send in payment by 6/9.
You may send payment via one of these options:
Venmo: Jennifer-Speiden
Check: Made out to Inner Awareness and sent to
Jennifer Speiden, 657 Coal Hollow Rd., Christiansburg, VA 24073
Please contact Jennifer at joyifer@yahoo.com or 540.552.2596 to register for any of these workshops and if you have any questions.
Playshop COVID-19 Protocols (for June 2021)
Our protocols will continue to evolve over the season per CDC, public health, and state mandated guidance, and will be carefully considered with the health, safety, and comfort of our community as the highest priority.
At this time, as this is an in-person event and we have individuals who we need to protect in our circles at this time, these workshops are for vaccinated people only. Wearing masks during our time together is optional.
Weather permitting, we will be outdoors for the entire playshop – both the herbal sharing and the movement and mindfulness practice.
Weather not conducive to being outside, the herbal share will take place inside with open windows. Depending on the size of the group attending and individuals’ comfort practices inside next to others, there will be an option for people to practice inside with window open or they may choose to receive a video recording of the practice for home viewing.
People are encouraged to bring their own yoga props. There will be some available for public use. If you need props, please let Jennifer know before the event so she can put some aside for you.