Teachings of the Underworld

August, the Harvest Moon, Lammas marks the subtle shift from summer into fall. We might not notice it at first, but the gentle pull of the Underworld can be seen everywhere: shorter days, slower growth, plants returning their energy towards the roots. During this time plants that have a rich relationship with magic, dreaming, and the void, such as mugwort and elder, bestow their charms and gifts upon us. The underworld allows us to understand and untangle the complexity of plants, and of our own lives, by teaching us how to rejoice in the great mystery of the ordinary. Sometimes it opens a door through a fruit, or a blossom. In this class we will spend time harvesting and preparing remedies with fresh elder berries, explore the ancient lore of the Elder tree, the God Pan, Elder Mother, and its healing and poisonous properties. In the second part of the class we will spend time with Mugwort as it blooms, as we slow down and welcome the wisdom of dream time medicine, Artemis and the bear.