Stepping through the Portal:
Ancestral Healing & the Wildness within Us
with herbalist & forager, John Slattery
Topanga, CA
Friday, August 2, 2019
*evening lecture
Saturday, August 3, 2019
*field class in Topanga Canyon
Full workshop fee: $125
Friday only: $40
Saturday only: $110
tobar Cholm cille - Saint Columbkille's Holy Well
Do you hear the call of your ancestors, beckoning you back to a place of remembrance, a time of unity with Nature?
If so, join herbalist John Slattery for this 2-day workshop of storytelling, remembering, and exploring wild plants within the local landscape to find the healing stories within each of us.
Along John’s path to becoming a bioregional herbalist he has been called back to Mother Nature to sit at her feet and to learn directly from the wild plants and from all the elements of Nature. Slowly and circuitously, this approach has brought John back in touch with his ancestral lineage from Éire, the emerald isle.
Developing a deeper relationship with the local landscape is a nourishing practice that enriches the soul as well as the mind and body. At this time, there are many who hear the call of their distant ancestors. In fact, it is a deep, deep feeling of knowing from within despite the breaking down of our lineages through ages of disruption, colonization, and mass migrations taking us away from our homelands.
But there is beauty in all of this nonetheless. As we awaken to this call, heed Mother Nature’s directives, and begin to re-engage with nature in an open, receptive way, listening, the healing is made available to us, readily.
On Friday evening, John will share some of his story along this path of reawakening to his ancestry and discuss his approach to learning directly from Mother Nature as a bioregional herbalist.
After John’s presentation, there will be some time for Q & A and perhaps some more storytelling.
On Saturday, we’ll venture into the surrounding canyons and mountainsides to explore the wealth of information available to all of us in Nature.
John will facilitate a plant walk with an emphasis on opening up our senses and reconnecting with our landscape in a very real and palpable way which opens us up to very different and profound streams of information. Entering into this flow, or abhainn (“ah-win”), this stream of information is the place we are all meant to inhabit.
On this walk, participants will learn more about the concepts of bioregional herbalism through discussing the plants we see, observing their habitat, discussing seasonal influences, and reflecting upon how we respond to the herbs we ingest throughout the day.
This experiential workshop is in alignment with all the ways in which we optimally learn: through pattern recognition, contextual relevance, repetition of key concepts, and engaging the senses: seeing, tasting, feeling, and listening. Emphasizing our more receptive qualities we’re also more likely to retain what we learn.
Learning about plants which naturally grow and thrive around you by developing relationship with the place in which you live is part of who we are, each and every one of us. The time is now to reawaken to this and embrace it.
Bringing together concepts which are deeply familiar, yet widely applicable serves to uplift the participant to a new level of growth and learning.
No particular experience is required to attend this workshop. Simply come with an open mind.
For Saturday’s field class, participants should come prepared for hot temperatures and moving through canyons and across open landscape, in and out of shade. At least 2 quarts of water is recommended, a packed lunch, comfortable footwear (or none at all), and appropriate protection from the sun.
Although we will be moving at times, this is not a “big hike”. We will be sauntering across the landscape and spending ample time seated (so bring something that’s easy to carry to sit on, if preferred).
For those traveling to the area, suggestions for local accommodations will be sent upon registration.
To register, visit WILD LOVE APOTHECARY’S website
John J Slattery LLC
Tucson, AZ
© 2019
www.johnjslattery.com