2015, corinna wood, southeast wise women

Southeast Wise Women Wise Woman Ways to Connect 2

Walking Along the Wise Woman Path

There’s an awful lot of static in our world today. We’re

constantly inundated by outside voices—including the media

and the internet—all telling us who we should be, what we

should eat, what we should wear and how we should look.

These voices are loud and strident, and often contradictory, yet

they generally suggest that we are essentially lacking and need

to be fixed. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, dissatisfied and

confused under these circumstances.

As women, multiple demands of daily life can make it especially

challenging for us to find our center. We’re juggling all the

pieces of our lives, wishing we had more energy, experiencing

puzzling health concerns—our own and those of our families—

and wanting to feel more grounded. We’re presented with ideals

of female beauty that are unrealistic (and frankly, unhealthy). We

often feel that our needs for solitude, rest and restoration aren’t

being met. But our schedules, our responsibilities and those

voices create a disconnect between who we are and what we’re

doing.

And there’s that endless stream of information, coming at us in

bytes and sound bites. But information isn’t necessarily wisdom.

OK. Stop for a moment. Breathe. There are other voices beneath

the ruckus. I’d venture to guess that as a woman curious about

the Wise Woman Tradition, you’ve already been hearing them

whisper to you. You have an awareness of the interconnected-

ness of your physical, emotional and spiritual health. You’ve

probably embraced some important lifestyle changes such as

exercise, healthy eating habits and using environmentally

responsible products. You may use herbal allies—tinctures, teas

and supplements—to support your wellbeing.

Good. It’s time to go deeper. It’s time to remember.


Those whispers you’re hearing are the voices of our

grandmothers, and their grandmother’s grandmothers: the

ancient ways that honor the Earth and our bodies and our place

in the great circle of Life. They’re also the voices of our child-

selves reminding us to trust our intuition and engage our world

with curiosity and joy.

These are the voices of the Wise Woman way. They don’t shout.

They speak softly so that we will move closer in order to hear

them. They encourage us to listen deeply, to observe carefully

and to walk our path mindfully and reverently. They invite us to

dance our lives.

The Wise Woman Tradition doesn’t dictate. It isn’t dogmatic. It’s

absolutely practical and intensely personal—calling us to re-

integrate ourselves in our beautiful bodies and reconnect with

the Earth that sustains us. The Wise Woman celebrates and

cultivates her own shining spirit; she recognizes and honors that

spirit in the eyes of her sisters.

The mind/body/spirit connection that has become a catch

phrase in the media has always been at the heart of women’s

wisdom. Wellness and healing are proactive—an ongoing and

integrated part of our lives. This means trusting our inner

knowing; tending our needs for rest and comfort; nurturing our

bodies with the wholesome, natural—even wild—foods that will

support our systems; and responding to health concerns with

the abundant gifts of the plants and herbs that present

themselves to us right where we live . . . no matter where we

live.

We are in an alliance with the Earth and with the plants that

share our home. You don’t have to be an “expert” in plant

medicine or move off-grid to a permaculture farm to receive the

benefits of this relationship. You can be in the midst of a busy

city and still be rooted in the Earth.

Walk along the path with me and we’ll look at some easy and

very effective ways for you to cultivate the Wise Woman

Tradition in your everyday life. Some may already be familiar.

Many are simple exercises; others require a bit of commitment,

but will reap wonderful rewards. Often, it’s simply a matter of

shifting your lens so that you can see things in a different way.

Come closer and listen . . .

“Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.”

~Maya Angelou


What is the Wise Woman Tradition All About?

Our society insists on duality. There’s an either/or paradigm in

mainstream culture, and even in much of the “alternative”

sensibility and New Age spirituality.

It’s all about the “light” and a predisposition to shutting out

what is mysterious and “dark.” That tends to include the Earth—

which remains untamed despite all efforts to master her—and

woman, whose body and its great mysteries are intricately

intertwined with the Earth’s body.

The prevailing paradigm tells us that we need to overcome our

connection to our bodies and to the physical plane in order to

achieve a high level of spiritual “purity.” It calls us to answer to a

“higher authority” that dictates strict codes of behavior, telling

us that we are, essentially, dirty and flawed; in need of being

saved. It negates so many essential parts of our experience as

human beings and as women.

When we move from a perspective of either light or dark, to a

configuration of both light and dark, we move away from this

striving to transcend our bodies; from a perspective where the

divine is something outside of us.

In the Wise Woman Tradition, we understand our bodies as

sacred and we trust our inner guidance. Often, we are so

steeped in the cult of duality that the Wise Woman Tradition

concept of wholeness is difficult to understand or accept.

Still, there’s a deep resonance that many women experience—a

cellular memory of a way of life and a belief system that

embraces a spiral that includes both light and dark, just as the

natural cycles of our world constantly move through day and

night, from dark moon to full moon, from winter to summer,

from youth to old age and death.

“The Wise Woman Tradition is the oldest tradition of healing known on our planet, yet one that is rarely identified, rarely written or talked about.

A woman-centered tradition of self-love, respectful of the earth and all her creatures, the Wise Woman Tradition tells us that compassion, simple ritual and common herbs heal the whole person and maintain health/wholeness/holiness.” ~ Susun Weed, Healing Wise


As wise woman Susun

Weed reminds us, our

planet is always half in

darkness! Constant light

is an unnatural state for

the Earth and for all

beings.

Women of various

religious traditions today

are coming back to the

realization that in order for spiritual language to truly apply to

women, there needs to be focus on the embodiment of our

spiritual experiences, in both our own physical bodies and in the

earth’s physical form of plant and tree, rock and water--the

sacred that is around us and within us.

The Wise Woman Tradition embraces the Earth, local plants,

deep nourishment and self-love. Our relationship with our

bodies shifts when we look through this Wise Woman lens. We

go from perceiving ourselves as unclean and in need of

purification, to recognizing the intrinsic perfection and

wholeness of our body and our spirit.

We honor our natural cycles—our ebbs and flows. As we turn

our attention away from fixing or rejecting our physical selves

and toward nourishing ourselves physically, emotionally and

spiritually, our bodies respond by moving towards optimal

health.

As women, we recognize this way of life as familiar; the Wise

Woman path is a process of remembering much of what we

already know. We may recall it as “folk wisdom.” We may have

heard our elders speak of rituals and remedies that came to

them from their foremothers.

You may wonder how these practices can apply to women

today, who are dealing with unprecedented demands on our

time, energy and resources. Can our lives be profoundly altered

and enriched by something that has been within us all along?

Yes, and in fact, incorporating the Wise Woman Tradition into

your daily life is far easier than you might imagine. Over the

decades, I’ve integrated the simple practices that I’m sharing

here.

Not only are they relevant in today’s world, they’ve proven

invaluable for many women, in promoting physical, emotional

and spiritual health and wellbeing. Some you may recognize

immediately; others may be new.

You might wonder at some of them . . . how could it possibly

benefit my health to lie on the Earth, or talk to a tree, or

consider a single plant my “ally”?

Listen deeper and you will hear a clear voice that speaks to a

part of you that recognizes the interconnectedness of all of Life.

It says, “Trust. This is a journey we’ve been on all along . . . ”


Connecting with the Plants

Before the healthcare industry took hold—bringing with it a

focus on pharmaceuticals—there was folk medicine: tried-and-

true home remedies that have sustained and healed for

generations. Before the craze for exotic herbs—dried and

shipped from the other side of the planet and delivered in

capsules that mimic drug compounds—wise women looked no

further than the plants that grew on their doorsteps and in the

neighboring woods and fields for the ingredients that they used

in their salads, soups, infusions, tinctures, and teas.

Many local wild plants, including some that are considered

weeds, have long histories of edible and medicinal usage. They

are abundant, free and extremely potent. Because they are fresh,

growing and thriving in the same climates and geographies that

we do, they are even better able to support our own thriving

within the ecosystems where we live.

In the Wise Woman Tradition, the lines between food and

medicine blur. When we work with plants that grow where we

live, we have the opportunity to develop a relationship with

those plants and the Earth, and to receive the healing benefits

of going outside, connecting with a particular plant being,

watching her through the seasons, and inviting her energetic

medicine—as well as her physical medicine—into our bodies

and lives.

As you begin the process of exploring your local edible and

medicinal plants, a good field guide is a vital resource; I have

worked with Peterson’s Field Guides for many years and find

them to be very user friendly. You should also be observant

when it comes to the area you are harvesting. You certainly

don’t want to be ingesting plants from a patch that has been

exposed to chemical toxins, including fertilizers or automobile

exhaust.

Let’s start our journey with five ways to connect with some

plants that are fairly ubiquitous—common plants that probably

grow right around you—and easy ways that you can receive

their gifts.


1. Drink Nettle Infusion

When you want to support your female body with herbs, nettle

is one of the best places to start. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), otherwise known as barn nettle or English nettle, and her cousin,

wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) are plentiful in most areas.

Barn nettle resembles a large mint, with serrated, blue-green,

opposite leaves. It likes to live near creeks or in manure rich

soils (so she often grows near buildings that shelter livestock).

Wood nettle has alternate leaves and prefers to settle around

forest streams.

Nettle offers a concentrated dose of nutrients—including the

highest chlorophyll levels available in a plant—minerals, and

iron, all nourishing for the blood and beneficial for women’s

hormonal systems. In early spring, you can eat fresh stinging

nettles in soup or a sauté (don’t worry, they lose their sting

when they’re dried or cooked).

Year round, you can use dried nettle to make an infusion by

immersing one cup of dried nettle in a quart of boiling water

and allowing the infusion to sit for at least four hours. While

you’ll get some medicinal benefit from by making a tea with

dried nettles in a teabag, you’ll get exponentially more by

preparing the herb as an infusion, with a large volume of plant

material, steeped for an extended brewing time.

Drinking a pint a day is a wonderful ongoing tonic for women in

all phases of life, from menarche when it can support young

women’s hormonal systems, through menstruating years,

pregnancy, birthing, breast-feeding, and into menopausal

transition and post-menopausal support.

Many women find that they develop a strong relationship with

nettle infusion: they fall in love with how it transforms their

bodies and they naturally begin to crave it on a regular basis.

Once you start drinking nettle infusion, you too may find

yourself becoming enamored with this velvety green brew.

Making Nettle Infusion Daily Women’s Herbal Tonic

1. Put one cup of dried nettle in a quart jar 2. Fill jar with boiling water and allow the infusion to sit for

at least four hours, or overnight. 3. Strain the liquid and store in the refrigerator for several

days. 4. To drink, reheat and serve warm. Or in the heat of the

summer, you might prefer it chilled. Feel free to add honey or other flavorings you enjoy.

A standard dose is 2 cups of nettle infusion per day. If it’s been in the fridge for a few days, a quick sniff will let you know if the infusion has turned sour. Otherwise, drink up!


2. Use Plantain Poultices

Found nearly everywhere, plantain is a favorite herb for most

external skin ailments. Our great grandmothers used this plant

for treating and pulling out infections or splinters, and for

easing the pain, itchiness and swelling of insect bites.

Wise women’s kids often refer to this as the “band-aid plant”

because when they have scrapes and bites, they know to make

a plantain poultice, affix it with a band-aid and leave the

poultice on to enhance its drawing properties.

Plantain is easily identified by its leaves. There are two common

varieties that can be used

interchangeably: broad leaf

plantain (Plantago major), and lance-leaved plantain

(Plantago lanceolata). You

will notice parallel veins that

run down the leaf, rather

than side veins that feed

into the mid-rib, most visible

on the back of the leaf.

The easiest way to prepare this plant for topical medicinal use is

as a “spit poultice,” which is, indeed, just what it sounds like:

chew up some of the leaf, spit it out, and slap it on!*

You’ll feel immediate relief from pain or itching.

When treating an infection, you’ll probably want to leave the

poultice on overnight, and/or refresh and replace it several

times during the day, in order to maintain medicinal potency. *Although we may think of saliva as dirty, it actually contains a large number of protective enzymes that help with the healing process. Certainly, if you (or your loved ones) prefer not to use saliva, the poultice can also be prepared by finely chopping leaves with a knife or in a blender, with a bit of water.

One woman’s plantain love story . . .

“I broke a glass dishwashing, and when the bleeding slowed, I realized that not only was I cut, but I still had a shard of glass in my thumb. I winced as I pulled it out with tweezers. Half an hour later, it was still very painful. Especially when I pressed it against my forefinger. I treated it gingerly as I went about my tasks that day. “

“When I woke up the next morning, the pain had subsided--so I was alarmed that when I pressed my thumb against the table, I felt the stabbing pain of being cut inside by the sharp edge of glass that must still be in there! I tried again with the tweezers several times that day, to no avail. I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the glass within my wound. Would I need to go into the emergency room? Have my thumb cut open?”

“That night, I made a spit poultice of plantain for my thumb and wrapped it up. In the morning, I tenderly removed the poultice, and to my delight and amazement, the shard of glass was now sticking up, in the center of my wound! I rushed to get the tweezers, and pulled it out. That was it; no more pain, no more glass. And a lot of faith in plantain’s drawing powers!”


3. Make a Wild Salad

Wild plants contain concentrated doses of vitamins, minerals,

and other nutrients that we are able to readily digest and

absorb. Our bodies evolved over hundreds of thousands of

years of our ancestors receiving nourishment from the edible

wild plants growing around them—many of which are

considered “weeds” today!

Making your own wild salads is as easy as stepping out into

your yard, or a nearby wild spot where you like to walk.

Pick one mild-tasting,

wild edible herb to be the

foundation of your wild

salad.

Chickweed is most

abundant in the cool, wet

weather of the spring and

fall. Lambsquarter, a wild

ancestor of spinach, is prevalent in many areas during the

summer. Violet leaves are found throughout the growing

season.*

If you notice some dandelion leaves or other strong-flavored

wild edibles that you’re familiar with, add a smaller quantity of

those leaves as well. If you have violet or dandelion blossoms

blooming nearby, by all means, add those in as well.

Your wild salad can be constructed entirely outdoors, with no

washing or pruning required. Bring your bowl or basket with

you to gather your edible weeds; harvest the clean, vibrant

green leaves and break them into bite-sized pieces.

Back inside, add your favorite dressing and enjoy the fresh,

delicious bounty. And remember . . . wild plants make wild

women!

*As always, use your field guide and/or the guidance of a trained herbalist in

identifying these tasty options.

Studies published within the past 15 years show that much of our produce is relatively low in phytonutrients, which are the compounds with the potential to reduce the risk of four of our modern scourges: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. The loss of these beneficial nutrients did not begin 50 or 100 years ago, as many assume. Unwittingly, we have been stripping phytonutrients from our diet since we stopped foraging for wild plants some 10,000 years ago and became farmers. These insights have been made possible by new technology that has allowed researchers to compare the phytonutrient content of wild plants with the produce in our supermarkets. The results are startling. Wild dandelions, once a springtime treat for Native Americans, have seven times more phytonutrients [ital added] than spinach, which we consider a ‘superfood.”” ~Jo Robinson, New York Times, May 25, 2013


4. Make a Dandelion Root Tincture

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is an

herb that has been used medicinally

for many generations, but has

become detested as a weed today.

Dandelion is highly nourishing for the

liver and, in today’s world, everyone’s

liver is challenged by environmental toxins. It’s ironic: we have

dandelion offering herself in great abundance in yards and lawns

and gardens—where she is largely disposed of or ignored—at a

time when we all could use some liver support!

The liver is also where our hormones are manufactured; supporting

our livers is an essential part of supporting female hormonal

balance. Eaten raw in salads, dandelion leaves are an acquired

taste, but one that’s worth developing. They contain so many easily

absorbed nutrients: vitamins A to D, calcium, potassium, iron . . .

the list goes on and on. This wholesome, free food also benefits

the blood, stomach and kidneys. And it’s a wonderful ally for

breastfeeding mothers.

In the fall, the leaves die back, and the plant sends her energy

below the ground to its roots, to store over the winter. Digging a

few dandelion roots after a hard frost is the best time to make a

maximum potency medicine to receive her benefits year round.

Making your own tinctures is easy. In fact, the strongest tinctures

are those made from fresh plants in your backyard. Many

commercially available tinctures are actually made from dried

plants that have been stored and shipped long distances, which

reduces their efficacy.

Step outside your door and harvest a basketful of plants—roots

and all—and follow the simple directions for your own, high-

potency tincture. A few drops a day will have you glowing!

Wise Woman Tincture Making

1. Identify and harvest the plant parts you want to tincture 2. Look through the plant material and discard damaged parts. 3. Do not wash any part of the plant except roots. 4. Flowers, berries, and most leaves can be used

whole. Tough leaves and stalks can be chopped coarsely. Roots can be chopped with a knife or blended with the alcohol.

5. Fill a jar to the top with the plant material, packed tight. 6. Fill the jar to the top again, with 100-proof vodka, and cap. 7. Label the jar—eg, Dandelion root, 100 pf vodka, 11/3/2014. 8. Top off the liquid level the next day 9. Leave your tincture brewing on your counter for six weeks. 10. Strain out the plant material 11. Store the tincture in a cabinet out of direct sunlight (or an

amber bottle); potency will be retained for at least 3-5 years.


5. Ally with a Plant for a Year

Like any good relationship, investing the time and attention in

getting to know a single plant ally can reap great rewards. You’ll be

amazed how much you learn about herbal medicine through

cultivating a dedicated course of study to working with your plant

ally’s physical, medicinal, edible, and energetic aspects.

Look around the garden, yard or places where you walk frequently

and stay open for a plant you feel especially drawn to.

Your ally may be a plant that’s in great abundance; your yard may

be overflowing with violets or dandelions. It may be a more

reclusive plant that you feel an intuitive connection with.

If a plant calls to you, pay attention. We often don’t realize why or

how that plant is indicated for us personally in terms of our health

until we’ve worked with it for some time.

Come to know your ally throughout the circle of the year. Observe

her. Research her attributes and her phases. Make sketches of her

in her changing beauty. In this way, you can learn about the

different parts of the plant that tend to reach peak potency in

different seasons—and you can also experiment with various

preparations and menstruums (alcohol, water, vinegar, oil) that can

help you to receive her gifts.

My first plant ally was nettle. I started collecting the young sprouts

in the spring for soup and as the plant grew to a couple of feet

high, I collected the leaf stalks—the top half of the plant—to dry

for infusions during the winter.

When the nettle went to flower and seed in the summer, I

collected the seeds and made tinctures. I found that the nettle

plants I had cut back or harvested re-grew in the fall and I had an

unexpected second season of tender greens for soup and vinegar.

After the hard frost, when the aboveground portion had died back,

I harvested the roots and experimented with medicinal preparations

of the nettle root.

As you develop the relationship, you may find yourself talking to

the plant . . . and hearing from the plant as well. Engage in this

conversation—it’s the Wise Woman Way.


Connecting with the Earth

The Wise Woman Tradition is grounded in the Earth and her cycles

and encourages us to remember that with every breath, we receive

her gifts. Stepping back into right relationship with our Mother

requires us to let go of the concept of being “other” than the land

and the creatures that inhabit it.

6. Lie on the Earth

As children, we were naturally

drawn to run barefoot --to lie in

the sweet summer grass, to play

amid the autumn leaves, to sit

on the ground. It’s time to

reclaim that joy.

A large body of research has

verified what ancient people knew about “earthing”—lying on the

Earth for guidance and comfort. Even just a few minutes a day of

simply lying quietly in the park, in your yard or garden or in the

woods benefits physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Lie on the Earth, belly down, to receive nourishment and healing

energy. Lie on your back to release and let go of tension, grief or

anger—energies that may be “stuck” in your body; allow them to

flow through you into the soil to be absorbed and transformed in

the healing arms of the Mother.

Much like snuggling with a beloved, laying on the Earth allows

your mind and body to rest, relax and receive.

Even if you can’t fully recline, simply taking off your shoes and

walking for a while in the grass or sitting on a rock or log and

feeling that attachment is calming and restorative.

So go on . . . wiggle your toes.

“The earth’s surface is negatively charged, full of free electrons willing and waiting for us. As human beings every single one of us is chock full of free radicals that cause inflammation and damage, causing our bodies to have a net positive charge. The earth is meant to be a docking station for us, a port we can plug into to receive a head-to-toe, inside and out neutralization of this inflammation.

The earth and humans are yin and yang -- just like trees provide oxygen and we provide carbon dioxide, the earth provides negative electrons and we provide positive free radicals and together we live in neutral joyous harmony.

There is literally nothing -- from PMS to jet lag to dementia -- that does not positively respond to time spent earthing. As it turns out, most so-called age related changes like arthritis, dementia, heart disease, stroke... is actually related to a lifetime of chronic inflammation. Take away the chronic inflammation by plugging into the earth and what do you get? Healing.”

~Dr. Laura Koniver, From the Ground Up


7. Listen to a Tree

The capacity for deep listening is

one of the great gifts of quieting

our minds and being present. For

the wise woman, this can open up

new lines of communication that

you might not have previously

thought possible.

Yes, that includes communicating

with plants. Occasionally, there may

be a soft “voice,” but more often it’s a feeling—an intuitive sense—

or images that present themselves in your mind’s eye.

As a young herbal student reading The Secret Life of Plants, I was

enthralled by the concept of engaging with plant energies, and

eager to experience direct communication. My first connection

came through the cedar trees outside my home at the time.

I started getting a sense that they were, somehow, calling to me. I

felt a bit nervous about that, so I busied myself in the garden—

nearby, but keeping some distance.

When I finally did sit down with the trees, I received a very

powerful sense of peace and connection. Over the next few of

weeks, I was drawn to sit with a particular cedar tree for five or ten

minutes at time, nearly every day. It was like visiting with a friend.

I admired her strength, talked to her about my problems, mused

about the questions and confusions of my life.

Soon, I began to receive guidance about some of the next steps—

clarity about decisions I had been struggling with. As I look back,

those decisions were some of the first steps that directed me down

the path of what eventually became my life’s work.

If a particular plant or tree whispers to you, engage her. You can

start by introducing yourself, silently or aloud. Admire her beauty.

Invite her to tell you about herself.

Then clear your mind, open your heart and listen. You, too, have

the power to hear plants talk!

“. . . The whole scientific uproar about plant communication began in 1966 when Cleve Baxter—then America's foremost lie-detector examiner—decided on impulse to attach his polygraph electrodes to the now-famous dracaena in his office, then water the plant and see if the leaves responded. Finding that the plant indeed reacted to this event, he decided to see what would happen if he threatened it, and formed in his mind the idea of lighting a match to the leaf where the electrodes were attached. And that was when something happened that forever changed Baxter's life and ours. For the plant didn't wait for him to light the match. It reacted to his thoughts! He also discovered that plants were aware of each other, mourned the death of anything, strongly disliked people who killed plants carelessly . . . and fondly remembered and extended their energy out to the people who had grown and tended them. [Further research showed that] plants don't like rock music. When it's played to them, they bend sharply away from the source. Over a long time, it can kill them. But plants do like classical music and jazz. When that music is played to a field of crops, more and heavier grain is produced than in control fields that receive no serenades.” ~Susan Barber, Ma’at Magazine: Truth Becomes Clarity


8. Feel Into the Season

Culturally, we operate on clocks and calendars that are somewhat

arbitrary. The Wise

Woman’s sense of time

is more closely linked to

the “Earth Clock”, the

cycles and rhythms of

the moon, the seasons

and the natural cycle of

the year. As we tune into

this, we reconnect with

our heritage: the earth-

based cultures of our

ancestral grandmothers.

We all have indigenous

roots, whether they were in Africa, Russia, Ireland, North or South

America . . .

The seasons have a powerful way of reflecting women’s inner

experiences. As the plants move through their passages of

sprouting, growth, fruition and death, we can see the reflection of

our own journey through the cycles of birth, growth, death and

rebirth.

Just like the plants, in the wintertime we’re naturally pulled inward

to our roots; in the summer our attention turns outward.

As you watch and are in relation with your plant ally or a particular

tree, notice the ways that your own physical, emotional and

spiritual experiences are mirrored in her seasonal phases.

Acknowledging and celebrating the natural turning points of the

year—the solstices and the equinoxes—can help us re-align

ourselves with these rhythms and to dance with them more

gracefully. As our foremothers did, all around the world.

"Winter’s woman is a still pond, mirroring the world from her calm eyes. Winter’s woman is rooted, coiled, full of potential. There is wisdom in winter. Earth season has its own wisdom, but winter’s includes all. What is invisible in growing times becomes plain in the dry cold of winter. From winter, one can remember spring, summer, fall, can see all their patterns. This is the time when all seems clear. And all seems complete. There is not yet a call to begin again, for beginnings will come soon enough. This is the fallow time. This is the time of rest. When winter comes to a woman's soul, she withdraws into her inner self, her deepest spaces. She refuses all connection, refutes all arguments that she should engage in the world. She may say she is resting, but she is more than resting: She is creating a new universe within herself, examining and breaking old patterns, destroying what should not be revived, feeding in secret what needs to thrive. Winter women are those who bring into the next cycle what should be saved. They are the deep conservators of knowledge and of power. Not for nothing did ancient peoples honor the grandmother. In her calm deliberateness, she winters over truth, she freezes out falseheartedness.” ~ Patricia Monaghan


Connecting with Your Sisters

Societal norms shift very, very slowly. In the last century we’ve seen

tremendous progress in bringing women’s issues out of the

shadows. With strength, perseverance and non-violent resistance to

nearly universal oppression, women are reclaiming our rightful

place as co-creators of a new paradigm of equality. And we still

have a long way to go in a world where violence against women

continues to be both endemic and internalized.

Much of what sustains us through our journey is the profound,

primal connection of women throughout the world in our roles as

daughters, sisters, and mothers—the unwavering nurturers and

protectors of Life. It’s part of our biology; it is our essence. It is the

thread that joins us with every other woman on the planet.

Cultivating a deep, supportive relationship with our sisters of all

ages—and throughout the ages—is key to the Wise Woman

Tradition. We share our stories and our skills, teaching each other,

learning from each other and contributing our gifts to the greater

whole. By embracing and honoring other women, we come to

more fully love and value ourselves.

9. Gather with Women

Coming together with other

women in groups large and small

is nourishing to our spirit. We’ve

done it since the dawn of time—

working side by side in the fields,

tending to the family—the young,

the ill and the elderly. We create

together: cooking, sewing and

weaving. We share secrets, joys

and sorrows. We laugh, cry, sing and dance in community.

Women tend to feel better when surrounded by other women. Part

of the reason is that we have high levels of oxytocin, sometimes

called the “love hormone” which, among other things, is pro-social.

It stimulates relaxation, trust and altruism. Making our relationships

with our sisters a priority in our lives galvanizes a sense of

belonging, providing us with inspiration and strength.

Engaging in women’s rituals, whether they involve gathering in a

sacred circle or simply sitting down for tea and conversation, allows

us to dissolve the internal barriers of competition and separation.

The Red Tent movement, which is gaining popularity all around the

world, offers safe, blessed space for women of all ages and stages

to embrace our commonality. It’s very powerful, indeed.

“Womanist: committed to the survival and wholeness of an entire people…Womanist: loves music. Loves dance. Loves the moon. Loves the spirit. Loves love and food and roundness. Loves struggle. Loves the Folk. Loves herself. Regardless.” ~Alice Walker, In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens

Imagine a woman who values the women in her life. A woman who sits in circles of women. Who is reminded of the truth about herself when she forgets. ~Patricia Lynn Reilly, Imagine a Woman In Love with Herself


10. Read Her-Story

As Winston Churchill said, “history is written by the victors.” This

helps to clarify both the antagonistic contests that create today’s

hierarchies, and the philosophical sub-text of the patriarchal

historical version of “how things

came to be” in the modern world.

In this version, women are, at best,

supporting players in the

development of civilization.

Not so. As feminist writers Casey

Miller and Kate Swift point out,

there’s a tendency to “disappear”

women, neglecting or devaluing

“women’s lives, deeds and

participation in human affairs.” Yet

we all stand on the shoulders of

visionary and courageous women

who have made vital contributions

in virtually every arena from the

sciences and the arts to spirituality and social causes, often while

bearing and raising children.

When we explore the stories of women who have gone before us

and the women who are at the vanguard of social change today,

we recognize the commonalities in our struggles, even as we

celebrate our uniqueness. We can see ourselves as part of a wider

context and, perhaps, find the inspiration to pursue our own

passions in a way that helps to bring the human story forward.

You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? 'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise . . .

Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame I rise Up from a past that's rooted in pain I rise I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.

~Maya Angelou, “Still I Rise”


Connecting with Your Own Body

In our culture today, the separation of mind, body and spirit is

deeply ingrained. We are encouraged to transcend our bodies to

become more spiritual; to connect with a “higher self” that is said

to be superior to our physical existence.

In the Wise Woman Tradition, we embrace the sacred in our

bodies. We acknowledge that women’s wisdom is accessed through

our bodies, both through our intuition/inner knowing and through

our transformative physical experiences, from menstruation to

pregnancy and birth to menopause.

As we move past the illusion of separation and duality, we re-

integrate ourselves, becoming more fully present with the physical,

emotional and spiritual aspects of our being.

We begin to feel whole again.

11. Take a Nap

Tuning into the sensations of

our bodies is one of the first

steps in re-establishing a

connection with ourselves

and, surprisingly, it is

generally discouraged. As we

pay attention to our bodies’ signals, one of the first things many

women notice is a feeling of fatigue and low energy.

Rather than ignoring or covering that feeling with stimulants such

as coffee, caffeine and constant stimulation, the Wise Woman

Tradition focuses on giving our bodies the rest that we need so

that long-term health and healing can truly emerge. Over time,

using caffeine and other stimulants actually decreases our baseline

energy levels and contributes to adrenal exhaustion, which is

endemic in women today.

Women typically need more sleep than men, yet most women

receive far less than we need, due to the multiple demands on our

time and energy. Naps are now known to have a huge array of

benefits, from improving memory and elevating mood, to reducing

stress and lowering blood pressure.

Lying down for even 15 minutes with a cloth over your eyes allows

your body to reach a state of relaxation and your brainwaves to

shift into beta mode. During sleep, we release human growth

hormone, which contributes to your body’s ability to nourish and

strengthen itself. Even if you don’t fall asleep, this rest allows you

to move back into your day replenished, refreshed and restored.

You don’t have to be good. You don’t have to crawl on your knees In the desert for a hundred miles, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body Love what it loves. ~Mary Oliver, “Wild Geese”


12. Nourish Yourself

In the Wise Woman Tradition

we love our bodies, and feed

our bodies healthy, whole

food—rather than looking at

our bodies as dirty, needing to

be “cleansed” or purged of

impurities. Instead of dieting

and fasting (which reinforces an

adversarial relationship with our bodies), we turn our focus to

nourishment. We include a wide range of fresh, wholesome

foods—both cooked and raw, from a variety of plant and animal

sources. And that includes healthy fats.

Yes. Fats. As women, we are culturally conditioned to be afraid

of eating fat. Fats have been demonized in both mainstream

and alternative nutrition, but we need to have healthy fats in

our diet to encourage the smooth functioning of the hormonal

system. Despite the recent low-fat fervor, healthy fats—from

sources such as organic butter, olive oil and coconut oil—are an

essential component of nutrition for women and growing

children.

Healthy fats support the adrenal system, the menstrual cycle and

women in menopausal years; give us concentrated energy and

reduce sweet cravings; and assist in the digestion and

absorption of the minerals and other nutrients in our food, in

turn supporting the hormonal, nervous, and immune systems.

And a well-kept secret is that including healthy fats in our diets

can actually support us in reaching our optimum body weight.

Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, and Eat Fat, Lose Fat, by

Sally Fallon and Mary Enig are wise woman favorites on the

kitchen shelf.

Easy Raw Fudge ~ Delicious and Nutritious!

2 cups coconut oil and/or butter (preferably raw) ¾ cup honey ¾ cup roasted carob (or cocoa) 1 tsp vanilla optional: chocolate extract, and/or walnut pieces Let coconut oil and/or butter sit in a warm place to soften for several hours. Then stir all ingredients together with a spoon or electric beater. Keeps in refrigerator for weeks or more. Eat at room temperature (soft) or from refrigerator (firm). Eat at least a few big spoonfuls of fudge per day to maintain optimum health and receive the essential nutritional benefits of healthy fats that are so lacking in modern diets!


13. Feel the Dark Stuff

The existing cultural paradigm dictates that as women, we

should be happy and cheerful, smile, and tend others’ needs

without complaint. In order to “keep up appearances,” many of

us sublimate “negative” emotions such as grief, anger, pain and

shame. Over time, this can not only deplete our physical and

emotional resources, but also can affect our relationships by

emerging in unexpected—and often confusing—ways. These

feelings are not gone; they’re simply being hidden.

In the Wise Woman Tradition, we

embrace the spiral of both light

and dark. That means, we

recognize the value of these

difficult emotions that point us

towards underlying needs that are

going unmet and issues that are

unresolved.

Giving ourselves the grace and

space for our grief, sorrow and rage is scary for most of us, yet

it has an enormous capacity to guide us both to wholeness in

ourselves and to more genuine relation with others. Underlying

this emotional intensity is our inner wisdom, calling for us to

attend to the shadows that are there within us just below the

surface.

We all have disappointments and losses. We all need to mourn.

So let yourself cry: on the Earth, in your bed, in the bath or in

the arms of a trusted friend. Place one hand on your heart and

one on your belly, surrender and let go.

“For over 20 years as physician, I've witnessed time and again the healing power of tears.

Like the ocean, tears are salt water. Our bodies produce three kinds of tears: reflex, continuous and emotional. Emotional tears have special health benefits. Biochemist and "tear expert" Dr. William Frey at the Ramsey Medical Center in Minneapolis discovered that reflex tears are 98 percent water, whereas emotional tears also contain stress hormones which get excreted from the body through crying [ital added].

After studying the composition of tears, Dr. Frey found that emotional tears shed these hormones and other toxins which accumulate during stress. Additional studies also suggest that crying stimulates the production of endorphins, our body's natural pain killer and "feel-good" hormones. I love to cry. I cry whenever I can. Wish I could more."

~Judith Orloff, Emotional Freedom

“Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge.” ~Audre Lorde


14. Take a Moon Day or a Crone’s Year Away

When we regularly stuff our “negative” emotions—not allowing

ourselves to feel the full range of our experience—they are

often stored in our bodies in a raw, unprocessed state. As

women, we are blessed to have a hormonal system that

supports the release of these pent-up emotions on a monthly

basis through our menstruating years. In our culture, however,

menstruation is often thought of as “the curse”, since it brings

with it certain discomforts.

In the Wise Woman Tradition, the pain many women experience

with their moon time can be seen as a way that our bodies are

calling us back to the moon lodge. In many ancient cultures

around the world, there existed traditions of women gathering

in moon lodges or “red tents” during their bleeding times.

Before the prevalence of electric light, when the pineal gland

was more affected by the light and dark of the moon than it is

today, women often bled simultaneously at the dark of the

moon.

Today, our cycles fall in all different parts of the month, and

may or may not line up with our close sisters, and we often do

not have red tents to take refuge in.

Even without these supports, however, we have the opportunity

to create our own red tent experience by taking a moon day: a

day alone, tending only

ourselves.

Our bodies may be crying

out for this tending through

the pain or intense emotions

we experience during our

bleeding cycles.

Like many women, I used to have such severe menstrual pain

that I was forced to retreat into bed, with the curtains drawn.

What we’ve found is that when we make space for ourselves in

the candlelit bath or in a dark bedroom, we are giving our

“PMS should actually stand for Pre-Menstrual Strength, because that is what it really is: our female power turned in on itself because patriarchal culture fails to nurture and honor women’s reality and women’s gifts.” ~Lara Owen, Her Blood is Gold: Celebrating the Power of Menstruation

“The information received as the menses, begins in the clearest human picture from within the womb of the Great Mystery of the unknown and our future. Among our dreaming peoples, the most prophetic dreams and visions were brought to the people through the Moon Lodge. In other words, the most useful information that can come to us comes from each of you women who use your moon time well”

~Brooke Medicine Eagle, Buffalo Woman Comes Singing


bodies what she is calling for without her needing to create so

much distress in order to receive it.

By proactively taking that time to nourish, rest and restore

ourselves, many women find that, over the course of a year, the

menstrual pain and distress are greatly diminished.

Menopause offers a similar—and usually more intense, I hear—

opportunity for accessing a lifetime of grief or emotional pain,

and this can be overwhelming. Hence, wise women recognize

that menopause is an extremely important time for self-

nurturing. Not just for a day, but for a year.

In a culture that glorifies youth and devalues the wisdom years,

there’s a lot of reclaiming to do. In ancient times, the term

“crone” was one of reverence for elder women. So we start

there.

If you are no longer menstruating, you may consider Susun

Weed’s recommendation in Menopausal Years: The Wise Woman Way, to take a “crone’s year away.” This is a time to

focus intensively on nourishing yourself and taking care of

yourself after decades of focus and attention on others.

The crone’s year away can be in the peak menopausal years,

when hot flashes, physical irregularities, and mood swings storm

through, or it can be later.

Engaging in a cultural or spiritual pilgrimage or finally stepping

back from your career to explore passions you have set aside

can help you to re-align with your internal energy and prepare

you for the next phase of your life.

So, what do we do on a moon day?

We nourish ourselves, such as:

• take a bath • sleep • cook for you • rest in bed • lay outdoors • walk in the woods • journal • daydream


15. You are the Expert on Your Body

The healthcare industry tends to take a “heroic” approach to

wellness and healing, with the doctor as the central authority

figure who will rescue us from our disease.

It’s important to realize that although there are valuable

diagnostic and treatment tools in Western medicine’s body of

knowledge, it is simply one resource of information and

diagnosis. Among many other resources, including Eastern

medicine, energy healing and somatic work that address

emotional-physical connections.

The most important knowledge of all is your immediate and

intuitive understanding of your own body—after all, you live in

it and have the most intimate experience of it. Learning to listen

to your body, acknowledge the signals it gives to you and

articulate them clearly are the most valuable tools available in

terms of your health and healing.

Educating ourselves and trusting our own understanding of our

bodies allows us to engage our health care providers in a more

empowered, cooperative and synergistic manner.

We need not blindly follow doctors’ orders; there are other

perspectives and possibilities. All healers are working from the

point-of-view of their particular body of knowledge, so their

guidance is always filtered through a particular lens. It is up to

you to decide which advice is in accord with your own

experience of your body.

If your doctor’s recommendations resonate for you and you

consciously choose to act on them, move forward. If not, don’t

feel obligated and certainly don’t allow the healthcare system to

dictate to you.

I have at times chosen not to follow doctor’s orders; I made my

choice as respectfully as possible, and at times even signed a

waiver saying I was taking responsibility for this decision.

Through remaining in our own power and developing a

partnership with our health care providers—one in which they

are resources and allies—the best outcomes are often possible.


16. Surround Yourself with Images of Real Women

As a teenager, I absorbed the unrealistic, media-driven message

that, in order to be beautiful, a woman must be stick figure thin,

with a flat belly. Like most young women these days, I struggled

with my relationship with my body and with food. I became

mildly bulimic.

You know what I’m talking about—nearly all the women I know

have experienced an adversarial relationship with their bodies

and their appearance.

Modern society cultivates a sense of inadequacy in women,

barraging us with images of emaciated, photoshopped models

and subliminal advertising messages: we are not enough as we

are . . . we would be happier and more loved if we buy the

products that will change us.

The cost to our self-worth and to our relationship with our

bodies and our nourishment is enormous.

So, how to shift to loving our bodies? One of the most powerful

steps can be to surround ourselves with images of real women

with female-affirming beauty—images that counter the

messages of our society, that reflect your individual beauty. In

your home, your workspace, your car—display goddess images

of female forms; photos of friends, loved ones and of yourself.

Bring in images that resonate with what you love and help your

mind to internalize positive messages about your body, yourself

and womankind.

Turning loving attention to ourselves, with an awareness of what

is being done to us by the media, helps brainwashing become

less powerful. Although it’s an uphill battle, heeding misogynist

messages is a choice that we can reject—knowing that we are,

in fact, perfectly enough, just as we are.

Imagine a woman in love with her own body. A woman who believes her body is enough, just as it is. Who celebrates its rhythms and cycles as an exquisite resource. Imagine a woman who honors the body of the Goddess in her changing body. A woman who celebrates the accumulation of her years and her wisdom. Who refuses to use her life-energy disguising the changes in her body and life. ~Patricia Lynn Reilly, Imagine a Woman


Walk Proud, Beautiful Woman As you continue along the Wise Woman path, you may notice

changes in the way you approach each day.

The deep connection with the plants, the Earth, your sisters and

your own body, colors your approach to even simple and

ordinary tasks. You may notice feeling safer, more grounded in

your own body, your own life, your own sense of source. You

may find that you move more easily and open your heart more

readily—feeling connected will do that!

Trusting your inner knowing and honoring your physical,

emotional and spiritual self brings with it a sense of joy, courage

and curiosity . . . you’ll want more! It’s there for you. Explore the

miraculous bounty of our glorious Earth. Nurture your creativity.

Sing, dance and share with your sisters. Tend to your body with

deep nourishment and embrace yourself with unconditional

love. It’s your birthright.

Walk proud, beautiful woman. You are not alone. You walk in

the footsteps of the grandmothers—of all the Wise Women who

have come before. Listen to their voices when they speak to

you, no matter how softly. Listen. Learn. Love. Shine.

“I see the wise woman. She is old and black and walks with the aid of a beautifully carved stick. She’s the ancient grandmother of us all . . . [she] winks at me and spreads her arms . . . ‘These are the ways of our ancient grandmothers, the ancient ones who still live. These wise women are one with all life as they tread the ever-changing spiral . . . Night is loved for darkness and the stars. Day is loved for light and the sun . . . Our universe includes all; it is “both/and,” not “either/or.” This is the Wise Woman way the world ‘round.’”

~Susun Weed, Healing Wise

2015, corinna wood, southeast wise women

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