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Protected: Wild Ireland Herbal Retreat Documents

November 18, 2021November 18, 2021

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 Ireland Herbal Retreat
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Rachel Jepson Wolf
Ya'll! The summer retreat is nearly full. And also Ya'll! The summer retreat is nearly full. And also my heart. I was so nervous to make this leap, but so many of you felt the same "yes" I did and are coming along! If you've been considering joining me, now would be a great time to sign up (just 4 spots left).
I wanted to tell you about the pricey, tactical, s I wanted to tell you about the pricey, tactical, special equipment you should really buy so you can take up cross country skiing as a hobby. Ready? Here's the list: . . . Just kidding. There is no list. Because the truth is, you don't need anything spendy to get outside and play! Seriously. Nothing. Don't let fancy or new stand in the way of your winter adventures. Or any adventure, for that matter. Beg, borrow, freecycle, or thrift. Every hobby doesn't need to come with a giant pile of new stuff and a debt to match. Many cities (even our small town!) have “buy nothing” groups online where you can post requests. You’d be surprised what folks are happy to give away! (That’s how we cleaned out our basement so quickly last weekend.) My cross country ski gear includes: a set of 1980's waxless skis and boots that I picked up at the thrift store for $15; the long johns I wear every day plus a pair of (thrifted) wool pants (though, yes, I've been known to ski in blue jeans. The heresy!); a shirt, a sweater, and my winter coat. Boom. Done. Go skiing. No fancy wooly-spandex clothes here, (because... why?!), no technical gloves, no $300 shiny skis. Just me and the gear I scrounged up on the cheap. And I couldn't be happier. Indeed, yesterday, after taking off down the trail as the sun slipped behind the hills I couldn’t stop smiling. I was in my bliss, laughing out loud to myself, looking at weasel tracks and beaver chews and the ice on the creek; the sun on the snow and the birds in the trees. And I had nowhere to be but here. So to those with limited means, don't let that stand in your way! Because the magic out there is for everyone. Giant budget not required.
How emotional it was to stand beneath this ancient How emotional it was to stand beneath this ancient oak, possibly 1,000 years old, as it stands guard over this isolated Irish hillside. Rain falling, leaves dancing, we listen to stories about druids and kings, Brehon law and forest ecology; myth and biology; history and spirt. Returning to this sacred tree is one of the things I most look forward to on the Wild Ireland Herbal Retreat this coming July. Six spaces still remain, if you're interested in joining me and wrapping your arms around this 1000-year-old ancient as well. Drop a note below and I'll get you all the details!
In 2013 I wrote a post titled "Simplicity fail: th In 2013 I wrote a post titled "Simplicity fail: there is no after picture". It featured my basement, a nightmare then and straight through 'till last weekend. Well today, my friends, there is, at long last, A FREAKING AFTER PICTURE. Hallelujah. Say it with me: 👏🏻 We 👏🏻 can 👏🏻 do 👏🏻 hard 👏🏻 things 👏🏻. As you may recall, we started with the barn. Then we moved on to our bedroom (which I didn't share). This weekend we tackled the basement. We're CONQUERING this chaos one step at a time, by blocking off three or four days each month to kick it out. What about you? What would you love to scratch off of your list suffocating to-do list this year? Join me by picking just one thing, then see what you can do. I'm rooting for you, friend. Because: You. Can. Do. Hard. Things. We all can. We only need to rediscover our focus, our grit, and our power, then get down to work.
Because life (for so many of us) feels unrelenting Because life (for so many of us) feels unrelentingly hard right now; because we have so much uncertainty in our days; because our minds and hearts won't stop racing and fretting and grieving and aching; because we carry so much. I offer you this: a few sweet pictures of my kid, my Lupine, my amanita: simply because. Because she helps me remember what it means to be alive. Because: art and expression and making and PLAY! Because: magic and mushrooms and freshly falling snow. Because: JOY. Friends, There really is beauty out there in the world, and joy and laughter and light and honest to goodness magic. Keep searching for it, and–more importantly–keep making it with your own two hands. We are the magic makers. If only we remember.
Solstice is a time of stillness, reflection, + loo Solstice is a time of stillness, reflection, + looking to tomorrow. I used to get hung up trying to spin a perfect holiday for my kids. Candle dipping + a bonfire, special foods + gifts from the Solstice Elves. Today that need has dissolved, shifting into something altogether different. Instead of exhausting myself in pursuit of perfect childhood magic, I’m meeting my kids (and Pete + myself) exactly where they are, + savoring these new experiences. Last Solstice felt like a portal as we crossed from childhood magic into young adulthood. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where I fit into anyone’s life anymore. There was grief in that transition + the feeling of being adrift between worlds. I was unmoored in the space between mom of kids + mom of adults, and as the primary magic-maker and traditions-keeper in our family I wasn’t sure of my role anymore. There’s so much I could say about this—about the imbalance we build into our families, about the pitfalls of perfectionism, about the impossible quest to create a perfect childhood, but that’s not for a conversation for today. We’ll save that unpacking for another time. Instead, I want to talk about what I discovered out the other side. Because this Solstice feels altogether different. Relaxed + free of expectation. We celebrated two days early because of Sage’s work schedule. Instead of a week away, we managed just a few days. But we carved out time for our favorite traditions, and let others the fall aside. It was freeing. I savored my favorite parts of Solstice without any attachment or expectation that others would want to join me. So when they did it was that much sweeter. We added new + delightful experiences, like a sunset walk through an old growth hemlock + pine forest. And we played video games together on the couch after dinner. Because why not? Laughing uproariously with my teens while we had a Tetris showdown or two-player CrossyRoad race was exactly what I needed this year. Because kids grow, + our traditions + needs with them. I’d much rather adapt + flow than get stuck in grief, longing for what once was. Happy Solstice, loves. May you find magic + freedom in the most unexpected places.
Just a gentle reminder that your busy, overwhelmin Just a gentle reminder that your busy, overwhelming life is as worthwhile as another’s slow and mindful existence. Your dirty and tired vinyl floor piled with shoes for little feet are as useful as someone else’s scrubbed and gleaming tiles. And that kitchen, heaped with dishes means that bellies were filled, and a meal was shared, while a sparse and polished countertop means that there is a place of calm in a hectic world. Neither is better; neither is worse. We each have our own ways through which we navigate the world. None are perfect, all are flawed, yet all of us are worthy. Comparing your life or your value to the seeming perfection you perceive in others is nothing more than a trap designed to devour your joy. Because all of us struggle—and all of us shine. And no one is perfect. We just have different ways we’re wired, and different circumstances that we must navigate. That perfection we imagine? It’s only a mirage. It’s just that it’s easier to see the goodness in others when viewed from a distance than in ourselves when examined beneath the harsh and magnifying light of self-doubt. Now more than ever. Please. Give yourself space to be in this world–in your very own messy, imperfect, and authentic way. Because there's enough pressure on you right now without you layering on more. I see you, friend. You are worth the space you occupy and then some. You are love and determination, strength and courage. You are beautiful.
“Are you Santa Claus?” The question surprised “Are you Santa Claus?” The question surprised me, though I had been waiting for it for years. Are you Santa? The Easter Bunny? And all of the rest? The truth is, I was dreading that question. I did not come easily to the idea of a magical childhood. Precisely because I knew I would someday have to answer The Question. When Sage was a baby, magic felt like a lie. And I wouldn’t lie to my kids. No Santa. No Bunny. No magic. I wanted to be honest with my children. Always and completely. No exceptions. But then, as a young mother, a friend convinced me that magic served a very important role in childhood. That the very nature of childhood is magical, and that magic is where young children should dwell. Magic sets the young imagination ablaze with possibility. Magic creates comfort in an overwhelming world. Magic makes adult concepts digestible to a young developing mind. Magic makes the unseen possible. And the more I sat with this idea during Sage’s early days, the more I began to agree. Magic stopped feeling like a lie, and more like, well, magic. The decision was cautiously made. We’d give it a try. We would invite magic into our home. My reservations quickly faded as I saw the awe in my child’s eyes when something magical happened. Even fireflies became magical to him. “Look, mama! There are stars and fairies all over in the forest!” Within a moment I knew that we had found a good fit for our family. And in our home anyway, childhood became a magical experience. There was magic everywhere! Standard issue magic folk and playful new creations. Santa, the Tooth Fairy, Saint Nick, and the Easter Bunny. Also the Rhyme Elves, Pumpkin Fairy, and Solstice Elves. We were rich with fairy folk. And I waited for The Question. Finally, it came. "Are you Santa Claus?" It was said with curiosity but not anxiety. Simply. Plainly. I took my child by the hand and we found a quiet place to sit and talk. And with my arms wrapped around this growing spirit, this is what I said: (read the rest through the link in my bio).
Just six spots remain in the Ireland Herbal Retrea Just six spots remain in the Ireland Herbal Retreat 2022. Six! That happened faster than my wildest dreams. If you're interested, don't wait. Drop me an email today and I'll happily answer your myriad of questions. Photo: weathered stone wall, stone home ruins, and green pasture hillsides. Photo:
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