‘Tis the Season for Reflection

‘Tis the Season for Reflection

by | Dec 19, 2017 | Antler Alchemy

Tis the season for Reflection.

I find this time of the year for me to be extremely reflective as I gear up for my birthday on December 29th. I am not sure if you feel this way, but maybe some do, the past couple of months have been quite intense, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and in all ways. I personally have been in reflection since the beginning of November preparing like one of my spirit animals, the bear, to hibernate and I am reminded of my dream of the bear swallowing me whole and the attributes of bear medicine.

Bear is known as an herbalist, believe it or not, since many native cultures studied the bear and watched how they use herbs to heal themselves. Therefore, bear is focused on dreams, the energy of the west, the introspection period of reflection on the year, ending of cycles, and good ‘ole hibernation.

The past three months found me in Southern Oregon harnessing the energy of the west coast as the bears creep quietly throughout the landscape preparing for the coming hibernation. Digging up hidden roots in my soul for exposure, food, and digesting over the winter months. An herb that is close to my heart that can be found in the west is Osha Root (Ligusticum porteri) also known as Bear Root or Chuchupate (an ancient term in Aztec meaning Bear Medicine) in Mexico. This plant is grown in the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico above 7,000ft and is very treasured, as it can’t be domesticated easily and loves the wild. Just as my heart urns for the wild life, having this plant as an ally brings me closer to the wild every time I use it. I have had the pleasure of using it on West rounds in some sweat lodges. I have had elders give it in root form to chew on or burned on the stones to open the lungs and make it easier to breathe in the sweat.


Osha root is a wonderful remedy for the lungs, respiratory conditions, flu, sore throat, and illness’s stemming from sinuses. Seems to be perfect for this time of year as winter creeps around the corner and brings flu’s, bronchitis, pneumonia, and strep throat. I personally always have an affinity for diseases that stem from respiratory conditions and sore throats; this is one of my favorite herbs for combating these illnesses.

Another reflection of the Bear and this time of year, is the darkest night of the year is upon us on the Northern Hemisphere. This day is called winter solstice. From December 22nd on the light increases each day preparing for spring, which is when the bear re-enters the world after hibernating in the den, giving birth to young, and preparing them for the next season. Just as during this time I go within to give birth to new projects for the next year.

Gratitude is my Attitude

Gratitude is my Attitude

by | Oct 21, 2017 | Antler Alchemy, Mother Earth, Mystical, Sacred Space

Gratitude is my attitude.

At this moment in life the weather is changing and metamorphosis is happening all around us. The trees, plants, water, and the earth echo the changes that happen within our hearts.  Letting go, allowing the death to creep in through dormancy into the heart of the mother earth. Returning to the deep soil for reflection and preparing for winter to take us into the time of slow movement, rest, creativity, and focus inward.

As life shifts all around us and many demanding thoughts come in from the media bombarding our sense of peace and connection to what matters, I only know how to bow in gratitude for being surrounded by those such as you who make my life better every day.

In this moment I only have gratitude for every day that I arise on this earth to live my passion. It was not always this way for me, and I remember writing the poem below in 2012 during a time when I was ready to make the ever-pressing change the earth and my heart desired.  After two years of healing and education in herbal medicine with plants, I left my job in 2014 after an autumn of releasing and letting go of all that was causing me turmoil and pain. Heading into my passion of being an herbalist, yoga teacher, and answering the call to helping others in the crossroads of their life through the modalities I have and continue to learn.

For the past three years, I have been gifted support from my family, friends, and most importantly the plants. I am so appreciative of the continued opportunities to serve my purpose offering herbal consultations, creating wild crafted herbal medicines, teaching and learning yoga under the Dharma lineage, releasing blockages from those who work with me, learning music, healing with many different plants, integration sessions of plant medicines, traveling creating community, and most importantly serving my home community of DC.

Today, with all that is going on in the world, I want to write to let you know that I love you! I am so appreciative to have this family to share my gratitude for the plants. I am finding so much solace in morning herbal teas, sacred meditations with plants, walks in the mountains, and the changing colors of autumn.

Autumn Metamorphosis
by: April Rameé

Leaves change and fall
Hearts break and split
People lose hope
As the weather turns from sunshine to rain
Those we love break down and die
With the autumn changes
Tears flow and memories of summer fade
The bittersweet beauty of autumn
Rings hard in the collective unconsciousness
Calling us to reflection
Cementing truths unbreakable
Impermanence rains supreme
Bow down to nature
For no matter where you are
Concrete jungle to remote landscapes
You are one with Mother Earth

Read full poem post from 2012 here

Bowing in gratitude,
April Rameé
Warrior of the Light & Founder of Antler Alchemy

Aster Dreams

Aster Dreams

by | Sep 12, 2017 | Antler Alchemy, Mother Earth, Travel

In the after glow of Burning Man, Pedro and I are continuing our travels in a slow methodical way. We spent two days in Lake Tahoe in Kings Beach area, our favorite place of Tahoe and then discovered a sweet little town on the North Yuba River where we camped a couple miles north of right on the river. Allowing the constant movement of the water to cascade over our thoughts, replenish our bodies, and the connection with Gaia to fuel our soul. Days spent lazily on the river rocks slabbing and enjoying the juxtaposition of warmth of the sun and cold of the river.

How could anything be more enticing? All along the way the mountain asters sway in the breeze enticing me to the areas that we stayed. Aster has been my plant ally since it came to me in a dream in May. The essence of the plant has been working with me through my dreams and it is so wonderful to see it blooming, taste it, and create a flower essence of the plant while in the Rocky Mountain National Park. I feel it has connected me with my soul in a deeper way, created ease in work, and created a bridge between DC and where my travels take me.

Aster was used by Native American tribes to burn the flowers and leaves in Inipi (sweat lodge) Ceremonies, to revive the unconscious, to treat mental illness, nosebleeds, headaches, congestion, for smudging and as an additive to smoking blends. The dried blossoms were also snuffed for similar purposes, or the vapor inhaled as a steam. Aster tea was used to treat earache, relive gas pains, stomach aches & fevers. The flowers and the roots were both commonly used. An aromatic nervine in most cases preferred over valerian.  “http://www.herbcraft.org/aster.html”

As a flower essence Aster is for those whose hard-working efforts create the feeling that they are isolated and that progress is small and difficult, this flower essence changes the feeling of pursuing a goal to feeling as if you are drawn to it. This is the essence of choice for performance anxieties. It seemed to me that the Aster awakened a core part of the spiritual identity, the ability to be true to oneself, and in turn to radiate that truth as a form of love and higher consciousness to others. The Aster seems to quicken the events happening in one’s life in the physical world while bridging to other spiritual dimensions. It is as though the seemingly disconnected threads of one’s life become more vibrant and reconnect to form a larger whole. “http://www.flowersociety.org/WishUponAster.htm”

Now we are in Mt. Shasta area sleeping on the mountain under the stars with the tent open. The large pines stand over top of us as silent giants in the sunset. There is not much to say other than I am so blessed to be on the road, dipping into the creative part of my soul, connecting with plants, my partner, and my true soul.

As I lay here I am unable to go to sleep and this message comes to me. One that I have always had before, but been afraid to share. I think it comes from the mtn. and aster…

I think oh this would be a good blog post but something stops me. Why share? So I wonder sometimes what is the point of sharing in this “ego driven” minefields of personal opinions. Then I wonder where that negativity and judging comes from. Those who want to put down the age we are in? Am I trying to be a guru or famous?  No. I am sharing opinions because at some point in life I wanted to be a writer. Or all the encouragement from others to write a novel about my life is kicking in. Or I am up late pontificating about life with no one to direct my thoughts to. What better way than to share in the current moment? Most importantly it is a challenge for myself to step out of my comfort zone and be intimate with the world around me and engage in the current paradigm. Hopefully, to add a field of mines that explode joy and a glimmer of truth that you are supported. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS for that is a true challenge and hard work. They come easy but not as you expect easy and light to appear. It comes with dedication and hard work but not the hard work that makes you cringe like being at the job you despise. The type of hard work that is grimy, dirty, and full of wonderment so when you look back and you can say “wow i did that somehow!!” That is the moment you realize the impossible happened with ease and grace. When you realize only the divine could have stepped in and became your tool within the trenches of determination for a dream to be realized. That is when others ask you how did you do it and you can only respond with joy, wonderment, and encouragement for them to follow their dream. For life is a path, we all walk it, sometimes alone, sometimes in joy, many times in challenges, but we can choose which road we want to experience the hardships of life…one towards your dream, or lost in the abyss so easily fed to you at this time. The choice is yours. Both are hard and both are easy. But you have heard this all before…SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? 

Dreaming with Aster,
April Rameé
Warrior of the Light & Founder of Antler Alchemy

Solar Purification

Solar Purification

by | Aug 28, 2017 | Antler Alchemy, Mystical, Travel

Last time I wrote, I was off to travel through Upstate NY to complete vision quest and see my family. The journey was very difficult and amazing at the same time. The second year of vision quest, no eating or drinking water for four days, was a challenge. I felt my body burning away old thoughts, karmas, and emotions physically. There was no sense of comfort as my pain overtook every inch of my body, a complete 180 degrees from the previous year where it was so easy. Each year is a different gate of the four directions and an element following the healing of the medicine wheel. The first year is East or air, second year is South or Fire, third year is west or water, and the fourth year is North or earth.

Fire represents purification for the body, spirit, and soul. I felt this purification as my body, spirit, and emotions were greatly challenged. However, the vision delivered itself in the early evening before the last day. I am not able to discuss the vision, as it is important to hold this information close to ones heart and soul to honor the sacred creative process.

I returned home and got to work immediately on the next adventure….SOLAR ECLIPSE AND BURNING MAN!As with most things in life, I thought it would take me way less time than it really did, causing me to not write for more than a month! However, I am back! Here to continue to prove to myself that I have all the tools to travel, work, and stay connected in a good way.

The adventure begins at 12:30am on August 21, 2017! We drive non-stop, taking turns sleeping and driving as we head towards Kentucky. The plan is Hopkinsville for the full solar eclipse, which there is 2min and 40seconds of darkness. As spirit would have it though we ended up in Bowling Green, KY with no solar eclipse glasses but a kind stranger gave us two pairs and we were in the most beautiful park, crystals laid out and the purification of the solar eclipse begins. I have never in my life seen such a beautiful site! Pedro took amazing photos of the total solar eclipse. I can’t help but draw the correlation between the fire sit of vision quest, the total solar eclipse, and my 33rd year all as a way of purifying my spirit for the next part of my life where the visions are guiding my work.

Purified by the Sun,
April Rameé
Warrior of the Light & Founder of Antler Alchemy

 

Vision of Sacred Seeds

by | Jul 17, 2017 | Antler Alchemy, Ceremony, Mystical, Poetry

I go off today to embark upon my second year of a vision quest. I go with the intention to commune with mother earth more, to test my spirit, and receive knowledge while being immersed in awareness and out of those moments come the visions. Am I a quester because I am searching?

I like to think I am a quester to align myself with the divine by offering my spirit through an exchange of the greatest value..my time and full attention. Therefore, I am not searching, for I already am, but I am humble enough to know there is more to discover within.

I have sacred seeds planted at this moment to offer the world. I am at a phase where they have come up and like the pre-bloom of the echinacea below, they are beginning to turn into flowers.

Photo by: Pedro Gil Rosas

APRIL…WHAT IS A VISION QUEST?

A vision quest can be lead in many different styles and traditions. In this particular vision quest I am going up on the mountain to be within a small space on earth without food or water for four days and nights. This is an intense rights of passage. However, I do not feel the lack of food or water as one might think. In fact after a couple of days I do not desire anything. I will say that last year one of the most challenging aspects was all the time and sitting with myself.

Would sitting there for 4 days.. 24 hours available for you to contemplate all of life be challenging? It is rewarding but challenging.

In the end a vision quest is a time spent away from everything where one is able to receive knowledge and messages from their higher self, or god if you will. I plan on asking for more guidance on my next offering of Plant Meditation Integration Consultations. The offering combines my knowledge of herbs, access bars, sound healing, yoga, pranayama, and the past two years of experience in integration of the realities of plant medicine to the realities of our world.

At this time I see many people diving into the wonderful world of plant medicines and the integration period is one of the most important aspects of this work. How does one have the realities uncovered be reflected in your day to day world? I aim to offer grounded guidance, tools, and therapies to help you walk your talk, ground you into your truths, a ear to listen to revelations, and the encouragement necessary to step into your dreams. 

In the spirit of vision quest, I will be unreachable from July 17th-July 26th and will be slow to respond to emails until August 1st as I am going to spend some extra time integrating and my first family vacation in 15 years!

In our tradition we do not speak of our visions as there is power in keeping them sacred and to yourself, but I do hope to unleash the new offering when I return home full of vigor and guidance.

If being grounded and guided with tools to integrate from Plant Medicine or begin your journey with Western Herbs is an interest,  please respond to this email to begin the discussion.

From your deer vision quester,

April Rameé
Warrior of the Light & Founder of Antler Alchemy

Photo by: Pedro Gil Rosas

Untitled Poem
By: April Rameé

Psychic transmissions through telepathic means.
Sound carries through wind and heals where words have hurt.
Traumas released and carried into the waves of the sea.
Soft petals caress the wounded body by the hands of spirit,
chosen by sacred souls on the path of love.
Reverse prayer, reverse age, reverse fear.
Walking deep into the quest, I will return soon, but never left.

 

The Magic Reishi Mushroom

The Magic Reishi Mushroom

by | Jun 30, 2017 | Antler Alchemy, Mother Earth, Plants, Travel

Driving up the coast of the Pacific Northwest we venture off into Washington state by way of the mountains, with one goal in mind…take the ferry to Orcas Island! The ferry ride was amazing with binoculars looking out I see the vast expanse of the Pacific Northwest. On the ferry we made plans to find an Eagle Feather, have a private sound healing with Tom Kenyon (which didn’t happen but we drove around hoping to find his abode 😉 and overall seeing the magical forests of this land we have only heard about but never visited.

Photo by Pedro Gil Rosas

Arriving onto the island is like stepping into a pristine old cedar forest, the trees are humming and the forest is alive with fairies and magical beings. On our way to a hike in the forest a large bald Eagle flies right over our car so close I could almost put my hand out and touch the wings. The majestic being graced our time on the island.Deep in the forest I give thanks for being there by playing the flute and of course find my way off the path, but not stepping on any special plants, I see a large shelfmushroom waiting there to be harvested! I sat with the dead tree and themushroom, playing music and asking if it is okay if I can harvest the mushroom. I am granted with a yes!

The picture with the mushroom and the flute above is the large beauty I was able to bring home to create into this special medicine I have to offer.

Before I left I was able to sit at the base of the largest cedar tree I have ever seen on a perfect throne created by a fallen sister cedar tree. In this space I looked up and gave thanks for all that the Earth offers in so much abundance. There is so much abundance in the Earth and I personally think that those in power want to make us think there is a lack, but if you really walk this Earth you will see only abundance.

Photo by Pedro Gil Rosas

NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT REISHI MUSHROOM MAGIC!!! What is it good for?

Reishi Mushroom is great for longevity and is known as the king of mushrooms in the east. This is accomplished by boosting the health of the immune system and preventing certain abnormal blood vessel formations. Certain antioxidant properties of other organic compounds in reishi mushrooms neutralize free radicals, which can cause chronic diseases and premature aging. Reishi mushrooms have the ability to prevent cancerous tumor growth by the active ingredients can seek out and neutralize cancerous cells within the body. Reduces inflammation, heals headaches, asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic respiratory conditions.Reishi mushrooms have been proven to improve the efficiency of blood flow to the heart and lower blood pressure and certain elements of reishi mushroom can reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in your system, further protecting you from strokes and heart attacks.

In addition to lengthening life, traditional medicine also suggested reishi for energy-boosting. As we age, our energy levels do tend to drop, but adding a boost of life and spirit in our golden years would be wonderful. Try reishi mushroom extract and see for yourself!

SO HOW DID I PREPARE THE TINCTURE?!?!

On the solar eclipse in 2017 I prepared the mushroom to sit in the 190proof organic sugar cane alcohol to pull out the constituents of medicine of the plant that is soluble within alcohol. After sitting for four months, receiving prayers and daily shakes, the medicine was pressed on the Full Moon on June 9, 2017. Then I spent all day on the full moon cooking the mushrooms in water to pull out the water soluble polysaccharides and other delicious medicinal constituents. Then they were combined to make this beautiful double extracted medicine.

Check out the picture below, at the 1/2oz and 2oz bottle sizes for sale in the store online today! 

In your humble service,

April Rameé
Founder of Antler Alchemy