Hello hello, how are you? October, here we go again. We’ve passed the Autumn equinox and are slowly tipping further into the dark moon time of year. I’m attempting to surrender to the releasing and the shedding, but honestly, my brain has been running a thousand miles an hour lately. I have 43 tabs open on my computer, and about 150 more open in my brain. As I endeavor to organize the archives of my mind (and chrome browser), today I’m offering a BRAIN SCAN, a hodge podge of things I’m thinking about, admiring, and interacting with.

BACK TO BASICS

Admittedly, I’ve fallen off many of the rituals and practices that keep me feeling grounded. Daily devotions, like making an herbal overnight infusion, have gone out the window lately. I’m not berating myself for this, but I am taking stock of how I feel without these practices in my life (which is not great). As I remain a curious observer of what else I’m feeling pulled towards during this time, I can feel the whisper of the Earth reminding me to return to her. There are elderberries in the freezer calling to be cooked into syrup, and hops from my grandpa’s garden long dry and ready for tincturing. But before I dive into all that, I’m going back to basics.

In the wise woman tradition, the lineage of herbalism which I studied, all healing begins by flooding the body with nourishment, often through the form of a daily herbal infusion. So that’s where I’m going to start, by making myself a large batch of a delicious autumnal blend. Here’s what I’m plotting:

Internal Sweep 🧹

2 parts fall gold ginkgo 

1.5 parts linden

1 part burdock

1 part rosehips 

To make: Place a couple handfuls  in a quart sized mason jar, fill with hot water, cap, and steep at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Strain the next morning and drink throughout the day.

To me, this blend is perfect for fall. The combination of the gold gingko (mine is from North Sea Apothecary on Lopez Island which feels extra special), linden, and rosehips is slightly sweet and raisinous, while the burdock adds an earthy, bitter note that feels distinctly autumnal. I may even add a pinch of cinnamon or ginger every now and then if I’m feeling really wild. 

Rosehips and burdock are two of my favorite plants to work with this time of year, during the season of the roots, the dying back, the descent of Persephone. In addition to drinking this blend, I’ll also be placing a small amount of it on my altar to honor these energies. 

If you’re interested in learning more about magic, myth, and ritual during the dark moon time of the year, I HIGHLY recommend the class Veil Opener by Liz Migliorelli of Sister Spinster. I’ll be revisiting it in the coming weeks for sure.

POLITICAL PUPPETS

Jake and I enjoyed a live performance by Bread and Puppet Theater last week. It was incredible, and I left the show considering my life’s purpose existentially, a small internal voice whispering—what if it’s been puppets the whole time? Something to think about. But in all seriousness, the work presented was potent. Bread and Puppet has been responding to times of cultural & political crisis through puppetry (and bread) since 1963. I love this quote from founder Peter Schumann:

“We want you to understand that theater is not yet an established form, not the place of commerce you think it is, where you pay to get something. Theater is different. It is more like bread, more like a necessity. Theater is a form of religion. It preaches sermons and builds a self-sufficient ritual. Puppet theater is the theater of all means. Puppets and masks should be played in the street. They are louder than the traffic. They don’t teach problems, but they scream and dance and display life in its clearest terms. Puppet theater is of action rather than dialogue. The action is reduced to the simplest dance-like and specialized gestures. A puppet may be a hand only, or it may be a complicated body of many heads, hands, rods and fabric.

We have two types of puppet shows: good ones and bad ones, but all of them are for good and against evil.”

If you get a chance to see them on tour, don’t miss it. They also sell a lot of radical cheap art that you should purchase for all your loved ones this holiday season.

YEARNING MEDIA

Like every other mentally disturbed 30 year old woman, I watched The Summer I’ve Turned Pretty (these girls do a pretty good job of summing up my thoughts here). Although I can’t vouch for the quality of the show in its entirety, I do think Chris Briney delivered a strong performance as a yearner, something I’m a real sucker for. He clearly studied the yearners' source material—Jess in Gilmore Girls, Laurie in Little Women, Connell in Normal People, Arthur in La Chimera, etc. After viewing, I was inspired to pick up Written on the Body, a sacred yearning text that’s been on my TBR for too long. It is achingly beautiful and I’m loving it. 

WINDOW SHOPPING

An alternate form of yearning media, I suppose? Currently I’m hyper-fixated on the idea of buying a Contax G2 (update: I bought the Contax G2). Other than that, I’m not planning to cop any of these items, but I enjoy admiring. Things that have caught my eye recently include: This scorpion tank, these purple pants, a silver halter, cutie mug, and a red mesh tote. 

EARTH SMELL

A purchase I did make that I have been enjoying is the Vegan Leather Jacket solid perfume stick by Lush. With notes of clove, tonka, and tobacco, it’s warm, earthy, sexy, and very October. It doesn’t have much staying power, but for the short while that the scent lingers, it’s delightful. 

APPLES (eating them)

Raw, baked, juiced, sauced, fermented. I don’t discriminate. It’s apple season. Act like it!!!! 

KITCHARI (eating it)

At my herbalism graduation on Mount Madonna, kitchari was a breakfast option most mornings. Since then I’ve been completely obsessed. Simple, cleansing, and nourishing, it’s a perfect meal that I’m craving constantly. I’m eating a bowl as I write to you now. I haven’t nailed down my recipe yet, so if you have a good one, please send it my way! In a pinch, the Trader Joe’s pouch of kitchari is actually quite good. I like mine topped with raisins, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, and granola for breakfast or cilantro for lunch. 

COOL GIRL AWAKENING

I’m a devout Range member, and my favorite class I took this month was Jitterbug: Cool Girl. I laughed, I cried, I thrashed, I listened to Imogen Heap for the rest of the day. If you’re interested in a dance-ish, pilates-ish, weight training-ish workout that feels like physical poetry and comes with an incredible soundtrack, I cannot recommend Range by Kara Duvall enough.

MESSAGES FROM THE SPIDERS

Been seeing them everywhere. Trying to listen to what they have to tell me. I’ve been working on my rigid heddle loom and knitting, hoping that the spiders see me weaving my own web and know I’m taking them seriously. 

THE C-WORD

Binging this podcast lately. In each episode, Alyssa Bennett and Lena Dunham explore the life of a woman who society has deemed mad, sad, or crazy. My favorites so far have covered Casey Johnson, Lizzie Siddal, Jean Seberg, and Tania Head. 

EMBRACING DUALITY

Eating organic cacao goji bites and hot fries. Listening to Audrey Hobart and Sonic Youth. Making room for all of it.

That’s all for today. I hope this month brings you balance, crispy leaves underfoot, and jack-o-lanterns on the porch (or turnips, if that’s your thing). Thanks for being here.

Until next time,

Xx Anna