Welcome to Medicine Stories.
These stories birthed in the city of Paris though their seed of conception was planted long ago through a conversation between travellers in Southern Goa, India.
Fast forward to early March I found myself in an apothecary in Paris having beautiful conversation with the resident herbalist there who had designed the space. Our conversations varied between the women and people that came through in each moment; creating a homely, communal affair as we would share stories and tea, together.
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Paris, Uimnhir 1
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Our first medicine story was as always a very collaborative effort, as our first interview took place with herbalist Lina from the Herborisa, in Le Marais in the centre of Paris. Recorded on an iphone this story is largely in French and translated on the spot by my dear sister and friend Sophie Laurent speaking to the real essence of the medicine space and the medicine stories: the web that weaves us all together: nature, wisdom, language, tradition and how we all hold stories and medicine in our hearts and in our roots. We really love that this first story had been recorded in such a simple human way, as many of us are used to edited, and perfected media, this one is rew, vulnerable open and human.
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Some key and beautiful messages from our first story:
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Herbalist Lina speaks of the curiosity and subsequent courage that often guides people into the shop, and how after taking the plant medicine and witnessing the results they have a reconnection that supports their dropping in; strengthening that innate synapse between them and nature once again..
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The plants have unconditional care and love for us, even when we have not shown them the same, they patiently await our return.
Lina speaks of her seeing a rise in interest and consciousness of learning how we can heal ourselves and in many ways maybe more aptly put, as a returning,
A connection to our roots nourishes us, and supports us to have more sovereignty and autonomy.
That herbalism is a way to reconnect to this Savoir faire, to this skill that was in our hands in the beginning
Savoir etre - this way to be, a way of being where we can reconnect to this way, of health and of healing ourselves once again, of connection and unity.
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The French word Gratuit means free and is the root of the word gratitude.
Gratitude
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Communion de humanité
The plants are here to teach us how to live in community they act the same
No matter who we are what we think they act on our core essence and take us back to this core essence of being human.
A vector of communion, unity, community
I hope you enjoy this story and that it inspires you or reminds you of some of these beautiful human ways we all are a part of.. A seed that has been awaiting patiently in my humble iphone notes since the beginning of winter (Samhain time) 2018.
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Thank you Lina, and thank you Sophie for being the bridge to make this conversation possible and adding your intrinsic beauty to it also.
Medicine in this context meaning
Taking care of ourselves and the land as from this view we see no difference
‘Nature and the plants love us no matter what’
Its an unconditional love.