Herbs for Protection.
If we are the sum of our experiences, then how do you protect yourself when you go out into an unpredictable world filled with experiences waiting for you?
Some of you are aware of the happenings in my private life. One being I completed a spiritual herbalism apprenticeship last spring and another was navigating Covid-19 in 2020 within my immediate family which was rather formidable... I am sharing this because during this time I have become more spiritually aware than I have been in decades and now thankfully with the added layer of 𝗴𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 #spirituality that continues to expand my worldview and is truly restoring my connnection to the divine. All of which has been quite crucial during these transitions and "initiations".
Spiritual Awareness.
I’ve endured several seemingly endless traumatic transitions, or as Elder Malidoma Somé calls them "intiations".
I am without shame a Christian, raised as Presbyterian but have been non-denominational since 2001. Over the last decade and a half I’ve endured several seemingly endless traumatic transitions or as Elder Malidoma Somé calls them, "intiations". Somewhere along the way my spiritual self "disconnected" from my body and I was left flailing only to experience brief moments of the grounded young woman I once was.
Over time I learned about several spiritual/ supportive practices some of which were comforting for a time but none that fully fed my spirit. Since then I learned about the practice of herbalism and its many facets beginning with, like for most, its allopathic purposes, but soon after the introduction, I desired more from the practice and began to self-care emotionally with essential oils and sensual baths.
Protected or Bound.
Fast forward. My entire Christian life I was always advised to ask God for spiritual protection but I never understood exactly what it meant. Later the concept of boundaries hit mainstream as a way to shield yourself from undesirable encounters but instinctively that felt different from the concept of spiritual protection and it didnt feel preventative enough.
So what do I do? What feels right? How do I decide whats best?
What Say Spirit.
It started with talking to other spiritual herbalists, spiritualists and community healers, along with attending workshops and applying new modalities into my practice. But that's not all I would need to heal these old traumas and address the triggers and shadows if I really wanted experience the warm embrace of spiritual protection. I needed a plan and divine intervention. And so I began to integrate it all: prayer to God, call on my spirit guides(a.k.a. ancestral altar), reflection and self-study, astrology and tarot, shadow work, and began utilizing different supports that were (in no coincedence) made available to me. So, I incorporated the many different things I needed to feel supported and uplifted such as sensual & spiritual movement, herbal medicine, crystals, intentional foods, writing, rest, meditation, sacred conversations with trusted community, listening to my intuition and more.
What Protection Feels Like
Where is the freedom within the boundaries we create?
For me, this is what true protection looks like. It looks like reclaiming the ground you walk on and the air you breathe. Reclaiming in a way that is nourishing and uplifting to you and unharmful to others. This may seem odd but boundaries don't feel like that to me. Boundaries feel restricting, and not just to what you mean to keep away, it feels isolating. Where is the freedom in the boundaries we create? The protection practices I reflected above creates space for me to exist wholly without restriction. Through those practices I create space for my freedom. I create space for me to saay "YES!" to me instead of others. Not only is it merely protection it was the true meaning of self-care. Boundaries on the other hand have a tendency to not only keep negativity out but also to keep away what we are meant to experience for our development. When put into deep practice boundaries can result innus isolating from ALL experiences not just negative ones. Boundaries are reactive not proactive. That is why we should practice protection instead.
There's a Plant for That
As a Spiritual Herbalist and spiritually sensitve person it has been absolutely paramount to have an herbal armoury for protection. A few accessible herbs I use regularly for this work are:
Raw #Garlic - Antibiotic, immune support. Protection from energy vampires, guards against evil
#Rosemary - Respiratory, immune support, memory support, grounding, cuts negative energy out
Garden #Sage - sore throat, anti-microbial, digestive tonic. Cleansing, purity, centering
#Astragalus- adaptogen, lung tonic, immunomodulant, deeply protective, aura strenghthening
#Rose - PMS, inflammation, sore throat, heart healing, strengthening & protecting, nourishing.
#StingingNettles - deeply nutritive, kidney tonic, stops bleeding, nourished protection, stops gossip
#Turmeric - protection, purification. fortifies strength, clears anger/aggressive energy
#Dandelion - diabetes, anemia, edema, liver congestion, stuck anger, "herb of resilience"
You don't have to go far to acquire the plant support you need. We have a beautiful selection of herbal remedies curated thoughtfully and hand crafted by me. Here are several click hyperlink to go to product page for each.
Garlic can be found in our seasonal offering Ogya Cider (fire cider) & Rebalance Suppository Bolus.
Rosemary can be felt in the Liquid Gold Salve, Heavy Crown Roller, Joe's Ritual Smoke, Clear the Air facial Steam and Womb Ease Goddess V-Steam.
Sage infused products are The Ritual Bath Tea, Make Manifest Mist, Smokeless Smudge Spray, Goddess V-Steams, ExSpell Throat Spray
Astragalus is available as a Simple tincture, Golden adaptogenius Elixir, Power Up Breakfast Powder, TLC GoddessV-Steam
Rose products are Romantic Rose Perfume Oil, Rose la Rose line, The Ritual Bath Tea, Goddess V-Steams, Venus Ritual Smoke , Canna-kick it Lip balm(not listed. email to purchase), Liquid Courage Elixir, ExSpell Mouth Rinse, several herbal teas, milk baths and more.
Stinging Nettles are in most of our herbal tea and V-steams, Nourish Me Capsules, Get Out Foot Powder (not listed. email for purchase), ANTI-Balm , Forever Nourished Tea, Bulk Herb and more.
Turmeric can be found in our signature Moon Milk Powders and Warm Sensations Muscle Rub
Dandelion are in several products such as Reishi Coffee Tea, Simple Tincture, Red Tonic, Womb Well Prenatal Syrup and more.
Most of these plants can be gathered fresh at your local grocery thats why I chose them. Protection as a daily practice is accesible to everyone with these herbs and so I hope you begin to incorporate them or approach them with a new intention so they can fortify you in new ways. What are your protection practices or what do you want to start to practice moving forward? If you feel courageous share your thoughts below, I'd love to know what you plan to do to keep yourself spiritually safe going forward.
This is the first post on this topic but I have alot to say on the many ways we can and the ways I have found most helpful in practicing protection. Remember protection creates freedom to be a whole, unapologetic you so, protect thyself!
Explore our site and learn more through our blog our if you are looking to deepen your practice study with me at the Rite of Wellness Herbal Arts Academy. Learn about the course and sign up for the waitlist.
As always I hope you received what you needed from this post aand remember if you need deeper support you can always book a consultation through my site. I would be honored to guide you on your healing journey healing is most effective and joyful when done in community.
Until next time,
Lea Afia
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