In the autumn issue of AROMATIKA, we reviewed a fantastic and visually stunning book from British herbalist Amaia Dadachanji from Wild Apothecary. It is to our delight that in our winter issue we can now feature some of Amaia's thoughts on herbalism, reciprocity and wildcrafting, as she sees a great need in the herbal community to decolonise our mindsets, ways of teaching and practices of listening to all voices. Where to start? As much as we need to start with listening, Amaia guides us with a couple of contemplative questions:
“How do you feel when you lay your body upon the earth? Do you do this? Do you take some time to lay your body upon earth, soil, grass, sand, rock? Do you search the forest canopy with your eyes for falling leaves or scan the river beds for smooth pebbles? Do you smell the wet moss and lichen in the woods or dig your hands in the red ochre or leaf carpets of autumn forest floor? Do you inhale the scent of bluebell or jasmine, rose or myrtle? What are the ways in which you connect with the plants and landscapes around you?”
“How do we walk the life of a herbalist and find reciprocity? I’ve not got all the answers as I, too, live in the stream of a consumerist culture built within the walls of capitalism and patriarchy, but we can start with small steps.”
Read along Amaia’s wise lines in the winter edition of AROMATIKA Magazine, and if you haven't got your copy yet, please subscribe or download it from our shop.
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