Welcome to the Four Queens Apothecary! The support from all of you for this new endeavor has made me feel so warm and grateful. Thank you.
I’ve been getting multiple versions of the same reaction: “The website is beautiful, Jonna Rose! These look so professional! What exactly am I looking at 😂?”
We usually know when we're locked into an unhelpful pattern, right? We wonder whether a person is trustworthy, and after they've betrayed us we see all those red flags we explained away. We hook into this or that new trick to help us "fix" ourselves without really looking at why we self-sabotage or why we think we need to be "fixed" at all. Tarot is a tool for this type of mind mapping, often called shadow work. Folks usually don't "ask the cards" when everything is awesome. We use the card meanings to tell a story of ourselves, nudging our intuition into revealing the truth we've been hiding from.
Sometimes, though, we don't need a reading. We need resolve. If I already know my current struggle is making space for myself or exercising discipline, a reading can't help me do that. The Queen of Pentacles can. She is the nurturer of our physical security - health, wealth, community - and she is the energy I need if I'm building or restoring something. If I am hiding my emotions through compulsive, controlling behavior or drowning in heartache the Queen of Cups has my back. Envisioning her accepting her feelings and then letting them float away reminds ME that this, too, shall pass. The Queen of Swords cuts through the bullshit, and she's who I call when I already know what I need to do but it's hard and it's gonna hurt. I take a deep, steadying breath and I make the cut. Finally, if I want to breathe fire I call on the Queen of Wands. She does not apologize, she does not minimize, and she zaps anybody who crosses her boundaries. Not subtle, but great for confidence.
I've been studying herbs for 7 years, and I meet people over and over who are looking for alteratives and alternatives to traditional medicine. In my home we make elderberry syrup and fire cider during flu season, elixirs to combat cedar fever, and teas for digestion, relaxation, and comfort. I created formulas to help me with my ADHD, my anxiety, and my grief. Herbs work, whether you need an anti-viral, an immune booster, an expectorant, or something for anxiety. Herbal medicine is gentle though, and any herbalist will tell you that you need to also be washing your hands, eating nutritious food, actively looking for ways to decrease stress in your life, and seeking out medical care when a gentle approach is not appropriate. Your intention and your effort increase the medicine's effectiveness.
And so we come to the heart of the Four Queens Apothecary. Four herbal elixirs, formulated with plants that affect positive change in our bodies, inspired by the personalities of the Four Queens in the Tarot. Four elixirs that can be used in conjunction with meditation or visualization but also have tangible effect on our physical state. Four elixirs that can become part of a daily ritual but are also as portable and immediate as a deep breath.
I've met so many people who don't believe in their own magic but are praying to find it somewhere else. What IS magic though, if not using our own intention and energy to create change?
If you're interested in learning more about tarot, herbalism, and creating ritual that is meaningful for you, please subscribe to the blog! Even better, come to a class! Next month I will be teaching the first in a four part series about "Calling on the Queens." I want you to be able to define the Queens in ways you personally relate to, so we will discuss various myths and representations in pop culture, including how these queens might show up in gender fluid and non-anthropomorphic forms. We will learn about the some of herbal allies of these queens, and how to incorporate these herbs into your practice. We're also gonna make things! For our first class, Calling On the Queen of Swords, we will make a tea and a smoke bundle. There will be an alternative for folks who prefer not to work with smoke in their spaces. Join us April 18th from 2-4pm at Earth Commons, located at 813 Springdale. Class is $25 and space is limited. You can signup here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/calling-on-the-queen-of-swords-tickets-92517308761
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