Life is so interesting

 Life is so interesting, such an adventure, and so confronting at times. What have I recently confronted? Myself! My habits. My strengths and weaknesses. Dare I say, my vulnerabilities. All balanced with loving friends and family and synchronicity affirming life is grand!

I kept hearing, “Mom, you need to slow down!”  Yes, true.  I tried to retire. Horrible word. So, I began making small batches, instead of a gallon of delicious tinctures. Did not order pounds of herbs, except for the basics. Marshmallow, Slippery Elm, Linden. Jasmine, oh, okay, half of the apothecary is downsized.  During that downsizing of gallon to half gallon jars I had a little drama.  Half-gallon jars sent in massive boxes, bad idea. No additional packing and thin cardboard with heavy jars within. Some broke. Messy. All boxes shimmering with shards so thin. I carefully broke the cartons down, folded and compressed with my then firm biceps, and in my Taproot Threads leggings descended the front steps to the sidewalk, then turned to the recycling. Alas, there was one more step. What an intense bolt of pain. You know, the kind that you felt, but went into shock and just wondered “How badly hurt am I?” splayed out across the asphalt. 

My neighbor walked by on her cell phone, glanced over and kept going. Seconds later the Garbage Collection truck rounded the corner and pulled up right in front of me. Two twinkly eyed men jumped down, hoisted me up, helped me into the house and cleaned up the boxes. Angels. I cleaned out the knee wound; I don’t know how the leggings did not tear.  The other knee hurt but cardboard softened that twisting blow, and my back hurt. Long story short, kneecap was cracked ¾ down, 3 bulging discs and was told not to climb stairs or I would not heal. 

It did not serve me to skip that advice for two and a half years while I had bathroom and wet room construction done on the first floor. Thought I could be a “Home contractor” That means if anything goes wrong you have no one to refund anything. It also means you have no idea about timing of, or even needing demo, electricians, plumbers and tile installers. Or permits and really, having no idea about any of it. I am an herbalist!  Never again. Six-week job done six months later. I can’t talk any more about that. Equal blows of differing types.

This did slow me down. Less walking, dancing and lifting too painful. Stairs really hurt. Various Physical Therapists kept having me do stairs (WHAT!) or weights which triggered more pain.  So down I went to live on the first floor. From my third-floor treehouse with a view of the castle. I moved into what had been workspace for 35 years. Give aways and compacting. Confronting my 76 years. 

I kept hearing, “Please see me, I have stage IV cancer!” How do you say no to that? Like this “I am sorry, I have retired from Practice, you can see Hannah Sparks, or Kim Geisler or any of my Legacy Teachers.” Doesn’t that sound easy?? I still took on three clients before I perfected a gentle “No”.

Teaching in beauty everywhere 

“Margi, how do you travel and teach so much?” Yup, I kept traveling to teach and hold classes upstairs.  I just don’t think I will ever stop teaching. Why haven’t we learned teleportation?!

Legacy Teachers is the training of hand-picked herbalists to learn the subtleties and wisdom of William LeSassier, my teachings, and kudos to David Winston and Matthew Wood’s brilliance tossed in throughout the fascinating journey through the body-mind-spirit of humans. Including the tone of all the stories of our mentors. Heroic effort? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely! As proven by the 2-day Legacy training held in July.  

Legacy Teachers Kelly Benson in the blue dress, Cindy Christ on right wearing her Moon Certificate

Cindy Christ (Following Seasons) was boarding a plane from California to complete all the segments and earn her Legacy Teacher Badge.  I was being driven to the ER with respiratory failure. Short version – Two days in bed coughing, fever, immobilized. Visit to the Nurse practitioner, sent for x-ray of chest- clear. 12 hours later driven to ER and one lung was full, the other filling fast. IVs in both arms, yes, embracing western medicine to the max. Two antibiotics, Prednisone and other inhaled miracle vapors, a big of IV water. 4 nights and days later sent home with prescribed meds and rest for 8 weeks. Bacterial pneumonia. Yup, eighth time I went to the other side. 

The thought that my Mom died at 76 was a continuous thread as I tried to breathe. Having amazing friends visit, share stories, rub my feet with exotic oils- yes, Cali Candia is back in town! Balance Point West. Thank goodness for Polarity therapy mixed with aware massage!

Cindy landed on the East Coast and walked right into my house and successfully, humorously and intelligently taught her last segments as Kelly Benson (Earth Spiral Medicine) taught her first. They videotaped both days and I reviewed a bit at a time when I was able to use my brain again. Am I proud of them? Does training younger herbalists to carry on traditions work? You bet it does. Please, please, please you amazing herbalists, pass on your teachings! It is totally different than teaching classes. It is what is important to you, your intentions. So many of us are here, vital and frisky and then swoosh, gone. 

Unbeknownst to me, Sajah Popham released a book review of The Practicing Herbalist around the time I was hospitalized. Synchronicity. Because of this I had income and still have steady income from book sales.  Eternally grateful Sajah. 

Here is his review if you want to watch

The mind is so interesting. I am not afraid of death. But I do want to complete things before I go off to the Great Beyond. Yes, must sign the Trust papers for my kids, and legally name my book executor. Secrets to be revealed later. The LeSassier books need to be edited and illustrated and out into the world. Is there a Clinical Herbalist/Editor out there? Plus, someone to take on the gathering of Herb Illustrations working with Roy Upton who has generously offered his vast collection. Thanks Roy!!! 

 “Ask for what you really want.”  I need a companion to drive to and from conferences and at them. I have a lovely car or will sit in yours, or will rent a car!

Oh, the grant I applied for was not accepted. I am just paying and getting it done. I owe William for the incredible impact his teaching of the Western Herbal Methods had on my practice and classes taught.  Ah William. 

I will be cutting down on the jobs I accept.  I will rest when tired instead of forging onward until I drop. I will accept help when offered. Humbling and necessary with a huge property, huge home and some limitations.  I am twice the woman I was. Great in so many ways and heavy in others. Literally. Gravity on planet Earth is powerful.  We are all eventually pulled into The Mother as compost. Know that being human is a gift, every bit of it. Tears leak out toxins. Fear and pain allow us to learn to use our minds and muscles to create new patterns. Bonus, older women do not have to lose their libido. I am open to knowing and living unexpected joy!