Graduation

I started working with the plants over 10 years ago. I was in my apartment in Williamsburg Brooklyn buying dried herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs and mixing and matching different tea blends. I started infusing oils and buying plant books. Tried my hand at making my own skincare. Experimenting with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Loving to open the bottom cabinet of the TV console and see my little labeled Mason jars lined up side by side holding the promise of exploration, of healing, of alternative medicine.

Moving out of Brooklyn and into the country 5 years ago, I couldn't believe my eyes - these plants I was ordering online? They were GROWING RIGHT OUTSIDE MY DOOR. IRL!!!! I was overcome with excitement and my luck at finding this spot where all my plant friends already lived. There was mugwort and yarrow and mint and goldenrod and wild thyme?? Thyme grows wild??? Who knew??

I wanted to work with all of them. Make all the potions, all the tinctures, all the infusions. I was giddy in love and couldn't stop. They were all here, why NOT work with them? They were calling. Using the plant ID app on my phone, feverishly watching YouTube videos and reading in my herb books. Trying to get to know each and every one of them. But of course, I couldn't - you could spend a lifetime with one plant and still not know all that plant has to teach you. There is so much depth, so many layers. I was only scratching the surface.

And from that sprang my first business Jenifer Juniper. She was enthusiastic, she was young, she was playful, she was hopeful, she was naive, she was overwhelmed with the plants. Wanting to offer everything to everyone. She had the best intentions and went all in with her whole heart. She set up an online store and hoped that people would find her. She posted to Instagram and shared all of her love for the plants. Everyone needs to know about the plants! All the details, all the facts, all the things.

By chance, and through the help of friends, Jenifer Juniper found her way to a few local stores. I couldn't believe it! And some of my friends and family were/are loyal customers that benefit from the potions in those little blue Boston round bottles.

But about a year ago, I realized two things: 1. I was treating Jenifer Juniper more like a hobby than a business. And I wanted to have a business. I wanted to reach more people. and 2. I had evolved past Jenifer Juniper and so had my relationship with the plants. There is so much more depth that I have uncovered over the past 5 years, so much more that the plants have whispered in my ear. I've deepened certain botanical relationships and distanced myself in others. I've found the offerings I most love to create and the plants that most love to show up. I connect with the plants more directly - more from my heart, and less from my head. Less books, more meditation and listening and experiencing.

I've also changed my life by working with the medicine of the plants. And the energy work - my god, the energy work. What I've learned from Maryam Hasnaa and other teachers around energy work, has literally changed my life - slowly but surely giving me the tools to show up differently in life, and for myself.

So from this, Cosmic Mother is born. She's been a year (or maybe about nine months?) in the making and she's so ready to be out in the world. She's so ready to hold you, to show you the depth and the playfulness and the love that the plants have to offer and what it means to work with Earth and Cosmic energies and come home to yourself. There is more intention and more focus with Cosmic Mother (though I still have a hard time narrowing down the hydrosols that I make available :) and she is a reflection of what has healed me these five years living in close harmony with nature.