True Majick: The Tanuki

So, you ever have one of those days when the universe seems so amazingly in line and everything happens with such asynchronism that you almost can't believe it? Well, that is what happened to me on Wednesday.

We had an amazing Gynecology class where we learned all about abortion...surgical, pharmacological, and just a bit about herbal, although our Gyn teacher Ellie doesn't really recommend herbal abortions, since they are basically walking the fine line between killing the fetus without poisoning yourself. She says a person attempting an herbal abortion should not be in denial about this at all, should have a surgical or pharmacological abortion already scheduled in case the herbal abortion doesn't work (they often don't,) and a friend close by during the whole herbal abortion in case the woman becomes poisoned. So anyway, that was all very interesting, because I've heard various stories about herbal abortions; but whenever I talk to a real herbalist worth her salt about them, she usually says something along those lines.

Anyway, at our cohort that day (cohort is this amazing time at our school where we share about how we are feeling and what is going on in our lives,) Mirra shared that she had learned that you can use Frankincense essential oil as a foot rub, to bring on labor in a lady who is due and all ready to give birth, only for some reason hasn't gone into labor yet. They've begun incorporating this into what they do at the birth center Mirra works at, with good results. I remember hearing that one of the reasons that one of the wise men in that biblical story of Jesus' birth brought Frankincense was because Frankincense is traditionally a birth-herb in the middle east, and of course the wise men, not being in the days of the internet and cell phones, didn't know if Mary had actually given birth yet or not, so they brought things that could be helpful in a birth.

Then, I went to Penny's herb class and learned about nervines mostly; herbs that are settling to the nerves. She had us try some teas and decoctants she'd made: lemonbalm, willowbark and oatstraw. By the end of class, everyone was nodding off...it was a very peaceful, B-vitamin infused class. Penny seems to be a big fan of calming herbs...which is good, since that seems to be what I need these days. The class before, we talked about herbs such as rosemary, St. John's Wort and Hawthorne, all of which also seem to have very calming, grounding effects. Lemon balm to me is especially interesting, since it seems to energize and calm me all at the same time, as does licorice root.

I was nodding off on the bus ride home; I'd drank so much of Penny's lemonbalm tea in particular, I could barely keep my eyes open. But a boy got on the bus and sat next to me with a backpack on that had a squirrel tail and bunches of different herbs swinging from his backpack, so I perked myself up so I could talk to him. He said he was a shaman/herbalist and began, amazingly enough, to recap all of the lessons I'd had earlier that day; he talked about lemonbalm, rosemary, frankincense, licorice root (with brandy, which I must try), cedar, and lavender. I thought it was pretty amazing that he was pretty much recapping all the herbs I'd learned about that day...he said it seemed obvious that they where "my herbs," meaning the herbs I needed to be using/taking at this moment in my life. I know that calming herbs are really essential for me; I tend to be a very high-strung, anxious person, especially when the circumstances of my life are the way they are right now.

When I got off the bus, I ran into a group of raccoon out scouting the neighborhood for food. "Tanuki!" I yelled. (My friend Wood and I have been talking a lot lately about the Japanese shape-shifter Tanuki, the raccoon-dog who turns into a human and back again, the defender of the forest and wild places, the Japanese version of the Trickster. "Tanuki you are welcome in our neighborhood....you may eat anything you like...you are welcome here!" Amazingly enough, one of the raccoons stopped dead in his tracks, sat down on his butt, and looked straight at me, obviously listening. I repeated myself. "We like you in this neighborhood...you are welcome to eat anything you find...you are welcome here Tanuki." The raccoon stared at me a little longer, them scampered off, obviously satisfied with the message he'd been given.

Talking to raccoons might sound crazy, but the more you talk to trees, plants, herbs, animals, and crazy-looking people on the bus, the closer you feel to these beings, and the more intuitive you become.

Also, there is a theory going around among the rewilder kids in Portland that the raccoons here are plotting to take down civilization...and who is to say Tanuki isn't on the move?

Love ya,
Carrot