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​ Newsletter ​May 2024

Gypsy in the Mountains

Two years ago, I was spending my last summer in Chicago confidently planning my greatest adventure yet - heading to Dominican Republic for some time to become a digital nomad with hopes of serendipitously connecting with the wisdom keepers of the land and learning as much as I could from their relationship to the earth.

My Eat, Pray, Love fantasy took a major detour when the Universe said skrrttttt and hit me with a re-route I never saw coming. Had I know then what I know now, I would have surrendered to life a whole lot sooner. The more I tried to control what was unraveling in my life, the more resistance I was unconsciously creating which kept me in a constant state of stagnancy. Shit was rough!

Last Friday, I spent the morning picking fresh strawberries for breakfast with my neighbor. I never imagined that Gypsy in the City would one day be in her Gypsy in the Mountains era, but one thing I know for sure is that when you finally release your idea of what life is supposed to look like and trust that Spirit knows the desires of your heart, you will be gooped and gagged over the miraculous new timelines you find yourself in.

"Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down..."

In this month's newsletter:

• Navigating detours and re-routes
• Herbalism Apprenticeship Updates
• Herbal Medicine Making
• Are you interested in joining me to be an herbalist for the day?
• And more...

You Asked For Change, Well Here It Is

The last two years of my life came with lots of uncertainty and changes. If you are navigating similar terrain, this message is for you. The biggest takeaway I learned from this initiation period was...

When life is dragging us like a rag doll, it's an invitation to pause, look inward, and rewrite the story we're telling ourselves and others about this challenging moment. In those trying times, we must look for higher perspective and fearlessly ask ourselves:

• Am I truly embodying the person I am continually striving to become, or am I giving into fear's limiting narratives of who I think I am?
• Can I remain anchored in my truest, most authentic self when the world seems stacked against me - when I'm emotionally drained, physically depleted, and facing financial hardship?
• Do I have the spiritual strength to trust that every experience serves my highest good, even when it doesn't feel that way?
• Will I have the courage to lean wholeheartedly into my spiritual practices and rituals, surrendering to the process with unwavering faith, no matter how scary the circumstances might present themselves to be?
• Do I believe in miracles?

In these rag doll moments, we get to choose: Will we resort to our factory settings and repeat the same lessons and patterns? Or will we honor this as an initiation - a divine opportunity to reprogram and rebirth ourselves whole and new, jumping into new timelines aligned with our deepest power and highest selves?

Vecina, stay curious and commit to your unfolding.

Don’t resist the journey in the name of comfort.

Lean into your fears and growth edge. Befriend your shadows.

If you feel uncertain as to what's next know that as you start to walk the path, the path will appear.

Trust me on this.

Have faith that you are being rerouted back to the plans your soul made in this lifetime.

Breathe deeply, push forward and allow the darkness of the cosmic womb to birth your metamorphosis.

🦋

Herbalism Apprenticeship Updates

I'm halfway through my program, and learning sooo much! While it's a lot of information to retain, I was so hype to catch my own progress and growth through a recent conversation.

Someone was telling me about their anxiety and how their nervous system needed grounding. Intuitively, I knew the perfect herbal tincture formulation to recommend. I even mentally recalled details about the main herb's qualities (heyyy Motherwort) that would provide them with major support. I felt so proud of myself!

Additionally, I was recently speaking with a client who is in in the middle of moving. I recommended an herbal tea and honey combination to support her during this transition. I'm so excited to add even more value to future energy readings and coaching by incorporating my herbal knowledge in my sessions.

This month, we focused on medicine-making. In class, I got to craft:

• Flower Essences (vibrational remedies made from the flowering parts of plants)
• Herbal Honeys (honey infused with herbs, spices, or other botanicals)
• Herbal Oxymels (sweet and tart syrups made from vinegar and honey)
• Herbal Salve (topical ointments made by infusing healing herbs and oils together)

The hands-on experience of crafting these natural remedies has been profoundly empowering. I'm in awe of plants, their sacred medicine + healing potential and my actual ability to harness it all and connect with them.

I love being on the farm, harvesting and foraging! It connects me deeply to my roots.

In his youth, my dad was a farmer who sold cattle. He carried those skills into becoming a skilled businessman later on.

My dad's mother (my grandmother) also sold cattle. With her savings, she pursued her dream of buying a bar in town since she had a passion for socializing and celebrating life (aka the woman loved to party and drink lmao)

On my mother's side, my grandfather was a farmer at various points throughout his life. And his mother, my great-grandmother Virginia who's name I carry as my middle name, was an herbalist - clearly passing down her love for nature's remedies.

As I tend to the land and plants, honoring my ancestral traditions of farming and herbalism, I am reminded that I am my ancestors wildest dreams manifested. Their resilience, hard work, and love for the earth runs through my blood. Knowing that I am a beautiful mixture of their hopes and highest visions brings tears to my eyes. I wonder how they would feel knowing that their "American" daughter/granddaughter is working with the land in this way.

Funny how our parents came to the US to give us a better life, and all we want to do is go back to Dominican Republic and savor the good life our grandparents lived.

As I honor my integration period into this new timeline, I am grounded in the knowing that there is wisdom in returning to our roots, honoring the simple ways that brought our ancestors profound fulfillment. By reconnecting with the land, I am reconnecting with the essence of who I am.

What a time to be aligned!

Herbalist for the Day: A Nature Immersion Experience

Every time I'm out on the land, surrounded by nature's divine feminine energy, I get visions of gathering my beloved community here to experience the magic I'm so blessed to connect with daily. Building an intimate relationship with Mother Earth has been profoundly transformative for me, and the thought of sharing this sacred journey with people that get it fills me with sooo much joy.

With that in mind, my herbalism teacher and I are dreaming of creating an "Herbalist for the Day" experience in the lush Shenandoah Valley of Sperryville, Virginia - tailored specifically for my Vecina community.

Tap into your third eye chakra with me and picture this:

Imagine a day spent in nature's classroom, learning the ancient ways of plant medicine-making while being nurtured by the land's wisdom. We'll forage for wild herbs, craft herbal medicine with our own hands, and bask in the rejuvenating energy of the Mother Nature. A delicious earth-honoring picnic lunch by the river will allow us to integrate our teachings through soulful conversation.

If this immersive experience speaks to your soul, be sure to click here and join this list. I'll share all the magical details - dates, pricing, registration - with this list as it unfolds in divine timing.

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Thanks for being part of my newsletter fam! ❤️ This month was a busy one for me but I'm so committed to these newsletters, I just had to slide in your inbox even if its on the last day of May!

I appreciate your time and energy. Thank you so much for the newsletter love and energy exchanges (shoutout to those of you bought me a coffee last month) you all have been showering me with. I appreciate you all!

Know that you are deeply loved, even if in this moment life is telling you otherwise.

In Gratitude,

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