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1) Penstemon & Prickly Pear
•Penstemon - Used as a flower essence for strength & perserverance during hardship.
•Prickly Pear (Opuntia) -Used for hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).  Edible, but slimy like okra :)

2) Red Dock (Rumex hymenosepalus) - Root is astringent and anti-inflammatory. Topical use – gum problems, burns, wounds, etc

3) Wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana) – Strong topical anti-microbial. Short term use for internal parasites. Strong anti-malarial like it’s cousin Sweet Annie (another artemesia).  Strong anti fungal – try for athlete’s foot. Indigestion. Dysmenorrhea. Inhale steam or smoke for respiratory issues. Not for long term internal use.

4) Another Penstemon – Flower essence used for sense of adventure and risk-taking, determination and tenacity when facing physical challenges.

5) Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea) – Hot, irritated respiratory tissues. Somewhat immune stimulating in lungs. Soothes uti, but you need to use it with a stronger anti-bacterial herb. Soothing topically. It’s relatives are useful for digestive issues – dry membranes, ulcers, acid reflux, so may be useful for this as well.

6) Mariposa Lily (Chalochortus flexulosus) – Flower essence used for self-mothering, ability to accept love

7) Agave (Yucca baccata) – Arthritis, joint inflammation. Strong laxative, don’t do high doses. Long term daily use can inhibit nutrient absorption

8) Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus) – Flower essence used for clarity and focus. Manifestation, meditation or other times steady focus is necessary.

9) Cliff Rose (Purshia stansburiana) – Flower essence used for motivation to bring creative or other ideas to fruition. Michael Moore (the herbalist) used for early stages of cold, for certain types of backache. He also used a small amount of flowers/buds to scent tea.

10) Lavendar Leaf Primrose (Calylophus lavandulifolius) – Don’t know any uses other than simply enjoying it’s beauty. Not a very good picture, though :)

11) Lizard of some sort!

The garden is organized by a very motivated Fort Lewis student, Ryan Lazo and maintained by him and a growing number of volunteers. If you want to get involved with the garden, check out their blog:  http://southsidegarden.blogspot.com/

When: Fridays, 6-8pm
Where: Durango
Fee: Free, though donations are gratefully accepted

May 3 – Estrogen – Different forms of estrogen & their roles in the body. Xenoestrogens (environmental endocrine disruptors). Phytoestrogens (plant chemicals with endocrine activity). Recommended as precursor for other classes in the series.

May 17 – Menstrual Cycle Imbalances – Normal hormonal regulation of menstrual cycle. Short cycles, long cycles, painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), skipped cycles (amenorrhea), PCOS.

June 14 – Fertility & Family Planning – Nutrition & herbs to promote fertility. Time at the end discussing traditional herbal birth control

June 28 – Menopause – Hormonal shifts leading to menopause, & wholistic approaches to ease the transition (hot flashes, flooding, vaginal changes, mood shifts, etc).

July 12 – Hormone-dependent Proliferative Disorders – Endometriosis, fibroids, cysts & reproductive cancers. Suspected causes, prevention, herbs & nutrition for support

To RSVP or for more information, call 970.779.2181 or contact me

Tap into your mojo in this special series of workshops led by Celestia Loeffler (RYT500) and herbalist and aromatherapist Marija Helt, PhD. Each workshop will help you balance and nurture one of the 7 main chakras (energy centers), starting at the root. 1 Tuesday per month, 6-8pm. NEW STARTING DATE

April 23  Root (Muladhara) – Rooting Down to Grow
May 14  Sacral (Swadhistana) – Awaken Your Desire
June 11  Solar Plexus (Manipura) – Claim Your Power
July 16  Heart (Anahata) – Tend Your Heart
Aug 13 Throat (Visshudha) – Speak Your Truth
Sept 17  Brow (Ajna) – Unlock Your Intuition
Oct 15  Crown (Sahasrarah) – Activate Your Consciousness

Workshops include:
•Introduction to each chakra
•Guidance on balancing & nurturing each chakra
•Chakra-specific yoga asana practice and chanting
•Hands-on time making chakra-supportive herbal and essential oil blends
•Chakra-related snack and recipe

Where: Osadha Herbal Wellness, 165 Spring Road, DGO Investment: $65 for each, or $425 for the entire series (save $25!) To sign up: Call 505.204.9020 or email celestiayoga@gmail.com. You can also click on “Contact” for more information or to register.
Space is limited

Space is limited to 15 people.

Perfume blending is an art. However, most commercial perfumes contain petrochemical-based scents in addition to natural plant essences. Once you get the hang of blending, making natural, personalized perfumes for yourself & for loved ones is easy and fun.

Come & learn:

• The history around different categories of perfumes
• How to blend based on high, medium and base notes & scent intensity
• How to make unguents (solid perfumes)
• How to make perfume, eau de toilette &  cologne
• How to distinguish natural versus synthetic scents
• Fun facts about scents used in popular perfumes throughout history
• A recipe for 1 of the world’s oldest documented perfume blends, Kyphii, from Egypt