NICHIM OT’ ANIL | HERBAL INTENSIVE & ANCESTRAL HEALING
What does it mean to liberate ourselves? How are we to live in congruency with our heart, mind & body? Who are my ancestors and why is it significant to know them? These questions are etched into my being since day one of the herbal intensive program I enrolled in at Nichim Ot’ Anil in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico this past February. I was under the impression that majority of the focus was going to be on plant medicines and to learn a bit about Mayan Cosmology. This journey into the heart exceeded my expectations and shifted my whole being and the way I perceive myself in relation to life.
For this I am very grateful for our Maestra Dona Lucia and Emel and Layla for organizing and creating this sacred space for us to learn the ways of the heart through the plants, ourselves, eachother, mother earth, our ancestors and of course Great Spirit. The integration will be continuous throughout my life and generations to come.
The opportunity to make medicine and learn from Dona Lucia and her lineage is an honor. To get to know all these beautiful sisters who shared this workshop with me is also an honor. Lots of laughter, tears, exhaustion, stomach bugs, healing, love, building, medicine making, ceremony and diving deep into the depths of our being.
I am in LOVE with plants, their wisdom, generosity, brilliance and the way they bring life to life. Roots that connect to the earth and gather the minerals, the stems that carry the water, the leaves that breathe the air, the flowers which radiate their spirit and the fruit which is the seed of the next generation. So beautiful the plants and trees are as they blanket this earth in all their creativity and ability to adapt to each climate.
This plant on the right side below is called Mirto, it is a type of sage that is native to this land. As I am newly pregnant this beautiful plant was and is my ally. I was taught that the spirit of the plant hugs and protects the baby at any stage of development. Very grateful for this plant being as I was a bit ill for part of the trip. Mirto was also part of a tincture we created which supports pregnant mamas who are experiencing GI issues.
The school I attended is called Nichim Ot’ Anil which translates to “flower of the heart”. Dona Lucia’s philosophy and belief is that all healing starts with a flowering of love from the heart. And she walks her talk in a most beautiful humble way. I feel blessed to be around a teacher who lives in accordance with her teachings. She has “spiritual wisdom with practical feet” and liberates her heart daily to make room for love and to be a clear vessel for healing. So beautiful.
Plant beings amaze me. The plants have been on earth long before humans, thus they are our elders and they each have their own unique intelligence of body and spirit. Lucky for us, we get to partake in their innate wisdom.
Our first ceremony we made crowns made of pine and rose. The air was filled with copal and floor layered with pine needles. Strong and beautiful ceremony.
Forever grateful for this opportunity and all the bright spirits I met on this journey. May our integration be fruitful. If anyone is interested in attending Nichim Ot’ Anil you may visit their facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Nichim-Otanil-746854588762751/).
