Moonpath: Prioritize, Pursue, + Make Pleasurable

You're invited on an adventure!

It's called Moonpath and it's all about prioritizing, pursuing, and making pleasurable your herbal studies. As I continue to work with more and more students online and offline, one of the most common challenges I hear from them is feeling really excited about herbology but also feeling completely overwhelmed by all there is to learn. Not only is the dichotomous feeling of excite!/overwhelm! common for folks who are just starting their studies, but let me tell you, dear Lunas, those of us who have been on the path for a while still get the same feeling.

In my experience and what I have observed from students, the excite!/overwhelm! dilemma often stems from a feeling like they have to learn all there ever was to learn about herbology right now or else they'll learn nothing. Sometimes they buy books and sign up for classes and buy herbs in bulk and change their name to HerbBaby StarBlossom.* They try to learn all of it too quickly, burning out, and then watch as their herbs and books collect dust. And they feel bad. Sometimes they get so overwhelmed by all of their options and where do I even start? that they never even begin. Or they're scared to make a remedy. And, again, they feel bad.

So, I am sharing with you the most successful way I have found of setting study goals, pursuing them, and doing them with an inspired heart and open mind. Let's move beyond guilt and shame in the pursuit of what makes us feel good. It's my philosophy that the work of studying practicing something we are called to do should come from a place of pleasure. Our studies and practice should feel good and nourish the part of us that is green, wild, and tangled. Hence, Moonpath and the simple practice of prioritizing, pursuing, and making pleasure along the way.

Starting on the Moon Day of January 26, each week you are invited to do the following:

• Prioritize your 1 - 3 herbal study + practice goals for the week.
• Pursue these 1 - 3 herbal study goals by choosing what you will do to accomplish them. Then do them!
• Make Pleasure in your practice.

To keep you inspired I'll be posting a blog o' inspiration each Monday - you can see it as a good stopping place along our Moonpath to reflect, connect, and recommit to your heart's desire.

Here are some ideas and tips for success:

• Priotize.
  • I really like the bullet journal style when it comes to
    managing tasks, planning, and getting stuff done.
    • Think attainable, one-week doable goals such as:
      • Going outside everyday and sitting with a plant.
      • Pulling a tarot card each day.
      • Writing a Journal Prompt.
      • Making a new Remedy.
      • Reading one Plant Profile.
      • Do not add any more than 3 items on your list. It is very important to practice restraint. You can always do another project if you finish what is already on your list, so don't worry.
• Pursue.
  • Bite-size projects or do it all at once - whatever style fits your needs is great.
• Make Pleasure.
  • Take time at the beginning of each week to remember why you're doing what you're doing.
    • Why are you studying herbal medicine + magick?
    • What inspires you about what you are learning?
    • How does what you do bring you pleasure in your life?
  • If you like, choose a word for the week that inspires you and reminds you of your goals.
  • When you feel stressed out or overwhelmed or bored about your study, remember pleasure and pursue that which brings you to a place of pleasure. It might be the promise of pleasure knowing that once you have accomplished a certain task you'll have a beautiful remedy or better understanding of a plant ally or something else entirely.
  • Bonus points for checking in with other clever friends on the Moonpath and sharing your three study goals, your weekly word if you have one and commenting below or on each week's Moonpath post.

I'm excited about our new journey together and learning more about you and what it is about herbal medicine and magick that inspires your spirit. 

In wild community,

*Blessed be, HerbBaby Starblossom. What is your magickal herb person name? Comment below! I was thinking I would be Berrytooth Snottlepuff.