In this powerful episode, host Xóchitl Kusikuy Ashé sits down with renowned curandera and herbalist Atava Garcia Swiecicki for an essential conversation about reclaiming ancestral plant medicine in these turbulent times. As the author of "The Curanderx Toolkit" and founder of the Ancestral Apothecary School, Atava shares three decades of wisdom about building relationships with plants as our ancestors and greatest teachers.
They explore how curanderismo offers a framework for community resilience, the importance of becoming our own healer, and practical ways to cultivate wellness culture through plant relationships. Atava reveals how dreams and intuition guided her path, shares powerful plant allies for navigating crisis, and offers profound insights about reclaiming our divine nature and star consciousness during this collective transformation.
Whether you're seeking to deepen your connection with plant medicine, looking for practical tools to navigate these challenging times, or ready to reclaim your intuitive wisdom, this episode offers both ancestral knowledge and actionable practices for thriving in the new earth that's emerging.
Website: ancestralapothecary.com
Instagram: @curanderxtoolkit
LinkedIn: Atava Garcia Swiecicki
Email: ancestralapothecary@gmail.com
Book: "The Curanderx Toolkit: Reclaiming Ancestral Herbal Medicine and Rituals for Healing"
Website: xochitlashe.com
Instagram & Facebook: @xochitlashe
Atava Garcia Swiecicki (she/her/ella) is the author of The Curanderx Toolkit: Reclaiming Ancestral Herbal Medicine and Rituals for Healing. Guided by her dreams, the plants, and her ancestors, Atava has studied healing arts extensively for over thirty years and has been mentored by herbalists, curanderas, and traditional knowledge keepers.
She currently works as a clinical herbalist and curandera, Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner, and medicine maker. She was the founder and steward of Ancestral Apothecary School of Herbal, Folk and Indigenous Medicine in Huchiun/Oakland for over 20 years. She relocated to New Mexico in 2020 where she is learning how to garden in the high desert. Her mixed ancestry includes roots from Mexico, New Mexico, Poland, and Hungary, all converging in Detroit where she was born.
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(00:00) Opening Sacred Space and Intentions
(03:46) Introducing Atava Garcia Swiecicki
(05:36) Atava's Journey: From Detroit to Curanderismo
(09:52) Finding Home in Herbalism and Feminist Studies
(11:25) Meeting Doña Enrique Contreras: A Life-Changing Encounter
(17:52) Defining Curanderismo and Its Cultural Significance
(22:00) Tending Grief and the Wichol Path
(25:09) Navigating Challenging Times Through Connection to Nature
(28:00) The Healing Culture of Wellness
(33:23) Grounding in Turbulent Times: Tools and Practices
(36:07) Preparing for a New Earth: Seeds, Medicine, and Resilience
(39:01) Cultivating Community Resilience and the Power of "We"
(43:19) The Power of Prayer, Ritual, and Altars
(48:19) Plant Allies for These Times: Lemon Balm, Passionflower, and More
(52:00) Personal Health Journey as Spiritual Upgrade
(55:27) Chamomile and the Importance of Rest
(57:06) Closing Wisdom: Trusting Intuition and Remembering Our Divinity
(1:02:30) Final Blessings and Amplifying Light Worker Voices