Himalayan cedar seen from the Pipeline Track, Ayubia National park, Nathiagali by Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Alongside stories and reflections, we’ll explore Cedar’s personality—its physical support, spiritual qualities, and the ways it weaves itself into traditions and daily life. Whether you meet Cedar in the forest, as a bundle of leaves curling into smoke, or in the quiet presence of a warm cup, this episode invites you to listen to what Cedar might be offering you. In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we turn toward the tall, resin-scented presence of Cedar. Known for its grounding strength and protective nature, Cedar has long been a companion to both body and spirit. Its gifts stretch from easing the breath and clearing pathways in the body, to offering comfort in times of heaviness and grief. Cedar reminds us what it means to stand rooted while still reaching skyward—a teacher of balance, resilience, and reverence. ✨ Support the Podcast Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition. 💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin. Sources/References: https://www.indigenousaware.com/post/cedar-tree-tea-benefits https://caringsunshine.com/relationships/relationship-respiratory-system-and-cedar https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/blog/all-about-cedarwood-oil https://www.whiterabbitinstituteofhealing.com/herbs/cedar https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2018/9/25/the-only-true-cedars https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/product/Deodar-Himalayan-Cedar-Devadaru https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/2016/03/evergreen-healers-medicine-from-the-winter-forest/

In this episode, we explored the wisdom of mullein, a plant that teaches us to stand tall, root deep, and move through life with gentle courage. From its velvety leaves to its spiral flowers, mullein invites us to release what has become rigid or stuck, trusting the slow, steady unfolding of growth. We also shared a poem that came through as a personal message from the plant, highlighting breath, grounding, and the courage to rise while holding space for gentleness. We then journeyed into mullein’s mythic role as a lightbearer, connecting its towering stalks to the guiding torches of Hecate, goddess of crossroads and thresholds. Today, mullein continues to support us physically and spiritually through teas, infused oils, and mindful observation in the wild, offering its gifts of breath, alignment, and courage. Whether in body or spirit, mullein reminds us that true strength often lives alongside gentleness, and that we all carry a light within to guide our own path. ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition. 💚 Let's connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin.

In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we sit with the wise and aromatic presence of Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) — a plant known across cultures not only for its culinary charm, but for its deep-rooted connection to memory, protection, and transformation. We explore how Sage’s gifts of clarity and discernment can support us in times of transition, especially as we age, offering the invitation to ripen rather than wither.  We also dip into how this plant can bless and cleanse through the ancient practice of smoke medicine, honoring the many cultures that have tended this sacred fire in different forms. You'll hear some practical ways to bring Sage into your own rhythms of care and ceremony. This episode is an invitation to remember: wisdom isn’t something you chase — it’s something that ripens in you, like Sage in the sun. ✨ Support the Podcast Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition. 💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin.

Content Note: This episode includes reflections on collective grief, injustice, and current global events, including war, displacement, and systemic harm. These topics are explored through the lens of healing, plant wisdom, and emotional transformation—but they may still feel heavy or activating. Please care for yourself as you listen. In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we explore the wild and protective spirit of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus)—a plant known for its fierce thorns and abundant sweetness. Growing thick along roadsides and forest edges, blackberry guards its gifts with sharp resolve, asking us to approach with intention. Its leaves offer astringent, antioxidant-rich support, while its presence reminds us of the wisdom found in boundaries, resilience, and the untamed parts of ourselves. We’ll dive into the potent and often misunderstood emotion of anger, and how, like blackberry, it can act as both a protector and a guide. Rather than suppress or fear our rage, we can learn to work with it—tending it like fire, letting it burn away what no longer serves, and transforming it into clarity, courage, and meaningful action. Anger, when honored and alchemized, can root us deeper into what is just, true, and worth protecting. ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition. 💚 Let's connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin.

In this episode of Remedy and Rhyme, we explore the radical abundance of Mesquite — a desert tree whose generosity stretches from myth to medicine. We reflect on what it means to live in relationship with abundance — the kind that’s rooted, reciprocal, and attuned to the rhythms of the earth. The kind of abundance that gives and gives and gives. We'll hear a traditional story of Siwani and Coyote, which uncovers how mesquite came to scatter its sweet pods across the land. From its fiber-rich nourishment and blood sugar support to its deep cultural roots among Indigenous communities, mesquite reminds us that abundance isn’t always flashy — sometimes it’s slow, steady, and quietly sustaining. This episode blends story, plant wisdom, poetry, and journal prompts to support your own journey toward radical abundance. References & Further Reading Books Bovey, Rodney W. Mesquite. Texas A&M University Press, 2016. Desert Harvesters. Eat Mesquite and More: A Cookbook for Sonoran Desert Living. Savor the Southwest, 2018. savorthesouthwest.blog Ferguson, T.J. History Is in the Land: Multivocal Tribal Traditions in Arizona’s San Pedro Valley. University of Arizona Press, 2006. archive.org Moore, Michael. Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West: A Guide to Identifying, Preparing, and Using Traditional Medicinal Plants Found in the Deserts and Canyons of the West and Southwest. Museum of New Mexico Press, 1989. Nabhan, Gary Paul. Gathering the Desert. University of Arizona Press, 1985. Nabhan, Gary Paul. Mesquite: An Arboreal Love Affair. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018. Phillips, Steven J., and Patricia Wentworth Comus, editors. A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, University of California Press, 2000. Rogers, Ken E. The Magnificent Mesquite. University of Texas Press, 2000. Slattery, John. Southwest Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use 112 Wild Herbs for Health and Wellness. Timber Press, 2020. University of Arizona Southwest Center. Mesquite: A Training Manual for Growers, Harvesters, & Artisans. University of Arizona Southwest Center, 2023. swc.arizona.edu Articles, Reports, and Online Resources Arizona Historical Society. Ethnohistory of San Pedro Valley Collection. Ethnohistory PDF Archaeology Southwest. “A Brief Cultural History of Mesquite.” archaeologysouthwest.org Archaeology Southwest. One Valley, Many Histories: Tohono O’odham, Hopi, Zuni, and Western Apache History in the San Pedro Valley. Archaeology Southwest Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 1. archaeologysouthwest.org Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. “Mesquite Usage by the O’odham and Piipaash.” O’odham Action News. oan.srpmic-nsn.gov San Pedro River Valley StoryMap. San Pedro River Valley: An Ecological and Cultural Corridor. storymaps.arcgis.com Savor the Southwest. “Marvelous – and Medicinal – Mesquite.” savorthesouthwest.blog Wikipedia. “San Pedro River (Arizona).” en.wikipedia.org ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educati

In this episode of Remedy and Rhyme, we sit with the sacred plant known as Tulsi—Holy Basil—not just as an herb, but as a being that bridges the physical and the spiritual. Long honored in Ayurvedic tradition and daily rituals across India, Tulsi invites us into devotion, resilience, and deep remembering of our sacredness. We explore Tulsi’s stories, nourishing gifts, and the many ways she continues to support the body, mind, and spirit—especially in times of stress or disconnection. ✨ You’ll hear about Tulsi’s mythology, reflections on Tulsi’s adaptogenic nature, and practical insights into how she supports emotional clarity, immune health, and nervous system balance. Whether you’re already in relationship with Tulsi or just meeting her for the first time, may this episode offer a moment of pause, reverence, and reconnection. 🌱 Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into the featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection. ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

In this episode, we explore the timeless and tender paradox of Rose — a flower that embodies both softness and strength. From mythology to herbalism to personal reflection, Rose invites us to dwell in the space where opposing truths coexist: beauty and protection, openness and boundaries, love and discernment. We’ll dive into folklore, plant wisdom, and lived experience to ask—what can Rose teach us about tending to ourselves and the world with grace? 🌹 Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into the featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection. ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 10% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

In this episode, we explore the rich and rooted medicine of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)—an herb of clarity, protection, and deep remembrance. From its physical gifts like supporting the nervous system and easing headaches, to its sacred use in rituals of honoring the dead, rosemary invites us to reconnect with our ancestors and the wisdom they left behind. We'll look at traditional uses across cultures, its connection to memory and the feminine archetype, and how rosemary can support us in reclaiming our wholeness—body, mind, and soul. Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into a featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection. ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 10% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

Welcome to the very first episode of the Joyful Roots podcast! In this opening episode, I’m sharing the heart behind this project—a weaving of plants and poetry as portals to reconnection with ourselves, each other, and the Earth. We’ll explore how the living world invites us back into resonance when things feel chaotic, and how both herbs and poems can help us remember who we really are. I’ll share how this podcast was inspired by an interview with Rosemary Gladstar, why now feels like the right time, and how you’re invited into this space as both listener and co-creator. Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into a featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection. ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 10% off at posanamatcha.com Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support! 📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com 🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.