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Tag Archives: change of consciousness

December 21, 2012

A Solstice Snow

Today has been a day for celebration! Continue reading →

Help others step lightly!

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Posted in Celebrations, Steps Back to Nature
Tagged change of consciousness, connecting with nature, Earth, earth-based spirituality, Environment, global meditation, home, Lake Erie, light footsteps, Meditation, nature, peace and unity, snow clouds, Sun, sustainable living, wheel of the year, winter, Winter Solstice, Winter Wonderland
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Welcome to These Light Footsteps, the blog related to Light Footsteps Herb Farm & Learning Center.
My name is Christine and I'm a permaculturist, herbalist, and biologist doing my best to follow the rhythms of the natural world. I like to write about herbalism, backyard farming, permaculture projects, simple living, and finding spirit in nature. I'm also an attachment/gentle parent and advocate for women's choices in birth.
Please look around, I hope you'll find something you like!

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We find ourselves again with the turning of the wheel at the time of equal night and day. At this time, the energy is beginning to wane and we are turning inward once again. There’s a bittersweet quality to the end of warm, long summer days, but the energy of fall allows us to get introspective and ask some important questions. In the expansive outward energy of summer, what has started to drain you? What have you continued to say yes to that is no longer serving you? Especially as parents/mothers, we have to be extremely careful with our time and energy. There is only so much to go around! To be our best as parents while also meeting all the other demands of life, we’ve got to get clear about where our energy is best spent. 🍁 Use this time of the autumn equinox to think about what you can let go, both physically and emotionally/spiritually. If it calls to you, it’s always fun to write something you’re releasing on a piece of paper and burning it in a fire 🔥. Happy autumn equinox!

Until we stop isolating and dismissing the needs of new parents, we will continue to see high rates of postpartum mood disorders. Most of us don’t know what to truly expect from postpartum, and it’s not emphasized enough how monumental of a journey it is. Part of you dies and you become a whole new person. This is something that we need a lot of support to accomplish. In the first year(s) postpartum we have needs for supportive guidance from people who have traveled the path before, needs for adequate nutrition and hydration, needs to be massaged and nurtured as we become a nurturer to this new life. What we don’t need is to be isolated alone with a baby. This registers as an alarm in our nervous system — it’s a biological anomaly for humans to be isolated with an infant and for our ancestors it would have meant something was terribly wrong. To all the moms struggling with their anxiety, rage, overwhelm, tears, and guilt…it is not you. It is this broken culture that proclaims to love life, but then has no support structures for new parents. Tonight many of my peers are gathering to raise awareness and funds for postpartum mental health support at various Climb Out of the Darkness gatherings. Funds raised via Climb Out of the Darkness will support a variety of organizations that deal with postpartum mood disorders so that new parents have access to the support they need. I have included a link in the bio if you would like to help donate! @theclimbcleveland

Cycle Day 1 : A date with myself. Once I confirmed I had ovulated two weeks ago, I blocked out this morning on my calendar. It was still a bit of a mental struggle this morning to overcome all my “shoulds”, but I have managed to sink in to this morning by myself. A hike followed by some rest and reflection on the beach. The perfect way to sink in to my moon cycle where reflection, turning inward, and rest are key. When I am teaching people how to start getting in touch with their cycles, I emphasize the importance of taking extra downtime as our last cycle ends and our new one begins. This sets us up for feeling better and more productive the rest of the month! Some good herbs for day 1 are ginger, nettle, red raspberry, and motherwort. And now back to my quiet time before preschool pick up! ❤️

Do you recognize this ubiquitous late summer visitor? Did you know it is also a valuable medicinal herb with 7x the antioxidants of green tea? Goldenrod (Solidago sp.), mistakenly attributed to seasonal allergies (but is actually insect pollinated and not blowing around causing your sneezes), is actually a helpful remedy in managing seasonal allergies. It is also considered “the Arnica of the east”, helping with joint and muscle pain, and is an ally to the urinary tract system among other uses! When I harvest it, I like to do it just before it flowers (see second picture) so that it has fewer bugs and doesn’t get too fluffy when it dries.

We’re looking for a few families to join us for this small group breastfeeding class with @mamabirdhendry at Mother Rising on Saturday, October 2 from 2-4. You’ll learn how to respond to your baby’s hunger cues, how your body makes and maintains milk, how to know if milk is transferring well, latch & positioning, weight gain & diaper output, maximizing rest, breastfeeding accessories, creating a safe sleep space, taking time to heal, and more! Partners are encouraged to attend. Cost: $75. PM me if you’d like to attend! Scholarship funds available through @resilienthealth.

Often we have to dig deep in labor to face challenges both anticipated and beyond our control. This space can be so hard, but tends to teach us of strength and courage we didn’t know we had. Congratulations to this mom and baby! As always, an honor to witness! (And note, she was able to push this baby out on hands and knees! Upright birth helps us to work with gravity better.)

Had a really interesting conversation with @groundedteaching on their Regenerative Ed podcast. I share a lot of information about birth and the birthing system and Sarah helps to draw parallels with the current educational system. It’s pretty fascinating stuff, if I do say so!! Check out the link in my bio or search wherever you listen to podcasts. I think you’ll learn something!

One of the things people like most about home birth is being able to cozy up and relax right after birth in the comfort of their own space. We still check vitals and make sure all is well but try to do so quietly and in the background so that you can focus on meeting your new family member.

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Thank you for visiting 'these light footsteps'! Most pictures are my own (except where otherwise noted), and can be used if linked back to me. Any suggestions or ideas I put forward about health or consuming wild foods are purely suggestions and you are responsible for ensuring the safety of anything you consume! Go forth and step lightly!

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