The Power Of Herbs

by Sister MorningStar

Bergamot and Plantain

Wild Blossoms

Feminine oral tradition tells us that wimyn are the first healers. We enjoy miracle upon miracle with this simple recipe: A healing herb in the hand Word medicine on the lip and Love in the heart.

Another treasure in our community is the annual production of Soul Blossom. Each year we walk the creeks, valleys, and hills, looking to nature for the herbs best suited for our healing salves, balms, ointments, oils, mists and sprays. We also make ceremonial oils and beauty embrocations.

Here's the story of Soul Blossom and a glimpse into the wise womyn ways of MorningStar Community.

The Soul of Soul Blossom

Red Clover, Wild Rose, Lavender in a oil base

In the summer of 2001 the soul of Soul Blossom unpetaled herself in the Missouri Ozarks during one of our annual wimyn's retreats. The flowers were glorious that year, both in the woods and in our common friendship gardens. We decided to make petal water. We used a wooden spoon, pottery bowls and our great love & respect for the healing power of herbs, giving care to how and with what the petals were touched. We gathered 22 different types of blossoms just after the morning sun had dried off the valley dew. We added rose petals from a recent wedding on the Holyland, made prayers over the flower petals, calling for their feminine healing powers, covered them with distilled water and set them on an outside altar. On one of our inside altars was a quote by John Muir, "Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature." At the end of the retreat we bottled a bit of the "holy water" for each participant to take home and use in their personal rituals and ceremonies. Every one asked, "what shall we call it?" For we named everything. We reread the quote and talked about our own soul work and our own soul's blossoming. Soul Blossom was born – a perfect name and perfect fit for us.

Fresh and Rested Mother Batches

The next summer we decided to make her into a healing balm as well as petal water. The following year we formed a group of wimyn who had special interest and education in herbs, healing and the needs of families with small children. We studied the herbs growing naturally on the Holyland. We studied their healing properties. We listened to the needs of the community wimyn. We began to compare and collect all our information. Every year at the summer retreat the wimyn would gather the healthiest herbs and blossoms from the wild. Every year we added new herbs and flowers to our gardens. Every year we gathered with joy and blessed each herb as we stirred her into the brewing kettle. After each herbal blessing, we made a circle, held hands and howled forth our gratitude and healing for the people. We marveled at the change of abundant herbs. Each year was a bit different, always matching the needs of the people. One year the violets turned different colors and grew in different places; One year the clover. One year the plantain was prolific. One year the hawthorn berries moved the jewel weed to a new location. We learned to trust what nature was telling us. To watch what grew abundantly and where and how it was changing. For this reason each year the formula carries a unique healing power.

Soul Blossom Garland Ceremony

MSC Maidens gathering wild herbs

The expansion of Soul Blossom from a healing balm to a warming rub, healing oil, lip balm, meditation oil, spritzer, repellent, antiseptic spray and more began to require more time, resources and commitment than a small group of wimyn devoted to soul work and meeting once a year could provide. Rather than see Soul Blossom dissolve, die or decompose, two of the wimyn agreed to make her a life companion. Soul Blossom became a private company in 2005.

Lavender in the Prayer Garden

The Making of Soul Blossom

Many of the original wimyn still come running when it is "Soul Blossom time", including the young bride who gifted the first rose petals. In fact, it is her two daughters who now grace our lovely Soul Blossom labels - timeless reminders of our collective innocence, purity, health, beauty, nature and spirit.

What one womyn can do, all wimyn can do.

By 2009 the private company had dissolved and the wimyn of MorningStar Community were in a stronger position to manage the annual production. What had begun as one small jar of petal water had grown into a little cottage industry.

We love Soul Blossom. We use it, nearly every product, every day. We have it in our medicine chest, our kitchen, bathroom and on our altars. We carry it in our cars, travel bags and medicine bags. We love developing new products to meet the real needs of the people just like you.

MSC Maidens making personal Radiance.

We are so happy you thought enough of us to wonder about our story. Now you know, we were thinking of you when we made the Soul Blossom product you are using or considering. Year after year, Soul Blossom brings the power of wild herbs and holy blessing to your instinctual living choices for health and beauty.

May your Soul Blossom, season by season.

The wild crafting wimyn of MorningStar Community

Soul Blossom Wild Womyn Healing Balm

This holy, organic salve is created and blessed on the Holyland by community herbalists. The herbs are wild crafted or organically cultivated and added to an organic base and lovingly, soulfully prepared for use in our home healing practices. We heartfully share it with you. May your soul blossom even as your wounds heal.

MorningStar Community is an intentional, ecumenical community founded by a Cherokee Hermitess and Catholic mystic. Our mission is to preserve and protect the simple and sacred through instinctual living, educational experiences, spiritual direction, personal disciplines, and collective and individual spiritual retreats. Our vision is thus: we honor the wildish nature by finding sacred and encouraging in our selves and our kinsters the ways of instinctive knowing, of inner growth and spritual expansion and the passing on of wisdom through ritual and storytelling. We strive for world peace and global solidarity. While on the Holyland we uphold these principles: peaceful ways, not harming or forcing life, vegetarian lifestyle, gratitude/gratefulness, cherishing life, valuing relationships, simplistic living, loving as our divine spirit loves.

Website managed by: David Mountjoy