Wildkraft

04/18/2026

Burnout can happen in several ways whether it's related to the way you perceive reality, or in the translating of reality into our bodies through our individual emotional filters. When information comes into our brain, if the amygdala senses that information to be a threat or danger to survival it activates the sympathetic fight or flight response. Pupils dilate, veins construct, sweat glands activate. However the amygdala has additional filters it puts on from traumatizing emotions, (i.e. if you were assaulted in a blue car, even though the blue car was not harmful your body may experience a trauma response at the sight of a blue car). If you get enough filters going, or find yourself in situations your brain senses as dangerous, you can easily reach a state of constant fight or flight. Human bodies aren't set up for continual performance, they strive toward homeostasis, if you aren't able to activate the opposite vagul (rest and digest) system, it will forcefully do so. This could result in things like thriving in a stressful job, yet crashing down so hard you seem depressed or angry to those around you. It can even happen when we keep forcing ourselfs to do things we have no motivation or see no value in. Your brain might start to force relaxation by dissociating, which can become dangerous for obvious reasons. The longer-term effects are that connection is not even possible when in fight or flight, so by the time we are able to calm down and relate, we find the connections we once had have been weakened by our inability to attend to them. This rapidly spirals you down further by isolating you, making you feel like there is no one who will reach for you if you are falling, which creates more fear and less ability to connect.

Fantastic. But what can be done? This next series of posts will be to explore tactics to deal with or prevent burnout as well as understanding the mechanisms behind it all. Those mechanisms are the most important part of this, because the over arching truth is that not everyone will present the same symptoms or even feelings of burnout.....but like a muscle, we rip apart before we grow.

04/18/2026

04/14/2026

Matricaria Discoidea

You may have seen her in the cracks of an old driveway, but she is uncultivable. In these aster family, "pineapple w**d" is similar to chamomile in its medicine.

It is an anti-inflammatory and a spasmolytic
So that means it treats inflammation, and has a relaxant effect on both smooth muscle (digestive/genitourinary) and skeletal muscle. This also makes it very effective in treating anxiety, and there is a pub med study that claims it is a better sleep aid than valerian root! It has been used as a tea or tincture since the 19th century in folk medicine.

My personal experience with pineapple w**d is a memory of it being one of the first plants I discovered when I was very small. I remember being delighted at its incredible taste and was always keeping my eye out. The Latin name is derived partially from the word for mother, and it does have some nurturing qualities, like a mothers hug that takes your worry and discomfort.

For those interested in astrology I like to link each plant with a planet and this beauty makes me think of moon (mothering, emotional nuturing) and jupiter (color yellow and its expansive qualities [expands comfort, feeling of being cared for])

Regardless keep your eye out for this lil plant in your local sidewalk cracks, abandoned lots......if you are in need it will probably be nearby. ABUNDANCE IS ALL AROUND US. Love to all 💚🌱🍃

11/30/2025

ASHWAGANDA (Withania Somnifera)
The world is full of stress
We do not need to suffer every effect of it.

This amazing herb is an adaptogen. That means it interrupts the path of the release of cortisol. When our bodies sense stress, our hypothalamus releases CRH (cortisol releasing hormone) which then stimulates the tiny pituitary gland to release ACTH which travels through our blood and stimulates the adrenal gland (sits on top of our kidney) to release cortisol and adrenaline, which ready the body to deal with threats. Blood moves away from our digestive system to our muscles, our eyes dilate to see our predator. Most helpful when in danger! However, when our brains think they are "learning" that our daily life is chock full of horrors, this can lead to an overstimulation of this system. I personally have felt (at times) this system lurch into peak performance due to something as simple as a crowded grocery store or in anticipation of a social gathering. In these instances, it was evident how self-limiting it is, with my nervous system immediately relaxing once it was able to assess first hand that these situations were of no danger to my survival. I am a nurse that deals with a high risk population out in the community, so the actual risk of me encountering a dangerous situation is fairly high, but it does me no benefits, and could cause great harm to my psychological and physical health to have this system turned on all day "just in case" it is needed. I have been immersing myself in ashwaganda as of late to attempt to mitigate these effects, and not only did it do that, but with such agrounded intensity that it also inspired me to start posting about herbs again!
Ashwaganda root powder, when added to whatever hot drink I had, made me feel calm, collected, and logical in situations where I had NO idea what to expect. Like a quiet Lil voice reminding me that I could figure out whatever I may encounter. Most noticeably in situations I had been sweaty palmed in, just days before, without the support. So rather than your normal list of benefits, I thought a personal testimonial to the raw felt power of this herb was in order. List in comments :)

11/20/2025

Dare greatly ;)

08/31/2025

Just a quick educational post, I've been seeing some posts lately that have been mis-identifying spotted spurge with Purslane. The first picture with the plump leaves that are much more succulent is Purslane, the wonder food growing as a w**d in sidewalk cracks everywhere, just as good as spinach and could revolutionize the availability of high quality foods in our country and anywhere it can grow. The second picture is spotted spurge (sometimes it has no visible spots making it appear even more similar to purslane), and it is good if you need a laxative or an emetic, or hemorrhoid medicine. Beyond that I would not recommend spotted spurge for anything but to put on your bum-hole. So be careful when out there looking for purslane, you could end up on the toilet all day if you don't do your own careful research before utilizing any plant for any reason! Love to all 💚🌱🌿🌳

08/17/2025

Rose of Sharon
Hibiscus Syriacus

Gracing the earth with her beauty
She inspires humbly
Cool, calm
Sung by none

Rose of Sharon has medicinal qualities similar to marshmallow, with her roots being high in mucilage. Mucilage is the coolest, most soothing plant anti-inflammatory I can think of, helping everything from your throat, stomach, Intestines, lungs (things secretions so your body can move them out easier). This is also present in her buds and flowers. And her leaves can be eaten in salads, they are high In antioxidants.

She has been referenced in the Bible equating her the regenerative life giving qualities of our higher power to this plant. When I ponder on why this may be, my observations are as follows. The flowers are incredibly showy, but very short lived, the ground around the shrub being littered with as many old blooms as there are new ones on the branches. I picked a few buds to dry for tea and they bloomed on the counter-no water. So even though the blooms die fast, the plant keeps popping out brand new ones , several in the place of each, I used buds in groups of 4 or 5 at different stages, waiting to burst open at their perfect time in the chain. Some new blooms still have a withering old one hanging on behind it. We have to keep re-writing our story anew everyday, sometimes every few minutes in times of crisis, but always remember, we have a force inside of us that is always ready with that new bloom 💗💥🌸🪷💮

03/09/2025

So this is mustard seed. I was going to blog about it, but when I went to pick a song about mustard seeds to go with it, the first thing I clicked on was this gentleman's message. While it isn't exactly what I'd say I thought I'd add it because it does have some real good thoughts, I like the idea of mustard seed moments.....when we are putting our best foot forward and are met with something less than that in return. This tiny seed is of the nature of fire, represented by mars. In almost all thought schools it is looked upon as something that points to the smallness of our humanity when compared to the vastness of our soul. It refers to tiny units of measurement, yet by contrast can grow quite large. Any small course corrections can turn out to be huge ripples, any small belief can grow into a reality. Why would something representing our smallness be represented by mars, the planet of war and fire? I suppose it makes sense when you think of the huge life force it takes something tiny to grow into something big, I know of plenty of seeds that small but they all grow smaller plants. There is just a lil more unseen potential lying within that mustard seed than, say, basil or motherwort. Seed for tomorrow not today 🌞🌱

06/23/2024

The perfect walking stick
Grandpa Eddy would approve 💚✨