Of Roots and Rituals: Remembering Through Herbal Lineage

Before healing came in capsules, it came in cauldrons.

Root bundles, bitter teas, fragrant smokes, our ancestors healed with what they had, with what the earth offered. And in doing so, they embedded memory into the plants themselves.

Herbalism is not just a practice. It’s a lineage. A remembering.

Many of us are separated from our ancestral medicine due to colonization, forced migration, or assimilation. But the plants remain. They remember. And they call us back.

Reconnecting with herbs is a way of saying: I remember where I come from. I choose to return.

Even if your grandmother didn’t pass down recipes, even if your family doesn’t speak the language anymore, you can still rebuild that bridge. One cup of tea. One tincture. One shared story at a time.

Some ways to begin:

• Start with gentle allies: chamomile for calm, lemon balm for lightness, ginger for warmth

• Learn the names of plants native to your ancestral lands

• Create a tea ritual that honors your lineage and intentions

• Keep a journal of how different herbs make you feel—physically, emotionally, spiritually

This work is less about mastering and more about remembering.

Reflection Prompt: What is your first memory of plant medicine? Who gave it to you? What did it teach you?

Ritual Practice: Choose one herb that speaks to you today. Research its properties and history. Make a simple tea or infusion. As you drink, speak the names of your ancestors—those known and unknown. Let this be a communion across time.

Closing Invitation: You don’t have to know everything to begin. The plants will teach you. All you need to do is listen.