In a world where the essence of healing is often lost in the clamor of modernity, Kara from Passionflowers Herbology emerges as a guiding light, beckoning us back to the embrace of nature’s remedies. With a lifelong connection to the plant world and an unyielding desire to heal, Kara’s journey has traversed the realms of floral design and Native American heritage, ultimately converging into her profound expertise in herbalism. As she uncovers the boundless potential of nature’s bounty, Kara’s story stands as an ode to holistic well-being and the timeless wisdom of botanicals. Join MysticMag in delving into her enchanting narrative, where passionflowers bloom alongside a resolute commitment to nurturing health and spirit.
Could you tell us a bit about your journey and what inspired you to specialize in herbal remedies and the healing power of natural ingredients?
Like many healers, I have been “gifted” with difficult, “unsolvable” health challenges for much of my life. As both a very stubborn and health oriented person, I never gave up trying to find new avenues to heal myself and I never believed there was nothing that could be done. I always saw the value of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. When I was a kid a told my family that I wanted to heal people and help them with health issues and I wanted to create a resort to assist them with that. Soon I will begin building that very resort that I dreamed of in the mountains in Appalachia, where the land is beautiful and herbs are most plentiful in variety. Everything I have done all my life, somehow brought me back to that dream I had as a kid. I credit my connection with The Divine with putting me on the right path and allowing me to be one with the flow of the universe, instead of struggling against it. There was a point when I was around the age of 40 where I felt extremely restless, and my soul was calling me back to the correct path. I had done tons of spiritual work and so I knew what it felt like to be connected and what it felt like to be not connected. It felt wrong to not move towards healing people and I was led to this calling and I am grateful every day to receive the gift of helping people heal. I had always picked up tricks and facts and things my whole life, from independent research and from healers that I met along my path. I discovered plant medicine and went to school for herbalism to get my certification, while simultaneously doing additional extra studies because I wanted to know as much as possible to help my clients. I realized how effective these plants are in fixing most of the health issues that we face today, and how important it is to have solutions to health issues as nature intended, without harmful side effects. I realize, more and more, how important it is to get back to the basics of health and strip down from all the processed food and chemicals that affect us in so many ways every day. I appreciate and humble myself daily to make sure that I stay connected to Spirit in order to continue to be able to help people as much as possible. It’s the most important thing and it’s why I’m here.
The name “Passionflowers Herbology” is so intriguing. Could you tell us more about your personal connection to passionflowers and how they symbolize your dedication to natural healing and wellness?
I have been a floral designer since I was 18 years old and love flowers and have always reveled in the most unique flower varieties. I came across a vine of passionflowers on a walk near my house many years ago, just growing wild along a fence. I was dumbfounded by their uniqueness, intricacy and beauty. Years later, when I began studying herbalism I realized the value they have medicinally both as a mild nervine or relaxant and as an agent of balancing hormones. Right after I finished my certification for herbalism, I found that passionflowers were gifted to me by the universe and they popped up wild in my own yard. I have been cultivating them there every year ever since. : ) As for the word “herbology” I wanted to express the idea that I will always learn from the plants and herbs and from my clients as well. Herbalism is something that you never finish learning as long as you live, therefore the study of herbs, or “herbology”, is my goal and what I do.
Can you share some examples of specific botanicals that have proven to be particularly beneficial for improving overall health and well-being?
There are far too many to list, but I’ll choose a few of my favorites…
Red clover – one of the many herbs I use for balancing hormones, one of my specialties. I have learned that herbs are the most accurate and effective thing to return balance to our hormones.
Catnip – I love this herb for relaxing the nerves, helping us sleep, or with an upset stomach, I love that it is super safe, but effective, and I love how the taste blends with other herbs and makes a very delicious, unique tasting tea.
Marshmallow Root – amazing for relaxing, soothing and hydrating every cell of our bodies, which is great for dehyration form just not drinking enough water, from when we get sick, when we are exposed to a lot of heat or dry conditions, or even medications that dry us out, colds that cause dry or sore throat, or when we have digestive issues that may be caused by dryness in the digestive tract.
Lastly, of course, Passionflowers – as a delicious tea that relaxes and soothes frayed nerves : D
In today’s fast-paced and stressful world, maintaining overall health and well-being can be challenging. What are some simple yet effective lifestyle practices that you often recommend to your clients to promote balance and vitality in their daily lives?
- Grounding in nature – Most people know how beneficial meditation is, but if you are anything like me, you find it hard to commit to sitting still while there are so many other things you can be doing! For me grounding is extremely beneficial and something you can do while pulling weeds, having a cookout with friends, playing with your kids or fur babies in the yard or at the park. It helps us get back to our roots of nature and counteracts a lot of the technological things in our world that keep us in a state of imbalance. We all need to unplug more and receive the vibrational energy of the earth in order to be on the right wave length for healing.
- Eat an organic diet – Eating organic is one of the biggest things people can do to improve their health. With the amount of food we put into our bodies and the regularity, it is one of the things that has the biggest impact on our health, and it simply cannot be ignored. Additionally, when we eat organic, we support the soil healing, which cleans up our water and air, and we support the health of the farmers that grow our food. It’s a great way to make an impact on the world as a whole. People always argue that organic eating is so expensive, but these days all food is expensive and I will argue 2 things in return: 1). Partially organic food is expensive because the government still subsidizes only GMO farmers. The truth is organic farmers actually make more money, despite not getting government subsidies, so it’s not necessary for our tax dollars to go to this, and it’s giving us so many health issues that it is counter to our basic human needs in every way. 2). When you eat organic, you are actually getting an average of 80-90% more nutrients from your food and you can eat less, which overall, makes your food budget go down, plus your healthcare budget goes down as well. Its an easy return on investment for you and your family’s future.
- Try using an herbalist before you go to a doctor – Still to this day, more people on the planet use an herbalist or medicine man / woman or healer of some sort as their first option for healing. It is only the modernized / western world that has this habit erased from their norm. Herbalists and healers can resolve most of our issues without medicines that destroy our bodies, causing side effects and even deaths. With an herbalist, you want to speak to them early on when you start feeling sick or having symptoms. You don’t wait, like people do to see ” if they need to go to a doctor” or ” if it gets bad”. The goal is to keep you healthy, not to just wait until you are REALLY sick and then resort to medicine. You can still do that later if necessary, but if you go to an herbalist early, you can stave off severe illnesses many times and you give your body nutrients that will help heal it either way. Try thinking alternatively, or really in the way that we used to and most people on the planet still do.
With so many different botanicals available, how do you determine which ones are best suited for each individual’s unique health goals and needs?
I’m so glad you asked this… Besides my education and experience with different herbs, I use muscle testing to determine root causes of issues and to make sure that an herb will work for my client. I find that it makes my recommendations extremely successful and eliminates the time and cost of my clients struggling with the wrong thing or the wrong amount. I usually save my clients money, by eliminating many supplements that they were stabbing in the dark and trying, that were not working at all. I let their own body tell us what it needs instead of a one size fits all approach or just my knowledge alone. My clients, get a full report on their hormone levels, brain chemical levels, if they have any food or other allergies or sensitivities, if they have mold, metal toxicities, parasites, how all of their bodily systems and organs are functioning, if they are dehydrated or sleep deprived, if they have emotional issues holding them back from healing and many other things that help give us the whole health picture and resolve anything that is off balance and causing issues or will cause issues in the future. My goal, as a holistic practitioner is to proactively keep people healthy, and teach them healthy habits that will last a lifetime and will allow them to add their unique expression, gift or value to the world.
