Dreams about Herbs

Some people enter into wellness to have a positive impact. Others see a demand for sustainable and ethical practices or to focus on well being. For me? There are a few reasons. One that is worthy of sharing is that- I've been called through dreams.

One of the first dreams I remember was one with Big Mama, sage, and certificates. In this dream, there weren't dried bundles hanging from a wall shelf or my kitchen lined with tinctures and mortar and pestles. This dream was filled with subtle whispers and messages that I was charged to decode on my own and with time.

April 23, 2018, I had a dream that was so beautiful and memorable. I walked into my childhood home through the side door and entered the kitchen. My great-grandmother, Big Mama, was in the kitchen with a decadent floral dress with an apron wrapped around her waist. Her hands were gracefully stirring sage in a cast-iron skillet. She began talking to me, and while listening, my eyes drifted towards the wall where I noticed a wall of certificates and diplomas from "Gesthemane Garden".

I walked into the next room, and there was my grandmother, my Dad's mother whom I had never me,t and my great Aunt Betty, whom I adored, in a beautifully decorated living room with green taffeta drapes. What caught my eye and led me dreading to wake up was the home library of wall to wall books and gorgeous coffee table books that were stacked and arranged perfectly on a well made farm table.

Then, I woke up. I immediately grabbed my phone and begin typing it in my notes so that I could remember it and later decode it- DETAIL BY DETAIL.

Great Grandmother with Boiling Sage

One of the first details of this dream that I direly needed to interpret was Big Mama with sage and the Gesthemane Garden certificates. After months of studying the scripture and significance of sage beyond the literature, I realized Big Mama represented ancestral wisdom, guidance, and protection. Boiling sage as a ritual is deeply symbolic. Sage is used for purification, healing, and spiritual cleansing. Her boiling the sage instead of burning or smudging represented a gentler nurturing form of healing or transformation.

I also strongly felt it was a rite of passage or an initiation into a path of herbalism and healing that was deeply rooted in my lineage. Big Mama's family was indigenous people of Choctaw ancestry. Her mother was a midwife with extensive knowledge of nature and plant medicine. Her stirring the sage implied a passing down of wisdom and ancestral knowledge.

Certificates & Diplomas from "Gesthemane Garden"

It started making sense to me then. The connection between the sage and the certificates and diplomas from Gesthemane Garden. Gethsemane is the garden where Jesus prayed before his crucifixion, symbolizing deep inner struggle, surrender, and preparation for transformation. Now, I am in no way comparing myself to Jesus. However, I will say that I have struggled to walk into what I know is my purpose and what God called me to do years ago. Much of my struggles that led to my professional struggles have been resisting walking into my purpose and the power of healing. Knowing the significance of pressing the olives in that story with Jesus at Gethsemane had me in tears when I woke up. The weight that Jesus was carrying and the burden he was preparing to carry would bring light into the world. It is how I would describe my battle with walking into my calling.

But oh, the wall of certificates and diplomas showed that I was being recognized and called for a spiritual or ancestral mission. My name has already been written, my accomplishments, and accreditations were hung on the wall with so many women who came before me- the women of my lineage. It was the blessed assurance that I am qualified for something so sacred.

Grandmother and Great Aunt in a Beautiful Room

My grandmother and great aunt making an appearance in my dream was tender and a spiritual adornment. They are matriarchs and carriers of culture within my own lineage. Their presence in a richly adorned room with green taffeta drapes suggests abundance, legacy, and a celebration of beauty and tradition. The green taffeta drapes were symbolic and insightful. I'll have to share more about that because it is powerful.

Green symbolizes healing, growth, and the heart chakra. The coffee table books were a representation of knowledge, legacy, and curated identity. It was an encouragement to document my story, lineage, or archival practice.

These dreams aren’t just dreams. They’re lessons. They’re invitations. They’re medicine. I am proud to answer the call of my great grandmother and the women before me.