The more "advanced" we become as a civilization, the more disconnected we seem to be from the natural world, the laws of nature & from ourselves. As a collective we are becoming increasingly unwell on a spiritual, intellectual, emotional & physical level. Illness is not something to war against but rather an opportunity for pause, rest, reassessment, clearing of the old & bringing in new life force. Teaching children to be connected with plant life, seasonality, and their internal world builds the inner strength & resilience to face physical challenges & to grow & evolve from them. Below is a printable handout for children that I developed when I was delivering the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program at a Primary School in Melbourne. Due to restrictions at the time we were unable to cook & share food. Instead we did other activities based around the seasonal garden. One week we made herbal tea posies & had a very simple introduction to how herbs can help us through times when we are feeling unwell. They loved the activity & I was grateful to have the opportunity to share that information with them. The herbs mentioned in the handout have active constituents that have biological actions in the body, but for me that's not the most important point of teaching children about herbs. Whats important is feeling supported by the earth that we inhabit, to know when in times of need, we can call upon it to help us. I hope the handout encourages you & your children to plant some herbs & to learn to hear their helpful whispers.
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