Our Take it Easy herbal smoking blend was made to ease withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. It is our most grounding herbal smoking blend, which is probably why it helps so much when nerves are irritated and tension is high for those first days off tobacco. 

I love this blend for getting out of my head after a frustrating day. It tends to drop those shoulders and help dial back the steam coming out of your ears. Try it next time you are frustrated at work, or if you need to wind down before bed. Off-label use tip: try Take It Easy for headaches related to neck problems. If it is going to work for you, you will know within a minute or so. :)

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The Trauma Informed Herbalist by Elizabeth Guthrie is an excellent introduction to how healers can be more considerate and aware of trauma. Trauma, in this book, refers to a personal reaction to a range of negative experiences such as ongoing microaggressions related to race, ableism, weight, etc. and PSTD from domestic violence and sexual abuse. 

Guthrie, PhD in Natural Medicine, delves into various areas we can all be more sensitive and gives examples and insight from years of personal experience, professional experience, and research. She provides a comprehensive resource list of books covering areas where she lacks first-hand experience. 

Instead of going into depth on herbs, she provides an overview of ways to support people and avoid triggering them. Guthrie looks at how and when to use essential oils, yoga, energy healing, environmental choices, thoughtful language, offers a substantial section on flower essences, and discusses some herbs. 

I was hoping for more discussion of herbs given the title. I do appreciate the book and the pathway of discovery it opens up.  I recommend this read for people working with others who would like to be more thoughtful about trauma in their practice and/or life. Check it out, and invite in the information for your development.

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Send in up to three of your favorite pics of you smoking our products or our products in your world. 

 

Rules:

1. Respond to this email to submit your pictures. 

2. Include your mailing address and a copy of your license for age verification. 

3. If you are on Instagram, please include your @name too. 

4. Deadline: 8/23/23

 

The First Prize is 5 packs of cigarettes, your choice!

Three runners-up will receive: 1 pack of smokes, your choice!

 

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The new moon in Leo that happened on August 16th was a pretty impactful one. I expect the energies of it to be felt for the month if not several month. Perhaps culminating on the full moon in Leo on January 25, 2024. What was so special? The latest new moon was conjunct both Venus and Lilith. This is rare and exciting. Venus is the archetypal feminine in the conventional sense...the things the culture finds comfortable or stereotypical about women. When it is in good placement it gives beauty, value, charm, luxury, and creativity, or those things in a partner. Lilith, on the other hand, represents the "uncontrolled" woman, a woman doing what she wants for herself, a woman thinking of her own interests too, not just serving (eg riding on top, like Lilith in the bible). Lilith can manifest in many ways! It is a fascinating subject to me. Many portray Lilith as bad, bad, bad. I don't! Every aspect of a chart can benefit from maturing and fine-tuning. But, I like seeing that rebellious side come out of people in writing, or emotions, or desire to lead. Is it really so bad, that people don't always conform? What can we learn from female trailblazers? I think of Lilith as more like a feminist value-Mars. Female energy in action. Whereas Venus is female energy in refinement. 

New moons represent new beginnings. Leo loves the spotlight and is full of firey energy. The Barbie movie seems like the perfect archetype of the collision between old femme and new feminism. Females are all of the above. 

This fun energy is at odds with Uranus in Taurus, lol, which at this point in its long transit, represents continuous upsets to traditional, staid, conservative living. The old way is not happy with changes happening and reacts disruptively to try to maintain the status quo. 

This new moon impacted my life in a very personal way! So this is a bit late. Nevertheless, I am strongly feeling this energy coming through--Barbie road this wave in early. If you identify with being female, set some intentions on how you want to join your unobjectionable female qualities with your wild, uncontrollable ones. Please set the world on fire by showing this combination off. If you identify as male, stare in awe and nurture and protect those inspiring flames. If you are nonbinary, thank you so much for blazing the trail to a future where we embrace gradations in our internal world and external gender expressions.

As the month moves forward more planets move retrograde, including Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. That's a lot, so if you feel like things are not progressing as fast as you want, you are not alone. This is a great time to review past tendencies, writings/documents, interactions, and events. Learn from reflection. Review and correct course. 

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Our 7/3/23 newsletter. Scroll to the footer to subscribe. This newsletter announces our new blog on Community Building here.

"Rat Park": Lessons on Community & Joyful Living

In the 1970's Dr Bruce Alexander did some studies on rats and addiction. He found that rats placed alone in a cage with a choice of water or water and drugs (cocaine or heroine) (and nothing else) would take drugs repeatedly until they died. If instead they were placed in a stimulating environment with other rats, still with access to the same substances, they did not use them very much.*

I am not into animal studies! But, one of my favorite discoveries came from a study where bunnies were force-fed high-fat diets. One group of bunnies had really positive health outcomes. What was the difference? Their researcher for that group of bunnies couldn't help but pet and love on them when they were feeding them. Love is strong medicine!

According to an article on this rabbit love study in the New York Post, "Chronic loneliness is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, heavy alcohol use or obesity, as reported by a 2010 study in PLOS Medicine." Read it here. Yikes! 

Both studies really motivate one towards holistic living. Our bodies are not machines, and our relationships are vital to our well-being.

I have started a new blog about community building which has long been a passion of mine. According to the US surgeon general as many as half of adults are feeling lonely and like their existence has little meaning. For humans, having a fun and interesting life is also great for managing or avoiding falling into addiction. So, after you master your tobacco addiction, or whatever journey brought you here, stay connected to Brown Bear Herb to learn about healthier living, including understanding how your sense of community can be improved. This will help you and your people have better, healthier lives!

Read my latest post here. 

Let's work together to feel more connected. Please connect. I would love to share your resources about community building. If you are interested in doing work with herbs in your community, I can facilitate that through my position at Herbalists Without Borders.

Have a great day!

Arati

 

 

Balancing Family & Profession During This Moon

This full moon is in Capricorn on July 3rd. This astro report takes you through the next two weeks, til just prior to the full moon in Cancer on 7/17/23.

This full moon is likely to increase any sense of stress between the demands of family (Cancer, the current sun and Mercury placement) and that of your professional life (Capricorn, where the moon & Pluto are). You are likely to be communicating about it with Mercury along for the ride. Jupiter in Taurus supports the full moon bringing the potential for big positive shifts. The ruler of Capricorn is in Pisces, in retrograde. The aspect is also supportive. The energies will be best utilized for structuring areas related to secrets, sorrows, and self-sabotage (in the family/work arenas). Reflect on unsightly situations, things you may not want to admit (like addictions and undermining behaviors of all kinds), and be prepared to do the work to clear things up. Use the next two weeks to figure out ways to release or reduce these problems.

There is also quite a bit of tension between Mars and Venus in firey Leo and Uranus in Taurus for another week. These two energies feel chaotic together. The tension eases by the tenth.  To best use this time, find creative expression. Do some sort of art project or performance. Otherwise, you might find your self-expression (in the form of arguments or other communications) met with unsettling resistance.

 

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Linden was historically used as wood in courtrooms, town halls, & grown in the center of town. It's helpful for clearing out emotions that are dragging you down so you can enjoy the sweeter side of life.
The astrology of the next two weeks looks juicy creativity and ripe for emotional breakthroughs. Take advantage!

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Guide to quitting tobacco with Brown Bear Herbs herbal smoking blend:

Step 1: Understand when and why you smoke. This will help you pick the best smoking blend(s).

Step 2: Choose your pack--will you like filtered smokes or our classics?

Step 3: Anticipate how many packs you will need. Plan to get down to 2 of our cigarettes a day within a day or two.

Step 4: Congratulate yourself for breaking your addiction! Make sure to keep a pack or two of your favorite Brown Bear Herbs organic herbal smoking blends on hand for difficult or tempting times so you don't start smoking tobacco again.

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A discussion of herbs for lung health to remind you that in spite of air quality issues, you can have healthy lungs. I look at stories of healing including my father getting off of hospice with Easter Lily flower essence. I also share a couple stories of healing asthma and pneumonia with the herbs mullein, cardomom, and grindelia. Herbs, including smoking mullein have a long history of being used to heal and support our lungs. Don't despair when air conditions are poor. Find herbal allies to support your lungs and work and make decisions for a more sustainable future.

My work focuses on helping people go from smoking as a form of enslavement to empowerment by harnessing plant medicine and releasing addiction. But I also do individual herb consultations.

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