Speaker 0
Into the wild, I'm going into the wild, I am. It's been a wild freedom child since I left my roots back home. Into the wild I'm good. Into the wild I am. It's been a wild freedom's child since I left my roots back home.
Speaker 1
Welcome to the Free Birth Society podcast. This is a radical space for women who are ready to celebrate their autonomous choices in birth, motherhood, and beyond. Together, we'll learn about wild birth through personal narrative, we'll explore the politics of birth, and we'll analyze everything that relates to our lives as women from a feminist perspective. Here's your host, Emilee Saldaya. It's
Speaker 0
been a wild freedom check since I've left my rules back home.
Speaker 2
Today, I have the great pleasure of welcoming to the show doctor Elderberry. Yes. That is her real name. Elderberry is a naturopath, a vitalist, herbalist, a homeopath, and a wild mother. I'm so excited for her to share her wisdom of homeopathy, minerals, practicing herbalism energetically, and tuning into mother nature as she does so well. This is an especially fun episode as Elder is one of our headliners at the matriarch rising festival this summer, well, where she will be offering her teachings on homeopathy and supporting your well-being beyond the physical. Practices truly womb to tomb. She's deeply passionate about the power of sovereign healing. If our conversation today lights you up, you don't wanna miss the chance to learn from Elderberry and our pantheon of wise woman headliners at MRF this June. Go to matriarch rising festival dot com to claim your ticket and get ready for a life changing five days. W w w dot matriarch rising festival dot com. Grab your ticket now. Alright. Enjoy the episode. Okay we're just gonna start with that that your real name is Elderberry. Let's just start with that origin story because that's just too cute and too special. So how did that come to be?
Speaker 3
Yeah. So I guess my that's really the start of this whole journey for me. I actually actually was born with a different name, and I changed it in twenty twenty legally. But, really, for me, it's been this crazy journey of growing up in the allopathic establishment. My mom was actually a nurse, and I was just totally grew up in that whole world, the opposite of what I do now, which is, you know, one day just biking somewhere really kind of lost, you know, in my early twenties. I really felt the elderberry plant actually called me, almost, like, stopped my bike and was just like, woah. This plant, you know, through that whole experience, just had this understanding that nature is watching me just as much as I'm watching it. And that is how everything really unfolded. It was quite a just magical experience and then come to understand that she's, like, the the mother of the forest, like, the old grandmother. And there's all these, like, fairy tale teachings of the elder tree, and she's got her own wisdom and be really, like, respectful to her. She has a wisdom to her. And I was like, man, you know, if I wanna embody something
Speaker 2
Mhmm.
Speaker 3
And, like, bring all my magic in this world. Mhmm. That is what I wanna have is, like, even my name is different, and it's something to me. It means something to me.
Speaker 2
Yeah. I mean, that's what a spiritual name is. Right?
Speaker 3
Yeah. And
Speaker 2
there's such a there's such a I mean, not not as much with our generation having kids. I mean, I see a lot more intention behind name giving among my community than I think my parents certainly had or perhaps
Speaker 3
their parents.
Speaker 2
So okay. So then twenty twenty sounds like a really big year for you. Are you already in the herbalism world, or is that when it starts to pop off?
Speaker 3
Okay. So, yeah, I was just, like, basically going by elderberry for a long time before that. But Oh.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Okay. Okay. So you were going by it, and that's when you made it a fish.
Speaker 3
Yeah. Yes. That's when I did the whole legal paperwork, and I actually had to, like, delve into the legal world because my Yeah. Attorney abandoned me, and it was really crazy. But out of that whole story, there's hardships that come, and then you learn so much. You become stronger for it. But, gosh, that's it's been wild. You know, people not wanting to accept that as my name and being offended. That's my name. And I'm like, hey. Like, that's just part of being out of the mainstream in a way. It's just like you're con if you're born that person that you're not gonna be in the mainstream and do that stuff, you kinda just get used to it after a while. You know? Mhmm. You raise your kids a different way. You school them a different way. You take different medicine, that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2
So what was the transition? I mean, now it's been three years. So does it feel fairly integrated in your life that this is the name you choose?
Speaker 3
Oh, absolutely. Yeah. And it's really cute. You know, the little kids that come to me, they're like, that that's never been not my name. You know? It's like, hey, doctor Elderberry, and we're hopping on Zoom, and it's like, they can't wait to see me again. You know, the little kids that I'm serving and stuff, it's pretty amazing. So
Speaker 2
And when you say doctor, what are you a doctor of?
Speaker 3
So I'm a naturopathic doctor, but I also use Vitalist herbalism. Usually, naturopaths, I feel like do a lot of supplements and stuff. I'm not into supplements, but, you know, herbalism really took over my life. And living in these beautiful mountains, there's so much medicine. So I do vitalist herbalism, and I also do homeopathy. So I blend all kinds of things together into my practice. It's pretty amazing.
Speaker 2
Okay. So let's back up a little bit. So when did you get into all of this? And this is such a big deal to have the nurse mom. I did as well, you know, totally in the allopathic world. And and are you that kind of, like, young woman who's already rejecting stuff super young or, you know, what causes this catalyst outside?
Speaker 3
Yeah. I mean, I just remember being ever since I can remember, I was really sick. You know? And my mom just there's a certain blinder that comes on at a certain point, I feel like, in that world. Like, there's nothing outside of this. Everything else is quackery. And I think that that that alone has never been me. I I have always questioned my reality ever since childhood. And so, you know, really questioning when, like, the injections were coming or, like, she would bring them home, like, certain injections and things like that, which I don't even know is legal. Like, vaccines and things would just be in our fridge. You know? And so I was just, like, remember her walking towards me one time with the flu shot, and I was, like, already full of acne, headaches all the time, so tired, and I'm just like a teenager. You know? So I had brain fog, and I just remember being like, there's gotta be a different way. And she was coming at me with that flu shot, and I was just like, I don't want it. And I just remember that reaction from her of like, what do you mean you don't want it? And I was like, well, what's in it? You know? Can you tell me about it? And she couldn't do it. She couldn't tell me. And that alone was just like, that's really weird. She's been giving this to so many people, but couldn't tell me, you know, what the yeah. And even as a teenager, I was like, yeah. I'm probably not gonna take it this time. And so life has has given me amazing friends that have popped into my life, and one of them basically saved me through she met me when I was super sick working at, like, this art supply store going working through college. I was, actually going to college. I first got my master's in art. So I was, like, super sick. And I just remember, like, she came in and was like, you look really, really bad. And, you know, what how can I help you? And she, like, took me under her wing, and I was living alone. And she gave me these, like, supplements and was just teaching me about herbs and things and kind of, like, just dropping these little hints here and there. And I just remember how that changed my outlook on what was available because prior, you know, you have, like, tunnel vision. Only go to the doctor. Only ever see this one way. And I was like, what how have I never heard of this before? So I I really started to realize the truth is kind of hidden from people, And that alone was just, like, making me wanna dig further because I was like, what else is there? And I was so fascinated by that, and I still am that kind of a person, I feel like, because there's just more and more and more to uncover about this world that's not on the agenda. So that's that's really the story there, and I started to just wanna help people after that. Once I felt better, I wanted to help and be a part of the change and get some kind of message out that there's just at least know that there's a different way. You don't have to choose that way, but it is there for you. Herbs are there. Homeopathy is there. There's things that are natural to the body that are there. And that's a big part of just what keeps propelling me on is seeing people who've been overtaken by that establishment and, like, gotten, you know, like, their bowel taken out or whatever crazy stuff happening to them and being able to help. You know? Being able to offer some sort of balance to the system.
Speaker 0
Mhmm.
Speaker 3
Yeah.
Speaker 2
Yeah. I work with a a vitalist naturopath as well, and she's really changed my life, introducing homeopathy. And it's with both of our kids, it's kind of the only, like, thing outside of just eat a orange and go to sleep. You'll be fine. You know? Outside of just, like, you're fine. It's the whole thing that I've really tried or turned to or gotten to know and felt felt some real resonance with. Yeah. And so I she uses that same word, so that's really cool because you're really actually the only other person I've ever met besides, her name is Jen Tice. Do you randomly know her?
Speaker 3
No. Nice to
Speaker 0
see her.
Speaker 3
Want to now.
Speaker 2
She's so special. She's really very, very special. And, yeah, she's just taught me a lot of it sounds like very similar to you that she would be she would be the friend in my life that's come in and given me, you know, these little seeds of what is possible in this whole other arena because homeopathy I mean, can anyone explain it? Do you know how to explain it? What would be kind of an introductory, yeah, seed seed dropping around homeopathy? Because I certainly can't explain it.
Speaker 3
Yeah. We
Speaker 2
just call them spirit pills.
Speaker 3
Exactly. Oh my gosh. So I don't know if anybody really can because what they do is you're taking plant material, which the that's just plants. There's minerals that you can use. Basically, homeopathy is opening our world to understand that everything can be used as medicine, which I do various classes on this. So plants, minerals, animals, even animal milks, teeth, tissues. We can use our own tissues as humans. Then there's things called imponderables. So there's things you can take like, X-ray, five g, colors, sounds. So literally, anything you can possibly imagine can be taken and put into a remedy, which is then diluted, you know, hundreds to thousands to millions of times. And that dilution allows the molecules to be broken up so small. It's like it goes in in, yeah, that, like, spirit way, that soul way. And it's different from herbalism in that way that herbalism is very much like a physical product. When you're taking homeopathy, you're taking that essence of the product. So it it works completely opposite actually to most herbalism.
Speaker 2
It's pretty much Right. Because it's kind of can go maybe just one step further. So, like, when I take the spirit pills Mhmm. If it is the correct remedy, the only word that I can come up with is, like, resonance. Like, my system has resonance with this diluted formula. But but how does it alchemize the symptoms if that's even the correct, like, frame.
Speaker 3
Yeah. So, the way that I like to teach this is to teach the opposite. So we're I'll go I'll get to that in just a second. But with herbalism, where we wanna do a system of contrary. So if somebody is, you know, really dry like, say you have a really dry cough, that's a really good example. You wanna give something moistening. Right? Because it's gonna go in and moisten the lung tissue and help that to heal and why you have the scratchy throat in the first place. You know, take some marshmallow. That's when honey comes in. It's really good. Sage, mullein, those are really moistening herbs. So when you do, homeopathy, that's based on a principle of similar suffering. So I always give the example of, like, arsenic. Arsenic is a mineral remedy. It's it's technically poisonous, super poisonous in its own form, so you couldn't take it like you do herbalism. But if you give the way that they do homeopathy is through provings. They give those things to a healthy person.
Speaker 2
Mhmm.
Speaker 3
So there's vast, huge repertoires of provings that they've done, which is everything in homeopathic medicine. It's like, what are you dreaming? What are you thinking? How is your nose? How are your eyes? How are your ears? What's your hair doing? Like, what secretions do you have? So back to arsenic. If you gave arsenic to a healthy person, what would happen? The person would start to get weak. They would start to have clear discharges coming out. They would be, like, failing to thrive, be very, very anxious, constantly worried about their own health, and kind of just basically this mindset of, like, everybody's taking something away from me because they can't everything's leaking away from them. They're they've been poisoned, essentially, and leaking by this process. So they watched people who are healthy taking arsenic and observed all these people. But what happens when you see somebody who comes to you? Imagine a little child. I have this happen a lot. The parents, like, basically describing this little kid is failing to thrive. Right? They are eating not very much. They have a really limited amount of food that they actually like eating. The consistency bothers them. They're very anxious, clear discharges. They're just weak and exhausted, and, the exact portrait of what a healthy person happened when a healthy person took arsenic, that's when you would wanna give this little child a, homeopathic version of arsenic. And that similar suffering, that that's the healing point is where you're giving them something that's so similar. It's in when when it's in that diluted form, it's actually working on the energy body. And I've seen totally turn around people's lives from this little kid who's, like, so anxious and has OCD to the point they just, like, they can't even take them for a walk down the street because it's, like, something so strange. Like, they keep thinking they have to pee every five minutes, so they gotta turn around and go back home. Now it's their mind is clear. They're they're they can sit up straighter. They're not as weak. They're taking in more foods. It's quite incredible. So
Speaker 2
so when it is the right remedy, why does the similar suffering
Speaker 4
help?
Speaker 2
Why does it shift the symptoms? Do can we answer
Speaker 4
that? It's
Speaker 3
yeah. That's the that's the question. I think a lot of people are like, it's working with the vital force. It's working with the spirit, but it's quite mysterious, actually.
Speaker 2
Mhmm.
Speaker 3
Yeah. It's very big mystery. Like, Samuel Hahnemann figured it out through wanting, something for malaria. And, he did the provings on himself, and there's a lot of people who really did really mess up things back then, proving things on, like, little kids and stuff like that. But yeah. But, he figured it out through Cinchona bark. And whether or not he knew exactly how this was working and, you know yeah. It's just that spirit the spirit of that canceling out those symptoms is somehow this miraculous thing. And, you know, we know through measuring herbalism and things like that because it's something we can quantify. Right. But when it's diluted so much, who can
Speaker 2
I mean, if I if I hadn't of experienced the results of homeopathy time and time and time again, primarily in my children like, I use it mostly with my children? I mean well, just also they, like, have more obvious symptoms, I feel like, than I mean, I guess I've used it acutely for migraines or whatever. But, anyway, point being, if I had not have experienced such a long standing body of positive and quick results, I would not be someone that would, like, believe it or or entertain
Speaker 3
Mhmm.
Speaker 2
The possibility of it. Yeah. And, yeah, exactly. I appreciate the articulation of that because it's kinda beyond beyond what I could ever offer.
Speaker 3
Yeah. And I think that that's why in drugstores and things now, whenever they're giving the homeopathic version of something and they, like, put it on the shelf, they make it look really official rather than, like, this big woo woo thing. You know? It looks just like the ibuprofen box, and it's like
Speaker 2
That's funny.
Speaker 3
I'll give it a shot. You know? And it's like pills, and it looks kinda similar to what they're used to. So I think that's probably a component to it is it's been marketed in a way where it's not like this big, like, sparks of light and, like, hippies on the cover. You know? It's like yeah.
Speaker 2
Yeah. And, I mean, my openness to it only really began with sheer desperation. I I'd say really in this last pregnancy, just getting such significant migraines and and not, you know, not wanting to take Excedrin, particularly when I'm pregnant. And I, like, kicked and screamed about it, and finally, she gave me belladonna at the right time, right place, and it was one of those, like, level ten migraines. And, you know, also, I should say to anyone listening, just because that was my remedy, like, if you're having a migraine, it doesn't mean that that is yours. It's not like a one size fits all at all. But, anyway, long story short, within fifteen minutes, it went from a ten to a two, and it was so significant. Yes. And I was like, oh, shit. Okay. I'm gonna start paying more attention to this. And it's so fun with children because there's no, like, risk. There's no, you know, there's no side effects. There's nothing, you know, dangerous, and it can really be this sense of almost playfulness and curiosity, you know, with with this medium that I don't think, yeah, I don't think there's a lot of options like that. I mean, herbalism could be one as well, which I'd like to pivot to in in just a second. But I also want to ask you, a thought that I had was around cell salts. Is that something that you work much with and is in your, like, repertoire? What what do you kind of have to say about that? Because I feel like, they're only they're only recently in my consciousness, like, been introduced. And,
Speaker 3
yeah,
Speaker 2
I think they're probably a very new concept to a lot of women listening, so maybe you could speak on it.
Speaker 3
Yeah. I think that they're extremely beneficial. I take them almost every day. My whole family does. So, basically, they are the food for ourselves. And there's been some really cool books that came out that are really easily accessible to even the beginner of looking at faces that somebody made of when you're deficient in certain cell salts.
Speaker 2
Woah.
Speaker 3
And even just, like, under eye circles or, like, where you're getting wrinkling. I mean, how many women wouldn't love this? Like but, you know, do you have, like, a modeled appearance of the face? I love those kinds of things because that's it's so amazing for mothers even to be able to turn to a page and be like, okay. They're looking like this, and then it's got some other things written here about it. You know? And the cell salts themselves, I mean, they're just so beautiful. I mean, even for, like, anemia or children that are not really growing appropriately or taking certain ones when fever comes on or and they all have their own way to shine, but, really, even just taking them in combination as as basically like a mineral supplement is quite amazing. It's yeah. I've just seen even people like you were talking about, certain people are just deficient in those minerals. When they take the cell salts, they immediately have the dissolving of the headache because
Speaker 2
Mhmm.
Speaker 3
You're finally getting things to where they need to go.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Right. Yeah. Interesting. Okay. So let's get into herbalism. Do plants talk to you? That's my first question.
Speaker 3
I think if you're willing to listen to it and, like like, we as a culture kind of there were, like, a lot in our minds. So it took it took me realizing that I was in my mind a lot, and but I think that they are. The they're yeah. It's Well,
Speaker 2
I mean, do they talk to you?
Speaker 3
Oh, absolutely. I mean, I don't think it's necessarily like, hey, elderberry. How are you doing today? Like, let's have a cup of tea and sit together. It's more like it's a it's a gentle knowing, like, inside. People who are drawn to plants, I feel like, are particularly the ones who like to sit with them and, like, gain wisdom from them, but I don't know. People who are, like, nature lovers. I think that one of the things that's happening to us is we're in the field of communicating with the plants, and we're in each other's, like, bio fields. So we're receiving information all of the time. Mhmm. And so I think that's one way, not necessarily through, like, speaking, but through just an energy exchange. Like, we are we're so much more connected and deeply integrated than we understand. It's it's quite fascinating. But I think, yeah, people do, like, plant meditations, you know, and even just watching people take plant medicine and how it changes consciousness, they're definitely in all these different ways speaking with us. It's pretty amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 2
So tell me about your relationship to herbalism and kind of what the arc of it has been so far and and really anything that to open up this this conversation.
Speaker 3
Yeah. So I started as an herbalist that was like, take this herb for this thing. Like, I'm speaking right now on my Instagram about, pain relief and dealing with pain and, because it's just one of the things that a lot of people come to me for. But in the past, you know, like, my training was to cut inflammation or really treat it allopathically. Like, you give this herb whenever somebody's experiencing this thing rather than looking at people so individually. And so I began the study of vitalist herbalism where I'm really looking at energy. And so that's like, are you hot? Are you cold? Are you damp? Are you dry? Are you tense? Are you relaxed? And what does that look like for you and how to pair that with herbs? And so that feels really technical to say that for the beginner. But, really, it's a way of saying herbs can move our tissues and our cells in such a way that we're we're vibrating in our own individuality at a level of health and deeper than than just I'm taking this urge to take my pain away. Like
Speaker 4
Mhmm. If you
Speaker 3
really address the deeps the deep tissues inside, everything will kind of chink into place. Even our our mind, our emotions, it's it's quite amazing. So that's I started out like that. Now I'm dealing with how can I pair them with an herb that's gonna shift them in their spirit? Like, it's just Mhmm. And so I feel like I started out here, and I'm like, over here.
Speaker 2
Well, I also hear it, like, in my in the way that I kind of see things, I hear there's a real paradigm shift, and and the the earlier way you described feels very allopathic. Right? Like, treat the symptom. Just look at the focused, narrow, quick result, you know, kind of consciousness. And and I think that where you're arriving or where you have arrived feels much more in what I would call the sovereign paradigm, which when I say sovereign, I really mean, like, powerful, embodied, you know, whole in integrity. And and vital is another really, really cool word to throw in there. So, yeah, that's that that's a does that resonate?
Speaker 3
Yeah. That's that's one big part that I left out there, which is that how I really came to love herbalism was just being around the plants that are around me that can be useful. So, you know, being outside for me is like I and I feel like for so many cultures in the past was like, you had a mission. Like, you went to go chop the wood or carry the water. You went to go gather the medicine. You went to go get the stuff for weeding your basket. You know? And for me, that's just, like, very traditional way of heading out to go. I don't just, like, hike. And I think my husband is, like, really hoping for the days we can just, like, hike. But it's like he goes out with me, and I'm, like, stopping, and I pick some stuff.
Speaker 2
You're wandering. Yeah.
Speaker 3
And there's purpose to it. You know? It's like, this is the time of year. It connects me with the seasons. This is the time of year that we get this herb, and this is what it does. And, you know, so I need to make sure that I'm going out and doing these things. But in a very sovereign way, I was getting free medicine, you know, just by just knowing the habitat and going out searching for what was around me. And in every habitat, there's something.
Speaker 2
Mhmm.
Speaker 3
There's you can be in the desert and have totally different plants than me, and those are healing to you for living in that environment.
Speaker 0
Mhmm.
Speaker 2
It's So cool.
Speaker 3
Mhmm.
Speaker 2
And so you live where I live, we live in the same mountain range, which is the oldest mountain range in the world. Right?
Speaker 3
So you're yeah. I'm right on the edge of the smoke the smokey and the Blue Ridge. So you're in the Blue Ridge. Yeah. Right?
Speaker 2
Well, aren't the smokey and the Blue Ridge the same? I thought that they call it smokey in Tennessee, Blue Ridge in North Carolina, but they're both referring to the same mountain range.
Speaker 1
Okay.
Speaker 2
But I could be wrong. I'm not gonna I'm like, I can't stop on that one.
Speaker 3
Yeah. That's a really good question. Because wherever we're heading out, they're like, oh, now you're in the Smokies. So yeah. Maybe I
Speaker 2
It could just be language. We need, like you know how Joe Rogan has Jamie? He has that, like, the fact checker who's always pulling stuff up. I'm gonna do
Speaker 3
it right now
Speaker 2
so that because I do not want to say mean stupid on this podcast. Oh, interesting. Okay. So the Smoky Mountains are a sub range of the Blue Ridge Mountains. So the Smoky Mountain the Great Smokies or the Smoky Mountains are the Blue Ridge Mountains, but not all of the Blue Ridge Mountains are the Smoky Mountains.
Speaker 3
So that seems more confusing.
Speaker 2
No. But that actually makes more sense in my brain. Okay. I'm glad. The short quick is that it is one of the oldest. There might be a range in Africa that might beat it. Because my herd moving here was that this mountain range has the most largely because of how old it is, but also the climate, which I guess they kinda go together, that it has the most food. It has the most medicine and the most forageable, edible, plants of anywhere either I either wanna say in the world or North America. I don't care. But so I'd love to hear what you have to say about foraging because that is so in a way, that's so edgy. And it's you know, there's a real talk about sovereign living. Like, there's a real reality, you know, that that I think most people are not familiar with of actually going into nature, knowing something, trusting that, eating it. Right? It kinda goes against our indoctrination to only trust stuff with a sticker and a label that's wrapped up in these, you know, certain stores that we trust. There's something so edgy to learn that you can trust your eyes and your knowings and your, you know, and your and and your actions. So I would just love to hear you talk about that and and and Yeah. Put your son in that.
Speaker 3
Yeah. I started foraging just really being like, wow. Society is heading in this really crazy direction. And, what would happen if I couldn't have access to medicine? Because at that time, I was studying traditional Chinese medicine. To pair this with what you're talking about with the mountains, they're a lot of their medicine is is harvested in a a climate very much like ours, and it's on Changbai mountain. It's like their sacred mountain for a lot of their wild crafting and things like that. But I was like, you know what? It doesn't feel right to me to keep importing these herbs that I don't even know who picked them, what happened to it. You know? It's like you just have to trust a lot unless you, like, were watching the whole time, like, the whole process. So and then, like, a lot we don't even realize a lot of our food here gets, like, slash treated with all this stuff before we ever actually get it. Which is I found out whenever I was trying to make pickles and stuff like that, I was like, they do that to cucumbers? Like, what? So when I started foraging, that was really my my goal is just to be like, okay. If everything shut down, could I go out and get medicine? Could I heal my family? And I think my son was this, like, huge driver for that in me. Something was awakening in me, and I wanted to be able to help if I needed medicine. So all the herbs that I've been learning about, I wanted to know what was local to me that I could use. And so I just started heading out on different trails, and the very first thing that I wanted to learn was, like, poisonous plants because I think that that's pretty good place to start, and then you start to notice that there's not many. So we kind of get this idea in our minds that you might go out and eat something poisonous, but in reality, likely the likelihood of that is that you're eating something actually medicinal is a lot higher. So, you know, things like poison ivy, water hemlock stuff that's, like, you can confuse other things for. But, gosh, when I I just became obsessed with the idea that I could build this apothecary for free. You know? I could come home, hang these herbs up to dry, and it was just you know, because so many people right now are struggling financially. Like, that's the way things are. Like, rent is higher and food is higher. And, also, like, what what could we get as food? And it was just a way for me to build my knowledge base, but also be like, how can I help people that are coming to me with things that are local, and how much more of a benefit would that be for them because it was local? You know, the same idea that people are like, I wanna take honey because it was local to me. This got the you know? So that really since when my son was born, it was just became very natural. Like, strap him on the pack, start walking, and, like, I just remember foraging for reishi mushrooms when he was, like, five months old. You know? He's always been a part of the journey, and now it's, like, evolved to where he has his favorite plants, and he has, like, such great amazing, like, long range eyesight and energy that he's, like, helping me go get things that are, like, way up somewhere or whatever. And it's just, like, partnership that we have that he enjoys it, I enjoy it, and he's just it's just part of his world. So he comes home and he's used to making medicine with me, encapsulating things, or tincturing things with me. He's nine now, but it's like, that's just so normal. It's just life. It's just what you do. You prepare to have the medicine ready when you need it. It's just,
Speaker 2
So do you say, like, let's go forage? And that's
Speaker 3
I'm pretty much like, it's this time of year. We know that we need to go get the elderberries now or they're gonna be gone. So that's kind of, like, more like
Speaker 2
he's more excited. Specific.
Speaker 3
Yeah. Or if we can make it into something really cool, like, fermented drink or something, and that's, like, the end goal too. He's really excited about that. We do a lot of picnicking so that it becomes, like, we can have a magical picnic as well, like, at the end in a pretty spot and bring some treats. But, we find ways to make it so that we can use this stuff in a really fun, like, tasty way as well. Yeah.
Speaker 2
Beautiful. That's awesome. So I did wanna spend a little time shifting into how this influences your mothering, and you obviously become a mother after you are on this path, right, it sounds like.
Speaker 3
Mhmm.
Speaker 2
And so, yeah, how does this influence any other aspect you might wanna speak to? And and I'd love to hear you talk a little bit about the schooling choices as well.
Speaker 3
Yeah. So on that same journey of just questioning everything, you know, I me and my husband have always had, like, really long conversations about, like, the just craziness that they teach in school and why. You know? Like, the things that are said to the children or brought up or just worrying about tests and grades and things like that. Did I want that integrated into my son's life, and was there another way? I had already been introduced to, biodynamic farming at that point, and so we had had friends who were showing us their biodynamic farms and, learning about Rudolf Steiner, the person who created all that, he created Waldorf schooling. So through trying to figure out what Waldorf schools were around us by the time my son was, like, four, he went into a Waldorf program in kindergarten, and that completely and totally changed my perspective of schooling because the way that they they immediately are getting the kids around gardening. They're immediately getting the kids around animals. They're immediately responsible for something even if it's as small as caring for the plants in the classroom. They're immediately washing dishes. They're immediately like, this is cleanup time, but in a way that's, through song and story. So it's it's really bringing alive this is just such a huge part of my life. It's just bringing in the spirit to things. Like, what is the spirit of this whole thing actually feel like? You know? And, they they believe in mirroring and molders. So, like, who you are and present yourself to the children in an authentic way, and they're always, like, smiling and greeting them so joyfully is how they believe the children will receive that and mirror that into the world. It's just so respectful, and so it's like they believe in the hands and the heart and this and the spirit, and it's interconnected in this way that really brings an art and music and things that are kinda, like, dwindling from public schools. It's like the whole part of Holdorf is centered around, just basically art and song and story, and then it evolves from there. But it's it's incorporating so much into that. Like, there's books and books and books on, why they do all the things they do, which is so masterful. But through that, I also he's enrolled in a four school program, so it's like I've read a lot about the usefulness of just them feeling like they have a use in the world
Speaker 2
and
Speaker 3
bringing that will force into the world with, like, I can make fires. I can make tools. I can take care of myself. I am a sovereign being, and even though I'm young, I matter, you know, that And I'm a part of a tribe now, so, like, we we can learn through games and all these things. It's pretty magical. Yeah.
Speaker 2
Okay. So he's in he's in forest school now, but he was in Waldorf?
Speaker 3
So right now, he's in Waldorf online. So he actually does an online program that is, like, I think, four hours a week. But through those four hours per week, it's like they actually do so much. And then one day per week, he does a Forest School program. So most of that other time, he is literally just out with me getting herbs and, yeah, making medicine. That's just such a huge part of our life. So that freedom, you know, for me and for him, he has he has a whole next level of energy to him than, like, any other kid I've ever met, you know, like, an inner vitality. And so putting him in a desk at school would just not fit him. Maybe other kids that works really well, like, in a world are sitting in the desk. But I think for him, it would feel so limiting and so caging. And so those four hours are, like, just perfect. He feels like he's a part of the class, and then he can be, like, in nature. That's just just feels better for him.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Okay. Well, I'd love to hear a little bit more about your work, like, what your work looks like now, and just go ahead and brag about yourself for a little while, and then and then we can wrap it up.
Speaker 3
Yeah. So, I mean, my work now is just I feel really, really blessed because I've built this life for myself while I work with people from all over the world. So I work exclusively online right now, and I take people of all genders, shapes, sizes, races, spiritual beliefs, you know, anyone, any you know, for anything. So I work with, you know, people from womb to tomb, really, and, it's it's evolving to this place where it doesn't only have to be where we're just working on the physical stuff, that when you really hit on the right remedies, you can help people with deep subconscious programming. You can help people to these spirit levels that are, like, quite miraculous, not, like, in a religious sense, but in a sense of, like, who we are
Speaker 2
Mhmm.
Speaker 3
Inside, and what's limiting us and the beliefs that we have without me seeing anything really at all. If the remedy is there, it can chink away these places that have been blocking and limiting. And, you know, watching people build businesses after this and come out of, like, crazy experiences and, like, OCDs and, being people being drawn to me with, like like, I get the people now who have been, like, I've gone to six different chiropractors and herbalists and a hundred different naturopaths and this and this, and it's like, okay. And I'm the one that they come to and can finally see the deep stuff, that wasn't so physical. So I do deal with all the manner of physical things, but realizing and pairing that with I really think that it can be like therapy almost in a brand new way where, like, we understand that there's things that are in there that can these these technologies and the herbs and the and homeopathy can go so much deeper than we have I've ever known. And I'm just watching it unfold and just going and learning from these amazing homeopaths and herbalists and then using that as a guiding force in my own practice and seeing, like, children off in new directions, like, elderly people off in new directions. It's just like it's truly miraculous. So I work with herbalism. I work with homeopathy, but it's just next level. Like, there's stuff that's gonna be I can just see now because then this is why I teach is because I want there to be people doing this too and then expanding on it, you know, like, get better than I am. And that's how we're gonna keep unfolding in our humanity, but it's like the more darkness that comes in, the more lights that's there. So now we're at this, like, really dark point, but, like, you know, being at the light end of spectrum of things is, like, quite incredible. And, you you know, usually, I it's like I have people come on on just like this, but they're, like, crying. You know? Their life is falling apart. Mhmm. And being able to, like, see them next time and they're, like, radiant, joyful, like, something the spark is back. And it's just, like, I that's just everything to me. You know? Because I was there. You know? That was me.
Speaker 2
So how can women find you?
Speaker 3
Doc w w w dot doctor elderberry dot com. I'm also d r dot elderberry, on Instagram and Facebook and the stuff. But, yeah, just if it you know, just see if it vibes with you because I think the biggest thing is just finding somebody that you feel really comfortable with. But you can find follow me on Instagram, and you can see our little travels up in the forests and fields. And Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2
Alright. I'm gonna put you on the spot. Will you come teach a MRF?
Speaker 3
I would love to. I would love to. Yeah. Ariel had actually mentioned that she wanted me to do an introduction of my minerals class. I did a class called remineralizing the spirit
Speaker 2
Oh, beautiful.
Speaker 3
About all the different homeopathic minerals and how they work with us, not only physically, but spiritually. Cool.
Speaker 2
Yeah. Yeah. I want I want this next one that's always over the summer solstice. I really want this one's theme to have a heavy orientation towards nourishment, yeah, food, allies, just like Really? That that's what kinda seems like is coming into into view.
Speaker 3
That's so beautiful. I would love to come see your property. Oh my gosh. Yeah. I'm excited.
Speaker 2
Awesome. Okay. Cool. Well, all of you listening can look forward to that. Alright. Well, thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 3
Yeah. Thank you.
Speaker 2
I hope you enjoyed the show today. You can support this podcast by donating to it on free birth society dot com and leaving an awesome review on whatever platform you listen on. The more reviews, the more visibility the show gets, so let's spread the word of sovereign birth. We've always got a lot going on at Free Birth Society, and you can find out about all of it at free birth society dot com, at free birth society on Instagram, and opt in to my newsletter below in the show notes. We offer courses on free birth, authentic midwifery, and the blood mysteries, as well as one on one coaching, in person retreats, and, of course, our annual women's festival. Our exclusive vetted private membership is definitely something to check out if you're looking for a community of wise sisters. Together, we rise. We must speak our stories, claim our lives, and support one another. This is the living revolution, and I am so grateful to be in it with all of you. I'll leave you with our epic Free Birth Society theme song, Wild Woman by Aruba Red.
Speaker 4
I honor you for the wisdom you held, the ancient traditions of plant medicine and womb magic. I feel the spirit of the ancestors as I place my hands upon my belly. This sacred portal will be honored. Eons upon light beams of survival, withstanding the eradication of our power by design. I will not allow the separation of our young to be forced upon me. My sisters will no longer birth in in captivity. The picket line we define from burning our wild women to paralyzing us and drugging out babes. Strapped down in a clinical white bed, drying up the milk from our breasts, keep your needles. My family will never again be doomed to chase those dragons or your poison. We reject your fear. We choose love. Everything with intention, death, ascension. I will fly and bring her back from the star.
