Healing With Mama Medicine

Fortifying ourselves and our spirits

During these tumultuous times where we may feel ungrounded, we need to take extra steps towards fortifying ourselves and our spirits. One of the ways is by seeking out healers who can  help us clear unnecessary baggage, and help us connect with the source within us.

I recently had my bookkeeper tell me that while estimating my taxes she realized my greatest expenses were healers and holistic self care. I feel so appreciative that I can do this from time to time. I like to call it ‘research’, however in my heart of hearts, I know it’s what keeps me feeling buoyant and supported. I also turn to my meditation sets or being in nature which are easily available if I make it so. I hope this post with the lovely Deborah Hanekamp (Mama Medicine) can impart some supportive and nurturing healing and peace your way ~

I first experienced Deborah’s healing at my dear friend Sage Hummingbird’s Topanga home. We gathered in a circle and Deborah has us breathe in a specific way. This breath got us to a place where we were able to take in her energy work. She combines various schools of healings into an amalgamation from her many many years of wisdom and experience. The combination of breath work, sound chimes, clearing with sage, and prayers make this an opportunity to clear and cleanse one’s energy field.

I first met Deborah at the Spirit Weaver’s Gathering in Northern California. From the start I felt a loving, gentle, kind energy emanating from her. For this post Mel my photographer and I went to Kari from Poppy and Someday’s home and spa to get a healing with Deborah. Kari’s place is an absolute sanctuary hidden in the hills of Hollywood. I felt like my nervous system automatically calmed down being around Kari’s magical garden. Since one of Deborah’s medicines’ is clearing baths, we were able to use Kari’s divine outdoor bath for a remedy. Mine entailed being saged and then immersed in a warm bath infused with crystals, lavender, sage and thyme. After working with Deborah I felt lighter in terms of holding energy and the bath was bliss . . .

1) What makes your heart sing?
Playing outside with my husband, daughter and dog.

2) Do you see a shift happening with more people wanting spiritual healing? why do you think this is?
Yes having been offering this work for so long I’ve seen a shift from my world being really obscure and ambiguos to being mainstream, I think this because as a human family we are ascending and becoming more sensitive to the calling of spirit.

3) Do you have a daily ritual?
In addition to my morning sadhana practice, I try to connect to one aspect of nature to cleanse my energy, being a New Yorker this may seem like a challenge but it’s as simple as standing facing the cleansing winds or touching my forehead to a tree.

4) Do you have a favorite mantra or quote?
“You are forgiven You are forgiveness
You are loved You are love
You are freedom You are free” – words that were channeled to me several years ago

5) When did you have your awakening?
At the age of 17 after enduring three strong tragedies. I woke up, took responsibility for my life and my purpose here. I became a vegetarian, began practicing zen meditation and Hatha yoga, which led me to study reiki, herbs, and shamanism. Basically searching for different pathways to celebrate god in everything.

6) Are you a mermaid or forest fairy?
Wow tough question! Though I feel torn down the middle I’m going to go with forest fairy.

7) Where do you see yourself in a decade?
That will put me at almost 30yrs of practice so by then I see myself offering an apprenticeship, writing books and traveling with my family to different sacred sites all over the world.

8) How do you balance mamahood with work and life in general?
At home I try to involve my daughter in my self care practices so she can learn at an early age to cherish this life & body.
I’m blessed with a beautiful inside and out husband, as my work grows, he is proudly stepping more into the role as the primary caretaker in our daughters life, when he is works, we have a luminous community of supportive friends who love hanging out with her.

9) Do you have a beauty secret?
Really luxurious ritual baths for at least 20min, my skin tends to be dry so I often add coconut milk and do a Manuka honey herbal face mask while in them, I can’t wait to try the honey mask you made!

10) What is your go to bath remedy for everyday stress and exhaustion?
Ingredients:
-Tea of lavender & white sage
– White rose petals
-1 cup Epsom salt
-coconut milk
-Rose absolute essential oil
Ritual:
-Burn smoke of palo santo around your body
-step into bath & dunk head under water
-take three deep ujjay breaths with eyes closed
-self massage third eye, jaw and feet
-sit and soak in the energy you’ve created

Photos by: Mel Blanchard

Tags:bath, crystals, healers, lavender, medicine, mel blanchard, Northern California, Poppy and Someday, sage, spirit weavers, thyme