The story behind my new business name, Root and Wander Collective, started over a decade ago.
I was sitting in my best friends house, nervous but excited. We were about to drink a herbal tea before a meditation to help us get in the right headspace. I was nervous for a few reasons: first I grew up in a culture where all tea was considered bad because of caffeine and I was never taught about herbal teas. Secondly, I have a lot of allergies and trying something new is often an anxiety ridden experience. And thirdly, I didn’t know how herbs worked. She didn’t explain much, only telling me that it was going to be disgusting but totally worth it. I tentatively took the cup from her and inhaled the earthy scent. It was unlike anything I could describe. As I put it to my lips, I was transported. It was indeed an intense, pungent, earthy taste. Quite quickly my lips and tongue went numb, and for a moment I thought I was having a reaction. As I paid attention to my throat for a few minutes, I felt okay so I continued to drink. It was hard to get through but as I finished my cup, I realized that for the first time in my life my mind was quiet. The standard million mile per hour thoughts that are always whirling around inside me were gone, completely gone. This was my first experience with Kava Kava. That one tea changed my life, I saw the power of the plants immediately and feel head over heels in love.
That is where the “root” in my name comes from. Kava is a plant I am forever grateful too.
The “wander” in my name comes from my own personal path. I am a wanderer. I love to explore different belief systems and paths, weaving in and out of different points of view. I love to wander deep into the medicinal constituents of plants and then shoot over to discover folklore from a small village. I am not dogmatic or have a strict structured set of “this is how we do this” in almost any part of my life, but the plants hold a deep fascination for me.
“Collective” actually came from a friend of mine. When I settled on Root & Wander, I needed a finisher to differentiate between the other Root & Wander named businesses. For a while I toyed with adding “Herb School” to the end since I am focusing on herbal education. But I am also focusing on building community and bringing people together. Some day I see my business expanding to hosting other teachers, whether through a guest pop up or another staff herbalist. So while discussing my stickiness with a friend, she suggested Collective, and it felt good. I loved the feeling that the whole name together gave me and I could see Root & Wander Collective in the future as it has grown.
When I first started my business in 2020 under a different name, I originally started as an online herb school and did herbal consultations. I didn’t add products in for a year because that’s not where my heart was. After years of selling products and teaching, I saw the pattern and message to let go of the product line and get back to my original vision.
This blog is also a part of this new journey. “From Nature to Nurture” was actually written on a menu sign at the shop I was meeting my friend, the one who inspired me with “collective”. When I saw it, I said out loud to her “Oh I love that!”, and it stuck as I continued to build my business. It really hit home this transitional point of view where nature is no longer just something to look at and admire but now to be a part of. Herbalism is fundamentally about our relationship to the natural world, and this shift in nurturing the land as it in turn nurtures us, creating a reciprocal relationship, is what I am here for.
The plants have changed my life and I know if you are here too, then they either have as well or will soon.
Welcome to the plant path.