The Willow Journal

What if the most profound teachers in our lives weren’t human at all, but plants? This is the heart of ecological herbalism- learning directly from the living world and discovering how plants can guide us through healing, change, and even grief.

Recently on The Dancing Willow podcast, herbalist and author Dara Saville joined us to share her journey into herbalism, the story of her first plant ally, and the deeper meaning behind her work with the Yerba Mansa Project. Her words remind us that herbalism is more than tinctures and remedies, it’s about relationship, reciprocity, and belonging to the web of life.

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Burnout touches nearly everyone at some point, whether it’s the kind that comes from pushing yourself too hard or the subtler exhaustion of living out of alignment with what truly lights you up. In herbalism, we see burnout as more than fatigue; it’s a signal from your body and spirit that something needs to shift.

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When chronic eczema left Calley Hoffman feeling trapped—both in her body and her life—she answered a deeper call to change everything. What followed was a profound healing journey led by plants, dreams, grief, and the unseen intelligence of the body. In this moving conversation, Calley shares how she left the city, discovered her gifts, and created Harmonic Earth Sanctuary in Durango. We talk about the power of the Harmonic Egg, listening inward, and the sacred work of healing after the loss of her daughter, Stella. Her story is a reminder that authenticity is medicine—and that sometimes, healing begins where words end.

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From humble beginnings and steep learning curves to creating soul-aligned products and community spaces for healing, this blog post offers a vulnerable and inspiring look at what it really means to tend an apothecary with love.

Read the full letter for stories of transformation, favorite new formulations, and the vision guiding Dancing Willow into its next chapter.

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