Herby At Heart

Episode 20 - The Nettle

🌿 Episode Overview In today’s episode, we explore the world of nettle—Urtica, the stinging nettle. Rising like a quiet warning along forgotten paths, its jagged leaves tremble with a secret fire. Touch it, and it answers not in anger, but in memory—a sharp whisper against the skin that lingers longer than the moment. Yet beneath its sting lives a stubborn grace: roots gripping the earth with quiet resolve, offering healing to those who understand its language. Nettle is a plant of contradiction—fierce and tender, wild yet purposeful—reminding us that even what wounds can also nourish and restore. “Nettle is a plant for a witch's tool bag. Drink it, grow it, burn it as incense. May patriarchy fall!” — Elisabeth Brooke Our special guest today is a long-time coming—a dear friend and colleague: Alexis from Edible Alchemy. Together, we dive into fermentation, wild plants, and the many expressions of nettle. Alexis Goertz is a Berlin-based herbalist, beekeeper, and educator, originally from Winnipeg, Canada. Through her platform Edible Alchemy, she shares her passion for fermentation, foraging, and hands-on experimentation with wild foods. She hosts workshops, urban foraging tours, and immersive events that celebrate the intersection of art, science, and nature. Her book 52 Wilde Fermente (52 Wild Ferments) guides readers through a full year of fermenting wild plants. She is currently working on her second book, exploring global fermentation techniques, planned for release in spring 2027. 🔗 Website: http://www.ediblealchemy.co 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ediblealchemy.co 📖 Book: https://shop.ediblealchemy.co/products/book-52-wilde-fermente Tash 🔗 https://www.avantgardenlife.com 📸 Instagram: @avant.garden.life Phil 🔗 https://www.hp-phildius.de 📸 Instagram: @power.plants.berlin 📍 Visit our Praxis: Mommsenstraße 55, 10629 Berlin Tune in, slow down, and explore the world of mindful plant experimentation with us—one careful step at a time. 🌱 Guest Feature: Alexis Goertz🎙 Hosts🌾 Closing

Episode 19 - Dosage and Experiments

In this episode of Herby at Heart, we step into the fascinating world of mindful experimentation with medicinal plants and fungi. Each month, we commit to working with one herb or fungus at a time—observing its effects before sharing our reflections. This slow, attentive approach mirrors traditional systems where we develop a deep connection with the plant or fungus and carefully monitor dosage, preparation, and how our bodies respond. Today, we're doing a special episode around microdosing, herbal testing and experimentation. Microdosing has become one of the most talked-about wellness trends in recent years, where conversations about optimization and mental health are part of everyday culture. What was once a fringe practice associated with psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin is now discussed openly as a potential tool for managing anxiety, depression, focus, and creativity. Together, we explore: * The advantages and disadvantages of herbal medicine testing and microdosing * Different approaches to plant and fungi experimentation * How to navigate this work with respect, discernment, and safety * Important risks to consider: interactions with medications, improper preparation, allergic reactions * How traditional wisdom meets modern wellness culture * The importance of developing deep relationships with the plants and fungi we work with This conversation isn't a how-to guide—it's an invitation to curiosity, reverence, and responsibility in our encounters with potent plants and fungi. Olivia Sayward is a Berlin-based quantum healing practitioner, artist, and an eternal student of herbalism and mycology, devoted to helping people reconnect with their intuition, their bodies, and the intelligence of nature. Through 1:1 journey sessions, she guides clients into altered states of mind, helping them to explore the subconscious and grow deeper self-trust and clarity. Her community work weaves together grounded plant knowledge with intuitive insight, offering a gentle yet deep approach to nature communication with the aim of providing a calm and steady way of coming home to Earth, finding balance and learning how to communicate with the more-than-human. Olivia shares her work through 1:1 sessions, group meditations and workshops, and her Substack, where she explores themes around altered states, creativity, the imagination, and the medicine of plants and fungi. Otherwise, you can find her on a long walk, climbing walls or going for a boogie with friends, or cooking her way through a cookbook. Tash Website: https://www.avantgardenlife.com [https://www.avantgardenlife.com/] Instagram: @avant.garden.life Phil Website: https://www.hp-phildius.de [https://www.hp-phildius.de/] Instagram: @power.plants.berlin Find our Praxis in person at: Mommsenstraße 55, 10629 Berlin Tune in, slow down, and explore the world of mindful plant experimentation with us—one careful step at a time. Guest – Olivia Sayward https://www.whiterabbitjourneys.com/ [https://www.whiterabbitjourneys.com/] https://oliviasayward.substack.com/ [https://oliviasayward.substack.com/] https://www.instagram.com/oliviasayward.holistic [https://www.instagram.com/oliviasayward.holistic] https://www.etsy.com/shop/OliviaSayward

Episode 18 - Amanita Muscaria

In this episode of Herby at Heart, we step off the well‑worn path and into the dappled light of the forest, where one of the most iconic and misunderstood fungi is waiting: Amanita muscaria, the fly agaric. Red‑capped, white‑spotted, and wrapped in myth, this mushroom has long been branded as poison—yet it’s also bound up with stories of luck, ecstasy, danger, and deep initiation. Amanita muscaria lives in the liminal spaces where fear and fascination meet. It doesn’t ask to be casually consumed; it asks for respect, questions, and a careful relationship. In its presence, we’re invited to slow down, sharpen our senses, and remember that not all medicine—or magic—is meant to be easy or tame. To guide us through this terrain, we’re joined by wild food and fungi educator Courtney Tyler of Hips and Haws Wildcrafts, who has spent years wandering Irish woodlands, learning from the mushrooms and teaching others how to meet them with humility and skill. Together, we explore: * The myth, folklore, and cultural symbolism of Amanita muscaria * How fear, taboo, and misunderstanding have shaped its reputation * The chemistry, risks, and cautions around fly agaric * Traditional and emerging ways people are working with this mushroom * How to approach powerful fungi with respect, discernment, and an open heart * What it means to be in relationship with a being that is both teacher and trickster This conversation isn’t a how‑to guide—it’s an invitation to curiosity, reverence, and responsibility in our encounters with potent plants and fungi. Guest – Courtney Tyler (Hips and Haws Wildcrafts)Website: ⁠https://hipsandhaws.com⁠ [https://hipsandhaws.com/]Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hipsandhawswildcrafts⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/hipsandhawswildcrafts/?hl=de]Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/hipsandhawswildcrafts⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/hipsandhawswildcrafts/?ref=_xav_ig_profile_page_web#] Music in this episode * “Amanita Muscaria” – Alex Atlantis * Mani Neumeier, Fungle Your hosts TashWebsite: ⁠https://www.avantgardenlife.com⁠ [https://www.avantgardenlife.com/]Instagram: @avant.garden.life PhilWebsite: ⁠https://www.hp-phildius.de⁠ [https://www.hp-phildius.de/]Instagram: @power.plants.berlin Find our Praxis in person at:Mommsenstraße 55, 10629 Berlin Tune in, slow down, and meet Amanita muscaria with us—one careful step into the forest at a time.

Episode 17 - Comfrey

Today, we journey downward—into the soil, into the marrow of our being. We meet Comfrey, Symphytum officinale: a plant shaped by the steady power of Earth, the element of form and foundation. It carries the signature of Saturn, guardian of bones, ligaments, joints, and skeleton. The architecture of the body. Long surrounded by debate over its internal use, Comfrey stands nonetheless as an ancient teacher of structure, resilience, and repair. As we draw near, we listen—not to opinions, but to what the plant itself may reveal. We also have the pleasure of interviewing Fernando Derk, Peruvian-Dutch Artist, Musician and Ethnobotanist of Andean-Amazonian medicine and ritual traditions.  https://www.instagram.com/fernando_derks/ [https://www.instagram.com/fernando_derks/?hl=de] https://soundcloud.com/ferdinand-bustaderks Get Info for the Visionary Journey https://mailchi.mp/ed8546f7fc7b/visionary-journey-2026 Tash https://www.avantgardenlife.com/ Phil https://www.hp-phildius.de/ Find us @ Mommsenstraße 55, 10629 Berlin

Episode 16 - Rowan

In this episode, we turn our gaze skyward—to the Rowan tree (mountain ash), a guardian of lore and light. With its slender grace and clusters of flaming berries, the Rowan has long stood at the crossroads between the earthly and the divine. Its roots cling to rocky soils where few others thrive, whispering of resilience and quiet strength. Known to the ancients as a tree of protection, Rowan was once planted by doorways and paths to ward off misfortune, weaving safety into the fabric of everyday life. Its presence carries the scent of guidance and courage—branches said to bridge the realms of spirit and soil, mystery and understanding. Joining us beneath its watchful branches is Elisabeth Brooke—herbalist, astrologer, author, teacher, and counsellor. Through her work, Elisabeth invites us to rediscover the healing pulse of plants and the cosmic patterns that guide their growth. Together, we’ll explore the Rowan’s folklore and medicine, tracing how its symbolism of guardianship and renewal continues to root itself in modern herbal wisdom. So, pour a warm infusion and step into the sacred stillness of the forest—where Herby at Heart meets the enduring spirit of the Rowan and the timeless wisdom of those who listen closely. Elisabeth Brooke: https://elisabethbrooke.com/ [https://elisabethbrooke.com/] https://www.instagram.com/elisabeth.cl.brooke/?hl=de [https://www.instagram.com/elisabeth.cl.brooke/?hl=de] Music by: Tash⁠⁠ ⁠ https://www.avantgardenlife.com/ [https://www.avantgardenlife.com/] https://www.instagram.com/avant.garden.life/ [https://www.instagram.com/avant.garden.life/] Phil https://www.hp-phildius.de [https://www.hp-phildius.de/] https://www.instagram.com/power.plants.berlin/ [https://www.instagram.com/power.plants.berlin/] Praxis Mommsenstraße 55, 10629 Berlin