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We welcome you to the Ylang Ylang Herbal Gathering
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The Ylang Ylang Herbal Gathering is a 5 day community gathering exploring healing, relationship, people, plants, land, liberation, birth, and beyond! Together we celebrate our stories, our knowledge, our culture and traditions. Over the week we will take traditional herbal classes with local BriBri Indigenous and Afro Costa Rican members of our community as well as international herbalists many of whom are based in the US and the Caribbean. We will gathering in Punta Uva in the South Caribbean of Costa Rica, where the jungle meets the sea. Classes will be held in English or be translated into English.
This event is open to all and there will be folks holding wide ranging identities, politics, together in our community space. This event is hosted by Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center, please learn more about us, who we are and our Values and Agreements by clicking here. |
The beach in front of Ylang Ylang Herbal Gathering . . . on a nice calm day
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Location
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Ylang Ylang Schedule
Monday March 24, 2025
9-11 Welcome & Opening
11-1 Group Lunch
1-3 BriBri Indigenous Herbal Class with Mauricia
3:30-5:30 Herbal Profection: Your Astrological Apothecary Chantell Bennett
Tuesday March 25, 2025
8:00-10:00 Afro Costa Rican Traditional Plant Walk with Alda
10:30-12:30 Fighting with Plants with sumi dutta
12:30-2:30 Group Lunch and Free Time
3:00-5:00 Botanical Monographs for Herbalists with Monique Renée
Wednesday March 26, 2025
9-11 Caribbean Herbal Medicine with Brandon Ruiz
11-1 Group Lunch and Free Time
1-3 Grounding: How we relate to the ground beneath our feet and to the ground of our being with Namita Kulkarni
3:30-5:30 Transgenerational Vibrations with Sonya (Makhosi Nyoni)
Thursday March 27, 2025
8:00 am Ylang Ylang Unity: A Healing Circle of Collective Renewal and Restoration with Cassandra Herbert
9-11 Reclaiming Our Fertile Wisdom: Holistic Womb Wellness & Fertility Awareness with Talyce Ketura
11-1 Group Lunch and Free Time
1-3 Healing the Nervous System: Herbal Fragrance as Proxy and Herbs for Healing with Brooke Bridges
3:30-5:30 Plant Spirit Communication: Land Connection for Liberation with Courtney Mae Cochran & Madison McCoy
Friday March 28, 2025
9-11 Empathy Without Exhaustion: Personal Boundaries and Root Cause Analysis with Christina Lynch
11-12:30 Group Lunch and Free Time
12:30-2 Botanical Mathematics - Plant Intelligence, Mathematics and Cannabis with Rhonda Creedharry
2:30-4:30 The Language of Flowers with Lupo Passero
5-6 Despedida Dinner and Music
*Please note the schedule is very full, we encourage folks to attend as many classes as you feel called, but also feel free to take your time to rest instead sometimes, or enjoy the beach out front, or time to connect with a friend.*
9-11 Welcome & Opening
11-1 Group Lunch
1-3 BriBri Indigenous Herbal Class with Mauricia
3:30-5:30 Herbal Profection: Your Astrological Apothecary Chantell Bennett
Tuesday March 25, 2025
8:00-10:00 Afro Costa Rican Traditional Plant Walk with Alda
10:30-12:30 Fighting with Plants with sumi dutta
12:30-2:30 Group Lunch and Free Time
3:00-5:00 Botanical Monographs for Herbalists with Monique Renée
Wednesday March 26, 2025
9-11 Caribbean Herbal Medicine with Brandon Ruiz
11-1 Group Lunch and Free Time
1-3 Grounding: How we relate to the ground beneath our feet and to the ground of our being with Namita Kulkarni
3:30-5:30 Transgenerational Vibrations with Sonya (Makhosi Nyoni)
Thursday March 27, 2025
8:00 am Ylang Ylang Unity: A Healing Circle of Collective Renewal and Restoration with Cassandra Herbert
9-11 Reclaiming Our Fertile Wisdom: Holistic Womb Wellness & Fertility Awareness with Talyce Ketura
11-1 Group Lunch and Free Time
1-3 Healing the Nervous System: Herbal Fragrance as Proxy and Herbs for Healing with Brooke Bridges
3:30-5:30 Plant Spirit Communication: Land Connection for Liberation with Courtney Mae Cochran & Madison McCoy
Friday March 28, 2025
9-11 Empathy Without Exhaustion: Personal Boundaries and Root Cause Analysis with Christina Lynch
11-12:30 Group Lunch and Free Time
12:30-2 Botanical Mathematics - Plant Intelligence, Mathematics and Cannabis with Rhonda Creedharry
2:30-4:30 The Language of Flowers with Lupo Passero
5-6 Despedida Dinner and Music
*Please note the schedule is very full, we encourage folks to attend as many classes as you feel called, but also feel free to take your time to rest instead sometimes, or enjoy the beach out front, or time to connect with a friend.*
Additional Add-On Programs Before & After
the Ylang Ylang Gathering
(please note registration for these is seperate an not included in Ylang Ylang Gathering Registration)
Ylang Ylang Gathering Teachers & Class Descriptions
Herbal Profection: Your Astrological Apothecary
with Chantel Bennett
Annual profections help us identify themes or areas of focus for each of our solar years, like an astrological compass guiding us through time and life’s lessons. In this workshop, I’ll go over the history of annual profections, how to identify which profection year you’re in and its themes, and how to use herbs as herbal allies to support your profection year lessons.
Chantel (she/her) is an astroherbalist, hoodoo, and multidisciplinary artist. She is a Co-Lead at the DC Mutual Aid Apothecary, and she writes the newsletters and facilitates herbal medicine and medicine-making classes. Chantel has co-facilitated healing circles and art journaling meditations for Black queer, trans, and non-binary people in the DMV and online for about a decade. She believes that improving our relationships with plants can help people better relate to each other. She brings her therapeutic work as a community healer to her work as a community herbalist to encourage a community of care between people and the plants around us.
with Chantel Bennett
Annual profections help us identify themes or areas of focus for each of our solar years, like an astrological compass guiding us through time and life’s lessons. In this workshop, I’ll go over the history of annual profections, how to identify which profection year you’re in and its themes, and how to use herbs as herbal allies to support your profection year lessons.
Chantel (she/her) is an astroherbalist, hoodoo, and multidisciplinary artist. She is a Co-Lead at the DC Mutual Aid Apothecary, and she writes the newsletters and facilitates herbal medicine and medicine-making classes. Chantel has co-facilitated healing circles and art journaling meditations for Black queer, trans, and non-binary people in the DMV and online for about a decade. She believes that improving our relationships with plants can help people better relate to each other. She brings her therapeutic work as a community healer to her work as a community herbalist to encourage a community of care between people and the plants around us.
Caribbean Herbalism with Brandon Ruiz
This class will talk about botanicals from the tropics that possess antibiotic properties and can be used in place of systemic and acute antibiotic treatments. We will talk about protocols with the herbs involved, traditional use, additional properties of these plants and preparing them as antibiotic medicine. In our current state of increased antibiotic-resistance, antibiotic herbs will be our heroes when dealing with bacterial infections and more!
Brandon Ruiz is a certified Holistic Herbalist, Plant-Based Nutritionist and Permaculture Designer who lives in Charlotte, NC. He is the founder of Atabey Choreto Medicinals, the Charlotte Herbal Accessibility Project and teaches classes and creates custom herbal products for local restaurants like Living Kitchen. He has been studying plant medicine since 2014, and specializes in medicines from Appalachia and the tropics, specifically Puerto Rico and surrounding islands. Brandon has knowledge in wildcrafting, medicinal plant cultivation and is highly involved in food and medicine justice and equal accessibility in Charlotte. He dreams to create an educational center and medicinal herb farm in his native Puerto Rico, educating the community and getting back to his roots on the island.
This class will talk about botanicals from the tropics that possess antibiotic properties and can be used in place of systemic and acute antibiotic treatments. We will talk about protocols with the herbs involved, traditional use, additional properties of these plants and preparing them as antibiotic medicine. In our current state of increased antibiotic-resistance, antibiotic herbs will be our heroes when dealing with bacterial infections and more!
Brandon Ruiz is a certified Holistic Herbalist, Plant-Based Nutritionist and Permaculture Designer who lives in Charlotte, NC. He is the founder of Atabey Choreto Medicinals, the Charlotte Herbal Accessibility Project and teaches classes and creates custom herbal products for local restaurants like Living Kitchen. He has been studying plant medicine since 2014, and specializes in medicines from Appalachia and the tropics, specifically Puerto Rico and surrounding islands. Brandon has knowledge in wildcrafting, medicinal plant cultivation and is highly involved in food and medicine justice and equal accessibility in Charlotte. He dreams to create an educational center and medicinal herb farm in his native Puerto Rico, educating the community and getting back to his roots on the island.
Botanical Monographs for Herbalists
with Monique Renée
Botanical Monographs for Herbalists This hands-on session will guide participants through the fascinating process of creating botanical monographs using plant-based pigments. This workshop will include the following:
Painting with Plant-Based Pigments: Discover the art of using natural pigments to paint detailed and vibrant pictures of plants.
Botany Basics: Learn fundamental concepts of botany and observe plant characteristics closely to understand their unique features, and ensure proper identification.
Creating Botanical Monographs: Dive into the components of a botanical monograph, such as plant descriptions, medicinal uses, preparation methods, and dosage information. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a beautiful, hand-painted botanical monograph to take home with them. This workshop is perfect for herbalists, and anyone interested in the intersection of art and science in the world of plants. It will hopefully inspire participants to continue to make more artistic monographs of the plants they meet throughout their studies.
Monique was born and raised in South Florida and has a special love for the plants in her bioregion. She is the creator of Backyard Botanicals, a series of hand-on herbal medicine workshops, delving deep into learning with subtropical and tropical plants. She is a co-creator of Medicina Tropical, an herbal retreat, and teacher at the Florida Herbal Conference and the Ylang Ylang Gathering. She has taught classes through the South Florida Branch of Florida School of Holistic Medicine, she has trained doulas to work with herbs, nurses and college students. Monique is a clinical herbalist and educator, and currently runs and earth-literacy program that includes gardening, herbalism, environmental education, and art. She is has her B.A. in Art Education and M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction with a Science focus. She is trained as a full spectrum doula and a Restorative Justice circle keeper. She has studied at the Northeastern School of Botanical Medicine in 2007 and has continued to learn from many herbalist along the plant path.
with Monique Renée
Botanical Monographs for Herbalists This hands-on session will guide participants through the fascinating process of creating botanical monographs using plant-based pigments. This workshop will include the following:
Painting with Plant-Based Pigments: Discover the art of using natural pigments to paint detailed and vibrant pictures of plants.
Botany Basics: Learn fundamental concepts of botany and observe plant characteristics closely to understand their unique features, and ensure proper identification.
Creating Botanical Monographs: Dive into the components of a botanical monograph, such as plant descriptions, medicinal uses, preparation methods, and dosage information. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a beautiful, hand-painted botanical monograph to take home with them. This workshop is perfect for herbalists, and anyone interested in the intersection of art and science in the world of plants. It will hopefully inspire participants to continue to make more artistic monographs of the plants they meet throughout their studies.
Monique was born and raised in South Florida and has a special love for the plants in her bioregion. She is the creator of Backyard Botanicals, a series of hand-on herbal medicine workshops, delving deep into learning with subtropical and tropical plants. She is a co-creator of Medicina Tropical, an herbal retreat, and teacher at the Florida Herbal Conference and the Ylang Ylang Gathering. She has taught classes through the South Florida Branch of Florida School of Holistic Medicine, she has trained doulas to work with herbs, nurses and college students. Monique is a clinical herbalist and educator, and currently runs and earth-literacy program that includes gardening, herbalism, environmental education, and art. She is has her B.A. in Art Education and M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction with a Science focus. She is trained as a full spectrum doula and a Restorative Justice circle keeper. She has studied at the Northeastern School of Botanical Medicine in 2007 and has continued to learn from many herbalist along the plant path.
Grounding: How we relate to the ground beneath our feet and to the ground of our being
with Namita Kulkarni
This workshop will be an interactive and practice-oriented workshop, and there will also be a discussion on what grounding is, and what it means to everyone in their worldview. I intend for the people to experience the subject and also learn the science behind it. For the longest time, humans have been in electrical contact with the earth's surface. It’s only fairly recently in human history that we started insulating our feet against the electrical contact with the earth by wearing shoes. In this workshop, we will dive into the science and the benefits of grounding, also known as earthing. How it impacts our health by increasing the density of negative charge in the body and reducing inflammation. Grounding is a biophysical process of charge transfer between the earth and the body, which happens due to the body’s electrical contact with the surface of the earth. Grounding helps with our body's electrical homeostasis by dissipating the body’s excessive electrical charge into the earth. In the context of yoga, grounding entails having a relationship with the ground beneath our feet and finding the center or the ground of our inner being. In an asana practice, the way our feet anchor into the ground and how our body responds is worth noticing. Recognizing the constant support offered by the ground and how our body is in conversation with it throughout our practice. Feeling held and supported by the earth brings stability (or sthira in Sanskrit) into the picture. We will explore the meaning of grounding in scientific terms, its health benefits, how it works on the body and also what is meant by grounding in the context of an asana practice.
I am an artist and yoga teacher from India. I'm 39 and I've been teaching yoga for over 15 years now. I love bringing creativity into my practice and my teaching. I see creativity as my core spiritual practice and yoga as a creative exploration of the breath and the body. d
with Namita Kulkarni
This workshop will be an interactive and practice-oriented workshop, and there will also be a discussion on what grounding is, and what it means to everyone in their worldview. I intend for the people to experience the subject and also learn the science behind it. For the longest time, humans have been in electrical contact with the earth's surface. It’s only fairly recently in human history that we started insulating our feet against the electrical contact with the earth by wearing shoes. In this workshop, we will dive into the science and the benefits of grounding, also known as earthing. How it impacts our health by increasing the density of negative charge in the body and reducing inflammation. Grounding is a biophysical process of charge transfer between the earth and the body, which happens due to the body’s electrical contact with the surface of the earth. Grounding helps with our body's electrical homeostasis by dissipating the body’s excessive electrical charge into the earth. In the context of yoga, grounding entails having a relationship with the ground beneath our feet and finding the center or the ground of our inner being. In an asana practice, the way our feet anchor into the ground and how our body responds is worth noticing. Recognizing the constant support offered by the ground and how our body is in conversation with it throughout our practice. Feeling held and supported by the earth brings stability (or sthira in Sanskrit) into the picture. We will explore the meaning of grounding in scientific terms, its health benefits, how it works on the body and also what is meant by grounding in the context of an asana practice.
I am an artist and yoga teacher from India. I'm 39 and I've been teaching yoga for over 15 years now. I love bringing creativity into my practice and my teaching. I see creativity as my core spiritual practice and yoga as a creative exploration of the breath and the body. d
Reclaiming Our Fertile Wisdom: Holistic Womb Wellness & Fertility Awareness
with Talyce Ketura
In this class we will be exploring Caribbean plants that have traditionally been used for the full spectrum of womb wellness; menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum & womb imbalances. Together we will create a lymphatic massage oil and explore womb massage techniques as well as the hormonal cycles. (Open to all genders)
Talyce Ketura (They/she) is a queer Afro-Costa Rican fem who serves as a traditional birthworker, student midwife, herbalist and ritualist. They are dedicated to sharing tools for embodied wellness through the use of ritual arts and somatic integration. Talyce is a community builder who aims to generate social equity through a lense of Black feminist perspective, with a centralized focus on intergenerational ancestral healing.
with Talyce Ketura
In this class we will be exploring Caribbean plants that have traditionally been used for the full spectrum of womb wellness; menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum & womb imbalances. Together we will create a lymphatic massage oil and explore womb massage techniques as well as the hormonal cycles. (Open to all genders)
Talyce Ketura (They/she) is a queer Afro-Costa Rican fem who serves as a traditional birthworker, student midwife, herbalist and ritualist. They are dedicated to sharing tools for embodied wellness through the use of ritual arts and somatic integration. Talyce is a community builder who aims to generate social equity through a lense of Black feminist perspective, with a centralized focus on intergenerational ancestral healing.
Fighting with Plants
with sumi dutta
Ever wonder why we host our breakup conversations, or schedule long overdue friendship check-ins in beautiful outdoor spaces? Intuitively, many of us know that connecting with land and beauty eases conflict. Plants can offer us balance and resilience, especially in times when we’re struggling to access that in ourselves and in our relationships. In this class, we’ll practice ways to partner with the land for healing, clarity, and an increased sense of harmony in our internal and/or relationship conflicts. If you’re seeking a guided space to tap into the wisdom of plants and build your conflict transformation skills, this workshop is for you. We’ll work with a variety of embodiment practices (ex. centering, meditation, writing, somatic partner work) in this class.
sumi (she/her) is a writer and facilitator, based in Durham, North Carolina (Occaneechi land). She teaches politicized healing workshops which reconnect us to the land, our embodiment, and each other, through herbalism, food, somatics, and conflict transformation practices. Some of her previous classes include: How To Give an Apology and Cooking Community: an abolitionist cooking class for teens.
Learn more at: www.sumistreet.com.
with sumi dutta
Ever wonder why we host our breakup conversations, or schedule long overdue friendship check-ins in beautiful outdoor spaces? Intuitively, many of us know that connecting with land and beauty eases conflict. Plants can offer us balance and resilience, especially in times when we’re struggling to access that in ourselves and in our relationships. In this class, we’ll practice ways to partner with the land for healing, clarity, and an increased sense of harmony in our internal and/or relationship conflicts. If you’re seeking a guided space to tap into the wisdom of plants and build your conflict transformation skills, this workshop is for you. We’ll work with a variety of embodiment practices (ex. centering, meditation, writing, somatic partner work) in this class.
sumi (she/her) is a writer and facilitator, based in Durham, North Carolina (Occaneechi land). She teaches politicized healing workshops which reconnect us to the land, our embodiment, and each other, through herbalism, food, somatics, and conflict transformation practices. Some of her previous classes include: How To Give an Apology and Cooking Community: an abolitionist cooking class for teens.
Learn more at: www.sumistreet.com.
Transgenerational Vibrations
with Sonya (Makhosi Nyoni)
The family constellations process looks at the parts of the family tree that need tending, the broken branches that may show the missing and the excluded. How can we tend to the tree so that the branches grow back healthy, we include those who have been forgotten and we restore the transgenerational vibrations to the ancestral line. We are looking for the tree's strengths, height and width through exploring, current and past generations, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Where are the disconnects and fractures down the generations? If the tree roots are rotting, what is needed to water and prune them, so that they grow back in a healthy way and the trunk remains strong? During the constellation process, we are looking for tree growth over seasons is it healthy, are the leaves full or dropping? These repeating cycles in families form patterns that intrude on the family energy and create in-balance and dis-ease If the tree is ‘dis-eased’ how can we treat the infection, going beyond the symptoms to look at the causes and hidden dynamics?
Transgenerational practitioner, diviner, writer and ancestral researcher. Sonya is the founder of Ancestral Constellations, a mapping process that explores your family tree and ancestral roots. This therapeutic approach explores unresolved family dynamics and transgenerational patterns. In looking back we can remember ‘other ways of knowing’, reconnect to our ancestral lineage and make changes for future generations.
with Sonya (Makhosi Nyoni)
The family constellations process looks at the parts of the family tree that need tending, the broken branches that may show the missing and the excluded. How can we tend to the tree so that the branches grow back healthy, we include those who have been forgotten and we restore the transgenerational vibrations to the ancestral line. We are looking for the tree's strengths, height and width through exploring, current and past generations, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Where are the disconnects and fractures down the generations? If the tree roots are rotting, what is needed to water and prune them, so that they grow back in a healthy way and the trunk remains strong? During the constellation process, we are looking for tree growth over seasons is it healthy, are the leaves full or dropping? These repeating cycles in families form patterns that intrude on the family energy and create in-balance and dis-ease If the tree is ‘dis-eased’ how can we treat the infection, going beyond the symptoms to look at the causes and hidden dynamics?
Transgenerational practitioner, diviner, writer and ancestral researcher. Sonya is the founder of Ancestral Constellations, a mapping process that explores your family tree and ancestral roots. This therapeutic approach explores unresolved family dynamics and transgenerational patterns. In looking back we can remember ‘other ways of knowing’, reconnect to our ancestral lineage and make changes for future generations.
Healing the Nervous System: Herbal Fragrance as Proxy and Herbs for Healing
with Brooke Bridges
In this current political and environmental climate, our nervous systems have taken a turn for the worst. In this class, learn about herbs that are healing for the nervous system when taken internally and externally. Also learn about the use of fragrances distilled from herbs that have been proven to reduce cortisol, decrease blood pressure, and soothe the nervous system. Also learn about how creating a habit with herbal fragrances can help to create a positive proxy emotion in triggering situations. Learn how to distill hydrosols through a hands-on demonstration, and how to blend ancestral teas and fragrances for nervous system reset. Ylang ylang is actually a fragrance I use a lot when working with the nervous system <3
Brooke Marie Bridges is an herbalist, farmer, professional chef, and Mother of two. She is also a mental health speaker with an emphasis on anxiety and depression and how to heal from those ailments. Through her combined work in herbalism and mental health, she infuses all herbal demonstrations with true holistic healing remedies. She knows that true healing comes from the inside out and from learning how to defend yourself from the external stressors. She has spent the last 5 years working at Soul Fire Farm, a nonprofit farm dedicated to ending racism in the food system, and hopes that through her herbalism work she can bring the same decolonial framework to herbs, herbalism, and mental health healing.
with Brooke Bridges
In this current political and environmental climate, our nervous systems have taken a turn for the worst. In this class, learn about herbs that are healing for the nervous system when taken internally and externally. Also learn about the use of fragrances distilled from herbs that have been proven to reduce cortisol, decrease blood pressure, and soothe the nervous system. Also learn about how creating a habit with herbal fragrances can help to create a positive proxy emotion in triggering situations. Learn how to distill hydrosols through a hands-on demonstration, and how to blend ancestral teas and fragrances for nervous system reset. Ylang ylang is actually a fragrance I use a lot when working with the nervous system <3
Brooke Marie Bridges is an herbalist, farmer, professional chef, and Mother of two. She is also a mental health speaker with an emphasis on anxiety and depression and how to heal from those ailments. Through her combined work in herbalism and mental health, she infuses all herbal demonstrations with true holistic healing remedies. She knows that true healing comes from the inside out and from learning how to defend yourself from the external stressors. She has spent the last 5 years working at Soul Fire Farm, a nonprofit farm dedicated to ending racism in the food system, and hopes that through her herbalism work she can bring the same decolonial framework to herbs, herbalism, and mental health healing.
Empathy Without Exhaustion:
Personal Boundaries and Root Cause Analysis
with Christina Lynch
This conversation is designed to empower individuals with the skills to navigate challenging situations without compromising their emotional health. Participants will gain insights into identifying the underlying causes of difficulties they encounter. By understanding the roots of issues, we can proactively address and resolve them, promoting long-term well-being. We will then discuss the art of setting, maintaining and honoring healthy boundaries in various aspects of our lives. Through interactive discussions and practical exercises, we will explore strategies for asserting boundaries without guilt and fostering positive relationships.
Christina Lynch is a community herbalist from the Florida School of Holistic Living with expertise in both the teaching and cultivation of herbal plants. She is a first generation American of Barbadian descent who desires to share her knowledge of and passion for herbaceous plants with her community. Christina delights in reconnecting with the earth. She partakes in spiritual practices and physical interaction with it to carry on traditions her ancestors practiced. Christina created Black Herbalists Alliance and Gingerly Expressions, an organization focused on intentional creation of herbal products and services, to assist others in starting or continuing their own journeys in becoming one with themselves; and to finance fiscal sponsorship and opportunities to support BIPOC healers. Christina offers herbal consultations, herbal classes, and herbal tea blends. She studied under Emily Ruff and Maggie O’Halloran and is an avid tea lover, recovering foodie, and cultural explorer. She is currently on the board of Red Hills Small Farm Alliance, Florida School of Holistic Living and serving as Interim Executive Director for the American Herbalists Guild.
Personal Boundaries and Root Cause Analysis
with Christina Lynch
This conversation is designed to empower individuals with the skills to navigate challenging situations without compromising their emotional health. Participants will gain insights into identifying the underlying causes of difficulties they encounter. By understanding the roots of issues, we can proactively address and resolve them, promoting long-term well-being. We will then discuss the art of setting, maintaining and honoring healthy boundaries in various aspects of our lives. Through interactive discussions and practical exercises, we will explore strategies for asserting boundaries without guilt and fostering positive relationships.
Christina Lynch is a community herbalist from the Florida School of Holistic Living with expertise in both the teaching and cultivation of herbal plants. She is a first generation American of Barbadian descent who desires to share her knowledge of and passion for herbaceous plants with her community. Christina delights in reconnecting with the earth. She partakes in spiritual practices and physical interaction with it to carry on traditions her ancestors practiced. Christina created Black Herbalists Alliance and Gingerly Expressions, an organization focused on intentional creation of herbal products and services, to assist others in starting or continuing their own journeys in becoming one with themselves; and to finance fiscal sponsorship and opportunities to support BIPOC healers. Christina offers herbal consultations, herbal classes, and herbal tea blends. She studied under Emily Ruff and Maggie O’Halloran and is an avid tea lover, recovering foodie, and cultural explorer. She is currently on the board of Red Hills Small Farm Alliance, Florida School of Holistic Living and serving as Interim Executive Director for the American Herbalists Guild.
Botanical Mathematics - Plant Intelligence, Mathematics and Cannabis
Rhonda Creedharry
Botanical Mathematics - Plant Intelligence, Mathematics and a little Cannabis - Plants hold wisdom beyond their uses by humans. By opening up to their innate abilities through technologies other than thise of western science we can understand more about the natural world within and without. We will engage in math for a deeper plant understanding and for medicine making
Rhonda has been a public educator and instructional coach for high schools in New York City. Specializing in STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, arts, math and science), Rhonda is passionate about fostering connections and community. She believes in shared wisdom and storytelling, experience. Her diverse background includes teaching yoga, restorative practices, urban gardening, and plant-based living. Rhonda is a graduate of NYC Farm School and an apprentice of herbalism with Sacred Vibes Apothecary.
Rhonda Creedharry
Botanical Mathematics - Plant Intelligence, Mathematics and a little Cannabis - Plants hold wisdom beyond their uses by humans. By opening up to their innate abilities through technologies other than thise of western science we can understand more about the natural world within and without. We will engage in math for a deeper plant understanding and for medicine making
Rhonda has been a public educator and instructional coach for high schools in New York City. Specializing in STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, arts, math and science), Rhonda is passionate about fostering connections and community. She believes in shared wisdom and storytelling, experience. Her diverse background includes teaching yoga, restorative practices, urban gardening, and plant-based living. Rhonda is a graduate of NYC Farm School and an apprentice of herbalism with Sacred Vibes Apothecary.
Plant Spirit Communication: Land Connection for Liberation
With Courtney Mae Cochran and Madison McCoy
Join us for an immersive journey into plant spirit communication & the gentle, potent medicine of flower essences. This ancient art of plant spirit communication ties us back to our individual ancestries and the lands we come from and connects us to the earth we share together.Listen to the plants for lessons on self and community liberation. Weave connections to the plants and each other. Tap into sacred lessons and medicines for building community and healing the lands, ourselves, and our world.
In this workshop you will learn a framework for plant spirit connection and how to listen to your intuition when approaching a plant. You will also leave with an understanding of flower essences as medicine, how to make them, and how to use them. Participants will practice communication skills, share stories of the plants that surround us, and share in a plant meditation to invite your spirit into a deeper relationship with that of the land.
Courtney is a queer, gender nonconforming, plant freak living on 16 acres of occupied Anishinaabe land near Knife River, Minnesota. Courtney comes from a white, Celtic, mixed European ancestry and always works to bring in ancestral plants into their practice. Courtney has been listening to and learning form plants their entire life, but has intentionally studied herbs since 2018. Courtney is a passionate gardener, forager, food preservation enthusiast, and chicken caretaker. Courtney grows herbs, worships trees, and regularly cleanses their energy in the freezing cold waters of Lake Superior. With a background in social work and queer liberation organizing work, they come to herbalism with a unique healing lens that weaves a community of plant, animal, and human relations into your healing journey. Courtney has studied herbalism via Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center, Green Wisdom School of Natural & Botanical Medicine, Heartstone Center for Earth Essentials, and Twin Star Herbal Center. Courtney is a Clinical Herbalist and Flower Essence Practitioner.
Madison McCoy (she/her) is a circle keeper, flower whisperer, and student of the messy & miraculous. Madison comes from a white, Celtic, mixed European ancestry, and folk herbalism background. She is the founder of Earth and Sea, a llc with the mission to build a more equitable world by equipping individuals with generative conflict transformation tools, deep self awareness, and a reverence for the earth. Madison is a certified Personal Transformation Facilitator, flower essence practitioner, folk herbalist, and holds a degree in Community Conflict Transformation from George Mason University. She uses a whole self and trauma-informed approach & partnership with the plants to guide individuals in accessing their own deep well of healing, transformation, and imaginative power. She believes these are necessary tools to dismantle systems of oppression and through healing yourself, you heal the world. From medicinal plants to heal the body, to biomimicry: nature informs all that she does. She currently lives on a farm on occupied Piscataway land, an hour south of DC with her partner, farm cat, and two tortoises.
With Courtney Mae Cochran and Madison McCoy
Join us for an immersive journey into plant spirit communication & the gentle, potent medicine of flower essences. This ancient art of plant spirit communication ties us back to our individual ancestries and the lands we come from and connects us to the earth we share together.Listen to the plants for lessons on self and community liberation. Weave connections to the plants and each other. Tap into sacred lessons and medicines for building community and healing the lands, ourselves, and our world.
In this workshop you will learn a framework for plant spirit connection and how to listen to your intuition when approaching a plant. You will also leave with an understanding of flower essences as medicine, how to make them, and how to use them. Participants will practice communication skills, share stories of the plants that surround us, and share in a plant meditation to invite your spirit into a deeper relationship with that of the land.
Courtney is a queer, gender nonconforming, plant freak living on 16 acres of occupied Anishinaabe land near Knife River, Minnesota. Courtney comes from a white, Celtic, mixed European ancestry and always works to bring in ancestral plants into their practice. Courtney has been listening to and learning form plants their entire life, but has intentionally studied herbs since 2018. Courtney is a passionate gardener, forager, food preservation enthusiast, and chicken caretaker. Courtney grows herbs, worships trees, and regularly cleanses their energy in the freezing cold waters of Lake Superior. With a background in social work and queer liberation organizing work, they come to herbalism with a unique healing lens that weaves a community of plant, animal, and human relations into your healing journey. Courtney has studied herbalism via Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center, Green Wisdom School of Natural & Botanical Medicine, Heartstone Center for Earth Essentials, and Twin Star Herbal Center. Courtney is a Clinical Herbalist and Flower Essence Practitioner.
Madison McCoy (she/her) is a circle keeper, flower whisperer, and student of the messy & miraculous. Madison comes from a white, Celtic, mixed European ancestry, and folk herbalism background. She is the founder of Earth and Sea, a llc with the mission to build a more equitable world by equipping individuals with generative conflict transformation tools, deep self awareness, and a reverence for the earth. Madison is a certified Personal Transformation Facilitator, flower essence practitioner, folk herbalist, and holds a degree in Community Conflict Transformation from George Mason University. She uses a whole self and trauma-informed approach & partnership with the plants to guide individuals in accessing their own deep well of healing, transformation, and imaginative power. She believes these are necessary tools to dismantle systems of oppression and through healing yourself, you heal the world. From medicinal plants to heal the body, to biomimicry: nature informs all that she does. She currently lives on a farm on occupied Piscataway land, an hour south of DC with her partner, farm cat, and two tortoises.
Ylang Ylang Unity: A Healing Circle of Collective Renewal and Restoration
with Cassandra Herbert
A sacred healing circle dedicated to the spiritual and communal journey, inspired by the profound properties of Ylang Ylang.In this circle, I will discuss the spiritual, physical and emotional benefits of Ylang Ylang. We will use visualization, breathwork, movement, journaling and smaller group sharing to support both individual and collective nervous system healing and restoration. Through these practices, we will explore ways to heal our wounds, support our wellness and foster unity. This circle will celebrate our shared knowledge, traditions, and the power of coming together as a community for a transformational journey of renewal and restoration.
Cassandra Herbert - Holistic nurse, former psychotherapist, health and wellness coach, herbalist, author and creator of Zest and Harmony holds a vision of changing the current healthcare system from a culture of sick “care” to one of wellness. She empowers people to advocate for themselves and adopt lifestyle changes to support their own wellness. After seeing her own health and life challenged by the Superwoman Syndrome, She was forced to re-evaluate and reframe her lifestyle, career and relationships. Out of that experience, she developed a 7 part holistic system to support busy professional women to achieve greater well-being in all areas of their life and look and feel AMAZING while doing so.
with Cassandra Herbert
A sacred healing circle dedicated to the spiritual and communal journey, inspired by the profound properties of Ylang Ylang.In this circle, I will discuss the spiritual, physical and emotional benefits of Ylang Ylang. We will use visualization, breathwork, movement, journaling and smaller group sharing to support both individual and collective nervous system healing and restoration. Through these practices, we will explore ways to heal our wounds, support our wellness and foster unity. This circle will celebrate our shared knowledge, traditions, and the power of coming together as a community for a transformational journey of renewal and restoration.
Cassandra Herbert - Holistic nurse, former psychotherapist, health and wellness coach, herbalist, author and creator of Zest and Harmony holds a vision of changing the current healthcare system from a culture of sick “care” to one of wellness. She empowers people to advocate for themselves and adopt lifestyle changes to support their own wellness. After seeing her own health and life challenged by the Superwoman Syndrome, She was forced to re-evaluate and reframe her lifestyle, career and relationships. Out of that experience, she developed a 7 part holistic system to support busy professional women to achieve greater well-being in all areas of their life and look and feel AMAZING while doing so.
The Language of Flowers
with Lupo Passero
with Lupo Passero
Your Hosts - The Brown Meehan Family of Wild Ginger Herbal Center
Javier & Molly & our kiddos - read all about Wild Ginger here.
Javier & Molly & our kiddos - read all about Wild Ginger here.
Registration - Spots are very limited!
Earlybird Registration: $799
*Price includes all classes listed as well as group lunches listed, this event is fully outdoors, in a hot, humid, tropical environment.
*Please note all payments are final, non-refundable and non-transferable. Travel insurance is recommended.
*Please note due to weather or unforseen circumstances classes and schedule are subject to change.
*Please note no wifi is available on site of the Ylang Ylang Gathering, however your hotel or cabina will have it.
Payment Plan:
$199 Deposit to hold space
$500 Due on February 1, 2025
$100 in cash due upon arrival (please bring unripped $20 bills in good condition)
*Costa Rican Nationals Living Full Time in Costa Rica* 75.000 colones (email us to arrange payment)
*Precio para nacionales costarricenses que viven a tiempo completo en Costa Rica 75.000 colones.
How to Register
1) Pay your $199 deposit to hold your spot.
2) Read and Consent to our Values and Agreements:
We ask that all folks who attend our programs take the time to please read and consent to our Wild Ginger Values and Agreements before attending our program.
3) Please download and return a copy of our Waiver attached below to [email protected] with your signed waiver (the file is below), and please include your legal name, your phone number, email address.
4) Pay your second payment on February 1, 2025.
5) Spread the word <3
*A note of photos/videos. We aim to move in a space of consent as well as a special container for our community to experience together. We will work together at the beginning of our time together to clarify who is/is not comfortable having their photos taken. While we honor and appreciate folks taking photos during their time at the Ylang Ylang Gathering, please know the intention of the space is not one of being a source for extensive "content creation". While taking a quick photo or quick video during the event with folks consent and posting (and even tagging @wildgingerherbalcenter) is very much encouraged and appreciated, we ask folks to refrain from extensive documentation and sharing outside of the event.
Please download sign and send back the waiver form below.
| wild_ginger_waiver.pdf |
PLEASE NOTE WORK TRADES ARE NOT AVAILABLE
We are relying on registrations in order to cover our event budget to pay teachers fairly <3
Important Info
-Please be aware that there is no wifi access on site the Ylang Ylang Herbal Gathering, however all local hotels and cabinas will have wifi access.
- Be sure to arrive to our area one day before the event begins, and book your transport back to San Jose area at least one day before your flight. It is about a 6 hour ride, and sometimes there are issues with road closings.
- You can get local cell phone chips by the baggage claim area of the airport.
- There is a local public clinic in Hone Creek about 30 minutes north, a Private Clinic San Gabriel in Puerto Viejo about 20 minutes north, and the closest hospital is Limon Hospital which is about 1.5 hours away. Local infrastructure and services are limited and it can take long periods of time for the Red Cross (who provide ambulance services) to arrive as they serve a wide area and have limited personal/cars.
- Be sure to arrive to our area one day before the event begins, and book your transport back to San Jose area at least one day before your flight. It is about a 6 hour ride, and sometimes there are issues with road closings.
- You can get local cell phone chips by the baggage claim area of the airport.
- There is a local public clinic in Hone Creek about 30 minutes north, a Private Clinic San Gabriel in Puerto Viejo about 20 minutes north, and the closest hospital is Limon Hospital which is about 1.5 hours away. Local infrastructure and services are limited and it can take long periods of time for the Red Cross (who provide ambulance services) to arrive as they serve a wide area and have limited personal/cars.
Travel to the Event
Transportation to and from our site is not included in registration prices.
When you book your flights, be sure if you are not a Costa Rican national to bring printed or a saved copy on your cell phone of your return ticket to your home country within 90 days of your entry to Costa Rica, customs can and sometimes will ask for this proof.
International attendees will want to fly into Juan Santamaria Airport, outside of the capital San Jose, located in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Alajuela Hotels and AirBnBs - there are many hotels located directly near the airport, and if you take the shuttles we listed from that area it picks you up at a specified location nearby. If you choose to go to downtown San Jose to explore, then we love Hotel Aranjuez and it is locally owned, walkable from downtown, affordable, and easy to link with the shuttles that leave from downtown San Jose.
Travel to us from San Jose: We love Caribe Shuttle or Interbus to come from the airport or San Jose area down to us. It is essential to pre-book your shuttle well beforehand as they do sell out. It is about a 6 hour trip from the Juan Santamaria Airport in San Jose down to our area, you can tell your shuttle drive where you are staying and they will bring you directly there. It is important to plan to arrive at least a day before the event begins and go to San Jose the day before your flight leaves in order to be sure as road conditions can vary. You should anticipate these shuttles filling up early therefore plan ahead!
When you book your flights, be sure if you are not a Costa Rican national to bring printed or a saved copy on your cell phone of your return ticket to your home country within 90 days of your entry to Costa Rica, customs can and sometimes will ask for this proof.
International attendees will want to fly into Juan Santamaria Airport, outside of the capital San Jose, located in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Alajuela Hotels and AirBnBs - there are many hotels located directly near the airport, and if you take the shuttles we listed from that area it picks you up at a specified location nearby. If you choose to go to downtown San Jose to explore, then we love Hotel Aranjuez and it is locally owned, walkable from downtown, affordable, and easy to link with the shuttles that leave from downtown San Jose.
Travel to us from San Jose: We love Caribe Shuttle or Interbus to come from the airport or San Jose area down to us. It is essential to pre-book your shuttle well beforehand as they do sell out. It is about a 6 hour trip from the Juan Santamaria Airport in San Jose down to our area, you can tell your shuttle drive where you are staying and they will bring you directly there. It is important to plan to arrive at least a day before the event begins and go to San Jose the day before your flight leaves in order to be sure as road conditions can vary. You should anticipate these shuttles filling up early therefore plan ahead!
Accommodations
We recommend booking at least one day before the event and leaving one day BEFORE your flight leaves. While housing is not included in the event, we have brought together a resource list of local places to stay. These are all listed on AirBnB so you can search for the other options that come up in the same location as well. Our list prioritizes Black and Tico owned accomodations, as well as accomodations that are a walking distance from the event. This is a resource list and not a list of our personal recommendations. All issues related to your stay at these places will need to be coordinated with your hosts.
Please note, you can stay anywhere further away, and take taxis or tuk tuks to and from the location, or the Mepe bus, however we recommend never walking or biking on the main road after dark. Please note there are no taxis or tuk tuks nearby and they are all based in Puerto Viejo, so if you stay anywhere south of there and want a ride, you will pay the full fare to whereever you are going as though you are going from Puerto Viejo. Typical price of a tuk tuk from Puerto Viejo to our location is 6000 colones, or $12 US.
Nearby Options
(many of these are large, so if you have friends you can come with and rent together that would work best for some of these larger rentals)
Same Street as Event:
Olguitas Place - local Black owned, few minutes walk from event cabins
Harmonia - local Black owned, affordable
Ideal Beach House
Maxitando - close walk, same street as event, good for group
Caracol Azul - 2 minute walk from event
Arrecife Hotel - very rustic locally owned, 3 minutes from event
Punta Juancito - good for a group, 2 minutes from event
Caribbean House - 5 minute walk from event on same road, good for group
Healing House - very rustic, Tico owned, same street as event close by
Tranquility Beach House - visible from the event space, two bedroom
Tres Pipas - directly next door to event
Walkable, but out onto main road:
Selvins Place - local Black owned, probably about 15 or 20 minute walk from event
PachaMama - 7 minute walk onto main road
Casa Utopia - about 10-15 minute walk from event on main road
Casa Marina - about 15 minute walk from event on main road
Casa Claudia - very rustic on main road
Please note, you can stay anywhere further away, and take taxis or tuk tuks to and from the location, or the Mepe bus, however we recommend never walking or biking on the main road after dark. Please note there are no taxis or tuk tuks nearby and they are all based in Puerto Viejo, so if you stay anywhere south of there and want a ride, you will pay the full fare to whereever you are going as though you are going from Puerto Viejo. Typical price of a tuk tuk from Puerto Viejo to our location is 6000 colones, or $12 US.
Nearby Options
(many of these are large, so if you have friends you can come with and rent together that would work best for some of these larger rentals)
Same Street as Event:
Olguitas Place - local Black owned, few minutes walk from event cabins
Harmonia - local Black owned, affordable
Ideal Beach House
Maxitando - close walk, same street as event, good for group
Caracol Azul - 2 minute walk from event
Arrecife Hotel - very rustic locally owned, 3 minutes from event
Punta Juancito - good for a group, 2 minutes from event
Caribbean House - 5 minute walk from event on same road, good for group
Healing House - very rustic, Tico owned, same street as event close by
Tranquility Beach House - visible from the event space, two bedroom
Tres Pipas - directly next door to event
Walkable, but out onto main road:
Selvins Place - local Black owned, probably about 15 or 20 minute walk from event
PachaMama - 7 minute walk onto main road
Casa Utopia - about 10-15 minute walk from event on main road
Casa Marina - about 15 minute walk from event on main road
Casa Claudia - very rustic on main road
What to Bring
What To Bring:
Remember you are visiting a remote area, though gentrification and development are rapid, services such as water and electricity do go out sometimes. This is part of life and we cannot control it, we move with it. Please note it is very hot, very humid, all classes are outdoors, and since we are located where the rainforst meets the sea there are alot of mosquitos. Sometimes the beach has sand flies. We try to live as simply and in tune with nature as possible. Our classroom is outdoors. Sun protection will be necessary for outdoor plant walk.
Coming on this trip and life in the Caribbean here is an opportunity to go with the flow and enjoy a slower and more simple lifestyle - that is part of the medicine of your time here. Expect and prepare for beautiful and intense sun, invigorating rain, humidity, critters, mosquitos.
Bring a good pair of shoes to hike with that you dont mind getting muddy, and flip flops, and whatever else you'd like to have with you. In our immediate area there is some potable water, you'll need to ask your hotel if potable water is provided. If so please be mindful to fill up your water bottles before the event each day which will help us greatly as at our location there is not potable water. Generally in Costa Rica toilet paper is not put down the toilet paper but instead put in trashcans. This is very important at the event site. Bring lightweight breathable clothing, cotton tshirts and clothing are great, a rain jacket, bathing suit, towel for the beach (please do not bring hotel towels to the beach), are all great. BUG SPRAY (and enough to share) is important to your comfort here herein the Caribbean we do indeed have mosquitos. Some cabinas provide mosquito nets, others do not, check in where you are staying. Bring any regular medications/supplements you use. Bring SUNSCREEN if you use it. A hat. Sunglasses. As far as a laptop/phones - there is internet at most hotels so you're welcome to bring it, just depends how connected you'd like to be! It's another thing to travel with and to be conscious of while you're on buses etc. But it can be convenient, so that is totally your decision. Outlets there are the same as the US, no converter is needed. You are responsible for your belongings at all times, Wild Ginger cannot be held responsible for the loss or theft of your belongings.
Remember you are visiting a remote area, though gentrification and development are rapid, services such as water and electricity do go out sometimes. This is part of life and we cannot control it, we move with it. Please note it is very hot, very humid, all classes are outdoors, and since we are located where the rainforst meets the sea there are alot of mosquitos. Sometimes the beach has sand flies. We try to live as simply and in tune with nature as possible. Our classroom is outdoors. Sun protection will be necessary for outdoor plant walk.
Coming on this trip and life in the Caribbean here is an opportunity to go with the flow and enjoy a slower and more simple lifestyle - that is part of the medicine of your time here. Expect and prepare for beautiful and intense sun, invigorating rain, humidity, critters, mosquitos.
Bring a good pair of shoes to hike with that you dont mind getting muddy, and flip flops, and whatever else you'd like to have with you. In our immediate area there is some potable water, you'll need to ask your hotel if potable water is provided. If so please be mindful to fill up your water bottles before the event each day which will help us greatly as at our location there is not potable water. Generally in Costa Rica toilet paper is not put down the toilet paper but instead put in trashcans. This is very important at the event site. Bring lightweight breathable clothing, cotton tshirts and clothing are great, a rain jacket, bathing suit, towel for the beach (please do not bring hotel towels to the beach), are all great. BUG SPRAY (and enough to share) is important to your comfort here herein the Caribbean we do indeed have mosquitos. Some cabinas provide mosquito nets, others do not, check in where you are staying. Bring any regular medications/supplements you use. Bring SUNSCREEN if you use it. A hat. Sunglasses. As far as a laptop/phones - there is internet at most hotels so you're welcome to bring it, just depends how connected you'd like to be! It's another thing to travel with and to be conscious of while you're on buses etc. But it can be convenient, so that is totally your decision. Outlets there are the same as the US, no converter is needed. You are responsible for your belongings at all times, Wild Ginger cannot be held responsible for the loss or theft of your belongings.
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