Guest Blog Post: The Babas & Sacred Rest by Rachel Budde

Don't miss Rachel's upcoming workshop "Kvatrna Baba, the Fierce Diety of Rest" on 10/23/21 at 1pm PST via Zoom, accessible worldwide! We're proud to carry her self-care products by her brand, Fat & the Moon, found on our website here.

Baba is the ultimate granny, and trickster, older than the hills—because she is the hills. She is beyond good and evil, she is not the warm and fuzzy earth mother— though at times she is the deepest source of nourishment. 

At other times, she is the most destructive force one can fathom. Though, in both cases, her purpose is Life. She is the energy of existence, which finds myriad cyclical forms. 

The Babas (because there are many) embody the ancient, imminent and wise feminine energies of the Natural world. They embed the sacred into the practical and distill truisms like, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. The Babas go way back with humankind. Word is they were there at the beginning; teaching us the skills of food cultivation, spinning and weaving, and of course, herbal medicine.

Baba Broth

Baba Broth is the OG potion, originating in a large cauldron with good sprinkles of cackles and mischievous winks. Herbs and spices join with the elements of water and fire. The alchemy of the brew comes with the addition of intention. A cup of Baba Broth a day nourishes the body, soul and spirit.

Base:

1 cup miso

2 cloves garlic

A small chunk of fresh ginger

A small chunk of fresh turmeric 

½ lemon juice

Rind of 1 lemon

A good pinch of cayenne

2 TBSP grated horseradish 

A small bunch of parsley or fresh herb of your choice

Additions if you’ve got them:

1-3 teaspoons of powdered mushrooms like reishi, chaga or cordyceps

1-2 oz astragalus root and/or ashwagandha root and/or schisandra berries

In a mortar & pestle or food processor, blend all ingredients well. 

You can store this miso and herb blend in the refrigerator for up to one month, and it can be added to any soup or sauce you may want to layer with medicinal attributes. 

Broth:

Per 8 oz of water, use 1-2 tablespoons miso concentrate. 

Bring brew to a simmer, then take off heat and sip. Add veggies, grains or mushrooms to turn your broth into a hearty soup or stew.

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Don't miss Rachel's upcoming workshop "Kvatrna Baba, the Fierce Diety of Rest" on 10/23/21 at 1pm PST via Zoom, accessible worldwide! We're proud to carry her self-care products by her brand, Fat & the Moon, found on our website here.

Rachel Budde of Fat + The Moon has experience conducting ethnobotanical research for the last seven years in Slovenia, her ancestral home, as well as her ongoing mentee relationship with ethnobotanist Kathleen Harrison, which created the framework for her to speak to the subject on how plants and people relate on the physical, emotional and spiritual realms. She has also studied in the Mazatec mushroom tradition, working with plants and fungi for vision and prayer. Find her herbal self-care brand, Fat + The Moon, on instagram here.