Bear Roots
An intro
Bear Roots Herbals is run by me, Em Berkey, (they/them), a non-binary disabled Ashkenazi Jewish herbalist, magic seeker, flower facilitator, musician, ritualist and community organizer currently living on stolen ancestral lands of the Yuchi, Shawnee and Eastern Cherokee People in the hills of middle Tennessee, otherwise known as Nashville.
We were born naked, the rest is plant magic...
My relationship to herbal medicine resides in a larger holistic framework, meaning I approach the bodymind as a whole, and not separate from any other part of itself. My work is rooted in the land, in community and ancestral wisdom. I am always growing toward, dreaming of, and reaching for an expansive liberated future, free from White Supremacy, Colonialism and Ableism. From the Jewish tradition, it is the work of “Tikkun Olam”, or “Repairing the World,” that is the ongoing act of making this place feel whole again. From a Disability Justice perspective, we do not need to be fixed or cured. Rather, it is in the healing work of both individual and collective care that can repair our sense of wholeness. Plants are part of this collective care and can help us tap into our own magic, and help us access pleasure, joy, grief and connection as we heal. My “kavannah,” or intention, is to infuse these values into my herbal creations, the music I make, and the community I help weave.
If you want to say hello, or ask me a question, please reach out!