Sky House Herbs

Ashley Elenbaas
  • 4.8 (30)
  • ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Everywhere we go, we can find plant spirits. In this podcast, clinical herbalist Ashley Elenbaas invites us to discover the healing power of plants—not just their medicinal properties but their deeper wisdom and gifts. With respect and reverence, Ashley guides her listeners to be open to the teachings of these potent teachers. If you are looking for a holistic approach to healing that can help you achieve optimal health and well-being, then pop in for a listen.

  1. Herb of the Month: Rhodiola Rosea

    5D AGO

    Herb of the Month: Rhodiola Rosea

    Become a herbalist → https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram  In this episode I explore one of my favorite adaptogenic herbs, Rhodiola rosea, often called the Arctic root. This remarkable plant has been used for centuries in Siberian and Scandinavian traditions to support endurance, vitality, and resilience in harsh climates. 🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/9Ia9f7WsuRo  🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX Today I share both the traditional wisdom and modern research that help us understand how this herb supports energy, stress response, and hormonal balance. 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc  🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/  In this episode I cover • The traditional use of Rhodiola in Scandinavian and Siberian cultures • Why this herb was associated with strength, stamina, and resilience • What modern research tells us about Rhodiola and fatigue, cognition, and mood • How Rhodiola supports the body’s adaptogenic response to stress • Herbal energetics and how I think about dosing Rhodiola in practice • Why this herb can be especially helpful for women navigating perimenopause and menopause • Safety considerations and when Rhodiola may not be appropriate ————  MY ONLINE COURSE 🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram ———— Chapters: Herb of the Month: Rhodiola Rosea 0:00 Intro 0:35 Rhodiola 5:00 Energetics 8:58 Research 10:00 Cognition 11:43 Menopause 12:48 Synergy 13:30 Estrogen 15:00 Dosage 16:47 Stories 20:00 Apprenticeship

    23 min
  2. Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #6

    MAR 6

    Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #6

    Become a herbalist → https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram  There is a particular kind of tiredness that arrives in late February. Not the bone-weariness of December, but something softer—a deep, watery stillness that asks us to wait just a little longer. On this Gentle Friday, we gathered as a community to sit with that feeling. We checked in with three-word check-ins, shared what we’re carrying, and explored the tender place between winter and spring. In the Chinese five-element system, this is the liminal space between the deep, reflective waters of winter and the rising, green wood of spring. It is a time for wearing our “patient hat,” for planning the steps but not yet taking them. It is a moment to ask: what seeds are we meant to nurture, and how do we bear the discomfort of not knowing? We sat with a reading from David Whyte on the art of beginning, which asks us to first clear away the clutter and find our way back into our bodies. We talked about the wisdom of the bear—the original herbalist in many traditions—and how dreaming of this powerful animal might signal a deep connection to plant medicine. And then, the plant spirit card we pulled was Pomegranate. Its message was one of fertility—not just of the body, but of the soul. It asks us which dreams we are being called to nurture, and to trust that the Great Mother will support us in that nurturing. It is a reminder that our blood, like the ocean, is a primal water, connecting us to the source of all life. If you are feeling the pull to nurture a new dream, or simply need support in the slow, patient work of this in-between season, this conversation is for you. We are pack animals, after all, meant to co-regulate and find our way together. In this episode, we explore: The seasonal transition from Water to Wood and how it shows up in our bodies. Community check-ins and the power of naming how we truly feel. A reading on the art of beginning from David Whyte. Bear medicine and the role of dreams in herbalism. A plant spirit card pull: Pomegranate and the courage to nurture our deepest dreams. Gentle self-care practices for nervous system regulation during times of change. 🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc  🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/  ————  MY ONLINE COURSE 🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram

    1h 4m
  3. Why So Many of Us Struggle to Truly Learn Herbalism

    MAR 2

    Why So Many of Us Struggle to Truly Learn Herbalism

    Become a herbalist → https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram  In this episode, I explore why so many people struggle to truly learn herbalism and how shifting from memorization to relational learning changes everything. I also speak about the fear many people carry around not being expert enough. Herbalism does not require perfection. It requires curiosity, humility, reverence, and time. 🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/SEsMgpKh4kY  🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX We talk about: • Why herbalism is not about collecting information but about building long term relationships with plants  • How cyclical learning through seasons and growth cycles creates real confidence and nuance  • The difference between a performative approach and a deeply relational practice  • Why mistakes, humility, and curiosity are essential to becoming a skilled herbalist  • How working closely with individual plants transforms both your herbal knowledge and your personal journey 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc  🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/  ————  MY ONLINE COURSE🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram ———— If you are longing to deepen your connection with plants and practice herbal medicine with more clarity and confidence, I hope this conversation supports you. If you are longing for a deeper connection with plants and want to move beyond surface level herbalism, I hope this episode encourages you. Herbalism is a lifelong personal journey. It evolves with each season of life, just like the plants. Enrollment for my twelve month Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship is open if you feel called to study in a relational and immersive way. 🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX YEAR ONE HERBAL FOUNDATIONS - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/herbal-foundations-enrollment  GENTLE FRIDAYS - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/upcoming-events  Friday 3/6 and 3/13 at 12 pm EST/11 am CST/9 am PST SPRING EQUINOX IN-PERSON EVENT - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/upcoming-events  Friday 3/6 from 6 - 8:30 pm  WHERE: The Grapevine Collective at the New City Center, Minneapolis ADDRESS: 3104 16th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407 COST: Free!

    28 min
  4. February Fatigue: Herbal Support for Mood and Energy

    FEB 23

    February Fatigue: Herbal Support for Mood and Energy

    Become a herbalist → https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram  February can be such a hard month for so many people. In this episode I talk openly about the winter blues, the impact of late winter light, and why this season can feel especially heavy on the nervous system and mood. Low energy, low motivation, and emotional tenderness are common this time of year, and there are real biological and seasonal reasons for that. 🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/zsZXb2Yr2oA  I share the herbal and holistic supports I personally reach for, including: • Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) for boosting energy and supporting stress resilience without depletion • Lion’s Mane mushroom for brain health, neuroplasticity, and steady mental clarity • Olive Bach Flower Essence for deep exhaustion and emotional depletion • Rose water hydrosol spray as a gentle heart opening and nervous system softening ritual 🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX We also explore: • Why vitamin D is so important during the winter months • How low light affects mood and energy • Why even a few minutes of daily sunlight can make a difference Beyond herbs, I share simple winter wellness practices and some ways of reframing the February blah’s as an invitation for deeper acceptance and rest. 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc  🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/  ————  MY ONLINE COURSE 🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram ————

    15 min
  5. Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #5 | Ashley Elenbaas

    FEB 21

    Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #5 | Ashley Elenbaas

    Become a herbalist → https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram  There are weeks when the world feels like a windstorm, rattling the frames of our carefully placed lawn furniture. There are Februaries that press upon us with their damp dark, asking us to stay underground a little longer, to wait. In this fifth episode of Gentle Fridays, we gather not to fix, but to be. We come together to practice the art of rest—not as indulgence, but as a foundational act of healing and preparation. 🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/yp_4h7VWIjg  🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX We begin with a quiet centering to let the body settle, to give its weight to the earth. We share the three words that describe what we are each bringing to the circle: tenderness, chaos, gratitude, exhaustion, hope. We sit with the paradox of holding both the light and the dark, acknowledging the powerful astrology of the moment—the shed skin of the snake and the stampeding fire horse—without needing to resolve it. 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc  🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/  ————  MY ONLINE COURSE🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram ———— Then, we turn to the deep nourishment of words. We explore the meaning of "rest" through a passage from David Whyte’s Consolations, discovering rest as a "conversation between what we love to do and how we love to be." It is not a static state, but a dynamic exchange, a way of being ready for the world without being held hostage by it. We share the plant allies and practices that are helping us tend to our own restoration—from the clarifying lift of Rhodiola and the robust energy of olive flower essence to the anchored resilience of dandelion and the simple, loving act of cooking. We end with a card pull from a beloved oracle deck, receiving the wisdom of the Mariposa Lily, a call to nurture ourselves and each other with the unconditional love of the earth itself. This is a space to regulate our nervous systems together, to be a guest house for all that arrives, and to remember that we can carry the weight—not by putting it down, but by learning how we carry it. Pull up a chair by the fire, make a cup of tea, and join the circle.

    1h 1m
  6. 5 Herbs for Focus and Calm During Overwhelm

    FEB 16

    5 Herbs for Focus and Calm During Overwhelm

    In this episode I share five of my favorite herbs for focus and calm, especially during seasons of overwhelm. 🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/EIozKcr_kbI  Before we talk about any plant, I begin with something essential. We have to know what calm actually feels like in our own body. If we are disconnected from our inner sense of peace, we may not recognize it when an herb gently nudges us there. Mindfulness is not separate from herbal medicine. It is the foundation that allows us to work with plants in a wise and embodied way. 🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc  🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/  In this video I explore: -Rhodiola for stress resilience and mental stamina -Lion's Mane for cognitive nourishment and memory support -Peppermint as a refreshing ally for mental clarity -Rosemary for uplifting focus and improved recall -Ginkgo biloba for circulation and memory support ————  MY ONLINE COURSES 🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram ———— These herbs are not cure alls. They are allies. When used consistently and with awareness, they can support clearer thinking, steadier attention, and a calmer nervous system. I also share simple and practical ways to incorporate these plants into your daily rhythm, along with reminders about patience. Many herbs reveal their gifts over time. Regular intake and mindful observation are key. If you are longing to deepen your relationship with herbal medicine beyond quick tips and single herbs, I invite you to join my herbal apprenticeship where we explore plant energetics, formulation, and embodied practice together.

    26 min
  7. Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #4

    FEB 15

    Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #4

    There is a kind of solace that arrives not as an answer, but as a deeper question. It finds us when we sit still enough to feel the weight of what we’re holding—the fear alongside the hope, the weariness next to the resilience. This fourth Gentle Friday is an invitation into that kind of spaciousness. Together, we arrive just as we are. We breathe into the quiet, we name the mixed-bag feelings in the chat (sad and soulful, curious and concerned, hopeful and heavy), and we remember that holding complexity is itself a sign of deep resilience. We explore the teaching that peace begins as an inside job, inspired by the vision of walking monks and their quiet procession across the country. Ashley offers a reading from David Whyte’s Consolations on the word solace—not as an escape, but as a way of asking the beautiful question in unbeautiful moments. We then turn to the plants, our faithful allies, for support. From the everyday ritual of chamomile tea to the nerve-repairing wisdom of ginkgo and the soothing, polysaccharide-rich infusion of marshmallow root and rose, we share the tangible ways we tend our own nervous systems. We practice a 478 breathing technique together, a simple tool for regulation. ————  MY ONLINE COURSES 🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram ———— The circle closes with two oracle cards—the Blackberry, reminding us of the fruit born when heart and mind align, and the Crone (Hecate), standing at the crossroads, listening for inner wisdom. This is a space for plant spirit support and community healing, a place to remember our sacred smallness and our profound connection. Pull up a chair. Pour a cup of tea. Let’s be still together. In this gathering: A centering silence and a collective pulse on how we're feeling A reading on "Solace" from David Whyte's Consolations Community-sourced care practices for the nervous system Plant wisdom: chamomile, lemon balm, ginkgo, milky oats, marshmallow root, and rose A 478 breathing practice for regulation Oracle readings: The Blackberry (heart-mind unity) and The Crone (inner guidance at the crossroads) 🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/

    59 min
  8. Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #3 | Ashley Elenbaas

    FEB 11

    Gentle Fridays: Plant Spirit Support for Changing Times #3 | Ashley Elenbaas

    We gathered on a Friday not to escape, but to arrive. To let the churning settle. To name what we were carrying—exhaustion, anger, disorientation, hope—and in the naming, find we were not alone. 🤝 Share this Video: https://youtu.be/AxwroMghnNw  This is the third Gentle Fridays gathering, recorded in February 2026 as the Saturn-Neptune conjunction reached its exact degree. I read from David Whyte’s Consolations on anger—not as surface violence but as the deepest form of care, the unwillingness to let what we love be diminished. I pulled a card from the Plant Speak deck, and the orchid arrived: that rootless bloom that receives everything it needs from light and air. A reminder that we too can receive from unseen channels, that we are here to funnel goodness back into the earth. ————  MY ONLINE COURSES 🌱🌝 Roots & Spheres Class: https://bit.ly/RootsAndSpheres  🌿Herbal Foundations Apprenticeship: https://bit.ly/HerbalProgram ———— And then Mary Oliver closed us, as she always seems to, with the news that someone lingers, little by little becomes everything that makes the difference. If you are feeling the weight of this season—the exhaustion, the wanting to scream and shake things, the strange grief of watching old systems dissolve—this hour is for you. Not to fix. Just to hold, together. Find what you need to release. Find what you need to carry forward. Find the thread from my heart to yours. 🌿 Subscribe for herbal tips and wellness insights: https://bit.ly/4iRnpyX 🎫 Upcoming Events - https://tinyurl.com/3y4xp6kc 🔗 Sky House Herb Website - https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/

    51 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

Everywhere we go, we can find plant spirits. In this podcast, clinical herbalist Ashley Elenbaas invites us to discover the healing power of plants—not just their medicinal properties but their deeper wisdom and gifts. With respect and reverence, Ashley guides her listeners to be open to the teachings of these potent teachers. If you are looking for a holistic approach to healing that can help you achieve optimal health and well-being, then pop in for a listen.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Elenbaas
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    257
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ashley Elenbaas
  • Show Website
    Sky House Herbs

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