

Medicine Stories
Amber Magnolia Hill
Medicine Stories explores the healing intersections of herbalism, ancestral lifeways, and holistic wellness. Host Amber Magnolia Hill shares heartfelt conversations and personal stories that delve into women’s metabolic health, our deep-rooted connection to plants, and the power of storytelling. With compassion for the often frantic search for healing—and a critical eye on the modern wellness industry—this podcast is a grounded space for remembering what it means to be human upon the Earth.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 4, 2019 • 1h
Healing Our Indigenous European Ancestors - Lyla June
Our task as European-ancestored people, seeing what's been hidden beyond our short-sighted view of history, and why healing isn't possible in the absence of love. IN THE INTRO: Who gets to claim their ancestors? Healing broken lineages Cultural appropriation & reparations IN THE INTERVIEW: How Lyla, raised to acknowledge only her Native American side, came to understand and honor her indigenous European ancestors What happens when people hate their ancestors (and therefore themselves) Making space for everyone's healing- permission to grieve all the ancestral traumas Going way back in time to understand colonizer/oppressor actions Lyla's early experiences with sexual abuse, alcohol, and drugs and how they informed her perspective on restorative justice Pilgrimage to the Sacred Motherland of Europe- "These mountains may have lost their people, but that doesn't mean they don't need ceremony" Seeing through the thin wall of time that dominates our understanding of history & remembering that the vast majority of our ancestors lived before cultures and humans got broken Indigenous languages are the sound of the land speaking through the people Love is the only thing worth doing here Where do we go from here? It depends on where we came from LINKS: Reclaiming our Indigenous European Roots by Lyla in Moon Magazine Lyla on Facebook Anti-Racist Genealogical Research (For Everyone) w/ Darla Antoine Ancestral Reverence as Devotion to the Earth w/ Daniel Foor My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes)

Jan 22, 2019 • 1h 35min
Ancestral Legacies, Lost Cultures, & Personal Mythmaking - Janelle Hardy
The stories that call to us, the ancestors who live in us, the cultures that are lost to us, and so much more... IN THE INTRO: Self care and energy hygiene for sensitive types Ancestral languages Elderberry magic IN THE INTERVIEW: Making peace with our names, the legacy of patriarchal naming, changing names, prehistoric kinship ties, and pondering how our most ancient ancestors chose names Spectral visitations from the grandfather who died before Janelle was born Rootlessness, and what is lost when people set out on their own and leave their land and people behind How our ancestors live in us, even when we can't claim their culture as our own Language as a gateway to the ancestors Megalithic monuments and the transition from hunting and gathering to farming in Europe Starting a podcast Knowing whose land you're living on The ancient tales we're drawn to Diving deep into embodiment and creativity The profound inner and outer journey of Personal Mythmaking Navigating the world as a Highly Sensitive Person and empath- "I need a lot of self care to be connected to my deep self" Biodynamic craniosacral therapy, somatic experiencing, and other coping mechanisms/self care Chronic trauma responses and nervous system stuckness The more ephemeral cultural transmissions: textiles, fiber arts, music, dance, cooking, etc. LINKS: Janelle's website My interview on the Personal Mythmakers Podcast My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes) The Memory Code by Lynne Kelly Ancient Spirit Rising by Pegi Eyers The Highly Sensitive Person by Dr. Elaine Aron Lyla June on the For The Wild Podcast, Part 1 and Part 2 Sylvia Lindstead

Jan 14, 2019 • 1h 38min
Magic Makes Us Human & Plants Keep Us Rooted- Rebecca Altman
How strategic inefficiency can make us more efficient, knowing your personality type, and being deeply rooted in place. IN THE INTRO: What time can do (my recent family emergency) Ancestral Lineage Healing Lion's mane mushroom & hawthorn berry medicine IN THE INTERVIEW: How the journey through grief, depression, and getting on and then getting off 5 different pharmaceuticals at once led Rebecca to herbalism Meeting the spirit of a place/seeing your home with new eyes Sexy desert plants: creosote (chaparral/Larrea) & ocotillo Where there is no word for magic because it's just a normal part of life & why believing in magic makes us human The West's missing rites of initiation & why we have such a hard time adulting Realizing that no one else is going to tell you that you belong, that you have the gift, that you are magical The humoural approach to herbalism & healing: why knowing your personal balance of temperaments (sanguine, choleric, meloncholic, and phlegmatic) can help you to know yourself better The debilitating cultural preference/lie embedded in The Hero's Journey The virtues of working inefficiently A practice to get you rooted and step you back inside yourself: reconnecting to what we cut off in order to get things done quicker & better Root medicine: shatavari & ashwaganda LINKS: Rebecca's websites: King's Road Apothecary and The Wonder Sessions Ancestral Lineage Healing Intensive in Berkeley 2/8-10 My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes) Malidoma Somé

Dec 18, 2018 • 1h 14min
Giving Life to Songs & Babies - Alela Diane
Most artists, and working women, keep their parenthood separate from their work and creativity. Alela Diane is bucking that (unnatural/inauthentic) trend, and we speak about the hard decisions working moms face, how giving life to her second daughter literally almost killed her, and the many magical ways her songs come into being. IN THE INTRO: The complexities of motherhood, Part 1: Weaning Win a copy of Alela's latest album Cusp The future of this podcast IN THE INTERVIEW: Alela's unique name, bohemian childhood, and deeply rooted familial musical inheritance The painful life experiences that led Alela to start making music Songs that come in dreams, or that contain foreknowledge of the future The complexities of motherhood, Part 2: Tour life as a mom (taking them with until you're like neh, they're staying home) Alela's giving birth / near death experience Knowing when your loved one has passed, before you get the news LINKS: AlelaDiane.com Mother Magazine feature on Alela My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes)

Dec 3, 2018 • 1h 34min
Womb Wisdom, Addiction, & the Way of the Wounded Healer - Anja Robinson
IN THE INTRO: Evolutionary health, symptoms as adaptations, why there's no such thing as the optimal diet, and why we didn't necessarily evolve to be healthy One of our last remaining collective/ancestral rituals IN THE INTERVIEW: Why to start herbally & nutritionally preparing for your period at ovulation Understanding nutritional needs throughout the menstrual cycle Tracking your period Coffee & chocolate for the cycling woman- good or bad? Iron, blood, oxygen, and women How Anja overcame six years of alcohol and drug abuse and built a healthy, healing life We share our stories of growing up with an alcoholic parent, and of our mothers' deaths, and what it feels like when you get that phone call we all dread A super important but always overlooked perspective on nutrient deficiency in addicts and the role of nutrition in recovery It's never too late to change your path When Anja found out about her German great-grandmother being the town mystic and Tarot reader, and how this ancestor's sensitivity has echoed down through the motherline Food, drink, and herbs for winter nourishment Carminitives: a simple, delicious, and healing class of herbal medicine that you already have in your kitchen LINKS: Anja's website ManaMedicinals.net My website & herb shop MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes) BOOKS- *The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease by Daniel E. Lieberman *Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler *Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Dr. Christianne Northrup *Sex, Time, and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution by Leonard Shlain *The Alphabet Vs the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and Image by Leonard Shlain *It's OK That You're Not OK by Megan Devine (and her website Refuge In Grief) *Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm: Beyond the Doors of Perception into the Dreaming of Earth by Stephen Harrod Buhner PODCASTS- *LifeSpa with John Douillard *Dr. Gabor Mate on Russell Brand's Under the Skin podcast Past Medicine Stories episodes mentioned- *w/ Stephen Harrod Buhner (sensory gating channels) *w/ Suuzi Hazen (iron, liver, evolution) *w/ Kami McBride (herbalism, oils, menstrual wellness) MISCELLANEOUS- *My video An Herbalist's Perspective on Cold & Flu *Period Tracker apps *Dr. Zach Bush

Nov 23, 2018 • 1h 34min
Root Cause Medicine & Breasts as an Intuitive Center - Anja Robinson
In the Intro: Living among the California wildfires $200 herbal medicine giveaway! The beautiful complexity of the female body In the Interview: The intersection between herbalism & functional medicine Why "Just live like your grandmothers lived and you'll be healthy" doesn't work anymore Health confusion and information overload A name is a prayer: the meaning of Anja's name and how it ties into her life's path The gateway of birth & the role of a birth attendant Understanding the complex dance of women's hormones and what we can do to create better hormonal health (we talk about digestion, the liver, PMS, headaches, bloating, cramps, water retention, breaking out, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, toxic overloads, xeno-estrogens, etc.) The importance of the lymphatic system The insanity of the truly toxic products that are marketed to women as real femininity Don't put anything on your skin you wouldn't put in your mouth A deep dive into breast health Reframing self exams: knowing the terrain of your own body, what to look for, and what not to worry about! The flexibility & resiliency of breast tissue Links: Anja's website Mana Medicinals My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes) For the Wild podcast: The Myths & Misinformation of Wildland Fires

Oct 30, 2018 • 1h 36min
Word Witchery, the Ancestors, & Tarot - Sanyu Estelle
Why to always work with the ancestors first, diving deep into the meaning of the words we use, and more... In the Intro: A word about this podcast November Tarot Forecast The best bio ever In the Interview: The power of words & etymological knowledge Ancestral migratory paths The history of "queer" & being multisexual Sanyu's Belizean and Ugandan roots Why to work with our ancestors first and foremost What it looks like when a genealogy/research nerd pieces together an ancestor's life Placing our forebears in the wider socio-historical context of their times: discovering a great-grandmother's life through understanding colonialism and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade The feeling of being the first generation in a new land The ancestors & Tarot Being claircognizant When illness is a spiritually energetic leveling up The interweaving of Christianity and spiritualism Working with dreams Opening yourself to the wisdom & weirdness of the multiverse Naming things collapses possibilities Taoism rules The Plant Alchemy Deck Links: SanyuEstelle.com Life as Ceremony Magazine My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes)

Oct 8, 2018 • 1h 15min
Otherworld Openings: When the Ancestors Call
In which I ramble about some of my ancestral resonances, the blocks I've had around exploring parts of my heritage, and what happens when we step through the portal to the Otherworld and let the magic in... When different lineages call- following what pulls me in the moment My deep ancestry in the American south, and the sense of home I feel even though I've never been there Embarrassing confession: my first concert Connecting to our ancestors through music and dance My DNA results, how they've changed over time, and a comparison between the 3 different autosomal tests I've done (Ancestry.com, FamilyTreeDNA, LivingDNA) The best time to buy a DNA test The 5th great grandparents I just found through Ancestry's cool new feature DNA Circles A resource for old books on genealogy & myth/lore Finding the meaning of surnames When the portal to the Otherworld opens A message for you from the archetype of the Seer Links: My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes) Forgotten Books Ancestry.com's Surname Origins page The Wildwood Tarot

Sep 24, 2018 • 1h 56min
Seaweed: Deep Medicine for Earth, Ocean, & Humans - Angela Willard
The potent healing offered by seaweeds and mushrooms, the vibrational power of names, and the unique intelligence that lies beneath the surface of things... In the Interview: Conscious conception, evolving as a family, & choosing a new experience Naming children is giving them the strongest mantra they'll have throughout their lifetime Letting the land you find yourself on guide you to your medicine Seaweeds are regenerative cleansers for the ocean & earth- addressing the question of radioactivity and the safety of consuming seaweed How to sustainably harvest seaweed Breaking down the medicinal content of red, green, and brown seaweeds: which are immunomodulating, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, cancer fighting; helpful for digestion, thyroid issues, autoimmune diseases, liver issues, detoxification etc. Nutrients in seaweed: amino acids, iron, iodine, minerals & more- how they work in the body and things to consider The amazing regenerative, bioremedial, ecosystem healing properties of seaweed The Constellations approach as a divination practice Connecting to the maternal grandmother that Angela never knew The vital intelligence of sub-level (underground/under water) life forms Food is medicine: hot tips for incorporating seaweeds and mushrooms into your daily life The deep soul work that motherhood requires, and the challenges and gratifications that family life present Links: Angela and Yarrow Willard's website Harmonic Arts My website MythicMedicine.love Medicine Stories Patreon (podcast bonuses) The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes)

Sep 12, 2018 • 1h 11min
Anti-Racist Genealogical Research (for Everyone) - Darla Antoine
People of color have limited genealogical resources with which to find their ancestors, while people of European descent's ancestors gave up their ethnic identities in order to become "white". Both of these outcomes, which have cut most Americans off from their roots, are a direct result of racism and white supremacy. In this interview we discuss the history of colonialism in America and its effect on ancestral knowledge, and Darla shares tips and considerations for POC engaged in genealogical research and for white folks wishing to make meaningful cultural reparations. In the Intro: Free access to the Anti-Racist Genealogical Research webinar! In the Interview: Genealogy is America's favorite form of ancestral reverence (and the difference between genealogy and ancestry) The story of Darla’s maternal indigenous grandmother and white grandfather The construction of whiteness in early America White bias in DNA tests and considerations for people of color interested in taking a test The history of the One Drop rule for black folk and Blood Quantum for Native Americans Ideas for people with settler ancestry who wish to make cultural reparations Manifest Destiny & how oppressors need to make up myths for why they deserve to oppress people Genealogy research self care ideas for people of color Putting our personal family stories in a larger socio-historical context Project ideas for making something tangible out of your genealogical research Breaking down autosomal, mitochondrial, and Y chromosomal DNA and what those tests show The importance of forming a research question when engaging in genealogical research Links: Darla's website Medicine Stories Patreon (get the free webinar here!) My website MythicMedicine.love The Medicine Stories Facebook group Take our fun quiz Which Healing Herb Matches Your Energy? Mythic Medicine on Instagram Music by Mariee Siou (from her beautiful song Wild Eyes)