Brier Rose
As a young girl, I would play in this high school parking lot roundabout that was full of lush trees, vibrant plants, flowers, hedges and thick hostas. This scared spot was called The Secret Garden Every morning I would track across the road (with parental supervision of course) and begin a hard days work. I would collect fallen branches, strip bark to the best of my ability, dismantle hostas, and create a masterpiece of a homestead all for me and my dog. once our home was built, the dog and I would hurt snails, spy on highschoolers and neighbours. Id bring colouring books and little picture books, make stories, read stories and tell stories (to the dog), I created pretend decoctions, poultices, pastes, whatever I could and all of it made me feel closer to earth, as if I was living life the way I was meant to. I was home, completely at peace in "nature". Eventually, high school students discovered my homestead and would trash it every day on their lunch break! For months, I persisted and would rebuild a new shelter etc. until it was clear that the same individuals had zero regard for their environment and would vandalize/ damage the living plant life within this small forested parking lot island/ roundabout. I eventually abandoned my homestead as it was not patrolled by school faculty and later the wilderness was removed.
My life became more and more shallow and disjointed. The further I divorced from my interactions with the outdoor world and became more and more comfortable being a domesticated wilding.
In my pre teens and teens, geez, not all of us are proud of those years; I became someone else entirely, someone unrecognizable and in no way aligned with the strong morals and beliefs I take such pride in.
As we know hind sight is 20/20 and I was one angry youth. Unfulfilled and disconnected from my life’s purpose, I became the equivalent of a caged beast. It is my hopes that with these biographies about my family, team, and I, you all will be able to get a taste of who I am as a person versus an entrepreneur. This is important to me, as there is a huge stigma associated with “business” and “sales”. It is my passion to help, serve, educate and empower and I have committed my life to fulfilling my unique and given purpose.
With no direction, drive or motivation I was going to simply follow my mothers footsteps (wich are admirable) and pursue the Social Work field. I graduated and attained my Diploma at Mohawk College for Social Service Work and proceeded to enrol at McMaster University for my Social Work degree. After my first general year, before specializing my major in Social Work I realized (after already working in the social services for a few years) I was really not cut out for the intensity and emotional rollercoaster of the field. Although, it is admirable work, I knew that I was made for something different; change that I could take into my own hands.
It is fascinating how the universe works sometimes, as I was coming to the difficult realization that the Social Work is not for me, I was taking an elective class in Indigenous Studies. Spiritually, there was the sense of a homecoming once I found this program. The culture and traditional practices and beliefs made my entire being reignite, as if I was remembering who I am, finally.
That is how I found Plant Medicine.
I ditched the expectations and agendas everyone else had for me, what is “socially acceptable” and chose me. I chose to fulfill my life, my purpose and my dreams and haven’t regretted one thing. I am truly blessed to have a life that I can blindly listen to my intuition, and trusted the Universe, versus a life managed by anyone other than me and my highest and best interest.
It is not always easy and sometimes really frightening but EVERYTHING has ALWAYS worked out and such beauty is always at the end of the fear and darkness.
Thank you for taking time out of your day to read about my journey.