Elder Flower Essence – Plant Immersion
An 11-day Transformative Plant Spirit Communication Immersion over the Samhain Portal
1–11 NOV | Live Online | Worldwide | All levels | Elder Flower Essence Included (shipping separate)
As an opening to a deepening range of plant medicine offerings in the coming years hosted by our increasing team of Dharma STARS practitioners, our featured plant is Elder Flower Essence.
Learn to Work in Mindful Relationship with Plants
This immersion is a wonderful opportunity to work with two seasoned plant medicine practitioners and to help to educate you on mindful work with plant medicines in a gentle but profound way.
If you are new to plant medicine work and feel drawn to herbalism, shamanism, plant spirit work, real-time immersions in a supportive environment this may well be for you.
Drawing on decades of combined experience, Padma Khandro Victoria Sinclair and Marianne bring instruction and insights from plant lore and good practice across the globe, as we work together at an significant time in the astrological calendar for transformation, release and rebirth.
Plant: Elder (Sambucus nigra)
Why Elder? Why Samhain?
The timing of this immersion has been intentionally chosen to align with a powerful astrological portal. The strict real-time part of the immersion begins on 1st November, with pre-immersion dates beforehand. Opening at the ancient Celtic portal of Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest and the ancestors draw near, this journey opens at one of the most potent moments of transition in the ceremonial calendar.
Elder herself is one of the great liminal plants, long revered as keeper of the boundary between the living and ancestral realms, carrier of the wise crone's medicine of deep trust, emotional renewal, the clearing of what has become heavy and stagnant. Her essence works as a profound emotional decongestant, lifting the accumulated weight of unexpressed grief, isolation and fatigue, and rekindling the joy and vitality that lie beneath.
To work with her at Samhain is to work in complete alignment with her nature: in the season of release, under the gaze of the ancestors, at the exact moment when the old year surrenders to the new. Letting go of what has become heavy, stagnant or ready to complete, creates room for something new to emerge from the darkness. From 13th November the energy of deep self-generation ignites and what Elder has cleared and renewed in you is then ready to grow.
A Gateway to a Deeper Journey
This introductory journey is also part of a wider series of group and individual explorations we are offering around themes of leadership, finding our true confidence to ‘step up’, finding and emanating heart-felt compassion and authority with authenticity.
Elder is a fitting plant to work with as many of us come from communities where rites of passage have not been practiced or observed. It is time to reclaim our power and birthright to be active and empowered in our communities. We need to support our elders and elders need to BE true elders.
How do we reclaim our capacity to take an active and responsible place within our communities? How do we support those who carry the role of elder and what does it mean to grow into true eldership ourselves?
Working with Elder as a Flower Essence
During this immersion, we will work with Elder as a flower essence, opening a gateway into a deeper journey with Elder medicine that will continue to unfold.
Working with the essence of a plant is a great introduction for those new to dietas, and is profound for working with the emotional and subtle bodies.
Who Is This Immersion For?
This immersion may be particularly suited to those who:
· Are new to plant medicine and would like a gentle introduction
· Feel drawn to explore herbalism, plant lore or plant spirit work
· Are interested in shamanic or animist approaches to relationship with the natural world
· Would like to experience a real-time group immersion within a supportive environment
· Already work with plants and would like to deepen their relationship with Elder
You do not need previous experience of dietas or plant spirit communication to take part.
A guided journey from preparation, through immersion, into integration
This is a supported introduction to working consciously and in right relation with plants.
The main part of this western style beginners-level dieta runs from 1st to 11th November.
Outside this window are additional pre and post fasting optimisation dates and a pre-dieta cleanse day.
Art by: Mary Feywood
Why 11 days?
During the Samhain portal, and indeed the Worldbridger wavespell, there is a deep focus on dissolution. The number 11, which is a master number, also lends itself to dissolving work, and certain endings. In some cosmologies it is associated with wandering and journeying beyond structures to change our direction and move through karmic gateways.
Number 11 is also deeply associated with Shiva, the Lord of transformation and austerities. In his fiercest form as Rudra there are allusions to 11 Rudras, so the number 11 is deeply associated with profound transformation.
Structure & Key Dates
BEFORE THE IMMERSION: Preparation & Orientation
From 22nd to 31st October.
Pre-fast day 22nd October
1st Tutorial – 29th October @ 6:30pm UK
Pre-dieta Cleansing – 31st October
tHE iMMERSION: dEEPENING THE RELATIONSHIP
FROM 1ST TO 11TH NOVEMBER
2nd Tutorial – Opening Space for the immersion – 1st November @ 4pm UK
Main Fasting day – 5th November
3rd Tutorial – Closing Space for the immersion – 11th November @ 6:30 UK
Renewal, transformation & iNTEGRATION
From 11TH TO 20TH NOVEMBER
Integration & Optimisation Fasting Window – 20th November
the Astrology
The timing of this immersion is the medicine itself, as it’s been chosen thoughtfully to optimize the energies and transformative potential of this period. The White Worldbridger Wavespell (Dreamspell calendar) begins on 31st October. Here, we enter through one of the most concentrated portals of the entire 260-day Tzolkin. Worldbridger carries the energy of death, equalisation, the conscious release of what no longer serves; and its wavespell asks us to become bridges between the seen and unseen, the ancestral and the living. That this moment coincides with Samhain is a convergence of two ancient streams pointing in exactly the same direction.
Elder Flower—liminal plant, emotional decongestant, carrier of the wise crone's medicine—could not be more perfectly placed within it. Her essence specialises in precisely what this portal asks of us: releasing the heavy and stagnant, rekindling trust in being held by something larger, reconnecting with ancestral wisdom and inner knowing, and restoring the vitality and joy that grief and isolation can bury over time. She is the plant ally of this exact moment of transition. What is cleared and renewed in the Worldbridger Wavespell then moves directly into the Blue Storm from 13th November, the great self-generating, catalytic force of purification and transformation. In the entire 260-day Galactic Spin, this sequence represents one of the most potent windows for genuine inner alchemy. Elder opens the door, and Storm calls you through it.
WHAT YOU'LL RECEIVE
· Recordings and handouts on fasting protocol for people who sign up early enough to do the pre-fast
· Preparation materials and recordings
· 3 live tutorials
· A slack forum will also be available for students to share insights, exercises, questions and support.
· Our lead practitioners will also be sharing special tools and tips on the forum to help you to benefit from the subtle and transformative energies.
Special Teachings
Provided in your Learning Package
Plants and Rites of Passage:
the Elder gateway
Teacher: Victoria Padma Khandro
In these times the concept of what it is to be an ‘elder’ is often disregarded or misunderstood. Interestingly, working with elder can help us to work through some of the themes that arise when we are going through rites of passage as we mature on our life path.
In this session Padma introduces the concept of ‘Maiden, Mother, Crone and Wise Woman, and weaves in astrological contexts, indigenous science and plant lore surrounding rites of passage and overcoming fears around visibility, speaking up, having Authority and abuses of power.
We call upon the Elder plant as a sacred tool and gatekeeper to help us to purify afflictions, karma and patterns that have kept our communities fragmented and to restore balance and right relation.
The Process of ‘Dieta’:
how it is used in indigenous groups and brief intro to plant spirit communication
Teacher: Victoria Padma Khandro & Marianne
In this recorded conversation, Marianne and Padma introduce the concept of plant dieta as practised and its connection to Peruvian curanderismo and other lineages of plant lore.
Drawing on their own experiences of Dietas, they share insights on some of the protocols and principles of dieta, as well as the importance of culture, set and setting. They contextualise these themes with a view to help students understand the ‘middle way’ that might accompany a plant immersion for those without the time or capacity to undertake an extended traditional dieta or travel to the Amazon.
The conversation also introduces plant spirit communication, a topic that eludes many who have worked with plants medically, with Padma sharing insights from her work and training with shamans, curanderos when she was in her deepest training and research phase of plant medicine work and methodologies.
Participants will be offered practical approaches including meditation, breath work, to assist engaging with ‘plant spirits’ and how this may experienced differently by each person. They'll share how specific practices, ‘conversations’, stilling of the mind and surrendering the ‘alert problem solving mode’ can assist working with subtle energies and realms that plant spirits occupy and bestow.
Preparing Yourself and Your Space
This handout covers setting up for the dieta, including cleansing yourself and the space, and creating an altar.
The Medicine of Elder
Teacher: Marianne
In this presentation Marianne talks about the Elder tree as seen through different healing traditions, from modern western herbalism to European folk traditions, and Celtic and Norse mythology.
Sacred Plant Baths
Teacher: Marianne
In this short presentation Marianne covers the process of creating and using sacred plant baths, and how they can help the process of the dieta.
Would you like to dip your toe into ‘fasting’, ‘dietas’ and inner work, but you feel you need a container and some experienced guides to introduce you into these sorts of work?
Dharma STARS
COURSE PRICING
Includes plants but not postage. Payment Plan rate differs from when you pay in full. If you need a payment plan, please contact us to set this up at dharmastars.org@gmail.com (payment plan does not apply for early bird rate). If you are experiencing hardship then please get in touch and we can look into another arrangement.
TIER 1 SUPPORTED
£144
Reserved for people who are facing hardship, single parents and from developing countries.
NOT INCLUDED: postage
TIER 3
SUSTAINER
£180
For those able to contribute a little more towards sustaining Dharma STARS' educational work.
NOT INCLUDED: postage
HOW PAYMENT WORKS
If you are unable to pay the full fee upfront, you may pay an initial deposit confirms your place on the immersion and for us to send your Elder Flower Essence. The deposit payment will be deducted from the total fee (the tier fee is not including postage). The remaining balance is due by 27 October to confirm your place in the first tutorial and the wider immersion container.
REGISTRATION & POSTAGE DEADLINE
As we will be posting the Elder Flower Essence to participants, please be mindful of the registration deadlines. For participants in the UK, the deadline for Basic Post is 23 October, while Express Post/Courier registrations can be accepted until 27 October.
Postage deadlines within Europe may vary depending on your location and available postal services. Please get in touch with us as soon as possible for further information about delivery options and deadlines in your country.
For participation in this immersion outside of Europe, participants are required to source their own elder flower essence locally."
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COURSE BUNDLES
BUNDLE
ARTHĀ + ELDER
£222–£270
Both Elder Flower Essence Plant Immersion and Arthā – Abundant Stability course at a combined discount.
BUNDLE
VEDIC + ELDER
£222–£270
Both Elder Flower Essence Plant Immersion and Intro Vedic Astrology course at a combined discount.
If you are already enrolled in one of the individual courses or immersions above and would like to add Artha, Elder or Vedic, you are welcome to upgrade to the relevant package. We will deduct the fee you have already paid from the full package price. Please get in touch with us to arrange this.
MEET THE TEAM
This immersion is held by two practitioners who bring complementary experience to the work: Padma Khandro Victoria Sinclair with more than three decades of experience working with plant teachers, ceremonial traditions and consciousness practices, alongside extensive cross-cultural learning with Indigenous and traditional practitioners, Tantra, astrology, trauma-informed practice and energy medicine; and Marianne with a strong foundation in herbalism, horticulture, permaculture, alongside experience with plant medicine traditions, and Andean and Sekhem energy healing.
Victoria Sinclair – Padma Khandro
Marianne
Victoria Sinclair – Padma Khandro
Victoria Sinclair is a Worldwide respected consciousness innovator having facilitated community trainings and events for over 25 years.
She is well known as a cultural bridge-maker in her integral work with a broad range of recognised ingenious elders and teachers in S. America, Europe and Australia.
Her training background includes; Transpersonal Psychology, Epigenetics, Trauma work, Pranayama, Plant medicines, De-colonisation and Quantum, sound and ancestral practices. She is also a plant communicator and trainer of Sekhem Healing, Serpent Codes and Altered States of Consciousness.
Victoria’s dedication to healing communities has initiated various ground-breaking programs and is a co-founder of Dharma STARS Mystery school, a global hub for conscious education - as well over 15 years experience facilitating ceremonial practice with plant teachers and communities and at many international event gatherings.
Victoria has been working with plant teachers for thirty-five years and has journeyed extensively in the Americas since 2006 learning with native tribes and conducting ceremonies and initiations in Mexico, Guatemala, Brasil, Ecuador, Peru, UK, Israel, Ireland, Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica and beyond.
She has participated in and co-ordinated numerous dietas with plant teachers and has presented initiations and findings on her research and communication with plants globally at the first Global Ayahuasca conference, Ibiza, 2014, Somara Plant Medicine Conference, Australia, 2015, Breaking Convention 2013 and 2015, Boom Festival 2016 and many more. Padma has done dietas and immersions with at least 15 Plant teachers and Masters and spent many years as an Ayahuascera and Tobacquera.
Having worked on a very ‘sober’ path for a stringent 5 year period of deep tantric training and ordination under Kalachakra Master, Khentrul Rinpoche, Padma is now offering her decades of plant medicine, plant spirit communication and integration experience in collaborative settings.
As an experienced astrologer, space-holder, multidimensional trauma and energy medicine practitioner, Padma has a broad spectrum of experience and work between the realms to assist profound transformation as an intermediary with the plant queendom and liminal states of consciousness. She has amassed a large toolkit of integration tools and resourcing support and can help participants navigate profound shifts with the right balance of encouragement, softness and, when needed, arse-kicking vajra medicine as taught to her by her esteemed elders and teachers!
Marianne
Marianne has been on the herbal path since 2013, completing the full professional diploma from 2017-2021. She has followed many different plant threads and weaves these together in her work: from clinical herbalism to horticulture, herbal first aid, permaculture, dreamwork and intuitive herbalism. She has undertaken master plant dietas and teachings with Amazonian lineages, as well as western plants. Marianne is an advanced Sekhem practitioner and has also been studying Andean energy healing traditions since 2021, and with her current maestra for the past two years. She spends most of her time in Portugal where she runs a project on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.
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