Traditional Healing | Distance Healing | Plant Spirit Medicine | Spiritual Space Clearing | Inner-knowing Counselling | Tree Spirit Medicine | Animal Communication & Healing | Living Earth School of Herbalism | Workshops & Events
Traditional Nahua Healing
Developed out of thousands of years of living, dreaming and engaging with the world and the natural cycles of living, this profound spiritual medicine brings deep and lasting healing, life-balance and beneficial transformation.
The Traditional Healing I practice comes out of my Nahua Weather Work tradition and lineage, and is an authentic, time-honoured spiritual healing system indigenous to the highlands of central Mexico.
A healer in this tradition, called a Tepahtiani, works in relationship with spirit and the healing forces of nature to address the spiritual root causes of illness and imbalance in all layers of a person’s being: body, mind, and spirit.
Becoming a Tepahtiani is a divine calling. To be initiated as a Tepahtiani, you must first be recognized and initiated into a lasting and revered Weather Work lineage by an elder of that lineage. Then, after proving your devotion and dedication to your Weather Work over time, the calling to walk the healing path of this tradition may arise.
The journey to become Tepahtiani involves an ancient process of building relationships with sacred medicine sites and the Weather Forces which work through the healer to bring deep and lasting healing.
After years of intense training, pilgrimage, ceremony and sacrifice, the Tepahtiani candidate undergoes a final initiatory process to prove to the tradition and their teacher their dedication and capacity to become a traditional healer. If successful, the initiate is then able to bring this ancient and powerful medicine to those in need.
Healing and a feeling of wholeness come from the balance of the body, mind, and spirit. An imbalance in one of these areas will affect the other areas, bringing distress and dis-ease. Balance is the key ingredient to a satisfying and fulfilling life.
For centuries, Traditional Nahua medicine has brought deep healing to body, mind and spirit. Through this profound shamanic healing system, Nahua healers work to remedy dis-ease and bring people back into a state of wholeness, balance and harmony.
Please go to the Nahua Traditional Healing and Healers website to read more about this beautiful healing system.
“I went to Monika for a Tepahtiani healing when I was edgy and exhausted from a trauma in my family. In the healing, I felt like I touched an ancient world. I felt my critical thoughts dissolve and then I felt warmed and centered in my core. I came away opened, with a gentle, focused intention. Thank you, Monika, for offer this profound work.” – Judy M., Canada
Sessions:
Sessions are done in person at my consultorio (clinic) in Maple, Ontario, and are between 1 to 1 1/2 hours long. Please see the info page for fees and hours.
See my blogs “Traditional Nahua Healing: Limpias with Ramos” and “Traditional Nahua Healing: Limpias with Copal” to read more about two of the healing forms used in this tradition.
Distance Healing
Distance Healing is a deeply effective form of spiritual healing for physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual health and well-being, and provides profound insight into one’s true nature, path and purpose.
“I would not miss my monthly Distance Healing treatments with Monika for the world. She is intuited to show me the things I need to see that resonate deeply with me on my journey through this life. From our healing sessions I receive tools and teachings to use as my rudder, my map and my mirror. Mountains have moved in my emotional, spiritual and physical health since committing to gifting myself with this precious offering through Monika.” ~ Dawn Rafferty, Healer, Author, Ireland
After many years practising as a professional Western Traditional Herbalist and Plant Spirit Medicine Healer, I was called to the path as a Distance Healer. Through the teaching and guidance of an esteemed elder and tradition holder, I successfully completed a rigorous initiatory process that granted me access to, and the capacity to act as a conduit of, this powerful medicine.
As a Distance Healer, I work in humble relationship with the healing forces of nature, the forces that make and move the world, ancestral expressions, and the innate healing capacity of your body~mind~spirit to bring healing and wholeness to all the levels of your being.
“Grandfather Fire says the ability to do long distance healing is a rare gift; only a few people have it, so He offers a test to those who are interested in working long distance. Those who pass the test are given a transmission to help them do the work.” ~ Eliot Cowan
Working in the spirit realm, unbounded by the limitations of space and time, Distance Healing can be done for anyone in the world for all conditions of body, mind, emotions and spirit to prevent conditions from manifesting physically or bring healing for those that have.
Sessions:
Distance Healing sessions begin with a Zoom or telephone conversation to get a good sense of your needs and concerns, followed by the healing treatment and a follow-up conversation to discuss the session. Sessions are typically 1 to 1 1/2 hours long. Please see the info page for fees and hours.
Plant Spirit Medicine
Plant Spirit Medicine reaches into the deepest recesses of our being to bring healing to body, mind, and spirit.
Plant Spirit Medicine is a form of spiritual medicine that utilizes the spirit of plants, not their physical bodies, to affect deep healing. All illnesses have a spiritual component and so require spiritual medicine. Plant spirits have the incredible capacity to slip past accumulated layers of defensiveness, pain, trauma, and fear to find the source of a person’s imbalance or illness and provide what they most fundamentally need to live a life of harmony, balance, health, and well-being.
Although this medicine works at the spiritual level, changes are experienced throughout all levels of your being – body, mind, emotions, and spirit.
“My distance Plant Spirit Medicine sessions with Monika always bring great results. She is a patient and an attentive listener. Her treatments are always full of compassion and wisdom and address the heart of the matter.” ~ CGL, New Orleans, LA
Sessions:
Sessions are done in person at my healing space in Maple, Ontario. Session begins with a check-in to get a good sense of your needs and concerns, followed by the healing treatment. Sessions are typically 1 to 1 1/2 hours long. Please see the info page for fees and hours.
“With Plant Spirit Medicine, we enter the dream of nature in order to restore ourselves to harmony and balance. Our ancestors lived their lives in this dream of nature—an existence in which there is no illusion of separation from nature. What we need is an opening to the memory of who we are. Plant Spirit Medicine restores us to this state of grace, which is our birthright.” ~ Eliot Cowan
I also offer private workshops and sessions for groups or individuals to learn about plant communication or to help you to communicate with your land and the plants and trees that grow there. Please contact me for more information.
“The Dream Journeying Day that Monika facilitated with our small group and this beautiful land was extraordinary. With tender care and intuitive insight, Monika guided us into communion with the spirits of the land, and specifically with the spirit of poison ivy, so that we could together dream into being a new way of interacting and collaborating with this land. There was such a wealth of wisdom that emerged from that day that I was integrating it for weeks and months afterwards, and it has transformed my relationship with this land, a place that I’m certain I’ve been called here to steward. Monika has a unique ability to deeply connect with the plant and tree spirits and draw that connection through the participants of her workshops. I am so grateful for Monika’s generous heart, exquisite skills, and intuitive flow. I grew spiritually in a meaningful way in that one-day experience. Thank you, Monika from the bottom of my heart! ~ Sue Bowe, Wildfire Wisdom, Canada
Spiritual Space Clearing
Spiritual Space Clearing removes stagnant, old, heavy, unsettled, or negative energies from your living and working spaces and welcomes in beneficial energy, lightness, openness, purity, and renewal that is in good balance and harmony with your energy.
Spiritual Space Clearing (called limpias in my Weather Work tradition) is the deep spiritual and energetic cleaning of your home, land, office, community, or workspace.
Our physical and spiritual well-being are deeply connected to and influenced by the spaces we inhabit and work in. It is essential that they are periodically cleaned spiritually to support health, success, prosperity, and abundance.
“I am so grateful for Monika’s Spiritual Cleansing of my home. The process was so lovely, taking the time to be with each room and the overall feelings I had was very meaningful. I discovered my home truly for the first time. After the cleanse it was completely noticeable how the energies changed and the many layers (of previous people who have lived here) had been lifted and cleared. Her insights and suggestions have given me a purpose in being present with the structure of my house. Now my home is really feeling like my home. The energies are lighter and harmonious throughout the whole house. Just such a blessing to have Monika perform this service.” ~ Kristina B., Canada
Spiritual Space Clearing is recommended in many circumstances including the following:
- When you want to bring in beneficial energy, flow, peace, abundance and prosperity to your space and spirit.
- Whenever the energy of your space feels unsettled or out-of-balance for known or unknown reasons.
- When moving into a new space to clear out the residual energy of the previous inhabitants.
- To usher in new beginnings, such as starting a new business, beginning a relationship, changing your career, setting a new life intention, or welcoming in a new life into your home.
- During or after any difficult times or significant endings, such as a serious or prolonged illness, trauma, accident, divorce, or death.
- To honour the passing of a loved-one.
- To settle and rebalance the energy of your space after renovations.
- To prepare your space prior to sale.
- To honour the changing seasons and the equinoxes and solstices.
- Anytime you feel that your space needs a really deep energetic cleaning to bring in new energy and vitality.
“Returning to my 100+ year old house after an extended absence, I felt a need to reclaim the space and clear out old energies. Monika’s process was patient, clear, and loving, and when it was done my home felt lighter and more cohesive. The clearing work created a noticeable feeling of movement — decisions related to the house that I had been struggling with were easily made almost immediately. Happily, this extended to the home’s occupants, who felt as if we’d had a relationship clearing as well.” ~ Jessica J., Canada
Sessions:
Spiritual Space Clearings are done in person at your space. The process begins with an interview about your space and then an onsite visit to perform the cleansing. Please contact me for more details and fees.
Shadow-Lifting
When someone dies in a home, whether a loved-one or a previous occupant, a spiritual residue of that person gets transferred to the house at the moment of their death. This presence is called “shadow” and can affect the energy of the home and all who live there. The process of removing this presence is called “shadow-lifting.” Shadow-lifting brings release for the spirit and for all who live in the house. It clears the energy of your home so that it is supportive of life, peace, and good health.
Please contact me to arrange a shadow-lifting or to find out more about this beautiful process and the benefits it brings to you, your family, and your home.
Land Clearings & Blessings
Nature has a powerful mechanism within it for clearing and bringing balance to land overtime regardless of the type or intensity of disruptive activity inflicted upon it. However, there are unbalancing forces that can remain attached or maintained by the location that might negatively affect those living on or visiting the land. Land clearings and blessings clear out disturbing, interfering or unbalancing forces and attract beneficial energies of support, protection, balance, renewal and regeneration.
Please contact me to arrange a land clearing or blessing or to find out more about this beautiful process and the benefits it brings to you, your family, and your land.
Inner-knowing Counselling
You already have everything you need within you, right now, to know and live your truth.
Inner-knowing Counselling supports you in discovering, reclaiming, and reawakening your true nature. It helps bring you to the place of knowing that you already have everything you need right now to live your truth; to know your path and purpose; to be connected to the flow of your own life; to live in joy and wonder.
By remembering your essential nature, your unique expression in the world, you move in the flow of your life’s journey in confidence, empowerment, and joy.
To hear more about how Inner-knowing Counselling was brought into being, please listen to my interview with Lisa Lewis on her “Am I OK Podcast.”
Sessions:
Inner-knowing Counselling sessions can be done in person at my clinic in Maple, Ontario, or by phone or Zoom for anyone, anywhere in the world. Sessions typically run 1 1/2 hours long. Please see the info page for fees and hours.
It is only when we are living through the guidance of our own wise heart that we can walk our true path and purpose and experience deep communion with the whole of life.
Tree Spirit Medicine
Tree Spirit Medicine provides a clear, accessible, soul-nourishing pathway through which we can receive deep healing and connect with our true selves, the Divine Natural World, the natural laws that influence and govern us, and the nature of life on our beautiful Earth Mother through the generous, wise, and loving support of the Tree People.
Over the past several years, the Tree People have gifted me their spirit medicine which I then transmit through me to others so that they may have direct experience of the profound healing, wisdom, guidance, and generosity of the Tree People.
Tree Spirit Medicine can be received in person or through distance anywhere in the world to an individual or to a group.
To learn more about the medicine of specific trees, please see my Medicine Trees page:
Every Tree Spirit Medicine transmission is a deeply rich experience that will continue to reveal wisdoms over many years. Once you receive the Tree Spirit Medicine of a Tree, it will be with you always whenever you need its medicine, guidance and support.
“Today I spent some blissful minutes leaning up against Grandmother Silver Maple. I felt a humming sensation along my spine and my whole body felt so heavy and deeply rooted in the earth. As I walked back to the house along the fields, I saw everything in vivid colour and could feel the voices of all the plants and trees. Such a deep peace and oneness and an abiding sense of joy. I was feeling so tired before my encounter with Silver Maple, but after this, vitality flowed within me and I accomplished some tasks that needed doing in peace and presence with energy to spare.” ~ Andrea T., Canada
Sessions:
Tree Spirit Medicine transmissions can be done for an individual or a group in person or remotely via phone or Zoom for anyone, anywhere in the world. Transmissions run between 1 1/2 to 2 hours long. Each transmission begins with a conversation to connect and talk about the transmission process. We then run through some grounding and presencing exercises to prepare you for your transmission. This is followed by the transmission of the Tree Spirit Medicine of your chosen tree for 20 minutes. Afterwards, I will help you interpret your transmission experience and the medicine and messages you received from your tree. Please see the info page for fees and hours.
Animal Communication & Healing
Animal healing and communication is a form of spiritual healing that works with natural healing forces and universal energies to support your animal companion’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and well-being.
In a healing session, I work with your animal companion’s physical body and energy centres and communicate with their spirit.
This healing work is beneficial for all manner of concerns your animal companion may be experiencing, such as acute or chronic health concerns; behavioural and emotional issues; difficulty transitioning to a new home; acute or chronic physical or psychological trauma; and end of life transitioning. It is also useful before the adoptive process to explore whether you and an animal are meant to share a life together.
“ I have been working with Monika since before the adoption of our beloved Jade. As a street dog from Turkey, Jade has experienced great trauma in her young life. Monika has helped us to better understand her fears and needs. Together, we are working on a healing journey that continues to bring us closer and deepens our connection.” ~ Lee-Ann V., Canada
Sessions:
The relationship you share with your animal companion plays a large part in their healing journey, so these sessions are usually a joint session between the two of you (or the whole family). You will be involved in the session and receive your own insights and understanding about what your animal companion is experiencing.
Animal Communication & Healing sessions are done remotely and can be done for anyone, anywhere in the world. Sessions run between 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Each session begins with a Zoom or telephone conversation to get a good understanding of your animal companion’s needs and your concerns. This is followed by the healing treatment and follow-up conversation to discuss the healing session.
I can also communicate with an animal before the adoptive process and connect the two of you together to explore whether you are meant to share a life together. This process requires two sessions: first, I speak with the animal on my own, and then connect the two of you together afterwards. Please see the info page for fees and hours.
Living Earth School of Herbalism
Living Earth School of Herbalism provides quality education in Western herbalism and related subjects for those who wish to learn more for their own personal benefit, or who wish to pursue a career in this field.
Living Earth offers workshops and online courses for the general public as well as professional training for herbalists, other practitioners, and employees of the herbal and natural health products industry.
Our courses and programs were developed by herbalist Michael Vertolli, the director and primary instructor of Living Earth School of Herbalism. Michael has practiced, taught, and conducted empirical research in Western herbalism since 1986.
Living Earth courses and programs are recognized by the Ontario Herbalists Association (OHA). The OHA standards are recognized throughout North America. Graduates of the Traditional Herbalist program are eligible for professional membership in the OHA and to use the Registered Herbalist (RH) designation.
Our Philosophy
Courses and programs offered by Living Earth are based on the philosophy and practice of traditional Western herbalism. The curriculum consists of a modern synthesis of traditional European and North American traditions, incorporating current advances in physiology and other elements of modern medical science. We recognize that there is an incredible wealth of valuable information that has become available through these disciplines. Some of this information is relevant to the practice of traditional herbalism, but much of it is not as it is based on a fundamentally different understanding of the nature of health and the healing process than that of holistic healing traditions.
At Living Earth, we do not subscribe to the reductionistic and materialistic bias of the modern medicine. Advances in medical science that are important to the practice of herbalism are incorporated into a traditional, holistic paradigm rather than attempting to incorporate herbalism into a reductionistic medical paradigm.
Our philosophy is holistic and organismic, recognizing the importance of all levels of human functioning and experience (biochemical, physiological, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, etc.). The focus is on helping people to achieve a greater level of health and well-being, not just the elimination of symptoms at the physiological level. Within the holistic paradigm, people are the focus, not diseases. This philosophy is the cornerstone of all courses and programs offered by Living Earth.
For more information and programs, please go here.
Workshops & Events
I offer several workshops throughout the year on various topics such as Tree Spirit Medicine, Plant Spirit Medicine, herbal medicine, plant identification, dream journeying, and more.
Workshops and events through Living Earth School of Herbalism and those outside the program will be posted in this section of the website. Check in often to see what’s coming up!
Below are the my upcoming workshops, please click on a workshop for more information and to register:
Upcoming Events & Workshops:
- The Tree Spirit Medicine of Wild Cherry – “Rewilding Your Heart” (May 17th)
- Dream Journeying to the Plant People (June 7)
- Making Natural Suncare Products (June 21)
- The Tree Spirit Medicine of Oak – “Resilience and Adaptation” (July 21)
- The Tree Spirit Medicine of Elm – “Illumination from Above” (September 20)
- The Tree Spirit Medicine of Sumac – “Lightness of Being” (November 22)