A Mini Moment With: Adriana Ayales of Anima Mundi Herbals

Across the world, since the beginning of our existence, humans have made medicine from the natural world around them. Different climates, different hemispheres—different rituals and remedies for well-being. Author, herbalist, and educator Adriana Ayales is out to understand the threads that connect all of them.

Adriana is the Brooklyn-based founder of Anima Mundi, an apothecary of herbs, elixirs, and tools for navigating plant medicine that has grown into a robust online destination with brick-and-mortar stores on both coasts. But Adriana’s journey started long before she claimed a URL.

Originally from Costa Rica, Adriana’s education began in her home, learning herbal remedies from her family. Adriana studied with healers, psychics, and plant medicine teachers in Costa Rica, the Amazon, and California. Then, she studied classic Western and European as a clinical herbalist at different herbal schools, and astrology, cosmology, and consciousness at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

In this Mini Moment With, Adriana shares her recommendations for smokable herbs, tips for respiratory repair, seasonal rituals, and a significant celestial shift ahead. 

What are a few plants that you turn to daily?

Currently, I've been loving daily blue lotus, schisandra, damiana, bobinsana, hawthorn berries, cinnamon bark, and mucuna. I'm a profound devotee and student to the plants that deeply restore the nervous system… those that widen the senses, bring a state of calming euphoria and a sense of quiet peace to the heart. 

Have you worked with cannabis or hemp in your studies and practices?

Cannabis and I have a complicated relationship. While I don’t use cannabis, I do see its tremendous healing powers for specific body types or imbalances that need its medicinal power. I do enjoy incorporating CBD oil and flower into my formulations, especially through blends like our Sacred Hemp Botanical Smoke. This smoke blend contains hemp (Cannabis sativa) flowers and is crafted with a synergy of herbs like Mugwort, Damiana, Skullcap, and others. Each of these herbs brings its own unique benefits, from the lung-soothing effects of Mullein to the calming qualities of Blue Lotus and Rose petals. The combination of CBD with these supportive botanicals offers a holistic way to ease tension, promote relaxation, and connect with the plant world. 

What's your advice for those interested in trying other smokable herbs?

When creating your own smokable herb blends, it's important to choose herbs that align with your desired effects, whether it’s relaxation, lung support, or enhancing meditation. Start by selecting a base herb that provides a smooth smoke, like mullein or raspberry leaf, which are gentle on the lungs. Then, incorporate herbs that target specific benefits—like damiana for heart-opening effects or blue lotus for a more visionary experience.

I also suggest blending in small batches and experimenting with the ratios to find the perfect balance. Always be mindful of the properties each herb brings, and consider the synergy between the plants you choose.

What plant-based respiratory care can you recommend to joint smokers?

I recommend herbal blends that specifically target lung health and repair, such as our Breathe Tea. This blend is formulated with Mullein Leaf, which helps clear mucus and soothe the respiratory system, Holy Basil, which reduces inflammation, and Astragalus Root for immune protection. Additionally, Reishi Mushroom provides anti-inflammatory benefits and supports overall lung health. 

In our experience, Breathe Tea has been beneficial not only for smokers but also for those exposed to environmental irritants. For instance, we donated over 3,000 bags of this tea to families impacted by wildfires on the West Coast.

What kind of rituals do you make time for at this point of the year? 

I love autumn and the energetics around this particularly liminal season. I love the harvest season woven with the undertone of the death cycle that cycles through this mystical time. The shadow self is magnificent during this season, as well as the lungs and the large intestine. During fall, we often confront various forms of loss—personal, relational, or even collective. Traditional Chinese Medicine encourages us to embrace grief as a natural and essential part of life, presenting an opportunity to reflect on what we need to release. This process creates space for healing and renewal. 

Tuning into the physical body, when the lungs and large intestine function optimally, we can process grief more effectively, transforming our experiences into valuable lessons and insights. However, imbalances in these organs can manifest physically and emotionally, leading to respiratory issues, digestive discomfort, or feelings of hopelessness. Herbs that can deeply tune and assist in this alignment are hawthorn berries and cinnamon for protection and heart opening, chai spices in general tone the intestines and support digestion),our happiness powder blend for prebiotic and mood support, bobinsana to support the processing of grief, and herbs for the lungs like the breathe blend mentioned above. 

Any heavenly shifts/stages/movements we should be aware of in the coming weeks and months?

Ah, there are so many fascinating aspects happening ongoing, but one that is a major one is Pluto’s grand entry (or the long haul) into Aquarius! Happening the last week of November, this highly transformative transit has been talked about quite extensively amongst astrological circles. 

Pluto, archetypally, embodies raw power, the collective unconscious, primitive energy, cathartic transformation, the shadow self… collectively and individually. When Pluto aspects any planet, it essentially magnifies the intensity by 100fold. From death to rebirth, destruction to regeneration, Pluto has been observed to be a key player of significant alignments where history has been marked for the entire world. 

 Pluto in Aquarius will signal significant change for humanity. Officially marking its exit on November 19, Pluto’s grand entry in the water bearer’s sign signals the true beginning of the “age of Aquarius”. The tone of Aquarius ushers in a time of mass transformation, revolution, liberation, and freedom from archaic systems. This could signal a time of radical redefinition of societal/power structures. Aquarius also signals massive technological advancements,  innovation, information, and profound societal transformation. 

The last period Pluto was in Aquarius was 1778-1798. The world went through mass shifts, such as the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the initiation of the Industrial Revolution — the era that officially replaced farmed and handcrafted goods with machine-made mass production. 

This time reminds us that community is one of the most important aspects to our survival and resilience. Joining of powers and resources to strengthen and evolve, from the most basic to mass social/global movements. Aquarius reminds us to stay tuned to our creativity and innovation as a species, to further empower (and protect!) our human evolution.