I am not a Greek mythology geek, but after finishing Circe, the NEA Big Read 2022 book, I felt my faint interest, inspired by my reluctant read through the The Odyssey in middle school, reignited with a new perspective. Circe, the protagonist of said book, is many different things. Her father, Helios, can ignite a room with his anger. She has powers much more grounded. Learning to work with the earth, and all it has to offer, she discovers her true self and, in the process, teaches us the value of ourselves.
When I spend time with my kids and watch them discover the world, I attempt to see anew along with them. For instance, studying the array of colors in a handful of sand or asking my daughter what that "weird bug" is doing before she smooshes him. It is also great this time of year as we watch the leaves change, then the animals prepare or leave for the winter.
You too can craft like Circe, maybe not turning men into pigs, but something similarly bewitching. In these colder months, feeling wholesome and warm is an easy way to transform your mood and environment. Check out Herrick's many resources on herbalism and get in touch with your earthly humanity with herbalist Bevin Cohen, or just read Circe and enjoy her transformation.
