Clarissa Simmens

As a first generation American, my official name is Clarissa. My parents and grandparents came to America from many countries, including Moldova, Germany and Eastern Europe. However, as my mother was Romani/Sinti (also known at that time as a Gypsy) my secret name was ViataMaja. I use the word secret because I was told, very early in life, to never tell anyone I was a Gypsy. My mother’s mother (Gran) had somehow, over time, learned how to identify and use herbs. I was her first granddaughter and she seemed to take much pleasure in teaching me how to make cards from pieces of wood and how to interpret them. She taught me how to use tea leaves, coffee grinds and dreams to tell the future. I am submitting this piece because Gran also taught me how to make basic herbal medicines. She grew some herbs in pots in South Philly where we first lived. Yes, it was difficult as the city was mostly concrete, but some days she would quietly take me with her to the ‘Dump’. It was there that I helped her pick huge sunflowers that she needed for the seeds. You see, Gran grated them into everything she made (including meatballs, cakes, and eggs) She didn’t seem to know that what she was doing was important. Sometimes crunchy sunflower seeds were added to our meals.

The year Gran passed, I was living in Florida and growing my own herbs. I grew up thinking I had a ‘black thumb’ but suddenly I was the Root Queen. Oh, how I wished I had paid more attention to Gran and her herbs instead of always preferring cards and other divination tools. Over the years after her death, I learned about how Gypsies needed to find herbs in the forests to make their own remedies. They were so unpopular that they were not welcome by most doctors or hospitals. After learning this, I signed up for an herbal correspondence course in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It took me two years to complete but I learned amazing ways to self-heal. The course also included instructions about Ayurvedic (Asian Indian) medicines. I learned the word PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY which means: Everyone is different, not all herbs work on all people. If you are reading my submission, this should be your first lesson. There will be a disclaimer in all my future submissions noting that I am not giving advice. I will only be relating what I do for myself.

I live on the edge of a swamp in Florida now and despite identifying what I’ve planted, the swamp sends out ‘voyagers’. This means that sometimes what I planted has been taken over by swamp denizens. So I have to be careful! But Nature is my friend, and making herbal remedies brings me closer to Gram,

I have plenty of stories about what I grow and how I use them so watch for my future submissions. Feel free, of course, to ask questions when you read this. I wish you Sastimos! (good health!)