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Nicole Irene is an herbalist, metaphysical philosopher, and cosmic wanderer devoted to reconnecting people with the sacred. With certifications from Dandelion Herbal Center and Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary—and a third in progress from Cornell University—she weaves ancient plant wisdom with modern healing. She is also training as a Bach Flower Essence Practitioner and completing her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Radiance Yoga, where she deepens her practice of movement, mindfulness, and daily ritual.
Love Spell:
Craft a Bespoke Elixir at
The Enchanted Alter
6 Park Place, Lee, Mass
When: February 8th & 9th 2025
Time: Drop in during regular business – no registration needed
Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $20 for 1 bottle, $35 for 2 bottles, $50 for 3 bottles
At home in Stockbridge, Nicole tends her gardens, brews herbal preparations, and experiments with nourishment—both for the body and the spirit. A Reiki-trained, ordained minister walking the Eclectic Solitary path, she embraces cosmic spirituality and folk medicine traditions while dwelling among houseplants, geological specimens, and her creature companions in a weathered apple orchard.
The Enchanted Altar was born from a tapestry of muses, blending ancient wisdom with a modern twist. Through hand-selected metaphysical offerings, workshops, and experiences, Nicole seeks to illuminate the beauty, magic, and strength already within you. She is dedicated to sourcing toxin-free, cruelty-free, and ethically crafted goods while uplifting Fair Trade, female-owned, and BIPOC businesses.
The mission? To empower, educate, and inspire—bringing the sacred back to its roots, one ritual at a time.
Rough Transcript
Provided for folks with hearing impairment, edited for clarity.
[00:00:00] Top Left Corner: This is the top left corner at The Greylock Glass. Today is Thursday, February 6th, 2025 and this is episode 187 of the top left corner. Right here on The Greylock Glass GreylockGlass.com. I’m your host, Jay Velázquez, and I’m so thrilled to have you back with me today. We’ve got a great show. We have our very special guest, Nicole Webster Clark, who is the proprietress of The Enchanted Altar, which is a metaphysical, fairly new metaphysical shop down in Lee, Massachusetts. Uh, six Park Place right there on Park Square. And we’re going to be talking about all sorts of things, uh, woo woo. But in Particular, I’m going to be talking about an event that she’s got going on February 8th and February 9th. That’s Saturday and Sunday. Uh, Love Spell: Craft a Bespoke Elixir. And this is an event that is a drop in, make and take, do it yourself infused oil crafting workshop. And it is naturally just in time for Valentine’s Day. And, uh, what better way to celebrate than to casting a love spell? Uh, you know, love potions have a long, long history, uh, both in Western and eastern culture. And, uh, they have, uh, their place in movies and in popular songs. Uh, of course, Love Potion number nine being the one that comes to mind. And, uh, and we get into the nitty gritty of. Of what? Uh, what goes into a love potion in Nicole’s mind? Uh, in practice.
[00:02:04] Top Left Corner: So we’re going to talk about all sorts of things, uh, in addition to that, related to that. But, uh, that’s the that’s the highlight, and I don’t unfortunately, I’m not gonna be able to be there because I’m working. But I think it would be super fun to maybe go with, uh, with with your honey, um, or somebody who doesn’t know they’re going to be your honey, right? Because love spells. But anyway, let’s get to the conversation with Nicole Webster. Clark right here on the top left corner and with me on the line for the top left corner via Skype is Nicole Webster Clark. She is a visual artist with an active studio practice. Nicole is a board member of the Berkshire Arts Association and a member of the Guild of Berkshire Artists. She’s a visual, a fine visual and fine arts teacher for Lee Public Schools, as well as their Humanities Department head and Social Justice Club teacher advisor. She and her students also run an online Wildcat Arts gallery. Nicole holds a Cags in Expressive Therapies from Salve Regina University and MFA from Lesley Art design, a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and studio Art from High Point University, as well as an A.A. in psychology from Berkshire Community College, and is a Youth Mental Health First Aid certified. Welcome to the show, Nicole.
[00:03:38] Nicole Webster Clark: Thank you for having me.
[00:03:40] Top Left Corner: Well, we’ve got to dig a little bit into some of the you’ve got a really varied background and and education and training. Um, but it does all tie together. Explain to me how art And, um, and psychology and social justice. How does it all come together?
[00:04:03] Nicole Webster Clark: Um, I wanted to do everything when I was younger and didn’t really know what to do, so I kind of dabbled in a little bit of everything. Um, piecemealed it together. And I’m really happy with where I landed, um, at this time. I think being creative, um, permeates everything, um, in our being, um, and our culture as societies and our mental health. So that’s how I feel like it really ties into all of those aspects.
[00:04:34] Top Left Corner: Sure, sure. Now, you have been a visual artist. Uh, tell our our listeners what, um, what is what mediums do you what media do you do? You dabble in, uh, what are your strengths? What are your favorites? And, of course, you You know, can anybody find your art, uh, available for viewing anywhere?
[00:04:59] Nicole Webster Clark: Uh, yeah. So I am a mixed media abstract artist, which is pretty much the vaguest description you can give about artwork. So it leaves it pretty wide open that I can do just about anything. Um, I primarily paint and use fiber on canvas, and I do have a piece that will be in the Berkshire Art Association’s ten by ten, the Art party that happens every February, which is a fundraiser for us that goes towards, um, scholarships for art students in the Berkshires. So I will have a piece there, um, for that event. And that is a donation. Um, and then you buy a like essentially a raffle ticket and attend that event, and you could win one of the pieces of artwork. So that is where I’ll have some pieces. And then I do have some plan to go into my store. I’m trying out a small gallery wall at the Enchanted Alter. I’m testing it out with my artwork first, just to see if it is a viable situation. And then I have spoken to some other Berkshire artists, and if it works out and you know the layout and the concept plays out well, then I have invited them to also show their artwork.
[00:06:14] Top Left Corner: That’s fantastic. And that’s and you know, that’s so, um, that is so typical of the Berkshire artist scene. There’s so many, uh, folks out there really pulling for each other, really helping each other get, you know, get noticed, get ahead. Um, it’s a great place to be an artist because there’s so many folks who are who are looking to collaborate and, and, and get together to, to sort of create a very healthy ecosystem. Um, I do want to talk about the enchanted alter, altar and I want you. But I also want to talk a little bit about, um, your work with youth and that your youth mental health first aid certified. Um, talk to me about the connection between your, um, desire to express yourself through art and and through visual media and the the sort of, I don’t know, pull to be there, uh, for youth who sometimes need a real helping hand.
[00:07:23] Nicole Webster Clark: Oh, 100%. Um, like I said, I was not 100% sure what I wanted to do going into my undergrad. I enjoyed computers and art, so I did a little bit of both. But afterwards, um, like many people that graduate from college, I just felt not lost, but not overly drawn towards anything. So I ended up coming back to the Berkshires and, I kind of fell into a teaching position that let me realize that this is something I enjoyed. I loved my high school art teacher. She’s amazing. She’s still here on the Berkshires and she’s a role model for me. And she created such a wonderful, welcoming, safe space at the high school that I just wanted to recreate what she gave me and what she gave the people. I also went to high school with and having not gone to school for education and kind of did the studio art on the side where the computers were my major, I definitely saw students sharing through their art, not verbally sharing, but it would come through through their artwork. And that really opened my eyes, um, during my first year of teaching. And I mean, some of the things happened along the way. I ended up leaving teaching and moving to California and On discovering what herbal medicine formerly was and did my training out there. But when I came back, they offered me my job back. When I came back to the Berkshires and I was really thrilled, um, to be able to step back into that role and learn more about how to support the students. You know, as I said, I didn’t go to school for education. I always had an interest in psychology. Um, so that’s why I ended up going back for my MFA and then doing the expressive and creative therapies at Salve Regina.
[00:09:19] Top Left Corner: That’s really exciting, and I’m glad that there are people out there like you who are who are putting their talents. Uh, not just to to good work for themselves, but to to sort of strengthen the community. Um, since you have discussed, uh, you know, this notion of herbalism and it’s a topic that’s near and dear to my heart. I’ve been into herbal therapies for decades now. Um, why don’t you give us a little bit of a of an explanation of how everything that you’ve been doing sort of translated into the enchanted alter.
[00:09:58] Nicole Webster Clark: So when I was living in California, I took a beginning with herbs class. Just kind of like your, like, learn a little bit of everything. Like a survey of what an infused oil was, how to make a tincture, how to do a stab. Like it kind of gave you like, kind of like whetted your appetite to kind of. And then you could do a deeper dive into bigger and more lengthier programs. And I realized I’d always had an interest. Um, my grandparents, um, growing up had a beautiful garden. And, you know, we would have big Sunday dinners. That side of my family is Italian and, you know, like, we’d have these large Sunday dinners. We’d all go out and collect the food. Um, you know, hand make the pasta together and everything, and it was really beautiful. And I think a lot of people don’t realize they are living a natural lifestyle or, you know, like have plant medicine in their diets. You know, like we would gather dandelions for a dandelion salad. And it was, you know, it was never presented to us that it was like, great for your kidneys and cleansing. And you were like liver and detoxing. But it is and it was just kind of built into your diet. And I feel like people just kind of lost the information as to why we eat something like dandelion salad, you know what I mean?
[00:11:20] Top Left Corner: Mhm. Yeah, yeah. You know, food is among many, among many things medicine. Uh, sure. Right. You know. Yeah. You know, you need it because your belly is rumbling but it goes much, much deeper than that. And I, I think that there’s a, there’s definitely a, uh, reawakening of. Of what? What the components of food is. Certainly writers like, you know, Michael Pollan. Um, I noticed that you had you had some photos with Rosemary Gladstar, who, uh, put out at least 1 or 2 books with, um, Story Publishing in North Adams. Um.
[00:12:06] Nicole Webster Clark: Oh. Yep. And I carry their books at the store.
[00:12:08] Top Left Corner: Oh. Do you? Fantastic. Yeah. Fantastic. So I think that it’s it is one of those things that is, um, as people are growing less and less trustful of big ag, uh, and big Pharma. Yeah. Um, people are starting to say, well, wait a minute, what did our grandparents and great grandparents do? Because they seem to to do okay, uh, with what they had they had on hand, and I think that’s really exciting. Um, so and of course, you know, the, the, the, the, the image of you. Um, you know, growing up and harvesting, you know, your, your grandparents, um, you know, garden produce to make dinner for the family. There’s, there’s something that’s very, very it’s not just wholesome, but it’s it’s kind of there’s a spiritual element to it. Talk about, um, if you if you agree. Talk about the spiritual element of foods, of herbs and of just generally self-care.
[00:13:16] Nicole Webster Clark: Well, I think it’s, um, this is going to kind of go off topic a teeny bit, but I think the community to, um, you know, the coming together as a group, whether it’s family or friends or even people you don’t really know, like, um, one of the things that people really love most about, I teach at the Berkshire Botanical Garden and offer classes there, and some of most of the of the time it’s a lot of women. It’s female heavy, for sure. Um, we do have our token, uh, male once in a while. Um, and he’s, you know, they’re welcomed with, like, love. They’re a little, like, anticipating, uh, I don’t know what. When they walk in and see a group full of, like, really excited women to, like, work together in community. But a lot of them say, like, it felt so good to sit with people, whether you knew them or not, and be hands on, make something, learn something, and then you end up laughing and meeting the people next to you. And that’s similar to food. You know, you go to restaurants, um, you have these experiences growing up in your gardens with your family. And I think just really having that communal time together and creating another level of creativity and being expressive in your creativity is like cooking together. I don’t think there’s anything more, like you said, spiritual or like that feeds you spiritually, not only and physically is to like create food and share that with each other you know.
[00:14:44] Top Left Corner: Mhm. Yeah. And I think it is not uncommon that the, the healing arts are heavily weighted toward the feminine. And I think that that has been the case for millennia, which is not to say that there aren’t plenty of men out there who are you know, like I said, I’ve been into herbal therapies for decades now and have even, you know, have even helped, you know, women with, with various issues, you know, whether it’s, you know, they’re feminine or not. I think, though, that women have a I gotta be careful here because I don’t want to offend men who are, you know, who are also into it. But women have a special place, I think, In keeping this knowledge alive. Um, if you go through the Berkshires, you’ll find that there are a number of sort of we’ll just say, for lack of a better terms, sort of new age, kind of woo woo witchy establishments that have sprung up in the last ten years. Um, and they are they are feminine driven and there’s no question about that. Um, what do you think accounts for this new found or this resurgent interest, I should say, in everything from herbal therapies to sort of more of a deeper spiritual exploration?
[00:16:17] Nicole Webster Clark: Yeah. I mean, I feel like for much of, like our history, the practice is rooted in, like, folk medicine, earth based spirituality, healing were dismissed, um, you know, by dominant religions and scientific institutions often, like you said, being labeled as superstition. Witchcraft. Pseudoscience. Woo woo. And I think the portrayal of these in the media has evolved significantly over time, but still fluctuates between fascination, skepticism, and misrepresentation. But now I feel like the modern wellness industry alongside like increased interest in decolonized healing, plant medicine and spirituality, is like really shifting the conversation. And I feel like especially like the rise of herbalism, ecospirituality and alternative healing is gaining more credibility, um, as people do seek out holistic, nature based solutions outside of what you said earlier, about, outside of or in complementary to Western medicine. And there are some, um, you know, like books, popular books, popular shows that are helping this situation.
I mean, sometimes they get they get it right. They get it a little not wrong, but just, you know, more dramatic than what it is. Although I guess it can be quite dramatic. Humans. Um, but I think women are coming back into and I know this has been going on for a long time, you know, like reclaiming, like the matriarchy, you know, kind of just, um, coming into it and wanting to share the knowledge, like herbalism is really there for everybody. And it’s not something that you need to, like, buy, pay a subscription for. Like the whole premise behind it is that, like, there’s plants in your backyard that are there for you. You know, it’s like we always have a saying as herbalists that, like your plant allies, will pop up when you need them. Um, and it just makes always again, makes me think of dandelions and we kill them with, like, chemicals and we mow them down. But it’s honestly one of the best medicines that Medicines that everyone could really use, you know. And it’s like right there for us being like, hey, actually, you need me. And that’s why I’m popping up all over the place.
[00:18:37] Top Left Corner: Right?
[00:18:38] Nicole Webster Clark: They’re volunteering their mind to us, you know? And I just feel like women are really wanting to create this, come back to this community, you know, these, like, ancient cultural roots that predate modern medicine. Um, herbalism, for example, has always been a foundation of healing. Um, and now we actually have the benefit of pairing it with modern science, you know, and energy work and astrology and plant medicine, even like forest bathing, earthing like, like music is like we’re just learning so much more. And it’s really supporting all of this knowledge that’s always been there but got dismissed. I feel like when a lot of times when the matriarchy got like dissolved for whatever reason, you know, like you said, the the women tend to be like wisdom keepers and share this knowledge. They teach the.
[00:19:29] Top Left Corner: Children. Yeah. It has been the case for so long, and and the the truth of it is that there are, um, like you said, right in your backyard. There are things that can, um, keep you healthy, keep you nutritionally satisfied. Um, you know, and they are not always the most dramatic plants or herbs or flowers that you could ever hope to see. For example, you know, purslane, purslane is a it is a weed. Could, you know, for many, many gardeners.
[00:20:08] Nicole Webster Clark:Most medicinal plants are often labeled as weeds. But go on.
[00:20:12] Top Left Corner: I mean, purslane has as much vitamin C as as oranges and can be used to do all kinds of great stuff. Nettle, stinging nettles.
[00:20:21] Nicole Webster Clark: I cannot wait for nettle to start popping up. It’s one of my favorites.
[00:20:25] Top Left Corner: Talk to me about nettle. Just let’s go off on a rabbit trail here. What’s nettle all about?
[00:20:31] Nicole Webster Clark: Um, I it’s one of those things where people are like, if I, if they could do, like, one herbal thing, like if they’re like, I don’t want to do a lot. And because people are very non-committal, like they want that one pill wonder drug, right. Um, plant medicine, herbal lifestyle. And like farmacy spelled f a r m missy instead of, like, uh, pharmaceuticals. It is a commitment to a lifestyle. If you have, um, equally mentioned and that a lot of people are deterred from having to maybe change or adapt their lifestyle. But if I tell anyone, if you’re going to do anything, I’m like, nettle is just like so nutritive. It’s such a tonic, so supportive. And it’s going to be coming up in the spring. Um, when it will be great for helping you detox. Um, and just kind of like cleanse. And you’re going to start moving again this spring. Um, I often like, saute it or pickle it. Those are two really wonderful ways you can make tea as well. But I want people to know that you can eat nettle. You can cook it as a green when you cook it. The stinging parts won’t sting you anymore. And pickling it is really wonderful. Juicing. It’s great. It’s just one of those plants that I mean, we flogged each other with it in herbal schools and it was really fun, I guess.
[00:21:50] Nicole Webster Clark: But it was like, learn all the ways the plant, the whole plant. Um, you can use, you know, so that was really great.
[00:22:00] Top Left Corner: Maybe we’ll have to do a whole. We may have to come back and do a series on on nettle, because there’s just so much that that you. Right. So let’s, um, let’s move let’s move into, um, let’s move a little bit into the, the woo woo if, if it’s all right. And I And I think anybody who has been been focused on, uh, The Greylock Glass knows that. You know, I, I’m probably about as as woo as as they come when it comes to media, uh, in the local media sphere. But, um, but I really have an interest in this because I think that there is a lot that people can gain from casting it, casting aside stereotypes and just, uh, you know, BS. Um, I would call even slander. Um, because you don’t have to you don’t have to decide that you’re going to, um. There’s. How do I even say this? There are levels of, Um, self-awareness. There are levels of, um, of sort of spiritual connection with the earth, with plants, uh, that you don’t have to you don’t have to necessarily, um, cast off all modern conveniences. You don’t you know that. That’s not what it’s about.
[00:23:42] Nicole Webster Clark: I mean, I understand, um, that terms like woo, woo woo often come from a place of where you were kind of talking about the skepticism, and I see it as an opportunity for conversation rather than conflict. Um, as you were just kind of saying and like many spiritual and holistic practices are dismissed as out there. Um, but they’re actually rooted in centuries, sometimes millennia of cultural wisdom, herbal medicine and energetic awareness. And I did say this a little bit earlier is that now that we have access to so much technology, that the science is also catching up, um, validating what? Ancient traditions have long known about mind body connection, the impact of intention, the benefits of plant based healing. Like there’s really wonderful things to research such as like heart math, sound bath, sound healing, and quantum physics, quantum healing are all like really great examples. And rather than trying to convince anyone, I’ve learned, um, to focus on education and experience. I meet people where they’re at. Like, I was just talking to another herbal friend about, this is just not trying to, like, give people too much information or push them too much because it could turn them off from it. But encouraging curiosity over judgment. Like, if someone’s skeptical, I invite them to explore, ask questions, and discover what might resonate with them, especially like in the store or in the class with me. Um, spirituality and healing are deeply personal, and I believe everyone has the right to shape their own beliefs. And then at the enchanted altar, Alter. You know, I really try to create a space where both the mystical and the practical can coexist, offering knowledge, community and tools for those who feel called to explore in a safe place.
[00:25:31] Top Left Corner: I love that, I just love that. I think that you’ve got a really good balance there. You know, I have a brother, uh, who is a who is an inorganic chemist. He’s got a PhD in it, in fact. And I had to pretty much wrestle him to read A Scientific Validation of Herbs, which is a book. Uh, it’s from the 80s or maybe early 90s, I can’t remember. But, um, it explains. No. See, actually, a lot of the pharmaceuticals that are out there on the market today are patterned or synthesized versions of natural remedies. Um. And he didn’t know. He went through it, and he got his PhD in inorganic chemistry, and he didn’t know that these things were basically synthesized versions of plants that have been around for, you know, thousands of years.
[00:26:34] Nicole Webster Clark: And a lot of times with that is that plants are meant to be used as a whole plant. You’re not just supposed to take little concentrated bits. I know it helps us, you know, like in emergency situations and stuff like that. But, you know, the plants are whole foods that are meant to be used as a whole plant, too. I feel like we get away from sometimes we get too technological and try to just pick and choose what we want from the plant, when in reality, if we choose to embrace the whole plant and utilize it throughout the year like the roots might do one thing be good for something. The leaves might be good for something. The flowers you can create dies with it. You know, like so many things. And uh, we disregard the whole plan and just try to take what we think we need from it, when in reality, we need the whole thing. Probably.
[00:27:22] Top Left Corner: No. It’s a very sort of modern Western mindset that is sort of a extractive mindset. But, uh, but no, it’s it’s absolutely the case that there are, um, you know, your entry into this, this, uh, sort of new world view. It does not have to shake your, your, your perceptions to the core. It doesn’t have to do that.
[00:27:51] Nicole Webster Clark: I think it’s like it can be a scary word. It can be an extreme word for people or an overwhelming word. But we have ritual that is woven into our daily lives in ways that we might not even realize. You know, you have. It’s like it’s not just grand ceremonies or spiritual practices. It’s small, intentional moments that create meaning, stability, and connection.
[00:28:13] Top Left Corner: Actions, right?
[00:28:14] Nicole Webster Clark: You have a you have a daily ritual. You have your morning routine, you have a skincare routine. You have meal preparation and eating. You have your work commute. If some people might journal or reflect or go to dance class, you have an evening wind down and there’s tons of stuff, you know, like, how do you make your tea or coffee in the morning? Do you sit with a candle in the morning? How do you wash your face every day? Like, you know, like, do you say like grace when you eat? Do you listen to certain music on your way to work, to pump up, to get through the day? Do you listen to different music on your way home to, like, let loose and like, wind down, right? It’s like we have tools every day, but they’re just not acknowledged as these wonderful, small ways that we are present and mindful and create sacredness in the ordinary and recognize these daily moments as ritual. We can bring more awareness and intention into our lives?
[00:29:12] Top Left Corner: No, I think that that’s so important to understand is that we we are actually in a whatever our religious affiliation or non-affiliation, we are engaging in the things that make us feel grounded, the things that make us feel connected, and sometimes the things that make us keep us, make us feel insane. Um, and and healthy. So, yeah, I think that that’s that’s a really good point there that, you know, when we’re talking about, you know, magic, it doesn’t have to be fireworks in the sky. You know, it’s it’s sometimes just being intentional about how we live our lives in ways that keep us feeling grounded and healthy. Um, probably a pretty good, Um, you know, launch pad for what you’re doing at at the enchanted alter this, I guess, this week. Really? Um, I was excited when I saw this. Um, I’m not in the mood, uh, or in the particular market for a love potion, but you are, in fact, creating a workshop about love potions just in time for Valentine’s Day. Let’s talk a little bit about love potions. I did some research and saw that they go back way, way, way into ancient Egypt was the very some of the very first love potions. And of course, um, they have been greeted with, uh, mixed, mixed, uh, you know, emotions, mixed feelings, uh, over the centuries. But why don’t you give us an idea of what your notion of a potion is?
[00:31:14] Nicole Webster Clark: So, like you said, like love spells and the concept of love potions have existed for thousands of years. They’re deeply rooted in folklore, mythology, ancient healing traditions. And as you mentioned, the earliest recorded love spells date back to ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, where like rituals, charms and botanical elixirs were used to attract love, ensure fidelity, um like, boost fertility and heal heartbreak. And that is pretty much, you know, what we’re going to be doing this weekend. Um, and it’s not it’s a love. It’s I’m said it’s a love spell craft, a bespoke elixir. But it is, you know, for any type of love like you can create, depending on what ingredients you want to use something for friendship and Family. You can go down the romance, passion, attract a lover situation. You can do something more community and compassion minded, or you can do something for yourself. You know, self-care, self-love. So I do. I worry a little bit that people, you know, they think of Valentine’s Day, they think of love, and they think it’s always like a romantic, um, situation. But there’s all types of love, and there’s love around us all the time. And, you know, we just got to tap into it. Um, and when in doubt, you can just come make an infused oil and, you know, don’t worry about the love aspect of it.
[00:32:43] Top Left Corner: Well, let’s talk about it. I mean, the Greek, the Greeks, uh, ancient Greeks had like seven words for love. And some of it was, you know, love of of your brothers and sisters, love of family, love of community, love of your country. There’s so many different, you know, sort of, you know, ranges. Um, but I am interested in the romantic aspect of it, because that seems to be, um, the element that has received the most sort of, I don’t know, sort of cultural, um, look at Mount Greylock Regional School wants to tell me things, um, probably that there’s, like, not going to be school tomorrow. Um, so sorry about that.
[00:33:36] Nicole Webster Clark: The there you go.
[00:33:38] Top Left Corner: Well, you know, you have to you have to kind of keep on, on on the, the critical things here. Um, let’s go back to this notion of the, the the.
[00:33:51] Nicole Webster Clark: Well.
[00:33:51] Top Left Corner: Especially the, the love spells, the Western, uh, you know, attitudes towards it. There have been plenty of movies. There have been shows. I’m pretty sure that there are at least 3 or 4 or 4 different movies about specifically love love potions. Um, one of them is called Love Potion Number nine. Uh, I can’t remember who it stars in that, but I know it’s in there. I know there’s a song, Love Potion number nine. There’s a, uh, a number of of, um, probably cartoons. I’m pretty sure Scooby-Doo even, you know, had a a love potion episode. So what are the misconceptions about love potions and what are the the sort of stereotypes that are, you know, maybe fun, but a little misleading.
[00:34:39] Nicole Webster Clark: Yeah. Well, I mean love spells, in essence, have always been about harnessing your intention, which we talked about earlier, like living a lifestyle full of intention, daily rituals. Um, so it’s like energy, the power of nature to influence your emotional and spiritual connections. Um, just like our love spell workshop, like, beautifully kind of continues this tradition, allowing participants to craft their own modern day version with self-empowerment, intention and care so they’re not so worried about, like the witchy, pagan, um, ancient kind of folk tradition of it. This is definitely like a packaged in a different way, where it’s showing you that you can, like you said earlier, you can do these things and not swing the pendulum in the complete opposite way or take a deep dive. Like, you can, like, kind of sample it and see what it’s all about. And that’s why we’re going to have like herbs and spices and crystals and essential oils and carrier oils with all different meanings available. And they have little explanations about what they’re for. Most of the time, I tell people just to intuitively like, if you’re interested in something, don’t worry about what it usually symbolically means, you know, or like in society, like, oh, this means this. And I’m like, no, you no, you can like it. You don’t have to worry about what it’s supposed to be or what you’re supposed to feel about it. And then this opportunity brings you all of these ingredients.
[00:36:11] Nicole Webster Clark: And I feel like it makes it playful. Like, play is so important. I feel like we’re always so worried about being so serious. But play is really wonderful, you know, for creativity, for our mental health. And these workshops that we do, you know, you have you end up going in this room with a few people. Sometimes it’s people, you know, sometimes it’s people you don’t. So there you are meeting new people. You’re creating community, and you’re going on this adventure together, building this oil and going through all these different stations and steps together. And it’s really like you have like this, like camaraderie at the end. You know, I have an altar. So do you choose to use it to put your oil on and for lack of better terms like use Reiki, like kind of use your energy to how you would in a Reiki style to send your energy to your oil. The intention that you decided at the beginning of this process, and I feel like this whole situation makes it much more accessible for people, and not as not scary, but not as intimidating to try it at home. Because if you’re like, oh, I don’t know what to do or what ingredients to get, it’s like, that’s all there for you. And then hopefully people. I always hear people like laughing in the other room together.
[00:37:26] Nicole Webster Clark: Like, like just having this really great, unique, special time. And that’s where I hope it’s a gateway for them to explore more and explore plant medicine more, their spirituality more welcome alternative types of community more.
[00:37:43] Top Left Corner: I think that’s wonderful. That is just so wonderful and and and fun. Super fun.
[00:37:51]Nicole Webster Clark: Fun is important.
[00:37:51] Top Left Corner:: Fun is important. Fun is very important.
[00:37:54] Nicole Webster Clark : And it can be serious and intentional and meaningful and still be fun. Like, you know, there’s a place for being serious and being, like, very focused and like having a more regimented practice. But there’s also a lot of times that, you know, you need to play, you need the fun, you need to laugh, like with somebody while you’re making like laughter is literally some of the best medicine. And just imagine creating your love potion with a laughter happening all around it. I mean, it doesn’t get much better than that.
[00:38:24] Top Left Corner: No, no. So let me let me ask you this. I know you know, this is a little bit late in the game, and you’ve probably got, uh, some folks already filling, uh, the roster. Um, is there any are there any spaces left for this workshop? A couple few.
[00:38:42] Nicole Webster Clark: Good news is that it’s a drop in workshop, so there’s no registration necessary. It’s open this Saturday and Sunday during our regular store hours. So Saturday from 10 to 6 and Sunday 11 to 5. You just pop in whenever you want to. You check in at the desk, you buy however many like oil bottles you want to make. And then it’s kind of DIY. I do have it set up where each station has detailed instructions and there’s like information cards, and then I’m there anytime anyone has a question or wants guidance or assistance. But some people like make them very quickly. Some people spend a lot of time and then you just kind of do it at your own pace and make your own specific like recipe to your own unique needs.
[00:39:28] Top Left Corner: Nicole, this sounds so, so incredible. I unfortunately I have to work my other job. I can’t be there that day, but um, I hope that people will take advantage of this, uh, for fun for for serious intention. Um, if they happen to be in the market for love. I hope it helps them find that love. Um, if they happen to be in a in a market for finding community friendships and like you said, even just love of yourself. Um, these things have extreme value and I hope that people take advantage of it. Um, where can people find out more about Enchanted Alter? More about you and more about this workshop.
[00:40:14] Nicole Webster Clark: So we do have a website. Um, the enchanted alter. Com. We’re on Instagram primarily. Um, I’m trying to post things on TikTok. It’s just a little overwhelming. Um, you know, I’m a geriatric millennial, so I don’t like change so much. Um, but yeah, I would say Instagram, the enchanted alter and our website. The enchanted alter. Um, and then just coming into the store. We’re we’re on the park at six Park Place, and we’re in a, um, in the corner of a big yellow building. Um, it’s a really beautiful spot at the farmers markets are in the park in the summer, and I’m on the board for the farmers market, and I’m really excited for that whole season to kick off soon. Well, in a couple months.
[00:41:01] Top Left Corner: But sure. And of course, if people can’t make it to this workshop, uh, there are plenty of reasons to stop by the enchanted altar. What else you got going on there?
[00:41:15] Nicole Webster Clark: I have a workshop coming up in March at the Berkshire Botanical Garden. Uh, we’ll be making fire cider and elderberry sirup. And then, um, we’ll be doing more workshops at the enchanted altar. We’re going to be doing some, um, candles. Like some altar candles. How to dress a candle. Um, make, like a spell candle, essentially. So that will be coming up soon too.
[00:41:39] Top Left Corner: Great, great. This is fantastic. Well, I’ll tell you what, Nicole. We’ll put links to all of these things in the show notes. And for now, I really encourage people to get in touch with, Uh, well, actually, you said you just drop in. Um, I encourage people to drop in at the enchanted altar and take advantage of this really fun and awesome sort of just entry into the into the. I’m going to say it one more time into the woo woo world. That is not so scary.
[00:42:12] Nicole Webster Clark: Not so scary. Really fun. Really welcoming. We’re all coming. All the all the Berkshires metaphysical stores, the owners and the people that work with them and for them are all so amazing and supportive and we just really cheer each other on. And it’s a great place, um, to be an artist and to be a herbalist and to be a witch.
[00:42:36] Top Left Corner: All right. Well, Nicole, it has been so good to speaking with you. And I hope to I hope to, uh, make my way down to Lee. I’m way up in North County. Um, but I hope to make my way down to Lee and drop in on you, uh, to check out your store and, uh, and see what what, uh, resources I can avail myself of soon. Thank you so much for taking your time to to speak with us.
[00:43:01] Nicole Webster Clark: Thank you. Yeah, it’s a wonderful opportunity. I had a great time.
[00:43:04] Top Left Corner: Alright, we’ll talk to you soon. Take care. Nicole.
[00:43:07] Top Left Corner: Well, that was our conversation with Nicole Webster. Clark. Very thrilled to have her here on the show. And I hope that you get to that. You can make it to that workshop, because it sounds like a whole lot of fun. All right, well, that is it for this episode, and we will see you again next week. We’ll hear you again. You’ll hear me again. You’ll hear me again. That’s how this works. It’s podcasting next week for another episode. Take care.
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