Since the beginning of time, humans have utilized the earth and its natural medicines for healing and support. Fast forward to the current times and we are witnessing a vast movement of re-investing in social health that includes the importance of getting to the root causes of nutritional defeciency and medical traumas in our society. We are seeing the urge to get back to the basics by elevating natural remedies through the fusion of holistic health and using the earth’s gifts of plant medicines. This collective thinking is a natural call to re-consider and imagine the way we treat our illnesses and nurture our innately attuned bodies.
That is precisely the message and mission of Rooted in Rhythms, an Alternative & Holistic Health Service focused on increasing the vitality & longevity of touring musicians and their production crews through hand-crafted botanical products. We sat down with founder and herbalist, Kayleigh Stone-Goering, to discuss everything Rooted in Rhythms.
Compose Yourself Magazine: What initially drew you to a path of holistic health and how long have you been making your own in-house herbal concoctions?
Kayleigh Stone-Goering: My passion and dedication towards holistic health came from my ancestors. I have always, since before I can remember, used mother nature as a cure all. When I was a small child and would cry, my grandmother would sit me outside in the sunshine and I would immediately stop. Nature was healing to me. I have always found myself leaning towards using food and nature as medicine as opposed to pharmaceutical drugs.
I have been crafting my own in-house herbal batches since I was in the 8th grade give or take. I started with essential oils and making bath bombs and bath salts for friends and family. In 2019 I was feeling directionless and living out the transplant life in Arcata, CA. So, I started searching schools for holistic health, botanical medicine and herbalism and found an amazing school in Forestville, CA – The California School of Herbal Studies. It’s at that school that I really started to delve into the botanical and chemical science of it all and started making herbal remedies that benefit certain parts of the emotional and physical being. So to simply answer that question, I have been making bulk herbal batches in my home for the last 3 years.
You recently celebrated one year of Rooted in Rhythms! Could you think back to your very first ‘Aha!’ moment where you knew this would be a reality?
I absolutely can. I was sitting in my little cottage on the Russian River in Rio Nido, CA watching the movie Almost Famous and studying for one of my classes at California School of Herbal Studies, and Penny Lane said “we aren’t groupies, we are band aids” and a literal light bulb popped up in my head and the original name of my business came to be, Botanical Band Aide. I reached out to a few dear friends of mine, Sam Bardani and Trevor Weeks of Goose, and asked if they thought there would be some sort of market for herbal supplements for those in the music industry and they both gave me the exact response I was longing to hear. Yes. So there was the birth of the formerly known Botanical Band Aide, now Rooted In Rhythms. The name change was forced by my lawyer to prevent a potential cease and desist from J&J.
Let’s talk about your daily routine! How does your herbal intake routine differ when you’re at home versus when you’re traveling for live music?
So, because I have been recently diagnosed with a Thyroid disease and autoimmune disease, my herbal and vitamin intake has doubled if not tripled over the last year and I stay pretty motivated. I will miss a day or two when on tour here and there but I rarely go several days without some sort of serious herbal intake. Its easy for me because I incorporate a lot of the herbs I use daily, into the food that I eat or broth that I drink in the mornings.
Could you list any general herbs or herbal blends that are good for anxiety or mood boosting?
Absolutely! I actually have a product called “Emotional Rescue” made specifically for this!
The formula of herbs I use for that tonic are Tulsi, Skullcap, Rosemary and Shisandra Berry.
Tulsi and Rosemary to subdue any and all mental tension you may be experiencing, leaving you at peace and ready to take on the world around you. Schisandra Berry and Skullcap help increase your vitality and comfort your nervous system. Some other amazing herbs for relaxtion of the mind, body and soul are St. Johns Wort, Chamomile, and Lavender.
Do you have any good resources for those wanting to know more about Rooted in Rhythms and where you’ll be at live music wise in 2022?
Well you can always follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Rooted In Rhythms or you can visit our website. As of now, it’s up in the air with where I will be for live music in 2022 as everything is up in the air. I am hoping to get a little booth set up at a few festivals this summer, so long as they happen! Some places to look out for me in person are Goose West Coast Tour, which is coming up here at the end of January, High Sierra Music Festival and Telluride Bluegrass Festival. That’s pretty much all Ive got planned and set up for this year so far!
You’ve just partnered with Backline Care, an organization that focuses on providing mental health support to touring musicians, which is an amazing cause! Can you tell us how this relationship came about?
A few years back a great friend of mine, Kevin Watson of Railroad Earth, introduced me to Backline Care. The second I learned about what their mission was, I was hooked. I started classes again for psychology in hopes to someday become a counselor for Backline. My life took a turn and I went in the direction of Rooted In Rhythms instead of finishing out my psych degree (working on it again though!) but still yearned to be a part of the solution. I reached out to Kendall who runs Backline and told her what I was all about and she responded with so much kindness and support and offered to put me in their 2021 holiday gift guide. It’s only the beginning of an amazing business relationship that I hope will come to benefit the lives of those who do so much for their community.
