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Awakening Artemis: Deepening Intimacy with the Living Earth and Reclaiming Our Wild Nature
A healing resource that blends practical plant-based knowledge with spiritual reconnection to show how respect for and communion with our natural world guides us toward healing.
Combining Vanessa's story of her own healing journey with practical plant-based knowledge, Awakening Artemis is rooted in the belief that healing happens through reclaiming an intuitive connection to ourselves, to the natural world, and to our own "inner wild."
Having experienced a series of physical traumas growing up--including chronic asthma, a car accident that fractured her back and neck, and sexual trauma--Vanessa pursued various approaches to therapeutic movement from martial arts to yogic practices and explored traditions honoring the mind-body connection while forging a path to recovery. Twenty years now into her journey to reconcile her daily routines with her yearning for greater purpose and connection, Vanessa shares the eclectic mix of elements that have brought her deeper self-awareness, a richer understanding of her place in the world, and the confidence and clear boundaries to truly connect with her loved ones.
Organized into five sections that move from the present moment to the forest edge, and into the healing darkness, each chapter focuses on a single on their power to connect us to our bodies and our environment. Using storytelling from her own life, Vanessa connects the plants' power and characteristics to issues we all grapple to heal from and even to understand--from the alienating consequences of cultural appropriation to the intersection between a forest's mycelial network and the neural pathways of our brains.
For those seeking to recognize the power and omnipresence of the natural world--from the mugwort sprouting in the city sidewalk to the majesty of a three-thousand-year-old yew in rural Scotland--and harness that to push into new realms of self-discovery, Awakening Artemis is an intimate, unforgettable resource capturing one woman's journey to heal her traumas that opens up a world of potential growth and healing for us all.
Combining Vanessa's story of her own healing journey with practical plant-based knowledge, Awakening Artemis is rooted in the belief that healing happens through reclaiming an intuitive connection to ourselves, to the natural world, and to our own "inner wild."
Having experienced a series of physical traumas growing up--including chronic asthma, a car accident that fractured her back and neck, and sexual trauma--Vanessa pursued various approaches to therapeutic movement from martial arts to yogic practices and explored traditions honoring the mind-body connection while forging a path to recovery. Twenty years now into her journey to reconcile her daily routines with her yearning for greater purpose and connection, Vanessa shares the eclectic mix of elements that have brought her deeper self-awareness, a richer understanding of her place in the world, and the confidence and clear boundaries to truly connect with her loved ones.
Organized into five sections that move from the present moment to the forest edge, and into the healing darkness, each chapter focuses on a single on their power to connect us to our bodies and our environment. Using storytelling from her own life, Vanessa connects the plants' power and characteristics to issues we all grapple to heal from and even to understand--from the alienating consequences of cultural appropriation to the intersection between a forest's mycelial network and the neural pathways of our brains.
For those seeking to recognize the power and omnipresence of the natural world--from the mugwort sprouting in the city sidewalk to the majesty of a three-thousand-year-old yew in rural Scotland--and harness that to push into new realms of self-discovery, Awakening Artemis is an intimate, unforgettable resource capturing one woman's journey to heal her traumas that opens up a world of potential growth and healing for us all.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published December 28, 2021
32 people are currently reading
657 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Chakour
3 books37 followersNature as Self is at the core of Vanessa Chakour’s work. A fierce advocate of Earth, she founded Sacred Warrior to inspire ecological awareness — from medicinal plant walks and herbalism courses in Brooklyn to partnerships with the Wolf Conservation Center in New York, The Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica, and Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands. Her teaching and work experience spans herbalism, competitive boxing, nature connection, writing, and visual art. Practices that have helped her heal, peel back layers of conditioning and connect more deeply to her animal nature. Rooted in the belief that healing happens through reclaiming an intuitive connection to ourselves, the natural world, and our own “inner-wild,” Vanessa has been curating and facilitating rewilding retreats and workshops for over a decade.Vanessa’s writing and work have been featured in The Rumpus, The Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation, Psyche/Aeon Magazine, Yes! Magazine, Ravenous Zine, and more, and she has been invited to share her work as an inspirational speaker at the United Nations, Brown University, the Muhammad Ali Center, and Harvard University. A life-long activist, Vanessa created events & non-profit initiatives on behalf of luminaries such as The Dalai Lama and Hip Hop Legend, KRS One. She is a long-time member of United Plant Savers, is on the external advisory committee of the Program For Evolution of Spirituality (PES) at Harvard Divinity School, and is an Artist Ambassador for Project Coyote.
Compelled to work on behalf of wild kin such as wolves and so-called weeds who cannot speak for themselves, she collaborates with wildlife organizations, speaks on behalf of the wild, and writes regular Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women essays on Substack. She recently founded Wild Voices Collective to amplify voices of artists and the wild. Her memoir, Awakening Artemis published in 2021 by Penguin Life in the US and UK, and Ullstein Press in Germany, shares her journey of healing through the lens of 24 medicinal plants. Her next book, Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature (Penguin 2024) explores inner and outer landscapes through the lens of wild animals.
A USA Boxing certified coach, Vanessa lives in Western Massachusetts where she coaches boxing and is part of United Plant Savers’ Botanical Sanctuary Network. In collaboration with her partner Enrique, (and a forthcoming local network of stewards) she promotes ecosystem diversity and resilience through forest stewardship and propagation of native and endangered plants and fungi.
Compelled to work on behalf of wild kin such as wolves and so-called weeds who cannot speak for themselves, she collaborates with wildlife organizations, speaks on behalf of the wild, and writes regular Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women essays on Substack. She recently founded Wild Voices Collective to amplify voices of artists and the wild. Her memoir, Awakening Artemis published in 2021 by Penguin Life in the US and UK, and Ullstein Press in Germany, shares her journey of healing through the lens of 24 medicinal plants. Her next book, Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature (Penguin 2024) explores inner and outer landscapes through the lens of wild animals.
A USA Boxing certified coach, Vanessa lives in Western Massachusetts where she coaches boxing and is part of United Plant Savers’ Botanical Sanctuary Network. In collaboration with her partner Enrique, (and a forthcoming local network of stewards) she promotes ecosystem diversity and resilience through forest stewardship and propagation of native and endangered plants and fungi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 26, 2021
Some books are just perfect for your heart. I absolutely loved it. It's all the earthy, plant medicine, healing, beautifully deep relationship with nature goodness I could ask for. It is gorgeous and passionate. I know so many people who are going to be loving this. If you are called to a more intimate relationship with nature and yourself, give this a go.
July 13, 2023
Actual rating: 4.5
There is something special in this book that sets it apart from most non-fiction I have read. It's stream of consciousness that calls you to be more in tune with nature, both from within and without. There's an almost spiritual silence to it that feels intimate, but there is also a cry of rage as the author exposes her pain and that of her green-colored friends. This is most definitely not for everyone, but I found this to be quite the relaxing and contemplative read.
There is something special in this book that sets it apart from most non-fiction I have read. It's stream of consciousness that calls you to be more in tune with nature, both from within and without. There's an almost spiritual silence to it that feels intimate, but there is also a cry of rage as the author exposes her pain and that of her green-colored friends. This is most definitely not for everyone, but I found this to be quite the relaxing and contemplative read.
January 7, 2022
Awakening Artemis may be one of the most unique and powerful books I’ve ever read. This nonfiction book talks about the healing power of plants and sheds light on the strength and beauty of weeds. While discussing a plant, Chakour also examines her own personal experiences and healing, and weaves her stories of self into the fabric of each living thing she writes about. This tactic furthers her argument of just how intricately connected we’ve always been to Mother Earth and how important it is to be still in nature and remember that we always have been a part of a greater whole. I honestly loved everything about this book and found parts of myself healing as I continued to read— parts of myself I didn’t even realize needed healing. Moreover, I learned a lot, not just about plants, but animals and nature in general. I highly recommend this beautiful book. It will gently nudge you to know yourself better and will urge you to examine your role as part of this beautiful earth we must not only steward, but live in harmony with.
February 9, 2022
Completely unique and powerful read blending personal memoir with healing, herbalism, origin stories and more.
Looking for great books to add to your shelf? Something to discuss with your book club? Just love books? Follow me on Instagram @leslielindsay1 #booknerd #alwayswithabook where I post all kinds of writerly and bookish inspiration.
AWAKENING ARTEMIS is such a lush, interesting, and unique blend on a the personal narrative. Vanessa Chakour touches on so many things that intrigue and fascinate: ancestral land, origin stories, healing from trauma, apples, trees, even Dr. Seuss. It's a memoir at heart but blends family history with the natural world. She touches on Buddha, meditation (when your eyes are darting, so is your mind. Keep things still, have a soft gaze). She describes a Costa Rican healing practice--a 'prescription' she was given to plant, get her hands in the soul, explore root medicine, swim, and more.
I especially loved the suggestions and ideas presented at the end of the book--ways in which you can engage with the land, rekindle your wonder, re-ignite your childhood connection to nature, drawing, collaging, even creating a diorama of nature/a real or imagined natural landscape, keeping a dream journal, and more.
AWAKENING ARTEMIS is lusciously written, poetic in a sense, and a delight. It might not be a 'start-to-finish' kind of read; this is a book you'll want to refer to again and again and perhaps read in snippets.
For more information, join me in Instagram @leslielindsay1 where I share bookish stuff all the time, including reels and flatlays.
Special thanks to the author and publisher for this review copy. All thoughts are my own.
Looking for great books to add to your shelf? Something to discuss with your book club? Just love books? Follow me on Instagram @leslielindsay1 #booknerd #alwayswithabook where I post all kinds of writerly and bookish inspiration.
AWAKENING ARTEMIS is such a lush, interesting, and unique blend on a the personal narrative. Vanessa Chakour touches on so many things that intrigue and fascinate: ancestral land, origin stories, healing from trauma, apples, trees, even Dr. Seuss. It's a memoir at heart but blends family history with the natural world. She touches on Buddha, meditation (when your eyes are darting, so is your mind. Keep things still, have a soft gaze). She describes a Costa Rican healing practice--a 'prescription' she was given to plant, get her hands in the soul, explore root medicine, swim, and more.
I especially loved the suggestions and ideas presented at the end of the book--ways in which you can engage with the land, rekindle your wonder, re-ignite your childhood connection to nature, drawing, collaging, even creating a diorama of nature/a real or imagined natural landscape, keeping a dream journal, and more.
AWAKENING ARTEMIS is lusciously written, poetic in a sense, and a delight. It might not be a 'start-to-finish' kind of read; this is a book you'll want to refer to again and again and perhaps read in snippets.
For more information, join me in Instagram @leslielindsay1 where I share bookish stuff all the time, including reels and flatlays.
Special thanks to the author and publisher for this review copy. All thoughts are my own.
January 27, 2022
Vanessa Chakour, who I’m honored to call my teacher, writes an exquisite and deeply personal memoir in Awakening Artemis. Yet it is super relatable to all because it uncovers universal truths, perhaps those that most of us have buried in the depths of our subconscious minds. Awakening Artemis is asking us to do just that: wake up to be the stewards not only of our individual life and destiny, but to weave a healing web among all living beings - as well as look out for the generations to come. Vanessa shares the life journey that led her to uncovering these truths as lessons that she integrates into her teaching today.
This book shines a light on what it means to be a sensitive person in today’s cut-throat and cruel social norms. At the same time, it gives hope to the sensitive souls, for feelings can be a gift; and there can be power in gentleness. And the world can be a beautiful place, if each of us is allowed to fully feel, and to listen to our own inner voice, in order to discern right from wrong. Each of us can co create healing within ourselves and each other, and the Earth that holds us. And the most potent medicine can often be found within the most ubiquitous, unassuming, commonplace “weed.”
This book shines a light on what it means to be a sensitive person in today’s cut-throat and cruel social norms. At the same time, it gives hope to the sensitive souls, for feelings can be a gift; and there can be power in gentleness. And the world can be a beautiful place, if each of us is allowed to fully feel, and to listen to our own inner voice, in order to discern right from wrong. Each of us can co create healing within ourselves and each other, and the Earth that holds us. And the most potent medicine can often be found within the most ubiquitous, unassuming, commonplace “weed.”
April 10, 2022
One of the most important books I've read this year, and would encourage anyone interested in wilderness and the more-than-human world to have a read.
Three cherished insights from this book that I am writing down so I can hold them close:
1) Rewild the inner before the outer - There is critical inner work to be done in rewilding ourselves and our relationships, that has to happen in parallel with conservation and rewilding work. Vanessa Chakour does this work beautifully and with deep vulnerability in this book, opening about her life experiences, relationships and trauma. She connects these to medicines and life lessons that 'weeds' offer - dandelion, hawthorne, eyebright, burdock and many more. I couldn't help but think that you can't do outer work well without doing the inner.
2) Healing through abundance and relationship - Chakour problematises the scarcity mindset in modern medicine. What humanity has characterised as weed is a problem of abundance - these tend to be plants with properties that we don't fully know and understand but often heal. Chakour also repeatedly makes the point that the best medicinal strength from a weed doesn't come from extracting its constituent components, it comes from understanding the plant in its whole and its relationships in the wider ecosystem. Modern medicine - along with the rise of Big Pharma - has concentrated medical expertise in the hands of a few, distancing us from the wisdoms people had about medicines found widely around us. We can only be truly healed by reviving and cultivating our own relationship with these plants. Chakour colours this entire book with examples of these!
3) Consent and permission - One of my favourite chapters in this book was about boundaries. The author draws parallels between consent in sexual relationships and the consent in extracting from the wild. Chakour suggests that any form of extraction, no matter how small, requires us to seek and listen for permission. We live in times of extraction and exploitation of natural resources at an immense scale, which naturally made me wonder what permission and consent can look like beyond things like environmental impact assessments. But perhaps the point being made here moves beyond the paradigm of scale, in favour of intimacy with a single plant or mushroom instead of a whole forest or seabed.
---
A treasure of a book that does its healing through its storytelling and testimony as much as its information about wildflowers/plants. Thankful for its calming medicine, which perhaps not coincidentally found me at a time when I was unwell myself!
Three cherished insights from this book that I am writing down so I can hold them close:
1) Rewild the inner before the outer - There is critical inner work to be done in rewilding ourselves and our relationships, that has to happen in parallel with conservation and rewilding work. Vanessa Chakour does this work beautifully and with deep vulnerability in this book, opening about her life experiences, relationships and trauma. She connects these to medicines and life lessons that 'weeds' offer - dandelion, hawthorne, eyebright, burdock and many more. I couldn't help but think that you can't do outer work well without doing the inner.
2) Healing through abundance and relationship - Chakour problematises the scarcity mindset in modern medicine. What humanity has characterised as weed is a problem of abundance - these tend to be plants with properties that we don't fully know and understand but often heal. Chakour also repeatedly makes the point that the best medicinal strength from a weed doesn't come from extracting its constituent components, it comes from understanding the plant in its whole and its relationships in the wider ecosystem. Modern medicine - along with the rise of Big Pharma - has concentrated medical expertise in the hands of a few, distancing us from the wisdoms people had about medicines found widely around us. We can only be truly healed by reviving and cultivating our own relationship with these plants. Chakour colours this entire book with examples of these!
3) Consent and permission - One of my favourite chapters in this book was about boundaries. The author draws parallels between consent in sexual relationships and the consent in extracting from the wild. Chakour suggests that any form of extraction, no matter how small, requires us to seek and listen for permission. We live in times of extraction and exploitation of natural resources at an immense scale, which naturally made me wonder what permission and consent can look like beyond things like environmental impact assessments. But perhaps the point being made here moves beyond the paradigm of scale, in favour of intimacy with a single plant or mushroom instead of a whole forest or seabed.
---
A treasure of a book that does its healing through its storytelling and testimony as much as its information about wildflowers/plants. Thankful for its calming medicine, which perhaps not coincidentally found me at a time when I was unwell myself!
May 26, 2025
This was very interesting with many nuggets of wisdom and insightful observations, mingled with snippets of herbal wisdom and plant magic. It did spend a lot of time on the author’s personal story, personal relationships, career choices, and various struggles, so you had to kind of “mine” through a lot of relatively unrelated pieces of information (such as lots of detail about her professional boxing career) before getting to the next section about plants. More of a memoir than a plant book.
January 14, 2022
Like the plants that Vanessa writes about, this book can provide healing and wisdom from various dimensions. Read it as a coming-of-age memoir, a portal into the world of herbalism, or a self-inquiry practice guide, this book can be any or all of those things depending on where the reader is at. I read this book in almost one sitting. It provided me a veil of calm and slowed my frequency to the mystical plant world that is omnipresent, quiet and mostly unnoticed by me in my screen heavy modern day-to-day life, and yet they are always there. I was astonished and overwhelmed by how much I was afflicted by "plant blindness" as Vanessa explains in the book. I guess you don't know what you don't know, but now that I know how much I don't know, I'm bound to desire to know more and come alive. This is one of the many gifts I received from reading Awakening Artemis, and I know that like many classics, I'll be able to come back to it again and again, with boundless new insights unlocked each time.
January 13, 2022
Awakening Artemis is the call of the wild in the dusk of the forest, a visceral turning inside out of the paternalist paradigm and a devoted, sweeping bow to Mother Earth. It is a deeply personal exposé on the author's life so far and a gloriously practical manual on human-plant relationships for both seekers in the woods and dreamers on the rooftops.
January 10, 2022
An incredibly powerful memoir combining deep wisdom of the natural world and the journey of awakening the self. I absolutely loved it!
August 4, 2022
Really enjoyed this one. The premise is basically we have forgotten that we ARE nature, and how do we go about changing mass consciousness to awaken to this and act accordingly. Society is structured in such a way that we are so disconnected from reality and we think that every man is an island unto himself/individual. The reality is that we are more like an ecosystem within nature and nature is sentient.
November 9, 2021
I was lucky enough to receive and early copy of this book and I absolutely loved it. It's hard to accurately describe the feeling I have when reading this book, but some part of me feels woken up in the way Vanessa sees and experiences the world, and in the way she describes it. This is the kind of book that stays with you, and changes the way you see the world after reading it in a profoundly beautiful way.
Vanessa's intimate story of personal evolution reads almost like a modern day fairytale and heroine's journey as the book travels along her own spiral path of healing. Each chapter weaves together a story of interconnection between humans and the natural world in a way that is unique and deeply inspiring. Vanessa's story embodies the expansive possibilities of working with plants as allies and teachers, and goes so far beyond how plants can be "useful" to our physical ailments. It also illustrates what is possible when we truly trust our own instincts, and get in touch with the powerful parts of ourselves that especially as women we are so often divorced from at a young age.
I strongly recommend this book, especially if you feel pulled towards these themes of rewilding and reconnection to self and nature. Reading this book feels like a portal into a different realm, but it's actually an invitation to see our own world for the true magic and beauty it holds, and to understand our own potential for healing with medicine that is already deep within us and around us at all times.
Vanessa's intimate story of personal evolution reads almost like a modern day fairytale and heroine's journey as the book travels along her own spiral path of healing. Each chapter weaves together a story of interconnection between humans and the natural world in a way that is unique and deeply inspiring. Vanessa's story embodies the expansive possibilities of working with plants as allies and teachers, and goes so far beyond how plants can be "useful" to our physical ailments. It also illustrates what is possible when we truly trust our own instincts, and get in touch with the powerful parts of ourselves that especially as women we are so often divorced from at a young age.
I strongly recommend this book, especially if you feel pulled towards these themes of rewilding and reconnection to self and nature. Reading this book feels like a portal into a different realm, but it's actually an invitation to see our own world for the true magic and beauty it holds, and to understand our own potential for healing with medicine that is already deep within us and around us at all times.
November 15, 2021
I'm grateful to have received an early copy of Awakening Artemis. Vanessa's beautiful writing draws you in with the brave honesty in which she shares her story of vulnerability, strength, healing, connection. Reading her words makes me feel as though I am sitting in a sacred gathering around a fire, hearing the wisdom pouring forth from her center — life that is shared from her experiences and from the wise teachers found throughout the natural kingdom. I will continue to visit this story over time, whenever the pull of the moon invites me to hear more or hear it in new ways. The words of a wise and wild woman’s journey of relationship with herself and the natural world invites you to connect with yourself and with Mother Earth, a reminder that healing ourselves is also healing the earth as we are a part of the nature that surrounds us.
November 12, 2021
The pain we feel, is shared by the Earth. Reading Vanessa's highly personal journey made me realise how much truth there is in that one, short sentence. And what a humbling experience it is to read Awakening Artemis.
I was very fortunate to be allowed to read a pre-release copy, and I found it quite impossible to put the book down once I started reading it. Vanessa's style of writing pulls you in, and easily takes you by the hand as she shows you around her vast library filled with knowledge, experiences, and reflections. The show of strength in her honesty, vulnerability, openness, and focus is very moving and sheds a beautiful light on how Vanessa came to be a force of nature, dedicated to playing her part in healing the earth.
I was very fortunate to be allowed to read a pre-release copy, and I found it quite impossible to put the book down once I started reading it. Vanessa's style of writing pulls you in, and easily takes you by the hand as she shows you around her vast library filled with knowledge, experiences, and reflections. The show of strength in her honesty, vulnerability, openness, and focus is very moving and sheds a beautiful light on how Vanessa came to be a force of nature, dedicated to playing her part in healing the earth.
November 16, 2021
"Awakening Artemis" truly awakens something special inside of you. It is filled with information of healing, history, nostalgia, mysticism, and hints of something familiar. As you navigate through this book, you can’t help but make connections to your own past and present, unearthing parts of yourself as you move through the chapters. I was encouraged to uproot parts of myself I had buried somewhere deep, inspired to revisit them and the till ground in hopes of making things fruitful again. It tells a story of resilience and how our connection to ourselves, the Earth and others is never truly a separated affair. Beautifully written, with ebbs and flows that travel with words like vines in a garden. A must read!
December 5, 2022
In her book Vanessa Chakour combines herbology with her biography. The Chapters start with the introduction of a plant which she then presents by interweaving it's meaning with a section of her life. In my opinion this is a great way to reveal the spiritual value of each plant. For me as a poc it was just a bit strange, how uncomfortable the author seems to be about her whiteness. Sure, racism is an issue and it's good she addresses it, but BEING white is not a problem. However this is a tiny part of the story and in the bigger picture I find it incredibly brave of Chakour to speak about her life which hasn't been the easiest. As hobby herbalist I sure learned a lot from her book.
November 2, 2021
I Was fortunate to receive an early copy of Vanessa’s book and I loved it . It was evocative, thought provoking and deeply personal. During reading it I felt deep emotions and felt it gave me permission to look deeper into myself and my own past traumas .
I loved the weaving of the plants into everyday life and the encouragement to create a deeper relationship with yourself , the plants and the earth around you . I feel it’s an important book for the times we currently find ourselves living in. It’s a book I feel I will go back to again and again .
I loved the weaving of the plants into everyday life and the encouragement to create a deeper relationship with yourself , the plants and the earth around you . I feel it’s an important book for the times we currently find ourselves living in. It’s a book I feel I will go back to again and again .
November 26, 2023
I read this right S I was getting into herbalism and really appreciated Vanessa’s story! I also recommend listening to podcast interviews with her. She is brave in her personal storytelling and has loved a very interesting life. I love her perspective on plants and look forward to her next book!
June 3, 2025
The structure of the book is carefully crafted to guide readers through a process of awakening. Each section and chapter centres around a particular plant, which serves as both a symbol and a source of healing energy. Through lyrical prose, Chakour weaves botanical knowledge with reflections on her own physical and emotional states, creating a rich tapestry that connects individual healing to ecological awareness. The plants are not presented as mere remedies but as teachers, embodying resilience, adaptability, and the cyclical nature of life and death. This approach elevates the book beyond a typical herbal or nature guide, transforming it into a meditation on the interconnectedness of all living beings.
Chakour’s writing style is deeply poetic and immersive, inviting readers to slow down and engage with the text as one might engage with a sacred ritual. Her use of vivid imagery and sensory detail brings the natural world to life, making the reader feel the textures, smells, and rhythms of the plants and landscapes she describes. This immersive quality helps to foster a sense of intimacy not only with the Earth but also with one’s own inner landscape. The author’s vulnerability in sharing her experiences of trauma and healing adds a layer of emotional resonance, making the book feel like a compassionate companion for anyone navigating their own path to recovery.
A significant theme throughout Awakening Artemis is the idea that healing is not solely an individual endeavour but a collective and ecological process. Chakour emphasises that reclaiming our wild nature is inseparable from restoring our relationship with the Earth. She critiques the alienation of modern life and cultural disconnection from nature, suggesting that many contemporary ailments—physical, emotional, and spiritual—are symptoms of this rupture. By reconnecting with plants and the natural cycles they embody, readers are encouraged to rediscover a sense of belonging and purpose that transcends human-centred perspectives.
The book also addresses the importance of honouring indigenous knowledge and being mindful of cultural appropriation. Chakour’s reflections on this topic demonstrate a thoughtful awareness of the complexities involved in engaging with plant medicine and ecological practices in a respectful and ethical manner. This sensitivity adds depth to the book’s ecological ethos and encourages readers to approach the natural world with humility and reverence.
In addition to its lyrical and philosophical qualities, Awakening Artemis offers practical wisdom and creative exercises that invite readers to engage actively with the themes presented. These include journaling, dream work, and artistic expression, all designed to deepen one’s connection to the Earth and oneself. However, these suggestions are woven seamlessly into the narrative rather than presented as a rigid set of instructions, maintaining the book’s overall tone of gentle invitation rather than prescriptive guidance.
Ultimately, Awakening Artemis stands out as a unique contribution to the genre of nature writing and healing memoirs. It transcends the boundaries of conventional self-help or herbal manuals by integrating personal narrative, ecological philosophy, and poetic meditation into a cohesive whole. Vanessa Chakour’s work resonates particularly with readers who are sensitive, introspective, and seeking a holistic approach to healing that honours both the body and the planet. The book’s message is clear and compelling: by deepening our intimacy with the living Earth and reclaiming our wild nature, we can find profound healing and a renewed sense of belonging in a world that often feels fragmented and disconnected.
Awakening Artemis is a beautifully written and deeply moving exploration of the transformative power of nature and the human spirit. Vanessa Chakour’s eloquent storytelling and ecological insight offer readers not only a path to personal healing but also a call to reawaken to the sacredness of the natural world. This book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to heal, grow, and reconnect with the wild, vibrant life that pulses through both the Earth and ourselves.
Chakour’s writing style is deeply poetic and immersive, inviting readers to slow down and engage with the text as one might engage with a sacred ritual. Her use of vivid imagery and sensory detail brings the natural world to life, making the reader feel the textures, smells, and rhythms of the plants and landscapes she describes. This immersive quality helps to foster a sense of intimacy not only with the Earth but also with one’s own inner landscape. The author’s vulnerability in sharing her experiences of trauma and healing adds a layer of emotional resonance, making the book feel like a compassionate companion for anyone navigating their own path to recovery.
A significant theme throughout Awakening Artemis is the idea that healing is not solely an individual endeavour but a collective and ecological process. Chakour emphasises that reclaiming our wild nature is inseparable from restoring our relationship with the Earth. She critiques the alienation of modern life and cultural disconnection from nature, suggesting that many contemporary ailments—physical, emotional, and spiritual—are symptoms of this rupture. By reconnecting with plants and the natural cycles they embody, readers are encouraged to rediscover a sense of belonging and purpose that transcends human-centred perspectives.
The book also addresses the importance of honouring indigenous knowledge and being mindful of cultural appropriation. Chakour’s reflections on this topic demonstrate a thoughtful awareness of the complexities involved in engaging with plant medicine and ecological practices in a respectful and ethical manner. This sensitivity adds depth to the book’s ecological ethos and encourages readers to approach the natural world with humility and reverence.
In addition to its lyrical and philosophical qualities, Awakening Artemis offers practical wisdom and creative exercises that invite readers to engage actively with the themes presented. These include journaling, dream work, and artistic expression, all designed to deepen one’s connection to the Earth and oneself. However, these suggestions are woven seamlessly into the narrative rather than presented as a rigid set of instructions, maintaining the book’s overall tone of gentle invitation rather than prescriptive guidance.
Ultimately, Awakening Artemis stands out as a unique contribution to the genre of nature writing and healing memoirs. It transcends the boundaries of conventional self-help or herbal manuals by integrating personal narrative, ecological philosophy, and poetic meditation into a cohesive whole. Vanessa Chakour’s work resonates particularly with readers who are sensitive, introspective, and seeking a holistic approach to healing that honours both the body and the planet. The book’s message is clear and compelling: by deepening our intimacy with the living Earth and reclaiming our wild nature, we can find profound healing and a renewed sense of belonging in a world that often feels fragmented and disconnected.
Awakening Artemis is a beautifully written and deeply moving exploration of the transformative power of nature and the human spirit. Vanessa Chakour’s eloquent storytelling and ecological insight offer readers not only a path to personal healing but also a call to reawaken to the sacredness of the natural world. This book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to heal, grow, and reconnect with the wild, vibrant life that pulses through both the Earth and ourselves.
February 5, 2022
This was an incredibly informative and conversational book. The author’s voice captured her journey in an informal and intimate manner. She weaves plant knowledge with her life story, and becomes relatable and educational at the same time. “Awakening Artemis” took me back to a time when I was free to run and tumble barefoot through the wild, while teaching me what I might have been tumbling through. I will be looking at myself and at nature with new eyes.
July 10, 2025
I actually loved this book, I felt it resonated with me and my ethos. The only reason I gave it less than 5 stars is simply because it wasn't an attention grabbing, I-must-keep-reading, page-turner of a book. It took me a while to read. However, the information given was wonderful and there are many plants I intend to incorporate into my personal practice of life.
Thank you Vanessa Chakour for writing this book! If you're ever in South East Ohio, please let me know, I'd love to walk with you!
Thank you Vanessa Chakour for writing this book! If you're ever in South East Ohio, please let me know, I'd love to walk with you!
January 31, 2022
I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by the author. This book was an absolute pleasure to listen to. Not only is it beautifully written, but Vanessa's voice is just a pleasure to listen to.
I am inspired by Vanessa’s activism on behalf of the earth and all her creatures, and I aspire to be at least half as committed to the cause as she is.
I am inspired by Vanessa’s activism on behalf of the earth and all her creatures, and I aspire to be at least half as committed to the cause as she is.
August 2, 2022
Deeply meaningful read for anyone interested in holistic healing. She tells a beautiful journey of her own connecting with various plants, offers wisdom learned that deepens your thinking, and subtle encouragement to fall back in love with the Earth in order to treat her, and yourself, better. I read this as a “daily passage” book, with the goal of one chapter a day. Many days I doubled up.
May 24, 2022
This book was beautiful and I feel honored to have read it. The cover caught my eye and I didn’t even realize the author was local when I had bought it. Well-written and the melding of personal stories with different plants, experiences, and wisdom was a delight to read.
March 30, 2023
This is a great rest for anyone concerned about our environment and one’s own inner and outer wholeness. An interesting tapestry of personal stories, herbalism, and environmentalism. Would recommend.
February 26, 2022
I rarely write reviews, but this book is beautiful. It feels calming to the nervous system and just nourishing to the soul. It’s going to be one of my favorite books of 2022, I can already tell.
January 16, 2024
3.5/5 - Wish it were more about appreciating and using plants and less about the author’s life.
December 30, 2025
A moving herbalism-infused memoir about reawakening to one's innermost self (the wildness within) while deepening our inborn relationship with our planet herself.
May 2, 2023
What a great book. I loved the weaving together of personal history, herbalism, and the history and mythology behind the plants. She makes using plants in every day life approachable. I've started making teas with burdock and nettle.
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