Arcana Arcana is an invitation to explore the liminal space between the seen and unseen realms—the body and spirit.
Through the alchemy of plants, we awaken our bodily senses and conjure the living Earth. Through the rhythms of ritual, we open a doorway to spirit and ancient memory.
The word Arcana comes from the Latin arcanus meaning "secret" or “mystery”. In the Peruvian Shipibo tradition, an Indigenous culture of deep study and communion with plants, Arcana means “protection”.
In a world of vast forces, uncertain paths, and dark caverns, our adornments become talismans and guardians accompanying us.
From shells to body markings to anointing oils, the art of adornment has been practiced from the beginning of time to change and arrange consciousness, weaving a deliberate aesthetic into a patterned existence. Delving into the details of adornment is not mere embellishment but a profound journey into enhancing perception and awakening faculties.
In these times of amnesia and anesthesia from our connection to the animate world, Arcana Arcana is reviving the art of adornment through ritual.
Humanity is not separate from nature; we are entangled and woven into its intricate and living fabric. Our reverence for the Earth inspires our devotion to crafting with care and integrity.
We offer Arcana Arcana as a radical act of devotion to a deeper relationship with the living world, to nourish the body and enchant the spirit, to adorn with beauty and to fortify with intention. May these talismans accompany you and deepen your kinship with the Mystery.
Arcana Arcana Apothecary was co-founded by Maxine Shifrin and Yael Marantz in the rainforest of Costa Rica. After years of deep listening, dreaming, dialogue and study with the plants, the divine directive of an apothecary that weaves both the physical and subtle expressions of these allies blossomed. Together, through their knowledge of herbalism and earth-based wisdom traditions they share this offering as a pathway to deepen in intimacy with the living world and cultivate remembering through ritual.
