juliette of the herbs

All my life, I've been fascinated with strong, creative, free-spirited souls--independent and inspired individuals who made their lives and work according to their own lights.  In doing so, they usually defied conventional social expectations.  Most of my creative heroes are writers and artists, although I admire anyone who is brave and resourceful enough to forge their own wild, weird, and wonderful path.  

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An important part of this blog's mission is to honor the creatixes who've eschewed the expected and orthodox route to do something original and creative with their time on Mother Earth.  Although I've many inspiring muses in mind, the first I'll profile here is wise woman and wanderer, Juliette de Baïracli Levy.  She was known primarily as an herbalist and author, but her adventurous life fascinates beyond students of the plant mysteries.

Juliette was born in England to Jewish parents in 1912. Her father was from Turkey, and her mother was Egyptian. Her family was quite wealthy, and her early life included private schools and chauffeurs, but Juliette would grow up to turn her back on her privileged upbringing. How's that for a proper Bohemian beginning in life?

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Juliette always loved animals--and was distressed how her childhood pets frequently sickened and died, but veterinarians couldn't seem to help.  She determined to become a vet herself, and studied veterinary medicine in Manchester and Liverpool.  However, she was disappointed with modern medicine's ability to heal her animals, and after two years dropped out.  Soon, she became enthralled with the possibilities of herbal medicine, and inspired by Matthew Arnold's famous poem, The Scholar Gipsy, took off to wander the world, learning healing from people still close to the land, notably the Gypsies.  One needn't imagine what her parents had to say about her leaving school for that reason.

(Note: usage of the term 'Gypsies' is controversial, but I use it here because it is what Juliette used.) 

Juliette's wanderlust led her to many countries: among them were France, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, Israel, Greece, and Mexico. She always preferred to travel by sea, managing to bring various animal companions with her, including goats, owls, and her beloved Afghan hounds. She lived simply--sometimes camping happily in ruined cottages and caves--and always planted a garden wherever she journeyed. She would eventually bring her children along, and with the knowledge gained through her travels, raised them to be natural and hardy. She made many friends on the way, including fellow bohemians, Helen and Scott Nearing, and  became accepted as a family member among Gypsies, Berbers, and Arabs.

Juliette was renown for her knowledge and healing skills, and wrote many books on herbal medicine--recording for posterity the fast-disappearing ancient lore. She also pioneered the field of veterinary herbalism, writing some of the first books on natural care for dogs, cats, horses, goats, and other creatures. Her books are revered by all modern herbalists. 

Like most free spirits, she also loved poetry, and published several volumes of her verse, as well as at least two novels.  I haven't gotten my hands on any of these, as they are collector's items, so can't comment on them specifically.  However, her herb books and her fascinating travelogues have been re-published thanks to Ash Tree Publishing.  They've taken old, out-of-print, and hard to find volumes and made them accessible today for curious and thoughtful readers.  Juliette wrote in an accessible, conversational style that makes you feel you are sitting with her in the garden sharing a cup of tea. I heartily recommend them.

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Juliette of the Herbs is a wonderful documentary about her life, made when she was in her elder years.  I am grateful to the makers of the film for capturing the story of his remarkable being--but also for recording her natural voice, which is so gentle, rich and unaffected.  I watch this film whenever I am low, and requiring some inspiration from a wise elder. It was once available free on-line at Vimeo, but no longer is as of this update.  Clips are posted on youtube, and the DVD itself is for sale at Amazon.  I recommend buying your own copy if you can, and supporting the team that worked hard to bring it to us.

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When listening to Juliette speak, I'm often reminded of the wise voice of another revered Bohemian elder, Tasha Tudor.  I don't know if these two expert plantswomen ever met, although they were close in age, and Juliette traveled to New England when Tudor was still alive. It amuses me to think what these two fiercely independent, creative, and nature-revering women--both Titanesses in my imagination--would talk about, given the opportunity.

After living happily on the Greek island of Kythira near Crete (the rustic abode depicted in the documentary) Juliette moved to Switzerland, where she passed away in 2009 at the age of ninety-six.  She had lived an unusually full, free, and colorful life--one that is hard to imagine living today.  Juliette de Baïracli Levy  continues to inspire me, teach me, and encourage me to blaze my own unconventional path.  She is a favorite muse in my own private circle of elders.  Is she one of yours, too?

A lovely memorial by another great-souled Bohemian can be found at aliciabaylaurel.com.