An Interview with Sun Potion
photo courtesy of David Aragon: House of Citrine (@houseofcitrine)
I am composing this as I sip on my daily tonic of Anandamide in homemade hemp mylk, extra Ariba Nacional cacao, mucuna, and coconut oil. I have been awaiting on tippy-toes this day of sharing with you the intrigue behind Sun Potion. I have incredible admiration for the passion Scott and Nitsa have for providing us with such high-vibration foods.
Scott Linde & Nitsa Citrine of Sun Potion
Q: Tell me a little bit about yourselves and the story behind Sun Potion. How did you meet?
Scott | Nitsa and I shared an instant friendship over Chlorella. In Sun Potion's history, Chlorella was the first food//powder//offering. Auspiciously, a perfectly filled jar of Chlorella weighs 111g. My first warehouse was located at 111 A Santa Barbara St. There are many more layers to the story. Numbers, math, and coding are important aspects of life. I love to notice these kinds of things.
Nitsa | I met Scott when he firs moved to Santa Barbara an began the company. A sweet friendship formed between our mutual (and reflective) love of these foods and commitment to a holistic lifestyle - and I soon became a loyal Sun Potion customer and eventually - collaborator!
Q: What is the meaning behind the name + the logo?
S | Sun Potion is a pro-human conduit for Transformational Foods. These best quality tonic herbs are intended to support the circuitry of the human body to hold more light and energetic currency. The symbology is one of transmuting the body from density into light, becoming like the Sun, and embodying the creational aspects of the Divine. On another level, they represent an easy way to feel good.
N | What Scott said, plus "Sun Potion: he lchemical union of all things under the Sun"-- which to me translates as an inclusive, interconnected platform for Being Here and of Service.
Q: Where do you source your ingredients from? Tell us a little about the importance of sustainability.
S | Ingredient sourcing is key to what Sun Potion offers. We are acting as a conduit for best quality tonic herbs to make their way into people's homes. A person with no background using these kinds of foods can bump into them on the shelf at their local grocer, feel drawn to the product, and begin taking the herbs everyday. The impact of these foods can be profound on a person's life experience, especially when the quality is really high. Our mission is to source and deliver these rare and potent healing foods, making them available for anyone looking to support positive change in their life. It's a responsibility that we very sincere about. We currently source material from 8 provider labs, located on 4 continents. These relationships have taken years to develop. It is an honor to serve as a route to market for these potent healing foods. It's a lot of fun too! Sometimes if feels a bit like the UN when talking with the providers. The common thread in these friendships is that we all actually work for the plants!
N | We source our products from all over the world, paying attention to the plant's region of origin and lineage as well as what is currently the purest source available. The line has been consciously curated to offer each plant in its highest quality and most bio-available form. Especially given the current trending in superfoods - it is important to know ere and how these foods are sourced.
ushrooms, for example, are wonderful modern-day transmuters - they filter the toxicity out from an environment - though in the process they an ake on a lot of the heav metals, etc. iven the cumulative evel of toxicity in many parts o the world, we can not recommend the human consumption of ust ny wild-grown mushroom or herb. t is very important to consider the past, present, and futur state of the environment from which a plan s harvested, and this is how we source all of our products for Sun Potion.
Q: Do you have a ritual for using your products?
S | I love to have my Sun Potion herbs in the morning, coupled with tea and a healthy fat like coconut oil. Having this in the morning, and enjoying the feel of empowerment for hours to come, is actually my favorite practice in any given day.
N | Yes, e make an herbal potion pretty much very morning using 6-7 of the herbs, tea, and a healthy fa blended in our vitamix. I have beg un to document this as "A Potion a Day" (#apotionaday in instagram) to share these imple nd empowering recipes with ur community.
Q: What are your current favourite herbs to use + what are some of their benefits?
S | My favorite herb extracts: Mucuna Pruriens Extract contains 15% L-dopa, a precursor to dopamine, and is great for elevating the mood and soothing the nervous system. Astragalus Extract is another winner. It is great for clearing blockages, and increasing the flow of blood and energy throughout the body. I sometimes refer to it as the "Optimist's Herb" because I notice my gaze rises to the horizon after eating it. Shea Butter is a great food to be applied externally on the skin. I have been using Shea Butter daily for 10 years, and I love it because it helps bring me more into my body each morning. These are all herb that are helpful for feeling really good in the body. Who doesn't want to feel good?
N | He Shou Wu, Ashitaba, and Pine Pollen. He Shou Wu is deeply restorative, replenishes the body's Jing (primary essence) , and has a noticeable effect on my hair and nail health! Ashitaba also possesses very yin ~ feminine qualities and is great for nourishing the blood, digestive system, and longevity. Pine Pollen is what I reach for when I am on a deadline or wanting to reinforce my reative energy ~ it is an aphrodisiac and excellent brain food ~ I feel it immediately!
Q: What would you say to the herb skeptic? What is so transformational about them in the prevention + treatment of ailments?
S | Great question! I love talking with these clients, because they don't have to believe anything I'm saying. If they are willing to try one jar, and take it every day until it is gone, they will have their own felt experience with it. It's pretty uncommon for someone to take one of the Sun Potion products consistently for a month or two, and either not feel anything has improved, or that they were better off before they tried the product. The herbs pretty much speak for themselves in that regard. I am not here to convince anyone. That being said, I do find pleasure in hearing positive reviews from herb-skeptics turned super-fans.
N | onestly I end to avoid / go aroun erb skeptics, however - if they are a curious herb skeptic I would encourage them to do some personal research on the plants and then inquire within hemselves
n hether or not they could benefit their sense of well-being . . .
Q: What is an easy tonic recipe a beginner could create?
S | 8 ounces of clean water in a glass, with a half teaspoon of Mucuna Pruriens Extract powder. This combination has an appealing caramel flavor, and is an easy way to feel good.
N | Chlorella and Ashitaba in spring water, with a dash of Salt. Oxygenates the blood, nourishes the brain, activates the whole system on a cellular and energetic level.
Q: When you are not working on Sun Potion, what else do you like to do?
S | I have a few fascinations at this time in my life: Spending time with Nitsa; Plant-based food as art, sensory experience, and culinary play; and noticing and enjoying how nice life can be.
N | Open - format musing. Travel. Gardening. Photography. Poetry. Experiencing quality media and art. Collaborating with other artists.
Q: What keeps you going? Do you have a daily routine or a mantra?
S | "Show me my divine path of service," was my mantra for four years before starting Sun Potion. Since Sun Potion birthed itself, over four years ago, I have been living that request, and if feels great! When things are in alignment, there's no need for anything to keep me going. It feels as if I'm being pulled forward. It's wonderful.
N | Love.
Q: What are some of your favourite snacks or foods that fuel your creative process?
S | Mulberries.
N | Pine Pollen! All day every day!
Q: What are your three staples for glowing health?
S | Putting the best of what's available into the body, time in the sun, and gratitude.
N | Pure water, unlight, high-vibe foods.
Q: What would be an ideal day for you?
S | The first morning home, after a lot of traveling, awaking in our bed, wrapped up n organic bedding. The windows are open and sun is coming into the room. I get to playfully wake Nitsa up (without her getting too crabby with me). Rounds and rounds of tea, brewed in our sunny kitchen. Doing a few emails at home, and then stopping by the warehouse in the afternoon to check in with the team and see the huge stack of boxes leaving in that day's mail. Staying after the warehouse team goes home to work on the computer for a few more hours. Stopping for an evening sauna on my way home, and then having dinner with Nitsa.
N | It depends where I am located. An idea day in Santa Barbara (where we live) would look
and fee like ~ waking up naturally, in silence, enjoying several leisurely rounds of pu-erh while reading some poems or few chapters in a goo book, eventually making and sharing a tonic herbal potion with Scott. Some gentle yoga / movement in the sun. Shooting photos or writing for pleasur. Possibly going for a beach walk or hike, having more tea, whipping up some elevatin alchemical elixirs. Cooking a beautiful dinner and eating it before dark, in the garden, with loved ones. Definitely fitting a long, essential-oil infused bath and a sauna in there at some point.... I love
he ceremony of athing!
Q: What would you like to see more of in this world?
S | People actualizing their potential and expressing their individual mission, while being supported by eating tonic herbs.
N | Kindness and Gratitude.
Q: What are your go-to products in your holistic medicine cabinet?
S | Shea Butter, Reishi Mushroom, Magnesium Salts.
N | Reishi Mushroom. I I am traveling a lot, feel my immune system is compromised, o my stress levels are high will each for the Queen Healer Mushroom. I am a steadfast lover of this herb.
Q: What is your next big vision for Sun Potion?
S | More of what is already happening.
N | BOOK
