An Interview with Jason Scott
One of the most powerful things about alchemy is that it allows us to draw on energetics. We can look at the planets and plants and see what their energetic quality is in terms of their temperature, their moisture, what organ systems they govern, the diseases they generate, their constitutional pattern, and how they shape…
An interview with Robert Bartlett
When we talk about herbalism and alchemy, it can often seem like we talk only about the past. We know herbalism and alchemy have been used throughout history by every civilization around the globe. We go back to the ancient teachings and ancient resources and learn from the teachers of the past. We spend time…
Intention, Alchemy, and Medicine Making
When we’re thinking about herbal medicine making, some of the topics that generally come up amongst herbalists are linear in their approach to how we prepare herbal medicine. What part of the plant do we use? Should it be fresh or should it be dried? What percentage alcohol should we use? Is it better as…
Developing Your Herbal Competence and Confidence
Today I want to talk about some critical turning points that all of us face when we’re walking the plant path: developing competence and confidence as an herbalist. If there’s one thing that I’ve realized over the last 10+ years of being an herbalist myself, as well as interacting with a lot of beginner, intermediate,…
The Herbal Equation: Plants AND People
I know how it goes when you first start studying herbalism, you get SO excited about learning about all of these beautiful amazing plants. I mean after all, isn’t that what usually gets us into herbal medicine to begin with, an absolute love for plants? But they are just one half of the “herbal equation.”…
The Human Body: Machine or Ecosystem?
Lately, I’ve been talking a lot about this concept of vitalism and how vitalism is one of the more traditional models and approaches to not just practicing herbal medicine but a way that we see life, of being able to see that the natural world is intelligent, that it has consciousness, that it has purpose…
The Plants of Yuletide: History & Lore of Evergreens
Throughout the world, there are so many wonderful traditions celebrated this time of year that involve plants, but especially evergreens! Do you ever wonder where these origins came from and think about why we do some of these things like bring a tree into our home to decorate it? Well this is something we were…
Gifts for Herbalists
With the holidays coming up, many herbalists are compiling lists of gifts for themselves and for their friends and families. Maybe you want to give herbally oriented gift to someone who likes herbal medicine, or maybe you’re just getting started on your path as an herbalist and want to share some gift ideas with a…
Masking Herbal Tastes
In this post I want to share a little bit about some of the dynamics around the taste of herbs. In traditional systems of medicine, the way an herb tastes, whether it’s bitter or pungent or astringent or sour or sweet, is a really strong indication of the medicinal properties of a plant. From a…
How Herbalists Can Change With The Times
I want to talk about the state of the world right now how everything seems to be turning upside down. Everything is changing very rapidly in terms of the picture of human health and what’s going on culturally and what’s going on in nature. So how do we as herbalists change along with that? What…
