How to heal and not harm with medicinal plants.
As herbalists, our #1 goal in our work is to provide healing and alleviate the suffering in the people we serve. But that typically leads into our #1 fear as herbalists, which is that we might inflict harm or hurt someone with the medicinal plants we give them. This is a totally valid concern, for…
The Art of Distillation
Distillation is one of the primary alchemical processes used in the production of true spagyric extracts. The 2 primary methods of distillation used are for essential oils, which extracts the Sulfur (Soul) of the plant, as well as for alcohol, which extracts the Mercury (Spirit) of the plant. The process of distillation can be…
Legal Concerns of Practicing Herbalism
A major concern of folks on the path of becoming a practicing herbalist is that they’ll get sued for practicing medicine without a license. Being an herbalist in the United States is a little bit of a grey area, as there are thousands of practitioners out there helping people with plants that aren’t necessarily licensed…
“How much of an herb do I give?” A discussion on dosage of medicinal plants
From a single drop to 5 mL of tincture and 1 tsp to 5 grams, the range of how much of a medicinal plant to give varies greatly from practitioner to practitioner. How much of a plant to administer to someone also greatly depends on their constitution, what herbs you plan on giving, whether…
Your Body is Nature
Central to traditional systems of medicine is the understanding that the human organism is a reflection of Nature- that our bodies are not machines or composed merely of “biochemical gears,” but rather that we are composed of natural forces that exist all around us. That we are a part of the ecological context of the…
The Lightbringers: Herbs for Brightening Dark Winter Days
Looking up into the skies, this week we will witness darkness envelop the stars for the longest time of the year, for we’ve finally reached the shortest day here in the northern hemisphere, winter solstice. Solstice in Latin means sol (“sun”) and sistere (“to stand still”) which demonstrates how the sun is at its turning…
Aromatic Plants & Resins as Medicine
A little clay pot holding a single coal burns some homemade incense, wafting a rich scent of frankincense and myrrh into the dry air. I feel a sense of clearness as I take a deep breath in, feeling the herbs penetrate my lungs and pierce deep into my spirit. A sense of calm washes over me…
An Herbal Formula for an Embarrassing Condition
I always like to say that every client you see is a chapter in your experiential book of learning herbal medicine. And that is the very best book you can get to learn about how to use plants effectively. Recently, I was blessed with the opportunity to treat a condition I’d never treated before… hemorrhoids.…
Spagyrics: Ancient Medicine for the Modern World
The world needs healing right now more than ever. And not just patching up symptoms and definitely not suppressing them- we all need deep healing within our bodies, minds, hearts and souls. We need healing that will reconnect us with our true nature internally, as well as the natural world externally. This is desperately needed…
Fire: The Element of Transformation
Most people think the first step in creating a spagyric herbal extract is the separation of the volatile Sulfur of the plant. To translate that into something understandable, that means distillation of the essential oils. But I beg to differ!! To me, the first step in creating a spagyric isn’t distilling the essential oils, or…
Essential Oils vs. Infused Oils
The Difference Between Essential Oils and Infused Oils People commonly confuse the term essential oil with infused oils, not realizing they are in fact two different types of extraction. We also have the term herbal oils or aromatic oils, which also contributes to the confusion, as these terms have all been used interchangeable and applied…
