Connecting Our Physical, Psychological and Spiritual Health
As a holistic herbalist, our goal is to work with the WHOLE person. From many traditional perspectives, there are three primary organizational layers of the human being. In Alchemy these are referred to as Salt, Mercury and Sulfur. In Ayurveda it is vata, pitta, and kapha, or prana, tejas, and ojas. The Chinese refer to…
Medical Astrology and Holistic Herbalism
Often when we consider the context of holistic herbalism, we tend to think of using the whole plant to heal the whole person. And by “whole plant,” we aren’t referring to the root, leaf, flower and seed/fruit of the plant, but rather using its holistic medicinal nature: chemistry, energetics and spirit, which will then heal…
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…
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 or 1 tsp to 5 grams for a cup of tea, the range of how much of a medicinal plant to give someone is as vast and numerous as there are herbalists. Strong opinions exist on both ends of the spectrum; whether to give small…
Herbal Lessons Learned from a House Remodel
Last year my wife Whitney and I moved back to our homeland in the beautiful forests and mountains of northwest Washington. We found a little piece of land with an old farmhouse on it, moved in, looked around, and thought “maybe we should change a few things around on this old place…” Well that one…
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.…
