Alchemical Herb Profile: Elderberry (Sambucus cerulea)
While we were out harvesting Elderberries on our land this summer, we wanted to share some info about the medicinal virtues of this invaluable herb with you! Now that the winter is rolling in, this is the perfect time to be pulling out the Elderberry for immune support, so check out this short video to…
Herbal Alchemy: The Water Element
Learn how to use the Elements as a lens for classifying and using herbal remedies. The Alchemical herbal perspective involves looking at the planetary rulerships of different herbs, their organ and tissue affinities, as well as providing a sophisticated and refined way of preparing herbal medicines according to astrological influences. In this video, I reveal how…
Holistic Herbalism and the Adaptogen Myth
What’s the most common mistake most people make when they start using herbs? After years of teaching and traveling across the country, I’ve seen people over and over make the assumption that if they’re using herbs, they’re holistic. It’s actually not true! Many herbalists and naturopaths actually practice what I like to call “green…
Alchemical Herb Profile: Wood Betony (Stachys betonica)
So I know it’s been awhile since my last blog post- sorry about that! Life got really busy there for awhile teaching a lot of workshops, traveling to different conferences and events, and preparing for the opening of next year’s school year! I’ll be in touch with you soon with more info about that real soon.…
Part 2: NW Herb Symposium Lecture- Alchemical Practice
I had the pleasure of teaching a few workshops at the 2015 NW Herb Symposium on Whidbey Island, Washington. I decided to do a 2 part series on alchemy and spagyrics the first class covering basic theory of alchemy, and the second going into some of the practical applications of that overarching theory. Here is…
Part 1: NW Herb Symposium Lecture- Alchemical Theory
I had the pleasure of teaching a few workshops at the 2015 NW Herb Symposium on Whidbey Island, Washington. I decided to do a 2 part series on alchemy and spagyrics the first class covering basic theory of alchemy, and the second going into some of the practical applications of that overarching theory. Here is…
Free E-book on the Elements and Herbalism!
So I’m really excited to announce that I’ve got a new e-book called Quinta Essentia: On the Elements and Plant Medicine. I’ve been studying the Elements both directly and through various traditions that used them in their healing practice and synthesized down much of my research into this little book that I’d like to give you. Just…
What is “Energetic Architecture?”
I use the term “energetic architecture” a lot in my work- for it’s a phrase that to me truly encompasses the concept in alchemy of correspondences, or the philosophy that everything in life is interconnected, related, and the above and below are ultimately One. But what does that mean? And how do we use that philosophy practically? Energetic…
Medical Astrology and Herbalism: Mars
Mars is considered one of the “malefic” planets- IE one of the “bad guys.” Of course, no astrological archetype is purely evil or bad, unless we don’t work with it in a good way or have it well integrated into our constitution. Mars typically creates diseases associated with heat, what the old physiomedicalist doctors called…
Evolutionary Herbal Profile: Oregon Grape
This is one of my favorite plants that I’m so glad grows around us. This is one of the great remedies for the solar plexus- on a physical level through it’s impact on digestion and the liver, but also energetically as it operates upon the Manipura, or 3rd chakra. It’s one of my major remedies…