My Top 5 Herbs for Mental Clarity
When our minds aren’t clear it’s hard to accomplish anything- we scatter into the winds or sink down into the low energetic state of brain fog. But when our minds are clear, focused, disciplined, and engaged, we tend to feel uplifted, positive, productive, and more present. There are definitely certain plants that we can…
The 5 Keys for Using Herbs Holistically
In the modern world of herbalism, strongly influenced by information from Google and the phytopharmaceutical and supplement industries, there is an increasing lack of traditional knowledge in the common mindset and usage of plant medicines. This had led to an allopathic approach to herbalism and “holistic amnesia,” where we treat plants like drugs and not…
The Elements in People and Plants (Part 2)
In part 2 of The Elements in People and Plants, we explore some the Elemental patterns as they exist within the botanical kingdom. From the perspective of ancient traditions, everything in the manifest universe contains all of the four Elements of nature: Earth, Water, Air and Fire- that is, the only way something can physically exist…
The Elements in People and Plants (Part 1)
In part 1 of this 2 part lecture, I discuss some of the primary correspondences between the 4 Elements of Nature and the human body. The Elements are the foundational model of energetic architecture within the context of Evolutionary Herbalism. They help us understand the deeper order or blueprint of nature and how we as human…
The Vital Force of Nature and Holistic Herbalism (2017 Evolutionary Herbalism workshop)
One of the most important perspectives-that is, ways of seeing the world- for the true holistic herbalist, is to have an understanding of the vital intelligence found within all of nature. It is critical to learn to perceive the human body as intelligent, that everything about a plant is a communication, and that we as…
Terra Vita 2017: The Quintessential Herbal Monograph
In early March of 2017, I was lucky enough to break away from the frost of Oregon and head down to southern California, visit some old friends, and make some new ones at the Terra Vita Symposium in Laguna Beach. It was an awesome event held at a funky alternative school for kids and brought together…
The Allopathic Herbalism Trap
Vitalism is an ancient principle found in the western traditions that recognizes the life principle within plants and people. This vital principle is what gives everything life, and while the biochemical attributes of an organism are important, it is not all there is. When we use an herbal medicine, we are using the…
Herbal Therapeutics and Differentials for Pain
Let’s face it, pain really sucks!! It can completely dominate your consciousness, blurring out everything else until it becomes your sole focal point, making life a bit more difficult to simply live your life. A lot of folks think that herbs don’t really work that well for pain. That the only things that really work are the heavier hitting…
What You Should (& Shouldn’t) Do When You Start to Get a Cold
Everyone who knows anything about herbs knows that you take Echinacea at the first onset of a cough, cold or flu. But is that really true? More importantly, is that really holistic or in accordance with the vitalist understanding of herbal medicine. Is it possible that taking a squirt of Echinacea every 30 minutes at the…
The Key to Herbal Energetics and Constitutional Systems
One of the key distinguishing characteristics of the practice of true holistic herbalism is the understanding of herbal energetics juxtaposed with the human constitution. These 2 areas of study are the crux of traditional systems of herbalism and natural medicine, and are likely the most overlooked aspects of people and plants in modern medicine- both pharmaceutical and herbal.…
