get beyond
"what's it good for"
herbalism
and understand your herbs with depth and precision
Learning herbs... the struggle is real
Have you ever been curious about an herb and gone to your herb books to learn more…
And end up disappointed by just a few sentences on what it’s “good for” or long lists of constituents and actions?
Do you ever feel like you’ve read about an herb over and over again, but still don’t feel like you understand it completely?
Unfortunately, a lot of books just graze the surface of the plants and don’t use a materia medica and herbal monograph as a teaching tool to understand how to learn an herb.
You wouldn’t want to just know your friends at the surface level, so why learn herbs superficially?
What's the key to becoming a better herbalist?
Is it wildcrafting more? Making more tinctures? Getting better at plant ID?
While those are important, the true path to herbal mastery is consistent study of and experience with materia medica.
But that doesn’t mean just reading about herbs every now and then.
There’s a strategic way to approach learning herbs so you come to understand them deeply.
The truth is, effective herbalists know their herbs far beyond what symptoms they’re “good for.”
They know the essential healing pattern within each plant and how every medicinal virtue weaves together into a complete whole.
So how exactly do you study plants holistically to get beyond superficial herbalism and understand the core essence of each herb?
How do you develop competence and confidence so you can foster wellness in the people you serve with your herbal products
materia medica monthly
A subscription program from the School of Evolutionary Herbalism
Your Pathway to Herbal Mastery
Materia Medica Monthly is like your own personal herbal Netflix, with new content added every month.
This course was strategically designed to build your holistic understanding and experience of herbs. It lays a solid foundation for the beginner, yet gives advanced herbalists critical insights into the plants they rely on.
You’ll get deep-dive training on the foundational principles of herbalism, like herbal actions, tastes, energetics, and constitutional systems, alongside a vast library of single herb monographs.
That way, you won’t just learn about the herbs, you’ll also learn the fundamentals behind a successful herbal practice.
(Hover or tap the tiles below for more details)
Core Herbal Patterns & Properties
Essential Clinical Indications
Herbal Safety & Contraindications
Effective Extraction & Preparation
Dosage & Administration
Flexible Formulation Strategies
Traditional & Modern Perspectives
Esoteric & Spiritual Properties
The Monograph as Teaching Tool
What's in a monograph?
We believe we’ve created the most comprehensive herbal monographs out there. These aren’t just lists or short paragraph descriptions.
These are strategically designed to teach you the core principles of herbalism, and to understand not just how to use herbs, but the why and how behind it.
In Materia Medica Monthly, we treat the herbal monograph as a sophisticated teaching tool to learn holistic herbal medicine.
Most of the PDF monographs are well over 20 pages long, and the accompanying video lessons range between 2 and 3 hours. All on a single plant!
Click the tabs below to see the three core sections of the Materia Medica Monthly monograph.
Part one of the monograph is the foundational principles of understanding a plant holistically, what we call the “Five Keys.” This section answers:
- Tastes: What is the primary flavor profile of the plant?
- Affinities: Where in the body does this herb target in terms of systems, organs, and tissues?
- Actions: How does the plant influence and act upon those systems, organs, and tissues?
- Energetics: How does the plant influence the ecology of the body in terms of temperature, moisture, and tone, as well as the constitution as a whole?
- Special Potency: What unique properties does the plant hold beyond the previous four keys? What are its key indications, specificities, and psychological, emotional, or spiritual virtues?
Not familiar with some of these concepts? Not to worry, every lesson breaks down specific terminology and concepts so the lesson doesn’t fly over the beginners head.
You won’t just find a list of these properties, but an in-depth and synergistic description of how the Five Keys weave together to reveal the medicinal essence of the plant.
Most herbal resources have lists or short paragraphs of what symptoms and conditions plants are good for. Rather than trying to memorize all of that, these monographs break down the core clinical patterns the plant heals in the body.
While this covers symptoms, diseases, and conditions the remedy is used for, you’ll learn the the why and how that plant addresses those complaints. That way you understand the specific type of people with the condition that plant helps, getting you more precise in your remedy selection.
This gives you a very different lens to understand how the plant functions, what it does, and is much easier to learn and understand than lists of symptoms. This section teaches you how to think about and work with the plant holistically to heal the whole person.
The third section of the monograph covers critical teachings that guide you in effective administration of the plant, including:
- Pharmacognosy and Chemical Mechanisms of Action
- Safety, Contraindications, and Herb-Drug Interactions
- Harvesting, Preparations, and Pharmacy
- Formulation Strategies
- Planetary, Elemental and Philosophical Principle correspondences
- Esoteric and Spiritual Virtues
This gives you a full-spectrum understanding of the wholeness of the plant, understanding it chemically, energetically, and spiritually, so you can treat the whole person.
For both beginner and advanced herbalists
Totally new to herbalism? We’ve got you covered. Core concepts, principles, and terminology are explained so nothing goes over your head. Plus there’re special bonuses (see below) that’ll give you a solid foundation in holistic herbalism.
Already practicing? Materia Medica Monthly is like a massive digital library and database you can use for quick reference on tough cases. Plus it provides, more depth on the plants than you’re likely to find anywhere else.
We have students of every kind in this course: from total newbies with zero background in herbalism to naturopathic doctors and a spectrum of health practitioners.
So wherever you are on your plant path, you’re guaranteed to get powerful tools that make you a top-notch herbalist who gets results.
“This content is incredible. It’s so much more in depth than any other resource, books, or course I’ve taken and has become the standard that I hold every other resource to.”
In every conceivable way this course has made me a better herbalist.”
—Dr. LaDonna Rocha, Naturopath, The Health & Holistic Collective Wild Hare Apothecary
WHAT YOU GET
& HOW IT WORKS
the most
In-depth Monographs
Every other month you’ll get a new deep-dive training on a single herb. You’ll learn everything you need to use that plant— from its herbal actions, energetics, clinical patterns, chemistry, formulations, specific indications and more. You’ll walk away from each lesson with a profound understanding of that herb.
the library
You've Always Dreamed of
You’ll get access to the past archive of Materia Medica Monthly issues, with over 70 herbs covered. You’ll also get, deep-dive lessons on herbal actions, formulation, energetics, constitutions, and all past Q&A sessions. This is a treasure trove of herbal gold you’ll return to for years to come. Plus the entire program is a searchable database, so you can find what you need quickly.
LIVE
Classes & Q&A's
You’ll get a chance to ask Sajah your questions directly and engage with the community every other month in our live classes and Q&A’s. You’ll get the personalized attention and coaching you need to reach the next level of your plant path and have fun hanging out with your herbal community. Can’t make it live? Every session is recorded and posted in the portal.
Fully
Supported
We’re here for you every step of the way. Our team of experienced & knowledgeable herbalists are here to help and support you on your journey – by phone, chat, email or direct message in the student portal.
Searchable
Course Database
Materia Medica Monthly is a completely searchable database. If you have a question or are looking for something specific, just use the search feature to find the exact lesson you’re looking for. You also get access to thousands of articles in our knowledge base.
Exclusive
Members Access
You’ll have consistent access to Materia Medica Monthly as long as you continue your subscription. Access ends only when you cancel your subscription.
Learn
Online or Offline
Every lesson features online videos, but you can also download MP3 versions of the lectures and in-depth PDF notes, charts, and handouts. Our exclusive student app makes it easy to get the most out of Materia Medica Monthly and study herbalism anywhere.
engage & connect
with Community
Get cozy and chat about herbs! This course comes with access to our vibrant online community in our student teahouse. Setup your profile, post in your activity feed, start a forum discussion, and update us on your program progress. You can even start a study group with fellow Materia Medica Monthly students and make life-time connections with other like-minded herbalists.
Study
at Your Own Pace
You can study Materia Medica Monthly at your own pace, on your own time. Classes are pre-recorded and available on demand. Take your time with the material and watch the videos over and over again. There’s no deadline to finish the course material – and there’s no end in sight since we’re adding to Materia Medica Monthly every single month.
“Let’s just say, I learn more from Materia Medica Monthly than I have from about half the books in my library. I am being trained proper.”
—Yoali Rodriguez
For more information about this program, please reach out to our support team at [email protected]
But you can get a sneak peek into the program...
get A free issue of
materia medica monthly
You'll also get a special invitation to join the full program once it's open
Enrollment is currently closed but will be opening soon!
herbal
monograph map
Get three in-depth video workshops + guidebook to download