Entheogenic Plants, The Quintessence, and Energetic Architecture
This week I’ve been writing about what I refer to as the Energetic Architecture of nature, which are the fundamental underlying patterns of life expressed throughout a broad spectrum of medical and spiritual traditions from across the world. One of the primary patterns of Energetic Architecture is the 5 Elements of nature: Earth, Water, Air, […]
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.
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.
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?
Alchemy and Medical Astrology in Clinical Herbalism (lecture from 2016 Breitenbush Herb Conference)
This class covers some of the critical components in regards to how incorporating western alchemy and medical astrology can radically enhance your practice of holistic herbalism.
The Importance of Nervines (lecture from Breitenbush Herb Conference 2016)
I always tell my students that for the client that is stressed and exhausted to give them herbs for the nervous system before even thinking about touching the adaptogens which are typically administered for these common complaints.
Strategies for a Holistic Respiratory Formula
The art of herbal formulation is… well just that- an art!! The #1 mistake too many herbalists make when it comes to formulating is that they think about what organ system they want to work with and BAM- throw every herb they can think of that does something to that system and hope that it will work.
Therapeutics for the Respiratory System
I believe the respiratory system is of the most important organ systems to know how to treat with herbs because it’s one of the primary systems consistently and commonly afflicted in modern life- especially during this time of year; the “cough, cold and flu season.” From an allopathic perspective, a cough is typically treated with an anti-tussive, like Robitussin, the primary purpose of which is to suppress the cough. This ultimately prolongs the duration of the cough by preventing the bodies ability to cleanse the mucosal membranes (by coughing up the mucous) and enable them to lay down a fresh layer of antibody rich mucous.
