David Hoffmann: Herbs for Elder Issues (if I can remember what they are…) | 22

Today’s episode is brought to you by the NorthWest Herb Symposium.

I had the pleasure of attending this wonderful event a few years ago and I gotta say it’s top notch. The location alone is worth the trip. It’s located at the Camp Casey Conference Center in beautiful Coupeville Washington. 

Next year’s event, titled “Botanicals at the Beach” will be from August 23 – 26 2018.

For more information you can head to NWHerbSymposium.com.

Also, you can purchase recordings from last year’s event, as well as many other events from the symposium’s organizer’s website: www.treefarmtapes.com

Today’s episode was recorded at the 2017 NorthWest Herb Symposium.

It’s with none other than David Hoffmann.

What can herbalism do as opposed to the hype? What actions are relevant, what tonics can support the various body systems. We will discuss acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from Sage to Huperzia. How do these herbs actually effect the aging body and mind.

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David, a Fellow of Britain’s National Institute of Medical Herbalists, has been a clinical phytotherapist for more than twenty-five years.

He started his herbal practice in Wales, continuing at the Findhorn community in Scotland, and has been practicing in California since 1986.

A long time activist in the environmental and peace movements, he ran for parliament in Britain for the Green party in 1983. He is one of the founding members and a past president of the American Herbalists Guild and is on the advisory boards of the American Botanical Council and HerbalGram.

The author of seventeen books, including the highly regarded The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal, An Elders’ Herbal,Medical Herbalism and The Herbal Handbook, Hoffmann teaches phytotherapy throughout the English-speaking world and is currently a faculty member of the California School of Herbal Studies. He is also a visiting faculty member at Bastyr University, the California Institute of Integral Studies, the National College of Phytotherapy, and the Rocky Mountain School of Botanical Studies.

Wild Cherry Monograph by jim mcdonald | 21

On today's episode I narrate jim mcdonald's wild cherry monograph. 

Here's a sampling from his monograph which you can find here: www.herbrally.com/monographs/wild-cherry

When considering wild cherry, most will immediately think of its use in the address of coughs and colds; indeed, such a staple it was that when plant medicine was being replaced by chemical drugs "wild cherry" was retained as the flavor of cough syrups and drops, because, well... that's just what those things were supposed to taste like.  The actual bark, though, does much more than provide flavor.  Wild cherry is a respiratory relaxant/antispasmodic and, in varying degrees, an astringent tonic.  A cooling sedative to lung tissue, it excels when heat and irritability undermine healthy expectoration.

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Now, here's where I want to paint a little word picture that really sums up wild cherry's respiratory sphere of influence perfectly; that's really what all herb writers want to do when we write these things.  But, darnit, Michael Moore did it so well I can't resist quoting him: "Chokecherry or wild cherry bark is a simple sedative for cardiopulmonary excitability.  If your child is lying in bed, glowing a dull infrared and breathing rapidly with a dry cough, give him/her chokecherry.  That hot, vibratile pulse of blood through the lungs can be counterproductive, not nourishing the membranes as well as needed and maybe even slowing the defensive responses to a viral infection.  The hectic breathing can dry out mucous membranes and harden secretions, making them little more than dried blobs adhering to the bronchial membranes---difficult enough for an adult to expectorate, very difficult for a respiratory-impatient child to handle."

Yeah, Moore was awesome.

For more monographs: www.herbrally.com/monographs

You can visit jim online at HerbCraft.org

Let us know what you thought of the episode! Thanks so much for listening. 

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jim mcdonald offers a knowledge of herbalism that blends western folk and indigenous views with the Vitalist traditions of the 19th century, presented through story, humor and common sense. He has taught classes throughout the US, hosts the website www.herbcraft.org and has written for Plant Healer Magazine, the Journal of Ontario Herbalist Association and Llewelyn's Herbal Almanac. He is currently writing a "Great Lakes Herbal" and "Foundational Herbcraft". jim is a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker. 

The Doctrine of Signatures with Ellen Evert Hopman | 20

Today’s episode is with herbalist and author Ellen Evert Hopman.

She's going to teach us all about the Doctrine of Signatures. This class was taught at the 2017 New England Women’s Herbal Gathering in New Hampshire.

Learn an ancient plant classification system that was developed in a time before most people could read. Did the plant grow in sun or shade? In damp soil or in a dry area? The shape of a leaf, the color of a 9 flower, the taste of an herb were all guides to which body system or organ the plant was appropriate for.

Although you'll learn a lot in this episode, you should look into her book: Secret Medicines from Your Garden - Plants for Healing, Spirituality and Magic

She covers the Doctrine of Signatures along with a lot of other herbal and magical concepts. 

To find out more about Ellen, you can visit her online at elleneverthopman.com.

Thanks Ellen for sharing this class with us!

Hopman is the author of a number of books and has been a teacher of Herbalism since 1983 and of Druidism since 1990. She has presented on Druidism, herbal lore, tree lore, Paganism and magic at conferences, festivals, and events in Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and in the United States.

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She has participated in numerous radio and television programs including National Public Radio’s “Vox Pop” and the Gary Null show in New York.

She presented a weekly “herb report” for WRSI radio out of Greenfield, MA for over a year and was a featured subject in a documentary about Druids on A&E Television’s; “The Unexplained” (Secret Societies, February 1999).

She is a Master Herbalist and professional member of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG) and lay Homeopath who holds an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling.

She is a founding member of The Order of the White Oak (Ord Na Darach Gile) and its former Co-Chief, a Bard of the Gorsedd of Caer Abiri, and a Druidess of the Druid Clan of Dana. She is currently ArchDruid of Tribe of the Oak, an international Druid teaching Order based in New England, USA.

She was Vice President of The Henge of Keltria, an international Druid Fellowship, for nine years and has been at times a member of The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF).

 

Ecological Herb Walk with Betzy Bancroft | 19

This class was recorded at the superb event: The Great Lakes Herb Faire. 

If you've not been and you're in the region, I encourage you to try and make it to the 2018 shindig. Here's the details:

Great Lakes Herb Faire
September 7 - 9, 2018
Cedar Lake Outdoor Center,
2500 Pierce Rd, Chelsea, Michigan

“We have had three amazing Faires so far and are so looking forward to doing this again! The feedback we received from people who attended was overwhelmingly positive. People were excited to network and meet other herbalists in their communities, learn directly from teachers rather than relying on books, and walk the trails on the surrounding land meeting the herbs in person. There were many kids attending and we heard from parents and the kids themselves that they couldn’t wait to come back next year! There was amazing energy from everyone, the food was delicious and the marketplace was loaded with fantastic herbal creations.”
— Anna Fernandez

I had the great fortune of attending the 2017 Faire (as a representative for Mountain Rose Herbs) and I concur on all of that. And yes, the food was phenomenal! 

If interested in purchasing recordings from the 2016 and 2017 Faires (for a great price) you can do so here>> RECORDINGS

I also ended up going on this epic plant walk with Betzy Bancroft!

Thanks to Anna and Betzy for letting me share it on the HerbRally podcast. 

I hope y'all enjoy it! I think it's fun to listen to plant walks personally. Especially as we head into the winter. Takes me back to that beautiful September day in Michigan :)

Here's the description for the walk from the website:

Developing a deep understanding of a few common weeds helps us save the native and less common species for special needs. On this walk we’ll include discussion of the abundance or ecological concerns of the herbs we meet, in addition to the medicinal and edible uses. And probably spend a lot of time on a few common weeds . . . . 

LIKE THE GREAT LAKES HERB FAIRE ON FACEBOOK

A little bit about Betzy...

Betzy Bancroft, RH(AHG) is a teacher, clinical herbalist, gardener, craftsperson and environmentalist who’s had a deep appreciation for the magic of plants since childhood. As Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism's co-director and core faculty, Betzy provides the earth element to the organization’s staff. Plants are truly her friends, and she feels ever inspired by the natural world—all its varied beings and the amazing interconnections and beauty that make up the great web of life. 

 

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An Herbal Education: Options For Learning All You Need To Know by Jesse Wolf Hardin | 18

In today's episode I narrate an excerpt from Jesse Wolf Hardin's excellent book The Plant Healer's Path: A Grassroots Guide for the Folk Herbal Tradition. 

You'll hear the four main ways to go about learning the skill and craft of herbalism. 

“In all cases, however, you will want an education that is in-depth and not superficial, grounded in but not restricted to good holistic science, requiring actual practice, and aimed at personal excellence and effectiveness.”
— Jesse Wolf Hardin
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I hope you give it a listen! If you enjoyed the episode please share or leave us a comment in iTunes. 

On another note...

Wolf and Kiva Rose host one of the BEST herb conferences around. I can't recommend attending the Good Medicine Confluence enough. The next one is in Durango, CO from May 16 - 20, 2018. Perhaps I'll see you there! 

RESOURCES

Your Own Wellness Foundational Herbalism Apprenticeship with Aline Potvin, ND

Listen in as Aline Potvin, ND talks about her apprenticeship in Biddeford, ME. 

Photo Credit: Jaime Lynn Photography

Photo Credit: Jaime Lynn Photography

Foundational Herbalism is a 10 month Herbal Apprenticeship that will meet one Saturday a month from February to November 2018. The dates are as follows: 02/10, 03/10, 04/07, 05/19, 06/09, 07/14, 08/11, 09/08, 10/13, 11/17. Enrollment begins September 2, 2017 and concludes January 31, 2018. 

Become fluent in foundational herbal definitions, terms, and ID strategies: While this isn't a in-depth botany class, we will be covering basic plant structure and ID cues.  Herbal definitions and terms will be reinforced throughout the entirety of the class.

Dig into basic materia medica and develop your understanding of the many layers of medicinal plants: While deepermateria medica will be focus of Year 2 (Greater Applications), as we explore different herbal preps, we will cover the layers of herbs we work with. Students will be expected to conduct self study on the 2 herbs they will be doing greater in-depth projects for. We'll dig into the scientific, energetic, and esoteric lore of the herbs we encounter.

And so much more...

FOUNDATIONAL HERBALISM APPRENTICESHIP

“15 years since I started on my own plant medicine journey, I’m in awe of the model the natural world provides us to become more “whole” humans. You can’t ignore relationships in the natural world. Everything and everyone is connected. I often see people approach their herbalism studies with the intention of treating others. It’s a noble plan. But I can say that knowing myself well and honoring self-care has been the key to my ability to work with others. That’s why self-care and relationship is the essence of my Foundational Herbalism Apprenticeship. This apprenticeship is a very full, experiential 10 months.”
— Aline Potvin

EVENT | Sacred Plant Medicine Retreat in Peru with Bliss Without Bother and Rachelle Robinett

Heal, expand, learn, explore, or return for a life-changing experience with some of the world’s oldest plant remedies in Sacred Valley, Peru.

Friday, February 9, 2018 - Sunday, February 18, 2018
Spirit Plant Journeys
Sacred Valley, Peru

Join Bliss Without Bother and Medicinal Herbal Healer Rachelle Robinett on a 10-day journey with healing plant remedies, ceremonies with local, direct-lineage shaman, and guided tours of sacred sites in cozy lodging with nourishing plant-based meals. Optional activities include yoga, sharing circles, plant baths, and more. This retreat is a carefully curated small-group experience for friendship and camaraderie as we adventure together with powerfully healing herbs.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND RSVP

 

Sacred Plant Medicine Retreat Package

  • San Pedro Ceremony + Group Sharing

  • Four Ayahuasca Healing Ceremonies

  • Sacred Valley Guided Tours

  • Restorative Body Work

  • Cleansing Flower Baths

  • Gentle Yoga

  • Nourishing Ayahuasca Meals

  • Healing Music + Song

About the Organizers:

Bliss Without Bother is a wellness retreat planning service for individuals, wellness instructors, and organizations, offering a variety of services to provide exceptional wellness experiences, making it blissful for all. Because why not bliss without the bother?

Rachelle Robinett, Medicinal Herbal Healer and Complementary & Integrative Health Guide, combines natural approaches to holistic health with functional lifestyle practices for transformative well-being. 

 

REGISTER HERE

Yarrow Monograph by Krystal Thompson | 17

On today's episode I narrate Krystal Thompson's monograph on Yarrow. 

Here's a sampling from her monograph which you can find here: www.herbrally.com/monographs/yarrow

Medicinal Use: Perhaps most famously, yarrow is prized for its benefits to wounds or minor bleeding. Its mild antiseptic and anodyne properties coupled with its ability to coagulate blood and stop bleeding make it the perfect ally in this case. These properties also make it useful in cases of hemorrhoids, post-partum care, bruises, and mouth sores, as well as internal bleeding (4). Yarrow beautifully harmonizes blood circulation and can be beneficial in cases of stagnation such as vericose veins or fibroids, as well as cases of overstimulated blood flow, such as hypertension. It is sometimes considered a skin tonic and can be used in a very effective facial steam to improve complexion through circulation and cooling inflamed tissue. Yarrow can also be protective against topical sun and wind damage.

Yarrow prepared as tea is a wonderful ally in the face of tough colds. Its diaphoretic action makes it especially useful at the onset of fever or in cases of obstructed perspiration (1). Diaphoretic plants “move the circulation toward the surface of the body, helping to cool it off through sweating, and increasing the immunological activity on the “front lines” of the body’s battle against the cold” (6). For these same reasons it is a common plant accompaniment to sweat lodges and other types of therapeutic sweating where the “front lines” of the battlefield can be physical as well as spiritual. Yarrow opens pores and purifies the blood, a great combination for eruptive conditions such as measles, chickenpox, fevers, etc. In TCM, yarrow’s benefits here would be described as tonifying Qi or releasing to the exterior (5). No doubt related to these indications, yarrow also has a reputation for being generally beneficial to kidney disorders.

Yarrow has an additional affinity for the pancreas and the lungs. It can benefit “thick blood,” which occurs when liver or pancreatic function is compromised due to high insulin levels or low digestive enzymes (10). Here, the blood contains more fats and other dense compounds that struggle to move freely through the blood vessels. This causes overexertion on the heart and improper gas exchange within the lungs, which puts stress on the entire body. Yarrow stimulates pancreatic function and boosts blood flow to help avoid these instances, but can benefit the anxiety or insomnia that may follow if thick blood does set in.

For more monographs (40+ as of now) please visit: www.herbrally.com/monographs

You can visit Krystal online at HotelWilderness.com

Let us know what you thought of the episode! Thanks so much for listening. 

Please share this if you feel so inclined :) 

Krystal is the woman behind Hotel Wilderness, a food and project blog focused on bringing healing herbs into the nooks and crannies of our daily lives. She is a photographer with a deep-seated love for food and plant medicine, and can usually be fou…

Krystal is the woman behind Hotel Wilderness, a food and project blog focused on bringing healing herbs into the nooks and crannies of our daily lives. She is a photographer with a deep-seated love for food and plant medicine, and can usually be found happily crafting between the three.

Rachel Burgos of Snakeroot Apothecary is interviewed by Mary Evans of Spirit Speak Tarot | 16

Today's episode we'll hear from Rachel Burgos of Snakeroot Apothecary. She's interviewed by her good friend and fellow magic maker Mary Evans, of Spirit Speak Tarot.

Here's some questions that are asked: 

  • When did Rachel first become interested in herbalism? 
  • How does living in the desert effect Rachel's herbal medicine practice? 
  • What are flower essences? 
  • What are Rachel's opinions on wildcrafting? 
  • How does herbalism aid in being an activist? 
  • And many more... 

This is a super fun interview and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did! 

Show 'em some love on Instagram:

“My strongest education with plants began in Big Sur, California. Living on an isolated mountain above the fog line I began to listen. I connected deeply with manzanita and madrone. Suddenly I was relearning and remembering how to communicate with and learn from animals, plants, rocks and other elements of the earth.

Today I am walking my path and purpose as a clinical herbalist. I am currently living in the small desert town of Joshua Tree, California. I want to respectfully acknowledge that this land is occupied native Cahuilla land.”
— Rachel Burgos
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Cultivating and Caretaking the Ecosystems We Call Home with Sam Thayer | 15

This episode was recorded at the event "Planting the Future: Medicinal Plant Conservation in the Driftless Region" hosted by United Plant Savers on August 12, 2017 in Wisconsin. 

Thank you to Sam Thayer and Susan Leopold for sharing this!

Beyond, sustainable harvest, we look at the long-term future of our landscape, and the special role that plant gatherers have in maintaining its ecology and prosperity. We'll talk about the threats and historical changes to our ecosystems, and discuss strategies to work and grow past them. We can do more than just "reduce our impact"—we can be a positive force to create and maintain vibrant and diverse communities of native plants that are at once productive for us and a paradise for wildlife. Nurturing the land that nurtures us. The Driftless Area will be used as an example for ecological and management concepts that apply everywhere. We'll explore some traditional, mutually beneficial relationships between Native peoples and the plants that support them, and discuss practical techniques for implementing this kind of harmony on our own sacred gathering grounds.

BECOME A MEMBER OF UNITED PLANT SAVERS

Pumpkin Spice: A Deep Dive into the Medicinal Properties of this Beloved Fall Blend with Katja Swift and Ryn Midura | 14

Katja and Ryn are back on the podcast! 

Always love havin' 'em share their wisdom. And this time...we're going deep on the topic of...PUMPKIN SPICE. 

This is a fun episode, y'all. We'll learn which herbs are in this blend. Then, Katja and Ryn break down the medicinal properties of each spice within. 

Hope you enjoyed the episode as much as I did! 

For more on what Katja and Ryn are up to, check out their website: www.commonwealthherbs.com

They've got A TON of offerings, including a BRAND NEW ONLINE PROGRAM. 

Also, feel free to show 'em some love on the socials>> FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM 

If you'd like to be updated on more great herbal content like this, please subscribe in iTunes or your podcast player of choice. 

Fall is upon us...

EVENT | Free Herbalism Project hosted by Mountain Rose Herbs

In today's episode I'm talking about the upcoming event hosted by Mountain Rose Herbs: The Free Herbalism Project. 

This FREE EVENT is taking place this weekend, Sunday October 15, 2017 at the Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, OR. 

This time they're hosting two fantastic guest speakers, Kathleen Maier and Rosalee de la Forêt. These two amazing herbalists are not to be missed! 

“The Free Herbalism Project is an interactive community event with botanically inspired lectures from experts in the field, live music, vendors and plenty of free organic herbal tea! Our goal is to create a remarkable experience for those who wish to delve further into the world of herbalism, wild foods, and natural living. It is one of the ways in which Mountain Rose Herbs hopes to give back to herbalists and our local community.”
— Mountain Rose Herbs

Here's the day's schedule!

11:45am - 12:30pm Live music with Corwin Bolt and the Wingnuts

12:30am - 2:15pm Rosalee de la Forêt - The Language of Herbs

2:15pm - 2:45pm Live music with Corwin Bolt and the Wingnuts

2:45pm - 4:30pm Kathleen Maier - Introduction to Western Energetic Herbalism 

4:30pm - 5pm Live music with Corwin Bolt and the Wingnuts

We hope y'all can join us!

REGISTER HERE

Crafting a Holistic Framework for Abortion with Paris Rae Iha | 13

“Liberation must come from within”
— Sandra Cisneros

Today's episode we hear from herbalist Paris Iha. She focuses on herbal allies for, during and after abortion. She also discusses and dismantles perspectives around the distinction made between abortion and miscarriage and offers a little history lesson on the topic through an herbal lens.

Paris: A woman has already made her decision to have an abortion. Regardless of what that decision looks like, we are there to support her. She may be sister, client, friend; certainly she is maiden, mother and crone. And we are in solidarity with her.

Once someone has reached out and we have committed to being in their support sphere, we are with them through it.

(I use the words woman, she, etc. and sometimes gender neutral people get pregnant too, so being pronoun sensitive, but for purposes my personal connection to abortion story I often use woman or she)

A woman’s womb is potently aligned with the womb of the earth; Her sacred cycle is the earth’s sacred cycle.

“Herbs are a first choice medicine for many women’s health problems…I think herbs act in a particularly impressive way on women’s health because there is a natural affinity between women and the plant world. Plants spring from the heart of earth; they are nourished by the seasons and whims of Mother Nature. Beautiful, strong, and powerful, herbs are in sympathy with women’s spirit… Herbs can also be used to support and nourish the female system when a woman chooses to use allopathic medicine.”
— Rosemary Gladstar

Paris Rae Iha is a clinical herbalist intern and apprentice, wild-crafter, rock-climber, perennial adventurer, activist and artist.

Herbalism has been Paris’ chosen path now for over six years, weaving her passion for healing with just a touch of magic. She believes herbal wisdom to be the birthright of all peoples as it fulfills an intrinsic aspect of human nature—the connection to our wild-ish-ness and the formation of meaningful relationships.

Paris’ first encounters with plants as medicine came when she made a choice to shift her lifestyle to embrace lunar rhythms, thus living more closely with her innate cycles and with the earth as a gardener.

This inevitably gestated Paris into the sphere of the healing agency of plants where she discovered something she had been yearning for; a deeper sense of self through the community of plants, our planet, and of the people who tend to them.

In her practice, Paris seeks to guide her clients in formulating and supporting existing wellness goals, finding their allies, and fostering connection to their innate sense of healing.

Green Path Herb School

Imagine you are walking through the forest near your home. As you look around you, you start noticing the plants growing nearby. Imagine knowing each of these plants; understanding how to use them, when to harvest them and which parts to use. Envision being able to make these plants into medicines such as salves, oils, pills, syrups and tinctures. How would it feel to help others use these herbal medicines for healing purposes?

These are the skills of an herbalist. Are you ready to follow the path less traveled? Are you interested in deepening your connection with plants and the earth? It is time to get excited about plants and awaken your passion for natural healing!

Green Path Herb School empowers students to use medicinal plants for themselves, their families and as professional herbalists. We offer several herb programs designed for the beginning student to the advanced practitioner. Join us on a journey of exploration of medicinal herbs and natural remedies! Students foster a life long relationship with herbs as we explore the healing power of plants and the study of herbal medicine.

We offer classes in Missoula, Montana and have upcoming online classes as well. Our offerings include community herb classes, herbal workshops, wildcrafting trips, online herb certificate classes and programs, a school for training professional herbalists, herb books and lots of free herbal information!

Our three main courses are Herbal Foundations an Herbalist Certificate Program and a Clinical Program. 

GREEN PATH HERB SCHOOL

The Menstrual Map with Elaine Sheff | 12

Menstruation, typically a taboo subject in our culture, can be a rich source of information about health and well-being for both women and their practitioners. But what is normal menstruation? Join herbalist Elaine Sheff of Green Path Herb School to take a deeper look at how to interpret the fertility cycle by creating a menstrual map. This class focuses on hormonal balancing, as well as addressing herbal actions including reproductive antispasmodics, emmenagogues, hormone balancers, phyto-estrogens, progesterone encouraging herbs, uterine astringents, and reproductive tonics.

*This class was recorded at the 2015 Midwest Women's Herb Conference.

The author of several books on herbal medicine and healing, clinical herbalist Elaine Sheff has been passionate about sharing herbal knowledge for over 25 years. Her latest book isNaked: Botanical Recipes for Vibrant Skin and Healthy Hair. Elaine is the Co-Director of Green Path Herb School, located in Missoula, MT, where she strives to inspire and empower students and clients to remember their connection to the earth, the plants and their own healing process. She is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild and teaches workshops both nationally and internationally. As a certified Instructor of the Natural Family Planning and Fertility Awareness Methods, Elaine has helped many couples to avoid or achieve pregnancy naturally. Elaine has written numerous articles about her family’s journey with epilepsy and a special needs child. She has written for publications including the Journal of Medicinal Plants and their Applications, Mamalode and Aromaculture magazine. You can often find her bent over an herb in her garden or marveling at small flowers in mountain meadows with her husband and sons. 

Herbs & Practices for Vata Season with Amanda Stanley | 11

Today we're talkin' about about Vata! 

Amanda Stanley is our instructor for this episode. She is an Ayurvedic herbalist, yogi and reiki practitioner. I loved gaining new insight in this system of herbalism. She has a wonderful way of weaving the philosophy of Ayurveda with practical health practices we could all stand to implement more of in our daily lives.

I got a lot out of this episode and I know you'll come away inspired!

Thanks so much to Amanda for sharing her wealth of knowledge.

If you’d like to reach out to her, you can find her here:

EVENT | Tools for Working with Addiction with Jen Stovall

Today's episode I'm talking about an upcoming event here in my hometown, Eugene, OR. 

New Orleans based herbalist Jen Stovall is on a west coast teaching tour and she'll be making a stop here next Saturday, September 30th, 2017. She'll be teaching the six hour intensive "Tools for Working with Addiction". If you've ever wanted to study with her, this event is not to be missed! 

REGISTER

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Substance use and addiction are pervasive in our culture. As herbalists we need as many tools as possible to address the needs of clients struggling with these issues. This daylong class offers you three practical tools you can use when treating substance use and addiction: herbs, supplements, & ear beads.

In this class, we will explore ways to provide support to clients who want to quit, as well as those who choose to keep using, review the way specific drugs affect certain body systems, and explore how herbs can mitigate these patterns of imbalance. We will focus primarily on the effects and treatment of opiates, alcohol, pharmaceutical sedatives and pain reliever use but will also touch on stimulants. You’ll learn about the history and benefits of the NADA Ear Acupuncture Detoxification Protocol as well as how to use ear beads to stimulate one of the points in lieu of acupuncture needles.

Throughout the class, you’ll be introduced to the basic concepts of harm reduction and trauma informed care as we consider how these models can improve our quality of care. Used together these modalities provide a powerful approach that may be used to support your clients, friends, family, and wider community when addiction is a factor in restoring balance.

The true cost of this class is $60 but we are offering a sliding scale of $45-75 with a $20discount for OM volunteers. Wondering where you might fit along this scale? Read below for some ideas! OM volunteers, contact Mason or Tree for a discount code.

••••••••••••• Sliding Scale Info: We leave this up to you, but here are some helpful hints. You might pay near the high end of the sliding scale if: ~ you have a job with dependable hours and have no dependents ~ you regularly (once a year or more) pay for airline travel for recreation ~ you pay to eat at restaurants (ie not fast food) regularly (once a month or more) ~ you pay to drink at a bar on the regular (once a week or more) You might pay near the low end of the sliding scale if: ~ you are currently unemployed ~ you have a job but care for many dependents and doing so is a strain on your budget ~ you are a full-time student ~ you are a full-time organizer/activist (this list has been adapted from bearteachesyoga.com, thanks, Bear!)

BIO
Jen Stovall works as a Community Herbalist & Health Educator, using a blend of Southern Folk Medicine, Western Herbalism, and harm reduction in her classes and with her clients. She is co-owner of Maypop Community Herb Shop in New Orleans and has a BSN-RN & a NADA Ear Acupuncture Detox Specialist & Trainer license, both of which inform her herbal practice. She has found herbalism to be both a potent tool for pursuing social justice in the world, and a powerful manifestation of the ethical and ideological path she walks in her personal life. She believes that health care should be accessible to everyone and that the most powerful strategy for this is educating and empowering people to choose their own path to health. She is constantly renewed and inspired by witnessing the magic spark that occurs when people are introduced to plant allies through consultations, herb walks, medicine making, & health education.

The 7th Annual MidAtlantic Women's Herbal Conference with Charis Lindrooth

In today's episode we hear from Charis Lindrooth as she informs us all about the upcoming event, the MidAtlantic Women's Herbal Conference. 

September 30th - October 1st
Kempton, PA

Keynotes with Rosemary Gladstar and Susan Leopold! 

Learn more about using, identifying, preparing and growing herbs for yourself, for your family or to help others on their healing path.

Connect with like-spirited women, laugh, sing, dance and be inspired by a great line up of teachers and by each other. Take the day to stretch your mind, enjoy the outdoors and get a rest from day to day stress.

Over 20 workshops on women's health,herbal medicine, gardening, and plant identification. Activities include basket making, fermentation basics, drumming, singing and dancing!

Food offered by local women vendors. Vegan and gluten-free alternatives. Meal tickets are catered by Hive Local Food and include organic, locally sourced, gluten-free and both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.

For more info and to register you can CLICK HERE. 

Demystifying Herb-Drug Interactions with Erika Galentin | Episode 10

Today's episode we hear from Erika Galentin MNIMH, RH (AHG) of Sovereignty Herbs in Athens, Ohio speaking on Demystifying Herb-Drug Interactions.

Many people get very frightened when they think about herbs and drugs interacting with each other. Some even may feel defensive about the idea that pharmaceutical medicine so easily puts herbs in the hot-seat. In this episode you will be introduced to the means by which herbs and drugs may interact with each other, for better or for worse.

You will also learn skills for easier interpretation of scientific research behind these interactions. Also, just a heads up, this episode does contain a bit of colorful language. It's nothing too crazy, though. You've been forewarned! 

I had the pleasure of attending this class at the 2017 Chesapeake Herb Gathering. I recorded it on my phone so the audio quality isn't 100%. That said, it was such an amazing class packed full of important info Erika and I were both really excited to share it with the community.  

If you're on the east coast and looking for a great annual herbal event you gots to check this one out! Molly Meehan of Centro Ashé and her team throw a heck of a gathering. 

Show Erika and Sovereignty Herbs some love on the socials! 

Erika's clinical education, experience, and knowledge are based in both science and tradition. Much of her herbal and clinical rationale is derived from the past and present Physiomedical philosophy, with utmost faith placed upon vix medicatrix naturae, or the healing power of nature. She sees the human body as possessing a vital integrity and intelligence with inherent integrative, reconstructive, and resistive, tendencies. She does not see it as a broken-down machine, lacking the savvy for self-repair; given the right set of circumstances, the right nutriment and encouragement, the human body, your body, is capable of amazing things.

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Making a Winter Syrup with Elderberry (and more!) with Katja Swift and Ryn Midura | Episode 9

Katja and Ryn are back! This time to discuss the winter syrup that they make annually for the upcoming winter season. They always are sure to include elderberry, however they mix it up with various other plant allies depending on what they find growing around them. 

Be sure to tune in to learn about the formulation they made for this year. They also delve into the properties of the many different plants they included. 

This was a fun and informative episode. We hope you enjoy it! 

You can visit Katja and Ryn online at CommonWealthHerbs.com. 

They have many fantastic resources, including both an in-person apprenticeship and online school. 

Go show 'em love on the Facebooks! www.facebook.com/commonwealthherbs

If you enjoyed the episode, an iTunes ranking and/or comment would be most appreciated! Please share the episode with all of your herb lovin' friends. 

Thanks, y'all! 

THE CONTENT ON THIS WEBSITE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL and entertainment PURPOSES ONLY.
it IS NOT INTENDED TO cure, DIAGNOSE, TREAT, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.
THIS INFORMATION HAS NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION.