Education

This category includes herbs that are well known and frequently used in Western Herbalism. The definition of this category is poorly understood. These herbs are often misused because the energetics are ignored. These herbs are often grouped under the vague terms of Detox or Blood Cleanser. What They Are Herbs that support and open the channels of elimination in the body. Our bodies need to eliminate both outside toxins and normal metabolic wastes such as hormones, cellular debris and immune system waste products. Five Primary Organ Systems Involved in Moving Wastes from the Body Lungs - remove carbon dioxide from […] See More

  Before you go any further, let's have a brief chat...This program is for sincere students. (I used the word sincere rather than serious. Levity and a sense of humor help both the learning and the healing processes.)These are people who are committed to learning a craft and a healing tradition to improve your health and that of your family.Becoming skilled in this craft requires time and dedication.This includes calendar and clock time.This includes heart and brain time.The path of acquiring the skills of herbal medicine is life changing for many. Not just for this school but for connecting to […] See More

Here is a list of tools used for the vast majority of the harvesting, gardening and general plant collecting I do for my clinic, the herb school and personal reasons. Keep in mind the variables involved with choosing this type of tool collection. These variables include:1. Personal preference and budget2. Plant parts collected - bark, leaves, roots3. Soil type - sandy, rocky, gravel, mud4. Do you have ready access to a vehicle or are you hiking long distances to the desired plant collecting area?An important feature of my personal tool kit is that it is portable and can be carried […] See More

Water Extraction“Tea”- Infusions and Decoctions The word tea refers to the plant (Camilla sinensis) commonly known as the tea bush. Many types of tea come from this bush including black, green, Chinese, Darjeeling and others. In everyday English, tea is used to refer to many hot water beverages made with a variety of plants. These are more accurately labeled infusions and decoctions. While it is possible to use fresh herbs for tea, this beverage is customarily prepared with dried plant matter. The drying and wetting of plant matter works to break down the internal structure of the plant, releasing its […] See More

Know the Water SourcesThese may be springs, seeps, tanks, ponds, seasonal run-offs or perennial streams.In arid country, both the diversity and quantity of flora increase near water.Explore canyon bottoms.There are many arroyos and mostly dry drainages in arid country.Even these areas that appear bone dry most of the year, they receive extra precipitation from snowmelt runoff and summer monsoons.These low points are cooler and wetter because they are in shade for greater periods each day and cooler air sinks.An area may have aspen along the drainage bottom with yucca, piñon or cactus just a few feet higher in full sun.Know […] See More

Tinctures can also be called : Alcohol-Water Extractions or Hydro-Ethanol Extracts Vocabulary1. Menstruum - any fluid used to extract therapeutic properties from plants. Usually a water-alcohol mix.2. Marc - the herb being extracted3. Maceration - the soaking of the marc in the menstruum. The final product will be a mixture of water and alcohol. This is used because some chemical constituents are water soluble and some are alcohol soluble. When using fresh plants, the juice of the plant provides the water so pure alcohol (Everclear) is added. When using dried herbs, the plant has no moisture so the menstruum must […] See More

One of the key challenges in the successful use of herbs is actually ingesting the plant preparation, known as compliance. This is a basic issue and one that often gets overlooked. Regardless of the quality of the herb or the herbal tradition from which it is given, herbal medicine will not be successful if the client doesn’t actually use the herbs. For many people, the first visit to an herbalist, whether a formal consult or a family friend, is a walk on the wild side. This is a new form of healthcare. The person may be unsure about what to […] See More

The following herb formulas are some of the blends that I have used with good success over the years. They are shared here in the hope you find them helpful also. 1. Catnip Leaf (Nepeta cataria) + Fennel Seed (Foeniculum vulgare)Use equal parts whole fennel seed and catnip leaf. I prefer to store the fennel seed whole and lightly grind just before using to better preserve the aromatic quality of the seeds. This blend is soothing and calming to an upset stomach yet the aromatics of fennel support the digestive process without being too hot. Add one healing teaspoon to […] See More

Herbal Balls are a lesser known but very effective way to take herbs. The method allows for much creativity. It takes herbal medicine into the food realm and can be good for people who are resistant to taking bad tasting teas and tinctures. The basics are to mix a nut butter with either an oil (usually coconut) or a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or honey. The ratio is determined by how thick or thin you desire the final product. Some of the recipes below use just honey to hold the powder together. Add powdered herbs of your choice depending […] See More