Becoming an herbalist is more than just undertaking an online course. It becomes a way you see the world, and a practice. Here are some tips for beginning your journey into herbalism.   - Spend time in nature - You can’t just study plants on a screen, and forget about spending time with them in the physical. You will get to know them in different ways, deeper ways, by going on nature walks and listening to the forest. Keep going back to the same place and getting to know one part of nature more intimately.   - Read books that stir emotions - That being said, when it comes to ..read more

  Summer is in full swing and it’s time to be foraging and collecting herbs from the garden and from wild places. Always remember the honourable harvest; which Robin Kimmerer speaks extensively to.  We’ll explore this topic soon in it’s own post, but for now remember…   To ask permission from the land and the plant Listen to the response Never take the first or last plant you find to ensure there is always more left And use all of the plant   Right now the St John’s Wort’s Hypericum perforatum are flowering down south. These make a great oil infusion for external use! Th ..read more

{{ Herbs & Pregnancy }} . There is a lot of confusion, and sometimes even fear, around taking herbs during pregnancy. Yet herbs have been used during pregnancy since the times of Ancient Egypt. Pregnancy and birth herb-lore is a part of a wise woman wisdom legacy that has been culturally and systematically suppressed, so for this reason it is important that we talk about it. Of course, herbs are powerful, and safety is paramount. There are DEFINITELY herbs to avoid during pregnancy. These include herbs with a stimulating, or downwards-bearing action such as laxatives, emmenagogues (herbs t ..read more

Here’s a few herbs that come to mind when thinking about uterus health and fertility. There are also practices of massage, yoni steaming, sex, diet and hygiene that will play equally important roles in a healthy womb.   The dialogue a woman has with her womb  is also very important, such as how she treats this place in love making, who is welcomed in and what energy and belief systems are behind it all. We have all been impacted deeply by the media and the portrayal of sexuality that many young girls use your sexual energy as a way of receiving what feels like love. This is all stor ..read more

  In the current world we live in, it’s becoming increasingly harder to focus and complete tasks. Our neurotransmitter systems have been hijacked & desensitised by quick and cheap dopamine sources which means showing up to the hard tasks with delayed rewards (aka accounting & tax, creating e-books, writing a novel, finishing uni, producing an album of music etc.) is getting harder and harder. We have become hardwired for the instant.   This is where the brain herbs come in - they can be drunk as a tea, or kept alongside the study desk to be smelt fresh to awaken the mind. Ov ..read more

  THE 6 PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL MEDICINE:::   We’ve finally reached our last natural medicine principle in this series of write ups on the 6 Principles of Natural Medicine. If you’d like to read about the first 5, scroll through out past posts! We’ve covered topics around treating root causes, educating the client, not using treatments that are harmful, and understanding health as nature’s default mode to heal on all levels.   The sixth & last principle of natural medicine is:   PREVENTION : Prevention is the best cure This guiding principle reminds us that it’s not ..read more

  THE 6 PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL MEDICINE:::   Each week we have been exploring a different principle at the heart of the natural medicine modalities of herbalism and naturopathy. Ideally, these are principles at the heart of any healing therapy, as they are ideals that are supportive of life.   The fifth principle of natural medicine is:   DOCTOR AS TEACHER : Docere This guiding principle reminds the practitioner of their role to educate the patient to take responsibility for their own health. The doctor-patient relationship acts to enable the patient to heal thems ..read more

  THE 6 PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL MEDICINE:::   Each week we have been exploring a different principle at the heart of the natural medicine modalities of herbalism and naturopathy. Ideally, these are principles at the heart of any healing therapy, as they are ideals that are supportive of life.   The fourth principle of natural medicine is:   HEAL THE WHOLE PERSON : Tolle Totum Each person is seen as an integrated whole, with all parts of their body working together as one unified consciousness with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects. The harmonious functioning ..read more

  THE 6 PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL MEDICINE:::   Each week we are exploring a different principle at the heart of the natural medicine modalities of herbalism and naturopathy. Ideally, these are principles at the heart of any healing therapy, as they are ideals that are supportive of life. In these discussions we can unpack what healing actually is, and make sure our choices are in line with that.   The third principle of natural medicine is:   IDENTIFY AND TREAT THE CAUSE : Tolle Causam This is a really important principle, which modern medicine is sadly failing at with dange ..read more

THE 6 PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL MEDICINE:::   Each week we are exploring a different principle at the heart of the natural medicine modalities of herbalism and naturopathy. Ideally, these are principles at the heart of any healing therapy, as they are ideals that are supportive of life. In these discussions we can unpack what healing actually is, and make sure our choices are in line with that. Check our last week’s post on the first principle of natural medicine.   The second principle of natural medicine is:   THE HEALING POWER OF NATURE : Vis Mediatrix Naturae As herbalists and ..read more