Herbal Medicine and Your Well-being
Herbal medicine can offer healing on many different levels:
as maintenance for an already healthy lifestyle;
as a boost to the immune system in pre-disease states;
and as an adjunctive ally while using allopathic medicine.
My approach to clinical herbalism
and my connection with the plants that become your medicine:
I have long been concerned with good stewardship of the land,
and intrigued by how much of what we barely notice is good medicine.
I have had the good fortune to deepen into and expand my work,
and spend good quality time with my friends, the plants,
getting to know them better.
We have access to an amazing array of plant allies,
and I am lucky to be able to devote my time
continuing to learn how to support these allies
as they help us heal ourselves.
Many go into the healing salves
that heat or cool or improve circulation.
Some make amazing shampoo.
Others soothe the belly
and shore up the immune system.
They ease the wounds of the past,
and help guide us toward the future.
Many become preventive medicine we eat
to stay healthy and strong in body and spirit.
Working with these beings is to be in relationship with them.
This takes time, patience and deep listening.
It is rare that I wildcraft my herbs but, when I do,
I always choose a healthy stand with many plants.
I never take the first plant I see, no matter how much I want it.
Nor do I take the elder, for she is the wisdom keeper
and the one who must remain to nurture the rest of the stand.
I don’t take the youngest, either, for she still has much to learn.
I always introduce myself, explain why I am seeking their gifts,
ask permission to harvest these beings.
And I wait for an answer.
When the answer is no, and sometimes it is no, I respect that no.
How do I know I have received a yes or a no?
I learn to listen.
I never harvest more than what I need – no more than ten percent of what is there.
I always leave a gift.
And I always use what I take.
These are some of my herbal friends.