Earth Heart Herbal
How Plants Heal
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Herbalism is based on relationships, relationship between plant and human, plant and planet, human and planet. Using herbs in the healing process means taking part in an ecological cycle. This offers us the opportunity to become intimately integrated into the world around us. As we take the plant remedies into our bodies we are awakened to the deeper connection we have to the natural world. The herbs link us into the broader context of planetary wholeness, so while they do their physiological job we can do our planetary one. Many of our illsare born out of our feelings of separation from the earth and our source of life force energy or the divine.
Many popular plants have been broken down into their chemical constituents; these are then individually tested for their effect or similarity to an allopathic drug or product produced by the body itself. Even with all that information much of why a plant really works is not known. I personally hope we never fully find out. It is the mystery of the total synergy of the plant energy, vibration and constituents that create an effect. I am sure you are all aware that many pharmaceutical drugs are derived from plants and herbs (the powerful heart medicine digitalis from foxglove and aspirin from meadowsweet). However to do so a plant is analyzed for what science then determines to be the activeparts and then the pharmaceutical companies synthetically reproduce those chemicals. They are not organic, coming from nature, and often are full of side effects that can be troublesome at best. Why? Because they are not complete, they have not taken into consideration the whole of the plant's intelligence.
The reason plants and herbs heal with no to very little side effects is because they have a natural intelligence and the whole of the plant keeps that balance, it can't be excised and taken apart. When we do so we destroy the plants integrity, intelligence and spirit. Herbalism is truly a holistic approach to health, one that cannot be partitioned into a category and labeled.
Holistic or Allopathic?
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Herbology is the oldest system of medicine known. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates was a famous herbalist and used only herbs, vinegar, water and honey as medicine. While most of the allopathic world has rejected herbology, with some shift in the very recent past, there is no need to have it be an either or. Herbology is completely complimentary to most other systems of medicine including allopathic medicine. Herbology enhances the effect and can often offset some of the negative qualities of other medicine systems. There are times when it is absolutely necessary to choose allopathic as a primary system of healing; and there are times when herbology offers a much more appropriate system. As a modern technological society we have available some of the finest medical technology in the world. We also have the power to choose traditional home health care and less invasive systems of medicine such as herbology whenever it's more appropriate. The availability of these various medical traditions and our ability to make conscious choices form the basis of holistic healing.
When to use allopathic and/or herbal medicine? About 3,000 years ago one of the great minds of ancient medicine, Asclepias of Thessaly suggested the following sequence for use of therapeutic agents: First the word. Then the plant. Lastly the knife.Basically the sequence of medical intervention begins with the least invasive and progresses only if necessary to the most invasive. Beginning with the word, which is the psychological remedy addressing the soul and represents the dialogue between the healer and the patient; progressing to the plant which includes all forms of non-invasive medicine, herbology, hydrotherapy, massage etc. and which is often all that is needed in the majority of cases; and finally resorting to the knife, which includes allopathic medicine, surgery, drug therapy etc.
The Nature of Plants
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Like all creatures of nature, plants have their own natural wisdom. The plant spirits offer a unique system of healing and health care. They grow in abundance around us and offer a marvelous source of food and nourishment. They have medicinal, health, cosmetic, nutritional, culinary, decorative and aromatherapeutic benefits.
The healing nature of the plants has spoken to me for many years. In addition to years of self-taught herbal work I have completed an advanced apprenticeship in herbal medicine at the Sage Mountain Herbal School run by Rosemary Gladstar. I strongly believe that returning to our natural resources for healing on all levels is not only important for us as individuals but as a way to connect us with the greater whole. I hand blend all my herbal preparations with organic or ethically wildcrafted herbs some grown on Earth Heart Farm, and customize herbal treatments for each client.
Ways of Learning to Work with Plants & Use for Healing
In my herbal practice I offer many different venues for clients to experience the healing nature of plants first hand.
- Custom Herbal Program is just that a specific program designed for your individual needs and health concerns. All herbal products are custom blended and ongoing guidance is provided to see you through to your health goals.
- Flower Essences are often a part of the custom program but can be taken on their own for attending to our emotional and spiritual imbalances with the vibrational energy of flowers and plants carefully extracted and blended to your individual profile.
- Herbal Care Products many of our health concerns are common to others. I have a variety of teas, tinctures, salves and aromatherapy blends available to meet many common complaints. Other products are offered just for the pure enjoyment of it!
- Herbal Workshops for those who desire a deeper understanding of the plant world and how to work with herbs for their own healing, educational workshops are offered introducing you to the wonderful world of plant medicine.
