Are You an Herbalist?

Every time I get a new set of apprentices or students, one of the first questions I get asked is “How long does it take to become an herbalist?” This is an interesting question and the answer varies depending on your interpretation of it. Let me tell you my definition of an herbalist:

An herbalist is a person who uses herbs deliberately in their life to enhance wellness for themselves or others.

That’s a pretty broad definition of an herbalist; but that’s because I’m a firm believer that herbs are the people’s medicine, that there ought not be certifying or governing bodies dictating the use of herbs nor the practice thereof. I want my students, from the very beginning, to think of themselves as herbalists. They may only know one or two herbs and how to use them, but that doesn’t make them any less an herbalist.

Basically what I’m saying is it is easy to become an herbalist, but quite another thing to become a knowledgable, confident, and capable herbalist. That requires commitment to the craft, continual practice, and specific education. Using herbs in your every day life or in ways that enhances wellness is wonderful; knowing how and when to use a handful of herbs is commendable; and self-education in herbalism is completely achievable. But, like other specialties,you learn more and learn faster when following a well-laid-out program that is aimed at getting you to the level you want.

When I designed my program I designed it to be what I wished I had when I first started out:

Growing Herbs from a Permaculture Perspective
Anatomy & Physiology
50 herbal monographs
Wildcrafting & Botany for the Herbalist
30 Herbal Preparations
Intro to Western Herbal Energetics
Herbal Therapeutics for each body system
Herbal Recipes including spice blends for cooking
Herbal actions

My Holistic Herbal Program was made for people who are healers at heart but don’t feel confident enough to start giving herbal advice. This is the program for you if…

You are the person other people seek out when they need help (spiritual, physical, relational, emotional)
You seem to always be giving advice no matter where you go
You have a deep desire to help people through the use of plants, but don’t feel confident in your knowledge
You practice a holistic modality like Massage Therapy, Reiki, Life Coaching, Nutrition, and the like and you want to learn how to incorporate herbs
You love walking in nature and have a yearning to learn more about the plants you encounter – how you can work with them on a personal level
You have boxes of herbal teas crowding your cupboards and still buy more!
Every time you see a new herbal recipe you want to try it as soon as you get home
You are a gardener who wants to understand the plants you are growing in a deeper way

Our healthcare (more like sick care) system is in shambles, cancers and other preventable diseases are on the rise; it’s up to us to demand something better. Herbalism feels strange and new not because it is new but because we have separated ourselves from nature in almost every way. We wear shoes separating us from the earth, clothing from head to toe, sunscreen to block out the rays of the sun, skyscrapers to squeeze more people into less space, cars to get us from place to place, and more. We’ve elevated the importance of lab studies and peer-reviewed articles while minimize the contributions of historical texts sharing the wisdom of the ancients. We’ve lifted modern science so high that we have lost sight of the benefits that can be achieved through the plants living right outside our door.

We need a resurgence, a “waking up” to the availability of true holistic health and I know we can achieve this through the understanding of plants and what they have to offer. I am committed to holistic herbal education, one that equips every student with the heart and head knowledge needed to embrace the world of plants as a holistic health modality and ally in our journey through life. People cannot live separated from plants, they are part of who we are, part of the creation story. They harness the energy of the sun, draw nutrients from the soil and water; they produce the necessary components of life for every living creature. Learning about our bodies and about the amazing world of plants gives us the tools necessary to contribute to the health of the earth as well as ourselves, our families and our communities.