Hailed as a “classic” by leading herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, this botanical compendium provides a wide-ranging history of herbalism and useful guidance for healing with herbs Matthew Wood is one of the United States’ most renowned herbalists and the author of Seven Herbs: Plants as Healers, a watershed book in teaching herbal healing as a part of total wellness. With The Book of Herbal Wisdom, he continues and expands this study, creating a must-read guide for anyone who works in the natural health field or is interested in self-healing with herbs. Wood creates a vast and sweeping history of herbalism, drawing on Western botanical knowledge, homeopathy, Traditional Chinese medicine, and Native American shamanic botany. Detailing the history and use of more than forty plants, he shows how each tradition views a plant, as well as its use in cases drawn from his own herbal and homeopathic practice. An initial section describes signatures, similar, and patterns in these traditions, and elements, temperaments, and constitutions. Wood has two objectives: to demonstrate how herbal medicines are agents of healing and wisdom, and to give the reader a useful catalog of plants for medicinal uses. His clinical observations of his patients bear the wry wisdom of the country doctor; his love of plants is evident in lush botanical descriptions, which show the connection between remedies—whether homeopathic, Chinese, or Native American—and the plants from which they are derived. An introduction to centuries of lore about healing from indigenous traditions, The Book of Herbal Wisdom integrates and describes North American Indian medicine, homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Western herbalism like no other contemporary botanical compendium.
Consulting plant spirits for spiritual and psychological guidance and healing • Reveals how, by communing with the deva or spirit of a plant, we can call forth its medicine without even needing to ingest it • Includes wisdom from the devas of 13 herbs, such as rosemary, datura, and uva ursi • Empowers readers with the tools to develop their own inner resources for healing in relationship with the plant devas around them Each plant has a story to share with us, a healing story to guide us in trying times, a spirit medicine for the New Earth that is presently unfolding. Herbs are some of the most powerful allies we have for these transitional times--we just need to learn how to listen as they share their knowledge with us. In Wisdom of the Plant Devas, Thea Summer Deer reveals a new dimension of herbal medicine, one where the plant’s spirit is consulted for guidance and healing beyond the physical. Examining the botany, modern and traditional uses, history, and folklore of 13 special herbs, such as rosemary, uva ursi, and datura, she shares divinations and messages from their devas, or plant spirits, explaining how these stories carry the herbs into our lives, letting them work their magic on us. Exploring herbal medicine from an energetic perspective, she reveals that by communing with the deva of a plant, we can call on the plant’s physical, psychological, and spiritual medicine and guidance--without ingesting it or even being in its presence. Detailing the sacred space of a Medicine Wheel Garden, whether in a backyard or our imaginations, she connects us with the devas and empowers us to seek our own answers with their much-needed spiritual guidance and divinatory advice. Creating a bridge between botanical medicine and plant spirit medicine, she shows how by coming into community with the devas and co-creating with the world of nature, we can gain tremendous insights to help heal our hearts, our minds, and our spirits and consciously evolve as together we birth the New Earth.
**Unleash the Healing Power of Nature with "Herbal Wisdom"** Discover the age-old secrets of herbal medicine and potpourri crafting with "Herbal Wisdom," an enlightening eBook that guides you through the world of herbs, their uses, and their undeniable benefits. Whether you're a beginner just starting to recognize common herbs or a seasoned herbalist looking to expand your knowledge, this comprehensive guide will transform your approach to herbal crafting and sustainable living. **Chapter Highlights** **The Basics of Herb Crafting** Begin your herbal journey with the essentials. Learn to identify common herbs, navigate the tools and equipment needed, and embrace the rich tradition of herbal wisdom. **Growing Your Own Herb Garden** Unlock the secrets to a thriving herb garden. From selecting the perfect herbs for your needs, to understanding the intricacies of planting, care, harvesting, and storing, you'll cultivate a lush, productive garden that flourishes year-round. **Creating Health Remedies with Herbs** Harness the healing properties of herbs to create powerful remedies. Dive into crafting herbal teas, tinctures, extracts, salves, and balms that promote wellness and natural healing. **Herbal Remedies for Common Ailments** Address everyday health concerns with natural solutions. Explore herbs that support digestive health, relieve stress, enhance sleep, and boost immunity—all through the power of nature. **Advanced Herbal Medicine** Take your herbal skills to the next level. Learn to create herbal capsules, syrups, elixirs, and even poultices and compresses that offer advanced therapeutic benefits. **The Art of Potpourri Crafting** Transform your home with aromatic bliss. Discover the art of potpourri, from choosing the right herbs and flowers to crafting unique blends that infuse your space with delightful scents. **Seasonal Potpourri Recipes** Celebrate each season with tailored potpourri recipes. Create spring and summer blends, fall and winter scents, and versatile herbal sachets that uplift your mood throughout the year. **Aromatherapy and Mood Enhancement** Tap into the power of scents to elevate your emotional well-being. Create scented sachets for relaxation and energizing potpourri for focus and clarity. **Potpourri for Home Decor** Enhance your living space with stunning potpourri displays. Learn creative ways to showcase potpourri in jars, bowls, wreaths, and ornaments, and discover tips for gifting your handcrafted creations. **Combining Herbal Medicine and Potpourri** Merge therapeutic and aesthetic benefits. Blend herbal remedies into potpourri, craft healing sachets, and balance beauty with health. **Herbal Safety and Sustainability** Prioritize safety and sustainability in your herbal practices. Understand essential safety guidelines, ethically source and use herbs, and embrace sustainable crafting methods. **Integrating Herbal Crafting into Daily Life** Make herbal practices a seamless part of your routine. Involve family and friends, host herbal crafting gatherings, and enrich your daily life with the joy of herbs. **Expanding Your Herbal Knowledge** Continue your herbal education. Access further learning resources, join herbal communities and workshops, and experiment with your own recipes. **Personal Reflection and Herbal Journaling** Document your herbal journey. Keep an herbal journal, record your recipes and experiences, and reflect on your growth and discoveries. **Conclusion The Harmony of Herbs** Embrace the long-term benefits of herbal practices. Maintain health and well-being with herbs, and share the joy of herbal crafting with others. "Herbal Wisdom" is more than just a guide—it's your gateway to a healthier, more harmonious lifestyle enriched by the power of nature. Embark on this transformative journey today, and unlock the secrets of herbs for a lifetime of wellness and creativity.
A practical guide to understanding and using Mexican healing traditions in everyday life Arranging ofrendas. Brewing pericón into a healing tea. Releasing traumas through baños and limpias. Herbalist and curandera Atava Garcia Swiecicki spent decades gathering this traditional knowledge of curanderismo, Mexican folk healing, which had been marginalized as Chicanx and Latinx Americans assimilated to US culture. She teaches how to follow the path of the curandera, as she herself learned from apprenticing with Mexican curanderas, studying herbal texts, and listening to her ancestors. In this book readers will learn the Indigenous, African, and European roots of curanderismo. Atava also shares her personal journey as a healer and those of thirteen other inspirational curanderas serving their communities. She offers readers the tools to begin their own healing--for themselves, for their relationship with the earth, and for the people. The Curanderx Toolkit includes more than 25 profiles of native and adopted plants of Baja and Alta California and teaches you to grow, know, and love them. This book will help anyone who has lost connection with their ancestors begin to incorporate the herbal wisdom and holistic wellness of curanderismo into their lives. Take the power of ancient medicine into your own hands by learning simple herbal remedies and practicing rituals for kinship with the more-than-human world.
Discover the healing applications of a wide variety of medicinal plants with this first comprehensive herbal repertory from an internationally known herbalist Expert herbalist Matthew Wood takes the guesswork out of the application of medicinal plants. Here, he provides an invaluable cross-reference of constitutional types, energetic categories, and specific systems—so herbalists can more easily identify the right remedies for a specific condition. Unlike many reference books in which medicinal plants are defined simply by condition or disease name, this book offers tools for differentiating between remedies and analyzing each case in a holistic fashion. While this system of cross-referencing is well known to homeopaths, it is less frequently used by herbalists. The Earthwise Herbal Repertory seeks to bridge the gap between different healing systems, incorporating knowledge from ancient Greek and traditional Native American medicine, nineteenth-century botanical medicine, homeopathy, and modern biomedical research. This definitive repertory proves useful for homeopaths and herbalists, professionals and home practitioners alike.
Unlock the powers of the zodiac -- and benefit fully from the healing properties of herbs. Following the 12 astrological signs, this practical, visually striking, and spiritually uplifting guide features an abundance of plants and herbs associated with the zodiac, along with their traditional uses; contribution to our physical, psychic, and emotional well-being; mystical significance; and folklore. Featured are no-fail methods for companion planting and gardening in tune with the waxing and waning moon, as well as instructions for making herbal compresses, creams, essential oils, potpourris, and teas. Experience the joys of cooking with herbs -- because when it comes to the kitchen, their sweet aroma only adds to the heart of the house.
Herbs and self-care practices shift with the seasons and therefore offer a tremendous opportunity to learn from nature. Our bodies go through the same cycles as the earth, daily, monthly, and yearly. The herbal homestead is a place to practice this art of living that we have become so disconnected from and to consequently reconnect with the cycles around and within us. Connecting and reconnecting with these processes is empowering, enlivening, energizing, and it builds confidence and trust in yourself and your body. Confidence and trust are major markers of health, so this way of life can put us right on our path to health. Herbal homesteading is a call to connect with ourselves, with our own healthcare, and with nature and plants. This connection can make us feel at home— at home within ourselves, at home in nature, and at home in the spaces where we make medicine, heal, and connect with others. You can create an herbal homestead to any extent and be successful, you do not have to have land, a garden, a plethora of herbs, an education in herbal medicine. You can embrace this worldview one day or month at time, plant by plant, one act of self care to the next. You can create your herbal homestead from your urban apartment, you can learn about nature’s processes and the life cycle of plants from the weeds growing through the cracks in the sidewalk —all of these cycles are created equally.
Since 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life.
Popular author and healing practitioner Nancy Arrowsmith takes readers on a fascinating in-depth exploration of the herbal arts. Arrowsmith's friendly voice and vast knowledge of herbal applications, history, and folklore shine through in this herbalism reference work. As entertaining as it is practical, this comprehensive illustrated herb guide covers everything from herb gathering prayers and charms to signatures for fifty powerful herbs. Each herb is described in detail, with tips on growing, gathering, drying, and storing these marvelous plants, as well as their culinary virtues, cosmetic properties, medicinal merits, veterinary values, and household applications. Along with thought-provoking bits of folk history and literary and spiritual references to herbs and nature, this directory includes step-by-step instructions on cooking with herbs and preparing herbal remedies, as well as gardening hints and seed-saving tips.
