root to fruit

7/29/2019 Root to Fruit

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Folk herbalism as I use the term refers very

generally to all herbal traditions and practices

utilized by the general population.

Inclusive rather than exclusive. Grassroots,

accessible and sustainable by its very nature.

Professionalized botanical medicine can and

does fit within this definition, as does the

Wise Woman Tradition, indigenous herbal

traditions as well as the particular format I

personally teach within.

Herbalism stops being folk oriented only

when it leaves the hands of the people and

become the inaccessible domain of the elite.


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My style of herbalism is a bioregional

approach to Traditional Western

Herbalism, energetic based and

relationship infused.

By relationships I refer to our

relationships with plants and place,

relationships with those we work with

and with our own body.

Seeing these interconnections can help

us to understand the essential ecology ofhealing and to better see the connections

and patterns so important to healing in

general and herbal medicine in

particular.


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8 Steps to A Balanced Approach

1. Nourish Yourself

2. Work with Local/Sustainable Materials

3. Learn Experientially

4. Share What You Know Generously

5. Help Other People6. Nurture a Network

7. Avoid Elitism and Competition

8. Make Your Passion a Priority


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Growing Your Materia Medica

Focusing on a diverse materia medica of commonly available local plants

is one of the most important elements of an effective practice, whetherwere working only with family members or working at a busy integratedclinic.

Too many of us fall into the trap of only learning general informationabout a small number of herbs. We need to both broaden and deepen ourknowledge of our materia medica based on taste, observation andexperience. This requires constant immersion in the medicine of our herbalallies. It means going beyond the readily available (and often inaccuratesoundbites circulating about each herb and learning what energetics,

actions and specific indications really mean.

If we look to a hundredyearsago, the number of herbs in use, and the knowledgeof those herbs, by professional herbalists, they greatly exceeded what we use today.

Our medical herbal forbearers mastered more herbs than we do today, and also

knew more about each of them. If, say, anherbalisttoday, truly understands abouta hundred herbs, and knows 2-3 clinical things about each of them, we can call

that 250 data bits. If our ancestors learned 365 herbs (more on this below), and

knew 6-8 things about each, then that is more than 2500 data bits, and 90% of

our herbal knowledge has gone down the drain. - Paul Bergner


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The simplest way to achieve this goal is to simply beaware of the issue and work toward knowing each of

your plant allies in depth. There is, of course, a

different between what an herbalist really needs to

know as a practitioner who sees folks on a regular

basis and a home herbalist who is seeing a smaller

number of people and situations.

Your goal should be adapted to fit your context,

bioregion and abilities. The point here is not to set

impossible goals but to work toward a great intimacy

with the medicines were allied with. Look beyond

the expected boundaries and youll be rewarded with

both a profound connection with your plant allies

and improved therapeutic results.

6 Tips For Deepening Your Alliance

1. Focus on one plant at a time - this doesnt meant

ONLY working with that plant, but it does mean

making it a priority, working with it specifically for a

certain amount of time. Its especially great if youcan start out this way and develop deep

relationships with each plant as you add them to

your materia medica.

2. Work with that plant every day in some way.

3. Be sure to sensorily experience the plant in whatever

ways are safe and appropriate. Simply tasting the

different parts of a plant in different seasons andconditions can teach you huge amounts about its

medicine and nature.

4. Research and observe the plants relationship to

other in its genus and family, as well as to its habitat

and plant community.

5. Observe the plant for long enough and attentively

enough that you can create a detailed drawing of itfrom memory. This can take some time to achieve

but the benefits make it well worth the time.

6. As you gain more experience, choose to work with

plants dont necessarily get a lot of coverage in

books, this is an opportunity to learn from an herb

experientially (within the boundaries of common

sense) based on existing uses, taste, observations etc


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Recipes

Gut Healing Tea

This recipe is a general healing infusion/tea suitable for healing gut inflammationfrom conditions such as leaky gut, food intolerances and dysbiosis. It is somewhatcooling and probably best used during the acute inflammation phase and for thosewith hot/pitta constitutions, but the addition of some Rosemary can warm it up

nicely.Ingredients

4 Parts Evening Primrose (Oenothera spp.) flowers, leaves, roots

3 Parts Plantain (Plantago spp.)

2 Parts Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers

1 Part Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) - Optional but very nice to have.

1 Part Peach (Prunus persica) leaves or Rose (Rosa spp.) petals and leaves

1 Part Elm (mucilaginous Ulmus spp.) bark or Mallow (Malva. Althaea and alliedspp.) leaf, root, flower

Parts refer to weight not volume, but with something like this just eyeballing theproportions can work fine.

If making in a quart jar, then add about 1 oz of blended plant material to the jarbefore filling with just boiled water. Cover and let infuse for 20-40 minutes. Honeycan be added if desired. Dose is 1 cup 3x/day or just sip the quart through the day.

Notable Applications/Uses

Healing inflammation and digestive upset from food intolerances (concurrentwith removal of food or foods)

Reducing pain and inflammation from dysbiosis, best used in conjunction withprobiotics and other therapies.


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Evening Primrose Flower Elixir

This is a delicious tasting and fragrant medicine that is both multi-purpose and

reliable. Oenothera flowers of any species should work just fine but those with

the most fragrant flower taste the best and have the most calming medicine.

Harvest near the time when they open for the most aromatics.

IngredientsEvening Primrose FlowersRaw Wildflower (or some other mild variety) HoneyBrandy (the better tasting the brandy, the better tasting the elixir)Canning or other glass jar with airtight lidChopstick or butter knife to stir with

Step by Step

1.Fill jar with flowers, its fine to use the whole flowering top of theplant, instead of just the petals and sepals.

2. Fill jar about a third of the way full with honey, and stir well until theflowers are well coated with honey.

3.Fill jar all of the way full with brandy.

4.Stir thoroughly

5.Top off with brandy if needed.

6.Cover with airtight lid, and let sit in a dark, cool place for 4-6 weeks.

Notable Uses:

Relaxant nervine

Anti-spasmodic

Mucus membrane healer

Digestive tonic

Anti-inflammatory and anodyne for burns (externally)


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Thankyou for listening!

Hugs & Howls to you all,

~Kiva

You can find out more about my offerings at:
http://bearmedicineherbals.com/http://planthealermagazine.com/http://bearmedicineherbals.com/http://bearmedicineherbals.com/http://planthealermagazine.com/http://planthealermagazine.com/http://traditionsinwesternherbalism.org/http://traditionsinwesternherbalism.org/

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