Irish tradition tells of how the great god Manannán, son of the sea, would come bearing a silver branch that could help humans hear the music that wove the world into being and see the sacred dimensions of everything. The late John Moriarty said that developing the capacity for "Silver Branch vision" was the key to transforming our hearts. On the eve of the beginning of the dark half of the year, we gather to speak of Silver Branch Vision and the plants and fungi that can help us cultivate it.
In many parts of Ireland, Samhain was the time when the Rí, the "Sacral King," ritually wed the spirit of the land in the presence of his ancestors, his living kin, and his descendants. Join us as we explore what we know of this ancient tradition, and how animists can breathe life into it today in new ways.
As Samhain approaches, the spirits of the dead are close at hand. Join us as we explore plants like Cannabis, Henbane, and Mugwort that can help us connect with the spirits of the dead, and plants and fungi like Wood Betony, St. John's Wort, and Diamond Willow Fungus that can help keep unwanted spirits at bay.
People dealing with chronic infections like Lyme disease have been dealing with challenges to their cardiovascular health for years. Recently, research on Long COVID has brought medical science closer to understanding how chronic infections affect the heart and the blood vessels -- but conventional medicine has few solutions to offer to ameliorate people's symptoms and challenges. Fortunately, herbs can help. Join us as we explore the role herbs can play in helping to address the cardiovascular dimensions of these chronic infections.
Each of the molecules we call "psychedelic" or "psychotropic" and each of the organisms that produce these molecules is a unique expression of the intelligence of life itself. Once a month, in a series we are calling "Elder Voices," explore one of these medicines and the ways it interacts with human minds. This month, in the fifth class of this series, we will explore the unique nature of Cannabis and its Cannabinoids.
In recent decades, many herbalists have looked to biomedical research about plant constituents to guide their practices. Like any model, the model that biomedical research uses in approaching herbs is useful, but flawed. The model assumes that plants have fixed levels of constituents, that each medicinal plant has one or two "active compounds," that these compounds act like "keys" in the "locks" that are our receptor sites, and that they will act in similar ways in most people's bodies. None of these assumptions is true – but they can provide a framework for generating useful information. Join us as we talk about how to critically evaluate biomedical research about herbs and human bodies.
Grief weighs heavily in so many hearts right now – grief for the world, grief for the nation, grief for the dead, grief for the suffering of those we love. Our wild green kindred from the plant world can be profound allies in helping to move, and move with, grief. We will explore some of the plants that can be especially good companions as we navigate grief.
The shift from summer to autumn can be a challenging time for many people who deal with allergies. We will take a deep dive into the biology of our allergic responses, and look at herbs like Baikal Skullcap and Dan Shen that can address the immunological process underlying our allergic responses and herbs like Goldenrod and New England Aster that can help address allergy symptoms.
Each of the molecules we call "psychedelic" and each of the organisms that produce these molecules is a unique expression of the intelligence of life itself. Once a month, in a series we are calling "Elder Voices," explore one of these medicines and the ways it interacts with human minds. This month, in the fourth class of this series, we will explore the unique nature of Datura.
For our animist ancestors, physical strength was a gift to be used in service to the community. In a modern context, we are coming to understand how building and maintaining muscle mass benefits our endocrine, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and emotional health -- building our physical, mental, and spiritual capacity to blossom in who we truly are and share our gifts with the world. Herbs can play important roles in amplifying those benefits, supporting muscle growth and repair, preventing and healing exercise injuries, and increasing focus and enjoyment during workouts. Learn what herbs can be the best allies for you in your training.
People dealing with chronic infections like Lyme disease and Epstein-Barr Virus have been dealing with brain fog, cognitive challenges, anxiety, and depression for years. Recently, research on Long COVID has brought medical science closer to understanding how chronic infections affect the brain -- but conventional medicine has few solutions to offer to ameliorate people's symptoms and challenges. Fortunately, herbs can help. Join us as we explore the role in brain healing played by medicines ranging from Bacopa to Eleuthero to Psilocybin in helping people living with chronic illness rebuild their cognitive function.
Each of the molecules we call "psychedelic" and each of the organisms that produce these molecules is a unique expression of the intelligence of life itself. Once a month, in a series we are calling "Elder Voices," explore one of these medicines and the ways it interacts with human minds. This month, in the third class of this series, we will explore the unique nature of Amanita muscaria.
