Pumpkin Spice: A Deep Dive into the Medicinal Properties of this Beloved Fall Blend with Katja Swift and Ryn Midura | 14

Katja and Ryn are back on the podcast! 

Always love havin' 'em share their wisdom. And this time...we're going deep on the topic of...PUMPKIN SPICE. 

This is a fun episode, y'all. We'll learn which herbs are in this blend. Then, Katja and Ryn break down the medicinal properties of each spice within. 

Hope you enjoyed the episode as much as I did! 

For more on what Katja and Ryn are up to, check out their website: www.commonwealthherbs.com

They've got A TON of offerings, including a BRAND NEW ONLINE PROGRAM

Also, feel free to show 'em some love on the socials>> FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM 

If you'd like to be updated on more great herbal content like this, please subscribe in iTunes or your podcast player of choice. 

Fall is upon us...

EVENT | Free Herbalism Project hosted by Mountain Rose Herbs

In today's episode I'm talking about the upcoming event hosted by Mountain Rose Herbs: The Free Herbalism Project. 

This FREE EVENT is taking place this weekend, Sunday October 15, 2017 at the Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, OR. 

This time they're hosting two fantastic guest speakers, Kathleen Maier and Rosalee de la Forêt. These two amazing herbalists are not to be missed! 

The Free Herbalism Project is an interactive community event with botanically inspired lectures from experts in the field, live music, vendors and plenty of free organic herbal tea! Our goal is to create a remarkable experience for those who wish to delve further into the world of herbalism, wild foods, and natural living. It is one of the ways in which Mountain Rose Herbs hopes to give back to herbalists and our local community.
— Mountain Rose Herbs

Here's the day's schedule!

11:45am - 12:30pm Live music with Corwin Bolt and the Wingnuts

12:30am - 2:15pm Rosalee de la Forêt - The Language of Herbs

2:15pm - 2:45pm Live music with Corwin Bolt and the Wingnuts

2:45pm - 4:30pm Kathleen Maier - Introduction to Western Energetic Herbalism 

4:30pm - 5pm Live music with Corwin Bolt and the Wingnuts

We hope y'all can join us!

REGISTER HERE

Crafting a Holistic Framework for Abortion with Paris Rae Iha | 13

Liberation must come from within
— Sandra Cisneros

Today's episode we hear from herbalist Paris Iha. She focuses on herbal allies for, during and after abortion. She also discusses and dismantles perspectives around the distinction made between abortion and miscarriage and offers a little history lesson on the topic through an herbal lens.

Paris: A woman has already made her decision to have an abortion. Regardless of what that decision looks like, we are there to support her. She may be sister, client, friend; certainly she is maiden, mother and crone. And we are in solidarity with her.

Once someone has reached out and we have committed to being in their support sphere, we are with them through it.

(I use the words woman, she, etc. and sometimes gender neutral people get pregnant too, so being pronoun sensitive, but for purposes my personal connection to abortion story I often use woman or she)

A woman’s womb is potently aligned with the womb of the earth; Her sacred cycle is the earth’s sacred cycle.

Herbs are a first choice medicine for many women’s health problems…I think herbs act in a particularly impressive way on women’s health because there is a natural affinity between women and the plant world. Plants spring from the heart of earth; they are nourished by the seasons and whims of Mother Nature. Beautiful, strong, and powerful, herbs are in sympathy with women’s spirit… Herbs can also be used to support and nourish the female system when a woman chooses to use allopathic medicine.
— Rosemary Gladstar

Paris Rae Iha is a clinical herbalist intern and apprentice, wild-crafter, rock-climber, perennial adventurer, activist and artist.

Herbalism has been Paris’ chosen path now for over six years, weaving her passion for healing with just a touch of magic. She believes herbal wisdom to be the birthright of all peoples as it fulfills an intrinsic aspect of human nature—the connection to our wild-ish-ness and the formation of meaningful relationships.

Paris’ first encounters with plants as medicine came when she made a choice to shift her lifestyle to embrace lunar rhythms, thus living more closely with her innate cycles and with the earth as a gardener.

This inevitably gestated Paris into the sphere of the healing agency of plants where she discovered something she had been yearning for; a deeper sense of self through the community of plants, our planet, and of the people who tend to them.

In her practice, Paris seeks to guide her clients in formulating and supporting existing wellness goals, finding their allies, and fostering connection to their innate sense of healing.

Green Path Herb School

Imagine you are walking through the forest near your home. As you look around you, you start noticing the plants growing nearby. Imagine knowing each of these plants; understanding how to use them, when to harvest them and which parts to use. Envision being able to make these plants into medicines such as salves, oils, pills, syrups and tinctures. How would it feel to help others use these herbal medicines for healing purposes?

These are the skills of an herbalist. Are you ready to follow the path less traveled? Are you interested in deepening your connection with plants and the earth? It is time to get excited about plants and awaken your passion for natural healing!

Green Path Herb School empowers students to use medicinal plants for themselves, their families and as professional herbalists. We offer several herb programs designed for the beginning student to the advanced practitioner. Join us on a journey of exploration of medicinal herbs and natural remedies! Students foster a life long relationship with herbs as we explore the healing power of plants and the study of herbal medicine.

We offer classes in Missoula, Montana and have upcoming online classes as well. Our offerings include community herb classes, herbal workshops, wildcrafting trips, online herb certificate classes and programs, a school for training professional herbalists, herb books and lots of free herbal information!

Our three main courses are Herbal Foundations an Herbalist Certificate Program and a Clinical Program. 

GREEN PATH HERB SCHOOL

The Menstrual Map with Elaine Sheff | 12

Menstruation, typically a taboo subject in our culture, can be a rich source of information about health and well-being for both women and their practitioners. But what is normal menstruation? Join herbalist Elaine Sheff of Green Path Herb School to take a deeper look at how to interpret the fertility cycle by creating a menstrual map. This class focuses on hormonal balancing, as well as addressing herbal actions including reproductive antispasmodics, emmenagogues, hormone balancers, phyto-estrogens, progesterone encouraging herbs, uterine astringents, and reproductive tonics.

*This class was recorded at the 2015 Midwest Women's Herb Conference.

The author of several books on herbal medicine and healing, clinical herbalist Elaine Sheff has been passionate about sharing herbal knowledge for over 25 years. Her latest book isNaked: Botanical Recipes for Vibrant Skin and Healthy Hair. Elaine is the Co-Director of Green Path Herb School, located in Missoula, MT, where she strives to inspire and empower students and clients to remember their connection to the earth, the plants and their own healing process. She is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild and teaches workshops both nationally and internationally. As a certified Instructor of the Natural Family Planning and Fertility Awareness Methods, Elaine has helped many couples to avoid or achieve pregnancy naturally. Elaine has written numerous articles about her family’s journey with epilepsy and a special needs child. She has written for publications including the Journal of Medicinal Plants and their Applications, Mamalode and Aromaculture magazine. You can often find her bent over an herb in her garden or marveling at small flowers in mountain meadows with her husband and sons. 

Herbs & Practices for Vata Season with Amanda Stanley | 11

Today we're talkin' about about Vata! 

Amanda Stanley is our instructor for this episode. She is an Ayurvedic herbalist, yogi and reiki practitioner. I loved gaining new insight in this system of herbalism. She has a wonderful way of weaving the philosophy of Ayurveda with practical health practices we could all stand to implement more of in our daily lives.

I got a lot out of this episode and I know you'll come away inspired!

Thanks so much to Amanda for sharing her wealth of knowledge.

If you’d like to reach out to her, you can find her here:

EVENT | Tools for Working with Addiction with Jen Stovall

Today's episode I'm talking about an upcoming event here in my hometown, Eugene, OR. 

New Orleans based herbalist Jen Stovall is on a west coast teaching tour and she'll be making a stop here next Saturday, September 30th, 2017. She'll be teaching the six hour intensive "Tools for Working with Addiction". If you've ever wanted to study with her, this event is not to be missed! 

REGISTER

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Substance use and addiction are pervasive in our culture. As herbalists we need as many tools as possible to address the needs of clients struggling with these issues. This daylong class offers you three practical tools you can use when treating substance use and addiction: herbs, supplements, & ear beads.

In this class, we will explore ways to provide support to clients who want to quit, as well as those who choose to keep using, review the way specific drugs affect certain body systems, and explore how herbs can mitigate these patterns of imbalance. We will focus primarily on the effects and treatment of opiates, alcohol, pharmaceutical sedatives and pain reliever use but will also touch on stimulants. You’ll learn about the history and benefits of the NADA Ear Acupuncture Detoxification Protocol as well as how to use ear beads to stimulate one of the points in lieu of acupuncture needles.

Throughout the class, you’ll be introduced to the basic concepts of harm reduction and trauma informed care as we consider how these models can improve our quality of care. Used together these modalities provide a powerful approach that may be used to support your clients, friends, family, and wider community when addiction is a factor in restoring balance.

The true cost of this class is $60 but we are offering a sliding scale of $45-75 with a $20discount for OM volunteers. Wondering where you might fit along this scale? Read below for some ideas! OM volunteers, contact Mason or Tree for a discount code.

••••••••••••• Sliding Scale Info: We leave this up to you, but here are some helpful hints. You might pay near the high end of the sliding scale if: ~ you have a job with dependable hours and have no dependents ~ you regularly (once a year or more) pay for airline travel for recreation ~ you pay to eat at restaurants (ie not fast food) regularly (once a month or more) ~ you pay to drink at a bar on the regular (once a week or more) You might pay near the low end of the sliding scale if: ~ you are currently unemployed ~ you have a job but care for many dependents and doing so is a strain on your budget ~ you are a full-time student ~ you are a full-time organizer/activist (this list has been adapted from bearteachesyoga.com, thanks, Bear!)

BIO
Jen Stovall works as a Community Herbalist & Health Educator, using a blend of Southern Folk Medicine, Western Herbalism, and harm reduction in her classes and with her clients. She is co-owner of Maypop Community Herb Shop in New Orleans and has a BSN-RN & a NADA Ear Acupuncture Detox Specialist & Trainer license, both of which inform her herbal practice. She has found herbalism to be both a potent tool for pursuing social justice in the world, and a powerful manifestation of the ethical and ideological path she walks in her personal life. She believes that health care should be accessible to everyone and that the most powerful strategy for this is educating and empowering people to choose their own path to health. She is constantly renewed and inspired by witnessing the magic spark that occurs when people are introduced to plant allies through consultations, herb walks, medicine making, & health education.

The 7th Annual MidAtlantic Women's Herbal Conference with Charis Lindrooth

In today's episode we hear from Charis Lindrooth as she informs us all about the upcoming event, the MidAtlantic Women's Herbal Conference

September 30th - October 1st
Kempton, PA

Keynotes with Rosemary Gladstar and Susan Leopold! 

Learn more about using, identifying, preparing and growing herbs for yourself, for your family or to help others on their healing path.

Connect with like-spirited women, laugh, sing, dance and be inspired by a great line up of teachers and by each other. Take the day to stretch your mind, enjoy the outdoors and get a rest from day to day stress.

Over 20 workshops on women's health,herbal medicine, gardening, and plant identification. Activities include basket making, fermentation basics, drumming, singing and dancing!

Food offered by local women vendors. Vegan and gluten-free alternatives. Meal tickets are catered by Hive Local Food and include organic, locally sourced, gluten-free and both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.

For more info and to register you can CLICK HERE

Demystifying Herb-Drug Interactions with Erika Galentin | Episode 10

Today's episode we hear from Erika Galentin MNIMH, RH (AHG) of Sovereignty Herbs in Athens, Ohio speaking on Demystifying Herb-Drug Interactions.

Many people get very frightened when they think about herbs and drugs interacting with each other. Some even may feel defensive about the idea that pharmaceutical medicine so easily puts herbs in the hot-seat. In this episode you will be introduced to the means by which herbs and drugs may interact with each other, for better or for worse.

You will also learn skills for easier interpretation of scientific research behind these interactions. Also, just a heads up, this episode does contain a bit of colorful language. It's nothing too crazy, though. You've been forewarned! 

I had the pleasure of attending this class at the 2017 Chesapeake Herb Gathering. I recorded it on my phone so the audio quality isn't 100%. That said, it was such an amazing class packed full of important info Erika and I were both really excited to share it with the community.  

If you're on the east coast and looking for a great annual herbal event you gots to check this one out! Molly Meehan of Centro Ashé and her team throw a heck of a gathering. 

Show Erika and Sovereignty Herbs some love on the socials! 

Erika's clinical education, experience, and knowledge are based in both science and tradition. Much of her herbal and clinical rationale is derived from the past and present Physiomedical philosophy, with utmost faith placed upon vix medicatrix naturae, or the healing power of nature. She sees the human body as possessing a vital integrity and intelligence with inherent integrative, reconstructive, and resistive, tendencies. She does not see it as a broken-down machine, lacking the savvy for self-repair; given the right set of circumstances, the right nutriment and encouragement, the human body, your body, is capable of amazing things.

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Making a Winter Syrup with Elderberry (and more!) with Katja Swift and Ryn Midura | Episode 9

Katja and Ryn are back! This time to discuss the winter syrup that they make annually for the upcoming winter season. They always are sure to include elderberry, however they mix it up with various other plant allies depending on what they find growing around them. 

Be sure to tune in to learn about the formulation they made for this year. They also delve into the properties of the many different plants they included. 

This was a fun and informative episode. We hope you enjoy it! 

You can visit Katja and Ryn online at CommonWealthHerbs.com

They have many fantastic resources, including both an in-person apprenticeship and online school. 

Go show 'em love on the Facebooks! www.facebook.com/commonwealthherbs

If you enjoyed the episode, an iTunes ranking and/or comment would be most appreciated! Please share the episode with all of your herb lovin' friends. 

Thanks, y'all! 

Mycelium Mysteries: A Women's Mushroom Retreat

Join Lauren Cahillane with Midwest Women's Herbal as she discusses their upcoming fall event Mycelium Mysteries: A Women's Mushroom Retreat

October 6th - 8th, 2017
Almond, WI

This event looks just FANTASTIC! 

Here's what it's all about...

This weekend-long, women's retreat will focus on understanding fungi as the Grandmothers of our ecosystems. Workshops will be offered at the beginner through advanced levels, and include topics in wild mushroom skills, fungal ecology, fungi and human health, and ethnomycology. This is a place to share knowledge and get comfortable with using our mycological skills in a supportive, fungal community!

Check out THE PRESENTERS HERE.

The keynotes are going to be awesome:

Mycophilia - a story of community, and how mushrooms can be the window by which we can understand nature, and ourselves, in a deeper way .  ~ with Eugenia Bone, author and food journalist

Fungal HERstory - explore with us the connections between the feminine and the fungal, in mythology and in science, from cultures all around the world. ~ with Alanna Burns & Mara Fae Penfil.

For more info on this event and to register, here's the link: www.midwestwomensherbal.com/mushrooms

Thanks to Lauren and Midwest Women's Herbal for taking the time to share this wonderful event that they are hosting! I hope y'all are able to make it. 

Tulsi Monograph by Ruthie Hayes | Episode 8

On today's episode I narrate herbalist Ruthie Hayes monograph on Tulsi (AKA holy basil). 

Here's a sampling from her monograph which you can find here: www.herbrally.com/monographs/tulsi-rh

Herblore + Tradition: Tulsi is native to India and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for well over 5,000 years.  It is the most sacred of plants in Hinduism, essential in the ritual worship of Vishnu and Krishna.  Tulsi is believed to be the earthly incarnation of the Divine Mother, Tulasi, and the doorway between heaven and earth.  A tea of the leaves is often given to the dying to guide their soul from this world to the next.  The wood of the tulsi plant is used in the making of mala beads which are used in meditation and prayer.  Traditionally, the mala consists of 108 beads, one for each time the mantra or name of the deity is prayed or chanted.  In sacred places, tulsi can be seen growing in its own altar where offerings and prayers can be made to the plant.

There are strict rules for harvesting tulsi leaves, and forgiveness from the plant must be asked first.  The powder of the root in milk, ghee, or as a decoction was a treatment for malarial fever, bug bites, and to increase sexual stamina.  It has also been used traditionally to remedy the cognitive effects of excessive cannabis use.  The seeds mixed with water, juice, or milk was a traditional remedy for low energy and stomach/digestive problems.  Tulsi is also a popular herb in Thai cooking.  It’s used as a potherb, in making cheeses, liqueurs, in salads, rice, jellies, and a sherbert is often prepared from an infusion of the leaves.

For more monographs (40+ as of now) please visit: www.herbrally.com/monographs

You can visit Ruthie online at MotherHylde.com.

Let us know what you thought of the episode! Thanks so much for listening. 

Please share this if you feel so inclined :) 

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Ruthie Hayes studies and practices the art of herbalism from her home in the wooded hills of southeastern Pennsylvania.  It’s there that she tends her earthspace with her husband and two sons.  Her passion is to reconnect with and integrate traditional methods of healing into our modern lives. She is the sole proprietress of Mother Hylde’s Herbal and has been studying folk and clinical herbalism since 2012.  You can connect with her through motherhylde.com where you can read her writings, find her handmade remedies, and request herbal consultations.  

Trauma, the Gut, and Healing: Building Deep Resiliency with Jon Keyes | Episode 7

On today's episode we'll hear from Portland, OR counselor and herbalist Jon Keyes. He teaches us about the connection between mental health and gut health as well as the connection to trauma.

Jon also covers various protocols we can use including herbal allies. This is a super important episode! I gained a lot of insight and I hope you do as well. Please share if you know someone who would benefit from this info.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Jon! 

The Importance of Coaching Skills in Herbalism with Lori Rose, PhD | Episode 6

"First the word, then the plant, and lastly the knife"

On today's episode, herbalist Lori Rose discusses the importance of integrating nutrition and coaching skills with clinical herbalism. She also talks about the holistic wellness program at Hill College where she teaches herbalism and coaching. 

For more info on what she's up to you can visit her at several places:

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How to be a Successful Herbalist with Katja Swift and Ryn Midura (Episode 4)

Katja Swift and Ryn Midura join us again to talk about how to be a successful herbalist. They run an herbal apprenticeship in Brookline, MA and offer distance learning courses as well. To find out what they're up to, visit www.commonwelathherbs.com

If you're not in the northeast and you're looking for an herbalism school, visit www.herbrally.com/schools

If you're just gettin' goin' on your path, a great place to start would be to attend an event! There's tons of events happening all of the United States. To find one in your neck of the woods, go here: www.herbrally.com/events

Please let us know what you thought about the podcast. Thanks for listening!

Moringa Monograph by Nick Moya (Episode 3)

On this episode I narrate herbalist Nick Moya's moringa monograph

I love his perspective because he gives such a balanced (non-hyped) approach to this wonderful and useful plant. If you loved this as much as I did I recommend his burdock monograph as well. 

Please let us know what you think! If you don't want to miss an episode of the HerbRally podcast you can subscribe in iTunes. 

Nick is the creator of OsoMoya, an online Etsy shop focused on creating high quality herbal wares and medicinal mushroom extracts. He studied herbalism, wildcrafting and botany at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies in Eugene, OR.

Nick is the creator of OsoMoya, an online Etsy shop focused on creating high quality herbal wares and medicinal mushroom extracts. He studied herbalism, wildcrafting and botany at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies in Eugene, OR.

Why Herbalism Matters with Gabby Allen (Episode 2)

Join Gabby Allen as she discusses why herbalism matters. She wrote a blog post for HerbRally with the same title. This episode of the podcast is her NARRATING THAT POST

There will be more blog and plant monograph narrations to come! 

To read more of Gabby's writing, I recommend her COTTONWOOD MONOGRAPH

You can follow her on Instagram @gabbytheladyram

Please let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you in iTunes reviews. 

Gabby Allen is a student herbalist, writer, artist, and work-at-home mother currently residing in Roseburg, Oregon. She has spent the last four or so years on mostly self-study, and aspires towards higher education, and a career focused on holistic …

Gabby Allen is a student herbalist, writer, artist, and work-at-home mother currently residing in Roseburg, Oregon. She has spent the last four or so years on mostly self-study, and aspires towards higher education, and a career focused on holistic support of women's health. As a mother of two adventurous boys, she frequently finds uses for the plethora of medicine and nourishment around her, and continually seeks out methods and wisdom she may apply to her family's wellness, as well as ways to aid in the support of plant allies. She attempts steps everyday towards balance and integration between and among her passions. Gabby is also completely enamored with fermentation, is an organic gardening enthusiast, and budding seeker of wild foods. For more from Gabby you can visit her at GabbyLynnAllen.com.

How to Start a Free Herbal Clinic with Katja Swift and Ryn Midura (Episode 1)

Join Katja Swift and Ryn Midura from the Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalism as they discuss the free clinic they started in Brookline, MA. They go over the finer details of creating a clinic, along with some of the pain points (i.e. burnout, funding, etc.).  Thanks to Katja and Ryn for taking the time to share their expertise! You can visit them online to find out about more of what they're up to at CommonWealthHerbs.com. Be sure and check out their in-person apprenticeship program as well as all of the distance learning opportunities.