Applied Herbalism

A few years ago, my best friend of 12 years passed on. She had been my constant companion, confidant, and...

Berries don’t get a ton of credit for their medicinal power. Maybe that’s because they’re so tasty, or because it’s...

Meadowsweet, aka Filipendula ulmaria, has a long history among those who doctor or assist in healing, including Mom’s through the...

There is one that I truly believe encompasses the word balance. Allow me to introduce you to Ashwagandha. Hailing from...

A surprising number of the flowers you’ll find in your local garden center or nursery began their journey with us,...

I like to increase my chances of snatching a little Afternoon Delight by having a few herbal assistants on-hand, strategically...

What do Holy Basil, Tulsi, and Sacred Basil have in common? They're all names for the same herb, Ocimum sanctum....

In my home, we celebrate Dinner with the Dead each Halloween. Our feast includes Ancestors from this lifetime and others...

Full of lactic acid, anti-oxidants, and digestive fire, kvass is an old tonic fermented either from rye bread or beetroot....

Mullein, aka Verbascum thapsus, has long been a favorite respiratory remedy herb. This fuzzy biennial grows happily in sunny places,...

Mullein's soft leaves and strong, tall second-year stalks have forever connected this respiratory herb with the Faerie Realm and swordplay....

Yarrow is one of those dramatic herbs. It heals deep cuts like some kind of miracle plant and can draw...

Blueberries and Bilberries come from the same family, the Vaccinium family, making them relatives of other famous berries like the...

The wonderful thing about using plants for both magic and medicine is the more you work with an herb or...

Traditional Ethiopian peoples knew all about Teff, Eragrostis tef. Somewhere between 3000 and 6000 years ago, the Abyssinia people, ancestors...

Herbalists talk about developing a relationship with the plants they use. Relationship is a lovely way to describe how we...

I had dealt with anxiety before with patients and learned to keep a little bottle of lavender essential oil in...

Traditional Chinese Medicine calls night sweats and hot flashes empty fire because there is little to no earth to support...

Flooding can feel like adding insult to injury. Between Hot Flashes and Night Sweats, Spontaneous Weeping and Irreconcilable Rages, Formication...

Hops have been the bittering herbs for beer for a few centuries now. In more recent years here in the...

Note: The Clinic Memoirs are based on real experiences from Occupy Medical clinic, a free, integrated health clinic that serves...

Take your connection to The Plants to the next level; Get to know the magical qualities of a plant's medicine...

Motherwort, aka Leonurus Cardiaca, is one of our culture's most essential herbs. Why, amid so many other beautiful plants we...