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by Patrice Green We are just a few days away from the next Herbstalk, arguably one of my favorite weekends of the year. If you’ve never been to this wonderful event I ask, “What are you waiting for?” The classes are wonderful, the sense of community created by Steph, Henry and Catherine is unlike any other, and the marketplace is filled with fabulous herbal products made by some of my favorite people. In its sixth year it now feels more like a great herbal reunion, a chance to catch up with old friends and former classmates. It’s an opportunity to learn, explore and experience herbal medicine in a fun, friendly, warm environment.  This year I’m honored to teach about one of my dearest plant allies, the beautiful rose, in an experiential class. There are many ways to learn about a plant. You can study it through the writings of other herbalists. You can research its historical use. You can learn about its constituents, and read about any clinical studies done on the plant. All of that information is wonderful to have and certainly will give you a great body of knowledge about any plant, but my feeling is that the best way to really, truly know a plant requires that you get your hands dirty. Buy some seeds or a plant from a reputable grower and plant it in your garden – even if your garden is a pot on your front steps due to space limitations. Tend the plant, watch it grow. Observe how it responds in sunlight, extreme temperatures, and the blooming cycle of its flowers. Learn about how the doctrine of signatures might apply. Take notes on it, sketch the plant. To fully know someone is to know all aspects of the person. Plants are no different. They can be used medicinally in a variety of ways. Here are a few: teas, tinctures, elixirs, glycerides, essential oils or absolutes, and flower essences. Spend some time making medicine with the plant. If you’re using a plant like Tulsi/Holy Basil, which has a few varieties, make a tea with each and work with them one at a time. In the case of Tulsi, I recently did just that with the Krishna, Rama and Kapoor varieties. Working with each separately was a revelation: I found that the Krishna variety has a real edge to it, an aggressiveness, while the Kapoor is very light, gentle and uplifting. Rama sits somewhere in between. At various times, you might need something a little edgier, so would benefit more from using Krishna or Rama than Kapoor, but you wouldn’t know that unless you’d tried all three individually so you’d know how their energetics differ.
Choose various menstruums. Make a glyceride, a tincture and a vinegar. Experience the differences of each. Experiment and take notes. Use the essential oil of the plant in a diffuser or aromatherapy blend. Use the flower essence. Observe how you feel when you use it, what parts of your body or spirit respond to the plant. Meditate or journey to the plant. Ask what lessons it has for you, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Wait for the answers. Take notes on your meditations and journeys, then work with the plant to deepen your understanding of its myriad gifts. While there is a left brain component to herbalism, I prefer to learn about plants from a right brain perspective, as to me, herbalism is an experiential process. Studying a plant energetically, through meditation and journeying offers direct access to the spirit of the plant itself. A skillful teacher, books, studies can all give you great information about a plant, but the best teacher is the plant itself, with the human teacher acting as a mediator or facilitator to the student’s relationship with the plant. This requires the student’s willingness to go on an inward journey, to be still and wait for the lessons the plant has to offer to be revealed. I hope to see you at this year’s Herbstalk, and maybe even to have the good fortune to share class space with you! Until then, many blessings!   Patrice’s holistic journey started in 2010 when she began a mentorship practice with master healer Catherine Miller. Within six months, a transformative experience among the coastal redwoods of Muir Woods and its beach inspired further studies, eventually leading to the foundation of Green Aromatics, a holistic practice offering education and consultations in many healing modalities. Patrice is a cum laude graduate of Boston College and received her herbal training from The Boston School of Herbal Studies. A certified aromatherapist, herbalist, and flower essence practitioner, Patrice also incorporates reiki, energy healing and shamanic techniques into her work. She is a regular contributor to the Herbstalk blog and teaches at various locations in Eastern Massachusetts.
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