From the category archives:

Seasonal

A Few of My Favorite Things

by Kathy on January 3, 2011

Holiday times are for sharing and giving. And in recognition of this generous season I thought it fitting to share two of my favorite product recipes. They are simple, tried and true. You can stow them away for a rainy day or produce them in copious amounts to be gifted to the herbal enthusiasts on [...]

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What About Sustainable Health

by Kathy on May 22, 2009

The approach of environmental sustainability is one of reusing, reducing and recycling energy. This redirection supports a longer and healthier life of our planet, and makes us more conscious consumers and spenders, both energetically and financially. We can take the same approach of redirecting and rebalancing energy with our health. Ill health is a result [...]

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Homemade Gifts Make Scents

by John on March 15, 2009

Gifts that make an impression come in all shapes and sizes. And, while it is nice to give something fancy or electronic, it is also nice to consider something homemade. For things are easy to buy, but the energy we put into something crafted with our own hands is truly lovely. The impression left makes [...]

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Vetiver: Means To A More Tolerant Summer

by John on March 15, 2009

Plants soften the heat of summer. They create a more cooling environment as they don’t absorb and emit heat the way concrete does. And they cool us through our senses. It may be the color of a flower that cools and calms, or the look and texture of the leaves. Perhaps it is the song [...]

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Madison’s Farmers market arrived with spring. The community flocked to greet vendors whose freshly grown food and plants reflected a new and warmer day. Though my trip to the market on the second Sat. of its opening was far from warm, the colorful flowers looked healthy and happy, the herbaceous plants smelled heavenly, and the [...]

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Yellow Dock and the Magic of Spring

by John on February 15, 2009

Magic is an important element in healing. It is as important as the clinical. As humans, we need to believe in our capacity to heal on a magical level, to break the boundaries of the linear and the expected – whether it comes from insight or life’s experiences. Experiencing magic shows us a place where [...]

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Warm Holiday Cheer For Your Feet

by John on February 15, 2009

Before I began my studies as an herbalist, I learned a lesson about treating ailments through the feet. One hot summer night, I played an outdoor concert with the orchestra. The temperature outside that night was in the low 90’s, and it was over 100 on stage. By the end of the evening my head [...]

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Nature is not something we all have a relationship with, but it is something we all experience in our own way. Our bond may be noticing how the weather feels against our skin, watching the birds or tending our gardens. In herbalism, developing a relationship with healing plants is one of the ways we develop [...]

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Tonics for Spring

by John on February 15, 2009

To align the body with nature is a great endeavor. It is a way we become different. We feel ourselves in relation to things differently; we walk differently and begin to see things differently. We get perspective. When we think of sustainability, we think of reusing and redirecting energy in the environment. To align our [...]

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