Plant Medicine

I recently emerged from the woods of Maine, after living for 4 weeks at the Blessed Maine Herb Farm School of Herbal Medicine. As an apprentice at the herb farm, I helped as much as I could in the gardens given the abundance of rain bestowed upon us.... I learned so much about the plant world in general, but specifically about the personalities and uses of particular herbs, and how to make medicines. I know that I barely know anything, however I feel so much more confident in my ability to create medicine for myself and my loved ones.

My teacher, Gail Faith Edwards, has an amazing book called Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. The book includes an introduction to the Wise Woman tradition, a section on ceremony and traditional earth-honoring days, a bit on wildgathering, drying herbs, water-based medicines, tinctures and extracts, flower essences, oil-based medicines, and detailed information about the traditional uses of as well as her own personal experience with TREES like apple, ash, birch, cedar, elder, elm, larch, maple, oak, pine poplar, and willow, and HERBS such as agrimony, angelica, basil, blackberry, blessed thistle, borage, burdock, calendula, cannabis, cayenne, chamomile, chaste tree, chichweed, cleavers, coltsfoot, comfrey, corn, dandelion, echinacea, elecampane, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng, goldenrod, goldenseal, horehound, horsetail, hyssop, lady's mantle, lavender, lemonbalm, marjoram and oregano, milk thistle, motherwort, mullein, nettle, oats, pennyroyal, peppermint, plantain, red clover, red raspberry, rose, rosemary, rue, sage, saw palmetto, shepherd's purse, skullcap, St. John's wort, thyme, uva ursi, valeria, violet, wild grape, yarrow, yellowdock, and more.

What I like most about the tradition carried on by Gail is its emphasis on Whole Plant Medicine, and the use of herbs that are common and abundant in the area you live (instead of those from overseas or across the country for that matter).

As Gail states in her book, "I pray that you understand that herbs are not drugs. They carry powers and properties not measurable by scientific means. They are gifts from Great Mother Goddess intended for your spiritual, emotional, and spiritual sustenance... I pray that you open your wild heart and learn to listen to the herbs. They are important friends and allies and have many secrets to share with you."

Another great herb author is Euell Gibbons, whose books, including Stalking the Healthful Herbs, are an incredible resource for wild edible and medicinal plants.

If you are looking to grow herbs, a good resource is Your Backyard Garden: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting, and More, by Miranda Smith.