Education

You may have felt stirrings from deep within, you may not know why you are drawn to plants, but you've read books, you've used plants to cure yourself and others of fevers, of cuts and bruises, etc. You know that plants can heal and you may have an inkling that they are capable of making profound changes in the lives of people; that they can heal on a very deep level. You know that you are a plant person. But how do you continue on this path?

Plant Teachers

Our society has only been separated from the natural world for a short period of time. Depending on your family history, perhaps only one or two generations. Maybe you have never been separated−you may have mothers or grandmothers, fathers or grandfathers who are or were plant people, and they imparted some of their wisdom to you and inspired you on this path. Maybe you were never enticed to give up your experience of the magic. Whatever the case, you have been called to reestablish a connection with the plant kingdom.

There is a common thread that links all plant people: We converse with and listen to what the plants have to teach.

For years, anthropologists have been positing various theories for years about how people have gained knowledge of the healing properties of plants. All of these ideas probably have some validity (e.g. watching which plants animals eat, randomly testing plants to see what happens, etc.,) but very few anthropologists have ever taken seriously the notion that it is the plants themselves that teach their uses to people. This is more than just a poetic device. It is something accesible to all. It is our birthright−a gateway to a wholly different way of seeing the world around us in which we perceive directly with our hearts. There is nothing to find. There is nothing to do but remember that we all are, via the plant kingdom, able to experience the immeasurable and imaginal, soul evoking realm of the spirit world and witness a glimmer of the truth.

Pulsatilla
Anemone occidentalis
We have been trained to discount our feelings and our intuitions. Most of us experience the world solely through our minds because we fear emotions and feelings. When we are disconnected from ourselves, we lose trust and begin to doubt our reactions to sensory or energetic inputs. Our hearts and minds become out of synch. We know that something is not right, and we feel anxiety. No wonder our hearts fail. We live in a society dominated by the scientific viewpoint that "if it can't be measured, it doesn't exist." This viewpoint relies on the notion that there is separation−that there is something out there to be measured that exists apart from oneself. The linear mind creates a boundary between us and the world. But it is not difficult to make the leap from linear thought to sensing in a multi-dimensional way.

We have to remember that we can trust our senses and ourselves. We need to recapture our imaginations. We are locked inside what Philip K. Dick called the Black Iron Prison: the overwhelming mass of societal norms that weigh us down and hem us in. But we have the keys to unlock the door. It is the plants that can help us gain exit from the confines of fear. The plants are everywhere trying to get our attention−trying to show the way. They want to help.

When we begin to love and accept who we are, independent of what society tells us, our hearts will open up. Then we can hear our own inner truths, and the heart and mind will be in alignment. Fear and anxiety fade away. We can learn to trust ourselves by working with the plants. We can connect with ourselves and others and with the whole universe. In this way we become open to healing ourselves, others, and the whole planet. This is true healing. Healing that comes from the depths of our souls.


Classes

Check the Schedule of Events for opportunities to learn about and from the plants.



Intro to Plant Teachers

This class will introduce various ways to connect with plants on both a physical and spiritual level. We will learn ways to communicate with Plant Spirits and to understand plants on a deeper level through the concepts of the Doctrine of Signatures, organoleptics, intuition, meditation, and dreaming. We will do an in-depth meditation with one plant, as we explore other modes of "seeing" and the intelligence of the heart and its role as an organ of perception. This will be a great opportunity to deepen your relationship with one of the Northwest's major medicinal herbs.


Plant Teacher Series

Same as above but spread out over four weeks. Each week we will discuss a different topic and do an in-depth meditation with one plant. A great opportunity to deepen your relationship with four of the Northwest's major medicinal herbs.
  1. The Heart as an Organ of Perception
  2. Herbal Energetics
  3. The Doctrine of Signatures
  4. Plant Provings and Dietas
    5.

Healing with Plant Spirits

Working with plants on the level of essence is a highly personal experience. The "healer" can be a conduit for the healing energy of the universe and a holder of awareness for those seeking healing, but really he/she does nothing more than create and hold a safe, grounded space for others to do their own healing work. In this class we will learn to work with Plant Spirits in a way that supports the healing work of others. We will discuss the body's innate healing wisdom and learn ways to establish relationships with Plant Teachers in a way that engenders a deep and true healing that reconnects the soul with the greater spirit.


Making Medicinal Plant Tinctures

Create your own self-sufficient pharmacy. We will discuss folk and scientific tincturing methods, harvesting guidelines, solubility factors, dosages, and more.


Plant Walks & Wildcrafting Weekends

There is no substitute for visiting the plants in their native habitats...


Elderberry School of Botanical Medicine

Also, check back in the Fall if you are interested in the Elderberry School's 2009 Herbalist Training Program. This course is for anyone wishing to develop his or her skills as an herbalist in the Pacific Northwest bioregion. It has been set up to span the harvest season−from Poplar Buds in the early spring to the roots of late fall. The 300+ hour course, taught by experienced and enthusiastic instructors, includes a range of classes covering the foundations of herbal medicine. We especially emphasize the reawakening of a core way of knowing that encourages trust in our own senses and places authority in direct experience. Scott will be leading a course on...

Plant Teachers & Herbal Energetics

Throughout history, humans have been intimately connected with plants. They provide us with food, shelter, & clothing and healing for body, mind, & soul. In this class we will refine our sensory impressions and learn ways to understand plants on a deeper level through the concepts of the Doctrine of Signatures, organoleptics, intuition, meditation, and dreaming. In addition to discussing the Five Flavors of Chinese Medicine, we will rediscover the forgotten Energetics of Western Medicine and explore other modes of "seeing," concentrating on the intelligence of the heart and its role in direct perception. Each session will include either an in depth meditation with one plant or a tasting of many herbs.


Plant Teachers Class at The Herb Shoppe