My Approach to Herbalism

"First the word, then the plant, lastly the knife." Ascelpius of Thessaly

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I approach herbalism from a Western Vitalist perspective. This means that the knowledge I was given originated from cultures in European and American traditions, both modern and ancient, going back to Ancient Greece and Rome. The two other well known branches of herbalism are; Traditional Chinese Herbalism and Ayurveda, herbalism from India. It is important to note that many European settlers to America were later influenced by Indigenous cultures of the Americas as well as by African cultures but credit to these cultures often goes unmentioned due to the effort of suppression by a dominant Anglo culture.

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All Indigenous cultures around the world, past and present, have and do practice herbalism as a form of healing. No matter one's culture of origin, we have all been Indigenous and we all belong to this earth. The ancient relationship between plants and people allows for an easy, safe and effective medicine for the body, and that the body has been familiar with for millennia.

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Vitalism is a clinical strategy based on the principle that Life, Nature, and the Great Spirit are fully present in all the tissues of the body, and also in the psyche, the spiritual heart, and the soul – sustaining life and health, providing momentum for personal evolution on all levels and for the fulfillment of one’s highest purpose in social and spiritual life.

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A VITALIST PRACTITIONER SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE VITAL FORCE MAY BE BLOCKED OR SUPPRESSED AND THEN ASSISTS WITH STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE SOME OF THE FOLLOWING:

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• the encouragement of nourishment, digestion, rest, and appropriate activity

• identification of purpose in personal life

• connection with nature

• an active spiritual life

• identification and removal of obstacles to cure on all levels

• avoidance of methods which suppress or distort life processes

• the use of herbal formulas and diverse, creative herbal preparations that balance traditional herbal energetics, clinical actions, an individual’s constitution and the energetics / characteristics of their particular condition

• referrals to NDs, MDs, therapists, specialists and bodywork professionals

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A Vitalist Herbalist approaches healing through nutrition, lifestyle changes and the use of plant medicines with the belief that a vital force within the body, plants and nature has a baseline purpose and desire to steer our health and happiness to an ultimate state.