Purple Haze: The Resinous Medicine of Aster Rhizome, Leaf, and Flower
Botanical Names: Dieteria bigelovii (formerly Aster bigelovii), but also Aster tataricus, Symphyotrichum (formerly Aster) novae-angliae, Aster subspicatus, and probably many others. Common Names: Purple Sticky Aster, Bigelow’s Spine Aster, also Douglas Aster, New England Aster, etc., Taste: Bitter, sweet, aromatic Impression: Oily, aromatic Energetics: Slightly warm, Moistening in the oily sense Actions: Aromatic (and thus, Carminative), Relaxant Diaphoretic, Expectorant Specific Indications: Lung deficiency, Cough with cold signs, Asthma with tension and spasmodic coughing/wheezing, Cough initiated by cold/flu onset with tension I first learned of this beautiful medicine from Jim McDonald through his work with the very similar New England Aster, which in turn...
New Herbal Resurgence Site!
Your new Herbal Resurgence is uploaded and ready for you to check out! Kiva spent most of the last several days creating it with new software, making the menu more intuitive and easy to read, and making the many crucial judgment calls that are the primary reason we can never hire development out to a webmaster. While there’s admittedly a lot of work involved for both of us, we feel it requires our personal attentions, and the results are certainly most gratifying!: www.HerbalResurgence.org We’ve gone for a new look yet again, exuding more of this event’s particular wildness, flair and exuberance with each subsequent upgrade. I created the masthead to reflect Arizona’s lush green forests as well as the burnt orange and shaded umber of its fabled...
Announcing Teachers for 2013 Herbal Resurgence
Announcing the Teachers for the 2013 HERBAL RESURGENCE RENDEZVOUS Sept 19-22 Against all odds, Herbal Resurgence/TWHC continues to act as a seedbed for the revival and reinvigoration of folk herbalism in the western world, fostering its culture, serving its diverse community, and growing in ways never expected. Download the Announcement for 2013 Details For the latest details about the upcoming 2013 event, download and share the: 2013 Herbal Resurgence Information New Herbal Resurgence Website I wrote almost entirely new text for the Herbal Resurgence website, which will be up later this week! Kiva is hard at work creating pages and layout even as we speak. It effectively replaces the old Traditions In Western Herbalism site with three important components. ...
Autumn Indeed
Though I live on the cusp between Faery and human dwelling, it is indeed Autumn here in the Canyon. My apologies for the seemingly random resend of the Summer Solstice post by feedburner to my email subscribers. Perhaps feedburner objects to the coming cold season? In any case, we canyon folk are sadly watching the golden Cottonwood leaves be carried away by the Fall winds even as we enjoy the cooling days and downright chilly nights, and look forward to Winter’s fertility for planning and planting wild seeds that will grow in the next warm season. Our on-site helpers made a batch of gingerbread cookies today, and I’ve been restocking the masala chai jar in anticipation of many clay mugs full of spicy warmth as the days grow shorter. Tomorrow...
Rosemary’s Remedy!
There aren’t many of us American herbalists not familiar with the beloved Rosemary Gladstar, whose work actively promoting and spreading herbalism has had an incredible impact on the accessibility of plant medicine! While most know her best from her books and teaching, Rosemary is also an activist, phenomenal networker, community creator, endangered plant advocate, gardener, and much more. I met her personally for the first time when she graced the very first Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference/Herbal Resurgence as a teacher and speaker. Rosemary helped create a huge resurgence in herbalism at a time when botanical medicine was neither popular nor accessible for most folks. She traveled to Europe in order to study, and brought back with her an...
Spiced Roots: Autumn Updates & Harvest Celebrations
As the light shifts from the brilliance of high Summer to the shadow-touched gold of Autumn, and the last flood of color bursts from the wildflowers, I find myself rearranging my herb shelves. Nutmeg, Ginger, and Cinnamon get pulled to the forefront, along with the rooty earthiness of Burdock, Elecampane, roasted Chicory, Astragalus, and Codonopsis. I sort through the clay and glass containers filled with dried mushrooms for medicine and food (often at the same time), stopping to sniff their wild musk in between other tasks. Dandelion-leek miso and jars of seaweed are pulled out for easy access, and the tea kettles and soup pots are all brought out and reintroduced to the woodstove. In the kitchen, Loba’s been turning mountains of fresh Peaches into jam, sauce,...
Plant Healer Annual Volume 2 – 1,000 pages!
We’re fresh back from putting on our 3rd annual event for herbalists, now called The Herbal Resurgence Rendezvous: Medicine Of the People, By the People, For the People. What a shindig! There were more participants, and there was more diversity, energy and excitement than ever before! One of our first tasks after getting home, was to start packaging the newly arrived Plant Healer Annuals, two volumes that are each the size of a phone book, and the color Art of Plant Healer book that goes with them. Thank you for spreading the word! -Kiva Now Shipping Volume II of the PLANT HEALER ANNUAL Now a 3 Book Set! Featuring over 1,000 pages total, of Articles, Photography and Art – All 4 Issues From 2011/2012 including a Free 60 page full-color...
Enlivening The Practice, Culture & Art of Folk Herbalism
Articles & Essays
- Foraging & Edible Wild Plants
Green Tidbits
Guest Posts
Herbal Energetics & Actions
- Herbal Resurgence – Medicine of the People
Materia Medica
Medicine Making
- Plant Healer
Recipes
ReWilding
- Rooted Muse
The Village Herbalist
Therapeutics and Nutrition
Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference
- Uncategorized
Herbal Wisdom for Children
