Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

In honor of Cascade Anderson Geller

Posted May 10th, 2013 by Ann Armbrecht
Cascade

Cascade Anderson Geller

I’ve taken a hiatus from this blog recently as I work on my own writing – which I’m not able to do while also trying to stay current here. I wanted to break my silence by honoring, Cascade Anderson Geller, the beloved American herbalist, educator and environmental activist who died on HerbDay, May 4, at age 59. I didn’t know Cascade well. But I interviewed her once, many years ago at the Green Nations Gathering and below I’ve included some of what, to me, are the highlights.  Read more...

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Posted in: ethics, Herbalism, Spirit, Uncategorized

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What Makes Medicine Work? Reflections 0n Efficacy, Standards and Tibetan Medicine by Anthropologist Sienna Craig

Posted February 19th, 2013 by Ann Armbrecht

 

Sienna Craig is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Dartmouth College. Her work focuses on understanding the ways ‘traditional’ medical systems interact with biomedicine.

Sienna Craig is the author of what to me is one of the most interesting recent books in medical anthropology, Healing Elements: Efficacy and the Social Ecologies of Tibetan Medicine. There are fascinating parallels between the challenges that herbal medicine is facing in the United States and the transformations Tibetan medicine is undergoing in Tibet and Nepal. Our conversation below just touches on the depth and complexity she explores in her book.   Read more...

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Posted in: business of herbal medicine, ethics, Folk Medicine, Health Care, Spirit, Uncategorized

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How Herbal Medicine Works: Reflections on Intention, Spirit, and Efficacy by Herbalist Guido Masé

Posted January 20th, 2013 by admin-ann

Guido Masé RH(AHG) is a clinical herbalist, herbal educator, and garden steward.

I recently spoke with Guido Masé , co-director of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, as part of a larger book project on spirit and the production of herbal medicine. As always, Guido’s comments were insightful and wise, demonstrating a remarkable agility in both the realms of biomedicine and science and of plants, spirit and energetics. The scope of our conversation was far beyond what I can include in this post, but I’ve tried to include some of the highlights. For more on Gudio’s thoughts and reflections on whole plant medicine, see his blog A Radicle. His first book The Wild Medicine Solution will be released this April by Inner Traditions.  Read more...

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Posted in: business of herbal medicine, Healing, Herbalism, Spirit, Uncategorized

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The ethics of herbal medicine: A Conversation with Mélanie Pulla

Posted November 8th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

Mélanie Pulla is an herbalist, mother, writer and founder of the popular blog, HerbGeek.

Mélanie studied herbal medicine at the California School of Herbal Medicine and the Southwest School of Herbal Medicine. She then earned a BSc in Wellness and Alternative Medicine from Johnson State College. Mel opened her first business in 2009: a bulk health food store, apothecary, and herbal juice bar. After running her own retail venture for almost three years, she sold her business so that she could become a full-time mom. Mélanie is the founder and editor of Herb Geek, which is how I found her work. Its a great blog – check it out!  Read more...

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Posted in: business of herbal medicine, Folk Medicine, Health Care, Herbalism, Uncategorized

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Community Supported Medicine: A Conversation with William Siff, Goldthread Herbal Apothecary

Posted October 15th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

I’m reposting this thoughtful interview with William Siff. The weather this summer makes it even more important that we all educate ourselves as much as we can about how to care for ourselves with the plants that grow in our communities… If you like this interview, please let us know and share it with your friends- Thanks so much!  Read more...

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Posted in: Community, Ecological Medicine, Folk Medicine, Grassroots Medicine, Herbal CSA, Herbalism, Kitchen Medicine, Uncategorized

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Plant Spirit Yoga: A Conversation with Lydia Russell-McDade

Posted July 10th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

A lover of plants, poetry, and barefoot dancing, Lydia lives in the wild Green Mountains of VT where she teaches yoga and meditation a  Read more...

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Posted in: Community, Healing, Spirit, Uncategorized

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The Folk Herbalism Resurgence: A Conversation with Kiva Rose

Posted July 4th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

Kiva Rose: Folk herbalist, storyteller, tree-climbing weedwife, visual and aromatic artist, obsessive forager, and feral creature.

Kiva Rose needs no introduction from me. Her website/blog: The Medicine Woman’s Roots is one of the most informative and beautiful sources for everything related to folk herbalism, bioregionalism and land-based living there is, a real celebration of all that plants awaken in us as individuals and as a community.  Read more...

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Posted in: Folk Medicine, Grassroots Medicine, Healing, Health Care, Uncategorized

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Grassroots Healthcare: a conversation with clinical herbalist Larken Bunce

Posted May 3rd, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

Larken Bunce MS is a clinical herbalist, educator, gardener, writer, and photographer deeply inspired by a life-long love affair with plants

I’ve known Larken for many years, through her work creating the new herb school in town, while working together in the Health Arts and Sciences Program at Goddard College, and most importantly, while dancing! Larken is a leader in envisioning how we can create more sustainable and resilient community-based healthcare and in working toward that vision by co-founding the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism.  Some of Larken’s fantastic handouts on using medicinal herbs for common ailments can be found in our resource guide and her stunning photographs of plants can be found here and on our website. Thank you, Larken!  Read more...

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Posted in: Community, Folk Medicine, Grassroots Medicine, Healing, Health Care, Uncategorized

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Celebrating the life of Kumu Raylene Kawaia’ea

Posted March 21st, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

I have never met anyone like Raylene. She was so filled with kindness, so present and so clear. In honor of the gifts she offered us all,  I wanted to share some of her words from our conversation with her at the International Herb Symposium in 2007. I have kept her words as she said them, without making edits or changes, because as I read them, I can hear her speaking…  Read more...

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Posted in: Healing, Spirit, Uncategorized

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Ten Herbs for Transition, Jeff Carpenter of Zackwoods Farm, part 2

Posted March 7th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

And here is the second part of Jeff’s post on ten herbs for transition….

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Posted in: Ecological Medicine, Folk Medicine, Grassroots Medicine, Kitchen Medicine, Peak Oil / Transition, Uncategorized

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What are your ten herbs for transition?

Posted February 10th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

Elderberries

We’ll be posting Jeff Carpenter of Zackwood Farm’s list soon!

In the meantime, we’d love to know what herbs you recommend we all grow for keeping ourselves, our families and our communities well as we transition beyond fossil fuels …

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Posted in: Grassroots Medicine, Peak Oil / Transition, Uncategorized

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Rosemary Gladstar and the healing power of beauty

Posted January 29th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

I love this quotation from Rosemary Gladstar from the film and thought a little summertime beauty might be nice now in deep winter:

With people who are severely ill, deeply ill, I think you have to seduce them back to wellness. And you do that by making life appealing again. You make good tasting teas, you put beautiful flowers in their room: they can be medicinal plants in that bouquet, plants that have that healing energy. You plant gardens, you paint the rooms beautiful colors. You make life beautiful so that people want to live.  Beauty is what brings us back to wellness, what makes us want to be healthy and vital.  Read more...

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Posted in: Healing, Herbalism, Numen Film, Uncategorized

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Great Handouts for Kitchen Medicine

Posted January 17th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

 

by Sandra Lory

Just a quick post to say there are loads of great handouts on herbal medicine making in our resource guide!

You’ll find information on everything from harvesting to making teas and tinctures to herbal remedies for depression, anxiety, fevers and more.

This is kitchen medicine at its finest and the best way to start taking your health care into your own hands – so roll up your sleeves and start experimenting!

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Posted in: Folk Medicine, Kitchen Medicine, Uncategorized

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Grassroots Healthcare: A Conversation with David Crow by Ann Armbrecht

Posted January 6th, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

Herbalist and aromotherapist David Crow is another plant lover using the web to create an on-line community for plant-based medicine, ecology and spirituality. His site, Medicine Crow.com, includes audio and video of interviews, classes and more, some available for free and some for members of Medicine Crow. I was especially interested in David’s vision of grassroots healthcare and how he sees the internet as a way to further this vision.  Read more...

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Posted in: Community, Folk Medicine, Grassroots Medicine, Health Care, Herbalism, Kitchen Medicine, Uncategorized

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Fantastic List of Herbal Blogs!

Posted January 3rd, 2012 by Ann Armbrecht

Herbalist Rosalee de la Forȇt

 

Rosalee de la Forȇt, founder of Methow Valley Herbs and herbal consultant for LearningHerbs.com and HerbMentor.com has compiled a fantastic list of the many herbal blogs that are out there.

Rosalee was inspired to create the list after finding a couple of really great herbal blogs that she had no idea existed. Of course in creating this page she came across even more herbal blogs!  Read more...

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Posted in: Community, Grassroots Medicine, Herbalism, Uncategorized

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