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ISBN: Print 978-1-64611-997-4 | eBook 978-1-64611-998-1
R0
TO MY MAIN PARTNER IN ADVENTURES AND LAUGHTER, MY SISTER MARYANNE, WHO STARTED US ON THIS HERBAL JOURNEY.
Contents
Welcome to what may be a new way of approaching wellness for you. Most people have used herbal medicine in one way or another, even if that was simply taking orange juice to discourage a cold or wild cherry lozenges to quell a cough. It may be a novel idea for you to turn to herbs for your emotional health. Im here to show you how these gentle yet effective plant medicines can provide profound support during difficult times, whether that looks like low-lying depression, an acute anxiety attack, insomnia, stress-related pain, or any other affliction that keeps you from shining your light and feeling the full extent of your vitality.
In The Essential Herbal , Toronto-based herbalist Cathy Walker perfectly describes the ineffable power of herbs to help people heal:
I wasnt just giving them tea, I was giving them all the beauty that surrounded each plant. I was filling their emptiness with the swamps, the meadows, and every plants experiences of deer running past them, rabbits feasting on them, sound of trains off in the distance. Thunderstorms and brilliant sunrises, breathtaking sunsets and long winter nights with full moons shining down on them all, along bubbling creeks and streams, rushing rivers and huge waves from gigantic lakes, the quietness of the forest, and all the colours that changed with each season. I knew when they drank [the tea], they were drinking in all of those experiences that each of the plants had to share and that would heal them far deeper than I ever could.
I love this description because when I tell someone that learning about a few healing herbs will empower them, it doesnt quite encompass the intensity of the experience. Cathy better illustrates how deeply plants can soothe ones soul as well as how integrated we all are: humans, plants, the planetand even the universe. It is very powerful.
We have always been surrounded by plants. They feed you, provide you with shelter, and can be woven into cloth. They can also heal you. Take a moment to look around right now. You will probably see dcor nearby that has some type of plant, flower, or leaf motif. If youre wearing a fragrance, it is most likely made from either plants or a chemical blend that mimics plants. All creatures need plants. Theyve been on Earth much longer than we have, and some folks feel that the herbs care for us and want us to be well. I agree. When your emotional or spiritual health feels fragile, herbs are your strong allies.
Some regard herbs as only the seed-bearing plants that have nonwoody stems and die down to the ground every year, while others say they are any plant with seeds, leaves, and flowers. I go one step further and apply a much broader interpretation that includes any plant, tree, root, fruit, seedand some mushrooms. The world of herbs has expanded exponentially in the past few decades, and we all benefit from that.
In my part of the country, you cant walk 10 feet without finding a wild plant that will soothe your mind, body, or spirit. Visiting friends in Manhattan, I was pleasantly surprised to find that birds had seeded their rooftop garden with some wonderful healing weeds. Generally speaking, herbs work gently with few side effects. Theyre everywhere! Knowing just a few herbs allows you to take your wellness into your own hands. By turning to herbs to calm your mind and settleor sparkyour spirit, you will embark on an empowering, never-ending adventure. I hope thats where this book leads you.
Its important to realize that herbs work because they have strong components and actions. Even though they are usually gentler than drugs and might take a while to work, they need to be respected. In fact, most pharmaceutical drugs include synthetically made herbal constituents. Just because something is natural does not necessarily mean that it is safe. The sun-loving desert plant ephedra ( Ephedra sinica ) is a good example: While extremely effective for respiratory issues, particularly asthma, it is also a stimulant. Thinking that it was natural so it was safe, it was concentrated (not by herbalists, I might add) to make herbal speed, sold everywhere, and people died. Now it is illegal in the United States and unavailable to all of us.
