West Coast Herbs

Curriculum

      Herbalist Sheelagh Mackenzie has been giving herbal coursesfor 12 years. This year courses have
      been expanded so that you can learn the herbs of all the seasons.

      Courses are a combination of class time (herbal theory, elementary botany, and principles of
      medicine making); field trips (in which we will craft each herb in such a way as to
      ensure it’s continued survival over time); and medicine making (in these labs we manipulate the
      herbs we have collected and make medicines of them).

      As you hike through the forests and pastures, wetlands and mountains you will collect medicinal
      herbs and remember the abundance of natures gifts. You will find the royalty;
      usnea and devils club, the commoners; dandelion and burdock, the tall and stately;
      red cedar and the tiny; eyebright. You will find these and many more.

      You will collect and use the cultivated herbs in our gardens, and learn to grow them,
      echinacea, valerian, mugwort, vervain, elecampane, Jerusalem artichoke and many more.

You will learn the medicinal properties of all these herbs and other important herbs from around the world.

Some student comments:

"This is a great course. Going to beautiful natural places, collecting but hardly disturbing. Making a healing medicine from the herbs collected. Wow."

"I have taken a full correspondence course and am familiar with herbal theory. This course brought that knowledge to life. Gathering the fresh herbs, smelling, seeing, knowing."

"Much to my surprise the course was laid out in an open learning environment, so Sheelagh can accommodate many different levels of knowledge."

"Going on a walk has taken on a whole new meaning."

Many people have used this course as a vehicle to overcome or improve their own health challenges. Six people have quit smoking. One brave person, a stroke victim who the year before had been confined to a wheel chair was able to climb a mountain and become a stroke victor. One person had disabling chemical sensitivities and didn’t think she could take the course but was able to because of new herbal allies she starting using and the fact that most of the time we are outside in the fresh air. Two people have been able to bring their asthma under control.

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