Lesson 1.1
What is Herbalism?
Herbalism, also referred to here as phytotherapy, botanical or herbal medicine, is the oldest form of medicinal healing known to man. It is the study and use of plants we call herbs, shown to have medicinal value to human health. Herbal medicine has evolved as a medical modality that uses medicinal plants to facilitate the body’s innate healing processes, promoting wellness and preventing dis-ease. It’s scope of use is as wide as any other form of medicine because it may be applied to any health condition. This symbiotic relationship between human physiology and plant activity gives us infinite potential for facilitating healing in any circumstance at any time.
At one time, the practice of herbalism was one of the most honorable professions, laying the foundations of modern medicine, pharmacy, botany, perfumery, and chemistry. However, because of advancements in science and technology, it gradually took a back seat and received less and less public attention, giving way to the eventual birth of the pharmaceutical industry. Have we become too smart for our own good? Many would argue that the resurgence of herbal medicine (I suspect in large part due to the passion and persistence of folk herbalists and enthusiasts continuing to practice around the world) has, again, led people to focus on holistic, natural healing options.
Although herbal medicine is considered an alternative form of medicine in the United States, it is earth’s original medicine and is the most widely practiced form of medicine worldwide, with more than 80% of the population relying on herbs for health! The origins of modern medicine come from early herbal therapies. In fact, until the development of synthetic medicine circa 100 years ago, medical doctors routinely prescribed herbs. Imagine that!
As more and more people move away from the current Western conventional medicine approach, we continue to see the unfolding of this paradigm shift – a change in the beliefs and perceptions that this culture holds. This is a great time to explore the meanings of health and heal. What do these words mean to you? I like to describe them as follows:
Health – a state of positive well-being as it relates to one’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual state.
Heal – to bring forth a state of balance in a way that is empowering and transformative.
This allows us to see that health is not just the absence of disease, but an often complex state that reflects all aspects of Self, including within the context of one’s social network and environment. This is also the concept of holism, from which we get the term holistic. It is a whole-person approach vs. a disease oriented one, and was first applied by the Egyptian physician, Imhotep.
This holistic, or wholistic approach emphasizes the unique characteristics of the individual seeking a healer for care. This care, in turn, must treat people within the contexts of their families, social circles and culture. While the herbalist/practitioner is skilled at using specific modalities and tools, the client is ultimately responsible for most of their healing. As a budding herbalist who will work with clients in some respect, it becomes your job to hold them accountable throughout your work together. You will also begin to recognize that social and economic factors contribute to the creation of good or poor health states. This is as important as individual responsibility.
Herbalism is both simple and complex. It can be as “no frills” as harvesting Yarrow flowers from your backyard for tea, or as complex as studying more than 100 chemical constituents from one single plant! Either way, there are numerous biochemical interactions in the body when you consume a plant for its therapeutic benefits. One of the most beautiful benefits of using an herb as medicine is that you can take it with one desired benefit in mind, but due to the synergistic relationship of its many chemical constituents, you end up basking in a multitude of healing benefits as an added bonus.
A common thread among many cultures and peoples, herbal medicine has the ability to bridge divides as such. All herb enthusiasts share in the experience of using herbs to alleviate suffering of some kind. It is in this commonality that we understand herbalism to be more than just the knowledge and application of plants – but also the human experience itself and the wisdom gained in the relationship between plants and people.
HERBALISM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Several systems of herbal medicine have emerged through its natural development throughout the world. Indigenous peoples have created entire systems of medicine around herbs through many millennia of personal experience. While we may be familiar with Ayurvedic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are many other branches of herbalism regularly practiced in other cultures and regions.
Western Herbalism, typically practiced throughout the United States and Europe, may include folkloric herbal practices, clinical western herbal medicine, naturopathic medicine, and numerous Native American herbal traditions. Herbal Alchemy celebrates clinical western herbalism and the ethnobotanical uses of herbs from other cultures and continents, because one way is not necessarily “the only way.” It's also important to note that we stand on the shoulders of so many who have done the hardest work in laying the groundwork for us modern-day herbalists. Without them there us no us, so they deserve our honor and respect. Have you ever felt drawn to a certain region in the world when it comes to selecting or using herbs? One thing you’ll notice about western herbalism is that is often utilizes some of the same herbs known to another branch of herbalism. As people migrated around the world, so did plants and herbal practices; many plants are also native to multiple areas around the world. The beautiful thing is that we have access to so many herbs thanks to the internet and drop shipping capabilities. There are many culture-specific books available if you want to learn more about herbs from other parts of the world.
As an herbalist, you will begin to develop your intuition when choosing herbs. You will also want to remain open to (continually) studying independent research and traditionally (indigenous) recorded notes of herb use. Because mainstream medicine cannot profit from the use of herbal therapies alone, do not expect them to advocate on their behalf (there is also a learning deficit here). While your doctor, for example, may not recommend an herbal supplement or seem to know much about it, this does not mean that modern medicine has not reaped the benefits of herbal therapies. Many herbs have been and continue to be studied, often in double-blind clinical trials and incorporated into pharmaceutical formulas prescribed today. Unfortunately, this is usually done at the herb’s expense, as specific desired chemical constituents are isolated or extracted from the whole plant and then added to a drug formula to create a desired outcome. Using an herb in an isolated form is not usually the herbalist’s preferred way to take herbs, because while it increases the potency of a single desired chemical component, it negates all the other components of the plant – to the tune of potentially hundreds per plant! Look at an herbal supplement label. Does the product use the whole herb, or does it state that the product contains a certain percentage of one of the herb’s naturally occurring chemicals?
It isn’t necessarily bad to use an isolated component, but it is not usually the preferred way, and is certainly a controversial topic among natural healers and practitioners. As you move more deeply through this text, you may be able to form your own opinion around this topic.
Some important takeaways to remember as you start your herbal journey as practitioner or self-healer:
First, do no harm. If you aren’t sure about an herb’s potential or effects, don’t use it until you are.
Always use herbs with honor and respect and make informed decisions.
You are a client too. Put your health first so you can be well and fully present for your family and clients.
