Two Herbalist Day Gifts in Celebration of Our Herbal Elders

Join us in celebrating Herbalist Day, where we give intentional thanks to those who bring herbalism to our lives, helping us stay rooted in wisdom and connected in community. This year, we’re excited to share two gifts that center the stories of herbalists who have guided us on our journeys: a special video interview with jim mcdonald (below) AND the Herbal Wisdom from our Elders ebook.

Herbal Wisdom is Meant to be Shared

Are you feeling inspired after hearing about jim’s mentors and the power of sharing herbal wisdom?

Take advantage of our Spring Course Sale and tend to your knowledge with the herbal course of your choice, starting as low as $29. You’ll also receive 2 gifts with enrollment!

But hurry, this sale ends at midnight on Sunday, April 19 ➞ https://theherbalacademy.com/herbalism-courses/

Herbalism Before the Internet

Our Assistant Director and Lead Herbalist Educator, Lindsey Feldpausch, RH(AHG), recently joined herbalist jim mcdonald for a heartfelt interview. Together, they discuss the pre-internet era of herbal education, learning through experience, building herbal community through mentorship, and their wishes for the next generation. Tune in at the top of this page or by visiting Herbal Academy’s YouTube channel. (The full-length, unabridged version of this video is available inside our membership platform and living herbal library, The Herbarium.) 

While jim recognized early on that he found a sense of belonging when wandering the wooded trails near his home, his first introduction to herbs came through happenstance. His college roommate left out a book on herbs, and over time, jim began to recognize some of the plants at a nearby botanical garden. Deeply rooted in where he was living, he continued to explore the plant world in relation to place.

From there, jim spent a lot of time in bookstores and libraries, flipping through various books and making his own detailed notes about herbs. After connecting with a local herbalist at Nature’s Products, a bulk herb shop in Detroit, jim began to broaden his community through phone calls and letters with herbalists who would become dear friends and mentors. 

He expressed a nostalgic love for this era of being able to call someone and have a simple question turn into a long conversation, as so many of our interactions today are through text or email.

When asked about his early interactions online, jim said that he never imagined he would have his own computer, let alone use the internet. Now, he recognizes that while the internet is an amazing tool, it’s important to keep working with plants directly and fostering in-person conversations.

Learning About Herbs Through Experience

jim wanted the majority of his learning to be through working with the plants themselves, rather than simply memorizing their benefits. He explains that this allowed him to discover patterns that his brain and his body could recognize, creating a more connected understanding of the virtues of herbs.

Many of us can relate to the experience of drinking herbal tea or taking a tincture for the first time and immediately tuning into our bodies. Can you recall a memory of using an herb and noticing its effect on you? Were you excited to share what you experienced with the people in your life?

Sharing What You Know

Despite the fact that people in jim’s community were asking him to share his knowledge, he expressed that initially, he was hesitant to become a teacher. Luckily, some sage advice from herbalist and author Rosemary Gladstar gave him the encouragement he needed. She told him simply, “If you know more than someone, share what you know.”

When discussing the uncertainty of whether one knows enough to teach, jim and Lindsey referenced a quote from Matthew Wood’s (1987) book, Seven Herbs: Plants as Teachers, that says, “If you know one herb inside and out, you are an herbalist.”

jim went on to say, “If a person only knew mint really well, think about how many amazing things that they could do and how many people they can help just knowing that one, very common, very easily grown, very safe plant? It’s a lot! You could help fevers, you could help headaches, you could help indigestion, you could help tension…”

When different people know different things, they can work together and complement each other.

Advice for the Next Generation of Herbalists

When Lindsey asked jim what he wanted to pass down to the next generation, he shared some great tips. Our favorite was the reminder not to rush, and to allow your knowledge to grow organically instead of feeling pressure to have it all figured out right away. You can learn the rest of his tips in the video linked at the top of this page! 

Herbal Wisdom from our Elders

This chat between Lindsey and jim reminds us that meaningful herbal knowledge isn’t learned solely or even primarily from books or the internet, but from the people in our communities.

We’ve cultivated a collection of stories that our own herbal community has shared with us, including valuable lessons from treasured elders and experiences that can guide you on your herbal path.

Click here to download your copy of our new ebook, Herbal Wisdom from our Elders.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating Herbalist Day! If you’d like to learn more from jim mcdonald, click here to explore his in-person and online classes, along with free articles to help you tend to your herbal knowledge.