Our Materia Medica Short Course Is Back!
There have been a lot of requests for the Materia Medica Short Course from folks who missed the 2017 Herb & Essential Oil Super Bundle so we’ve decided, as a special summer offering, to release the course for a limited time. Class will be offered through June 20th, and you can get access now by…
A Beginner’s Guide to Using Essential Oils with Confidence
How many of these phrases have you read or heard? “Essential oils are natural.” “Essential oils are safe.” “Essential oils are powerful, and you need to be very careful when you use them.” “Don’t ever use essential oils internally.” “Using essential oils internally is perfectly safe.” “Don’t use essential oils if you are pregnant.” “Essential…
Herbal Myths, Lore, and Legends: Lady’s Mantle, Mint, Fennel, Mandrake, Elder, Thistle, and Belladonna
Every culture offers myths, legends, and folklore to justify some event, instruct us on proper behavior, or issue horrible warnings if a person breaks the rules of proper behavior. Myths are generally about the gods, e.g., Zeus, and are usually a symbolic account of what happened rather than factual. Folklore sometimes has mythical creatures like…
An Herb And Essential Oil Resource You Won’t Want To Miss Out On!
We’re always learning here at the Herbal Academy, whether from the informative posts written by our blog contributors, the in-depth articles shared on The Herbarium, or through the herbal teachers who share their wisdom and insight with us in our popular herbal courses. We also learn important lessons from the herbal community that surrounds us,…
St. John’s Wort: Not Just For Depression
Stumbling upon a field of wildly growing St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is like discovering a ray of Earth-bound sunshine. Profuse bright, happy yellow flowers hint at this plant’s well-known use for soothing those suffering from depression. Yet, those cheery flowers hold many more herbal actions and uses within than most of us are familiar…
How To Strengthen Bones With Herbal Infusions
Six months ago, my then six-year-old son fell off a set of monkey bars at the park and broke his elbow. As soon as I saw it, my nursing instinct said to get him to the emergency room fast as his arm was either dislocated or broken, and we’d need X-rays to tell. It was,…
DIY Herbal Skin Steam and Aloe-Calendula Cleanser
We all want great-looking skin. A quick skim through any fashion and style magazine gives plenty of evidence that healthy, clear, youthful-looking skin is a hot commodity—you’ll see ads for anti-wrinkle serums and collagen creams, moisturizers, acne-fighting gels, lotions to minimize the appearance of pores. Some products are excellent (and often expensive), while others are…
DIY Mother’s Day Tea Bags
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and what says “I love you” better than a handmade gift of herbal goodness? Maybe the mom in your life is a tea lover, enjoying a cup in the morning to start her day or snuggled up with a good book in the evening. Or, maybe she has…
How To Make Fresh Dandelion Blossom Oil
I have many favorite things about spring—one of them being the fresh, sunny faces of dandelion blossoms popping up everywhere. Dandelions are one of my favorite herbs. Not only are they readily available, but they have so many uses such as dandelion fritters, roasted dandelion root coffee, dandelion kombucha, dandelion syrup, floral crowns… even freshly…
How To Make Pine Resin Salve
One of the thrills of exploring the plants in my local materia medica is stocking my first aid kit with locally sourced herbal preparations. Here in New England we are blessed with more than our fair share of evergreen trees, and in particular an abundant helping of white pine (Pinus strobus). The bark, leaves, and…
