8 Terrific Ways To Use Pine Needles Right Now
Have you ever wished you could stock your herbal apothecary with only a handful of herbs? Herbs that have so many uses, you’d never find yourself in a situation where you didn’t have something that would work? I know I have. Many times, apothecaries can grow large and overwhelming. When you focus on selecting herbs…
How To Craft Your Own Herbal Smoking Blends
There’s something fascinating about the alchemy of herbs and smoke. Part of it is visual. We can see the plants undergoing a violent physical change as they are transformed into smoke and ash. It’s also something that we can experience as we breathe in. The smoke has a taste and a texture, and it resonates…
Teacher Feature: Anne McIntyre
Some of the most brilliant minds in modern herbalism have come together to bring you the wonderful courses, blog articles, and myriad resources at the Herbal Academy and in The Herbarium. Having so many perspectives and so much knowledge shared among our Associate Educators is one of our greatest strengths! Today, we would love to…
Creating a Local Materia Medica with Burdock
Most of us know burdock, even if we don’t realize we know burdock. This plant’s ingenious seed dispersal system—its clingy burrs—demands we pay attention eventually, for example, when removing them from our clothes, our hair, or deep in our dog’s plush fur. Inconvenience aside, you’ve got to give burdock credit for ingenuity. Swiss engineer George…
How To Balance the Third Eye (or the 6th Chakra)
From the root or base to the throat chakra, each month we’ve looked at attributes of the first five chakras as well as ways to bring balance to each of them. Today, we will look into how to balance the Third Eye or the 6th chakra. As goes the rainbow, so go the chakras up…
Safe & Powerful Alternative “Thieves” Blends For The 1%
One of the most famous and best-known essential oil blends is the “Thieves” blend and all of its variants. This blend is named for thieves during the Black Plague, who, reportedly, robbed the dead bodies, yet avoided catching the plague themselves because of the herbs they wore. This blend is designed as a powerful antimicrobial…
6 Ways to Display Dried Herbs in Your Fall Home Décor
As the fall months roll around, your herb gardens may be coming to an end. However, herbs aren’t only used for their great tastes and flavors. You can easily display dried herbs in your fall home décor! The subdued colors and great fragrances make dried herbs a wonderful addition to your fall décor. Plus, they…
Demystifying Weight-to-Volume Tinctures
Many of us begin our exploration of herbalism by making tinctures using what is often called the Folk Method. And there’s nothing wrong with this method—tinctures made this way can be absolutely effective. They are made and used by the most experienced of practitioners as well as those of us who make tinctures for home…
14 DIY Herbal Fall Gift Basket Ideas For Friends and Family
Fall is a time of shifting light, color, and energy. The plants are releasing their seeds and directing their energy inward and downward as they prepare for the cold winter months. Our energy is shifting as well, and this is a good season for slowing down and enjoying creative work. Using herbs, we can focus…
How to Make an Herbal Syrup
The cold days of autumn and winter bring to mind cozy socks, warm cups of tea, good books, and for many herbalists, pots of simmering herbal syrup. Perhaps one of the most delicious ways to take herbs, herbal syrups are wonderful to have on hand during the colder months of the year. Enjoy learning the…
