HERBS: A PLACE TO BEGIN

Do plants talk to you? Have you felt the calling to learn more about the healing powers of plants? Do you have a garden full of herbs that you don’t know how to use? Then you may want to join us for this yearlong exploration of herbal healing for beginners.

In this series of workshop, we will dive into the green world of plants, with a special focus each month on one system of the body and its associated medicinal plants. We will look deeply into the world of healing with plants: drawing the plant, peering deep into its amazing botany with a hand lens, and going on a guided shamanic journey to the Spirit of plants, asking to be shown their medicine and their gifts as a plant allies. We will have a special focus on the native and naturalized herbs to be found in our own neighborhoods.

Each month we will also focus on making medicinal products: tinctures, teas and capsules, salves, oils and poultices, not only talking about plants, but also getting hands-on experience in making & using home herbal remedies.

At this time in human history, it is especially important to be able to walk into our own backyards to find and use what is growing there, to call on our plant ally relationship for its healing, to work with the plants to heal ourselves and our families, and ultimately, the planet.

• The Respiratory System: Let’s kick those nasty viruses! In November, we will focus on the respiratory system, with special attention to prevention and early treatment of colds & flu. We will do a guided shamanic journey to ask for a plant healing guide in our life. We will make herbal honeys and teas, using herbs & medicinal mushrooms that are fabulous in blocking colds and flu. This workshop gives students a great way to prepare and protect against the season of viral illness

.• The Winter quarter series begins in January 2012, focusing on Herbal Basics, such as the basic vocabulary of herbal actions, making herbal preparations: tinctures, capsules, and infusions/teas. We will have our hands on as much living plant material as we can find. In February we will move into the Ear, Nose and Throat system: colds and sore throats, middle ear infections, sinus infections, etc., learning to make herbal ear oil, nasal steams, and how to do lymph massage for clearing congestion. We will finish winter quarter in March by focusing on the musculoskeletal system, looking at the use of herbs for sprains& strains, muscle spasm, back problems and chronic joint pain. We will focus on making and using infused herbal oils for pain relief, herbal foot baths and internal herbs for pain. The series will continue into Spring and Summer quarters.

Details:= Respiratory System: Sunday November 13, 2011.

Winter quarter classes will start in January 2012. Schedule TBA


Time: 10 am - 3 pm.
Location will be at Raven Room on Johnson Point in NE Olympia; directions sent on registration.

Introductory November class is $75.00. Subsequent quarter series are $210.00 each (Winter, Spring, Summer)

Your Teacher:Janet Partlow is a clinical herbalist, having studied and practiced plant medicine for 15 years. She has been a professional registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild. She is also a Plant Spirit Medicine practitioner and shamanic healer, studying the medicine path of the Q’ero people of Peru, and the Celtic shamanic path of her Irish and Scots ancestors.

She was a physician assistant in family medicine and public health for 26 years until her retirement in 2002; she brings a strong knowledge of western medicine to her background in herbal medicine. Janet has had a private healing practice Yerba Buena Herbal Consulting since 2001. You can check her web page for more information: www.yerbabuenaherbs.blogspot.com

Talk with Janet: jpartlow@aol.com (360) 352-7902

*Feedback from past students:“I have recently completed another one of Janet’s classes. She is an amazing teacher with a wealth of knowledge in not only herbal medicine but with the spirits of the plants, easy herbal remedies, healing techniques and a wonderful ability to present complex “technical” information in an easy to absorb format. Her classes are fun & filled with useful, practical things to incorporate into your everyday life. Her shamanic healing background & personal relationship with plant spirits make her classes a very special experience. She has changed how I view the 'weeds' of my yard forever!” Debbie Petosa,Mukilteo

"Janet Partlow's herbal medicine program gracefully blends the traditions of plant spirit medicine, western medicine, and Celtic shamanic healing. Her program has given me a thorough and multifaceted introduction to this powerful, magical and beautiful way of healing." Shannon Russell-White, Federal Way