The Sensory Herbal Handbook

Book excerpt: This “fun, sassy, and colorful” guide to herbal medicine “contains a wealth of information and offers a deeply profound and personal approach to herbalism” (Rosemary Gladstar). Take charge of your wellbeing by reconnecting with your local plants—and with the land, elements, and seasons—through the 5 tools of Sensory Herbalism. This book has been written for anyone who has heard the whispers of the wild and has been stirred to know more—for those with a political conscience and for lovers of the outdoors. Whether you are new to the ways of herbs or already a practicing herbalist, it explains how you can take your physical and mental health into your own hands using the plants that grow around you. Sensory Herbalism is a unique system of health devised by the Seed Sistas over 20 years of practice. It combines traditional herbal knowledge with an understanding of how the elements (water, fire, air, earth and spirit) and the ever-changing seasons interact with the human body. Their approach blends science, medicine, creativity, ritual, magic, and fun into 5 practical, easy-to-use tools that help readers develop their own relationship with their local medicinal plants: • Observation • Intuition • Interpretation • Characterization • Plant Dream Creation Illustrated with 140 artworks, photographs, and diagrams, The Sensory Herbal Handbook will guide you on a journey throughout the year, deepening your knowledge of each season’s featured plants and enhancing your wellbeing with herbal medicines, nutritious recipes, and healing rituals.