Ecological Herbalism: The Roots of Sustainability

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Ecological Herbalism: The Root of Sustainability

Tree Roots

"It is our collective responsibility to protect and nurture the global family, to support its weaker members and to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live"  ~Dalai Lama

Ecological Herbalism: The Roots of Sustainability training empowers students with the knowledge, tools, and experience to further their journey toward understanding the connection between inner and outer ecology.

Herbalists are first and foremost land stewards who, through wisdom and guidance, bring the knowledge of plants to others so they may know health and partake in acknowledging their purpose and connection with the Earth.

Ecological Herbalism is both for anyone interested in understanding the deep ecology of nature. Be empowered to think as a regional herbalist when choosing herbs. A good regional herbalist is most concerned with using the plants that grow nearby, hopefully plants that they know and have a relationship with. This is the heart of herbalism.

Ecological herbalism blends the wisdom of deep ecology with practical application of restoring our connection to place. The cultivation of a deep sense of place is invaluable for an herbalist. We all emerge out of an ecosystem, a bioregion, we are all connected elementally. Pear Tree

On January 9th, 2004 CNN News reported: 'worldwide demand for herbal remedies is threatening natural habitats and endangering up to a fifth of wild medicinal plant species which are being harvested to extinction.' ~Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation

Ecological Herbalism is essential training for the changing times we live in. It is for those who want to be of service of revitalizing the well-being of our local environment and to work with plants to stay and feel vibrantly alive. This training is unique in bringing forth a new generation of herbalists. It is for individuals with vision of restoring our heart connection to the deep ecology of nature.

Within your grasp you have the knowledge to make a world of difference!

"The natural environment is the great outpatient department where we can go for healing." ~William Bird, GP, Berkshire West Primary Care Trust (quoted in Sustainable Development Commission 'Healthy Futures' publication, March 2007)

Conversation with Shantree

Ecological Herbalism:
An Answer to Environmental Illness

"If one way be better than another, that you may be sure is Nature's way." ~ Aristotle

Ecological Herbalism is Sustainable Herbalism, which has evolved into a way of deep ecological thinking that can be applied to many areas of human/planetary activity. It offers many solutions to our planetary ecological crisis and the uncertain future for human culture.

How is ecology relevant to herbalists and modern day healthcare? There are several ways in which Ecological Herbalism offers solutions to many of the issues we face now in healthcare or are very likely to face in the near future. Shantree Teaching
This includes the effects of environmental problems upon health, the continual supply of herbal medicines and wholesome foods, and benefits from changes in lifestyle and an improved quality of life.

Environmental illness: There can be few of us who doubt that we are in the midst of an ecological crisis and that this has a major influence upon the kinds of diseases we treat and other problems both we and our patients experience. We are facing the ‘modern plagues ‘ that Dr. Christopher talked about.

Ecological Herbalism offers practical solutions to many of these health problems through creating user-friendly sustainable living environments along with healthier food and herbal production and healthier lifestyles that are lower in pollution.

"If we want to move on and create sustainability and a more fulfilling quality of life, the best way to do this is to understand the nature of the world and to live harmoniously and creatively with it - to understand that we are a part of the web of life, not separate from it." ~Bill Mollison

This learning time will deepen your understanding of the earth's most precious plants and trees that thrive here in our bioregion. This same engaging experience will heighten your level of wellness on all levels.

If you want to take your connection with nature to the next level, Ecological Herbalism guides you to:

• Remember what is essential and precious to your heart
• Learn how you can help those who have become disconnected to the source
• Expand your knowledge of how ecosystems work in the big picture in helping us understand ourselves
• Learn how to harness the life-force of a forest and channel it for healing
• Learn how you can use these new tools in your daily life
• Restoring your own sacred ecological journey Garden Walk

What happens during an Ecological Herbalism Experience?

By the end of this training, you will possess the following knowledge and skills:

1. You will be able to identify different species and recognize which ecosystem they thrive in.
2. You will be able to discuss the ecological facts of ecosystems and have a solid understanding of how the plants that live in specific environments work within the body.
3. You will have an understanding of sustainable herbalism that supports the restoration of natural ecosystems - you will learn how to be a forest healer - a caretaker of medicines of the future.
4. You will be introduced to the energetic model of plant energetics. The principles of energetics will empower you to work with plants anywhere you.
5. You will have an understanding of plant characteristics and their therapeutic uses.
6. You will learn how to read a natural landscape or a wounded landscape and how to begin to restore it back to it's natural state.
7. You will have an understanding of how the inner and outer ecologies need balance and harmony. How these two ecologies can create disease or radiant health.

What You will Learn
Ecological Herbalism Theory Content Shantree Teaching

The Fundamentals of Ecological Herbalism
The Principles of Deep Herbalism – Deep Ecology
What You Can Do to Make a Difference
Learning from the Wise Old Plants
Biodiversity & Wilderness
Ecological Agriculture
The Responsibility of an Community Herbalist
Practicing Bioregional Herbalism
The Art of Regenerating a Forest
Replanting the Earth for a Sustainable Future
Preserving the Folk Traditions of Wildcrafting
The Herbalist's Role of Being a Caretaker of the Earth
The Path of a Community Herbalist
Ethical Practices of Wildcrafting

Herb Garden Work Team Hands–on-Learning
Ecological Herbalism Experience

Practices for Saving Our Rare and Endangered Species
Identification of Native Medicinal & Sacred Plants
Planting and Tending to a Native Medicine Plant Trail
Designing and Creating a Botanical Sanctuary
Restoring Wilderness on Your Land
The Practical Side of a Botanical Sanctuary

Find out how to use herbal analogues for at-risk plants - other medicinal herbs that provide the same benefits exist that are available in bountiful amounts-and discover ways to make their herbal purchases a vote for sustainability.

This hands-on experiential workshop will demonstrate how you can participate in the land stewardship; habitat protection and eco-friendly consumption that will make certain that a plentiful, renewable supply of edible, medicinal and sacred plants for generations of the future. Mulch Team

Daily flow

Ecological Herbalism is offered as a one-day, two-day weekend workshop or 3-day training. Sessions begins at 9am. The morning will include hands-on training followed by a Vegan Live-Food prepared by The Living Centre's kitchen staff. The afternoon includes lecture, interactive exchanges and concludes with a Sevenfold Path of Peace meditation. The session ends at 5pm.

Recommended Reading

• The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines to Life on Earth ~ Stephen Harrod Buhner
• Planting the Future: Saving Our Medicine Herbs, Rosemary Gladstar & Pamela Hirsch
• Conscious Living Manual: The Sevenfold Path to Peace, Walter 'Shantree' Kacera, D.N., Ph.D. & Lorenna Bousquet-Kacera, 2002

Facilitator Shantree Kacera, D.N., Ph.D.

Dates for Ecological Herbalism

To accommodate individual needs a person can attend our teachings as a One-Day or Two-Day Workshop or as a Three-Day Training:

One-Day Workshop Dates
July 13

Two-Day Workshop Dates
July 13-14

Three-Day Training Dates
July 13-15

Times: 9am - 5pm.

For information about the Visionary Herbalism Educator Course click here