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Descriptions 2008: Session 1 • Session 2 • Session 3
Sarah is a clinical herbalist and yoga instructor in Sebastopol, CA. She has a background in biology and pioneered a master’s degree program in Herbal Medicine at TAI Sophia. She is passionate about the green revolution in all aspects of life, including medicine, business, and personal wellness.
1. Chakra Exploration
Combination of yoga and herbs for each chakra.
2. Herbs for Pets
Basic exploration of top ten ailments in pets with a treatment protocol for each ailment and concepts of dosing, administration, etc.
3. Digestive Wellness
Exploring the strength of herbal medicine throughout the digestive system. Including a thorough discussion of bitters, anti-inflammatories, digestive enzymes, and the role of other natural remedies in treatment.
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Linda is a Medical Herbalist, Holistic Consultant and Iridologist. She practices in Burlingame, CA at the Vitality Center. Linda has offered healing services for over three decades. She uses her expert intuitive skills and practical healing wisdom to counsel clients to greater wellness. She lives in Pacifica, CA
1. Herb Walk, 1 (beginning)
Linda will be the voice of the lovely herbs and wild plants that we find on the land, who want their story to be shared.
2. Herb Walk, 2 (beginning)
This class will be repeated
3. Raw Foods
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Julie is an improvisational dancer/performer and choreographer. She has taught dance to children and directed intergenerational performance projects with seniors. A shamanic practitioner, she enjoys introducing people to the world of plants and their world of movement. She has danced extensively with the plants of the rainforests of Puerto Rico and northern California. She lives in Albion, CA.
1. Dances of the Plants, Part 1 (all levels)
As in the movements of Tai Chi, nature, the wind, animals, and the sea influence the movements of people and cultures. Why can’t the energetic qualities of plants influence people as well? All of herstory, meaning the experiences of our past and present, are in our bodies as cellular memories. So too are the dances of the plants. In this class we will be introduced to the concept that every plant and every change in meteorology has its own movement pattern, which we can re-create in our own bodies. Through experimental movement exercises we will prepare ourselves to feel the exquisite dances of the plants and dances of weather.
2. Dances of the Plants, Part 2 (all levels)
Lynda is an iridologist/herbalist owning Nia Cu Herbs. She has a clinical practice, teaches and has made custom medicines for over 20 years. She honors the teachings of La Dona Dora of Mexico, and Tom Brown Jr. of NJ. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains.
1. The Unconscious Messages of Plants: Learning to Interpret the Language of Plants
They are F-mailing us all the time. Are you picking up their messages? If not, why not?
2. The Ultimate Sustainability: "The Give Away”
Take part in a time-honored ritual of giving in order to replenish and rejuvenate. Bring something of personal value to gift to another. (Sacred Time begins promptly so please be early).
3. The Voices of Addiction:
Explore the Many Aspects of Addiction, Part 1
Be prepared to stretch outside of your comfort zone. Of course bring your special friend, (if you have one), may it be caffeine, food, tobacco, alcohol, heroin. All are welcome. However, it is not encouraged to be under the influence. Come early for the experience begins on time.
4. The Voices of Addiction:
Explore the Many Aspects of Addiction, Part 2
We will continue.
1. INTENSIVE: Spirit Dolls (all levels)
Come create a beautiful, powerful, magical spirit doll using branches and other found earth objects along with wonderful fabrics, beads, feathers and treasures that will be provided. Please bring any meaningful treasures from home that you may want to add to your creation as well. Ritual, drumming and singing will be woven in to enrich and support your creative process. if possible, please bring scissors and clippers. Limited to 15 women.
2. Make Your Own Dream Catcher (all levels)
Join us in making beautiful dream catchers, alive with herbs and feathers, beads and other wondrous goodies. Limited to 15 women.
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Jill is a mother of a six year old girl, and an avid practitioner of Plant Spirit Medicine, having trained with Eliot Cowan in 1998, and commencing her practice in 1999. In addition to PSM, she has maintained a bodywork practice since 1990 that primarily focuses on pregnant and post partum women, while also empowering women to give birth true to their natures as a certified childbirth doula. Jill lives in Sebastopol, CA.
1. Communing with the Spirits of Plants, An Intimate Approach to Healing, Part 1 (all levels)
This class begins with the differing world views of indigenous peoples that make this form of medicine possible and effective, citing different ethnographic sources. We will further substantiate this anthropomorphic approach to reality by exploring evidence found in our sciences that demonstrate the existence of an “intelligent universe,” in which all matter contains its own form of consciousness. We will discover that we have the ability to be in touch with, and communicate with these intelligences, along with the universally held rituals for doing so. We will also look at evidence that supports the interconnectedness of all consciousnesses, because at the heart of this approach is the primacy of relationship/alliances between ourselves and the plant beings, and the synergy that occurs when we open the doors to these unseen realms. We will also engage in a field study of a plant, going into nature to sit with, observe, and draw the plant of our choice. Students will be taught how to introduce themselves to a plant, to ask its permission to engage with it, and how to give it offerings of gratitude for the exchange that is about to take place.
2. Communing with the Spirits of Plants, An Intimate Approach to Healing, Part 2 (all levels)
In this second part we will return together to experience a shamanic journey to the plant we just studied. The basic elements of the shamanic journey will be explained and questions answered. The journey will last 15 minutes, and then time will follow to write down our experiences. Next, we will share our journeys and summarize what we have learned.
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Brazilian-born Kendra is one of the pioneers of classic aromatherapy in the United States. Kendra has traveled the world for over twenty years, studying and researching aromatherapy. She wrote the Aromatherapy Pocketbook, in 1994, released in two editions. Kendra has produced, filmed and directed Precious Essence, a feature documentary on the distillation and history of precious flower oils, filmed on location in five continents around the world. Kendra has a new title released in the spring of 2007 called “Aromatherapy, Crystals & Vibrational Healing,” now available in stores and on her website, www.aromajewels.com.
1. INTENSIVE: Beauty Inside/Out (all levels)
This class is about the discipline of skin care associated with spiritual practice and the holistic use of essential oils. Get in touch with the essential oils best suited for cosmetic use and get inspired by some of Kendra’s creative practices for beauty. Kendra has 25 years experience with home made cosmetics.
2. Perfume for the Soul (all levels)
Drawing from her clinical work with creating personalized formulas for individual’s “Therapeutic Perfumes,” Kendra will orient you in her style of setting up sessions for making perfumes. Learn on blending and chemistry of essential oils. Enjoy hearing about the ancient Egyptians history and Mythology relating to perfume. Class includes a scented meditation and you will create a blend to take home.
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1.Indigo Workshop, Part 1
2. Indigo Workshop, Part 2
3. Silk Painting with Natural Dye Extracts
Lois has practiced holistic medicine for more than fifteen years with a primary emphasis on herbs. Her work encompasses traditional arts, scientific knowledge, and highly developed diagnostic skills. She also teaches and writes about herbs and health. She plays and gardens in Sebastopol, CA.
1. Bone Health, Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment (advanced)
We will look at the basics of bone physiology as a way of understanding how to promote strong and healthy bones with herbal, nutritional, and lifestyle approaches. We will discuss controversies around testing and treatment.
2. Herbal and Other Alternative Cancer Treatments,
Part 1 (advanced0
Learn how to evaluate patients for appropriateness of herbal treatment, how to assess information about herbs for cancer and how to integrate herbs into other treatment approaches. Specific treatments to be discussed include Artemesinin, Avemar, Bindweed, Low Dose Naltrexone, Tetrathiomolybdate, the range of immune modulators and others.
3. Herbal and Other Alternative Cancer Treatments,
Part 2 (advanced)
We will continue.
4. Nancy Drew & the Mystery of the Lost Libido (intermediate/advanced)
It’s not up the secret staircase or in the locked trunk! We’ll talk about some sexy herbs and some hot supplements and flower essences. The emphasis of the class for clinical practitioners will be learning how to assess the various causes and conditions with low libido and how to use this information to make good treatment choices.
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Yemaya has been playing music all her life. A graduate of New World School of the Arts (Miami, FL), Yemaya has been performing with various musical projects since 1995. She has been teaching Sacred Drum & Chant since 2001. With her partner she runs a musical project, Asha Nan & currently teaches Sacred Drum & Chant in Arcata. Asha Nan's CD We'll Be There at the Rising Dawn is available locally. Yemaya lives in Arcata, CA.
1. Conscious Rhythms, Women and the Drum, Part 1 (beginning)
We will explore the different tones of the drum, learn some basic rhythms and songs, bring out our own natural rhythms, and get comfortable and confident in a drum circle setting. No experience necessary. Bring a drum if you have one.
2. Conscious Rhythms, Women and the Drum, Part 2 (intermediate)
We will dive deeper into more complex interlocking rhythms and songs with layering parts. We can also take turns listening, leading, & following in a drum circle, setting our own natural rhythms, and get comfortable and confident in a drum circle setting. *Prerequisite: either Conscious Rhythms-The Basics or previous drumming experience.
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Amanda is a graduate of the California College of Ayurveda and is certified as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist and a Pancha Karma Specialist. She is a certified Sivananda Yoga Teacher and a member of the CCA faculty and oversees the college’s herbal studies program.
1. INTENSIVE: Marma Facials: Ayurvedic Energy Points for Radiant Skin and Emotional Balance (all levels)
Marma points are wells of energy located over the entire body. This class will focus on the Marma points of the face and head for beauty and emotional balance. Ayurvedic teachings describe 108 Marma points covering the entire body. Learn how to find the eleven Marma points on the face and a simple technique for sending pranic energy through your fingertips to balance and stimulate the points for healing. During this class we will give each other Marma ‘facials’ using essential oils and floral waters.
2. Insomnia: Ayurvedic Therapies and Herbs (all levels)
A recent study by the National Sleep Institute shows that 58% of Americans are affected by insomnia. Ayurveda classifies insomnia into three separate types, learn the signs of each type of insomnia and effective techniques for a reduction in this symptom. Several little-known herbs from India are extremely helpful in cases of insomnia, especially when combined with some Ayurvedic techniques for a harmonious lifestyle. You will walk away from this class with a clear understanding of insomnia and ways to heal the underlying imbalances.
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Rabbit is a priestess, herbalist, and healer. She has studied with the Sage Mountain School of Herbalism, as well as independently for over fifteen years. Her lifelong love affair with the natural world is the seed-bed of all her magic. She lives in Berkeley, CA with her partner and pets, and is the co-owner of The Sacred Well. http://www.sacredwell.com
1. Aphrodite's Boudoir: Herbs for Love & Passion
(all levels)
The Goddess of love and sensuality unfolds the petals of Her plant wisdom in this provocative workshop. Whether you're seeking a new flame or looking to rekindle a spark that is currently low, Rabbit has a recipe for passion. In fact, she has several aphrodisiac recipes she will share in this workshop. The session will culminate in a ritual to Aphrodite, asking Her to stoke the fires within and send us the sensuous, sumptuous experiences we seek in our everyday lives.
2. The Mortar of Baba Yaga: Herbs & Magic of Eastern Europe (all levels)
Baba Yaga, wise grandmother of the forest, is the prototype of witch as healer/witch as poisoner in Russia, Poland, and many other Eastern European countries. A rich herbal tradition is the gift of the ancient Slavic ancestors- from simple country brews to charms and superstitions. Rabbit will present a library of traditional Eastern European healing herbs and their uses, along with simple folk customs and charms to honor goddesses of Slavic origin.
3. Visionary Medicine
There are herb allies for all three of your eyes! Cultivate your inner AND outer sight. Explores teas and tisanes, eyewashes and legal visionary herbs with Rabbit. You have specific ocular and oracular gifts as a woman, and this workshop is meant to help you develop them further. Seeing is believing, in more ways than one. Awaken your eyes to the majesty of healthy, intuitive sight.
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Elizabeth has recently returned to Sebastopol with her daughter Flora after six years in the mountains of Siskiyou County. She practices acupuncture and herbal medicine, specializing in the holistic treatment of children, pain disorders, autoimmune conditions and acupuncture facial rejuvenation.
1. Pediatric Ear Infections: An Eastern Medicine View (beginning/intermediate)
Nearly every parent faces an ear infection at least once with their child. And though new guidelines encourage doctors not to prescribe antibiotics for ear infections, many doctors still do. And many parents use them because they lack more effective, less damaging methods of treatment. This class will give you an understanding of ear infections from an Eastern point of view and a number of simple strategies for helping a child through one without antibiotics.
2. Bupleurum and Beyond; Chinese Herbs for the Liver (intermediate/advanced)
Elizabeth finds that many western herbalists are confused about how Chinese Medicine can be used to treat imbalances of the Liver. Come get some insights into the Chinese view of the Liver and a new understanding of how to use herbs you may be familiar with, such as Bupleurum and Gentiana, as well as some of Elizabeth’s favorite and possibly less familiar herbs.
3. Revitalizing the Essence (all levels)
What is the Jing, or Essence? How can we protect it? How can we restore it once we’ve really messed it up? Come explore this deepest, most precious substance of the body and plants, foods and lifestyle adjustments to help you live a long and healthy life.
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Karin began with an MS in Zoology, and later pursued herbal studies at the Selfheal School in Britain, earning a diploma in herbal medicine and iridology. She has a private practice in Mendocino, teaches classes in herbal healthcare and yoga, and works as a nutritional consultant for Corners of the Mouth in Mendocino, CA.
1. INTENSIVE: Loving Your Lymph System (all levels)
Learn more about this amazing ‘second half’ of your immune system and how to take care of it using herbs, nutritional cleansing, bodywork and water therapy. We will also discuss the role your lymph system has in regard to environmental toxins and preventing subsequent illness.
2. The Heart of the Matter (all levels)
The heart, as empress, sits on the throne of your body – what is she saying? This class will cover basic cardio physiology, various symptoms of imbalance and how to care for this beloved muscle. Be prepared for an energetic exploration of the heart chakra and how the heart and mind relate.
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Kristen is a Nutrition Consultant, Diet Counselor, Herbal Educator and Transformational Body Worker/Massage Therapist. She is the author of the Stevia Dessert Cookbook, is a Goddess worshipping feminist witch, an artist, gardener, lover & protector of plants & animals. She lives in Sebastopol, CA.
1. Blood Mysteries Class Riding the Great Red Dragon (all levels)
Let us honor our moon time, when the veil between worlds is lifted. Moon blood is our direct connection to Mother Earth and the Goddess. The Mysteries of our sacred blood is wisdom, intuition and wemoon power. Where are you in relation to your moon cycle? What goes on in your body, mind and spirit in the dance of hormones throughout your cycle? Awaken and harmonize to the connection of your body’s natural rhythms. We will create ritual space, with the aide of our herbal allies, in which to open to the mysteries of our sacred moon time.
2. Making Your Own (all levels)
Celebrate the sacredness of your bloods by making your own pad. Come and create your own sacred receptacle for your blood and affirm your female power. For political, spiritual and environmental reasons let’s do away with pre-packaged sanitary napkins. Let's reclaim this multi-billion dollar industry for women. Let's reclaim our power and make our own blood pads! In women's circle we shall weave our prayers and songs into a handmade wemoon pad. No prior sewing experience required.
3. Yoni Goddess Empowerment (all levels)
Come explore the awesome mysteries of the infinite yoniverse. Wemoon magic, power and wisdom comes from our yoni’s, the gateway to the womb, a yoniverse of Life force energy. Our cycles are the creative principles of the universe. In the Eleusinian religious mysteries, the secret of immortality is expressed in the image of woman giving birth to herself. Come join us in ritual as we call upon our herbal allies to midwife our rebirth and aid us in reclaiming our Divine feminine power. We will be making yoni prints using berry juice, bring your own bowl. Speculums will be made available for your viewing pleasure. For those who are shy but curious bring a sarong.
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Cheryl “Li” Walter, Ph. D. has been watching the stars, constellations, and planets for over seven years. She uses a telescope with an equatorial mount and clock drive to make planetary essences that combine the essences of planets, trees, and rocks. She is the creator of the Keeping Time Calendar Book blending Mayan Time Cycles with Astrology and Astronomy. She lives in Sebastopol, CA.
1. Stargazing With Li, 1 (all levels)
Come gaze at the stars sparkling in the night sky. Learn to find your way around the sky and identify the spring constellations and brightest stars, and hear the stories associated with them. Li uses a greenlaser pointer to trace the constellations that makes it easy for everyone to see exactly which stars we’re looking at. Bring a blanket or sleeping bag for warmth and comfort.
2. Stargazing With Li, 2 (all levels)
The class repeats.
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1. Crone Health: Loving Life After Menopause
The Spirit Side of Being a Crone, Part 1
This is time to reflect and share our experiences of Cronehood and our love for our Wise Crone ways and bodies. Past menopause and into memorypause, we will tell our stories. A time to make a ritual Crone Broom will follow.
2. The Spirit Side of Being a Crone, Part 2
We will continue and we will discuss our plans for the Maiden's Rites of Passage and our own Crone's Honoring Ritual.
3. Honoring the Loss of an Unborn Child
Join us for a quiet honoring of the loss of an unborn child through miscarriage or abortion.
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A magical yogic journey through nature and the animals that exist in various regions. Yogi Frogi guides us to expand our connection to our natural habitat – trees, flowers, animals of the water, land and sky.
2. Faerie Journey, Part 1: The Flower Faerie Dance
We will connect to the flower fairies lavender, buttercup, tulip, cornflower, wild cherry and their many friends. We meet them through story and dance. Tapping into the forest energy we step and dance our way into the world of imagination and magic.
3. Faerie Journey, Part 2: Flower Faerie Craft and Tea Party
We will wander the forest looking for objects to incorporate into our Faerie Art - the end result will be a woodland art frame—found branches are connected to make a woodland frame which will highlight art made from found objects in nature—petals, leaves, etc. We end the class with a faerie tea party with special faerie tea (rose petals, cardamom, hibiscus flowers, star anise, lemon blossom, lavender, and more magic).
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Tamara is a primitive technologist, educator & author who has been practicing, teaching & demonstrating ancient living skills for the past seventeen years through her business Paleotechnics. She offers a variety of programs for fairs, museums and schools. Look at her website www.paloeotechnics.com for information about programs, classes and events. Tamara lives in Mendocino County.
Exploring a myriad of different food processing methods using stone tools: Cracking, shelling and pounding acorns using a mortar & pestle for acorn meal, pounding manzanita berries and making cider, pounding other berries to make pemmican, grinding bay nuts with mano & metate to make balls. Cracking & extracting pine nuts & black walnuts.
2. Elderberry Vial Containers and Mini Drums
Shaping and hollowing out elderberry shoots to create small vials, then peeling & sanding them with horsetail, polishing them with ashes and painting them with earth pigments. Also making mini drums with elderberry bodies.
3. Beadmaking: Pine nuts, Willow and Soapstone
Grinding and hollowing pine nuts for beads, grinding and polishing willow pieces for beads and drilling soapstone beads with willow/bamboo drills and polishing them with horsetail. (Can be strung onto string from fibers class to make a necklace.)
4. Fibers: Stringmaking, Ropemaking and Netmaking
Extracting fiber from dogbane and twisting it into strings (can be used to make necklaces with beads from beadmaking class.) Using basic "ropewalk" technique to make rope out of cotton twine. Time & interest permitting, making little finger sized knotless netted pouches.
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1. Dragon-Time for Newly Bleeding Young Women
Welcome maidens, to the circle of women! Join us in celebrating the beauty and strength of this phase of your life, the time of your bloods. We will chat, play a game, explore ideas and feelings, hear stories, make things to care for ourselves and prepare for the Maiden' s Rites of Passage Ceremony to be held Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m.
1. Moon Dance for Moon-time Young Women, ages 11-15, Part 1
We will include building a medicine wheel /Sacred space: Stone that border Sacred Space, The hoop of life made hole, Eagle, Coyote, Bear, come sing With Great White Buffalo. Here we greet the winds of change, We Praise Grandfather Sun, Here we honor the wholeness of all, Coming together as one.
2. Moon Dance for Moon-time Young Women, ages 11-15 Part 2
Learning the "Dance of life" a sequence of movement that form our connection to the seven direction East, South, West, North Above below and within. Along with a native prayer. Entering into the medicine wheel of Cherokee dance of life. A sacred ritual through the arts of movement embracing all the elements (wind, water, earth, fire). We will also connect movements of qi gong, bellydancing, and serpent energy. We will make sage sticks and discuss the healing properties of Sage and its history in the native American culture.
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