1. Healing the Inner Child intermediate/advanced
This class will offer insights for healing the child within. We will discuss flower essences to address the earliest emotional wounds, and techniques and meditations that will aid you in accessing and healing them. Healing your inner child allows you to live your life with greater joy and helps you resolve unhealthy patterns in your relationships.

2. Integrating Flower Essences Into Other Modalities all levels
Flower Essences are a versatile tool that can easily integrate into other aspects of healing work. This class will discuss the ways you can add them into your bodywork or herbal practices, and other creative uses of essences for home and garden.

3. Working in Partnership with Flower Essences all levels
In this class we will discuss flower essences to uncover and develop greater understanding for issues underlying long-term conditions. By connecting to the issue underneath, we can gain insight and create the possibility for healing and release. This will be an experiential class where you will learn a powerful method to work with essences for self-healing.

1. Music is the Medicine: Songs to Sing for Ritual Occasions, Life Blessings, Healing and Everyday Life open to everyone
Feel your energy and vitality rise singing together with other women in a song circle. Need a song for that special moment? Lots of times when I am in circle and someone is speaking, a song runs through my mind that is totally related to the moment. In this workshop we will learn several songs to be used for all occasions.

2. Singing in the Food Line: An Invitation to Share A Simple Song open to everyone
Singing together—what a great way to wait in a long line. You may have seen me in the food line singing simple songs—that anyone who desires to, can join in. I would love to enlist you to share a song spontaneously in the food line! Something easy, uplifting and fun. I invite you to join me and share YOUR foodline song during this class. Teach it to us so we can support you during the weekend to lead a song in the foodline. Come, be brave, sing out, share your soul!

1. INTENSIVE: A Blessing Way: A Celebration of Life all levels
Adopted from Native American culture, the Blessing Way ceremony was used as a celebration of many different landmarks in ones life. The focus of this ceremony will be to honor and prepare the way for the the expectant mother. In the first part of this Intensive, we will learn about the different components of the ceremony and how to create and lead a Blessing Way in your own community. In the second part of the Intensive, we will come together using a variety of artistic and spontaneous ideas to co-create a Blessing Way for the pregnant women in the class. Space will be limited to only those that have attended the full class.

1. Herbal Allies For The Nu Clear Family, part 1 intermediate
The first part of this class begins with engaging our fear around radiation contamination. We will begin with a healing ritual you can practice whenever the fear of Fukishima comes up. We will then get familiar with the plants, herbs, foods and essences that help us calm the nerves, digest our food and get enough rest. From this calm place we can begin to learn and understand protection from Radioactive fallout. We will learn the protocol for radioprotection using herbs and whole foods and positive energy work.

2. Herbal Allies For The Nu Clear Family, part 2 intermediate
The second part of this class will engage more deeply with radiation induced miasms, sicknesses and trends. We will learn how to detox the body using seaweeds, herbs, whole foods, and healing practices designed to reduce the load on body systems that regulate the removal of toxic materials from the body.

1. INTENSIVE: Sexual Health intermediate
For a truly healthy reproductive system we need to look at the broader picture of sexual health and what that means. This class will explore the societal context of sexuality and gender as well as look at strategies for working with reproductive health imbalances from an energetic perspective; which includes physical, emotional and spiritual support.

2. Deepening our Connection to Nature all levels
We are here to celebrate and learn about the plant beings. What does that really mean? How can we be in deeper communication with Nature? What does it mean to be in a reciprocal relationship with the plants? What is our role as humans in the natural world?

3. Working with Stress and Trauma, part 1 intermediate/advanced
In this class we will explore how stress and trauma impact a person physically, emotionally and spiritually. What are some short and long term issues? How do we identify and unwind these patterns? Treatment approaches and herbs for addressing these issues will be covered.

4. Working with Stress and Trauma, part 2 intermediate/advanced
We will continue. See Working with Stress and Trauma, part 1 for full description.

1. Herbs and Cognition
Many of us have had the experience of forgetting a name we just learned, of re-reading the same paragraph four times (and still not retaining it), or of going through the day in a “fog.” Issues with attention, memory, and mental function are becoming more common, and more pronounced—even in the (relatively) young and healthy. In this class, we will review the role of stress, untreated anxiety and depression, hormones, sleep, and food in cognitive function. We will then discuss (and sample!) major herbs traditionally used for memory and mental clarity.

2. Nurturing Libido
Has your libido left the building? Sex drive naturally comes and goes, ebbs and flows—but for some of us, a lackluster state is, unfortunately, the norm. In this class, we will explore new ways of understanding the factors affecting the vicissitudes of your sex drive, including stress, depression, hormonal transition, adrenal fatigue, chronic pain, and inadequate nutrition. This class delves into what downshifts our emotional and physical desire, and explores the herbs that help us to nurture our innate capacity for physical pleasure. Tastings, recipes, and delectable “libido balls” provided.

3. Reigning in Inflammation
We’ve heard that inflammation is bad for us—and that it is at the root of our most common modern ailments: degenerative arthritis, osteoporosis, insulin resistance/Type II diabetes, cancer, obesity/weight gain, skin issues, insomnia and digestive distress. But inflammation, under the right circumstances, is a healthy response crucial to proper healing. How has inflammation become “hijacked” into a self-perpetuating and potentially damaging process in our bodies? In this class we will explore common sources of inflammatory burden, and discuss what you can do about it. We will delve in to anti-inflammatory foods, detox principles, herbal anti-inflammatory strategies, as well as specific practices to help balance your inflammatory tone.

1. INTENSIVE: Essential Oil Distillation: Distilling Joy all levels
Jess of Ring Botanicals invites you to come and extract essential oil with her copper still. This is to be a wild and wonderful co-distillation of many special flowers, herbs, and trees in one batch. We will explore the basic concepts of how hydro and steam distillation work, as well as some of the specifics for distilling various plants. Medicinal descriptions will no doubt be woven through the process.

2. Natural Perfume Blending: Medicine For Your Soul, part 1 all levels
Join Jess Ring of Ring Botanicals as we immerse ourselves in natural fragrance. Explore an aromatic apothecary of essential oils, absolutes, CO2 extracts, and concretes from around the world, as well as many house-made tinctures, infusions, and distillations of local plants. Together we will create a botanical perfume, covering concepts of tenacity, harmony, radiance, various blending techniques, and basic perfume structure. A rich sensory experience that will draw us all together, as good perfume is medicine for the soul.

3. Natural Perfume Blending: Medicine for your Soul, part 2 all levels
We will continue. See Natural Perfume Blending: Medicine for your Soul, part 1 for full description.

1. INTENSIVE: The Feisty Liver: My Favorite Organ all levels
This class will help to resolve the confusion often found between practitioners of eastern and western herbal medicine around the amazing Liver. We’ll talk about how the Western concept of the liver differs from the Chinese and how we treat different aspects of this wonderful organ to relieve everything from depression to herpes to dry eyes to irregular moon cycles, as well as for western diseases such as Hepatitis B and C. We’ll cover some common Chinese formulas and Chinese and western single herbs, as well as foods and life practices that help to balance the Liver.

2. Clearing Stagnation beginning/intermediate
Have you ever taken tonic herbs or done a cleanse and felt worse than when you started? You’re probably feeling the effects of stagnation. Stagnation is a major cause of disease and unhappiness in Chinese Medicine and can affect every part of your life from your digestion to your hormones to your relationships. Come learn some simple ways to recognize stagnation in the various body systems and some tools, herbal and otherwise, for moving it along and feeling better.

1. Peri and Full-On Menopause, part 1 all levels
We will look at how to work through the emotional and physical symptoms of menopause and peri menopause using supplementation, diet, herbal medicine and acupressure.

2. Peri and Full-On Menopause, part 2 all levels
We will continue. See 1. Peri and Full On Menopause, part 1 for a full description.

3. Working With Our Fertility, part 1 beginning
We will explore working with our fertility using diet, supplementation, charting, appropriate lab tests, as well as some discussion on assisted fertility techniques

4. Working With Our Fertility, part 2 beginning
We will continue. See Working With Our Fertility, part 1 for a full description.

1. Advances in Medical Cannabis all levels
Medical cannabis has had a long, fascinating, and controversial history. Widely used as an important medicinal in the 19th century, cannabis research has, until recently, been hamstrung by the unfortunate legal status of this important herbal medicine. The workshop briefly reviews the history of medical cannabis use, and then moves on to focus on the current state of our understanding. This includes a discussion of the endocannabinoid system (our own naturally occurring cannabinoids), the cannabinoid receptors and their relationship to mood, pain relief and immune function, and various known cannabinoids in cannabis sativa including THC, CBD, and CBN and their physiologic effects. The modulating effects of various secondary metabolites in cannabis, such as terpenes, as well as forms of administration, and safety issues will also be discussed.

2. Essential Oils as Herbal Medicine beginner/intermediate (in essential oils)
An introduction to the topical and inhalation use of about twenty safe and common essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and clary sage. The workshop will discuss some important key concepts of plant biochemistry, and will focus on the practical use of essential for mood support, respiratory tract, skin health, and neuromuscular support. Selected carrier oils will discussed as well. Oral use of essential oils will not be covered, as this is a more advanced topic.

3. In Our Own Backyard: Northern California Native Medicinal Plants all levels
Many important beneficial medicinal plants grow abundantly right in our backyard. This workshop, while not exhaustive, covers the medicinal uses of many of our local plants, and Dr. Shapiro’s experience working with them. The workshop is structured with a focus on those plants that are either abundant, easy to grow in cultivation, or especially helpful (for humans and/or the biome) Attendee participation is encouraged. There will be time for participants to share their experiences with local native plants.

4. Natural treatment for Rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis all levels
A comprehensive look at integrative medicine approaches for rheumatoid (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), including an overview of their differences and similarities. The discussion will include an examination of Western and Chinese medical understanding of these two conditions, as well as the immune and metabolic system relationships with these two conditions. Selected natural treatments for both ,including herbs, diet, essential oils, and mind body approaches will be examined. JRA, psoriatic arthritis, and gout will not be discussed separately due to time considerations.

1. Botany and Herb Walk for Herbalists and Plant Lovers, 1
Dive into the world of plant identification through the examination of flowers and leaves. Learn the distinguishing characeristics of medicinal plant families to help you key out plants and discover how easy and important this crucial art form is for your own ethical wildcrafting and foraging ventures.

2. Botany and Herb Walk for Herbalists and Plant Lovers, 2
This class will repeat. See Botany and Herb Walk for Herbalists and Plant Lovers, 1 for full description.

3. Lotions and Potions: Making Emulsified Creams and Lotions
Making your own skin care products will reduce your exposure to store-bought toxins in fancy, unnecessary packaging, allow you to make the decisions about what goes on and in your body and save you money. In this class we will learn to make nourishing, self-crafted goods using herbs and everyday household ingredients. We will prepare both a homemade lotion and a face cream. There will be information about different oils for different skin types, which herbs are best for your skin, and which compliment other health concerns. Recipes shared can be altered to fit your needs and creativity.

1. INTENSIVE: A Journey to Healing – Tracking Your Inner Landscape beginning
In this Intensive we will be invited to enter a healing journey into our own Inner landscape. It is through the body’s wisdom that we can track the places that keep us constricted. We will be lead through several exercises, individually and in pairs. Using simple tools we will support one another to find familiar places that stop us from bringing our gifts forward. Our journey together will lead us to a new awareness and reconnect ourselves with our vast luminous self.

2. Re-Imagining The World of Weeds beginning
This is geared toward beginning herbalists and gardeners alike. It is a way to become acquainted with those plants that are often referred to as “Weeds” in our gardens and neighborhoods. Many of these plants are our greatest ally’s in our medicine pouches and in the kitchen. Weeds in the past were also the means to know our land and soil as they act as indicators for us. We can also utilize weeds as dynamic accumulators for the compost pile or to make herbal infusions for the garden. Michelle will bring a variety of weeds in glass jars and discuss their uses and magical/medicinal qualities.

1. Introduction to Tribal Belly Dance all levels
Embrace your inner Goddess with a series of basic Tribal Belly Dance repertory movements. We will learn at least nine movements that can be used in either improvisational dance or choreography. There will be a brief meditation and yoga warm up. Please bring a yoga mat if you have one. Hip scarves, coins and fun costuming encouraged! This class lays a foundation for the Tribal Belly Dance Party Performance Choreography class, so students are encouraged to take both, though not required.

2. Tribal Belly Dance Party Performance Choreography all levels
Gorgeous women, you are ready! After a brief yoga warm up we will learn a fun, simple, 2.5 minute Tribal Belly Dance Choreography that is perfect to bust out at your next birthday party, family gathering or Women's Herbal Symposium. Hip Scarves, coin belts and costuming strongly encouraged! Introduction to Tribal Belly Dance class recommended, but not required.

1. INTENSIVE: Basket Weaving intermediate
We will weave a willow based egg basket, using locally gathered and other natural plant materials. Limited to 35 women, not appropriate for children.

2. Our Long Life Gleanings, part 1 all levels
In the first part we will share an interactive circle (or circles) of WOMEN of all ages exchanging wisdom from their life experiences. We will explore some of these topics: abundance in all its forms, the dance of relationships, creating our own reality, the ability to be open to all possibilities, giving ourselves permission to be successful, caring deeply for ourselves. In the second part we will make pennants depicting our gleanings.

3. Our Long Life Gleanings, part 2 all levels
We will continue. See Our Long Life Gleanings, part 1 for full descriptions.

1. Catharsis Through Writing
Speaking your truth through writing unlocks feelings and gives wings to inspiration and breakthroughs. Working with herbs that correspond with the throat chakra and evocative writing exercises, this workshop will help unleash the muse to gain the vitality needed to push through to the next incredible blessing. Give form to nebulous fears and/or desires and watch the magic unfold.

1. Building Intuition Through Basic Spell Casting Young Women, ages 13-19
Jamie Wood, author of The Teen Spell Book, will lead you through the basics of spell crafting in this hands-on class. You will learn how herbs, days of the week, seasons, colors, animals, Goddesses, and most importantly your intention can help manifest your desires. You will be empowered with tools for building your intuition and developing discernment or the ability to keenly judge situations and people that will support you in actualizing your dreams. Each participant will create and take away a special mojo bag that will help bring the magic home.