The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

In a similar way that the astrological pattern enables us to see the relationship between the human body, psyche, and soul, so too does it allow us to understand the connection between a plant's physical, energetic and spiritual properties. It's common in modern day herbalism to have one particular system for understanding the medicinal properties of a plant and how it acts upon the body, and a totally different model for how a plant can heal the mind, heart and spirit. But in a truly holistic model, we see that the physical symptoms of the body are reflections of what's going on in the mind and soul. As such, the medicinal properties of a plant are not separate, meaning that the way they heal the mind and spirit is based upon the same pattern in the way they heal the body. The goal of the astro-herbalist, is to learn to see these patterns of relationship between a plant's chemistry, energetics and spiritual properties, to see into the essence of the plant – it's wholeness – and how it heals the whole person. This essence of the plant is encompassed by its primary astrological, or planetary, "ruler." Each planet in medical astrology has certain qualities and characteristics associated with it that points towards which plants are connected or similar to that planetary quality. This is done through looking at organ rulerships, energetic qualities like temperature (hot/cold), moisture (damp/dry) and tone (tonifying/relaxing), morphological characteristics as seen through the doctrine of signatures, tastes, and other properties. For example, with Cayenne pepper we see a bright red coloration of the fruits which exhibit a highly pungent, aromatic taste. It has a primary affinity for the heart, blood, and cardiovascular system and a very warming and drying energetic quality. It stimulates circulation of the blood, promotes diaphoresis, eases musculoskeletal pain and inflammation, and has antiseptic properties as well. All of these properties of Cayenne are directly correlated to Mars, the red planet. Mars rules the blood and its circulation, is hot energetically, governs immunity, fever, inflammation, and pain associated with heat. Many spicy pungent plants relate to Mars, as it's the hottest of all the planets. Thus we can see that the properties of this medicinal plant are similar, or sympathetic, to the planet Mars. Based on these signatures, we can start to understand the subtler properties of this plant and how it might operate upon the psychological, emotional and spiritual levels as well. Mars also relates to our willpower, the action we take out in the world and our ability to exhibit a "warrior spirit." It's common for people with excessive Mars to be overheated both physically and psychologically, which can express as anger, irritability, frustration, or a controlling/domineering nature. If in deficiency, we'll see folks with low willpower and drive, a lack of strength in character and confidence, a timidity in the personality. As Cayenne embodies the force of Mars in such a powerful way, we may see it facilitating upon some of these patterns in the personality of the person that uses it, especially in spagyric preparations of the plant which concentrates this celestial power into the extract. In essence, the pattern of astrology helps the modern herbalist have a system for understanding the holistic properties of plants in ways that reach far beyond merely knowing its actions, energetics, chemistry and medicinal properties. It gives us one language, one pattern, one framework that unites their physical, energetic and spiritual qualities that gets us closer to grasping their essential nature that heals the whole person. ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

As a holistic herbalist, our goal is to work with the WHOLE person. From many traditional perspectives, there are three primary organizational layers of the human being. In Alchemy these are referred to as Salt, Mercury and Sulfur. In Ayurveda it is vata, pitta, and kapha, or prana, tejas, and ojas. The Chinese refer to Jing, Shen, and Chi. From the most simplest orientation, we can say that we have a body, a spirit and a soul- the spirit in this context referring to the vital force, as well as our specific psychological and emotional patterning. For the herbalist, we want our understanding of a person to orient around the physical, psychological and spiritual levels of health. But essential to the holistic model, is that THEY AREN'T SEPARATE! Rather, the body is the condensed aspect of the soul, and the soul is the most subtle, ethereal, or volatile aspect of the body. They are connected, part that constitute our wholeness. Unfortunately for a lot of herbalists, there is a separation in regards to how the body's health is perceived from the health of the mind, emotions and spirit. We may understand the body through its' anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, or energetics, but then have a totally separate pattern or framework for understanding the psyche and soul. This makes seeing the connections between physical, psychological and spiritual symptoms quite difficult. This is where the astrological model comes in. Through astrology, we have our natal birth chart, which is commonly seen as representing our core personality, qualities and characteristics. In the evolutionary approach to astrology, the chart also shows us our growth edges and what lessons life is presenting to us for our soul to further its development and evolution. But what's commonly NOT looked at in astrology, is the fact that the chart also represents our physical body, our organs, systems, tissues and constitution. In this way, through our natal birth chart, we have the ability to see the pattern of relationship between what's happening in our physical body and it's connection to the mind, heart, and spiritual growth. This gives the herbalist an incredibly precise and specific tool for holistic assessment and evaluation, especially for those with an interest in attending to helping people beyond their physical health. ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

A major concern of folks on the path of becoming a practicing herbalist is that they'll get sued for practicing medicine without a license. Being an herbalist in the United States is a little bit of a grey area, as there are thousands of practitioners out there helping people with plants that aren't necessarily licensed physicians. This is in certain ways a blessing because there is no governmental body telling us how to (and how not to) practice herbalism. But it does lead to legal concerns. In essence, it comes down to how we communicate about the work that we do. As herbalists we are not legally able to diagnose, prescribe medicine, or treat disease. Rather, we holistically evaluate and assess a person, make suggestions in regards to diet, lifestyle, herbs and supplements, and support the health of people's organ systems and tissues. Simply by making sure we shape our language and communication in how we approach our work is one of the best ways for protecting ourselves. This also brings us questioning around certification for becoming a practicing herbalist. Again, there is no overarching governmental body that oversees this. In North American, the American Herbalist Guild (AHG) provides the most universally recognized herbal practitioner certification, where one becomes a Registered Herbalists (R.H.) with the AHG. They have stringent qualifications on education, overseen clinical hours, and testing that enables someone to hold this level of certification. But do you really have to be "certified" to help people with plants? To see the full blog post, more free videos and training, head over to our blog at: https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/2019/02/03/legal-concerns-of-practicing-herbalism/ ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

Herbal dosage is a common question amongst people on the path to becoming a practicing herbalist. Unfortunately, there isn't a straightforward answer the works across the board. Some use very low doses, some use very high doses. The one thing that's clear, is that both approaches to how much of an herb to give WORKS, and gets healing results from their clients, which is the #1 most important thing. Read the full blog post here: https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/2019/01/27/how-much-of-an-herb-do-i-give-a-discussion-on-dosage-of-medicinal-plants/ ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

Central to traditional systems of medicine is the understanding that the human organism is a reflection of Nature- that our bodies are not machines or composed merely of "biochemical gears," but rather that we are composed of natural forces that exist all around us. That we are a part of the ecological context of the Earth. This perceptual orientation switches not only how we understand a human being, but how we perceive and treat disease, study a medicinal plant, compound formulas, and literally every other facet of herbal. For it anchors our entire understanding and practice of herbalism back into the foundation patterns of Nature itself. In terms of assessing a person, when we Nature within their bodies, we don't just see a symptom or a disease, we see a deeper level of imbalance within the ecosystem of the body on a vital, or energetic level. Traditionally this is seen in terms of a tissues temperature and moisture qualities (hot, cold, wet, dry). These temperature and moisture patterns are at the root of natural systems, ecosystems, the weather and seasonal dynamics. These are the forces that plants are submitted to in Nature that develops their unique medicinal properties, as well as imbuing them with their own energetic qualities of hot, cold, wet and dry. Ultimately, this perceptual shift of seeing the human as an embodiment of Nature is a foundational premise of the vitalist traditions all across the globe throughout the history. I believe it's critically important in our modern world, where so many of us feel so disconnected from Nature and herbalism is becoming more scientifically studied, for us to not forget that we are first, foremost and forever students of Nature. ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

A new year brings a lot of us to a place of reflection, introspection, and a desire to vision forward into our lives with greater clarity and direction. This is always a critical thing to do in all areas of our lives, and as herbalists, it's good to take a look down our plant path and see what direction we want to move into. This episode is all about creating a strategy to optimize your herbal studies for the next 12 months so that by this time next year, you'll be amazed at the level of growth, development, and precision you have reached in your practice as an herbalist. To watch the video and get the full blog post (along with an opportunity to join our monthly subscription program, Materia Medica Monthly and help us create our upcoming webinar series) click here: https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/mmm-2/herbal-studies/ Blessings to your new year and all the ways you're working to make this world a better place through the healing power of medicinal plants!! ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

I always like to say that every client you see is a chapter in your experiential book of learning herbal medicine. And that is the very best book you can get to learn about how to use plants effectively. Recently, I was blessed with the opportunity to treat a condition I'd never treated before… hemorrhoids. This can be a bit of an embarrassing condition for people, and they might dance around what's really going on with them and not outright say it. While I had learned about what hemorrhoids are in school and knew what main herbs are commonly used to treat them, I literally had no idea how painful, uncomfortable, and challenging they can be for people! This person had been using conventional over-the-counter treatments to try and alleviate their discomfort, and they worked (a little), but the condition just kept getting worse. This is because they focus only on topical treatment, rather than working on the body from the inside out. Something like a hemorrhoid is an external manifestation of a deeper level of imbalance within the system, what the old doctors would refer to as a "relaxed tissue state." This ecological imbalance within the tone of the tissues is treated with a single primary herbal action: astringents, which help to tighten up and tonify tissues that have become overly loose, lax and weakened. Here you'll learn the specific formula I used for this person and how powerful it was to turn around their condition, bring swift symptomatic relief, and most importantly, correct the underlying physiological imbalance that was the ultimate root cause of the symptom. I was actually amazed at how quickly this formula worked, especially after conventional treatments had been used for weeks to no avail. ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

I get asked a lot about whether our programs certify you to become an herbalist. This is a big question in the herbal education world, and it can be a little confusing as there is no singular "herbal certification" out there- the best is really becoming a Registered Herbalist (RH) by the American Herbalist Guild (AHG). Most schools will offer a "certificate of completion" after going through a course. There's a wide range here. I've heard of people becoming a "Certified Master Herbalist" after a simple weekend workshop, whereas others certify an herbalist after going through a set number of hours of clinical training and classroom hours. But these are "internal certifications" by the school or teacher and aren't necessarily regulated or overseen by some board or anything like that. The big point of confusion amongst a lot of herbalists, is that you need some form of certification to help people with plants. This just isn't true. There is no governmental body that oversees the practice of herbalism (thank the light) and as such, there is no licensure. In my opinion this is a good thing because it keeps herbalism in the people's hands, as I feel it is the people's medicine. Imagine what herbal medicine would turn into if the government starting controlling what we can and can't do with the plants we know and love... In my opinion, to become a qualified practicing herbalist requires a balance of study, practice, and experience- both in the classroom, the clinic, and the forest. To me, the best certification is what we receive from the plants themselves, a certain knowingness in our hearts that we are ready to start helping people. When you are ready to practice you will simply know it. Sometimes having a certification can externally instill confidence in someone that maybe isn't necessarily ready to start practicing. They may not really know what they are doing, but because they have a certificate they think they do. Luckily most plants herbalists use are super safe and don't run the risk of harming anyone, but it certainly is possible. Our confidence should be internally generated through developing competence in our herbal art. The best certification is the actual results we get in the people we serve and this requires training and practice. To clarify, I'm not totally against herbal certification- there's good ones out there, and not so good ones out there. Rather, I believe it's important as herbalists that we don't think we NEED to piece of paper to give us permission to heal people with plants. That we don't become dependent on someone telling us we can do it and have that overshadow our own intuitive sense as to when it's our time. I hope I don't offend anyone with this post, I'm certainly not trying to get after anyone here and am just sharing my thoughts on this topic, as I get a lot of questions about it. For Evolutionary Herbalism students, or anyone who might consider joining one of our programs someday, please know that we are in the process of developing both internal certification of completion of our courses along with adequate testing to make sure the information is understood and integrated, as well as having our courses help to move someone towards AHG certification as well. ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

This special issue of the Plant Path explores the tradition and practice of Herbal Alchemy and Spagyrics with world renowned expert on the subject Robert Bartlett. This episode explores the tradition of Alchemy, it's applications in modern herbal pharmacy, the therapeutic effects of spagyrics, and the overall practice of REAL Alchemy. Robert Bartlett is the author of two critically important books on the art and practice of Alchemy: Real Alchemy and The Way of the Crucible. He was the chief chemist at the Paracelsus Research Institute and student of the late Frater Albertus. Robert is the founder of the Spagyricus Institute where he teaches plant, mineral, and metallic Alchemy in Washington State. To learn more about his work, go to his website at www.spagyricus.com ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

People commonly confuse the term essential oil with infused oils, not realizing they are in fact two different types of extraction. We also have the term herbal oils or aromatic oils, which also contributes to the confusion, as these terms have all been used interchangeable and applied to both essential oils and infused oils. In the modern era of the essential oil craze, many forget to traditional usage of herbs infused into carrier oils to convey their medicinal properties. These forms of extract are easy to prepare at home without the necessity for distillation equipment, and are generally more sustainable in terms of the amount of plant material needed. To see the full blog post, go here: https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/2018/08/14/essential-oils-vs-infused-oils/ ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology. Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is "good for" but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah's teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn't just want to "fix what's broken" in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly "wholistic" perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.