Finding a path in herbalism

I love teaching, inspiring & guiding new connections with the world of plants, sharing ways of using natural remedies for health and wellbeing. But... it can quickly get overwhelming.

People come to a workshop and feel excited to make herbalism part of their life, but then - where to begin! - which plants, what remedy, how and where and why again? It can feel like another thing we 'should' fit into our already-busy lives.  

Add to that the different approaches, teachings, modalities and cultures; from TCM to Ayurveda to western herbal medicine, via intuitive herbalism or maybe astrological herbalism, and it gets all a bit too much to know where to start!

I find that one of the best ways to avoid overwhelm is to understand that there is a universal principle in all these herbal traditions and modalities, and that is the practice of HOLISTIC HERBALISM.

“Happy is he who hath the power,
to gather wisdom from a flower. ”
~ Mary Howitt ~

At its essence, holistic herbalism is where we are learning directly from nature. A whole-body experience of whole-herbs.

No matter the details or the methodologies or the techniques of the various herbal traditions, when we got to the root of holistic herbalism we are learning from the sun, the earth, the elements; the same deep rooted and age-old patterns in nature.

So let's think less and feel more. Let nature, the plants, the cycles be our teacher.

Remember how little we know, and yet how intelligent our bodies and nature is.

I wrote the Year in Herbs journal to help people break down the mountain of information into accessible, enjoyable chunks; a reflection, a recipe, a remedy, each month just getting a little more familiar with ONE herb. One herb, each month, for a year, has the power to open a lot of understanding, connection and relationship with the plant world, with holistic herbalism.

In 2025, I’m following along.

I know these herbs, at a level. Every herbalist is the same, we know there’s always more to learn when we remember the plants are our best teachers!

So to layer, build and expand on the experiences and connections I made as part of my writing process, I’m starting all over fresh. With Rosemary in January, then Febraury will be a slow and mindful exploration of Laver (seaweed), then onto Dandelion in March; yes - that slow! I have been really enjoying Sajah Popham’s blog (School of Evolutionary Herbalism), and he shares a wonderful ritual and routine for an approach just like this. One herb each month, 12 herbs a year.

I only came across his post in December, after A Year in Herbs was published, and I realised the perfect fit:

The Journal has pages for notes and I’m going to do exacty what the journal suggests! Personalise it, annotate it, make observation and realisations, learning directly from nature, from the plant.

Sajah’s advice is to ‘find 12 herbs to study for the next 12 months’. Please do read and subscribe to his beautifully written posts. His blog provides suggestions for a process of connecting with a plant in a way which helps you attune to the its intelligence.

I’m reminded that my role as a herbalist is the bridge between the plant and the human kingdoms, through experience and connection. Bringing me full circle - to holistic herbalism, and the art of listening to our plant teachers.