First off, I will say that I have been truly blessed to meet innumerable wise women along my life’s path. These women have carried the knowledge of plant medicine alongside them, and have been gracious enough to share this gift with me. Through my late teens and early twenties, I received their offerings of herb-infused salves and medicinal tea blends, I watched in awe as they identified and gathered plants while hiking familiar trails together, and I heeded the warnings of my elders to avoid lesser-known poisonous species.

These moments collectively became my slow and steady introduction to Plant Medicine: a quiet but unshakeable revelation in the making. It felt almost like deja-vu, or a lucid dream; like something I didn’t know I’d been missing was being revealed to me, and was starting to click. Mere curiosity eventually transformed into a fervent and relentless fascination that would alter how I care for myself and others, (and our planet) forever.

By early 2020 I was so drawn to the practice of Herbal Medicine that it felt less like a personal decision and moreso like answering a call from the Divine when I began pursuing formal education on the topic. Once the world got wind of the coronavirus in March of that year, I doubled down, thinking: if shit really hits the fan, what better apocalypse skill to hone in on than natural remedies and building a home apothecary?

I began studying under Sage Maurer through the Gaia School of Healing & Earth Education online, and also received remote education through the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, as well as the East West School of Herbology. Additionally, I would be remiss not to mention the knowledge passed along to me by my dear friend and Medicinal Plant Advisor, Sarah Laviolette— an accomplished Environmental Biologist specializing in Conservation, a proud member of the Cree nation, and a skilled Herbalist.

I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without all of the humble Medicine Keepers that came before me. Herbalists rely on symbiosis not only with the natural world to practice their craft, but also with their teachers, peers, elders, ancestors and descendents. Together, we continually breathe life into the oldest methods of information exchange: word of mouth, gathering in community, and practical demonstration. I owe every ounce of success that I’ve had in my practice to the myriad of incredible Herbalists who preceded me.

I must also acknowledge what I’ve learned from the plants directly— when you’re quiet enough, they’re very informative. They want to be in loving relationship with their stewards. The more you listen, the clearer their insights become to you. Years of experimentation and intuitive practice with plant materials has given me a deeper understanding of their energetic qualities and affinities than even some herbal references have imparted.

I have made countless custom medicinal blends to suit the needs of my family, friends, coworkers, and my community at large since my first classes in 2020. The practice of Herbalism is deeply fulfilling, and gives me a greater sense of purpose than anything else has. Herbalism isn’t just a hobby or interest, it is a way of being that seeps sweetly into quiet moments, feeds a tired soul, and imbues our lives with a sense of alchemy. Once you get a taste of it, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever stop preaching about it.

When you work closely enough with a plant, you maintain that bond forever. You’ll always smile in gratitude when you’re lucky enough to spot your old friend in the wild, and the smell of her will always bring you comfort, even the acrid or pungent ones. If you ask me, once you begin to understand the powerful physical and spiritual medicine these plants contain, it’s hard not to become obsessed. You will find yourself naturally and intuitively weaving medicine into your daily routines and wellness rituals. You will also notice a rise in your popularity amongst your peers, as you start receiving frequent messages asking which herbs will ease a painful, dry cough; which herbs may help combat insomnia; and which herbs can be taken to effectively replenish the body of someone who has just given birth. The feeling of holding sacred knowledge in order to take care of your people is truly unmatched.

I believe that if I can successfully communicate through my teachings and herbal recommendations just how invaluable medicinal plants are, that more folks might start to take notice of—and take care to protect—their local flora. More people might feel empowered to safely and ethically forage their own medicine, and share their gifts with the community. And more people might have the same awakening that I experienced over 5 years ago— a primal sense of remembering that plants have been the lifeblood of our civilizations for time immemorial. They are our dearest friends and allies, and they are anxiously awaiting our homecoming, so that they can graciously usher our minds, bodies, and spirits back to a state of well-being.