After more than 20 years in this field, as Naturopath, clinical herbalist, medicine grower, energy worker and licensed massage therapist - I have had a lot of experience guiding others and explaining to people how natural medicine works.
The biggest difference, the big hurdle to get over- is that , while often much , much more effective and strengthening in the long run, this is a co-creative process that takes time and effort, depending on the problems and background. So many of us were raised to go for a quick fix with a pill or some surgery, and what I have seen in 20+ years is how this backfires, often spectacularly- not even to mention the mounting expense, smokescreened by the dopey blanket of "insurance".
We- naturopaths trained in the natural sciences- are trained to guide clients in how to do this, and to show our clients how to arrange for and use the healing protocols we may recommend. In the meantime we do have methods and treatments to reduce pain, bring about comfort, and provide nourishment while the different body areas and body systems, and emotional issues, are balancing and healing.
(What takes place in a consult or bodywork session?) https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/0bad54_32bad38d9fde471aa9b17831fbff4c61.pdf)
So the Eight Pillars as mentioned in a previous blog post come into play as a kind of grid to chart out the different areas needing support. For a quick and easy problem, such as occasional trouble dropping off to sleep- a simple remedy such as passion vine/flower extract may be just the thing.... but many of the problems we face are more complex.
Patience is needed if a sprain is healing, or a long term digestive issue is being brought back into good function. Some changes in diet, a willingness to take the recommended herbs for the recommended time, and an open mind to getting some long or short term bodywork can "work miracles", but all that is really happening is us entering the gift of being one with our innate healing processes and supporting them.
Our Herbal Apothecary & /Dispensary is about to open just a bit later this fall for some regular hours, offering some free advisory, guidance, and some other levels of health building membership for our community- stay tuned. We leave you with a lovely photo of some of us herb students )traveling with Rosemary Gladstar) in Florence, Italy, at the Orto Botanico, in the medicinal herb section of this 500 year old botanical garden where many kinds of herbs and medicinal trees have been preserved due to their value to the culture, and therefore, to ours.
