CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
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In this class we will explore plants traditional botanical strategies used by Africans and their descendants throughout the African Diaspora as practical medicine, folk remedies, ceremonial practices, and dream meditations. We will look at some history of the plants and their uses as tonics in food, topically, internally as teas, preparations as flower essences and of course their use in magic and ritual! Students will create some remedies and a beautiful medicine bag to take home.
All About Nettles
Stinging nettle is one of our most nutrient rich local wild edibles. Join Maya on a field trip to the Marin Headlands to harvest early spring nettles. We will discuss medicinal and culinary uses for this remarkable plant, as well as, learn which other wild edible plants are complimentary. We will also practice techniques for sting free harvesting. Our day will wrap up with a hike to the beach and some tasters of nettle treats while we sip hot nettle tea.
*What to bring: A few paper grocery bags, scissors, gardening gloves, water bottle, sun hat and warm layers
Adaptogenic Herbs for Immunity, Stress Relief and Longevity
Perhaps the most important and useful group of medicinal plants for our time, adaptogens are remarkable herbs that help our body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic functions, and help restore balance. In this class we will dive into the world of these amazing plants, focusing on several specific adaptogens and how we can use them as food and medicine in our daily routines to increase our body's resistance to physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors. We will also craft some medicine to provide a defense to acute and chronic stress.
Beginning Herbal Medicine Making
In this hands on class we will learn the basic techniques of herbal medicine making, creating several types of tinctures, a healing salve, and hand crafted tea blend. All of the combinations we create will be appropriate for the summer season to help keep us in optimal health. We'll discuss how to incorporate medicinal herbs into our everyday cooking. You will leave the class with samples of our creations, as well as recipes you can make at home. Bring a notebook, pen, and a basket to take home all your medicines!
Crazy About Kraut
Learn the basics of making fermented kraut. We will create different recipes using all kinds of seasonal vegis including several varieties of cabbage, daikon, burdock root, ginger, beets, winter greens and more. Discussion will
include medicinal benefits of our ingredients, as well as, fermenting ideas for winter wellness and spring cleansing. We will also talk about the process of making naturally carbonated fruit sodas. Go home with the ability to successfully make your own vegetable ferments plus samples of all we make in class.
Bring a basket or milk crate to carry home all your kraut.
Creating an Herbal Apothecary
As we get ready for the coming change of seasons, now is the time to focus on some preventative health measures to ensure that we are fortified and ready to face the oncoming autumn and winter months. In this class we will prepare handcrafted formulas to stock our medicine chests. Come learn about plants that support the respiratory system, boost immunity and act as tonics to the system. We'll discuss adaptogens and make a tasty syrup for coughs and sore throats. Bring a notebook, pen, and a basket to take home all your concoctions! Join us for an herbal medicine making marathon!
Fermenting the Summer Harvest
Come learn the basics of making fermented kraut. We will create different recipes using all kinds of seasonal vegis including all the summer produce bursting from the garden. Discussion will include medicinal benefits of our ingredients, as well as, fermenting ideas for winter wellness. We will also talk about the process of making naturally carbonated fruit sodas. Go home with the ability to successfully make your own vegetable ferments plus samples of all we make in class.
Food As Medicine
Many of our most common garden weeds contain highly valuable medicinal properties. These wayside weeds living all around us possess special nutritional and healing powers that often surpass cultivated plants. Traditionally these medicines were eaten as foods in cultures across the globe. In this workshop we will discuss medicinal plants that can easily be incorporated into our everyday diets for maximum health benefits as well as learn some simple recipes and methods of preparation. We will also discuss the nutritional benefits of home grown animal products and how to raise process and preserve a complete diet on a homestead.
Handmade Herbal Holiday Gift Making
This class is the perfect opportunity to learn how to make an abundance of natural body care and herbal products at once. Imagine a big basket of handmade herbal salves, lip balms, bath salts, herbal honey, facial scrub, dream pillows, and mulling spices. Join us for this fun and extremely creative day of elving and go home with a load of treasures plus the knowledge of how to re-create them all for friends and family. Your loved ones will adore these unique gifts! We scheduled this class in November so there will be plenty of time for busy hands to make more home made treats.
Herbal Antibiotics & Herbal Antivirals
In this class we will study several plants and lichen that can be used as safe, effective and potent anti bacterials and antivirals. We will look at herbal allies for systemic and localized use, as well as, herbs we can use as synergists and to strengthen our immunity. In order to promote sustainability, our focus will be on species that can be grown in our northern California climate or harvested from the wild spaces in our area. Students will take home some effective remedies for home use that we create in class.
Herbal 1st Aid: Build Your Own Kit
In this class we will learn about how the plant kingdom can support us in emergencies. We will create a thorough first aid kit with potent and effective remedies including an herbal antibiotic tincture, antimicrobial salve, insect repellent, liniment for muscle aches and pains, poison oak treatment, and more! You will leave class with a homemade extensive kit and the knowledge to use all the herbs included. Herbal tea and simple vegetarian lunch provided.
Herbal Spring Cleansing for Women
Join Maya for a magical afternoon playing with medicinal plants. We will learn about several green allies for spring cleansing that we can incorporate into our everyday lives. In this practical class we will mix some special tea blends, learn how to make our own herbal glycerin tinctures, and create a healing salve from local organic ingredients. You will get an introduction to herbal medicine making, some basic recipes, and a handful of medicines to initiate your spring cleansing regimen. Young women age 10 and up are welcome. (Mother-daughter discount, $90)
Homemade Natural Body Products
In this class we will let our creative juices flow as we explore the world of home-made natural bath and body care. We will make from scratch a luscious herbal body cream, an exfoliating scrub, a wonderfully minty tooth powder and the best natural deodorant you ever tried! You will walk away with a bounty of treats, a handful of tried and true recipes and some basic knowledge of aromatherapy.
Local Medicine: Tinctures and Teas for Winter Health
Along with re-learning vital skills such as growing and preserving food, it is also time to take health care back into our own hands. Everyone can learn basic preventative care and how to make a few natural remedies to care for themselves, their family and community. In this class you will learn to create "local medicine" from native, culinary and horticultural herbs right out of the garden! We'll learn about tinctures, decoctions , infusions and salves, how to make them,how to use them and the benefits of each. Working with seasonally available herbs that will tonify the body as we head into the winter season, each student will prepare a tincture, salve, and hand-blended tea to take home. You will also receive handouts herbal medicine making, a list of easily identifiable local plants which can be used for your health and resources for further study.
Magic Book
Visualization is one manifestation technique many people use to inspire and motivate themselves. More than just thinking about what we want, visualization is an effective tool that harnesses the power of our subconscious mind to help us achieve our wildest dreams. In this workshop we will spend the afternoon visualizing what we want to manifest for 2016 and creating a magic book with images, poems, inspirational quotes, and drawings. The book will serve as a journal for the coming year(s) to record any and all things we want to manifest in our lives and in the world. Join us for a beautiful day filled with unbridled creativity, loving company, soothing music and nutritious food.
Spiritual Properties of Plants
For all those interested in plant spirit medicine, this class offers the opportunity to explore the spiritual and energetic properties of plants. Join us in deepening and re-scripting our relationship to them as living and wise beings! We will discuss properties of sacred plants used in ceremony and ritual as well as several powerful allies we can grow and harvest locally. We will also journey through some plant and medicine meditations. All participants will have an opportunity to create and take home a formula that will support their deepening connection to our green family.
Wool Felt Doll Making
Whether you have a little one in your life or you are a child at heart, this class is full of color texture and whimsy. Come join us for a day of working with raw wool roving. We will learn the art of needle felting and create our own handmade felted dolls. Design your doll in your own image or get wildly creative. You will leave with a kit full of supplies, a completed doll and the knowledge and experience to create as many of these beautiful masterpieces as you like. They make amazing gifts!
Working with Wool
Revel in the kinesthetic experience of playing with all natural, carded wool roving! You will fall in love with the textures and colors of hand dyed raw wool. Join us as we explore the dry felting technique of needle felting in which we will decorate a colorful felted bag. We will also learn the wonderful art of making wet felted soaps. Both of our projects make amazing holiday gifts which are fast and easy to replicate.