An herbalist's discussion of the energetics of psychedelic mushrooms, their use in sacred circles and a careful consideration of the varieties of experiences that may arise. An honest look into at least one contemporary folkway from an herbalist experienced in working with this medicine. One focus of this class will be sharing a formulary of familiar herbs that may be used in response to needs that may arise in the context of sacred circles. Includes herb tastings, reports and discussion. Note: This class will not be recorded.
Class Descriptions
We've got a stellar line-up of classes this year!
Click on the presenter's name to read their bio.
An Energetics of Psychedelic Mushrooms: Perspectives of an Herbalist Supporting Sacred Circles
Ashwagandha: Maintaining Healthy Testosterone Levels in Aging Men
Declining levels of testosterone in aging men is clearly a modern issue. Terry will discuss how to assess when your patient's health issues are due to low T, and how to get to the root of the diagnosis, including the use of symptom questionnaires. He'll also present guidelines for determining when a hormone replacement referral is needed, and when to recommend herbs like ashwagandha.
Classical Five Element Plant Walk
Explore Appalachian autumnal herbs through a Classical Five Element lens. Our focus is on plant medicines supporting the five unique constitutions and phases of the body (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth) from a Taoist perspective.
During the walk, we’ll root ourselves in seasonal flow as we examine the life cycles and offerings of the plants we see while aligning botanical lessons with the human condition.
Energetic and Therapeutic Uses of Medicinal Mushrooms
In this interactive workshop, we’ll examine and taste dried mushrooms and mushroom powders to detect different textures, odors and flavors and use this information to help
determine the various energetic qualities of each mushroom. Mushrooms covered include cordyceps, maitake, reishi (Ganoderma), turkey tail, shiitake, chaga, lion’s mane, hoelen (Poria coccus) and agaricus varieties and their therapeutic uses. Tips for preparing and administering them will also be covered.
Field Trip Intensive: The Chinese Medicinal Herb Growing Project with Margaret Bloomquist, Jeanine Davis and Thomas Avery Garran
Demand for domestically produced Chinese Medicinal Herbs is high, but little information is available about how to grow and process these herbs in the United States. This field trip is designed to fill that gap, providing you with practical knowledge and insights from this research garden project. Since 1992, Jeanine Davis and her North Carolina State University staff have grown and propagated various Chinese herbs in cooperation with the late Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens.
On this visit, you’ll tour the Chinese Medicinal Herb collection and research fields at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, followed by an indoor session where you’ll learn about the history of the project, recent efforts working with local farmers, and their partnership with Thomas Avery Garran. NOTE: This field trip departs the Blue Ridge Assembly at noon on Friday, October 4, 2024, and returns in time for dinner.
Ganoderma lucidum: Cultivation, Chemistry & Clinical Use in Cancer
Reishi mushroom or Lingzhi has been used for centuries to address a wide range of health conditions. In this lecture, we'll review organic and traditional cultivation methods, various Ganoderma species and their chemistry, as well as their pharmacological and clinical uses. The application of reishi in age-related health conditions and data on leukocyte changes in cancer patients using reishi will also be covered.
Presenters: Kevin Spelman, Bill Chioffi
Healthy Aging with the Latest Science on Herbs, Diet and Other Practices
We will explore the science-based benefits and practical aspects of microdosing psilocybin mushrooms for brain health, improved cognition, neural plasticity, neurogenesis, and to upregulate glial (brain immune system) cell functionality and health, and to enhance mindfulness and meditation practices.
Hidden Roadblocks to Herbal Success: Latex and Other Hidden Inflammatory Sensitivities in Herbs & Foods
This class explores commonly missed food, chemical and herb sensitivities that if unrecognized may lead to adverse reactions and poor clinical outcomes. We will look at sensitivities to latex and other foods and herbs that may trigger a response. The role of nightshades, Alpha-gal and others in poor outcomes will also be dicussed.
Keynote: Herbal Legacies: A Foreigner in His Own Country: Insights and Perspectives on Herbalism after Two Decades Abroad
After nearly two decades of living in China, immersed in Chinese medicine's clinical and scientific research branches, Dr. Garran returns home to the United States as a changed, if not older, man. His observations shed light on the differences and deficiencies of herbal medicine in the United States compared to those of China as he inspires us with his insights on the future of herbalism.
Lesser Known Chinese Roots for Healing
Learn about lesser known medicinal roots traditionbally used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to support wellness, longevity, healthy aging and improve the overall quality of life. We’ll focus on roots that may be unfamiliar to herbalists in the West, including Panax notoginseng, Angelica sinensis, Rehmannia glutinosa, Coptis chinensis, Ophiopogon japonicus (Mai Men Dong) and others. The historical use of herbs and roots in China and a brief introduction to Chinese Medicine will also be covered.
Let’s Talk About SEX
This sensory class explores the physiology of arousal, along with herbs to support long-term sexual health and vitality. The information presented will not use gendered language.
Medicinal Mushrooms: The Human Clinical Trials
In this class we'll look at the numerous double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials that have been conducted and published about various mushrooms including reishi (Ganoderma spp.), lion's mane (Hericum erinaceus), turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), chaga (Inotus obliquus), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), agarics (Agaricus spp.), amanita (Amanita muscaria) and wood ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) are just some examples that will be explored along with contraindications for their use.
Mushrooms and Herbs Working Together
The clinical use of mushrooms is on the rise, but as herbalists we often don’t know the actions of these mushrooms or even how to blend them with our herbal allies. Xochitl will review five beneficial mushrooms, Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris), Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), and Agarikon (Fomitopsis officinalis), along with herbal allies Usnea (Usnea longissima), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinesis), and Goji berry (Lycium barbarum). Learn how medicinal mushrooms and herbs work together to support immune function, cognition, antioxidant activity, and overall constitutional well-being.
Mushwomb Medicine & Fertility Fungi
Although mushrooms are beneficial for all bodies, in this lecture we will explore the ways they can be especially useful in the various stages of a woman’s life. Traditional uses, new research and clinical applications of using mushroom medicine for optimizing fertility, PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, menopause, autoimmune conditions, fibromyalgia, gut issues and hormone dependent cancers will be covered. And the use of psychedelic fungi will also be celebrated as powerful teachers and allies for women's health.
Presenters: Lindsay Chimileski
Our Relationship with Mushrooms (Dawoli): A Cherokee Perspective.
This is a cultural, biological, and medicinal introduction to the Cherokee relationship with Ani-Dawoli, or "those that are mushrooms," and their use as essential foods, medicines, and in ceremonial practices. We'll also explore the biochemical constituents found in these mushrooms and correlate this with their use. Vicki shares Cherokee stories and language to deepen your understanding of one of the most ancient relationships between beings.
Phytochemistry for Herbalists: A Meaningful Overview
You may be familiar with phytochemistry terms such as alkaloid, phenolic, terpene, polysaccharide, glycoside, and understand what they mean from context clues, but can you explain what they mean, or give an overview of these constituent types in comparison to each other? Can you infer their functional qualities and their safety significance? This is a concise overview of these critical terms and their use in herbal practice that will deepen your ability to understand, and apply, herbal phytochemistry.
Plant Walk: Medicinal Herbs of Southern Appalachia
Join us as we ramble around the verdant forest of the Blue Ridge Assembly. We'll discuss various features of the unique ecology and botanical diversity of Southern Appalachia, and along the way, meet many native plants known for their medicinal virtues.
Plant Walk: Southern Appalachian Herbs and Their Energetics
The Southern Appalachians are home to an incredible diversity of medicinal plants and mushrooms. On this walk we’ll meet both common and endemic medicinal plants and discuss how to identify them and evaluate if they can be ethically harvested. We’ll dive into their medicinal properties, incorporating Chinese energetics, to increase our understanding of their clinical uses.
Plant Walk: Walking the Roots of Appalachian Wild Herbalism
Learn about Appalachian roots, both native and invasive, and how to identify, harvest and work with them. This is the perfect time to get to know roots, as fall is when we harvest them. The vitality of the plants returns to the roots for winter storage, and we collect them to add to our apothecaries until the next fall harvest season.
Post-Symposium Intensive: Medicinal Mushrooms: Updates and Inspiration for Herbalists
Embark on a fascinating journey through the world of fungi with two renowned mushroom experts, Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D. and Robert Rogers, RH(AHG). Their extensive knowledge and years of experience make this a unique opportunity to delve into mushrooms! Discover how mushrooms can slow aging, reduce chronic inflammation, maintain a healthy immune response, create a vibrant gut microbiome, and benefit mood, cognition, digestion, and elimination.
Based on traditional use and current research, we'll explore how mushrooms, including reishi, turkey tail, lion's mane, chaga, shiitake, and others, can transform your diet into a nutritional powerhouse packed with vitamins, minerals, high-quality protein, and microbiome-supporting pre-biotic fiber, You learn about the range of benefits, including immune regulation, anti-inflammatory activity, and more, to be gained from mushrooms.
By the end of this class, you'll have a deep understanding of mushrooms and the practical knowledge needed to select the best and most effective mushroom products for yourself and your clients. Additionally, you'll discover how to make dried tea powders from various active and well-studied species and use them to prevent infections and other health challenges.
Presenters: Christopher Hobbs, Robert Rogers
Pre-Symposium Intensive: A Critical Look at Herb-Drug Interactions ADV
Are you tired of hearing that every herb you use in your practice is dangerous because of the potential for herb-drug interactions (HDIs)? Are you flabbergasted by in vitro studies using a boatload of a single herb extract to conclude that it causes HDIs? Join Kevin for a rational approach to evaluating HDIs. By looking at specific herbs and case studies and comparing them to real-world human data, you’ll learn how to assess what is and isn't real about potential herb-drug interaction data.
Pre-Symposium Intensive: Hands-On Reishi Double Extraction Workshop GEN
Bottle up the Mushroom of Immortality! If you have ever wanted to know how to craft your mushroom double extraction, this class is for you. Learn the basic folk method of functional mushroom extraction and a modern (and faster!) alternative. In addition, we’ll discuss scientific evidence that validates Reishi's traditional use and how it can be incorporated into your clinical practice. Everyone leaves with their own Reishi double extraction (included with your registration).
Pre-Symposium Intensive: Plant Walk - Phytochemistry Meets Gaia GEN
Phytochemistry can sometimes feel like an abstract topic, a subject to be learned from books, divorced from our direct experience of plants. Plant biochemistry is the language of plants, a language we can ‘read’ with our senses. From the vibrant colors of autumn leaves, reflecting the presence of phenols and tetraterpenes, to the aromatic monoterpenes released when we touch a leaf, to the sweet taste of oligo- and polysaccharides or the bitterness of sesquiterpene lactones, our senses are the key to understanding this fascinating language.
This is a biochemistry class disguised as an herb walk. We’ll take phytochemistry into the forest and use sight, smell, and taste to discuss major classes of constituents, learn why plants produce them, and how they provide nutrients and medicine. You’ll learn how flavor, energetics, pharmacology, and the energetic qualities of biochemical constituents are interrelated with herbal actions. We’ll deconstruct the artificial wall between science-based and energetic or traditional approaches to herbalism, reframing them as two contrasting languages describing a single Gaia.
Pre-Symposium Intensive: Tracing Roots and Healing Wounds: Africa's Botanical Heritage in North American Herbalism GEN
This intensive explores Africa's botanical legacy and its enduring impact on healing practices on both sides of the Atlantic. We examine Africa before colonization, tracing the origin of different botanical traditions and species accompanying the transatlantic slave trade. You’ll also learn about traditional healing practices, key botanical species, memory gardens and cultural preservation.
Preserving Our Vital Waters: Kidney Yin and Aging
In Traditional Chines Medicine, the Water Element or Kidney acts like a pilot light to ignite and vitalize the body and to tend to our vital waters. As we age, we may experience a drying of tissues, membranes, joints and even a brittleness of spirit and mind. This class explores the medicine of the Five Elements, the season of Winter and the Kidney/Bladder with information about how herbs and foods can be used to nourish and replenish the Water Element.
Rooted Cycles: Syncing Root Medicines to Menstrual Cycle Phases
Optimize monthly menstrual cycles with root medicines! Learn how to safely synchronize healing roots with each of the four menstrual cycle phases to promote long-term body balance. We will look at the clinical use of roots to support hormonal ebb and flow throughout the menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases to ease discomfort and promote well-being.
Roots of Maasai Medicine
Living between Tanzania and Kenya, Maasai people are one of the oldest indigenous peoples living in East Africa. Roots of Maasai Medicine is embedded deeply in the land, planted in the first nations of a people that roamed the earth. Herbal medicines play a crucial role in their lifestyles, rituals and ceremonies. We will discuss these herbal medicines, Maasai folklore, and the importance of protecting traditional knowledge.
Solomon's Seal Root: An In-Depth Review
Solomon's Seal root (Polygonatum biflorum) is a tonic for multiple body systems. Learn new ways of using this root with an in-depth review of its phytochemistry, actions, energetics, and clinical applications along with experiences from Mary’s practice and the latest scientific studies.
Spiritual Roots and Ethereal Mushrooms: TCM’s Approach to Spiritual Wellness
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, treating the spirit is often considered necessary to address the root cause of a disease, even in the presence of branch symptoms. This class introduces you to the TCM approach to treating the spirit as essential part of botanical protocols using roots and herbs.
Ten Chinese Herbal Roots for Internal Reproductive Health
This class reviews herbal roots commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for gynecology. We will learn about botanical classifications, taste profiles, energetics, actions, uses and common combinations for each herb. We will also analyze several TCM formulas that feature these herbal roots. This class will include lots of herb tastings!
The Herbal Consultation: Observation and Discussion
Would you like to see an herbal intake in action? In this participatory session, you’ll watch Kelly conduct an intake with a volunteer client. Together we’ll look at all the elements of a consultation including differential assessment, establishing goals, and creating effective herbal protocols. Recommended for both advanced herb students and new clinicians who want to sharpen their intake skills.
The Importance of Roots for Human Well-Being
Our roots are who we are, the source of nurturing in our lives, and they affect our everyday decisions. Our roots are our cultures and our futures. If we want to live in a world with clean air, water, earth and nurturing of each other, we need to examine the roots of the land we are on and apply the indigenous wisdoms of connection to our lives. This class explores the social issues that affect our lands and how the roots of the land, indigenous people and plant remedies can support us.
The Moistening Roots
Explore how to treat the patterns of dryness/excess vata/yin deficiency using various roots from around the world. You'll learn the key clinical indications for symptoms of these patterns in your clients (beyond just dryness), how they express in various organ systems and tissues, as well as the herbal tastes, actions, and energetics to consider for botanical protocols. We'll do an in-depth analysis of key remedies (roots only!) that address these very common yet commonly overlooked patterns.
The Potential of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy (PAP) for Supporting PTSD and Trauma : With 20 Years of Case Studies and Protocols
PTSD is a debilitating disorder with limited treatment options. This class explores the potential of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) for treating PTSD and trauma, citing promising results in reducing symptoms and facilitating recovery. Renee draws from her twenty years of experience with trauma therapies and shares case studies to shed light on proper safety protocols and pattern discrimination for support with this beautiful plant medicine.
The Synergy of Root Medicines
Synergists are herbs that enhance the effects other herbs when combined in formulas. Many of the most famous synergistic herbs are roots—but WHY? Explore the traditional uses, formula pairings, physiology and phytochemical underpinning of some of these synergistic roots. Learn how to choose specifc roots to act as synergists, boost the effectiveness of formulas, and achieve better outcomes in clinical practice.
Top Five Herb-Pharmaceutical Interactions
Many older people rely on herbs and may also use pharmaceutical agents to maintain their health. For a variety of reasons, they often don't disclose their herb use to their primary care providers. However, the possible interactions between herbs and pharmaceuticals need to be considered. In this lecture, we will discuss the top five herbs that can have potential interactions and complications with medications and how to educate this group of clients and empower them to be proactive about their choices.
Uncontainable Night: Herbs for the Stages of Grief in Clinical and Community Practice
Herbs can be powerful allies as we navigate the realm of grief. In this class we’ll discuss ways to frame the process of grief to better support the bereaved and discuss differentials for botanical remedies that provide support through the various stages of grief. We will also discuss strategies for mutual aid and community care in times of collective loss.
Understanding Biological Aging and Diversity: Botanical, Nutritional, Dietary, and Lifestyle Solutions
This presentation explores key theories and concepts in biological aging, including biomarkers like telomerase, inflammation, oxidation, hormones, and nutrient deficiencies. We’ll discuss the Quality Control Theory of Aging and its main targets, examine the impact of hormesis on health and aging, and present the latest research on botanicals that may increase lifespan. Attendees will gain insights into how botanical and nutritional medicine can help preserve and restore health in our aging world
Why Can't I Sleep?! Strategies for Sneaky Sleep Saboteurs
A good night's sleep is imperative for overall health and vitality, yet many of our clients don't sleep well despite our best efforts, and typical herbal remedies don't always work. Sleep problems can happen to anyone, and they often increase with age. Maria shares some of the easily missed culprits—especially for waking in the middle of the night—and offers tips to sleuth them out, suggesting natural and herbal support strategies.
Wildcrafting Appalachian Medicinal Mushrooms
If learning to identify and use wild mushrooms feels overwhelming as you start your wild mushroom journey, this class is for you! Abby focuses on the seven most well-known medicinal mushrooms in the Appalachians, sharing pictures and stories from her wild harvesting experiences. She also includes identification, habitat, and lots of harvesting tips!
Wrong Roots, False Flowers, and Toxic Fruits: Case Studies in Accidental Herbal Poisoning
Accidental poisoning is a nightmare for practicing herbalists, but it does happen. Learn how to prevent toxicity from herbal preparations as David presents three case summaries of toxicity caused by yellow dock, chamomile-like flowers, and rose hips to highlight errors of reasoning that contributed to poisonings.
