Year One - The Plant Medicine Path - Schedule

Dandelion seed head with shield bug in Grá Nádúr

Year One - The Plant Medicine Path - Schedule

Access to online materials is spread over 6 units to facilitate progressive studies at a manageable pace and one continues to have online access for the course duration after graduation; this means one can study at one’s own convenience and one is not tied to specific viewing times.

About 10 days after access is given there is a zoom tutorial to allow discussions and to do some cohort learning exercises; attendance at these tutorials (held from 7.00- 8.30pm) is essential learning. The times below give a broad idea of the access dates, but a detailed schedule will be provided when you apply for the course.

Personal development and growth will be explored with the students as the course progresses.

Access to Unit 1 October

We introduce the basic forms of herbal medicines (teas, infusions, decoctions, syrups, tinctures, infused oils, vinegars, creams and ointments etc). We start to examine nonlinear approaches to science and to learning about our plant allies. We will explore the history of herbal medicine and of science and start to explore the healer’s path. We also introduce Nature Resonance as a way of attaining direct perception from the plants. Herb profiles.

Access to Unit 2 November

How plants work; botany or the anatomy and physiology of plants, taxonomy or the name of plants and their families; the place of plants in the ecosystem; their role in creating, feeding, and sustaining life; plants and people. Organoleptics; identifying constituents by taste and smell. Sprouting seeds for nutritional benefits.

Access to Unit 3 January

Herbal pharmacy, making medicines and understanding plant constituents; Hygiene and Good Manufacturing Practice, including the place of intention. Macerated oils cold and hot methods; Creams and ointments, plaisters, talcs and salts, vinegars, syrups, oxymels, electuaries, pills, tinctures, capsules, and powders. Blending creams and essential oils; the concepts of blending herbs; carrier oils and aromatic waters. Understanding atoms (basic chemistry), capturing sunlight (photosynthesis), making molecules, how plants make their therapeutic compounds.

Access to Unit 4 February

Energetics and philosophy, plant spirit medicine, Galen’s 4 temperaments and 4 qualities, TCM energetics and the 5 elements; the three cauldrons; Comparisons of the systems of energetics; similarities and differences. Developing a new energetic paradigm. Making Flower essences, Smoke cleansing and fumigation, and aromatics.

Access to Unit 5 March

Growing and tending; Cultivation and plant recognition (revises some botany); Field growing, growing under cover, wild crafting. Sowing seeds, suitable soil types and habitats, cuttings and other methods of propagation. Trees and tree essences. Revisiting the healing path

Access to Unit 6 April

Harvesting, drying and processing. Gathering herbs sustainably – seed saving, wild crafting responsibly. Processing; revises some of the preparations from weekend 3. Producing therapeutic foods – devising recipes for optimum nutrition.

Materia medica

Herbs studied in the first year:

Achillea millefolium, Aesculus hippocastanum, Ajuga reptans, Alchemilla vulgaris, Allium sativum, Angelica archangelica, Arctium lappa, Artemisia sp, Avena sativa, Betula sp, Calendula officinalis, Chamaenerion angustifolium, Cinnamomum verum, Citrus species, Corylus avellana, Crataegus laevatiga, Dianthus caryophyllus, Eucalyptus species, Eugenia caryophyllum, Euphrasia officinalis, Fagus sylvatica, Filipendula ulmaria, Foeniculum vulgare, Galium aperine/odoratum, Geranium robertianum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Hamamelis virginiana, Inula helenium, Juniperus communis, Kalanchoe pinnata, Lavandula officinalis, Linum usitassimum, Levisticum officinale, Malus domestica, Matricaria recutita, Medicago sativa, Melissa officinalis, Mentha sp., Origanum vulgare, Pelargonium species, Pinus sylvestris, Plantago lanceolata/major/psyllium, Primulas, Quercus robur, Ribes nigrum, Rosa damascena, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rubus idaeus, Rumex crispus/ obtusifolius, Salvia officinalis, Salix sp., Sambucus nigra, Stachys betonica, Stellaria media, Symphytum officinale, Taraxacum officinale, Thymus vulgaris, Tilia sp., Trifolium pratense, Urtica dioica, Vaccinium myrtillus, Valeriana officinalis, Verbena officinalis, Viola sp, Zingiber officinale

The study of the materia medica will be distributed over the year and there may be some variation and additions to the plants listed above; we will examine the physical, mental, emotional, and holistic properties of the plant; focus is on local, indigenous, and naturalised plants and those that can be easily grown in Ireland. Some more exotic species will be included where relevant.

We are constantly evolving the course and adding more plants to meet so there may be some variation in the herbs studied from those listed above.