13 ways to Deepen Your Herbal Practice

Here we go into another solar rotation. Many of us want to find ways to change our lives and live closer to nature and the earth. Herbalism is a great way to stay connected to the wild in you! I have found simple solutions over the years to share with you on how to deepen our practice with herbs. Check out my 13 herbal practices for 13 moons to live a more rooted life. These are things I do to keep herbalism alive in my life, and I am always growing and changing to find new ways to foster stronger relationships with my green allies.

1 Drink tea! Make it a ritual. Make it special. Whether its for flavor or for function, try to drink a nice cup of herbal goodness. You may want to try different blends every moon
2 Take a walk in a wild space and learn to walk in beauty. Wilderness is everywhere. If you are in a city, find the feral weedy spaces and sit and observe. Oh–dont bring your phone
3 Read something about a plant–just a short paragraph or a few pages right before bed. This helps imprint knowledge, and lets our dreaming brain run with it and infuse it into our soul.
4 Take a herbal bath made with fresh flowers you collect from around your home. This vital energy, the spirit of the plant will fill you with herbal goodness

5 Organize your plants by Latin binomial. This is a great way to learn latin. You dont need to be afraid. Constant repetition makes it easier and easier
6 Add fresh herbs to your food. Dress up ordinary meals and make them extraordinary with simple additions of dandelion leaves, chickweed, nettles, or even mint. Let the fresh plants whisper wisdom into your soul.
7 Draw plants. I know it can feel daunting, but studying and trying to draw plants can help you identify them better, and you never know what sort of artist may be hiding in you.
8 Grow something. You will never again have the same relationship with your tea after ou bring something from seed to harvest. It really gives you an appreciation for the hard work it takes to go all the way through to making herbal remedies.
9 Go to a herb class or a herb conference. Meet others that are excited about herbs like you. Foster community, plants and people both do better in community.
10 Trust yourself, believe in your body. Believe in the plants. Getting sick can be scary, and wellness isnt just about what to take instead of drugs. Its about faith that you will heal and the plants can assist you, even for big things.
11 Find ways to give back to the Earth. Support groups like United Plant Savers with money or pick up trash on walks. Find a way to have reciprocity when you walk in nature.
12 Listen. Sit in a wild space and meditate with a beautiful plant. Offer it gratitude. Pray to it, pray to yourself. Youll be suprised what messages may come in return. Much resilience can be learned from the plant world
13 Breathe aromatic plants in deeply. Smile. Repeat 10 times. Plants exhale oxygen and breathe in our CO2. We are intimately connected. Life is short, make special experiences with green allies last as long as possible