New Year Resolutions for Herbalists

Follow me this month while I try to clear out my own chaos and get a few tips on how to get your herb cabinet and/or business back in order! January is a perfect time for reflection and planning, but also, we have time for getting things done since the rush of garden season is still a few months away, the snow keeps us at home a bit more....as does the promise of a warm house and hot cup of tea. Each day, I am going to tackle something that needs constant care or attention, but that is often left to become dysfunctional as the year goes on. Will this be the year, I actually keep on top of things? Who knows...but if not, I will repost next year!

January 7 ~

Read Outside Your Comfort Zone 

I would never even attempt to count how many herb books I have. I certainly do not have every one that has been published, but close!! There is a pattern to my book collection too--I buy books from herbalists I respect, or ones that sound like they have an interesting point of view.... and then occasionally I will get one I am not too excited about, but feel like I should read it anyway. I am a country girl, value practicality and was a Social Worker, so I like to make sure my herbal protocols are low stress and make sense  people. Keeping that in mind, it  has never been fun for me to read books based on Chinese, Ayurvedic principals or the real meat and potatoes type of herbalism of Dr. Christopher, who is all business, little art. I do find them all valuable and require students to read both types of books. I just have to push myself to sit and read/study them....but THAT is their value! Complacency and being too comfortable with how you practice can lead to boredom at best and offering less than may be possible to clients and student, at worst.

When a new Apprentice group starts, half the class complains of reading Christopher and the other half hates reading Susun Weed. I can calm the Christopher haters by telling them that Susun herself, studied Christopher. By the end of the Apprentice year, the Weed haters have come around to the value of her common sense, yet very plant personal contributions. The point being, that we need knowledge of both views to become well rounded in our own understanding. I also believe that the more we know in the end, we can actually rely on and feel more secure with our instincts.

You know which type of  herb books you love, the ones you can't wait to devour, ready to write notes in and anxious to teach a nugget of info in your next class.....This month, dig out the ones you have left half or totally unread..the ones you bought because you thought you should--not because you wanted to. You will find valuable information there. You will be challenged to incorporate some new systems into what you already know...to wrap your head around  a new or old concept and some you will still discard. If you study long enough, you will see the commonality of healing modes--even if they sound completely different. But I have found, often enough, that when a health situation presents itself that simply stumps you, those concepts you don't like may offer just the spark you need to figure it out.

Now, I am off to sip some tea in a chair by the woodstove and read more about the Elements and Doshas.........