Holistic Herbalism & Wild Medicine with Vanessa Chakour
Deepen your relationship to the living earth through plant medicine. In this 3-part online retreat led by herbalist Vanessa Chakour, you’ll learn about the folklore, healing properties, and spiritual associations of plants, and how to use them for self care and as medicine. Over the course of a weekend, we’ll cover the basics of establishing an herbal practice that fits into your daily life and individual needs.
This intimate 3-part course will meet Friday, Saturday and Sunday, taking place daily from 12:00 - 2:00 PM EST. Once registered, guests will receive a password-protected link to participate via Zoom. Guests will also be sent a list of recommended supplies in advance.
This course is also offered eight times in a year-long seasonal wild medicine series highlighting herbal medicine and folklore traditions of different parts of the year and taking place on the following dates:
May 1 - 3, 2020: Beltane
June 19 - 21, 2020: Summer Solstice
July 31 - August 2, 2020: Lunasa
September 18 - 20, 2020: Fall Equinox
October 30 - November 1, 2020: Samhain
December 18 - 20, 2020: Winter Solstice
January 29 - 31, 2021: Imbolc
March 19 - 21, 2021: Spring Equinox
Guests interested in continued holistic herbalism education may register for all eight sessions at a packaged rate.
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Our first 3-part course will be offered from Friday, May 1 to Sunday, May 3 with the following focus:
Friday, May 1: Day one will focus on introducing the cycles of nature, and exploring the symbolism of May Day and Beltane, the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Vanessa Chakour will lead a virtual plant walk, highlighting awareness of land and the medicinal plants available in each season. We'll talk about the holistic model of health, and both inner and outer ecological balance.
Saturday, May 2: On day two, we'll talk about how the use of local medicinal plants can usher us into a deeper relationship with both our bodies and the land. We'll explore the roots of herbalism and folk medicine, from the Doctrine of Signatures to elemental and seasonal herbalism, with a special emphasis on spring. We'll also spend some time rethinking weeds, from dandelion to burdock, mugwort, nettles and more.
Sunday, May 3: Our final day will focus on the practice of holistic herbalism, working with safe, alterative, and tonic herbs. We'll explore ethical wildcrafting, and how to make and use your own herbal infusions and tinctures.
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Vanessa Chakour is the founder of Sacred Warrior whose mission is to deepen relationship with ourselves and the environment. A writer, herbalist, martial artist, and rewilding educator, Vanessa’s work is a dynamic blend of her vast personal experiences over the last two decades. Her unique approach is rooted in the belief that healing happens through reclaiming an intuitive connection to ourselves, the natural world and our own “inner-wild.” Vanessa inspires personal relationships with the plants and animals around us and curates embodied experiences in her workshops, herbal apprenticeships and rewilding retreats. She works in partnership with wildlife organizations such as the Wolf Conservation Center in New York, The Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica and Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands. Her book, Awakening Artemis will be published in spring 2021 with Viking in the US, Penguin in the Uk, and Ullstein in Germany.
This online experience is part of Atlas Obscura’s Wonder From Home initiative. At Atlas Obscura, our mission has always been to inspire wonder and curiosity about the incredible world we all share. Now, more than ever, there’s a need to stay connected—not only to our sense of wonder, but to each other. Follow and share the hashtag #wonderfromhome for inspiring stories, more incredible online experiences, and live streams with the Atlas Obscura community.
