Making Medicinal Oils and Salves November 22nd, 3-5:30pm 2015 In this workshop you will learn about 5 plants to work with to create medicinal oils and salves for first aid, healthy skin, and pain relief. We will cover different methods of preparing oils, and which oil is the best fit for a variety of situations. You will gain hands on skills as we make a medicinal oil and salve together, for you to take home and nourish your skin! Sign up at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2463189, 8 people max. Medicine Making for Healthy Immunity November 18th, 6:30-8:30pm 2015 In this class we will do hands on work preparing medicine to keep our bodies healthy as we transition into Fall. It's here folks! And there are many plants that can boost and protect your immune system as cold and flu season approaches. You will get to make 3 different herbal remedies- Fire Cider, Medicinal Broth, and Elderberry Glycerite to take home to stock up your medicine chest and keep you healthy this Fall! Class size limited to 8 folks, sign up here.
QPOCthecary: A medicine making class for Queer People of Color Sundays, October 18th, 25th, November 1st and November 8th. 11:30-2pm, 2015 QPOCthecary is back, with even more medicine! By popular request, this series has been extended now to 4 classes, focusing on making medicinal teas, flower essences, tinctures, oils, salves, syrups and cordials. Learn to make your own medicine to care for your body as we move into the Fall season! Class size limited to 8 folks. Early Bird Tuition is $100 if you sign up here and pay by September 23rd, the regular prices $125 for all four classes. The cost includes material for you to make medicine to take home and build your own mini apothecary!
Medicine Making for Healthy Immunity October 21st, 6:30-8:30pm, 2015 In this class we will do hands on work preparing medicine to keep our bodies healthy as we transition into Fall. It's here folks! And there are many plants that can boost and protect your immune system as cold and flu season approaches. You will get to make 3 different herbal remedies- Fire Cider, Medicinal Broth, and Elderberry Glycerite to take home to stock up your medicine chest and keep you healthy this Fall! Class size limited to 8 folks, sign up here.
Herbal Medicine for Digestive Health Sunday, August 30th, 2015 3-4:30pm, Libros Scmibros, Los Angeles By donation- pay what you can, no one turned away A happy digestive system is one of the keys to solid health. It can be challenging to have a healthy relationship with food and also with our bodies. In this class we will talk about essences to support shifting that dynamic towards one of self love and self care, as well as plants that help to improve digestive function. You will get to make your own mini digestive tea blend to take home.
Deep Journeys with Mugwort thru Magik and Moxa Tuesday, July 21st 6:30-8:30, 2015 Pink Light Healing and Beauty, Oakland In this class we will explore many different aspects of healing through working with this magikal plant, Mugwort. I'll be leading a plant meditation, and will talk about growing Mugwort and its magikal and medicinal properties to support dreamwork and healing. Paolo Flores Chico LAc will introduce Mugwort in the form of Moxa (Ai ye), talking about several different kinds of Moxa and will lead a demonstration for how to do self moxa and partner moxa for healing. You will get to make a tiny dream pouch filled with homegrown Mugwort to take home for magikal dreaming! $25-40 sliding scale.
July Series: Building a Mini Medicine Chest Five Wednesdays, July 1st-29th 6:30-8:30pm, 2015 In this series we will deeply connect with 10 plants to build a solid foundation of medicine to support our emotional and physical health. In each class we will talk about ways to grow a relationship with the plants and understand how to work with them to heal different parts our bodies and hearts. This class is rooted in the idea that less is more- we can treat many kinds of health imbalances with a core group of herbs that are easy to grow locally, to be in balance with the earth as herbalists. I created this class specifically for people who are new to herbal medicine and are looking to go deeper into relationships with plants as medicine. You go home with medicine we make in class, and live plants to grow your own! Please message me to sign up. $150 for the series, $50 deposit due by June 15th to hold your spot. Class caps at 8 people max!
QPOCalypse Workshop- Back by popular demand! Wild Plants for Medicine, Food and Survival Saturday, June 27th 12-2pm, 2015 This is a by donation event, donations appreciated! Last time I offered this class it filled up quick and was requested again- so here it is! This workshop is part of a series of apocalypse readiness trainings created for queer people of color. I'm sharing about native plant identification for medicine, food and survival. We'll go into the woods of the East Bay hills and look at plants that can help treat illnesses and first aid situations that we might encounter in the apocalypse. As a little bonus we’ll go over the must haves for your apocalypse readiness kits, to increase your chances of thriving in the wilderness. Limited to 10 people, this class is offered by donation, please RSVP to hold your spot!
A Mini Introduction to Drought Tolerant Plants May 27th 6:30-8pm, 2015 Come learn about five medicinal plants that are drought tolerant and easy to grow- as California reaches record drought, it's our responsibility as gardeners and medicine makers to shift towards plants that can live well on less water. Come meet five medicinal plants that grow wild in California- you will learn how to work with them as medicine, and how to grow them to create habitat for local pollinators. Please RSVP, limited to 10 people. This is a fun beginning class for folks who are just starting to learn about plant medicine. Offered at no cost in the spirit of sharing, during East Bay Sharefest! Donations are always welcome.
Herbal Medicine for Emotional Wellness May 30th 9am-6pm, 2015 UC Irvine Mental Health Conference Plants are incredible allies and resources for supporting mental health. This workshop will focus on five accessible plants that can help relieve stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We will cover different ways to connect with plants for healing, and how to integrate them into your daily life. Participants will leave with new knowledge of an alternative approach to healthcare by working with homemade and organic medicine, as well as their own tea blend to take home! This workshop will be from 2:50-3:50pm during the conference.
Making medicinal Oils and Salves Sunday, April 19th, 2015 LOL Oakland Makerspace In this workshop you will learn about 5 plants to work with to create medicinal oils and salves for first aid, healthy skin, and for pain relief. We will cover different methods of preparing oils, and which oil is the best fit for a variety of situations. You will gain skills through hands on time making an oil and salve in class, for you to take home!
Grown with Love- Creating a Magikal Medicinal Herb Garden Sundays, April 19th, 26th, and May 3rd, 2015 I’m so excited to offer this class, as a big garden nerd! We will go deeply into the journey of growing medicinal plants. The focus will be on growing for an urban area, specifically growing medicinal plants that are drought tolerant, and create habitat for ecological restoration. Our approach will be gardening with magik- weaving in cycles of the moon, bringing intention, ceremony, and cultural connection into our gardens. We will talk about strategies for urban growing, including container gardening and community garden models. We will also center the politics of growing medicine- both as creating and reclaiming community autonomy, while recognizing the colonization of land, and the need to heal the land itself. You will get hands on experience growing herbal medicine, and get to take home seedlings, cuttings, and lots of information to start your own magical medicinal herb garden.
Plant Medicine for our Furry Friends Friday, April 17th, 2015 Homestead Apothecary Animals are our beloved teachers, and we are fortunate to have them in our lives. In this class we will be talking about plant medicine to care for our animal friends and help them to be in balanced health. We will look at flower essences for emotional well being, explore illness prevention through healthy diet, and go over plants for herbal first aid. We will blend a first aid tea for you to take home.
QPOCalypse Workshop #1- Wild Plants for Medicine, Food and Survival Saturday, April 11th, 2015 It’s here! QPOCalypse! I am honored to start off this series of apocalypse readiness trainings for queer people of color by offering a class on native plant identification for medicine, food and survival. We will go into the woods of the East Bay hills and look at plants that can help treat illnesses and first aid situations that we might encounter in the apocalypse. Inspired by the Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler, this workshop will go over possible survival scenarios and how we can work with plants to keep our communities healthy. As a little bonus we’ll go over the must haves for your apocalypse readiness kits, to increase your chances of thriving in the wilderness.
Heart Medicine Magic Thursday, February 12th, 2015 LOL Oakland Makerspace In this class we will go deeply into connecting with the heart, working with plants to do the profound healing of liberating ourselves to love fully. We make a cordial, an oil, and a salt scrub for opening the heart to deep healing and joy. This will be a sweet and fun class!
Illuminate: Underneath the layers of API Mental Health at UCLA Monday, February 2nd, 2015 I was honored to be invited to teach a workshop on Herbal Medicine for Stress and Anxiety at this free conference focused on mental health in API communities. In this workshop we talked about five plants that can help with anxiety, depression and burnout, and made a tea blend for everyone to take home.
The Impossible Will Take A Little While- an herbal workshop for POC organizers, instigators and healers Sunday, January 25th, 2015 In recognizing that movement work means organizing for the long haul, this workshop was created by a group of herbalists of color (Jade of Honey and Blackbone, Rona at Shift Acupuncture, and Berenice Dimas of Cantos de la Tierra) to provide culturally relevant skills and resources for folks of color to stay engaged and supported in community organizing. Participants will learn herbal tools for mental and emotional health, as a form of resilience.
Fire Cider Making Class Wednesday, November 12th, 2014 Omiiroo Gallery Come learn how to make your own Fire Cider to keep your immune system strong this winter! This will be a fun, hands on class, and you will get to take home your own Fire Cider for cold and flu season.
Flowers, Leaves + Feathers: Medicine for Life Transitions Sunday, November 9th, 2014 LOL Oakland Makerspace I am so honored to be offering this class in Oakland with an incredible healer and dear friend, at Stephanie Syd Yang of Blue Jaguar is Love. We have taught this class together in Los Angeles, and it is very exciting to be offering this class in the Bay Area where you can have the chance to be touched by Syd's magic of working with bird medicine. The following is her writing about the class we're offering: "Change is a tricky word. One moment we crave it, the next we are clinging on for dear life to all that feels safe and familiar. Yet, there are times in our lives when we can not ignore change and are invited to befriend all that it has to offer. These times are when we are transitioning out of an old pattern and into something new, or beginning a new venture. This may show up in relationships, in our professional lives, with our own bodies, or pretty much anywhere else." This community workshop will explore ways to ease into the natural flow of transition, whenever we encounter it in our lives, working with Bird and Plant Medicine to support your process.
Herbs for Digestive Health Wednesday, October 15th, 2014 Totoro's Forest A happy digestive system is one of the keys to solid health. It can be challenging to have a healthy relationship with food and also with our bodies. In this class we will talk about essences to support shifting that dynamic towards one of self love and self care, as well as plants that help to improve digestive function. You will get to make your own Digestive Bitters formula to take home.
Herbal Immune Support for Fall Transitions Thursday, September 25th, 2014 Oakland SOL In this class we will talk about herbs to support your immune system as we transition back into Fall, a time when cold season starts to gain momentum. Learn how to keep the sickies away with the support of herbal medicine! We will make a batch of Fire Cider and Elderberry Syrup, and you will get to take some home.
Flowers, Leaves + Feathers: Medicine for Life Transitions Sunday, August 3rd, 2014 Blue Jaguar Is Love I am so honored to be teaching this class with the amazing Syd Yang of Blue Jaguar is Love. Working with a pairing of bird and plant medicine, this community workshop will share practices to help us ease into the natural flow of transition, whenever we encounter transition energy in our lives.
Herbal Support for Anxiety Relief Friday, July 25th, 2014 LOL Oakland Makerspace In this class we will focus on 5 different herbs that support with relieving anxiety- Skullcap, Passionflower, Chamomile, California Poppy, and Vervain. We will do a plant meditation and talk about the benefits of different preparations of herbs that can help with anxiety including tea, flower essences, and tinctures. You will have the opportunity to make a tea blend to bring home.
Medicinal Plant Walk Wednesday, June 25th, 2014 Joaquin Miller Park In this class we will spend time learning with wild plants. We will go on a short hike and meet a lot of different medicinal plants that grow in the Oakland hills. I will share about the medicinal qualities of the plants- physical, spiritual and edible qualities. I will also share mindful practices of ethical wildcrafting (harvesting plants in the wilderness) that deeply honor the plants and land. You will have the opportunity to try some edible wild plants.
Making Magical Herbal Tool Kits for Full Moon Time Wednesday, May 14th, 2014 Homestead Apothecary There is so much to get into about herbs and magic, it's limitless! For this class we will focus on medicine for dreaming, and to honor the full moon we will work with herbs to help release that which is not needed anymore. We will make a tiny dream pillow, a ritual bath/shower scrub, and harvest herbs to make a smudge.
Growing Medicinal Herbs Friday, April 25th, 2014 Oakland SOL This class will cover the medicinal uses and growing properties of 5 different plants- Calendula, Yarrow, Spearmint, Lemonbalm and Burdock. Each of these plants can be grown in a container, and you will leave with plant babies or seeds of each to take home, and the skills to care for them!
Spring Equinox Flower Essence Making Friday, March 21st, 2014 LOL Oakland Makerspace In celebration of Spring, I am offering a class on how to make flower essences. I am thrilled to be offering this particular class in line with the time of the Spring Equinox, and to create a space to set intentions together for this coming season.