Energetic Herbalism

In this indispensable new resource both for the home apothecary and clinical practitioners, a celebrated herbalist brings alive the elemental relationships among traditional healing practices, ecological stewardship and essential plant medicines.By honouring ancient wisdom and presenting it in an innovative way, Energetic Herbalism is a profound and practical guide to family and community care for those seeking to move beyond symptom relief and into a truly holistic framework of health. Throughout, author Kat Maier invites readers to explore their personal relationships with plants and their environs as they discover diverse models of healing.Inside Energetic Herbalism, you’ll find:The elements and patterns of Ayurvedic doshas for greater self-awareness as well as positive lifestyle choicesThe relationship of well-being to the seasons through the brilliant lens of Chinese Five Element Theory and how our emotional health is beautifully expressed through the ElementsThe roots and evolution of Vitalism, the traditional Western system of energetic medicineHow to assess imbalances in the body using the elegant and intuitive vocabulary of the six tissue states, an emerging tool in Western herbalismThe senses as the main tools for navigating through energetic herbalismA deep appreciation of the wisdom of indigenous peoples, which is the foundation of sacred plant traditions Through the rich herbal tradition of storytelling, Maier seamlessly blends theory and practice with her experience-tested herbal remedies and healing protocols. Maier stresses the critical message of how to address the challenge of threatened medicinal plant populations, offering practical and inspiriting methods for ensuring their survival. Many herbals boast a materia medica of more than 100 herbs, but in keeping with an emphasis on sustainable practice, Maier instead focuses in depth on 25 essential medicinal herbs that can be grown in most temperate climates and soils, including:DandelionAshwagandha (Indian Ginseng)GoldensealBurdockCalendulaEchinaceaGoldenrodWhether you are a seasoned clinical herbalist, an herbalist-in-training or simply someone seeking to provide the best natural health care for your family, this book is a source of inspiration, insight and answers you will return to again and again.

“This amazing book almost leaves me speechless. Energetic Herbalism integrates the many different sources that flow into modern herbalism into an integrated conception and practice. Although the book is directed for the home herbalist, it is also a textbook for beginner to advanced levels, to be treasured and assimilated over many years. This is the type of book that can be written only by one who has been ruminating and practicing for decades, yet it also represents a stream of energy arising from the plants themselves, expressing themselves through Kat, in herbal wisdom. This book touches upon everything that I hold dear in herbal medicine, founded upon the real experience of Nature as a living, intelligent, spiritual being.”—Matthew Wood, MS (Herbal Medicine), founder, Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism; author of The Book of Herbal Wisdom, “A beautifully written, all-encompassing guide to understanding the major healing traditions from around the world—Vitalism, Ayurveda, and Chinese medicine. Lest you think that this is all Kat Maier offers, let me dispel that thought. Diving deep into sacred healing traditions, Kat leads us to the plants. She enlightens with the uses, indications, and preparations of the plants she has chosen for the apothecary. Energetic Herbalism is a book you’ll return to again and again.”—Phyllis Light, author of Southern Folk Medicine, “A wonderfully practical and accessible guide to energetic herbalism, filled with the wisdom and Viriditas of a Real Herbalist. Thank you, Kat!”—David Hoffmann, RH (AHG), fellow, National Institute of Medical Herbalists; principal scientist, Traditional Medicinals, “I always ask my students: Do you want to be a good herbalist or a great herbalist? One of the essentials necessary to achieve a high level of herbal practice is the study of herbal energetics. In Energetic Herbalism, Kat Maier has distilled the teachings of the world’s great herbal traditions into a concise, easy to learn guide that will allow any herbalist to begin to treat each person as an individual rather than generically treating diseases, and in so doing, to truly achieve excellence."—David Winston, RH(AHG), DSc(hc), author of Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, “That Kat Maier’s book so wonderfully conveys the essence and importance of energetic herbalism is a blessing. That the book also frames our use of herbs within the larger relationships we hold with the land, the seasons, and the sacred is essential. In Energetic Herbalism, Kat doesn’t share mere uses of herbs but keen insights into establishing a deeper understanding of the patterns of health and nature.”—jim mcdonald, herbalist and founder, herbcraft.org 

Kat Maier RH, (AHG) is the founder and director of Sacred Plant Traditions, a center for herbal studies in Charlottesville, Virginia. One of her greatest accomplishments has been to train many clinical herbalists who have gone onto to begin other schools, apothecaries or open their own practices. In clinical practice for over 30 years, Kat teaches internationally at universities, conferences, and herbal schools. She is a founding member of Botanica Mobile Clinic, a nonprofit dedicated to providing accessible herbal medicine to local communities. The Botanica clinic arose out of her school’s free clinic which was one of the first on the East Coast and served as a template for other herbalism schools. She began her study of plants as a Peace Corps volunteer, and her training as a Physician’s Assistant allows her to weave the language of biomedicine into her practice of traditional energetic herbalism. She is coauthor of Bush Medicine of San Salvador Island, Bahamas. As a passionate steward of the plants, Kat also served as president of United Plant Savers and was the recipient of the organization’s first Medicinal Plant Conservation Award.