Foundation Year
With a small group we meet throughout the year, learning about the herbs around us as they come into flower. This is a very hands-on course, with half of it spent outside with the plants whilst the rest is spent developing our abilities to listen to plants and our own intuition. Working with a number of different techniques including meditation, journeying, plant spirit explorations, somatic awareness (through extensive bodywork) and group tastings, we learn how to open ourselves to a deep understanding of the action of plants on our body and consciousness. Through experiences in nature such as wild swimming, wild camping and sauna/sweat we deepen our relationship with both ourselves and nature.
This course is ideal for those who are serious about deepening their knowledge, and also as a entry course for those thinking of pursuing professional herbal training. The course is about learning about herbal medicine from the herbs upwards. Through in depth study of around 20 plants we aim to touch on the spectrum of possible healing as related to:
- The art of dreaming and journeying – nurturing personal relationships with plants
- Learning by initiation – letting the plants teach you directly
- The body and its relationship with our emotional and spiritual landscape.
- Embodied and systemic trauma and its significance to growth and healing
- Subtle bodywork – listening to the body
- Ritual and ceremonial work with herbs
- Deepening our sensitivity to and experience of being in nature (sometimes called rewilding)
Specific Aims:
- To positively identify at least 20+ medicinal plants growing locally
- Be familiar with each herb’s season, method of harvest
- To develop skilfulness with your own intuition
- Be competent in medicine preparations including decoctions, tinctures, infused oils, creams, ointments, liniments and poultices
- To have a grounding in traditional naturopathic modes of medical knowledge
- To have a grounding (foundation skills) in assessing a persons constitution, the structure and function of the body and a understanding of and experience of the human subtle energy field
- Deepen and develop your skills in touch, bodywork and heart centred witnessing
- To be aware of Red flags / warning signs / contraindications for using herbs
- To build a close relationship with up to 5 plants, based on individual exploration, journeying and research
- Develop greater equanimity and improve ability to differentiate reaction as opposed to conscious response
- To recognise pre-existing beliefs and your own projections and judgements
- To engage with your own thresholds and inner journey of healing
- To explore the meaning of shadow work and engage with aspects of this in yourself
- A growing trauma-awarenss and appreciation of the significance of embodied (somatic) trauma
- To deepen your relationship and experiences of nature and your own body within nature
- Develop skilfullness with intuition and insight
- To feel confident in starting and developing a relationship with a plant on your own
- Introduction to dream-time, imaginative journeying and journeying with a drum, familiarity with the role and importance of ritual, ceremony and intention.
A certificate of completion outlining the skills you have gained is available on request at the end of the year.
For latest information about dates and financial exchange click this link.
The vast majority of those who join the Foundation year have done either the three day Introduction or 1:1 tutorials – those who have already started some work with us in this form are given priority should they wish to continue their exploration.
For those considering our professional trainings the Foundation year can count as the first year.
A limited number of concessions are available on request.