MASTER HERBAL MEDICINE HOMESTUDY

The Herbal Medicine Homestudy course is part of the Master Herbalist Diploma course. All lessons have assignments - reading, writing, creative and practical - and all assignments must be completed to a satisfactory level prior to graduation.

Lesson One
History and Philosophy: Atlantean, Ayurvedic, Chinese, Buddhist, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, European, North American Indian, physiomedical and present day discoveries such as herbal crystals.

Lesson Two
Chemistry. Ideology, religion, mythological fertility, and nature's pharmacy, scientific chemistry, growth, natural selection, climate, soil, senses, cycles, active principles, collecting, harvesting, storage, astrology, plant use, extraction, drugs, organic, inorganic.

Lesson Three
Nutrition: "Food as Medicine", optimum foods, healing diets, fasting, longevity. "Food as Poison", poor eating habits, food combining, effects of emotions, constipation, hot and cold, acid/alkaline, liquids, social habits, traveling, additives, pollution, alcohol, utensils, caffeine, chocolate, eggs, meat, fish, flour, irradiated food, oils, pesticides, pollution, salt, sugar, canned foods, tobacco. Addictions and cure.

Lesson Four
Herbal formulas: Creating formulas, prescription symbols, abbreviations and measuring terminology. Organization of formulas according to different criteria. Herbal therapies. Herbs to avoid in pregnancy.

Lesson Five, Six, Seven
Materia Medica: Cosmic holotrophic herbalism. 100 herbs: action, active ingredients, activity, applications, aromatherapy, astrology, Ayurveda, cautions, contraindications, chakras, elements and emotions, Chinese medicine, combinations, cultivation, dosage, energetics, flower essences, formulas, habitat, history, homeopathy, meridians, organs, names, nutrients, part used, personality, plant description, research, spiritual properties, substitutions, systems, taste, tissues, wildcrafting and preparation.

Lesson Eight
Body systems: Development of holistic and holotropic perceptions, exploration of body/mind/spirit influences, acupuncture, polarity therapy, zone therapy, astrology; herbs, treatment, formulas, vitamins and minerals for body systems, organs and glands.

Lesson Nine
Botany: systems for the naming and identifying plants, collecting and preparing herbarium specimens. Plant classification appendix. Illustrated.

Lesson Ten
Herbal pharmacy and dispensary I: How to set up and administrate a pharmacy. Dosage. Methods of herbal application.

Lesson Eleven
Herbal pharmacy and dispensary II: First aid treatment. Acute conditions, bites, wounds, accidents. Applications include fomentations, infusions, ointments, ovules, pill making, poultices, plasters, powders, smoking herbs, snuff and nasal herbs, suppositories, syrups, tinctures. Drug substitution. Iatrogenic drug induced disease. Travel. Products.

Lesson Twelve
Herbs and healing: Bach Flower Remedies, aromatherapy, homeopathy, hand and foot baths, pendulums, pulsors, psychological information on the effect of emotions on health, herbs to use for healing body/mind/spirit. Effects of meditation and affirmations for health and healing.