BotanicWise was founded by Charis Lindrooth with the intention of providing a forum where plant wisdom can be shared and where like-minded people can connect and build a community to steward land, medicinal plants, and supportive relationships with each other. Inspired by the work of Rosemary Gladstar, David Winston, United Plant Savers, and many internationally acclaimed teachers and organizations in the herbal renaissance, BotanicWise strives to create space for land and plant stewardship, with an inner mission to cultivate alliances between plants and people, and between people and people. We are grateful for all who participate in this expanding green movement that invites perspective on the transformation of modern health and health care in this country.
The shift that changed everything for me
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Hello Reader, You have more control over how you feel than you might think… actually, control might not be the right word…bear with me as I work through this… Herbalist Guido Masé says, “As we think about healing, we want to honor cyclical patterns inside us and apply that support in cycles. We want to do it in a way that honors the fact that we are full human beings that live in a context, both outside of us and inside of us.” When we start with listening and understanding, we build an awareness of the systems we live in. ‘Systems' is a techy word meaning our own body and the ecology around it - our environment and the great world of nature. Awareness means we are willing to ask questions - how does it work? Why does it feel broken? What can I do to keep things running smoothly? So we have awareness. What comes next? An herbal perspective asks us to find synchrony with nature. This means immersing yourself in the world of plants (and mushrooms), asking questions, and digging deep so that little by little, they alter your biology—and restore your system into alliance with nature. Now we have awareness, synchrony, and alliance. I like those words, but what do they have to do with my personal health journey? When our herbal practice goes deeper than the “silver bullet” approach, such as ‘take milk thistle for your liver,’ we need a true understanding of the dance between plants and our inner ecology AND a moment of surrender… A letting go of control… A humble openness and receptivity. An understanding of cycles. Healing is a miraculous confluence of forces from within our body and the world around us. Looking at herbalism through this perspective changes everything.Let’s revisit my opening statement: “You have more control over how you feel than you might think.” As someone who is dealing with symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, this is really important to me. I’m learning a lot about control…and loss of it. Here’s the biggest takeaway from my personal healing journey and why I asked Guido to share his ground-breaking work with us… Gaining control means letting go of it.This doesn’t mean quit or stop trying. Guido puts it best, “When we take a plant into ourselves, we have some control over what’s going to happen, but the plant also has a ton of control over what it's going to do to us.” In other words…let it happen. He goes on… “A single isolated chemical is going to have a pretty disruptive impact on my internal system. I would rather provide a plant cocktail that my system is aware of and has experienced before. This plant is a connected, flowing packet of information, right? It’s connected to a region, to a climate, to different chemical changes and shifts depending on how it’s grown. And depending on what's going on inside us, it's going to exert different effects.”
I am learning that creating my own healing protocol is not a linear journey. I have collected a long list of herbs, supplements, and remedies that might help, and I can’t do it all. What I am learning from Guido is how to approach healing from a cyclical perspective. By setting aside my urge to fix this now, I’m developing compassion for my body, awareness of how plants interact with it, and crafting a more nuanced, receptive approach to my health. Science combined with conscious awareness. Or maybe loving awareness.That sentence sums up Guido’s approach. And that’s why I can’t wait to dig in deeper with his guidance next week in The Tonic Way with Guido Masé. 👉 Learn more about The Tonic Way🎁 Enroll today and save $50 on tuition with coupon code TONICGIFT50 (expires April 12). Yours in Health Charis Lindrooth BotanicWise P.S. If you’ve never studied with Guido Masé, you’re in for a treat. He’s one of the brightest herbal minds I have ever met. And he has a real knack for making complicated subjects understandable and practical. Listen to him talk about the secret of abundance. P.P.S. This email was written solely with H.I. (human intelligence - me!) P.P.P.S. Remember your $50 savings expires at midnight! Not interested in hearing about our upcoming virtual events with Guido Masè? Click here to OPT-OUT of this email series. |
BotanicWise
BotanicWise was founded by Charis Lindrooth with the intention of providing a forum where plant wisdom can be shared and where like-minded people can connect and build a community to steward land, medicinal plants, and supportive relationships with each other. Inspired by the work of Rosemary Gladstar, David Winston, United Plant Savers, and many internationally acclaimed teachers and organizations in the herbal renaissance, BotanicWise strives to create space for land and plant stewardship, with an inner mission to cultivate alliances between plants and people, and between people and people. We are grateful for all who participate in this expanding green movement that invites perspective on the transformation of modern health and health care in this country.
Hello Reader, Do you still have questions about joining The Tonic Way? Here are a few answers… Do you offer a payment plan? ✅ Just choose Partial.ly as your payment method at checkout. Payment plans are completely customizable; you choose the payment plan that fits your budget. Is the program really risk-free? ✅ Yes! We offer a 100% “Worth It” guarantee. We are so confident in our programs that we provide a full tuition refund if you request it within 30 days of purchase. I won’t be able to...
Hello Reader, There are many ways to learn herbalism. You can memorize lists of plants. Study protocols. Follow formulas. Or… you can step into a living, breathing relationship with the green world—one that changes how you think, feel, and practice. That’s what learning with Guido Masé offers in The Tonic Way (starts Thursday!) Here are five reasons his approach is so impactful: 🌱Science meets soul and stories…Guido has a rare gift: he can translate complex plant chemistry into clear,...
Hello Reader, In just three days, the first live class of The Tonic Way: An Invitation to Remember with Guido Masé begins. In these troubled times, supporting yourself with tonic herbs is essential. Why? For starters, the daily practice of taking tonic herbs opens a relationship with the plant world that is deeply transformative. As we turn to tonic plants and natural rhythms to transform, protect, and heal, here’s what we will learn… 🌿 How to approach optimal health using cyclical herbal...