CANCELLED Art & Craft of Herbalism

About This Event

CANCELLED Register here for May 9
Register here for June 6

Instructor: Irena Stathis
$30 Arboretum members
$40 non-members (Includes Arboretum Admission)
*For Arboretum members, remember to create your Arboretum account to get the discount at checkout. For instructions on how to create an account click here. To create an account click here.

All of us come from a cultural heritage that is native to some part of our planet and which historically included the use of herbs in foods, beverages, bodycare, first aid and rituals. In this six-part series we will explore the medicinal, nutritional, and spiritual aspects of herbs through traditional forms of application. We will take a journey through the body systems and the foundational parts of our daily lives to discover how the plants can support us and become our allies.  Each class will include a hands-on portion in which we will be working directly with the plants as well as many opportunities to sample herbal extracts, elixirs, foods and beverages carefully selected for each session.

January 25, 1:30pm – 3:30pm – Herbs in the Kitchen: The Culinary Herbs
Learn how to incorporate herbs into your cooking not just for their aromatic flavors, but more importantly for the ways in which they support our body’s natural systems of circulation, digestion, and metabolism. In this class, we will discuss the medicinal and folkloric uses of some common culinary herbs focusing on the Mediterranean region. Many of these herbs are well-known for their uses in foods, but what about the myriad of properties that are beneficial to our health? Come learn how these herbs can heal wounds, enhance memory, stimulate and brighten the mind, cleanse the intestines, soothe the throat, and so much more. Along with our discussion, we will prepare and sample some herbal foods, dips, and dressings as well as employ traditional methods of herbal infusions, decoctions, and powders.

February 15, 1:30pm – 3:30pm – Spring Cleanse
According to traditional systems of healing, the human body is attuned to the natural rhythm of the seasons. Thus, Spring is the time of year to cleanse – to support detoxification and metabolism in the liver and to revitalize after the dense, rich foods of the winter months. In spite of our mild Southern California climate, we can ALL use some liver support as we are exposed to many toxins, pollutants, and over-processed foods. We will take a closer look at the role of the liver in our body’s overall health and how herbs can nourish and strengthen this most vital organ of metabolism. For the hands-on portion, we will be preparing herbal vinegars with an emphasis on seasonal spring greens and roots and the bitter taste.

March 7, 10:00am – 12:00pm – Flower Medicine: Essences of the Wild
The plants speak many different languages: through the heart, smell, richness of color, and depth of form. Each flower taking its own posture, each leaf vibrating its own hue. Learn to listen to the flowers. What do their colors, smells, and shapes tell you about them? Flower medicine is a rich study that connects us to the subtle and energetic aspects of the most intricate and elaborate displays of beauty of plants. We will make a flower essence together and talk about vibrational medicine and its many applications from constitutional remedies to emotional release, shock, and trauma.

April 4, 1:30pm – 3:30pm – Warrior Herbs: Bumps, Bruises and Boo Boos
Herbal first aid for the whole family. Learn how the warrior herbs can help when you or your loved ones get cuts, scrapes, sprains, and strains. We will take a look at the importance of treating bruises and herbs that nourish, stimulate, and tonify the blood. We will be working with mighty Yarrow ‘master of the blood’ among others. We will prepare a traditional balm or ointment for topical use and practice the application of poultices.

May 9, 1:30pm – 3:30pm – Natural Beauty: Botanical Bodycare
A fun exploration into the world of botanical beauty! We will take a holistic approach to natural skincare as we discover ways to incorporate the healing qualities of plants into your beauty routine. Our discussion will include how to make hair rinses and facial steams and which herbs are best for different skin types. Participants will prepare and apply their own four-part botanical facial – composed of a softening floral scrub, deep-cleansing mineral masque, aromatic toner and botanical infused cream. Come be inspired to create your own herbal day spa with plants found in the garden!

June 6, 1:30pm – 3:30pm – Herbs for the Nerves
In this class, we will look at some of our calming nerviness and nerve tonics to support us through times of great stress and anxiety. We will be working with potent herbs to calm the mind, release tension, relax the body, and promote restful sleep. We will explore the many varied properties and uses of some of our most common gentle herbs like Chamomile and Melissa as well as other less well-known remedies for the psyche and nervous system.

Irena Cora Stathis is a Certified Herbalist, wildcrafter, gardener, and medicine maker. In 2010 she founded a small-batch Apothecary, Abalone Herbals (www.facebook.com/abaloneherbals @abalonerherbals), where she handcrafts botanical beauty products, hydrosols, herbal teas, extracts, essences, and balms. As a native Californian, Irena primarily focuses on the indigenous and naturalized plants of her local terroir and others that are well cultivated in our Southern California Mediterranean climate.  She has been studying the art of Herbal Medicine since 2005; her teachers include Candis Cantin, Matthew Wood, David Hoffman, and Nunutsi Sage Otterson.

When she is not tending her gardens, distilling or crafting in the Apothecary, she can be found teaching classes or exploring the local mountains. She specializes in women’s health, self-care, natural beauty, and preventative wellness drawing from a diverse background of indigenous American traditions, Western Herbalism, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Through her work with the herbs she seeks to understand ever more the nature and relationship of plants as medicines, healers, and wisdom keepers and how this ‘plant-knowledge’ deepens and enlivens humanity and its environs.

Please note that no information presented in this class is to be considered health advice, or is intended for self-prescription or self-diagnosis.  You are responsible for consulting a medical professional before trying any new herb or remedy mentioned.