A profound benefit of herbal medicine for the mind and spirit is the simple act of connecting with plants. Entering into meaningful relationship with plants is itself a balm for the nervous system as we relax into the experience of interrelatedness with all life. We feel more grounded, less overstimulated, less isolated. Emotions move, a kinship grows, and our consciousness becomes more open to ancient and timeless wisdom.

There are so many ways to foster plant connection in our lives, from simple acts of nature connection, to deeper levels of “plant spirit medicine.” You don’t have to feel particularly “spiritual” or “intuitive” to do it. In this class, we’ll explore the benefits of plant connection from a modern/scientific and traditional perspective. Oren will share from experience practical ways we can incorporate plant connection into our work in different contexts: in the clinic as practitioners, in class as teachers, and just for ourselves!

For the clinic, we’ll explore how to bring this dimension to our client work, including accessible ways that don’t feel too “woo woo” for some of our more mainstream clients. For educators, we’ll talk about different ways to weave plant connection exercises into the herbal curriculum to ensure students cultivate a deep connection with plants along with their studies. On this journey, we will explore different practices that anyone can do no matter the context, including a plant connection meditation we will do together, which you can then do anytime.