Herbal Medicine Correspondence Course

Year-long Herbal Medicine Body Systems Course 
for the Community Herbalist

             12 Comprehensive Written Monthly Lessons (pdf)

48 recorded classes with Gail Faith Edwards

1 live zoom class with Gail per month

Private Class Forum

Access to the extensive online Materia Medica.

Prayers, rituals, traditional offerings, Saints, Gods and Goddesses associated with each body system and the herbs studied 

Monthly Intentional Creativity projects to enhance learning

Personal Mentoring with Gail Faith Edwards

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New Class begins January 30, 2025

Newly Revised and Updated!

An herbalist learns to walk among worlds, blurring the lines between art, magic, myth and medicine. She, or he, skillfully gathers leaf, flower, root, and bark to bless, nourish and heal. She understands the body, its processes, and what it needs for optimum health. She cultivates hope, develops spirit, and trusts her intuition. She is both scientist and shaman. An herbalist's path is an ancient tradition and at the same time cutting edge. Her work is often invisible. She needs no accolades. Her heart is wild and full of love.

Consider joining us to hone skills that will continue serving you, your family and your community for a lifetime.

Shake loose those long-stored genetically encoded memories of past lives with the plants. Your ancestral knowledge is alive deep within you. Bring it to the surface where you can access it freely and easily. Nourish your intuitive knowings, your rich and ancient heritage with healing roots, flowers, fungi and trees. Join our one year course, focused on the Body Systems and associated Materia Medica...we'll help you remember...grow into yourself as a wild-hearted herbalist healer walking the Blessing Way with purpose and mad skills to match.

This course is an outstanding exploration into the world of herbal medicine as it relates to each of our body systems. Begin or continue to deepen your herbal studies with the thoroughly enjoyable and highly praised Herbal Medicine Correspondence Course taught by Gail Faith Edwards.

We outline a case study to work with in the first month of the Body Systems Course and stay with this individual through all the body systems, refining our recommendations as we go...it's a fabulous year long exploration into what constitutes good health and what herbs, and other things, support it. This course is also an opportunity to do deep healing work on yourself or a dear one while building knowledge and skills that will serve for a lifetime.

The BODY SYSTEMS course consists of 12 comprehensive written lessons; each lesson accompanied by 3 - 5 live recorded classes per month, approximately 48 classes in all, with Gail Faith Edwards as instructor. These recorded classes may be accessed at any time it is convenient for you.  Each student will be given access to our online Materia Medica which is a collection of in-depth monographs of the herbs, exactly as published in Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs; A Florilegia for the Wild Heart Tribe.  However, each herbal entry is enhanced with corresponding information regarding prayers, healing rituals, and associations with Saints and other significant personages related to the herb and body system presented.   

Each month we will focus on one Intentional Creativity project, working with paint and/or clay, to produce art related to the body system studied that month. Over the year you will create a body of work that will be a visual encapsulation and representation of all you’ve learned regarding the human body and corresponding herbs. 

In addition, all students are guaranteed a space in one annual Community Herbalist Retreat held at the Blessed Maine Herb Farm at a 25% discount.

The three day gathering on the farm during the summer compliments the distant learning process and attendance is strongly suggested but not required; hands-on, in person learning with the plants is critically important and will ground the herbal knowledge you will be accumulating during the course of our correspondence study. The community development, personal contact and relationships with other herbal students will create a foundation of support that will likely last for a very long time and be deeply nourishing. All meals (prepared with fresh, local, organic ingredients) while on the farm, as well as all plants and materials required for making herbal medicines during the retreat are included.

“I have wanted to take a class from Gail for a long time and am glad that I finally did it!  The Herbal Medicine Body Systems class offers much more than I anticipated. The year long class has taken commitment and a willingness to be open to new ideas and forms of self expression. Gail expertly weaves history, spirit, and tradition, with the science of herbal medicine. As a student, I was encouraged to tap into my creative potential with an art project that not only deepened my knowledge of the plants I am focusing on, but also helped me enter into relationship with them. I feel that I understand these plants on a deeper level now, and that they truly have become my healing allies.”

The entire 12 month Body Systems Course lesson plan is outlined below.

"In an unassuming and gentle presentation, Gail Faith Edwards has taught me more practical and hands on knowledge about herbs than I would have thought possible from a correspondence course. She captures the true essence of herbal medicine with her knowledge of folklore, scientific facts, and her wise spirit. Thank you, Gail, for giving me the foundation to make herbal nutrition and medicine a part of my daily life."

"I can't believe how much I have grown personally and spiritually. Your herbal medicine class was a wonderful enrichment. You taught me patience and opened my eyes to the wonderful local herbs available right under my nose. I just wanted to thank you, thank you, thank you!"

The course offers the serious student of herbal medicine an excellent springboard from which to build a well grounded career as an herbalist. Nurse Practitioners, RNs, pharmacists, body workers, energy healers, and complimentary health care providers, aspiring and practicing herbalists, as well as homemakers, report finding this course to be especially inspiring and fruitful for their work.

THE BODY SYSTEMS COURSE PACKAGE includes: At the beginning of each month a PDF file containing the current month’s written lesson as well as a list of suggested and required reading will be posted on the forum along with all audio files associated with that lesson, each a recorded class which can be watched/listened to at your convenience. You'll have three to five recorded classes per month, each focused on an aspect of the lesson work, outlined in the pdf, we are currently engaging. In addition there will be one live zoom class with Gail focused on that month’s learning and creative project. 

You will be encouraged to post a written report on our class forum regarding the work you have done during each month's lesson as well as a show and tell image of our on-going art project. 

Each Body Systems Course student will have the opportunity for ongoing, unlimited discussion with Gail and other students via our private class forum.  Gail is always available to answer any questions or concerns that arise via her personal email as well.

This rich, personal, in-depth mentoring aspect of our program is invaluable for the aspiring herbalist.

The private class forum will be a place where you can openly discuss your current learning projects, ask questions and post activities, photos and links you would like to share. We will all be focusing on the same material - sharing your work and ideas with each other will enhance your experience as well as help us develop a deep sense of community.

Please note that there is no legal certification for herbalists available anywhere in the United States of America.

"I am amazed by the transformation that has occurred in me over the last year since beginning your course. This is a profound, completely unexpected, and much appreciated effect your course has had on me. Thank you so much."

"This was my first introduction to herbs. I knew I had a LOT to learn, but was so amazed at how my knowledge of herbal uses and the body and its systems had soared by the end of the class."

Body Systems Course Lesson Progression

Lesson 1 - Plant chemistry – Herbal constituents and actions, terminology of the herbalist, tastes and herbal energetics, the Wise Woman/Wild Heart, Vitalist and Natural approach to healing, choosing appropriate herbs to treat the whole person, introduction to case study work.

Lesson 2 - Laying the Groundwork of Nourishment - Nourishing Ourselves to Optimum Health & Vitality, Vitamins & Minerals - well developed information on each vitamin and mineral, its specific relevance to our health, the herbs and foods that offer it, how to recognize and overcome vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Lesson 3 - The Digestive System - Physiology and Pharmacology, what foods and herbs do we consume to support over-all digestive health and vitality and how are they best prepared. In-depth examination of the role the digestive process plays in our health. Planning and executing a health supportive dietary regime. Digestive fire. Vital essence. Bitters. Food allergies.

Lesson 4 - The Generative (Reproductively) System - Physiology and Pharmacology, Herbs for Women's Health, Herbs for Men's Health, fertility & reproduction, PMS, menopause/andropause, hormonal chemistry, choosing herbs that nourish, strengthen, tone and balance these systems, delivery methods, dosages, contraindications.

Lesson 5 - The Nervous System & Brain, Physiology and Pharmacology, Nervines and Restoratives, herbs to nourish, strengthen and tone the nervous system, herbs to alleviate stress, anxiety, depression, addressing addiction, herbal antidepressants as alternatives to Prozac, etc., Herbs for Mind and Spirit. Delivery methods, dosages and contraindications.

Lesson 6 - Chronic and Acute Pain, Physiology and Pharmacology, herbs that relieve pain, applications, dosages and contraindications.

Lesson 7 - The Immune and Lymphatic System, Physiology and Pharmacology, herbs to nourish our immunity, herbal antibiotics, herbs, roots, lichen, fungi that enhance immunity, move lymph fluids, methods of delivery, dosages, contraindications.

Lesson 8 – The Endocrine System - Physiology and Pharmacology. Adaptogens - the importance of understanding the uses of this unique class of herbs, adaptogens as a bridge between the immune, nervous and glandular systems, their importance in increasing metabolic efficiency and reducing susceptibility to illness and disease. Homeostasis and the effects of adaptogens on the whole body/mind/spirit. Delivery methods, dosages and contraindications.

Lesson 9 - The Skeletal and Muscular Systems - Physiology and Pharmacology, choosing herbs to support, heal and maintain strong bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons and ligaments throughout life. The role of exercise in maintaining the health of our skeletal and muscular frame. Delivery methods, dosages and contraindications.

Lesson 10 - The Excretory System - Physiology and Pharmacology, choosing appropriate herbs to support and maintain the health of the kidneys and bladder, homeostasis, maintaining the balance between acid, water and salt base of the blood, the role of the kidneys in hormonal production, herbal delivery methods, dosages, contraindications.

Lesson 11 – Heart, Lungs & Circulation System - Physiology and pharmacology, transporting blood, water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and waste throughout the body. Choosing appropriate herbs to support, nourish, strengthen and heal the heart, nourish the blood and blood vessels, lungs, air passageways, throat, mouth, and nasal passages. Delivery methods, dosages, contraindications.

Lesson 12 - Council of the Herbal Allies – Organs and Body Systems Review. Materia Medica Review. Earth Songs Heal Her - Initiation and Commencement

Correspondence Course Refund Policy: There are no refunds after the course begins.

REGISTRATION AND COURSE PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Option 1 - REGISTER for the course and pay in full. Before making your payment, please email me (gailea88@gmail.com) a short biography highlighting your interest and prior studies/experience with herbs, if any, as well as your vision for yourself as an herbalist/healer. I will respond with permission for enrollment and instructions for accessing the course.

2- PAYMENT PLAN - We have a payment plan available for those who would like to take the course but cannot afford the full tuition all at once. Place a $400 down payment and make six consecutive monthly payments of $200 until paid in full. (Payments are due on the 1st of the month.) This option adds $100 onto your total fee to cover bookkeeping and processing fees. Email gailea88@gmail.com and include your brief biography, as above, if interested in pursuing this option.

"Gail Faith Edwards has been a wonderful teacher and mentor. Always available to answer questions and give great feedback. She has encouraged, praised and challenged me. Most importantly, as a true wise woman, she has passed on to me the deep, spiritual respect for the earth and all that grows here. My wild heart sings with the knowledge I've gained through this course and the memories that have been awakened. Thank you, Gail."

"Dear Gail, It is a pleasure and a blessing to be a part of your herbal correspondence course. Thank you for the lifetime's work that you have pulled together to share with us - the hours in your garden; in deep listening to others, to the plants and to your own heart; your hours in research and contemplation; your hours in laughter and dreamtime; in cultivating presence and care in your medicine-making; your hours in observation and attentiveness; your hours in prayer. All of this that you have woven together to share with us, I deeply appreciate and hope to do my best to both receive, integrate, and make good use of in service to myself and others. Blessings to you, Nicole"