Workshop Intensives
Each year at the IHS, we include several longer more ‘Intensive type’ workshops that offer participants the opportunity to study specific topics in greater depth and to work more closely with favorite teachers. Most of the Intensives have a ‘hands on’ component and allow for interaction and learning by doing. Along with the regular Intensives offered during the weekend, we are offering several special “pre Conference Intensives’ which start on Friday morning at 8 a.m. and finish at 12 p.m.
Workshop Intensives are approximately 3 ½ to 4 hours in length. The fee for each intensive is $35. Participants must register in advance as space is limited in each Intensive. Intensives generally fill up quite early, so be sure to register early if you want to ensure your space.
- Please note; intensives listed together are offered simultaneously.
- Pre Conference Intensives start at 8 a.m. and end at 12 p.m. on Friday and do not overlap with regular class sessions.
- Playshop Intensives (intensives of a lighter more playful mode) are offered during ‘Free Thyme’ on Saturday from 4 – 7 and don’t over lap with other classes.
Friday 8 a.m. ~ 12 p.m. Pre Conference Intensives
1. Spiritual Bathing, Massage and Healing Ceremonies of Ecuador with Rocio Alarcon (Ecuador).
In this special intensive, Rocio will guide people through the experience of ‘spiritual bathing & massage’ using herbs, water, flower, and oils. These herbal baths are used to cleanse the spirit of negative energy and are also used for specific ailments. The properties of the plants and other ingredients can clean our negativities and make us feel more attractive and alive, ready to face the future with enthusiasm and positivism. Ancient healing ceremonies of the Andes will also be shared. Rocio is a gifted healer and is renowned throughout Ecuador & England for her healing gifts. Class will be hands-on/experiential.
Students need to bring a towel and quart water bottle.
2. Cupping for Herbalists with Julia Graves (Germany/France).
Almost lost from the Western tradition of herbal and holistic treatment, Julia offers a hands-on cupping training from the Western and TCM point of view. Highly effective and relatively easy, this ancient art has a special healing effect that herbs or massage cannot duplicate. Once a household staple for common colds, muscle and back aches in traditional societies world-wide, it is now enjoying renewed interest. Revive your roots: in the old days, all herbalists knew to cup! Trained since her youth in the ancient European tradition, Julia teaches cupping as an integral part of what was once a holistic Western system of medicine and herbalism. The course has proven very informative for licensed acupuncturists and other health care professionals.
Please note: students will need to bring a towel & their own wool blanket to lie on, arnica massage oil, and if possible, bring your own hand pump cupping glasses which can be ordered from www.kamwo.com (Tae Keuk Bu Hang sets are high quality cupping glasses).
3. Developing the Plant/Person Relationship in Healing with Isla Burgess (New Zealand).
Do we each have a plant ally? A plant that restores and maintains health? In this engaging Intensive we will explore a new theory on healing through understanding the role Chaos and Complexity Science has in health and how our perception of the qualities that plants possess can assist us in finding our plant ‘ally’. It is where a shamanistic view of the world meets Quantum physics. By actively engaging in “doing science differently we uncover a different aspect of nature itself”. (Henry Bortoft, Physicist and Goethean Philosopher).
All levels invited
4. Wild Plant and Botan-Eyezing Walk with Cascade Anderson Geller.
There’s never enough time for herb walking and/or botanizing at herb events, so we’ve added a 5 hour intensive with Cascade, one of the best botanizers/herbalists around. There are many famous herbs, trees, and shrubs to be found growing on the Wheaton campus and surrounding 200 acre woodland. Plan on walking about 2 miles, roundtrip, on trails through woods and fields. Emphasis will be on developing your botan-eyes and the details about how to harvest and prepare the plants in a reverent and sustainable manner.
Please note; this class will end at 1 and will include a picnic lunch.
Class is limited to 25 participants so register early.
5. Vet Track: Vaccinosis: The Disease and its Herbal Treatment with Cindy Lankenau, DVM.
Vaccinosis is one of the main causes of chronic disease in our animal friends. The practice of annual vaccination has created a plethera of new disease syndromes and auto-immune conditions. This lecture will first look at the historical recognition ofVaccinosis and then using the recent development of Rabies vaccination in horses, investigate the development of chronic disease. The use of botanical medicines and minute doses of botanical medicines will be discussed in the treatment of the tangled web of dis-ease.
Friday 2:30 - 6:00 ~ Herbal Intensive
1. Talking Leaves; an Indigenous Language of Plants with David Winston.
The Cherokee and other indigenous peoples have long known the best way to learn about plants is from the plants themselves. We will explore the three languages of plants (the physical, symbolic and subtle/intuitive) and learn how the green nation can guide us in personal and planetary health. By understanding these basic concepts, you will be able to simply taste, smell, touch and look at any plant and gain profound insights into their uses for physical, emotional and spiritualhealing. The class will include traditional stories, clear guidance on the use of these techniques and give participants the ability to understand a new language.
2. The Practices and Principles of Southern & Appalachian Medicine with Phyllis Light.
The regional folk medicine of Southern Appalachia and the lower South is a combination of the European humoral system, Native American plant use, and African healing techniques overlaid with Scots-Irish folk medicine. In this Intensive, Phyllis will discuss the traditional causes of health problems, seasonal patterns and influences, spiritual/magical influences, and the influence of the land upon the medicine. The class will explore the Southern blood types: sweet, sour, bitter, salty; the blood patterns: high/low, thick/thin, weak/strong, good/bad as a way of assessing constitutional imbalances; and the elements; fire, earth, air and water. The principles of SAFM provide a practical method of viewing health and constitutional imbalances and offer a common sense approach for achieving or regaining health.
Intermed.
Saturday 9:00 – 12:30 ~ Herbal Intensives
1. Hawaiian Spirituality and Hula as Way of Life with Raylene Ha`alelea Kawaiae`a (Hawaii).
Join Raylene as she shares the beauty and grace of the Hawaiian culture and its healing traditions. This Intensive will focus on Hula, a Hawaiian way of experiencing life through dance, songs, chant and storytelling. We will be learning about the traditions, practices and rituals of Hawaiian healing and hula. E Komo Mai, E Hula Kakou!
Come, Let’s dance hula! Please wear comfortable clothing and/or a loose flowing skirt or paeru. Bring a towel or blanket to sit on, a face towel and water to drink.
2. A Grower's Invitation for the Cultivation, Harvesting and Drying of Medicinal Herbs with Herb farmers extraordinaire Matthias & Andrea Reisen of Healing Spirits Herb Farm and Jeff & Melanie Carpenter of Zack Woods Herb Farm.
This is the intensive for those interested in any aspect of producing medicinal herbs. Medicinal herbs have a unique appeal to the general public. They provide a sustainable livelihood for people wanting a connection to the land and community herbalism. Learn special techniques for the production of medicinal herbs and how to preserve the integrity and spirit of the plant. Experienced and successful herb farmers/growers will share soil building protocol, plant specifics, wildcrafting-growing dos and don'ts, drying techniques and marketing insights about herb production.
All welcome but geared toward Intermed/Adv.
3. VET TRACK- Characteristics and TCVM Treatment Strategies for Eight Basic Tongue Quality Abnormalities in Animals with Dr. Bruce Ferguson.
Tongue diagnosis has long been an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In this intensive we will review these tongue qualities which indicate an excess or deficiency of Yin, Blood, Yang, and Qi. Pattern differentiation is based upon these tongue qualities and lead to rational treatment strategies. Acupuncture and herbal treatments for animals based on these tongue qualities will be discussed.
Saturday 2:00 – 5:30 ~ Herbal Intensives
1. Healing Traditions & Plants from the Medicine Basket of Zapotec Grandmother Enriqueta with Grandmother Enriqueta Contreras (Oaxaca) and Maria Margarita (Texas).
In this inspiring Intensive, Grandmother Enriqueta will give an overview of forty traditional medicinal plants used by the Zapotecan people of Oaxaca, Mexico, from the perspective of an herbalist and a master midwife, with an impeccable record of over sixty years in practice without infant or maternal mortality, as well as, a veteran herbalist with over 200 plants, their uses, contraindications and applications at her hand, including the preparation of traditional herbal temascales (sweat baths) and post-partum herbal baths. Grandmother is a gifted healer, renowned in her country, and offers the traditional “limpia” or energetic adjustment to her community members with flowers, herbs, candles, bunches of basil, and profuse clouds of sacred copal. In this Intensive, Grandmother Enriqueta focuses on her knowledge of the healing plants known to her in her long-standing career as a master herbalist.
2. Pulse & Tongue Diagnosis with Michael Tierra.
We’re honored to have Dr. Michael Tierra join us at the IHS this year. He’s been at the forefront of the Herbal Renaissance and has been an herbal educator, author and herbal practitioner for over four decades. He brings a wealth of information and expertise to his teachings. In this intensive, Michael will focus on Tongue and Pulse diagnosis for the practitioner. Pulse diagnosis has always been regarded as the confirming aspect of Traditional, Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic herbal medicine. This course will provide techniques and tools to empower your ability to make an accurate pulse reading. We will also discuss and demonstrate Tongue diagnosis and its importance as a vital part of differential diagnosis. Tongue diagnosis is a very useful method to help determine the root cause of an illness and thus, a more efficient treatment strategy. Useful, for beginning through advanced practitioners and patients too. Learn how to recognize various tongue characteristics, what they mean, and how to treat them.
Intermed/Adv
Saturday 4 -7 ~ Special Playshop Intensives
These hands on `playshops’ are offered for respite from a heady weekend. All materials, samples, and handouts are included. $35 fee. Register ahead of time at the IHS Information Booth. Playshops don’t overlap with other workshops, but do overlap with Sat. afternoon Intensives.
1. The Secrets of Soapmaking with Donna Winston.
Join Donna in this delightfully fun, hands-on, workshop as we discuss the history of soap and go through every step of the soap making process, sharing tips and techniques along the way. Participants will leave feeling confident about making soap on their own. You will learn how to incorporate herbs, essential oils, and natural ingredients into your luxurious handmade soaps. We’ll make a goat’s milk soap in class. Class includes supplies, handouts, recipes, and samples.
2. Herbal Preparations 101 with Nancy Phillips.
Join Nancy, community herbalist and co-author of The Herbal’s Way/the Village Herbalist for a course on how to make your own herbal remedies. This hands-on class will jump start you into making excellent quality herbal infused oils, salves, medicinal strength teas, tinctures, liniments, herbal pills, and capsules. We’ll review the pros and cons of various methods and discuss some of the best resources available. This will be a `hands-on-learn-by-doing’ class. Lots of samples, recipes, and step by step instructions.
Great class for beginners!
Class size limited; register early.
Sunday 9:00 - 1:00 ~ Herbal Intensive
1. Natural Cosmetics and Herbal Skin Care with Kate Rakosky of Sage Wood Herbs.
In this wonderful and delightful hands on Intensive, discover how to create exquisite natural skin care products using herbs and flowers from your garden and common kitchen ingredients. Participants will discover how to recreate a spa in their own homes. This is a hands-on participatory, fun opportunity to make moisturizing facial/body creams, facial scrubs and masques, bath salts, toners/spritzers and a luscious lip balm. Great Fun & Great Products! Each participant will receive handouts, recipes and samples to take with you.
Class size limited; register early
2. Cancer Care and Support the Herbal Way ~ Safe Herbal Support for Those Receiving Radiation or Chemotherapy with Kate Gilday.
Many people face the decision and challenge of receiving aggressive treatments for cancer. These treatments often severely compromise the person’s immune system. We will speak of medicinal mushrooms, herbs, foods, essential oils and supplements that have been used by cancer patients with excellent results to safely build and support the immune system during and after these medical treatments.