My Healing Journey with Herbalism
Kathy Richert first introduced me to herbs while I was volunteering at Historic Fort Snelling. I was 14 years old at the time and developing my own interests and style. Already I had developed a love for working with natural fibers like wool and cotton. Richert was a fashion enthusiast who agreed to teach me how to dye wool with herbs. The first two herbs we worked with were mullein and goldenrod. Thanks to her tutelage I am able to very confidently identify these plants.
It was a long process. But the knowledge that plants can and do contribute to human existence in hundreds of concrete ways instilled in me a love for herbs. My love of history was also validated. I loved learning how my ancestors worked with plants.
After that I began living life. I still loved the natural world but was busy finishing school then raising a family. It was over 20 years before I would come back to plants in a significant way. I had always felt that I would be a lifelong student. But after college was burnt out. I married and had some children. Then I started homeschooling them. I read everything I could on parenting and homeschooling. But after over a decade I was feeling the call to pursue studies that would uplift me in a significant way.
It has been a life goal of mine to take a class at North House Folk School. But it is up in Grand Marais, MN so the logistics of being able to leave the children and take a class there was difficult to say the least.
So I began looking locally for classes that had a similar structure and I started taking Herbalism classes at the Women’s Environmental Institute (WEI). At the time I was just dabbling, but the passion grew fast. In herbalism I found the opportunity to connect to the natural world and my own cultural history. I found I loved being able to improve my health by growing or harvesting wild plants.
Next thing I knew my dad called . He had been bit by a deer tick most likely at our home. He was worried about it and had called the doctor immediately. He was told to come get tested for Lyme disease in a couple weeks. I had just taken a class at WEI on herbal treatments for Lyme and other co-infections. After the class I had made the various preparations and had them in my herbal apothecary. So I gathered them up and made a list of instructions and sent them to my dad. When he went in for the 2 week test it was negative and he has had no issues.
From that experience I learned that in addition to making a great difference in my life herbs could make a difference in other people’s life. Next thing I knew my parents were calling with other questions. I realized I am an herbalist.
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