Upcoming Classes & Workshops Winter 2010 As we move into 2010 - a new decade, we want to wish everyone a happy, fulfilling and abundantly healthy New Year. This year is the tenth anniversary of the Boston School of Herbal Studies and we are very grateful to all those we have met over the past year and previous years and who have become part of our extended herbal community. We also hope to meet new friends in the coming year. We have a full program of classes this winter. In addition to such topics as Healing the Gut, Heart/Mind Integration and Herbal Spa Day, we are introducing several new classes: The Alchemy of Soap Making with Linda Patterson, Food and Mood with Marianne Bowers, Herbal Wisdom for Pregnancy and Birth with Melanie Rose Flach and Healthy Pets; Natural Approaches to Pet Care with Tommy Priester. Please see below for more information. Green Blessings, Madelon Hope To Register for our workshops, please send check to: The Boston School of Herbal Studies 12 Pelham Terrace Arlington, MA 02476 We also accept credit card payments. For further information call 781.646.6319.     The Alchemy of Soap Making Sunday, January 17, 1:00-4:00 p.m. $35 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA Linda Patterson, Clinical Herbalist, Aromatherapist Come and learn the ancient art of soap making in this new year. Watch the demonstration of kitchen chemistry reveal techniques for creating beautiful and successful soap. The workshop will cover the benefits of different ingredients (coconut oil, palm kernel, olive and shea butter), molds, recipes and tools. All participants will leave with a sample of soap made that day!     Food and Mood; Women, Stress and Eating Thursday, February 11, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $25 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA Marianne Bowers, Clinical Herbalist, Professional Cook Developing healthy patterns of eating nourishes the body and soul; it is a ritual of compassion and comfort to the self. In this workshop, we will look at how to ease stress and improve mood with healthy, good tasting food and herbs. Each person will receive a recipe book and practical information about how to create a satisfying, mood-enhancing food regimen. There will also be nutritional recipes specific for women's health problems. Delicious samples of nourishing food will be provided.     Healing the Gut Thursday, February 18, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $25 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA Madelon Hope, Clinical Herbalist, Licensed Psychotherapist Bring back the pleasure of eating without distress. This workshop will focus on how to soothe the digestive tract with healing herbs and foods. Medicinal plants can help correct underlying imbalances without the side effects that often accompany medication. You will learn natural approaches to healing acid reflux, indigestion, bloating, gas and irritable bowel disorders. We will also discuss how diet and exercise can positively affect digestive health.     Heart/Mind Integration Thursday, February 25, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $25 22 Mt. Auburn St, Watertown, MA Tommy Priester, Clinical Herbalist Tommy will introduce an exciting new approach that assimilates powerful shamanic techniques with modern psychological understanding. Working within a shamanic framework, with the help of personally formulated flower essences, he helps guide people to reconnect with lost or alienated parts of themselves. The process empowers us to love and integrate these alienated aspects into our true (soul/spirit) essence. His work empowers people to experience extraordinary emotional and spiritual renewal.     Herbal Wisdom for Pregnancy and Birth Thursday, March 4, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $25 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA Melanie Rose Flach, Clinical Herbalist and Mother What did women do before modern gynecology? At each stage of pregnancy and birth, women were once nourished by gentle herbs. In this workshop, Melanie Rose Flach will share traditional and modern protocols for morning sickness, insomnia, constipation, fatigue, threatened miscarriage, and gestational diabetes. She will offer information about how to protect against post-partum bleeding and will discuss which herbs are safe and which are best avoided. Participants will learn about herbs for labor and how to make a traditional Ashwagandha paste.     Addressing Chronic Illness Saturday, March 13, 14, 10:00-5:00 p.m. $250 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA Kate Gilday, Master Herbalist and Ayurvedic Practitioner So often, people with chronic illnesses are challenged and worn down by their conditions. Kate Gilday will offer a comprehensive approach to immune dysfunction by focusing on the heart and spirit as well as the body. From her perspective as a traditional western herbalist and Ayurvedic practitioner, she will discuss the herbs that help restore health and well-being. She will share her experience of their unique actions and how they nourish vital organs.     Healthy Pets: A Natural Approach to Pet Care Thursday, March 18, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $25 22 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA Tommy Priester, Clinical Herbalist Pets have many of the same health problems as humans: heart disease, cancer, arthritis, allergies and dental problems and are treated with many of the same medications, leading, unfortunately, to many of the same side effects. In this class, Tommy Priester will discuss how to support and restore your pet's health. He will offer herbal strategies for pet injuries (herbal first aid), Lyme disease, parasites, dental problems, arthritis, joint dislocations, and other health issues. Finally, he will share his philosophy of pet care and address how to respond to behavioral problems.     Herbal Spa Day Saturday, March 27, 10:00-4:00 p.m. $75 (including materials) 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA Pat Harpell, Clinical Herbalist Most of us take so much time to care for others that we may neglect ourselves. In this day of Herbal Pleasure, we'll pamper our feet, hands, shoulders and head, while the rest of the body melts into the sensations. In the process, we will also learn how to make herbal beauty products. Here is what we will do: Create a relaxing aromatherapy formula. Make and give herbal foot scrubs and herbal foot baths; give and receive foot massage with aromatic, natural lotion. Release tired hands and wrists with oil massage, an herbal hand soak and a fruit-based cuticle cream. Make an herbal steam facial and honey-based mask, and then give and receive a facial massage with organic, handmade face cream. Learn Indian head massage and then finish the day with a warm oil infusion to condition your hair. Sip relaxing teas throughout the day.     Shamanic Plant Journeying Monday, January 18, February 8, March 8, April 12 6:30-9:30 p.m. $25 22 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA Tommy Priester, Clinical Herbalist Experience how the physical and spiritual energies of a plant affect all levels of being. Participants meet the physical plant, experience the tincture and open to the energies of the flower essence. Through drumming and guided meditation, we make contact with plant wisdom for our own personal healing and the healing of the earth. This is a workshop for beginning and intermediate herbalists as well for those who want to learn more about shamanic journeying.