Elderberry School-Other Classes

New Classes for 2010

All Level Classes

Experiential Herbalism

A whole new approach to understanding herbal medicine and reaching a deeper understanding of herbs for healing. At the heart of Experiential Herbalism are group tastings of plants with a focus on learning how to evaluate their effects. Groups will gather to greet a different herb every week to learn from the experience of the plant how it will help us as a medicine. We will learn organoleptic methods, herbal energetics, the five flavors, and look deeply at the way plants interact with the shared energy of gathered groups. This class is open to beginners and people at all levels of herbal practice. Instructor: Erico

Times: Tuesdays 7-9pm
Cost: $120
Class limit: 10

Offered three times, different plants each time:

February 23 - March 30
April 20 - May 25
August 31 - Oct 5*

*dates subject to change

Intermediate Series

For the most part, these classes are for people who have completed introductory level classes and have a foundational understanding of herbal medicine basics: materia medica, medicine making, anatomy and physiology, botany, etc.

Times: Thursdays from 10am - 12pm
Cost: $240 each, or the whole series for $600 (25% discount for alumni of Elderberry Herbalist Training Program)
Class limit: 10

Applications and registration for these classes are available here. For questions about a specific class, call the school and ask for the individual instructor.

Formulas and Herb Combinations

Thursdays, Feb 18 - March 25

This is an intermediate level class for students who already have an understanding of single herbs and their medicinal actions, those who have completed the Elderberry Herbal Program or a similar course. The entire class is devoted to the art of herbal formulation. How do you know what herbs go well together? How do you make personalized formulas for individuals? How do you decide the dosage of herbs in a compound tincture or elixir? We will focus on combining herbs for making effective and elegant preparations. The class will address individualized formulas as well as touching on implications for general formulas that can be the basis for products. Instructor: Erico

Tongue and Pulse Evaluation Intensive

Thursdays, April 22 - May 27

We will be spending a lot of time in this class looking at tongues and feeling pulses. An in-depth study for those who have already embarked on a healing path and use tongue and pulse diagnostics. We part from a "this-means-that" approach to go deeper into learning the art of observation itself. Participants will be expected to do observations outside of class and keep notes on findings. Digital photography will be used and we will do experimentation and exercises for changing the pulse and tongue appearance. Instructor: Erico

Constitutional Medicine

Thursdays, Aug 26 - Sept 30*

A chance to look in greater depth at the constitutional models of medicine. We will investigate the Ayurvedic Doshas, Chinese Five Element constitutions, Stress Pattern constitutional types, and the Six tissue states. We will look at some of the universals that bring all of these humoral systems together, as well as seeing the notable differences between them. Diet, lifestyle, herbs and other therapeutic strategies will all be addressed in the light of constitutional medicine. Instructor: Erico

*dates subject to change

Other Classes

Eclectic Medicine Study Group

Almost every modern herbalist is fascinated by the work of the Eclectics, because they were one of the most advanced schools of medicine in American history and they successfully treated millions of people between 1870 and 1930. Modern herbalists are highly indebted to their work, and they are frequently referenced by herbal historians like Matthew Wood, Paul Bergner, and Michael Moore. This study group coming together for a handful of bookish herbalists out there, as a chance to research and study the Eclectic Movement in American herbal medicine. We will be primarily reading some of the most important Eclectic texts, as well as some of their contemporaries in Homeopathy and Physiomedicalism. We will look for evidence for modern claims that are circulated about the Eclectics and attempt some primary research. How did the Eclectics treat flu epidemics? How did they do patient evaluation? What were their preferred medicine making techniques? Later in the course we will re-create some of the outstanding medicines used by the Eclectics - both simples and formulas. Eventually, the group may seek to publish the results of its work. Facilitator: Erico

Times and dates: TBA, meeting twice a month from Feb - June.
Cost: free (handouts and materials fee: $20)
Class limit: 5

Field Trip to Eastern Oregon

An opportunity for 6-7 days of visiting the Eastern Oregon bioregion. We will go to various spots in the mountains and high deserts east of the Cascades to visit plants in their local habitats. We will discuss Botany, Ecology, and the materia medica of the places we go. Camping and light-to-moderate hiking, wildcrafting, and evenings of shared meals, music and stories will bring together our community with the plant communities. The normal Elderberry Herbalist Training class has longer field trips to the North, South, and West. This trip is meant to complete the journeys to the four directions. Open to current Elderberry Students and Elderberry graduates only. Instructors: Erico and Kim

Dates: July 24 - 30
Cost: $300

Open only to Elderberry current students and graduates.