Herbal Compass CSA Series

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Step into the LIVING CLASSROOM as we navigate toward a deeper connection with the place we call home; the land under our feet & the body we hold.

There are many ways in which we use a calendar;  but have you ever taken pause to reflect: that a calendar is not a timeline but an ever revolving wheel? There are cycles & rhythms of a day, a week, a month, a year & a lifetime. All of life’s vitality unfolds in cycles. There are many modern cultural impositions that keep us from leading a healthy vibrant lifestyle which are disconnected from the ever revolving cycles of the land. This class offers the opportunity to embody these rhythms through the study of the 5 Elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Wood & Metal) & how they relate to the therapeutic gifts of plants & the their catalog of dynamic application. The elements help define our internal & external environment; moving through ever revolving alchemical phases which define the nature of our health. 

This 8 month series engages our sensory system in the medicinal attributes of various plants according to the cycles & themes of the Herbal Compass. Each session will focus on whatever plant is most abundant in the garden at that time and how each plant relates to the elemental themes of that particular time of year. We will discuss their therapeutic gifts for the human body and that of the land body. Each month you will learn one different herbal preparation whether it's a tincture, salve, oxymel, vinegar or infused oil, how best to use this herbal preparation & other seasonal wellness tips. We are thrilled to be able to host these session in-person & outdoors within the herbal sanctuary. Being outside with the plants is a big part of getting to know their therapeutic benefits which are greatly informed by the comforts & challenges of/to their particular environment. How can the plants we choose to cultivate, harvest & prepare as food & medicine help us through each season’s challenges?; whether it’s allergies, heatstroke, hypertension, immune health, adrenal fatigue, liver toxicity, anxiety, depression, skin aliments & so much more.  Wild medicinal herbs have the ability to fully enliven our senses as we hone our internal and external compass. For ex. Nov. is a month where we practice discernment & define boundaries before going inward for winter. Our body, mind & spirit must question; What is it that I need to let go of & where is it that I need to nourish & build? Astragalus root helps build healthy boundaries while nourishing & protecting. 

This offering is a way to empower your body with the wisdom of the Earth body as we are on-in-the-same. It is also an excellent way to build community, support urban agricultural efforts & ecosystem biodiversity. Would you like to foster & reclaim this well of wisdom in order build avenues toward optimal health & vitality?   

See class options below for more detail. 

"We can support the earth by staying solid in our cycles, as much as we can, with those of the earth, moon & sun." - Judith Berger, Herbal Ritual 

All sessions will be lead by clinical herbalist Alyssa Dennis, founder of Eclipta Herbal with the occasional guest teacher. 

Location: at the Eclipta Herbal sanctuary in the Hamilton neighborhood of Baltimore, MD (address sent after sign up)

Class Option 1 ---- Herbal Compass CSA Series: 4 months 

This option covers 4 months of the calendar wheel with four in-person sessions which will take place one Sat. a month, 1-5pm in the herbal sanctuary with 3 pre-recorded online sessions which can be watched virtually at your leisure. Pre-recorded classes will be available for a year after purchase. The online sessions are meant to be a compendium to the in-person sessions which offer a way to deepen some of the concepts that we will cover throughout the course. The in-person sessions are focused on enlivening the sensory system as we taste, touch & smell plants. We will also discuss plant ID, therapeutics & engage in communal discussion and medicine making. 

Pre-recorded classes include (scroll through classes page for descriptions):

* Plant Medicine Farmacy 101

* Herbal Compass Decoded

* Understanding Energetics

Class Option 2 ---- Herbal Compass CSA Series: 8 months 

This option covers 8 months of the calendar wheel with 8 in-person sessions which will take place one Sat. a month, 1-5pm in the herbal sanctuary with 3 pre-recorded online sessions which can be watched virtually at your leisure. Pre-recorded classes will be available for a year after purchase. The online sessions are meant to be a compendium to the in-person sessions which offer a way to deepen some of the concepts that we will cover throughout the course. The in-person sessions are focused on enlivening the sensory system as we taste, touch & smell plants. We will also discuss plant ID, therapeutics & engage in communal discussion and medicine making.

Pre-recorded classes include (scroll through our class page for descriptions):

* Plant Medicine Farmacy 101

* Herbal Compass Decoded

* Understanding Energetics

Class Option 3 ----One Work-trade Position & One Partial Scholarship 

We want to make our programing as accessible as possible and are excited to be able to offer these options. Please email us with your interest & we will send you an application form. info@alyssadennis.com

**Space is limited** 

Sign up today & secure your spot!