The Gift of Healing Herbs: Plant Medicines and Home Remedies for a Vibrantly Healthy Life - Softcover

Robin Rose Bennett

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1583947620 ISBN 13: 9781583947623

Publisher: North Atlantic Books,U.S., 2014

Synopsis

Herbalists, naturopaths, plantspeople, witches, and natural healers will love the empowering information, engaging stories, and heartfelt meditations and rituals of natural herbal medicines. Written by well-respected urban herbalist Robin Rose Bennett with over 180 easy-to-follow recipes, this book offers readers who want to take charge of their health an immersion into a myriad ways to use plant-based remedies to care for themselves and others on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.

Informed by the wisdom that physical and spiritual healing are inextricably intertwined, The Gift of Healing Herbs explores herbology as the "people's medicine", freely available to all, and as a powerful yet gentle way to heal body, mind, heart, and soul. The book is divided into three parts: the first part examines health and the causes of illness; the second part comprises a reference of all the physical systems of the body and the common and not-so-common herbs for tonifying them; and the third part contains recipes for teas, brews, and instructions for incorporating herbs into our daily lives. The hundreds of recipes for herbal preparations in this book--accompanied by prayers, meditations, and rituals--offer spiritual and physical insights into the relationship between our body systems and the elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water, thus helping the reader explore and experience the interconnection of all things in the web of life.

With personal stories, case histories, and elements of personal memoir, The Gift of Healing Herbs is equal parts inspiration and instruction drawn from the author's life and decades spent teaching and practicing herbal medicine in a spiritual, earth-based, nondogmatic style. focused as keenly on the spiritual aspects of healing as revealed through personal story. The author explores how one's personal story turns into one's embodied physicality, specific health challenges, and ultimately reveals one's unique path of healing.

About this title

Review:

"A treasure of well-lived stories and well-loved recipes... This book is useful for beginners looking for solid information and easy-to-find supplies and techniques that will start them on a safe path with healing herbs. Seasoned practitioners also will find great value from the author's years of experience and her mastery of food and plant medicine... The plethora of beautiful recipes, healing stories, and decades of work as a community herbalist certainly make this book a success."
-- HerbalGram, The Journal of the American Botanical Council

"Using narrative and personal anecdotes based on decades of clinical experience as an herbalist in New York and New Jersey, Bennett offers contemporary as well as tried and true, practical protocols and recipes for herbal healing as she underlines the mind-body connection as part of an integrated healing approach. The Gift of Healing Herbs teaches through stories, going beyond the basic directives found in many herb books. Bennett indeed offers an in-depth treasure trove of plant wisdom, with recipes and remedies useful to all readers, but shares also her compassion, wisdom, and experiences as a healer to remind us to look at the individual as an equal part in the healing equation. I have many herbals on my shelf, but this is truly one of the best herbals I have ever read." --International Herb Association Newsletter

"An herbal written by a practicing herbalist--filled with practical hints and helps for you. Destined to become a classic, Robin Rose Bennett's new book is a delicious quaff."
--Susun S. Weed, author of the Wise Woman Herbal series

"A book like The Gift of Healing Herbs only comes along once in a while because there are only a small number of herbalists who possess the decades of clinical experience necessary to pen such a work. Practitioners like Robin Rose Bennett, who perpetuate and expand an ancient art, are themselves a treasured part of our vibrant herbal heritage."
--Matthew Wood, author of The Book of Herbal Wisdom and The Earthwise Herbal

"The Gift of Healing Herbs contains far more than the simple directives found in most herb books--Robin Rose Bennett teaches through stories, and the teachings are profound. Spiritual insights are richly interwoven with excellent herbal remedies.... Bennett brings a joyful spirit and an open heart to all she does."
--Rosemary Gladstar, visionary herbalist and author of Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs

"The tone [of The Gift of Healing Herbs] is warm and earthy, and Bennett offers guidance and wisdom for healing more than just the physical; her approach is very much rooted in treating the whole being, rooted in the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. The book is organized primarily by identifying herbs that support the various systems of the body: cardiovascular, digestive, immune-lymphatic, musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, skin (the integument system), sexual/reproductive, etc., but is interspersed with anecdotes, meditations, case studies, and plant profiles. Included are recipes and remedies, preparations, dosage recommendations and safety guidelines."
--Tara Kanoti, The Herb Society of America

"The Gift of Healing Herbs is a gift to all of us from Robin Rose Bennett. ... The herbal remedies contained within the pages of this book have been time-tested with excellent results. [Bennett's] book is thoughtfully laid out for easy reference, her recipes are easy to follow, and some are downright fun. The book is a joy to read and use; we are all grateful to Robin for sharing her years of experience with all of us. We are so pleased to have this book on our bookshelf."
--Andrea Reisen, Healing Spirits Herb Farm and Education Center

"Reading Bennett's book was a breath of fresh air... a welcome and powerful reminder that the origin of herbalism is in the plants themselves--something that is all too easy to forget in this world of double blind studies and clinical medicine. Throughout this book she gently reminds us of numerous ways to connect deeply and authentically with plants, how to nurture these profound relations, and ultimately appreciate the multiple levels of medicine they have to offer. ... [The Gift of Healing Herbs] will help you remember that it is possible to walk a healing path that is in alignment with your own true nature--that radiant beauty that is uniquely you."
--Herb Geek

"Composed of personal stories, case histories, recipes, basic plant information, and instructions on how to use herbal remedies to treat a number of physical, emotional, and spiritual ailments, The Gift of Healing Herbs looks to be an engaging introduction to the myriad ways in which herbology can affect our bodies and minds."
--Ashley Brooke Roberts, Barnes & Noble Book Blog

"[Robin Rose Bennett's] work leads us straight to the truth of the interconnectedness of all life. She empowers us to discover the story underneath our health challenges and helps us find the courage to make deeper connections to our bodies -- and to nature Herself."
--SageWoman Magazine

About the Author:

ROBIN ROSE BENNETT is a compassionate, empowering herbalist and spiritual teacher. The focus of her healing work is to share the generosity of the earth and the magic, mystery, and beauty of the web of life. Since 1986 she has taught at schools, clinics, progressive and holistic organizations, herbal conferences, and is a repeat guest lecturer at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, St John's Hospital, Montefiore Teaching Hospital, Beth Israel's Nursing program, and Brown University Medical School. She is a faculty member of the New York Open Center and author of two meditation CDs. Bennett has a private consultation practice in New Jersey, offered on a sliding-scale, and an herbalist-in-residence teaching practice at a family medical practice in Bronx, NY. She is a long-time member of United Plant Savers and the Northeast Herbal Association. Robin writes regularly for Plant Healer Magazine and is proud to be a founding member and on the board of directors of SustainableWestMilford.org. Hundreds of apprentices have graduated from her 3-year, in-depth apprenticeship programs over the past 25 years and thousands of students have benefitted from her regular classes as well as free classes that she regularly offers in her town as a community service. The author lives in Hewitt, New Jersey.

About this edition

• Publisher: North Atlantic Books,U.S.
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1583947620
• ISBN 13: 9781583947623
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 544