The Alchemy of Herbs

This workshop will explore the traditional art of making medicines from herbs. It reveals the depth of herbal knowledge that has been lost through a solely scientific perspective of herbs, reducing them to an assortment of chemicals. It will inspire participants with the knowledge that can be gained through reconnecting once more with the wisdom of nature.

This workshop will include:

• An historical perspective of alchemy
• The alchemical perspective of herbs - how the four elements, earth, water, fire and air relate to herbs
• How planetary symbolism has been used to understand diseases, humours and parts of the body
• Planetary signatures within the herbal kingdom - how they are used to understand the uses or virtues of herbs
• A demonstration of how to make tinctures, that you will be able to repeat at home
• Solar herbs: including mistletoe, rosemary and marigold
• Lunar herbs: including willow, chaste tree and wild lettuce
• Mercurial herbs: including fennel, valerian and lavender
• Martian herbs: including basil, nettle and ginger
• Venusian herbs: including meadowsweet, yarrow and elder
• Jovial herbs: including dandelion, lime flowers and hyssop
• Saturnine herbs: including comfrey, heartsease and horsetail
• The harvesting of herbs to optimise their virtues
• The importance of this knowledge to contemporary herbal medicine.

Dylan will bring a selection of fresh herbs to this workshop for you to see, smell and understand how these ideas are utilised.

This workshop requires no prior knowledge of herbal medicine and is open to anyone with a fascination of herbs.

As the son of a medical herbalist, Dylan has been exposed to the healing qualities of herbs since early adolescence. He has spent over 30 years researching, teaching and writing about the metaphysical basis of the European herbal tradition. Parallel to his herbal work.