The Herbalist's Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines (Chelsea Green) [Paperback]

Nancy Phillips (Author), Michael Phillips (Author), Rosemary Gladstar (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chelsea Green | Publication Date: August 19, 2005

This updated edition of The Village Herbalist provides a complete guide to the art and practice of herbalism, as well as an introduction to the herbalist's role in family and community life. Inspirational profiles of practicing herbalists from across the country add a human touch to the authors' wealth of practical herbal knowledge.
The Herbalist's Way includes time-honored healing wisdom from many cultures, as well as information on:

Roles and responsibilities of herbalists in their communities

Herbal workshops, conferences, and education centers

Growing, drying, and preparing medicinal herbs

Learning to listen tAo clients and recommend holistic treatments for healing and continued wellness

Licensing, marketing, and other legal and business issues facing modern herbalists

Comprehensive resources and suggestions for building your herbal library

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Phillips, along with his wife Nancy, runs Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs in northern New Hampshire, where they grow and sell medicinal herbs and products they make from healing herbs. Michael writes articles for publications such as Mother Earth News, Growing for Market, and The Natural Farmer. He is author of The Apple Grower and co-author of The Herbalist's Way . For several years now, Michael has been growing apples successfully at Lost Nation Orchard using no artificial pesticides or fertilizers. His secret lies in hard work, creative marketing, and a willingness to observe and learn from nature. For more on the Phillips' visit their web site www.herbsandapples.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Chelsea Green; Revised edition (August 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931498768
• ISBN-13: 978-1931498760
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, informative and invaluable!, November 29, 2005

By 

Kiva Rose (Gila Wilderness, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Herbalist's Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines (Chelsea Green) (Paperback)

The Herbalist's Way is the very best book of its kind. Packed with practical tips, heartwarming humor and a very real understanding of the powerful healing plants herbalists daily work with, Nancy and Michael have created an invaluable guidebook for both aspiring and veteran herbalists. This book is not meant to be an herbal, aspiring instead to speak to the practical, spiritual and philosophical aspects of beginning and maintaining the practice of working with herbs, as herbalist, wildcrafter, farmer and/or supplier.

I really couldn't recommend this book any higher, the writing style is accessible and down to earth, and the design, including profiles of those most involved in the herbal field, lovely black & white photography and gorgeous pencil illustrations, is outstanding. I only wish Chelsea Green had released a hardcover version!

Nancy and Michael own Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs and create/sell some of the best tinctures and syrups I've ever had the pleasure of using. Nancy is a former apprentice and student of Rosemary Gladstar, and speaks with the same conviction regarding both ecological conservation and the spiritual aspects of healing and herbalism. The Phillips have given all of us deeply involved in the plant world a great gift in this inspiring and informative text. Enjoy!

~Kiva Rose, Herbalist
Bear Medicine Herbals

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and AWESOME!!, February 26, 2007

By 

Lorian Flowers (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Herbalist's Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines (Chelsea Green) (Paperback)

I cannot give enough praise to this work. The Phillips writing style is a delight and the information, invaluable. I disagree with the below review that disliked the "magazine" format...I loved it! It added so much interest and human element to the book. I thought the bio's of some of the more prominent (and not so prominent) herbalists were incredibly inspiring.
The authors treat their subject matter with tender loving care. When one reads this volume you feel as though you are having a chat with a good friend. Michael and Nancy are humble but authoritative in their presentation of community herbalism.
No aspiring herbalist should be without this book! It is a must have for anyone who wants to serve their community (or family)in any capacity as an herbalist.
This book presents so much information that is relevant to not only the herbalist, but anyone who is interested in herbs in general.
The only thing I regret about this book is that I didn't read it 10 years sooner!!!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overall, but read discerningly, September 27, 2008

By 

David A. Wandelt (Freehold, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Herbalist's Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines (Chelsea Green) (Paperback)

The Herbalist's Way is not the sort of book one sits down and reads in one or even a few sittings; nor is it primarily a reference work to take down from the shelf when looking for a specific approach to mitigating a specific condition ("Depressed? Try St. John's Wort"). It is in some ways deeply philosophical and decidedly scholarly (quotations/assertions are well-documented where appropriate), while at the same time very practical. It's open and realistic about where a budding herbalist may fit into this country's existing health-care structure, and some possible traps of trying to make an herbalism practice into a lucrative business.

More than anything, The Herbalist's Way is about how a person interested in helping themselves and others live healthier lives can use their talent and interests to realize that worthy goal. It challenges the current thought that tends to look at an herb as an alternative to a pharmaceutical, analyzing it for active compounds, standardizing the levels of those compounds, and administering it as if it were a prescription-less drug.

Yes, there is information on the practical use of a few herbs, but it's much heavier on compassionate, responsible dealing with plants and people. It does contain some methodic information on medicine-making, but in the end, it serves better as a complement to reference works that contain primarily that kind of information.

Some might be concerned by its references to schools of thought decidedly more mystical-spiritual and pagan, such as diagnosing the health of any of six different organs by examining specific areas of their tongue, or establishing a spiritual connection with a personified Mother Earth. Still, it contains a lot of good information, so tread carefully and you and those you care for will benefit.

David Wandelt
Principal, Forward Glance Botanicals