THE GAIA SCHOOL OF HEALING & EARTH EDUCATION SACRED PLANT MEDICINE APPRENTICESHIP MALIBU CA GROUP 1 ~ SATURDAY & SUNDAY

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1 THE GAIA SCHOOL OF HEALING & EARTH EDUCATION SACRED PLANT MEDICINE APPRENTICESHIP MALIBU CA GROUP 1 ~ SATURDAY & SUNDAY Syllabus & Booklist Class will be held in our garden classroom at a private farm in Malibu. This weekend group is reserved for students who must work during the week. We will be gathering one weekend every month, from 10:00 am until 4:30 pm both Saturday and Sunday. Please ensure you arrive minutes before the start of class so you can settle in and be ready to begin on time. Arriving early is one of the ways we honor the sacred space of our class time. All classes comprise of meditations with the plants, lecture and either field or hands-on study. We will be learning directly from the plants and earth as often as possible! There will be a break for lunch around 1:00 pm, which will last for about 40 minutes. Please bring snacks for yourself, or to share with the group if you are inspired. Lunch preparation for the group will be potluck style and each month we will sign up on our facebook page to bring either a meal or a snack for one of the two days. Please bring your journal and mug for each class as well as any floor seating options that you most enjoy. Students have enjoyed bringing a fold up floor chair such as the chair picnic time available on amazon, backjack chairs, pillows or meditation cushions in the past. Students needing extra support for their knees have used beach style fold up chairs. If your body allows, please bring floor seating so we can be as low to the ground as possible. I highly recommend purchasing an extra seat cushion called xtreme comfort available on amazon for $30. Bring layers in colder months and sunscreen or hats so you can be comfortable and prepared for our days outside. Classes will be held outdoors under a shade structure or in our lotus belle tent during colder months. Our private Facebook group serves as an online tea forum ~ a place for you to discuss readings, connect with your fellow apprentices as well as graduates and mentors, share breakthroughs as well as recipes and experiences with the plants. We learn much from one another and create a sacred circle community; a monthly check in on this page is part of the required home practice. All agreements around sacred space apply to our online communication and everything shared here is held as sacred and private, not leaving our circle. All class announcements & communications will be relayed through our private Facebook group page as well. If you do not currently use Facebook, please set up an account for the purpose of this class with an alias or your real name. Please add Marysia Miernowska & Mai Lovaas, so we can place you in your class facebook group and once the request is confirmed, please private message us both with the group you are in. More information will be sent out with specific instructions once you have been accepted into the program. Facebook groups will be formed in August. Please remember that this is a course in herbalism and plant shamanism as well as a spiritual journey into Self with the Plant Spirits as our guides. Course readings following each weekend and Home Practice will ground what we are experiencing in class and bring it into your every day life. Some of the readings and Home Practice are optional; however, after each module there will also be some required Home Practice. Prepare for the journey by creating space in your life for a weekly home practice. Mark the days and time in advance for the 10 months to come so time for home practice is scheduled in and becomes routine and ritual. The more you put into this course, the more you get out of it! Marysia and the student mentors are here to support you and empower you to claim this journey as your own! Part of the required home practice is a home midterm test, a take home final exam and a final project that each student creates and presents over graduation weekend. The following syllabus is subject to change based on weather, plant availability, and time during class. If you have a schedule conflict, with advance notice and permission you may attend one of the other groups that month. We ask that students do not switch out of their group more then 2-3 weekends during the year. If you are unable to make a class, make up the material by getting notes and meeting with a classmate. Students who miss more then 2-3 modules will not be able to graduate with a certificate.

2 COURSE SCHEDULE & SYLLABUS: Gateway #1 September 8th& 9th FIRST CLASS, NOURISHING HERBS Saturday, September 8 th * Welcome circle, opening meditation * Opening talking circle and gifts * Overview of apprenticeship, syllabus, booklist, journals, and optional assignments * Understanding The Wise Woman Tradition in comparison to other healing traditions * Plant allies and nourishing medicinal herbs * How to make nourishing and raw herbal infusions SACRED SPACE & BLESSING HERBS Sunday, September 9 th * Creating sacred space with the spirits * Calling in the directions * Grounding, centering, and cleansing the body/mind/spirit * Blessings herbs: Sage, Sweetgrass, Copal, Frankincense, and others * Cleansing & clearing herbs Gateway #2 October 6 th & 7 th CONSCIOUSNESS SHIFTING & DREAM PLANTS Saturday, October 6 th * Spirit/dream journeying and communicating with earth spirits * Meditation and altered states of consciousness * Guided journey to meet spirit guides and plant allies * Third eye, nervine & dream herbs PLANT SPIRIT MEDICINE & COMMUNICATING WITH PLANT SPIRITS- Sunday, October 7 th * Communicating and journeying with plant allies * Guided meditation with plant spirits * Plant Spirit Medicine practice * Magical herbalism and plant lore * Tuning into Earth cycles: Autumn, Samhain & the end of the year harvest Mentor Meet Up: Readings, Our Stories, Nourishing Herbs Attend one or more gathering scheduled between October 6 th November 1 st Gateway #3 November 3rd & 4th HERBAL PREPARATIONS Saturday, November 3rd * Hands-on folk herbal preparations * How to make tinctures, teas, infusions, and oils * Preparing herbs in an ethical, respectful, sacred way * Blessing & ritual of medicine making HERBAL ENERGETICS & SAFETY LEVELS - Sunday, November 4th * Herbal energetics explored * Herb safety levels, dosages, & tastes * Doctrine of Signatures, reading the physical nature of a plant

3 * Yin/Yang, Four Element Theory Gateway #4 December 1st& 2nd THE ROOT CHAKRA & IMMUNE SYSTEM Saturday, December 1st * The Root Chakra overview & Plants for the root * The Immune system, protection and boundaries * Herbs for healing and strengthening the immune system * Adaptogens, Deep-immune tonics, Immune stimulating herbs THE MEDICINE WHEEL - Sunday, December 2nd * Herbs for the Root Chakra & Immune System continued * The Medicine Wheel in healing and magic * The four elements and four directions * Plants and Animals of the four elements and directions * Journeying within the Wheel, opening doors, meeting allies * Tuning into Earth cycles: Winter Solstice & the New Year Mentor Meet Up: Medicine Making & Holiday Gifts Attend one or more gathering scheduled between December 1 st - 19 th Gateway #5 January 5 th & 6 th THE SACRAL CHAKRA & SACRED CREATIVITY- Saturday, January 5 th * Plant allies for the reproductive system & Second Chakra * Herbal Aphrodisiacs * The magick of the fertile darkness * Moon Medicine * Sacred creative expression & Earth as beloved HERBS FOR THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM & BOTANY Sunday, January 6 th * Plant Walk, meeting the medicinal plants as they grow * Herbs for menstruation, motherhood, pregnancy, and menopause * Herbal healing for men, prostate health and fertility Guest Lecture with Keli Garza. (Date TBD, may attend live or via video recording) DIAGNOSING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH & HERBAL YONI STEAM HEALING Gateway #6 February 2nd & 3rd SOLAR PLEXUS - Saturday, February 2nd * The Solar Plexus - Herbs that heal and nourish the solar plexus * Empowerment, Transformation, The with's inner alchemical cauldron * Fire ceremony HERBAL HEALING FOR THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM & - Sunday, February 3rd * The spirit of our Solar Center * The Digestive System Holistic Healing * Healing digestive imbalances with plants

4 * Meditations with plants and nature spirits MIDTERM Home Exam ~ please to Marysia by March 1 st. Mentor Meet Up: Medicine Making Part 2: Love Potions & Womb Salve/ Sacral Chakra Salve Attend one or more gathering scheduled between January 26 th February 28 th. Gateway #7 March 2nd & 3rd THE HEART CHAKRA & THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM - Saturday, March 2nd * The Heart Chakra * Heart & Circulatory system imbalances * Herbal healing for the heart and circulatory system * Herbs for love and compassion ESSENTIAL OILS, LOTIONS & POTIONS - Sunday, March 3rd * Essential oils & Aromatherapy * Essential oils in beauty, first aid, ritual & more * Making massage oils, aromatherapy misters & anointed love candles Gateway #8 *** CAMPING WEEKEND IN MALIBU *** Choose one of two weekends: March 23rd & 24th (kid free) / March 30th & 31st h (kids welcome) CALIFORNIA NATIVES & MOON MAGIC *** CAMPING Saturday * Wilderness Exploration, Plant walk * Moon magic, lore and love * Hiking, Fire Circles, Camping fun! * Tuning into Earth cycles: Ostara & Spring OCEAN MEDICINE & HERBAL BATHING *** CAMPING Sunday * Plant walk & harvesting native medicinals & wild edibles * Flower mandala magick * Water magic and medicine, rituals, and spells with the ocean * Healing herbs of the sea, using salt and sand for healing * Bath Salt Making Ritual Gateway #9 April 6 th & 7 th HERBS FOR THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM & THROAT CHAKRA - Saturday, April 6 th * The Throat Chakra, imbalances and healing * Herbs for healing the respiratory system * Breath work, song, silence, and chanting * Opening the throat, herbs for communication * Sacred smoke healing FLOWER ESSENCES & AFFIRMATION MIST - Sunday, April 7 th * Healing with flower essences * Flower walk, herbal medicine garden walk & plant ID.

5 * Flower essence making * Meditations with essences & flower spirits * Aromatherapy & Affirmation Mist Making Mentor Meet Up: Meeting the Plants: Plant ID walks & wilderness meditations Attend one or more gathering scheduled April 1 st May 11 th. Gateway #10 - May 4 th & 5 th HERBS FOR THE NERVOUS SYSTEM & THE THIRD EYE Saturday, May 4 th * Third eye chakra, healing & imbalances * Holistic healing for stress, depression, and anxiety * Herbs for nourishing the nervous system * Herbal pain relief & muscle relaxants SHAMANIC HERBALISM, JOURNEYING & CROWN CHAKRA Sunday, May 5 th * Shamanism around the world, shamanism for the healer * Crown Chakra- Journeying, meditation, and spirit work * Working with spirit guides and ancestors * Shamanic Herbalism & Healing Bodywork sessions Gateway #11 - All first year students together. June 12, 13, 14, 15 une (choose two of four days to come for presenting final projects). June 24th- Graduation Ceremony family & friends invited. THE FINAL WEEKEND Presentation of Final Projects & Graduation Ceremony Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday ~ CIRCLING BACK * Presentations of final projects from each apprentice * Giving & receiving gifts * Choose 2 of the three days to attend. All groups mixed * Meditation and reflection on apprenticeship * Offerings to, and spirit journeys with, plant allies, spirit guides, and Gaia * Tuning into Earth Cycles: Summer Solstice & the peak of expression! Sunday ~ GRADUATION CEREMONY & CLOSING * Morning Medicine Wo/man Activation Ritual * Family/friends arrive at 2:00 pm for graduation ceremony to begin at 2:30 pm * Offerings, certificates, gifts * Celebration & Potluck

6 Blessings on your journey! SUPPLIERS OF * Organic * HERBS: After the second day of class, we will offer herbs that we have worked with in class for sale at a bulk discount price. Proceeds go to The Gaia School land fund ~ thank you for support! Mountain Rose Herbs, Generally quality (though sometimes unpredictable) organic herbs at a good price. Located in Oregon. Pacific Botanicals, High quality organic herbs at a fairly good price, located on the west coast. Frontier Herbs available through amazon.com and prime shipping. HERBAL HEALING: ** Healing Wise, By Susan Weed Recommended Booklist ** = Assigned readings. The first five books listed are highly recommended for this course. * Recommended additional texts for course. Please read Plant Spirit Medicine as your summer reading before our journey begins, and if you wish, Sacred Plant Medicine as well. ** Sacred Plant Medicine, By Stephan Harrod Buhner ** How to Move Like a Gardener By Deb Soule ** The Gift of Healing Herbs by Robin Rose Bennett ** Plant Spirit Medicine, By Eliot Cowan * The Complete Floral Healer by Anne McIntyre * Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs, By Gail Faith Edwards * The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines for Life on Earth by Stephen Harrod Buhner * Wisdom of the Plant Devas: Herbal Medicine for a New Earth Paperback by Thea Summer Deer * Healing Magic: A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living by Robin Rose Bennet The Earthwise Herbal Series by Matthew Wood Backyard Medicine: Harvest and Make Your Own Herbal Remedies by Julie Bruton-Seal and Matthew Seal The Complete Herbal Tutor: A Structured Course to Achieve Professional Expertise by Anne McIntyre The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine, By Simon Mills Witch's Heal, By Billie Potts

7 A Modern Herbal, By Mrs. M. Grieve The Yoga of Herbs, By Dr. David Frawley Planetary Herbology, By Michael Tierra The Energetics of Western Herbs (Vol. 1 & 2), By Peter Holmes Herbal Antibiotics By Stephen Harrod Buhner The New Holistic Herbal, By David Hoffman The Book of Herbal Wisdom, By Mathew Wood A Woman's Book of Herbs, By Deb Soule Partner Earth: A Spiritual Ecology, By Pam Montgomery The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook, By James Green A City Herbal, By Maida Silverman The New Age Herbalist, By Richard Mabey PLANT IDENTIFICATION BOOKS & WILD FOOD: * Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West by Cecilia Garcia and James D. Adams, Jr. * Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants by Christopher Nyerges * Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West by Gregory L. Tilford * Ugly Little Greens by Mia Wasilevich * The Wild Wisdom of Weeds by Katrina Blair Newcomb's Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs, By Steven Foster & James Duke. PLANT SPIRIT MEDICINE BOOKS: * Plant Spirit Healing: A Guide to Working with Plant Consciousness by Pam Montgomery The Secret Teachings of Plants: The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature by Stephen Harrod Buhner The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines for Life on Earth by Stephen Harrod Buhner Plant Spirit Shamanism: Traditional Techniques for Healing the Soul by Ross Heaven and Howard G. Charing

8 Wisdom of the Plant Devas: Herbal Medicine for a New Earth Paperback by Thea Summer Deer