Plant Medicine Apprenticeship
Year Two

Beginning April 2026
In Person Course - Westminster, VT

9 Month Advanced Apprenticeship in Traditional Herbalism, Sacred Plant Medicine, Spiritual Ecology, Holistic Healing, & Journeying with Plants.

The Sacred Plant Medicine Year Two Apprenticeship is an integrative course in Western herbalism, holistic anatomy & physiology, and traditional plant spirit medicine. This Apprenticeship continues building on the training from our Year One course, deepening relationships with the plants and expanding your herbalism education.

The course can be taken to prepare herbalists to work in their communities, or to deepen knowledge of restorative herbal medicine in order to care for oneself and loved ones. Students strengthen their understanding of healing plants, explore more advanced medicine making, and learn how to safely recommend herbs to support others. Year Two also offers budding herbalists a more in-depth understanding of the systems of the body and physiology from a holistic perspective, addressing patterns of illness.

Classes will be held in Westminter, VT, on our 10-acre property filled with herbal gardens students can harvest from every class. We meet one weekend a month for 9 months — from May 2026 until December 2026 — and students receive full unlimited access to our online version of this course Year Two Online.

Anyone who has completed the Year One Sacred Plant Medicine Apprenticeship in person or A Year of Gaia online is welcome to join us for Year Two in person.

COURSE FULL - Registration Closed

Scroll down for detailed course information and tuition rates.

 


Supporting our communities with healing plants

 


Course Overview

In this second year of the Sacred Plant Medicine Apprenticeship, students journey further with their plant guides and build on what they’ve learned in the first year training. Whether or not you plan to work with others in the future, this journey continues to deepen your relationship with our plant teachers.

We begin by traveling around the sacred wheel through the elements, journeying more deeply with the plant spirits. We then move into focused study of each system of the body from a treatment perspective—exploring specific illnesses, strengthening organs and systems, and working with the emotional and spiritual energy centers of the body. Students create herbal formulas and build on their Year One foundation through continued practice and study.

This apprenticeship is both a course in Western herbalism and plant spirit medicine. In each class, spirit is blended with science through meditation, lecture, plant walks, and hands-on learning at home. We seek to unite Western modes of learning with ancient traditions of learning directly from the earth and from spirit. The focus is on healing from the heart, supporting continual wholeness, transformation, and nourishment of the self.

  • The advanced course is designed to guide students in holding space for others on their healing journey, utilizing restorative medicine and herbal therapies. We focus not on curing illness, but on supporting individuals as part of a broader circle of care that may include other practitioners and doctors. The advanced course continues to emphasize the foundations of nourishment and restorative healing through plants and holistic therapies. We recognize that learning plant medicine unfolds over years of practice and experience, and students are encouraged to move at their own pace—learning through personal experience, research, and the deepening of relationships with personal plant allies and guides, month by month.

    Our Year Two Apprenticeship classes focus on:

    Advanced Foundations of Herbalism

    • Folk & Traditional Herbal Healing

    • Restorative Herbal Medicine

    • Advanced Herbal Energetics

    • Materia Medica

    • Holistic Anatomy & Physiology

    Healing Practices & Clinical Skills

    • Herbal Consultations

    • Holistic Healing Strategies

    • Formula & Medicine Making for Systems of the Body

    • Chakra Healing & Therapies in Sessions

    • Energy Healing & Bodywork

    Plant Spirit & Ancestral Lineages

    • Plant Spirit Medicine in Healing Sessions

    • Personal Ancestral Lineages

    • Plant Communication

    Plant Study, Research & Relationship

    • Ethnobotanical Research

    • Plant Medicine Walks & Harvesting

    Herbalism, Earth Care & Social Change

    • Creating Social Change & Sustainability

    • Herbalism in Social & Environmental Activism

Meet Your Teacher

Sage L. Maurer, Director of The Gaia School of Healing

Sage founded The Gaia School of Healing in New England in 2001 and has trained over 50 rounds of apprentices. She blends traditional folk herbalism with plant spirit medicine, teaching in partnership with ten acres of abundant healing plants in Southern Vermont. Sage’s courses include sacred plant medicine, ethnobotany, ancestral herbalism, deep ecology, and eco-spirituality. Her students over the last 25 years have created their own incredible herbal businesses, schools, and holistic practices. Learn more about Sage.

 

Course Details

  • Weekend Apprenticeship Dates:

    Saturday & Sundays 10:30am - 6pm

    May 23rd & 24th
    June 6th & 7th
    July 11th & 12th
    August 1st & 2nd
    August 29th & 30th
    September 26th & 27th
    October 24th & 25th
    November 21st & 22nd
    December 12th & 13th

    Our in person Year Two Apprenticeship is offered every other year on odd numbered years.

    Each student should not miss more than 2-3 classes during the course, as it can disrupt the circle if people cannot make classes regularly.

    The course will be limited to 20 people. Students are asked to hold supporting space for everyone in the class, balancing personal healing with collective community needs.

  • SESSION ONE

    Day 1: FIRST CLASS  & BEGINNING JOURNEY

    • Opening ritual, prayers, and plant meditation

    • Tea ceremony, sacred offerings & gifts

    • Course syllabus, outline, books, & homework

    • Visioning & building our practice, connecting to allies

    • Service to Gaia, social justice in herbalism & holistic healing

    • Plant communication & meditations in nature

    Day 2: SACRED WHEEL JOURNEYS ~ MEDICINE OF THE EARTH/ NORTH

    • Opening sacred space & circle. Journey in the North – Earth

    • Honoring our lineages & ancestors – Re-discovering our roots

    • Understanding nourishing and restorative therapies vs. acute treatment

    • Wild food, healing foods, and nourishing herbs

    • North journeys - Home, community, ancestors, and earth connection

    • Wheel of the Year – Winter – Rooting & Restoring

    SESSION TWO

    Day 1: MEDICINE OF THE SOUTH/FIRE

    • Opening sacred space & circle

    • Journey in the South – Fire ceremony

    • Plant medicines of the South/Fire & yang therapies

    • South journeys – Transformation, strength, joy, self-love, and power

    • Plants for transformation, protection, and banishing

    • Wheel of the Year – Summer Solstice – Lammas

    Day 2: MEDICINE OF THE EAST/AIR

    • Opening sacred space & circle

    • Journey in the East – Air/Wind

    • Offerings to the Air spirits

    • Therapies - Purification, cleansing, and clearing in healing work

    • Healing sessions - breath work, sacred smokes, and blessing herbs

    • Plant Medicines of the East & Air element

    • Wheel of the Year - Beltane/Springtime – Spring Clearing

    SESSION THREE

    Day 1: MEDICINE OF THE WEST/WATER

    • Opening sacred space & circle

    • Journey in the West – Water

    • Plant medicines of the West & Water element

    • Exercises in intuitive healing, perception and understanding of illness

    • Healing with water, ritual bathing, steams, sweats, and washes

    • West journeys – Emotions, mysteries, dreaming, healing

    • Wheel of the Year – Fall & Samhain - Releasing, entering dreamtime

    Day 2: WHEEL JOURNEYS - ABOVE, BELOW, & CENTER

    • Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony

    • Plants of the Above & Below realms

    • Plant Spirit Healing - Practice sessions & Energy healing

    • Nourishing Wholeness - Center of the Wheel

    • Offerings to the wheel & gathering allies

    SESSION FOUR

    Day 1: ROOT CHAKRA THERAPIES & MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM

    • Opening plant meditations in the garden

    • Root Chakra - Soul & Body Healing

    • Plant medicines & holistic therapies for the root chakra

    • Holistic anatomy & physiology of the Musculoskeletal System

    • Herbal therapies for Musculoskeletal System disorders

    • Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations for musculoskeletal support

    Day 2: IMMUNE SYSTEM - Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments

    • Opening meditation & tea ceremony

    • Holistic anatomy & physiology of the Immune System

    • Herbal therapies for Immune System disorders – spirit/body/mind

    • Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations for immune support

    • Plant allies for the immune system - Chronic ailments & acute ailments

    SESSION FIVE

    Day 1: SACRAL CHAKRA THERAPIES & PLANTS 

    • Opening meditation, tea ceremony, and drum circle

    • Plant Meditations & Harvesting 

    • Sacral Chakra - Soul & Body Healing 

    • Plant medicines & holistic therapies for the Sacral chakra

    • Plant allies supporting pleasure, creativity, and intimacy

    Day 2: REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments

    • Opening sacred space and tea ceremony

    • Holistic anatomy & physiology of the Reproductive  System

    • Plant allies & holistic therapies for Reproductive System disorders

    • Transgender holistic herbal care

    • Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations for reproductive health

    SESSION SIX ~ SOLAR PLEXUS  &  DIGESTIVE SYSTEM HERBS

    Day 1: SOLAR PLEXUS THERAPIES & PLANTS

    • Opening sacred space and tea ceremony

    • Plant meditations & harvesting 

    • Solar plexus practice sessions - Soul & body healing 

    • Plant medicines & holistic therapies for the Solar Plexus.

    Day 2: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM - Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments

    • Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.

    • Holistic anatomy & physiology of the Digestive System & Organs

    • Herbal therapies for Digestive System disorders – spirit/body/mind

    • Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations for digestive support

    • Plant allies for the digestive system - Chronic ailments & acute ailments.

    SESSION SEVEN 7

    Day 1: HEART CHAKRA TREATMENTS

    • Opening sacred space, meditation, and tea ceremony

    • Heart Chakra - Therapies & plant medicines

    • Case studies & practice sessions for Heart Chakra

    • Plant meditations & harvesting 

    Day 2: HEART & CIRCULATORY SYSTEM - Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments

    • Opening sacred space and tea ceremony

    • Holistic anatomy & physiology of the Heart, Circulatory System & Organs

    • Herbal therapies for Heart & Circulatory System disorders – spirit/body/mind

    • Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations for heart support

    • Plant allies for the Circulatory System - Chronic ailments & acute ailments

    SESSION EIGHT ~ THE THROAT CHAKRA & RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

    Day 1: THROAT CHAKRA TREATMENTS

    • Opening sacred space and tea ceremony

    • Throat Chakra - Therapies for creating wholeness and healing.

    • Plant medicines & holistic therapies for the throat chakra

    • Case studies & practice sessions

    Day 2: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM ~ Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal treatments

    • Opening sacred space and tea ceremony

    • Holistic anatomy & physiology of the Respiratory System

    • Treating Throat & Respiratory System disorders

    • Formulas and medicine making for respiratory health

    • Plant allies for the lungs, upper and lower respiratory system

    SESSION NINE (3 days — Saturday - Monday)

    Day 1: THIRD EYE & NERVOUS SYSTEM ~ Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments

    • Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony

    • Third Eye & Crown Chakra - Plant medicines & holistic therapies

    • Holistic anatomy & physiology of the Nervous System & Endocrine System

    • Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations  for nervous system health

    • Plant allies for the nervous system & brain

    Day 2: HEALING SESSIONS – INTAKES  & STRUCTURE

    • Opening sacred space and tea ceremony

    • Growing & sustaining a Plant Medicine practice overview

    • Herbal consultations & intake sessions

    • Outlines for intakes, consultations & healing sessions

    • Guidelines for recommendations, dosages, and routines for herbal medicines

    • Weaving plant spirit medicine, intuitive diagnostics, and energy healing

    Day 3: PRESENTATIONS & FINAL CEREMONY

    • Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony

    • Dedication ceremony, offerings, and prayers to the earth

    • Final projects presentation (binders, tools, medicines) & gifting

    • Graduation ceremony & offerings

    • Potluck Dinner & Celebration!

    Before the start of the course, you will receive a welcome packet with your syllabus, booklist, course information, and beginning readings.

    Solitary study, practice, and assignments are required for the Year Two Course. We recommend planning 2-4 hours per week for your home practice, which may be more or less depending on each student’s goals. 

    You will also receive full, unlimited access to our online Year Two course which complements the second-year training.

  • Monthly Tea Meditations:

    In addition, you are welcome to join our monthly plant journey meditations via Zoom. Dates will be sent via e-mail in advance.

    First Meditations of 2026:

    • 1-3 pm EST, April 21, 2026

    • 1-3 pm EST, May 27, 2026

    • 1-3 pm EST, June 24, 2026

  • Certification for the 160-hour course in traditional herbalism, holistic healing, and sacred plant medicine is awarded upon completion of the apprenticeship. Please note that there is no legal licensing or certification required for herbalists to practice in the US. Herbalists are not legally allowed to practice medicine or “treat” patients; instead, this course supports using plants from personal experience to guide others on their healing path.

    Students combine herbal medicine with many other healing modalities and often incorporate plant medicine into their careers in diverse ways—growing plants, making medicine, teaching, opening healing practices, supporting friends and family, and using plant medicine to benefit social, environmental, and collective well-being.

  • The tuition for our Year Two 2026 Apprenticeship is $2,200–$2,500 on a sliding-scale for 19 seven-hour classes.

    We also offer reduced tuition rates for students who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian ($1,600–$1,800), and scholarships are available if needed.

    Work - trade is available for $300 - $500 off tuition cost.

    We offer payment plans and a sliding-scale based on income. We ask that each student choose what they can afford, understanding that those who pay the higher end of the sliding scale are providing support for lower income students to attend as well. Payment plans are available for low-income students, as well as VSAC grants for Vermont residents.

    A $350 deposit (non-refundable) is required to register for the apprenticeship and will be applied toward tuition. Full payment is due by the first class unless a payment plan has been arranged in advance.

  • For students who are commuting we offer rustic lodging in our yurts or camping on site. We have kitchen space with water and have dry compost toilets. Please note we do not have showers at this time. We plan to build an outdoor shower in the coming year.

    We can allow camping on site for free and rustic communal yurt sleeping by donation ($20 for the weekend). If you need additional comfort, you may seek nearby rental options.

    The closest airport is Bradley International (BDL).

A world of plant magic awaits you this spring!

 
COURSE FULL - Registration Closed
 
 
 

This apprenticeship is open to anyone interested, regardless of gender, belief system, prior experience, or knowledge of plants. We are committed to creating safer spaces that honor diversity, difference, and many voices. We continue to work on creating safer spaces for all people who have experienced marginalization including BIPOC, queer, and gender non-conforming people.

 
 


Every session of this apprenticeship truly feels like a healing retreat, held among wild gardens and cultivated medicinal plants. Classes take place on Sage’s ten-acre home landscape, land she has tended for over fifteen years. Much of what is learned during the apprenticeship doesn’t come from lecture alone, but through time spent with the plants themselves—listening, harvesting, and receiving their healing presence. Apprentices harvest from both wild and cultivated gardens each class weekend, bringing high-quality medicines home to support their own lives and the communities they serve.