Year Two Apprenticeship
Syllabus 2023
This course is open to anyone who has completed the First Year Apprenticeship either in person or online.
Class will be held from 10:30am - 6pm, Saturday & Sunday in Westminster, VT. There will be a break for lunch around 1pm. Lunch will be a potluck each weekend so please bring something to share! Tea, herbs, supplies, and occasional snacks provided. All classes will be divided up into lecture and either field or hands-on study. We will be learning directly from the plants as often as possible. Our first and last weekends are 3 days long.
6. September 9th & 10th
7. October 7th & 8th
8. October 28th & 29th
9. November 18th - 20th (3 days)
Class Weekend Dates ~
1. April 29th - May 1st (3 days)
2. May 27th & 28th
3. June 17th & 18th
4. July 15th & 16th
5. August 19th & 20th
Course Projects -
a. SYSTEMS OF THE BODY BINDER
b. MATERIA MEDICA
c. MEDICINE MAKING
These three projects can either be large or small projects throughout the course, depending on how much time you would like to devote to them. These are ongoing projects you will be contributing to over a long period of time. You will share them periodically with the class.
Systems of the Body Binder
In this binder you’ll collect the class handouts, articles, and information on herbal medicine and holistic anatomy and physiology. Include 3-5 articles on herbal treatment for each system of the body. This will be an important reference tool for you, and a good binder to gather a lot of your information from class.
Plant ID or Plant Profiles Binder
In this binder you will have all of your plant profiles. Include information that you gather on specific plants, as well as photos or drawings of them. You will want to start with your allies (and if you choose, the whole book could be focusing only on your plant allies). You can xerox or print information from sources on different plants that you are planning to use in your practice - make sure it’s reliable info.
Herbal Medicine Blend Making!
Rather than a final project, you’ll be creating 3-5 medicine blends for each chakra / system of the body after each class weekend. This will give you practice making formulas from the simples created in Year One. We enjoy and share them in class together!
Course Sessions & Dates
April 29th - May 1st (3 days) ~ WEEKEND 1
(*** Three Day Weekend - Monday added)
Saturday - FIRST CLASS & BEGINNING JOURNEY
* Opening ritual, prayers, and plant meditation.
* Tea ceremony, sacred offerings & gifts.
* Course syllabus, outline, books, & homework.
* Guided journeys along your medicine path.
* Visioning & building our practice, connecting to allies.
* Herbalism in globalization & climate change
* Plant communication & meditations in nature.
Sunday - 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
* Social Justice in Herbalism & Holistic healing
* 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
Monday - MEDICINE OF THE EAST/AIR
* Opening sacred space & circle. Journey in the East – Air/Wind
* Offerings to the Air/Wind spirits
* Therapies - Purification, cleansing, and clearing in healing work
* Healing sessions - breath work, sacred smokes, and blessing herbs
* East Journeys - Breath, channeling, expression, and inspiration
* Plant Medicines of the East & Air element
* Wheel of the Year - Beltane/Springtime – Spring Clearing
HOMEWORK ~ Working with plants of Earth & Air elements for self care. One sacred medicine for North/Earth, and One for East/Air. Drum Practice, Offerings to North/Earth and offerings to East/Air.
May 27th & 28th ~ WEEKEND 2
Saturday - MEDICINE OF THE SOUTH/FIRE
* Opening sacred space & circle. Journey in the South – Fire
* Fire Ceremony. Offerings to the South/Fire spirit.
* Plant Medicines of the South/Fire & 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
Sunday - 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
HOMEWORK ~ Working with plants of Fire & Water elements for self care. 1 sacred medicine for South/fire and 1 for West/water. Drum Practice, Offerings to South/fire and offerings to West/water.
June 17th & 18th ~ WEEKEND 3
Saturday - JOURNEY TO THE ABOVE & BELOW REALMS
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.
* Plants of the Above & Below realms.
* Plant Spirit Healing - Practice sessions & Energy healing
* Inviting guides & allies - Loving spirits & Ancestral guides.
* Creating Sacred Space in Sessions
Sunday - NOURISHING WHOLENESS - CENTER/SELF/SPIRIT
* Opening sacred space & circle. Journey ~ Center of the Wheel
* First Steps of Healing - Nourishing, building, and restoring
* Teaching self-care, self-dosing, and co-creation btw. practitioner and client
* Partner exercise on intentional self-care support
* Self –care practice & plan. Self-care Worksheet & Calendar
HOMEWORK ~ Working with nourishing herbs & adaptogens for daily self care. 1 sacred medicine for Above realm, 1 medicine for Below realm. Offerings to Above realm. Offerings to Below Realm.
July 15th & 16th ~ WEEKEND 4
Saturday - ROOT CHAKRA THERAPIES & MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
* Opening plant meditations and ceremony.
* Root Chakra - Soul & Body Healing
* Plant Medicines & Holistic Therapies for the root chakra
* Plant allies supporting grounding, nourishment, safety, and earth connection
* Holistic Anatomy & Physiology of the Musculoskeletal System
* Herbal therapies for Musculoskeletal System disorders – spirit/mind/body
* Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations for musculoskeletal support
* Plant allies for the musculoskeletal system
Sunday - IMMUNE SYSTEM - - Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments
* Opening meditation, tea ceremony, and drum circle.
* 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
HOMEWORK ~ Working with plants for the immune & musculoskeletal system. Book readings, 3 Plant Medicine Profiles for Immune system & 3 Plant Medicine Profiles for Musculoskeletal. 3 medicine blends for both systems. Readings & Research on Immune system & Musculoskeletal herbal healing.
August 19th & 20th ~ WEEKEND 5
Saturday - 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
* Case studies & Practice sessions with classmates
* Self-care for the Sacral chakra – Worksheet & Practice
* Plant allies supporting pleasure, creativity, and intimacy
Sunday - REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - - Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.
* Holistic Anatomy & Physiology of the Reproductive System
* Holistic therapies for Reproductive System disorders
* Transgender holistic herbal care
* Formulas, medicine making, and recommendations for reproductive health
* Plant allies for the reproductive/generative system
HOMEWORK ~ Working with plant allies for the reproductive system. Book readings, 3 Plant Medicine Profiles for Reproductive system, 3 Reproductive medicines, Readings & Research on Reproductive herbal healing.
SEPTEMBER 9th & 10th ~ WEEKEND 6
Saturday ~ SOLAR PLEXUS THERAPIES & PLANTS
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.
* Solar Plexus - Therapies for creating wholeness and healing
* Plant medicines & Plant spirit healing
* Case studies & Practice sessions with classmates
* Self-care for the solar plexus – Worksheet & Practice
* Plant allies supporting joy, strength, self-love, energy, personal power
Sunday ~ 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
HOMEWORK ~ Working with plant allies for the reproductive system. Book readings, 3 Plant Medicine Profiles for Digestive system, 3 Digestive medicines, Readings & Research on Digestive system herbal healing.
OCTOBER 7th & 8th ~ WEEKEND 7
Saturday - HEART CHAKRA TREATMENTS
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.
* Heart Chakra - Therapies for creating wholeness and healing
* Plant medicines & Plant spirit healing
* Case studies & Practice sessions with classmates
* Self-care for the heart chakra – Worksheet & practice
* Plant allies supporting emotional healing, compassion, and an open heart
Sunday - HEART & CIRCULATORY SYSTEM - Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, 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 heart & circulatory system
* Chronic ailments & acute ailments
HOMEWORK ~ Working with plant allies for the heart. Book readings, 3 Plant Medicine Profiles for Heart & Circulatory system, 3 Heart medicines, Readings & Research on heart & circulatory herbal healing.
October 28th & 29th ~ WEEKEND 8
Saturday -THROAT CHAKRA TREATMENTS
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.
* Throat Chakra - Therapies for creating wholeness and healing.
* Plant Medicines & Holistic Therapies for the throat chakra.
* Case studies & Practice sessions with classmates.
* Self-care for the throat chakra – Worksheet & Practice
* Plant allies supporting communication, breath, freedom, listening, inspiration.
Sunday - RESPIRATORY SYSTEM ~ Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal treatments
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, 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
HOMEWORK ~ Working with plant allies for the respiratory system. Book readings, 3 Plant Medicine Profiles for Respiratory system, 3 Respiratory medicines, Readings & Research on respiratory herbal healing.
November 18th, 19th & 20th ~ WEEKEND 9 *** FINAL WEEKEND!
(*** Three Day Weekend - Monday added)
Saturday - THIRD EYE & NERVOUS SYSTEM ~ Holistic Anatomy/Physiology & Herbal Treatments
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.
* Third Eye & Crown Chakra - Therapies for creating wholeness and healing.
* Plant Medicines & Holistic Therapies for the third eye & crown chakra.
* 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.
Sunday - HEALING SESSIONS – INTAKES & STRUCTURE
* Opening sacred space - blessing herbs, meditation, and tea ceremony.
* Growing & Sustaining a Plant Medicine practice overview. Incorporating body focused therapies
* Herbal Consultations & Intake Sessions
* Outlines for intakes, consultations & healing sessions
* Initial recommendations & forms for the client
* Guidelines for recommendations, dosages, and routines for herbal medicines
* Weaving plant spirit medicine, intuitive diagnostics, and energy healing into sessions
Monday - 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!
Blessings on the journey!
REQUIRED TOOLS –
1. Frame Drum
BOOKS -
Body in Balance by Maria Noel Groves
Medical Herbalism by David Hoffman
Holistic Anatomy by Pip Waller
The Gift of Healing Herbs - Robin Rose Bennet *** If you haven't read chapters from year one.