the Life Force formula webcast!

Just a heads up to those interested in Ayurveda.  Floracopeia is offering a FREE webcast next week called the Life Force Formula. 


Its totally free, and offered at 3 different times of the day so you can choose the time that works best for you.  Wednesday April 13th 10:00am, 3:00pm, 6:00pm (Pacific Standard Time)


It looks like a great offering and I'll be listening in as well!  
Sign up for the FREE webcast  Life Force Formula from Floracopeia

Nourishing the Wild You- Food, Energetics and Nourishment Online Intensive

Back by popular demand in 2011!  I will only offer this course once this year, so get in while the getting is good!
Class size is strictly limited to 20 students!  Last year 45 students enrolled!  Don't miss out!

Join Herbalist, Nutritionist, and food lover, Darcey Blue French of Brighid's Well Herbs (www.brighidswellherbs.com), for an  8 week online intensive course on the energetics of food, true nourishment, nutrition, relationship with place and food, nutritional healing and more.

*Learn about the ways traditional healing systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine see food energetics, and use food as healing tools on a day to day basis.

* Explore your relationship with food, your body, what you eat and why.

* Discover your natural physical constitution, and how you can use food to help you stay balanced.

* Be prepared for a deep exploration of food and our relationship to it, this can be uncomfortable and emotional, as well as enlightening and sensual. Food is a deeply influential factor in our psyche, social interactions, and cultures. All students are expected to be sensitive to others and compassionate and respectful.

*Appropriate for food enthusiasts & practitioners alike.

*Very HANDS ON, expect to be preparing foods, meals and weekly assignments for the duration of the course. This is an EXPERIENTIAL class, not just book work. I will provide resources and readings, but the bulk of the work will require the actual preparation and consumption of food.

* This is not a cooking how to class. You should feel comfortable cooking and working in your kitchen. There will be recipes and ideas shared during class discussion, and pointers and questions are always acceptable.

*Requires access to e mail and the internet on a weekly basis. Class discussion is a part of the learning process.

*Weekly telephone conference session with Darcey and other students for discussion, questions and sharing.  

*some additional texts/books suggested in addition to course fee

Arrangements may be available for those with limited access. Please inquire.

 Payment in installments is available by request.

Please register by emailing Darcey at shamana.flora@gmail.com or calling 520 429 2654.

About the Instructor:

Darcey Blue French is an herbalist and food lover, who has over the years explored various ways of eating, interacting with food and preparing food. Educated as a Clinical Nutritionist at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in 2008, she has been in private practice since that time. She has experience in Ayurvedic Cooking, Vegetarian, Allergen Free, Primal/Paleo diets and the philosophies of Dr. Weston Price. Food is far more than fuel, and Darcey is passionate about food that not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit, and tastes wonderful too. She works closely with plants, both wild and cultivated that provide both food and medicine. She is an avid forager of wild foods, gardener of organic vegetables, and is passionate about local and sustainable food systems, and how our relationship with the land, nature and wilderness impacts our physical and spiritual health and wellbeing. She truly believes that one cannot separate the health of the people from the health of the ecosystem in which they live.

Intense, vibrantly wild and alive!

REPOST FREELY!! PLEASE & THANK YOU!

Journey of Heart: Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference 2010

Last week I made a long anticipated journey back to the Southwest, the land I called home for so long to attend the first annual Traditions In Western Herbalism Conference at Ghost Ranch.  The conference was the dream child of two people who have deeply transformed my life on so many levels, Wolf  and Kiva Rose of the Anima Center.    From the beginning so many moons ago, it was clear this would be a unique and outstanding event, unlike any other. 

I was deeply honored to be included in the select group of teachers and presenters this first year-  Including my teachers Paul Bergner and Rosemary Gladstar, long time friends and collegues like Jim McDonald, Phyllis Hogan, and Margi Flint, and herbalists I've long admired and turned to over and over for information and insight like Matt Wood, Phyllis Light, and Charles Garcia.  I got to meet and hang out with new friends from all over, including HerbMentor founder John Gallagher, Howie Brownstien, Seven Song and Corey-Pine Shane.  Every single teacher and presenter there was truly gifted and offered deep teachings on so many levels. 

A long journey westward with Sean ended with a late night driving to the Albuquerque airport to pick up the last of the featured speakers.  I didnt get much sleep between caffiene overload and nerves, but prepared to give my own presentation first thing on Friday morning.  I spoke about Nourishing the Wild Self- what it means to really nourish deeply on levels of the self, not just the biochemical, but the spiritual, social and community levels, and how the choices we make about food can in turn nourish the land we live on and the wild Earth that provides for us everything.  If you missed my talk at the conference, I'll be posting some writing in a similar vein very shortly.  They also managed to video and audio record the entire session, so avail yourself of the recordings for sale of the entire shin dig!

It was truly amazing to be able to share something I feel so passionate about with students, collegues and friends in such an amazing environment.  Each and every one there was engaged and enthused and countless comments about how the subject matter touched individuals in various ways were more than reward for the long journey and agonizing hours I spent formulating and calculating just how to deliver the topic ( which of course flew out the window when I sat down with that group of eager folk!).  

Afterward,  I prepared to just relax, visit with friends new and old and attend the other speakers presentations and teachings.  Evenings were full with stunning entertainment and moonlit sandstone rock formations and massive star studded skies. Being back in the desert southwest was like coming home...to a land that is sacred and infused into my cells and bones, to a family of people and plants I hadn't seen in too many months.  Of course just being there, in the presence of that land and the memories was emotionally intense for me, feeling all the heartache of leaving a home and people I loved for a new life on the other side of the country.  Moving on to new places and experiences is never an easy thing, but I'm deeply grateful for everything I've taken from my time in the desert over the years, the ways that I found myself, the ways that I learned from the land and the plants, the friends and family.  I shed more than a few tears over the course of the weekend.

Really, hard to describe how it felt, but it was like everyone there was on equal ground- as healers, herblaists, plant people, wild ones, and explorers.  No one was left out, the community energy was phenomenal, and I'm still having withdrawl pangs from being in such a wonderful open and outstanding community of herbalists, movers and shakers.

The underlying mission of the TWHC organizers and conference is to further the growth and strength of Grassroots herbalism.  The village herbalists, and unsung heros of communities all over who are working every day with people of all walks of life bringing healing and wholing to bodies, hearts, minds and communities.  It isn't about having certain letters after your name, or how long you've studied, or what plants you use, but about really doing the work, and keeping the flame of traditional healing alive.   This is just the kind of movement we need as governments tighten down on "alternative" medicine, increase regulation of health care, food /agriculture and societal norms.  No, we won't back down, we won't go away and we will get up again and again. 

The point is here- if you missed this years conference,  make sure not to miss it next year.  Though I won't be speaking next year, you can be sure I'll be there to attend and tend to this miraculous energetic community of healers and wholers!  I hope to see you there!

Conquering Insulin Resistance Naturally with Nutrition and Herbs: Online Intensive

Conquering Insulin Resistance Naturally with Nutrition and Herbs: Online Intensive

Are you concerned about any of the following modern diseases: Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, trouble losing weight, cardiovascular health concerns, inflammation, cancer. Did you know that all of these are signs and or symptoms of what is called Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome. Underlying the syndrome/symptoms is a metabolic dysregulation called Insulin Resistance. Much to our dismay, this is rampant in the United States, and is causing health problems for millions of people, some without even knowing! Fortunately for us, there are many natural ways of dealing with and controlling insulin resistance through food, nutrition, herbalism and lifestyle changes. Western medicine will tell you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer and throw you a medication to control the symptom, but very rarely does the underlying cause of the symptom get addressed.

Join Herbalist and Nutritionist, Darcey Blue, for an 8 week long online intensive covering all aspects of Insulin Resistance and how to manage it naturally through food, herbs and lifestyle changes. We will cover the following topics.

*Physiology of insulin resistance
*Sugar/carbohydrate cravings and addiction
*Nutrient dense foods and meals that control insulin resistance
*Herbs and Supplements
*appropriate and effective exercise specifically for managing IR
*stress and sleep
*the role of inflammation

This course is specifically helpful for those who are working to manage Insulin Resistance in their own lives, but is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn more about health and the roots of many of today's chronic and rampant diseases, or those working with clients or family members with Insuslin resistance.

You will receive bi-weekly lessons and reading material, suggestions for additional resources, assignments which focus on experiencing first hand the ways you can use the suggestions for Insulin Resistance in your own life, personal attention and coaching from Darcey, a supportive group community all working towards the same goal! Classes are run via e-mail mailing list, and weekly computer access is a requirement for the course.

Class runs from July 5- Aug 30
Cost: Sliding scale $150-$200- payments plans are available
Some additional materials (books, herbs) will be needed for the course.

For more details or questions, or to register contact Darcey (shamana.flora@gmail.com or 520-429-2654)
Payments may be made via check/money order or paypal.


About the Instructor:
Darcey Blue French is an herbalist and food lover, who has over the years explored various ways of eating, interacting with food and preparing food. Educated as a Clinical Herbalist and Nutritionist at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in 2008, she has been in private practice since that time. She has experience in Ayurvedic Cooking, Vegetarian, Allergen Free, Insulin Resistance diets and the philosophies of Dr. Weston Price. Food is far more than fuel, and Darcey is passionate about food that not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit, and tastes wonderful too. She works closely with plants, both wild and cultivated that provide both food and medicine. She is an avid forager of wild foods, gardener of organic vegetables, and is passionate about local and sustainable food systems, and how our relationship with the land, nature and wilderness impacts our physical and spiritual health and wellbeing. She truly believes that one cannot separate the health of the people from the health of the ecosystem in which they live.

Intense, vibrantly wild and alive!