Medicinal Plants and Spiritual Evolution Intensive – David Crow
The Value of a Master Guide
There is perhaps no better guide for this journey into a new paradigm of relating to the plant kingdom than David Crow, who unifies wisdom from many streams of healing practices into a coherent understanding.
For more than 30 years he’s pioneered a path that’s about harnessing the power of plants to infuse more intelligence in your body, mind and soul — giving you a more organic wisdom and sustainable connection with life.
David will show you how to relate more deeply with medicinal plants for rejuvenation, cleansing and awakening.
He’ll draw from strands as diverse as Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and essential oils to shift the foundation of how you relate to plants — from seeing them as mechanistic objects to wise, sentient allies.
You’ll receive a profound understanding of working with medicinal plants, food plants, flowers, mushrooms, aromatic ceremonial plants and essential oils as a doorway into understanding health, spirituality and true wellness.
You’ll learn about detoxifiers, adaptogens, anti-inflammatories, cognitive enhancers, pain relievers, longevity enhancers, and sacred plants for opening meditative consciousness.
David will balance high-level theoretical and spiritual insights alongside specific remedies and protocols that you can put into practice in your life immediately. You’ll learn how to eat more healthfully and joyfully in a way that really nourishes your body. You’ll discover specific therapeutic herbs, plant essences and oils that can rebuild your energy and clarify your focus.
In every class, you’ll gain important practical information about medicinal plants that can be applied for physical and emotional balance.
And you’ll also engage a paradigm shift toward real reverence for plants, which is the beginning of a sacred relationship with nature.
Ultimately, this program offers a gateway to ecological spirituality — the antidote for the destruction and suffering we’re causing for ourselves and all life on Earth.
During this 18-module program, you’ll:
- Use common herbs to treat ailments in a less invasive and non-toxic way
- Learn how to use spices, teas, elixirs and aromatic culinary herbs to strengthen your digestion, respiration and immune system
- Develop daily and periodic detoxification practices from the toxins that accumulate in you over time based on essential oils, spiritual practices and natural therapies
- Receive insights into principles of rejuvenation and energy rebalancing in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to experience greater peace, vitality and ease
- Understand adaptogens and the therapeutic applications of tonifying roots
- Use plants to support your entire being by learning the 4 levels of using herbs in Tibetan and Ayurvedic medicine, from medical to spiritual
- Apply the powerful anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties of reishi, the “mushroom of immortality”
- Learn which plants support mental function, enhance memory, improve concentration and prevent neurodegeneration
- Develop new ways to work with energy, consciousness and healing
- Discover the differences between the molecular intelligence of medicinal plants and pharmaceutical drugs to support you with your choices for your health
- Receive clear instructions for how to combine meditation and herbal therapies for effective pain management
- Understand stress, anxiety and depression according to Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, and how to apply plant remedies in a proper way that rebalances emotions
- Learn how to foster deep, rejuvenating sleep through herbs
- Discover classical meditation methods, such as Vipassana, for cultivating ecological spirituality
- Apply ancient sacred scents such as frankincense, myrrh and sandalwood in a way that opens your spiritual awareness to deeper states
- Understand how to use major herbs and essential oils with anti-aging properties
- Apply plants to issues regarding sexuality and erotic fulfillment
- Develop discernment of the internal healer — the awareness about what to eat, what to avoid and which products to use
This program is appropriate for anyone intrigued by the healing and evolutionary benefits of botanical medicine for their personal use as well as professionals in any discipline who work with herbs, plants, oils or energy.
This course will draw from David’s more than 30 years of studying the healing powers of plants in various cultures with many gifted teachers — from the shamanic traditions of the Amazon to the alchemical mysteries of the Himalayas to the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine.
Begin your journey with this unique offering of knowledge, information and insights that are deeply enriching and practical.
What You’ll Discover in These 18-modules
In this 18-module transformational intensive, David will guide you through the fundamental skills and competencies you’ll need to work with medicinal plants for support in your health, wellness and spiritual evolution.
Session will build harmoniously upon the next so that you’ll develop a complete, holistic understanding of the practices, tools and principles you’ll need to explore and practice spiritual and medical uses of the botanical pharmacopeia.
Sessions 1 & 2: Humble Healers
Medicinal Plants for Digestive & Respiratory Power
There are many simple herbs and spices that have highly effective therapeutic powers for preventing and treating common digestive and respiratory conditions. Many of these are widely available as fresh culinary herbs, and many can be easily grown in gardens and windowsills.
These humble healers have well-documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing powers, but are mild and safe to consume on a daily basis by almost everyone. Knowing how to use these medicinal plants helps individuals and families to medically empower themselves by increasing overall wellbeing and treating countless common ailments without needing to resort to stronger and more toxic medications.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- Principles of strengthening digestion in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
- How to improve common digestive problems with herbs
- Principles of respiratory health in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
- How to treat common respiratory problems with herbs and essential oils
- The relationship between digestive and respiratory health
- How aromatic culinary herbs can assist in digestive problems and clear the lungs
- Important spices for daily immune enhancement
- The most effective herbal teas, syrups and elixirs
- Sources and reviews of products
Sessions 3 & 4: Botanical Purification:
Medicinal Plants for Detoxification of Body & Mind
Plants detoxify the biosphere of the Earth, and many medicinal plants are highly effective for detoxifying the inner biosphere of the human body — something that pharmaceutical drugs cannot do. As the levels of environmental toxicity rise, associated health challenges are multiplying and increasing in seriousness, making the purifying powers of plants even more valuable and necessary. Detoxification, whether from environmental poisons or from toxic addictions, has profound implications for removing the obstacles to health, happiness and fulfillment, and plays an important role in our individual and collective spiritual evolution.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- Concepts of toxicity and detoxification in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
- A deeper perspective on trauma, addiction, detoxification and spiritual evolution
- How to apply spiritual detoxification practices from traditional cultures
- Principles and guidelines for safe and effective detoxification
- How to identify types of toxins, their sources and their effects on the body
- Insights into microbial infections and detoxification to support your health
- How to use herbs, essential oils, spiritual practices and natural therapies for detoxification and withdrawal
- Simple practices for nutrition, kitchen medicine and daily detox
Session 5: The Path of Rejuvenation
Herbs & Therapies for Nourishing Vitality & Strengthening Immunity
Just as pharmaceutical drugs cannot detoxify the increasing burden of toxicity in the body, they are also incapable of replenishing the body’s nutrients and increasing true vitality. Classical medical systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine offer sophisticated and systematic approaches for rejuvenating the body and mind. Using nurturing therapies and medicinal plants rich in nutritive compounds, we can restore strong immunity, overcome fatigue and increase the length, quality and enjoyment of life.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- Soma, ojas, rasayana and principles of rejuvenation in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
- Rasayana preparations for nourishing the body and restoring vitality
- Integrating meditation and spiritual practices with botanical therapies
- Rejuvenative foods and foods to avoid
- How to integrate spiritual practices into rejuvenation therapy
Session 6: Roots of Power
Adaptogenic Roots for Vitality & Longevity
At the center of rejuvenation therapies we find medicinal plants with adaptogenic powers. The roots of these plants offer unique restorative powers that balance and strengthen the immune, endocrine and neurological systems. While generally safe, nontoxic and easy to use, the use of these roots and the preparations made from them requires the knowledge of who, when and how to use them for maximum benefits.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- The spiritual attributes and therapeutic applications of tonifying roots
- When to use and when to avoid adaptogenic roots
- Therapeutic actions and health benefits of adaptogens
- Tonic preparations in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
- Sources and reviews of herbal products
Session 7: The Mushroom of Immortality
Medicinal Fungi
Since antiquity, medicinal fungi have held a highly esteemed place in Chinese medicine. Reputed to support spiritual practices, give long life and enhance wisdom, these medicines have been considered elixirs of the sages that can benefit everyone. Modern research confirms the powerful anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties of these fungi, while modern production and extracting methods now offer a wide range of excellent preparations and products to support health and wellbeing.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- The history and healing powers of reishi, cordiceps and other important species
- Biological unity: the outer and inner biological functions of fungi
- The anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulating and longevity powers of reishi
- The immune, vitality and endurance enhancing powers of cordiceps
- Major therapeutic actions and health uses of medicinal fungi
- Individual constitutions, potential side effects and interactions
- About the best preparation methods and products
Session 8: Clear Mind
Medicinal Plants for Enhancing Cognitive Function
Cognitive function is the foundation for all success and accomplishment, whether it is our work in the world or our inner spiritual development. Stress, nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, medications and normal aging are only a few of the many influences that weaken and damage healthy brain function. Throughout time, plants that support mental functions, enhance memory and improve concentration have been regarded as having a unique and special place in the botanical pharmacopeia for supporting mental wellbeing and nourishing spiritual evolution.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- Concepts of mind, concentration, memory and cognitive function in yoga, Tantra, Ayurveda and Chinese medicine
- Modern understanding of cognitive decline and neurodegeneration
- Primary cognitive disorders and causative factors
- Major herbs and essential oils that support concentration and memory
- How to integrate meditation practices into herbal therapy for enhanced cognitive and brain function
- The benefits and drawback of stimulants
Sessions 9 & 10: Compassionate Healers
Medicinal Plants for Pacifying Pain & Inflammation
Pain and inflammation are the great obstacles to fulfilling the aims of life. When one has been freed from pain by the powers of medicinal plants, a profound appreciation for the benevolence and healing compassion of nature’s remedies arises. The pharmacopeia of pain relieving and anti-inflammatory herbs is vast and requires knowledge to use correctly, but with a few simple, safe and easily available species, even complex and chronic medical conditions can be benefitted and resolved.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- The connection between pain and spiritual evolution
- Types of pain according to Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
- The safe uses of the most important anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and analgesic herbs for specific body systems
- Important but little known herbs for pain and inflammation
- Integrated botanical therapies for menstrual, digestive and arthritic pain, headaches and fibromyalgia
- Herbal preparations including medicated oils, liniments, plaster and other methods
- How to combine meditation and herbal therapies for pain management
- Potential herb/drug interactions
- Sources and reviews of products
Sessions 11 & 12: The Journey to Happiness
Medicinal Plants for Counteracting Stress, Anxiety & Depression
We live in an age of widespread unhappiness, caused by a multitude of social, economic, environmental and spiritual factors. Many of these forms of suffering require an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to fully resolve, but medicinal plants offer strong support to help counteract stress, calm the mind and emotions and uplift moods. When integrated with meditation and other practices, herbal medicine can transform the suffering of the mind into a path of spiritual evolution.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- Types of anxiety and depression according to Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
- Concepts of Shen disturbances in Chinese medicine and Prana Vata in Ayurveda
- Concepts of emotional disturbances and psychological disorders from indigenous cultures and shamanic traditions
- About stress, anxiety, depression and spiritual evolution
- How to rebalance endocrine and neurological functions
- Uses and misuses of antidepressant herbs such as St. John’s wort, kava kava and others
- Important but little-known herbs for depression and anxiety
- Uses of important essential oils for antidepressant and anxiolytic functions
- How to combine spiritual practices and herbal therapies for counteracting stress, anxiety and depression
Session 13: Ambassadors of Peace
Sleep is essential for the healing of every illness. There are many sleep disorders that affect people of different ages and constitutions, but they can all be benefitted to various degrees by the plants that bring peace to the body, mind and emotions. Whether it is balancing blood sugar, nourishing exhausted adrenal glands, relaxing tense muscles or restoring a tired nervous system, many different plants can be used as allies to produce deep rejuvenating sleep.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- The connection between sleep, dreams and spiritual evolution
- The primary types of insomnia and sleep disorders, and how to treat them
- The source of sleep disorders according to Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
- Approaches to calming the spirit and pacifying Vata
- Categories of nervine herbs according to body systems
- The right use and misuse of relaxant herbs
- Unique and little-known herbs and essential oils for insomnia and restlessness
- Which dietary factors influence sleep
- How to combine meditation and spiritual practices with herbal treatment of sleep disorders
- Adjunct therapies for sleep
- Reviews and sources for herbal products
Session 14: Soma
Herbs, Elixirs & Therapies for Deepening Contemplative & Yogic Practices
The highest goal of classical Asian medical systems is a long healthy life leading to spiritual illumination and fulfillment. Traditionally, many medicinal plants and therapies have been used for supporting meditative and yogic practices: some feed the brain and enhance the nutrient essences of ojas and soma, some warm the muscles and circulation and protect from injury, some sharpen the mind and concentration, some produce euphoric relaxation. These therapeutic powers are not only beneficial for those engaged in contemplative endeavors, but also enhance the wellbeing of everyone.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- What “soma” is and the relationship with meditation
- How to use sacred scents for ritual and ceremony
- Which essential oils enhance pranayama
- About attars for marmas and the process of anointing
- Herbal care of muscles and joints for yoga practitioners
- Important herbs for supporting the respiratory and neurological systems
- About nasyas: nasal medications for calming and focusing the mind
- Unique herbs and preparations used with meditation, mantra and yoga
- About dietary guidelines
- Correlations between chakras, herbs and essential oils
- Sources and reviews of herbal products
- Liniments, salves and medicated oils for muscles and joints
Session 15: Sacred Scents
The Spiritual & Medical Uses of Precious Resins & Sacred Trees
Aromatic plants have been used by humans since time immemorial, as fragrant offerings in rituals and ceremonies and medicines for the mind and body. This group of plants rightly deserves the title of “sacred scents,” so widespread and ancient is their use for spiritual endeavors. In addition to being found throughout the world in temples, mosques, churches, pagodas and holy places of every religion, they are also great botanical medicines, known to both traditional healers and now discovered by modern scientific research. Their use in our homes can play an important role in preventing illness, enhancing mental and emotional wellbeing and supporting our spiritual practices.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- Frankincense
- Its uses for ritual and ceremony
- Mood enhancing effects on consciousness
- Anti-inflammatory powers of resin and oils
- Boswelic acids and autoimmune inflammation
- Applications for skin care
- Frankincense and myrrh in traditional liniments for injury
- Frankincense gum for dental care
- Myrrh
- Antiseptic powers for respiratory and oral infections
- Recipes for dental care
- Sandalwood
- Sacred anointing oil for meditation
- Skin care uses
- Meditation incense recipes
- Agarwood
- Meditation incense
- Antidepressant and antianxiety effects
- Spiritual perfume
- The wish-fulfilling powers of the sacred scents
Session 16 & 17: Botanical Elders
Medicinal Plants for Aging Gracefully
Aging brings a multitude of physiological changes, many of them unpleasant. As we get older, medicinal plants play an increasingly important role in slowing the aging process and counteracting symptoms without toxic medications; in many cases it is possible to reverse chronic conditions we did not have the knowledge, resources or ability to resolve earlier in life. As we develop a deeper relationship with healing plants in our elder years, we find a new appreciation and sensitivity to the healing powers of nature that they contain, leading us to our own unique understanding of ecological spirituality.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- More about aging and spiritual evolution
- Concepts of aging in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
- Modern understanding of physiological changes and challenges of aging
- Major herbs and essential oils for antioxidant and anti-aging powers
- Herbal protocols for comfortable menopause, prostate health, bone, joint and dental health
- Sources and reviews of products
Session 18: Botanica Erotica
Medicinal Plants for Enhancing Romance & Intimacy
Diminishment of libido and disturbances of sexual functions are sources of suffering and obstacles to intimacy and expression of romantic passions. Classical medical systems as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine place great emphasis on protecting and rejuvenating sexual vitality, not only for romantic and erotic fulfillment, but also for general health and wellbeing. Medicinal plants offer many forms of nourishment that revitalize, energize and enhance sexual functions without unwanted side effects, but knowledge and understanding of the plants and the spiritual dimensions of sexuality are needed to avoid unwanted side effects.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- Shukra and jing: concepts of essence in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
- How to support glandular health
- About vajikarana and aphrodisiac therapies
- How to nourish the blood
- Insights on male and female tonics and elixirs
- About exotic perfumes and intoxicating aromas
- Uses and misuses of aphrodisiac herbs
- Sources and reviews of products
- Meditation and spiritual practices for enhancing romance and intimacy
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