Tuesday, January 27th, 6:30-8:00pm

Instructor: Deanna Gabriel, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $25.00
Discovery of the reishi mushroom's magical healing abilities, create a reishi decoction and taste a variety of reishi brews.

Part 1: Thursday, January 29th, 6:30-8:30pm
Part 2: Thursday, February 5th, 6:30-8:30pm

Instructors: Christina Bertelli & Faith Goguen, certified clinical herbalists
Cost: $60 (includes both classes)
This class will cover all the basics and more about how the right foods and nourishing herbs can help you have a happy and healthy pregnancy.

Offered twice!
Wednesday, February 4th, 6:30-8:00pm
Wednesday, February 11th, 6:30-8:00pm

Instructors: Ashlee Bodo, certified clinical herbalist & Katie Browning, certified herbalist
Cost: $25.00
Learn how to make luscious herbal creations and delicious treats, like herb-infused chocolates, edible massage oil, lover's baths and much more!

Tuesday, February 17th, 6:30-8:00pm

Instructor: Deanna Gabriel, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00
Come and discover how to make your own lotions using all natural ingredients!

Introduction, Thursday, February 19th, 6:30-8:30pm
Advanced, Thursday, February 26th, 6:30-8:30pm

Instructor: Faith Goguen, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00 a class(Discounted rate of $60.00 given if you sign up for both classes in advance)
Learn to observe and chart fertility signs to either avoid pregnancy, achieve pregnancy, or to monitor your gynecological health.

Tuesday, February 24th, 6:30-8:00pm

Instructor: Deanna Gabriel, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $25.00
In this class we will discuss basic herbs and their actions, go over different methods for tea preparations, talk about tinctures vs. teas, and address common questions about the uses of herbs.

By Deanna Gabriel CCH, CN

Parts used: Mushroom

Medicinal uses: Reishi mushrooms can be considered a panacea plant, meaning that they can play a part in healing a wide variety of ailments. These mushrooms work deeply with the immune system and the blood, helping to strengthen the body as a whole, and balance various aspects of immunity. Because the immune system is intimately tied into every aspect of health these mushrooms can be useful for a wide variety of ailments such as allergies, colds and flu, eczema and psoriasis. Reishi mushrooms also have a history of use in conditions such as auto-immune disease, cancer, hepatic ailments, hypertension, heart disease, head injuries and degenerative diseases.

Preparations & Applications: Reishi mushrooms play a powerful role in spiritual healing. These fungi bring the energy of re-birth and rejuvenation and the complete life cycle - birth, life, death, birth. This medicine can be extremely helpful in times of transition and growth. Deeply grounding, these mushrooms help an individual touch the soul light from the deepest reaches of their existence, allowing that light to shine out to the surface of their being.

For a deeper look into the healing qualities of reishi mushrooms join us for the Spirit of the Reishi class on Tuesday, January 27!

Making a Reishi brew:
My favorite way to take Reishi mushrooms is in long, slow decoction, the medicine appears strongest when decocted at a low temperature for about 12-36 hours. The easiest way to accomplish this is to use a crock-pot or slow cooker.

Complete Immune Tonic
2-3 medium to large Reishi mushrooms
1 oz Codonopsis
1oz Astragalus - omit if making tea for acute illness
1 oz Ashwagandha
Dash of cayenne
For cases of acute colds and flu add 2-3 cloves freshly chopped garlic to strained tea and drink garlic pieces with tea. Add spoonful of honey if desired.

Place all herbs in a 6 quart crock-pot. Fill pot with water. Place the lid on crock-pot and turn to low setting and heat for 24 hrs. Check the water level in the pot after about 8 hours, the water level will decrease slightly from absorption and evaporation, add enough water to re-fill. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and strain out any other herbs. Store tea in the refrigerator and heat each cup before drinking. Sip 2-3 cups daily until batch is gone.

Organic Bodycare Recipes by Stephanie Tourles
If you are interested in creating your own bath and body products, this is a fabulous book to explore! There are tons of easy to follow recipes- from head (Herbal Hair Wash) to toes (Cornmeal Foot Scrub) and everything in between (Cold & Flu Bath Oil, Cocoa Butter Lotion, Elder Flower Toner and much more!) For hands on instruction and other ideas, come to the Lotion Making Class on February 17th and the Kitchen Cosmetics Class on March 18th!

The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Jill Romm
This is definitely a must read for the holistically minded new mama. Romm covers a lot of ground from posture, to herbs and nutrition to your changing family dynamics; as a mother of three and midwife of years, she has a lot of valuable wisdom to share.

Sacred & Herbal Healing Beers by Stephen Harrod Buhner
This is a wonderfully educational book! Stephen describes traditional recipes for beers, ales and meads using a variety of herbs. In addition to recipes and "how to" info Stephen also infuses historical and cultural information on a variety of the herbs used in the recipes. A fascinating glimpse into the variety of ways to use herbs for healing!

One River by Wade Davis
A fantastic winter read! Journey to South America and experience true accounts of the late ethnobotanist Dr. Richard Shcultes and his student Wade Davis. Visit traditional indigenous societies; explore visionary realms of extraordinary plants and meet two generations of teachers and students, shamans and apprentices.