HOLISTIC HERBAL
A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies
DAVID HOFFMANN

Dedication

To Lolo, for now and always

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Preface

Introduction to the Third Edition

How to use this Book

A Herbal Medicine Chest for the Home

The Holistic Approach

Gaia—the Living Earth

Herbs and Ecology

Ecosystems and the Biosphere

Herbs in Healing

Homeostasis

Self-Healing

The Circulatory System

Prevention of Circulatory Disease

Herbs for the Circulatory System

Patterns of Disease

The Lymphatic System

The Respiratory System

Prevention of Respiratory Disease

Herbs for the Respiratory System

Patterns of Disease of the Respiratory System

Ears, Nose, Throat & Eyes

Herbs for Ears, Nose, Throat and Eyes

The Ears

The Nose

The Throat

The Eyes

The Digestive System

Prevention of Disease

Herbs for the Digestive System

Patterns of Digestive Disease

The Mouth

The Stomach

The Small Intestine

The Large Intestine

Liver and Gall-Bladder

The Nervous System

Herbs for the Nervous System

Patterns of Dis-ease of the Nervous System

The Skin

Herbs for the Skin

Patterns of Skin Diseases

Internal Causes

Internal Reactions to External Causes

External Causes

The Muscular & Skeletal System

Herbs for the Muscular and Skeletal System

Patterns of Muscular and Skeletal Disease

The Glandular System

Health and the Glands

Herbs for the Glands

Patterns of Disease in the Glandular System

The Pancreas

The Thyroid

The Adrenal Glands

The Reproductive System

Herbs for the Female Reproductive System

Patterns of Disease of the Female Reproductive System

The Menstrual Cycle

Pregnancy and Childbirth

The Menopause

Infections

Herbs and Sexuality

The Urinary System

Herbs for the Urinary System..

Patterns of Disease of the Urinary System

Infections & Infestations

Antibiotics

Herbs for Infections and Infestations

Treating Infections

Treating Infestations

Cancer

Herbs and Cancer

Nutrition and Cancer

Psychological Factors and Cancer

Wholeness and Prevention

The Chemistry of Herbs

The Actions of Herbs

The Preparation of Herbs

Internal Remedies

External Remedies

Gathering Herbs

Calendar

The Herbal

Bibliography

Repertory

Index

General Index

Index of English Names

Botanical Names

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Copyright

About the Publisher

Preface

This is a beautiful and fascinating book, an enthralling gateway into a wonderful field. The beginner can understand and the expert really use it. David is to be congratulated on his achievement.

The Hermetic Wisdom laid down as first principle that the universe is Mind, an ocean of living Intelligence; and as second principle the Law of Correspondences—as above, so below; as in the greatest, so in the smallest; as in the macrocosm, so in the microcosm.

Holistic healing reveals the great truth. Thus reflexology can discover all imbalances in the bodily organism from the feet, iridology from the eye, and true phrenology from the conformation of the cranium. Every part contains the whole, as is so beautifully demonstrated by the shattered holographic plate. And now herbalism reveals all the secret gifts of nature for holistic healing.

Our minds are still overcoming centuries of conditioning to ‘apartness’ thinking. The holistic world view lifts beyond such separation. We learn to see Truth as a hovering crystalline structure of many facets. You pick up one glint, I another, and the separatist reason can too easily conclude that, since I know and can prove I’m right, you must be wrong. All the glints together make up the Truth and we are finding that true ‘conversation’ (a ‘turning-about together’) is an art of helping each other to see the wonder of the whole revealed in every part. This lifts it above intellectual discussion or that debased form of exchange called argument.

In holistic thinking we become eclectic and learn to draw our truth from many complementary sources. Thus herbalism opens up a wonderful field for natural healing and this beautiful book by David Hoffman will guide many into it, for it is an essential aspect of natural therapy.

In our age of drugs and chemicals, here is a path to safe treatment which respects the Oneness of Life. This book is delightfully illustrated and produced, and the Findhorn Press is to be congratulated. All who are drawn into our movement for regeneration will want to possess it.

George Trevelyan

Introduction to the Third Edition

Transformation is in the air. It is the keynote of all we see, do and hear. Our lives are being transformed from within and without, sometimes positively growing and other times painfully changing, but always in flux. The purpose of our lives and the direction of society are no longer what they were, as the basis of our collective reality and beliefs changes. It is a time of chaos, crisis and great opportunity. A fundamental change in perspective and context is occurring throughout society and as a result much has happened in the field of herbalism and holistic healing in the short time since the first edition of The New Holistic Herbal appeared.

Herbalism is based on relationship—relationship between plant and human, plant and planet, human and planet. Using herbs in the healing process means taking part in an ecological cycle. This offers us the opportunity consciously to be present in the living, vital world of which we are part; to invite wholeness and our world into our lives through awareness of the remedies being used. The herbs can link us into the broader context of planetary wholeness, so that whilst they are doing their physiological/medical job, we can do ours and build an awareness of the links and mutual relationships.

Consider, for example, the treatment of a stomach ulcer with herbs and with drugs. Comfrey, Marshmallow Root, Meadowsweet and Golden Seal can all be used to soothe and heal an ulcer and with the help of right diet and lifestyle it need not return. But there is also the chance here for people to become aware of the way in which the environment through plants is actively healing them, so that they can be more present in their world. Perhaps they can attune to the plants, visit the places where they grow, and establish a deeper rapport with nature through their healing process. Thus the treatment of the ulcer becomes part of a deeper transformative process.

If drug treatment is considered in the same way, problems arise. One of the drugs frequendy used for ailments related to overproduction of stomach acid is Tagamet. This is effective for changing rapidly some of the biochemistry that leads to ulcer formation and irritation, reducing discomfort and making life more bearable. However, looking at it in a broader context, we soon become aware that difficulties intervene. The chemical process whereby this drug is made is renowned for pollution production. So instead of linking with nature’s wholeness, there is an immediate relationship with nature’s pain—a direct connection between your stomach and dead fish in a polluted river. Consider also the laboratory animals that died in the development of the drug, and the dependence on a multinational pharmaceutical industry not renowned for its selfless service!

If holism embraces broader perspectives than simply internal pathology and individual lifestyle, then the choice posed here between two kinds of ecological relationship is a meaningful one in healing.

Holistic medicine can only be truly holistic if the perspectives it embraces acknowledge the social and cultural context in which the ‘illness’ and the desired healing take place. It is a therapeutic and moral mistake to use herbalism to relieve people’s physical distress and illness only for them to return to and continue in patterns of thought, behaviour, work and culture that are the sources of the dis-ease.

By the nature of things it is often extremely difficult to effect change in these broader fields of non-herbal therapy! However, it is becoming increasingly important for the holistic therapist to speak out, to take a stand, to take risks. Things either change through action or degenerate through inaction. The insights gained through exploring holistic medicine add to the momentum for positive, loving change. I would suggest it is right and appropriate for practitioners of holistic medicine to contribute to the issues of our time. The perspectives gained through ecologically oriented herbalism have much to contribute to the issues of environment, nuclear power, nuclear weapons and a stance of fear, aggression, alienation and oppression. We are at home on this planet—we have but to recognise it. From the ills of humanity through the gift of herbal remedies comes a clue, a signpost, to this reality. We are part of a wonderfully integrated whole. This is not the stuff of vague idealism and mysticism but a solid reality. It is the basis of this book and the whole of herbal medicine.

Holistic Paradigm

Herbalism is practised holistically, as orthodox medicine and other complementary therapies can be. But what is holistic medicine, other than the latest buzz word?

As people in all fields of life explore the implications of a holistic and ecological world view, medicine is at the forefront. We have gone beyond the ideal of ‘treating the whole person and not the symptoms’ to begin to articulate a definition of a holistic approach to health.

Holistic medicine addresses itself to the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of those who come for care. It views health as a positive state, not as the absence of disease. It emphasises the uniqueness of the individual and the importance of tailoring treatment to meet each person’s needs. The promotion of health and the prevention of disease is a priority, whilst emphasis is placed on the responsibility of each individual for his or her own health. The therapeutic approaches employed are aimed at mobilising the person’s innate capacity for self-healing.

Whilst not denying the occasional necessity for swift medical or surgical intervention, holistic medicine puts the emphasis on assisting people to understand and help themselves, on education and self-care rather than treatment and dependence. Illness may be an opportunity for discovery as well as a misfortune.

Eyebright

A holistic approach to health care includes understanding and treating people in the context of their culture and community. An understanding of and a commitment to change those social and economic conditions that perpetuate ill health are as much a part of holistic medicine as its emphasis on individual responsibility. Most importantly, holistic medicine transforms its practitioners as well as its patients.

Such holistic perspectives suggest exciting ways in which health care can develop in Britain. There is a need, however, to develop the relationship between the complementary therapies and orthodox medicine. This is the way forward to create the framework that will fulfil our expectations of health and wellbeing.

Herbal medicine has much to contribute to the development of a holistic health service using the healing plants provided by nature. The use of herbs for healing brings us immediately into touch with our world in a profound and uplifting way. Many ills of our culture stem from our sense of separation from the Earth, the ground of our being. Herbal medicine, whilst being a valid and effective therapeutic tool, can also be part of a personal and even social transformation.

A New Expectation

During the years since this book was first published there have been great changes in attitudes towards herbalism and complementary medicine in general. Why are people turning to such alternative therapies as medical herbalism? There is a growing recognition that concern with health and wellbeing is not the same as one with illness and cure. What this means and how anything can be achieved in practice is vague in the public mind, but expectations have been raised and important questions asked.

There is a multitude of reasons, ranging from abject desperation to a positive and active quest for transformation, why people will consider consulting a herbalist or other alternative therapists. An increasingly important trigger is the fear, real or imaginary, of drugs and their side-effects, or of the trauma of operations. The herbalist is often called upon to act as a surrogate counsellor, advising or guiding in place of the doctor. The question of safety and even the need for drug therapy is an enormous one and this is not the place to air it. However, fears about side-effects are often well founded. Whilst not wishing to belittle potentially life-saving drugs or surgery, I feel the limitations of such methods are becoming increasingly apparent and will often unintentionally direct people towards safer alternatives.

Another prompt to try alternatives in Britain is increasing exasperation with the organisational monolith of the National Health Service. This is not a criticism of the nurses, ancillary workers and doctors valiantly endeavouring to care for their patients but simply an acknowledgment of the faults of the system. An atmosphere of alienation and impersonalisation pervades many waiting rooms, hospital wards and consultations. The field of health and wholeness is the epitome of where small really is beautiful.

Those who have been told that they must learn to live with their illness, or that there is nothing else orthodox medicine can do, will often turn to medical herbalism in the hope that something can be done. Herbal medication may well help, but it is a great pity that such help is not sought earlier. Often it will be in such extreme cases that doctors themselves may even consider alternative therapies, and if little or nothing can be done they will then conclude the approach has no value. The flaws in this attitude are obvious.

It is 1990 and the Green movement grows strong, holism is no longer simply the domain of the fringe, and herbalism is thriving throughout the industrialised West. At long last the world view that this book is embedded in is increasingly seen as the only perspective that offers hope for the future of our society. Whether in health care, politics, economics or any of the multitudinous facets of human endeavour, a change is manifesting that moves us to cooperation, both with each other and with the world we are part of. This transformation is not easy or comfortable but is very, very real. I feel deeply blessed to be able to make this small contribution to the field of Herbal Medicine, one aspect of the dawning human awareness of the embrace of Gaia.

David Hoffmann

The Redwoods, Northern California, June 1990

How to use this book

‘The New Holistic Herbal’ consists of three parts. The Holistic Approach to Herbalism places herbalism into its context, showing plants in their relationship to healing and humanity. The central part of the book discusses herbs and the herbal treatment of the systems of the body. The third part is a traditional herbal which discusses the herbs in detail and provides information about their chemistry and actions, as well as information on gathering and preparing them.

The book can be used in several ways. It can be read from cover to cover as an introduction to herbalism; it can be used as a textbook; it can be used as a source for finding out about the holistic treatment of specific conditions and problems; or it can be used as a traditional herbal to find out more about a particular herb.

The approach to herbalism in this book uses herbs, according to their actions, that work synergistically to provide the body with the most appropriate help to work against disease. In this book the synergistic use of herbs is recommended. A combination of the actions of each herb or herbs must be carefully worked out so that the most appropriate aid is provided in combating disease. A uniform approach to the problem is necessary. The reader needs to decide which actions are needed to counteract a disease, and then consult either The Herbal section, which provides a general description of each herb and its actions, or the section on The Actions of Herbs.

To find information about specific diseases, the reader should consult the Contents for the chapter in which the problem occurs, or look in the General Index for references.

The Herbal section is arranged alphabetically by English names. If the reader knows only the Latin name, the Index of Botanical Names will help in finding the English derivation. A particular herb can be located throughout the book by using the General Index, the Index of English Names and the Index of Botanical Names.

To find out which herbs might be useful in a particular disease, the reader should look to the Repertory section, and then to The Herbal section for more detailed information. When it says in this book, “This may be helpful,” or “That may be considered,” it is for the reader to look herbs up and make the decision.

When to use herbs

Herbs can be used freely and safely as part of one’s lifestyle without thinking of them as ‘medicines’. For specific health needs, their best use would be preventative—to prevent problems appearing. There are specific herbs which strengthen and tone specific organs and systems. These may be used where a tendency towards illness is recognised but no overt disease is present. By using herbs it may well be possible to overcome any weakness.

While each person should find their own herbal ‘ally’, the following may be safely used over extended periods of time:

Circulatory system | Hawthorn Berries
Respiratory system | Mullein
Digestive system | Meadowsweet
Nervous system | Skullcap
Skin | Nettles
Muscular and skeletal system | Celery Seed
Reproductive system | Raspberry Leaves
Urinary system | Buchu

Apart from prophylactic and culinary uses, herbs are used in specific conditions. Suggestions are given throughout the book for such cases, but self-diagnosis is not advisable. Consult a herbalist, if there is one available, or a doctor to ascertain the nature of your problem.

Duration of treatment

Where a specific condition is being treated, the duration of the appropriate treatment will vary. Constipation should respond quickly, whilst osteo-arthritis will take some time. In general, however, allow two to three weeks before any marked improvement can be expected. If in doubt, see a herbalist.

Dosage

The normal dosage for an adult is given for each herb in the herbal section, and similarly where a mixture is given in the text. For children under twelve this should be reduced by a quarter, and for children under seven by a half. For adults over 65 there should be a quarter reduction and a reduction to half the full dose for people over 70. These are very broad guidelines, and will be less important for a very large strong person of 75 than for a small, frail person of 65.

Drugs

There is usually little to fear in combining herbs with chemical drugs, but there are a number of important exceptions, so consult your doctor and an herbalist. Unfortunately, the doctor will be unlikely to know anything about herbs!

Preparation and dosage of mixtures

Throughout the book herbal mixtures are suggested that can support the body in healing itself. Depending on the specific case, those mixtures can be adapted accordingly.

With each mixture, recommendations are made as to the way they should be prepared. Their respective properties are given in parts, meaning proportions of weight of dried herbs, and instructions for their preparation are given accordingly. (Dried herbs can be substituted by other preparations, for instance by tinctures, in which case the same proportions apply. For details on the dosage of tinctures see the specific dosage information in the herbal section.)

Symbols are used to indicate the amount of mixture to use per cup of water, given in teaspoonfuls . When a mixture is to be prepared as an infusion, the symbol of a cup is used; if it is to be a decoction, a pan is used to indicate this. Detailed information on how to prepare an infusion or decoction can be found in the section Preparing the Herbs. The length the mixture needs to be infused or simmered is indicated in minutes .

Thus means that 1–2 teaspoonsful of the mixture per cup of water should be infused for 10–15 minutes to make an infusion.

means that 1 teaspoonful of the mixture per cup of water should be simmered for 10 minutes to make a decoction.

A herbal medicine chest for the home

There are well over two thousand plants which can be used in herbal medicine in the western world. The planet-wide list is far greater. So what can you realistically provide in the home? A daunting prospect faces the fledgeling herbalist, yet by using the actions approach presented in this book, it is possible to stock a small herbal medicine chest which will fulfil most day-to-day needs. The following list of herbs includes representatives of all the main actions, but also specific ones as well. If you are going to stock such a medicine chest, become thoroughly familiar with these 25 plants, and use them at your discretion. They may be stored as dried herbs or as tinctures.

Aniseed | Boneset
Black Willow | Burdock Root
Cayenne | Celery Seed
Chamomile | Cleavers
Coltsfoot | Comfrey
Dandelion | Echinacea
Elder | False Unicorn Root
Marshmallow | Meadowsweet
Nettles | Peppermint
Senna | Skullcap
Thyme | Valerian
Wormwood | Yarrow
Yellow Dock |

In addition to these specific herbs, it will be helpful to have the following in the form of ointments:

Arnica Chickweed Comfrey Marigold

Distilled Witch Hazel, obtainable from chemist shops, should also be included.

The Holistic Approach

We are on a quest, individually and collectively, to create wholeness within ourselves and within all of our life, to find it within ourselves and to release it—a process of communion and education. What is created will not be separation, conflict and diversity among peoples, but wholeness, oneness, peace, a new earth for humankind that reflects the oneness and wholeness of the earth that has always been.

David Spangler

In the hands of a holistic healer, who works with the life force and with the integrated whole that the body represents, herbs are a powerful tool. In this book I would like to present a context for holistic herbalism. There is the need for a new kind of herbal which goes beyond the more common medicinal approach where herbs are listed alphabetically, prior knowledge is assumed or symptoms are listed with their appropriate remedies. While herbs can be used effectively to treat symptoms, such an approach is just an organic form of drug therapy if we do not take the whole person into account. I offer this book to all who use herbs, all who work in healing, and all who are growing in ecological awareness.

In the holistic approach to healing we can see how ‘all disease is the result of inhibited soul life, and that is true of all forms in all kingdoms. The art of the healer consists in releasing the soul so that its life can flow through the … form’.* Any illness is a manifestation of dis-ease within the whole being. To truly heal, we need to look at the interconnectedness and the dynamic play of all the parts in the whole—the physical, emotional and mental bodies and the enlivening presence of the soul. And then we need to further expand our view and see this wholeness as part of a greater whole: the person’s group, humanity, the entire planet, as all these work together in a dynamic, integrated system.

This ideal may be daunting, but it is an opportunity and a gift to explore this vision and to bring it through into reality. There are many new approaches today to healing, with differing attitudes and terminologies, and together they contribute to a planetary change. As the Tibetan in Alice Bailey’s mystical writings says: “There is no school in existence today which should not be retained. All of them embody some useful truth, principle or idea. I would point out that a synthetic group would still be a separative and separate entity, and no such group is our goal. It is the synthesis of the life and of the knowledge which is desirable. There will be eventually, let us hope, hundreds and thousands of groups all over the world who will express this new attitude to healing, who will be bound together by their common knowledge and aims, but who will express this to the best of their ability in their own particular fields, in their own peculiar way and with their own peculiar terminologies.”*

Herbs are part of our total ecology and as such lend themselves to us to integrate and heal our physical bodies. By taking the wider context of the whole being into consideration we see how this inner shift towards holism reflects a global shift, a realignment throughout. As we move into the New Age, a great exploration of consciousness is under way, an exploration we are all involved in. The use of herbs can be a tool of growing consciousness, to recognise holism. In healing we must take the whole being of the patient into our awareness, including the context of their life. We ask patients to look at how to make their environment, habits and activities life-supporting, and by doing this we contribute to a change of consciousness. And we realise more and more that we have the capacity to create our reality and relationships consciously. As our awareness grows we contribute to the illumination of ourselves and of our world. Our planetary companions, the plants, offer themselves in service to humanity. Perhaps through the recognition of this gift, humanity will at last start to serve our planet appropriately, to bring healing and renewal. I write The Holistic Herbal in the light of this vision.

Gaia—the living Earth

The great work of today is the recognition of our wholeness, as individuals, as groups, as humanity and as a planetary whole. Perhaps the most exciting symbol of the birth of this vision of wholeness in the heart and mind of humanity was the first photograph of our world taken from space by the Apollo astronauts. This has been with us for over a decade now, acting as a ‘raising agent’ to leaven the consciousness of humanity.

Seeing our world as a whole helps us to recognise that we are at a turning point in humanity’s ‘groping towards the light’, as Teilhard de Chardin has described it. It is now apparent that our world is not just a passive geophysical object where things happen in random-but-fortuitous ways. In fact Planet Earth can be seen as an active participant in the creation of its own story, a living being now given the name of Gaia, a name from Greek mythology for the goddess of earth. Gaia has been described as “… a complex entity involving the earth’s biosphere, atmosphere, oceans and soil; the totality constituting a feedback or cybernetic system which seeks an optimal chemical and physical environment for life on this planet. This maintenance of relatively constant conditions by active control may be conveniently described by the term ‘homeostasis’.”*

What this description implies is that our world is acting as a whole to create and maintain optimum conditions for life to thrive and evolve. An integral part of this development is the evolution of consciousness in its many forms. The opportunity before us now is consciously to recognise and to embrace our role within the greater being of Gaia. This realisation is not new to us; it has been embraced by the mystics of all religions for as long as humanity has searched for mystical truth. However, we have reached a point in the unfoldment of human culture where these insights are becoming the stuff of science, where the ‘spiritualisation of the mundane’ is truly happening.

The revelation of our unity with Gaia provides a new context within which to view our world and our human actions. Whilst the details of our reality as such are not changing, this broadening of perspective changes everything as we become conscious of inter-relationships between parts within the whole. A parallel can be seen in what happened to physics when the theory of relativity was introduced; it did not change the laws of thermodynamics or the specifics of Newtonian physics, but these laws and world view came to be seen within a much wider and more encompassing perception of the world, the implications of which are still not fully grasped.

The very ability to perceive the earth as living, as Gaia, is an indication of the expansion of consciousness that humanity as a whole is experiencing. Until recently, the only field of human endeavour that was inclusive and holistic enough to grasp the insights that point towards our unity has been that of mysticism and spirituality. Some of these ideas have permeated the teachings of spiritually-enlightened people, or the expression of poets, artists and musicians. It is now clear that even in that most materialistic science, physics, the limits of reductionism have been reached. To explore the nature of our world further it is necessary to expand parameters to embrace the whole of any system. The whole is always more than the sum of its parts. Analysing or reducing something to its constituent parts can only tell us so much, and to find out more, these parts need to be seen in a broader picture that includes function and relationship. Whether it be an atom, a daisy, a worker in a car factory, it can only be perceived and understood when seen in relationship to the greater whole of which it is a part. This is the heart of holism.

The work of the theoretical physicist David Bohm provides a good example of the way science is starting to approach reality as a dynamic web of relationships which cannot be comprehended unless consciousness is taken as an integral part of the universe.* Bohm’s theory explores the order he believes to be inherent at a ‘non-manifest’ level in the cosmic web of relationships that make up the ‘unbroken wholeness’. This order he has called ‘implicate’ or ‘enfolded’, as opposed to the ‘explicate’ or ‘unfolded’ structure of the universe. A useful analogy is that of the hologram, a specially constructed transparent plate which, when illuminated by a laser beam, produces a three dimensional image. The extraordinary property of a hologram is that each part of the holographic plate contains the information for the entire picture. If any part of the holographic plate is illuminated by a laser, the entire image will be produced (although in less detail). The information of the whole is contained, or enfolded, in each of its parts.

This is the nature of our world and universe, an implicit unity and wholeness that is the basis and nature of creation. This perception also recognises the dynamic nature of the universe through the concept of the ‘holomovement’, by looking at the dynamic phenomena out of which all forms of the material universe flow. The focus of study has shifted from the structure of objects to the structure of movement revealing the order enfolded in the holomovement. Implicit in this perception of reality is the essential role played by consciousness. The correlation and interdependence of mind and matter is not a causal relationship. Mind and matter are mutually enfolded projections of a higher reality which are neither matter nor consciousness.

With such developments in physics and the recognition of Gaia in the life sciences, it is clear that profound changes are afoot in the world view embraced by science. This world view is becoming closely attuned to the insights given to humanity by mystics and the spiritual philosophies of the East.* The word ‘holistic’ describes integrated wholes whose properties cannot be reduced to those of smaller units. Holistic attitudes and perceptions are appearing in all fields of life, from agriculture and medicine to politics. The word has its roots in the Greek holos or whole, and was used by Arthur Koestler to coin the word ‘holon’ in an attempt to grasp how systems act as wholes whilst still being parts of yet greater wholes. So we find that each holon has two opposite tendencies; an integrative tendency to function as part of a greater whole, and a self-assertive tendency to preserve its individual autonomy. The subsystems that are described as holons may be individuals, ecosystems or individual cells, showing that for health at any level of organisation these opposite but complementary tendencies must be in dynamic balance. There must be a harmony between integration and self-assertion that makes the whole system flexible and open to change.

It becomes clear that when one considers the whole topic of healing, whether medical or societal, one must view the needs of the individual, or the organ, in the context of the greater whole in which they exist. One must focus on the relationship between the individual and society, between organs and organism. This dynamic relationship between part and whole can be demonstrated as crucial in any field of endeavour and its implications for healing are explored in this book; but broader and more profound conclusions can be reached.

It is becoming apparent that a fundamental change in perspective and context is occurring. The transition into the holistic world view is but a manifestation of a profound reorientation within human consciousness. It is perhaps a response to an inner change in the very fabric of humanity. If evolution is interpreted as the unfolding story of consciousness in our planet, then the point humanity has reached is the threshold of deep and profound expansions in the content and context of consciousness. The vast array of crises that face us can be seen as the result of human limitation and are only solvable by the expansion into deeper, broader, more inclusive realms of meaning. The perception of Gaia and one world is part of the transition into planetary consciousness where our problems are approachable. Whether we then solve them is another question!

At this point of change and crisis there are no convenient maps, no guide books, only the occasional road sign suggesting directions. The limitations of thought and perception that have proved so useful for so long are now only a source of pain and crisis. But crisis is opportunity, and through the pressure and discomfort of our individual and social lives, the cracks are appearing in the shell of human life. A quantum leap in consciousness and possibility is occurring, and, as Marilyn Ferguson puts it: “Our past is not our potential.”*

A wind of change is blowing from deep within the spiritual roots of humanity, moving us forward, waking us up. What this change means is hard to say, although certain outlines may be discernible. While the problems remain the same, the quality of our approach to them will be enhanced by viewing them as wholes within wholes. The key may be in working with a non-judgemental inclusiveness, discriminating between what is or is not appropriate among parts of the whole rather than criticising differences. As humanity has been told for millennia, love is the key. And we each have a role to play in this exploration of the new, in the revealing of our new parameters, in humanity’s groping towards the light.

One of the ways in which this profound spiritual transformation is manifesting is in the area of cultural values and attitudes, leading to a ‘paradigm shift’, a shift in the pattern of thoughts, perceptions and values that form our particular vision of reality. It encompasses the complete vision of what society considers to be its reality. The way science is being transformed by this shift has been briefly touched upon, but the cultural impact is profound and often painful. The whole of our world—whether individuals, civilisations or the biosphere—is undergoing a crisis of birth and transition. The pain of this growth should not be avoided; the cultural transformation cannot be prevented. It would seem that through the trauma of the birth process lies the escape from crisis and collapse.

Within the chaos that seems to be surrounding this time of transition, our response to it can be completely free and open. In some fields there is an active growth towards the new vision which shows itself in certain areas of science and the arts, in the development of communities and the broad expansion of human growth and spirituality. However, in other areas the old vision and old paradigm are grimly being held on to, causing much pain and suffering as the old patterns no longer provide help or guidance within the new situation. Politics and economics, whilst trying valiantly to stem the tide, are fields of thought stuck in the old fragmented perceptions. Unless there is a movement towards more inclusive policies and attitudes, an embracing of the fact of our one world, there seems little hope of cure for our megacrisis. However, from within the new paradigm the outlook is totally different. Whilst not being easy, there are many directions in which our culture can move. The spirit of wholeness that holism offers to humanity can act as a beacon lighting our way as we stumble home.

The vision of Gaia offers a way in which the consciousness of humanity can resonate with the planetary whole. The vision and purpose of the spiritual drive of humanity can consciously synthesise scientific striving and allow a dynamic interaction between humanity and other realms of nature, within the embrace of the being which is the planet, which is Gaia.

Through the right flow of energies within a system, a body, an ecosystem, comes ecological harmony, comes healing. In this book I wish to share a vision of herbal medicine as a manifestation of Gaia at work, providing that which we need to ensure health and vitality in our physical bodies which in turn allows us greater involvement in the whole. Holistic healing offers an abundance of relevant, valid techniques, something which simply reflects the diversity of human consciousness. There is no need to separate herbal medicine from other holistic forms or even allopathic medicine; they are all valid as agents of healing. This book focuses on herbs as a healing tool, as ecological healers that are gifts from Gaia to humanity.

Herbs and Ecology

‘He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man’

Psalm 104:14

Herbs, which comprise much of the realm of plants, are an interface within the body of Gaia. They are an interface between two realms of nature. Where humanity and plants meet, a synergistic energy can be created and exchanged. At such a point inner and outer ecology may resonate and become attuned. We have then an ecologically-integrated process that heals and harmonises the inner environment (the human body) whilst being produced by an outer harmonised environment (nature).

Flowering plants first appeared in geological history during the Cretaceous period, about 135 million years ago. It took them only a very short period of time to diversify into the main flowering plant families we know today. This baffled botanists for a long time until they recognised that the plants evolved within the context of an ecological whole and not as isolated individuals. They evolved within the ecosystem they lived in. The rapid diversification took place through the interaction of plants and insects. The interface between plant and animal realms provided the evolutionary drive.

With the concept of Gaia in mind, we can see that evolution is an exercise in cooperation as well as one of competition, both processes forming a web of interactions and producing the complex tapestry of today’s ecology, an interwoven dynamic system. The ecosystem can only be understood as a whole—as one integrated and self-maintaining unit. All that is needed for the maintenance of any part of the whole is supplied by it; in fact has to be supplied by the system, since there is nothing outside it. If the system did not take care of itself, it would not be viable and could not survive.

A specific example is the phenomenon of secondary plant products. A number of plants produce a range of complex chemicals that play no identifiable role within the metabolism of that plant; we call them secondary plant products. The only way to explain their function within the individual plant scientifically is to assume that it is a very complex way of isolating waste matter accumulated from the metabolic process of the plant, and this would be totally out of keeping with the genius of the realm of plants for efficiency and design.

Secondary plant products such as the alkaloids, the glycosides and many other groups have a strong and marked influence on human and animal physiology. They are the agents that distinguish herbs from other plants, as pharmaceutical chemists are finding out. This is not merely a fortuitous accident. It is in fact the hallmark of Gaia. By eating plants we are linked to a circulatory system within the biosphere and to the energy source of the sun, since plants synthesise their own nutrition via sunlight. The secondary plant products are taking part in this circulation to reach us and to facilitate homeostasis. In a profound and ingenious way, our food can be our healing.

The realm of plants provides everything our body needs for a balanced and integrated existence. However, we are more than just a body; we also have consciousness, which brings other factors onto the stage. We not only have to take our animal body into consideration, but also our emotions, our mind and our spiritual nature. Harmony is no longer simply a matter of right diet or even right herbs, but also a matter of right feelings, right thoughts, lifestyle, attunement, actions—harmony of right relationship to our world and ourselves. Choice comes into the healing process when we see which of these areas we need to work with most.

It is impossible to generalise about the relative value of techniques that work with the physical body, with the emotions or spiritual energies. All have their role and can work together for healing to take place. It can be said that health lies in correct diet, or right use of allopathic drugs, or a free flow of soul energy. All these statements are correct and all of them are relative.

Where does herbal medicine fit into this picture? By the nature of the plant form, herbs work on the physical body. They are acting to integrate and balance its physiological function and to augment its innate vitality. When the body is balanced, the process of integrating the other aspects of our being is helped and catalysed. Whilst herbs will not replace relevant techniques like counselling or meditation, they will help the chalice of the body to be strong, receptive and supportive of the subtler aspects of human life.

Ecosystems and the biosphere

Every culture throughout the world—until very recently—used healing plants as the basis for their medicine. The therapeutic philosophy and rationale for plant use varies, but for thousands of years plants have demonstrated their efficiency and significance.

Each culture had a basic healing flora from which remedies were selected. This range of plants would vary from area to area depending on the local ecosystem. It is remarkable, however, to look at Wales, Southern India, the North American plains or any other area and find herbs with equivalent actions. The plant species, or even the botanical types might be totally different, but the range of human problems that can be dealt with botanically is the same. Whilst this supports the idea of Gaia providing a context for healing with the aid of herbs, it raises the question of whether today we should always stick to the flora provided by the local ecosystem within which we live.

The ecosystem available to us is no longer a local one, just as our human culture and consciousness is no longer a local one. We have become planetary beings, though not necessarily yet out of our own choice. Our food may come from anywhere in the world and modern information technology brings the world into our homes, opening our thoughts and emotional lives to a wide range of influences. We are already in many ways planetary citizens. As planetary beings within the body of Gaia, the whole of the world’s flora is available to us and rightly so.

We also have to consider human impact on local ecosystems. In Wales, for example, it used to be possible to obtain a large range of plants in natural habitats. Nowadays, due to intensive agriculture, to deforestation and reafforestation with foreign conifers, and the expansion and industrialisation of towns, there are few truly natural and wild habitats left; the range of plants available to us locally is therefore greatly reduced. This has been part of the ecological impact of humanity, unaware as it has been of whole systems and the value of their interrelationships.

Herbs in Healing

The potent healing qualities of herbs have been used in different therapeutic philosophies throughout history. We find plants used within the Indian ayurvedic system, in Chinese medicine alongside acupuncture and other techniques. They play a very important role in the spiritual healing ecology of the North American Indians. We see them being used as a source of drugs in the highly scientific and technological approach of modern pharmacy and allopathic medicine.

In fact allopathic medicine, now often called ‘orthodox’ medicine, has its roots in the use of herbs. Until about fifty years ago, nearly all the entries in pharmacopoeias describing the manufacture of drugs indicated a herbal origin. Only since the refinement of chemical technology and developments in chemotherapy has the use of herbs apparently diminished. Nonetheless it should be recognised that a majority of drugs still have their origin in plant material. Some very simple examples will illustrate this.

The amphetamines, which are based on the alkaloid ephedrine, supply stimulants and anti-asthmatic drugs and play an important role in medicine. Their exploitation followed the discovery of the active ingredient ephedrine in the Chinese herb Ma Huang, Ephedra sinica. The steroid drugs, the wonder drugs of the 60s now known to have unfortunate side effects, are still synthesised from a chemical extracted from the West African Wild Yam, Dioscorea spp. Aspirin too, was discovered in the last century from a number of plants like Meadowsweet and Black Willow. In fact its name comes from the old botanical name of Meadowsweet, Spirea.

Wild Yam

So we see that allopathic medicine still uses herbs, if in a limited way. Plants are approached as a source of active ingredients, specific bio-active chemicals that can be analysed, synthesised and used in the form of potent drugs. The body is seen as being essentially biochemical in nature, so when something goes wrong, it does so on the level of chemical processes and molecules. To get it to work correctly we thus have to use chemicals. If such an attitude is correct, why not use isolated constituents from plants? After all, nature provides powerful agents like morphine, still one of the best painkillers known, so why not approach plants this way? In the context of the scientific approach, to view the human being as a biochemical laboratory where specific chemicals have specific effects seems justified and valid.

But can we really reduce a human being to the level of molecules? The human being surpasses description in its beauty and dynamic complexity of form and function, in potential expression and creativity. Of course on the level of physical form our body is also biochemical, but its organisation transcends by far the realms of biochemistry textbooks. Even if we were to fully comprehend the molecular complexities, we would not find what makes us human. There is a powerful and synergistic force at work within us—call it life, life-force, vital force or other names—that is us and is involved with the whole of us on all levels, not just the biochemical. At death the same chemicals are present but this energy of life and synthesis has gone. It is impossible to define this force, but the holistic approach is based on and works with a vision of humanity as animated by it.

Herbal medicine in its holistic sense recognises humanity as an expression of life, enlivened with life-force, and herbs can work with this whole being, not just specific symptoms. They do function through biochemical interactions and specific applications, but they do so in a way that augments the vital processes of the body. On the biochemical level, the numerous ingredients in a herb work in a synergistic way, with elements involved in the process that chemotherapy would not even consider as being active. In later chapters we will hear more about this, for instance in a comparison of Foxglove and Lily of the Valley, in the section on circulation.

If we just looked at herbs as a source of valuable chemicals we would limit their healing power, for beyond the physical level they can also work on the level of the life-force. As they heal our bodies, they may also heal our hearts and minds, for they open the body to a clear flow of integrating and synergising vital energy.

Homeostasis

The body maintains a steady internal state, where temperature, blood sugar level, and other variables are kept within narrow limits, this process being known as homeostasis. This ability is fundamental to life, an expression of a force within working toward harmony and integration. If the body were not able to maintain this state of homeostasis we would not survive long.

This principle of homeostasis also applies to our environment. Our environment adapts to changes, but, like us, it is only able to do this within narrow limits. Beyond those, it dies.

As human beings we live in contact with two environments, the outer ecological one and the inner physiological one. Herbs can be seen as a bridge between the outer and inner environment, augmenting health by facilitating harmony and resonance between the two. Once we are in balance, we can radiate our higher state of health back into the ecosystem from which the herbs came.

If we slightly shift our view, we can see that we are really part of the whole of ecology, not separate from it. When we are healed with the help of plants, a part of the ecology is healed. By healing our bodies and our minds we will be more present as whole beings. And it is hoped that health will enable the growth of new awareness so that we can become conscious co-creators with nature and not remain the abusers and rapists that recent history shows us to be. A state of wholeness and health can affect our whole environment. It can affect our relationships, which affect society, and so potentially act to heal all humanity.

If we consider the concept of Gaia and remember that the Earth constantly works towards staying in a state of homeostasis, we can see how herbs act as homeostatic agents. Their purpose is to keep an element of the ecology—humanity—integrated and in harmony with the whole ecology. We can compare it to the purpose of hormones. Hormones released in one part of the body lead to a specific action in another part, integrating and harmonising our inner environment.

Chemotherapy cannot be substituted for this work of herbs. Chemicals do not work towards the integration of a system; at their best they bring some elements back into alignment. We can look at health as at any ecological system aiming for homeostasis. It is always in motion, with varying elements from outside influencing the system, which does its best to stay in balance and thus to stay alive. Health is when the personal ecosystem, the inner space that has been called the ‘milieu interieur’, is in balance with the outer space, and both of them are one. As J.Z. Young says: ‘The entity that is maintained intact, and of which we all form a part, is not the life of any one of us, but in the end the whole of life upon the planet.’*

Self-Healing

The word healing has its roots in the Greek word ‘holos’, the same word that has given us ‘whole’ and ‘holistic’. Healing is the expression of wholeness, health is wholeness. The experience and expression of this quality can only come from within the individual, it never comes from an outer source such as a therapist or teacher. Just as all paths of spiritual development tell us to look within, so for our healing we must look to our inner selves.

Health is also the expression of integrated being that a person embodies. The emotions, thought-life and spiritual flow are as important to health as is the state of organs and tissues within the body. Whether we are concerned about being healthy, regaining health or moving to greater health, the whole of the being is involved.

The person who is ‘ill’ is in fact the healer. Aid can be sought from ‘experts’, whether allopaths or herbalists, psychotherapists or witch doctors, but the responsibility for healing can never be truly handed to anyone other than the person desiring healing. Healing comes from within, from truly embracing the life that flows within us. Herbs will aid in this process, but healing is inherent in being alive. It is our gift and our responsibility. This may come as a surprise to most of us, conditioned as we are to hand our power over to ‘experts’, whether they are doctors or politicians. In healing as in all life, we are free, and we are the divinely empowered authority for the process of our unfolding lives.

Healing is rarely an act of consciously harnessing inner energy and light, but is always a release and expression of this inner power. Whilst the healing process is unique, an expression of life in a person, this miraculous event can be facilitated by various tools and techniques. Numerous therapies have been developed throughout the unfoldment of human culture which have much to offer as healing arts. However, these do not heal. They cannot heal, they can only aid the body with its own innate healing power.

The apparent multitude of healing techniques, often appearing to contradict each other, can be seen as an interrelating ecology of approaches. I call it therapeutic ecology. Seeing the connections between the different schools of healing makes it clear that a unique blend of therapies may ideally suit one person whilst a different blend would be right for someone else. This provides us with a choice as to the best way to aid the self-healing process.

The following diagram places the individual—the heart and centre of self-healing—in the middle of an array of therapies. The foundation is Gaia, our beloved Planet, sustaining and supporting us. The overlighting presence is that of grace, embracing and illuminating us with the mystery of God’s loving presence.

I suggest four branches of healing techniques: medicine, body work, psychotherapies and methods of spiritual integration. Each of these is divided to show individual paths that represent many more, but there are limitations to this diagram as it is two dimensional, suggesting that the relationships of the tools of self-healing are linear. This could not be further from the truth, for the actual relationships are complex and numerous, creating a rich diversity. It is best to view this diagram as part of a three-dimensional web, creating a geodesic pattern of healing possibilities. An example would be an approach based upon herbs, massage, psychosynthesis and meditation. This combination might offer the person involved exactly what they need to facilitate self-healing. However, it may be that homeopathy by itself is appropriate. The combinations offer great subtlety and diversity of approach.

Medicine

The word ‘medicine’ here is used to describe anything that is taken—anything that is a gift from the Earth. At first sight it might seem strange that drugs are in the same group with herbs and homeopathy. They are all things, and as such, they are part of the diversity and richness of our planet. Whether it be hydrocortisone, False Unicorn Root, or a Bach Flower Remedy, all are produced from the body of the Earth. It would be a mistake to judge one against another. All have their place. What is needed is clear discrimination as to the appropriate treatment for each unique individual. There is nothing universally bad about chemotherapy or universally good about herbs. Let us be thankful for the choice.

Body work

The physical body has a deep wisdom, far outstretching the mind’s ability to conceive of it. A whole range of ways for freeing this wisdom and releasing the healing activity of the body have been developed. Perhaps the most limited and primitive method is surgical manipulation. But then there are times when all that can be done is to remove diseased tissue. This is necessary far less often than our surgeons believe, but it is still a valid and occasionally appropriate form of body work. Acupuncture, the ancient Chinese therapy of balancing body energy, is a most useful way of working with the body. In addition to these two very different types of body work we can include the manipulative techniques of physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, massage and Rolfing. Added to these things done to us are those we ourselves do. This would include Yoga, jogging, dance and all forms of physical exercise and expression.

Psychotherapies

Much of the pain and trauma that we experience in our lives is the result of emotional and mental problems. There are a range of therapies that help us move towards an inner knowing and an integrative realignment of our psychological selves. It is not just the emotionally traumatised or mentally confused person that benefits from an exploration and healing of the recesses of our emotional and mental nature. There is much that can be learnt by the ordinary individual to promote wholeness. Liberating the potential of a person can holistically transform them, which in turn affects their whole world. Reviewing belief systems, self image, patterns of behaviour and deep-seated drives or motivations within a clear context can liberate great reserves of healing energy and affirm an individual’s life and purpose.

Within the range of therapies there may be differing views of a human being’s psychic make-up that focus upon different parts of our ‘inner geography’. But they can all aid in the release of mental and emotional blocks. Approaches range from traditional psychoanalysis to the humanistic therapies and those called transpersonal, which recognise and work with the spiritual dimension as well as other aspects of our being.

Spiritual integration

Inherent in the holistic view of humanity is the perception of an integrating centre, a spiritual core, a source of life and love. Healing can be brought about by integrating the experiences of daily existence with the inner core of our lives. There are many varieties of spiritual paths. The paths to God are as numerous as the people going there. In approaching human spirituality from the angle of healing, there are ways in which we can open to our higher selves, and ways in which others can affect our ‘spiritual bodies’. One approach would be prayer or a variety of meditation, and another spiritual healing or the techniques that work with what has been called the ‘subtle body’. A factor that must not be overlooked is the possibility of miracles, a profound form of healing, and perhaps the only time that healing is done for a person and then it is only done by the spirit.

In all this we can see how the inner process of healing can be helped by a multiplicity of approaches. Many are the ways to free up and liberate the body’s innate powers of wholeness and regeneration. However, no matter how sincere the attempts at healing, if we don’t also look at our lifestyle and way of being in the world to see what changes are indicated—the healing won’t really work.

An important first step in the process of healing is the removing of value judgements. Being ill is not ‘bad’ and being well is not ‘good’. This is not to deny that one is more preferable and appropriate, but the rigidity and pressure contained within any judgement of good and bad will itself contribute to the disease. Illness may often be an opportunity created within one’s life to change and transform, and seen this way, it may be approached with less resistance and disapproval. There are times when the problem is an opportunity to use strong will and fight the illness, and times to be still and at peace with the process. It is impossible to generalise as to the way of approaching the lesson offered. To judge it—and yourself—is a mistake.

It is worth remembering that we are what we eat, but also what we breathe, what we think, what we say, what we see. So whilst all of what has been said concerns our inner lives, the interaction with the environment we choose to live in is just as important. The important word here is choose. We can choose to change. We are powerful and free in our lives. If we cannot change the outer situation then we can change our attitude to it.

The belief system through which we interpret the world colours our experience of both the world and ourselves. Beliefs can limit our expression and the clear flow of energy and consciousness through us. It is good to examine our beliefs to see if they support our life and purpose. In tandem with this goes self-image. The way we see ourselves, our gifts and limitations, needs and strengths, physical appearance and health, will largely create us. Self-image can have a profound impact on health, as skin and weight problems demonstrate, although other factors may be involved too.

If our relationships are not healthy, we won’t be. We can create relationships that affirm us, that reinforce our movement towards health and wholeness. Consciously choose the people with whom you share your life and work. Do your home, work place and recreational space reflect to you joy and positivity? If not, then change it or yourself. This may be very difficult, but then that is what healing is about, transforming ourselves and our world.

The most important relationship of all is possibly the one we have with nature and the Planet. Well-being is dependent upon our interaction with Gaia, and wholeness can be expressed through a conscious interplay with the greater whole of which humanity is part. The spirit of life can freely flow from nature to humanity when given the opportunity. A mutuality of life is then created, the context within which all healthy relationships are built. This experience of nature may be climbing mountains or sitting under a tree. The form is not important. The openness to a communion with nature is.

What about the books we read, the films and television we watch, the billboards we see, the politics we support? Is the music we listen to good for our health? Are your friends good for you? These are all relevant questions, none of which have assumed answers. Healthy music is that which helps you to experience your wholeness. For some people this may be Bach whilst for others it may be The Grateful Dead. The task is taking responsibility for our own lives. We can choose who we want to be and then create ourselves!

A key to all self-healing is compassion. Expressing compassion for oneself creates an inner ease and clear perspective from which much can change and heal. Compassion grows in an openness to spirit in one’s life. The form is not important. The ineffable must be part of one’s life; meaning and significance, no matter how indefinable or subtle, must be actively present in one’s experience and expression. This may take the form of meditation, prayer or whatever works for each of us. The form is irrelevant, the content and attitude crucial. Openness to the experience of soul and spirit is healing, and affirms wholeness of being.

* Alice Bailey, Esoteric Healing, Lucis Press 1953 ‘Ibid

* Ibid

* J.E. Lovelock, Gaia, a New Look at Life on Earth, Oxford University Press, 1979.

* David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1980.

* These parallels are explored by Fritjof Capra in his excellent book The Tao of Physics, Fontana/Collins, 1975.

* Marilyn Ferguson, The Aquarian Conspiracy, Granada, 1980.

* J. Z. Young, Introduction to the Study of Man, Oxford University Press

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