PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING Julia urcis, l.ac. ON March 13th, 2024 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

In this presentation we will take a look at the herb dì huáng, Rehmannia glutinosa. This herb is commonly referred to by its prepared form, shú dì huáng, and its raw form, shēng dì huáng. We will review its growing conditions, where it is historically cultivated in Asia, explore how Chinese medicine uses it in herbal formulas, discuss how people are using it in modern ways, and learn how it is prepared and processed for consumption.

Julia is a licensed acupuncturist, interdisciplinary herbalist, gardener, and geographer who is humbled by the incredible lineage of Chinese medicine and the legacy of Asian herbal wisdom.  She/her/they/them has resided in Nevada County since 2013, with a break from 2017 to 2020 to attend acupuncture school in Santa Cruz, CA. Julia had the fortunate experience of cultivating many Chinese herbs we use in our pharmacopeia in Nevada County, as well as with the celebrated farmer Peg Schafer at her Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm. She completed a two-year academic program in GIS and geospatial mapping. Julia advocates the domestic cultivation of Chinese herbal medicine with the non-profit Lilium Initiative and hopes that other practitioners will support the movement.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT WILL CLOSE ON MARCH 13TH, 2024 AT 12:00 PM PACIFIC TIME

Please note that our webinars are free only to current members of Lilium Initiative. All non-members can register for webinars by donating to Lilium Initiative (sliding scale). Our 501c3 nonprofit organization uses non-member donations to support our work.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING RACHAEL WITT, RH (AHG), EWCH ON FEBRUARY 22ND, 2024 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

The energetic system of herbal medicine is used in various cultures throughout the world. In this presentation, Rachael Witt will introduce herbal energetics from a TCM perspective. We will discuss the topics of the four properties and five flavors of herbs, as well as herbal therapeutic actions. In order to understand the applications of herbal energetics, it is important to learn the energetics of a person’s constitution and disease. Rachael will share ways of using herbal energetics in a practice as well as in one’s day-to-day interactions with herbs.

Rachael is an herbal educator and clinical herbalist based in the Pacific Northwest. She is the founder of Wildness Within; an herbal business that offers consultations, hand-made formulas and products, classes, workshops and an (in-person) apprenticeship program. Rachael’s practice is rooted in seasonal living; incorporating the interconnectedness of natural cycles, energetics and the Five Elements with our health and well-being. She uses Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostics to create herbal treatment plans that include Western, Chinese, Ayurvedic and regional herbs. 

Rachael is a bio-regional herbalist, yet she has worked with clients worldwide. Prior to her career in herbalism, she studied and worked as a plant ecologist and environmental educator in Ghana, Puerto Rico, Colombia and various places throughout the United States. She is passionate about ethnobotany and learning how people can integrate local plants as food and medicine. Her path as an herbalist is weaving together the sacred and profane, hands on Earth connection, mind/body/place awareness, as well as customized holistic healing protocols. Learn more about Rachael’s work at www.WildnessWithinLiving.com

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT WILL CLOSE ON FEBRUARY 22ND, 2024 AT 12:00 PM PACIFIC TIME

Please note that our webinars are free only to current members of Lilium Initiative. All non-members can register for webinars by donating to Lilium Initiative (sliding scale). Our 501c3 nonprofit organization uses non-member donations to support our work.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING ANDY ELLIS ON February 3rd, 2024 AT 2PM PT/3PM MT/4PM CT/5PM ET

THIS EVENT WILL BE OFFERED FOR OPTIONAL 2 CEU CREDITS FOR $50 ($25 PER CREDIT)

This class aims to introduce practitioners, students and pharmacy personnel to the processes and procedures that Chinese herbs undergo before they are used in decoctions, pills, powders, etc. We will discuss the primary processes that take place in the growing area such as cleaning, slicing and pruning and also those that are best performed at the dispensary such as mix-frying. We will discuss not only the procedures, but also the goals of each process.

While gaining an understanding of the processing of the herbs we relate this to the clinical relevance of processing and preparation. This includes the effect of processing on both the quality and functions of the herbs and when it is best to use, for example, dry-fried Bai Shao (white peony root) and when best to use the untreated herb. While mostly approaching this subject through historical references some modern scientific research will also be considered.

The overarching goal of the course is to help students to see the processes and procedures that affect herbs from harvest to herb pot. This includes students gaining an understanding of the reasons for processing herbs and the changes in clinical application that the processing bring about.

Initially, the lecture will give students an understanding of what processes are done to the herbs before they arrive at the herb shop or processing center such as cleaning, soaking, cutting, splitting, rasping etc. After that the lecture will help the student to understand how to perform basic herb-shop preparation of Chinese herbs including dry-frying, honey-frying, wine-frying etc. More complex preparations will also be discussed such as those applied to herbs such as Fu Zi and Ban Xia.

Andy Ellis, founder of Spring Wind Herbs, has extensive experience in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. Andy has been teaching and writing about Chinese medicine in the US and Taiwan since 1989 and has extensive knowledge about organoleptic qualities and experience in the correct identification of Chinese medicals.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 9AM PT ON FEBRUARY 3RD, 2024.

If you are a current Lilium Initiative member, register here:

If you are not a current member, or have not made a sliding scale donation, join or donate before you register:

If you are registering for CEU credits, please register here:

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING Thomas Avery garran ON january 25TH, 2024 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

Join Thomas Avery Garran, Ph.D. for an introduction to daodi practices for growing Chinese herbs.

Dr. Garran will introduce the concept of daodi and all that it entails, then he will highlight three herbs and their daodi growing requirements and processes. 

Please note that our webinars are free only to current members of Lilium Initiative. All non-members can register for webinars by donating to Lilium Initiative (sliding scale). Our 501c3 nonprofit organization uses non-member donations to support our work.

Thomas Avery Garran has been studying plant medicine for over 30 years. He lived in China from 2007 - 2023 and received his PhD in Materia Medica studies and Plant Pharmacy at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing: National Center for Materia Medica Resources and Daodi Herbs (the first non-Chinese recipient of this degree). He has a masters degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine and certificate in herbal medicine from the American School of Herbalism. Dr. Garran is the author of 2 books on the use of Western herbs in Chinese medicine (2008, 2014). He is the translator (with annotation) of the first book on growing and processing daodi Chinese herbs (2019) and the first men’s health book published in Chinese medicine (mid-17th century) ~ forthcoming. He is also the co-translator of a free e-book on the initial response to the covid outbreak by the Chinese medicine community in China. Dr. Garran has also published widely in both academic and herbal journals, and has as new Substack blog (ThomasAveryGarranPhD). Dr. Garran is the executive director of the East West School of Herbology and president of both Passiflora Press and Herb Whisperer, Inc., which focuses on agriculture of medicinal plants and education. He now resides in Western Massachusetts where he and his wife are building an herbal sanctuary and educational center.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING Julia urcis, l.ac. ON october 26TH, 2023 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

In this presentation we will take a look at the herb Paeonia lactiflora, bái sháo, the “Empress Herb.” We will review its growing conditions, where it is historically cultivated in Asia, explore how Chinese medicine uses it in herbal formulas, discuss how people are using it in modern ways, and learn how it is prepared and processed for consumption.

Julia is a licensed acupuncturist, interdisciplinary herbalist, gardener, and geographer who is humbled by the incredible lineage of Chinese medicine and the legacy of Asian herbal wisdom.  She/her/they/them has resided in Nevada County since 2013, with a break from 2017 to 2020 to attend acupuncture school in Santa Cruz, CA. Julia had the fortunate experience of cultivating many Chinese herbs we use in our pharmacopeia in Nevada County, as well as with the celebrated farmer Peg Schafer at her Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm. She completed a two-year academic program in GIS and geospatial mapping. She is currently practicing the medicine in Truckee and Nevada City, CA and loves it. Julia advocates the domestic cultivation of Chinese herbal medicine with the non-profit Lilium Initiative and hopes that other practitioners will support the movement.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING DENISE CUSACK ON September 21st, 2023 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

Home to small scale herb growers, let’s talk about planning your garden and crops. Do you grow medicinal plants for your family, your practice, or your herbal business? This webinar will cover using tools to plan, organize, and manage your gardens. Get tips on how to organize and plan your space for growing medicinal herbs that are annuals, perennials, and multi-year root harvest medicinals. Denise will share  some of the tools she uses to layout the gardens, plan seed starting, organize seedlings and planting out, ongoing management and harvesting, and drying/storing and managing your inventory so you know what you have as well as saving seeds for next year.  While everyone has a different space and needs, we all can better use technology and tools to organize our processes, plan out what we need and can use in a year, and maximize the returns. Denise will also share a few downloadable sheets to help you plan your own gardens and crops.

Denise Cusack is a clinical herbalist, certified aromatherapist, and a certified permaculture designer with over 20 years of experience in the natural health and wellness community.

Denise loves speaking and sharing with others how to use permaculture principles and ethics to make our gardens, families, businesses, and communities better via regenerative practices, mutual aid, collaborative community models, and sustainable smart systems.e

Denise is owner of Wholly Rooted Farm, a small family homestead and medicinal herb farm, where she grows over 250 varieties of medicinal herbs, and over 500 species including food, on a few acres. Denise is an avid seed saver and medicinal plant grower, and has volunteered as the Herbalists Without Borders Seed Grant Coordinator and US Donation Distribution Coordinator since 2018. Wholly Rooted Farm is a United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary, where we also grow at-risk and endangered medicinal and native plants. Wholly Rooted Farm is a medicinal herb farm, plant conservation space, and an online school educating folks on topics including permaculture and regenerative practices for herbalists, aromatherapists, and holistic practitioners. Find out more about Denise & Wholly Rooted at www.whollyrooted.com. 

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING RAchael witt, RH (AHG), EWCH ON august 16TH, 2023 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

Five Elements theory (Wu Xing) is a Chinese philosophy that describes the relationship between the elements of nature and the life force, qi, between them. It allows us to understand the process of change through the interactions of nature and physiology.

In this class, we will review the Five Element theory and how it can be used for health practices as well as a way of living with your local ecosystem. We will discuss the five elements in detail as a way to understand how each element applies to the physical processes in the body, colors, seasons, weather and herbs. In this way, participants will learn how this theory can be used for diagnosis and as a way to tune into seasonal cycles.

In this class you will learn:

·      The five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water

·      The interrelationship of the Organs and Elements

·      The Five Element Ko and Shen Cycles

·      Diagnosis and treatment principles 

·      Herbal, dietary and lifestyle in relationship to the elements

Rachael is an herbal educator and clinical herbalist based in the Pacific Northwest. She is the founder of Wildness Within; an herbal business that offers consultations, hand-made formulas and products, classes, workshops and an (in-person) apprenticeship program. Rachael’s practice is rooted in seasonal living; incorporating the interconnectedness of natural cycles, energetics and the Five Elements with our health and well-being. She uses Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostics to create herbal treatment plans that include Western, Chinese, Ayurvedic and regional herbs. 

Rachael is a bio-regional herbalist, yet she has worked with clients worldwide. Prior to her career in herbalism, she studied and worked as a plant ecologist and environmental educator in Ghana, Puerto Rico, Colombia and various places throughout the United States. She is passionate about ethnobotany and learning how people can integrate local plants as food and medicine. Her path as an herbalist is weaving together the sacred and profane, hands on Earth connection, mind/body/place awareness, as well as customized holistic healing protocols. Learn more about Rachael’s work at www.WildnessWithinLiving.com

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING ROBYN KLEIN, MS ON JULY 20TH, 2023 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

Chinese herbs can be identified using the same terminology and tools as Western herbs. This 2-hour webinar can get you started. Topics will include: tools and books needed, online resources, monocot and dicot, four parts of a flower, types of inflorescences, and how to use a plant key. Join us for the fun!

Robyn Klein has been teaching plant identification since 2016 with an emphasis on medicinal herbs. Growing Chinese herbs at 5500 feet in Montana, she discovered that seeds were not always the species as advertised, and sometimes a different genus! She’s learned a thing or two about how to use online floras and will share tips and resources in this 2-hour presentation.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING DENISE CUSACK ON JUNE 26TH, 2023 AT 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

Denise started growing medicinal herbs in pots on her deck living in the city. Over the past 20 years she has expanded from pots to a small urban garden, to a suburban lot, into multiple community garden plots, to bartering for growing space on a farm, to finally owning her few acres in the country. She has always looked to expand in simple ways that allow for more yield in more space, but without a lot more labor. Denise is a big proponent of keen observation and slow expansion to organically grow plantings of both perennial and annuals in polycultures, guilds, and integrated bed plantings. This allows her to adapt based on the data and conditions, to try new things and grow more varieties, and reduce the impact of pests or weather conditions through companion planting and buffer plants.  Denise will share more about her history of growing at different scales, tips for organically expanding food and medicine gardens using SMARTER goals, using regenerative practices to make the garden work better for you, integrating smart tools to help manage the space, managing integrated spaces using both annuals and perennials, and using that 11th permaculture principle, “Use Edges and Value the Marginal” to target areas of future growth and expansion in the garden. 

Denise Cusack is a clinical herbalist, certified aromatherapist, and a certified permaculture designer with over 20 years of experience in the natural health and wellness community.

Denise loves speaking and sharing with others how to use permaculture principles and ethics to make our gardens, families, businesses, and communities better via regenerative practices, mutual aid, collaborative community models, and sustainable smart systems.

Denise is owner of Wholly Rooted Farm, a small family homestead and medicinal herb farm, where she grows over 250 varieties of medicinal herbs, and over 500 species including food, on a few acres. Denise is an avid seed saver and medicinal plant grower, and has volunteered as the Herbalists Without Borders Seed Grant Coordinator and US Donation Distribution Coordinator since 2018. Wholly Rooted Farm is a United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary, where we also grow at-risk and endangered medicinal and native plants. Wholly Rooted Farm is a medicinal herb farm, plant conservation space, and an online school educating folks on topics including permaculture and regenerative practices for herbalists, aromatherapists, and holistic practitioners. Find out more about Denise & Wholly Rooted at www.whollyrooted.com. 

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

Please join us in welcoming TOBY DALY, PH.D., L.AC. on JUNE 15th, 2023 at 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

In this Lilium Initiative discussion, we will explore the history, clinical application, and latest research on Qing Hao (Artemisia annuae Herba), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), and Dan Shen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix). These explorations will include these medicinal substance's Nobel Prize winning applications that benefit millions of people every year. We will also look at these herbs' ability to address the virulent epidemic qualities of the Chinese medical pattern Gu Syndrome. We will discuss our three herb's bioactive components, including components that have been shown to regulate glucose levels so effectively that they are comparable to current first-line diabetic treatments. Finally, we will investigate their ability to treat and prevent cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular diseases which are among the leading causes of death in the United States and worldwide.

Throughout the discussion, a special emphasis will be placed on research that is not solely focused on isolated bioactive components extracted from the medicinals, but instead on research involving the entire crude medicinal. This emphasis will include a look at the first ever herbal formula to progress through FDA clinical trials. This formula's efficacy and lack of side effects propelled it through its trials and it will soon be submitted to regulatory authorities for approval for use in the general population.

Toby received his undergraduate degree in Food Science from the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. He began studying Chinese medicine in 1997 with Sunim Doam, a Korean monk trained in the Saam tradition. He earned his master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2002 upon completion of training at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco and Chengdu University in China.

During his four years of training in San Francisco, he interned with the prominent acupuncturist Dr. Angela Wu and learned to apply the lofty theories he was studying in school into the pragmatic setting of a busy clinic. In 2013, he developed the Chinese Nutritional Strategies app to provide digital access to the wealth of Chinese dietary wisdom. In 2016, he completed a PhD in Classical Chinese Medicine under the guidance of 88th generation Daoist priest Jeffery Yuen. In 2021, he developed the Chinese Medical Characters app to enable direct access to foundational Chinese medical terms and concepts. 

His first book, An Introduction to Chinese Medicine, will be published in April 2023.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

Registration for this event will close on June 15th, 2023 at 3:00 pm PDT.

Please join us in welcoming Jasmine Rose Oberste, DACM on May 18th, 2023 at 5PM PT/6PM MT/7PM CT/8PM ET

This presentation will identify some of the challenges to sustainability of East Asian medicinal herbs, examine growth habits of some commonly used herbs in terms of hardiness and climate zones, explore climate shifts already occurring and project into the future with consideration on how farmers may work to adapt to a shifting climate. 

Dr. Jasmine Rose Oberste, DACM, is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, certified Functional Medicine practitioner licensed in California and Hawaii and practices permaculture in a community-based restorative agriculture setting of schools and developing community gardens. She founded the Chinese Herb Garden, a non-profit project sponsored by Three Treasures Institute with the mission of promoting the sustainable use of Asian medicinal flora. www.chineseherbgarden.org

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THIS EVENT WITH A SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION HERE.

Registration for this event will open on April 25th, 2023 at 12pm PDT.

This educational event will focus on comparative botany and looks at wild and cultivated plants in commerce in the U.S. and from the TCM Materia Medica.

Consideration of botanical analogues can be useful in broadening the herbalists repertoire of tools to support clients therapeutic goals, bring about balance, and alleviate suffering. Developing fluency in phylogenetic relationships, phytochemistry, and exploring flavor, nature, actions between individual plants and formulas can support practitioners in being flexible and versatile in times of scarcity, unsustainability, or impracticality.

This 3 hr class will support critical thinking and offer practical, useful pearls related to the following:

• Developing resources from literature review and personal experience to understand flavor, nature, qi, actions, and indications of herbs not included in T.C.M. Materia medica

•  Herbs in common plant family and genus from different herbal traditions with identical or similar therapeutic applications

• Herbs with identical or similar constituents from different herbal traditions with similar or identical therapeutic applications

• Common culinary herbs and their botanical and therapeutic relationships to T.C.M. medicinal plants or formulas.

• Considerations for planting ‘at risk’ medicinal or use of botanical analogues as replacements

• Expansion of sensory evaluation skills and how to support patients in this development

PLEASE NOTE: THIS 3 HOUR CLASS WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS. THE FIRST PART WILL BE PRESENTED ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2022 AT 5PM. THE SECOND PART WILL BE PRESENTED ON NOVEMBER 17TH, 2022 AT 5PM.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

Registration for this event will close on November 17th, 2022 at 12pm PST.

ABOUT BEN ZAPPIN, L.Ac.

Benjamin Zappin, L.Ac.& Herbalist has been practicing and studying Western and Chinese herbal medicine for almost 30 years. Ben loves to teach clinical topics and is passionate about supporting fellow practitioners and staying rooted in their connection to plants and the natural world. Along with his wife Ingrid Bauer, M.D. Ben is the co-founder of Five Flavors Herbs, a herbal product company which manufactures liquid extracts of TCM formulas and Western herbs, offers contract manufacturing services, and operates one of the most dynamic East/West herbal pharmacies in the country. Find out more about Five Flavors Herbs practitioner resources here. Ben and Ingrid also operate and inhabit Sunset Ranch, a small farm in Nevada City!

EVENT RESOURCES:

Five Flavor Herbs in Oakland, California

Traditional Herbal Medicine all over the planet is founded on understanding our relationship with the natural environment and the elements, and how plants and herbs can be used to harmonize with nature and the elements within us for healing. Local, native plants live in the same climate and environment as we do, and therefore possess a special connection and healing intelligence they can impart to us.  As we create a sustainable herbal tradition, these local herbal allies have much to offer! In fact, we can find many medicinally applicable TCM relatives growing right here in our California ecosystems. In this talk, we explore the 5 Element nature of some of our common native herbs, as well as look at their clinical uses within the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

Registration for this event will close on October 20th, 2022 at 12pm PST.

Dr. Athene Eisenhardt, L.Ac., DAIM

Athene found her path in medicine and life by way of the plant world. Working professionally as a field botanist for Yosemite National Park led her to begin wildcrafting and using native California plants as medicine, and to study the Taoist 5 elements in nature. She has studied Western, Ayurvedic, and Chinese Herbalism, and also spent 2 years living and training in the indigenous plant spirit healing traditions of the Amazon. An active teacher, Athene is a member of the Herbology Faculty at Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College, Berkeley. As a Licensed Acupuncturist, Athene maintains a private practice in Oakland, CA where she offers 5 Element Acupuncture and Integrative Herbal Medicine. She is also a member of the Botanical Bus, Bilingual Mobile Herb Clinic.

Visit Athene's website at www.atheneisenhardt.com

This educational event will focus on comparative botany and looks at wild and cultivated plants in commerce in the U.S. and from the TCM Materia Medica.

Consideration of botanical analogues can be useful in broadening the herbalists repertoire of tools to support clients therapeutic goals, bring about balance, and alleviate suffering. Developing fluency in phylogenetic relationships, phytochemistry, and exploring flavor, nature, actions between individual plants and formulas can support practitioners in being flexible and versatile in times of scarcity, unsustainability, or impracticality.

This 3 hr class will support critical thinking and offer practical, useful pearls related to the following:

• Developing resources from literature review and personal experience to understand flavor, nature, qi, actions, and indications of herbs not included in T.C.M. Materia medica

• Herbs in common plant family and genus from different herbal traditions with identical or similar therapeutic applications

• Herbs with identical or similar constituents from different herbal traditions with similar or identical therapeutic applications

• Common culinary herbs and their botanical and therapeutic relationships to T.C.M. medicinal plants or formulas.

• Considerations for planting ‘at risk’ medicinal or use of botanical analogues as replacements

• Expansion of sensory evaluation skills and how to support patients in this development

PLEASE NOTE: THIS 3 HOUR CLASS WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS. THE FIRST PART WILL BE PRESENTED ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2022 AT 5PM. THE SECOND PART WILL BE PRESENTED ON NOVEMBER 17TH, 2022 AT 5PM.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT CLOSES AT 12 PM PST ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2022.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

ABOUT BENJAMIN ZAPPIN, L.AC.

Benjamin Zappin, L.Ac.& Herbalist has been practicing and studying Western and Chinese herbal medicine for almost 30 years. Ben loves to teach clinical topics and is passionate about supporting fellow practitioners and staying rooted in their connection to plants and the natural world. Along with his wife Ingrid Bauer, M.D., Ben is the co-founder of Five Flavors Herbs, a herbal product company which manufactures liquid extracts of TCM formulas and Western herbs, offers contract manufacturing services, and operates one of the most dynamic East/West herbal pharmacies in the country. Find out more about Five Flavors Herbs practitioner resources here. Ben and Ingrid also operate and inhabit Sunset Ranch, a small farm in Nevada City!

EVENT RESOURCES:

Five Flavor Herbs in Oakland, California

The Botanical Safety Handbook is an essential tool for anyone who manufactures, recommends, or uses herbal products. It provides safety information on over 500 species of herbs, derived from data compiled from clinical trials, pharmacological and toxicological studies, medical case reports, and historical texts.. In this workshop, we’ll review the ongoing process used to develop and peer review entries in the Botanical Safety Handbook, and then do a deep dive into several of the entries themselves to review the available safety science and how they are categorized.

5pm PST/6pm Mountain/7pm Central/8pm ET

Presented by Jane Wilson

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. BECOME A MEMBER AND ATTEND MANY OF OUR EVENTS FREE OF CHARGE HERE.

Registration for this event will close on Wednesday, August 24th at 11pm PST.

About Jane Wilson

Jane Wilson is the Director of Program Development for the American Herbal Products Association (APHA) where her duties include working with the AHPA management team to develop, implement, and manage AHPA programs, guidance documents, and other activities in support of the AHPA membership and other herbal products industry collaborators. She brings many years of experience developing collaborative relationships with representatives of industry, trade associations, public health officials, regulatory bodies, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to this role. Since joining AHPA in 2013, she has contributed to the ongoing development of AHPA guidance documents and public comments related to the impact of California Proposition 65 on herbal products. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in Toxicology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology, both earned at the University of Michigan.

Founded in 1982, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is the national trade association and voice of the herbal products industry. AHPA is comprised of more than 400 member companies, consisting primarily of domestic and foreign companies doing business as growers, processors, manufacturers and marketers of herbs and herbal products as foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and non-prescription drugs, and also including companies that provide expert services to the herbal trade.

AHPA’s Mission is to promote the responsible and sustainable commerce of herbal products to ensure that consumers have informed access to a wide variety of safe herbal goods. AHPA’s Vision is for high quality herbal products to be readily accessible to and broadly used by consumers.

In this presentation we will take a look at the herb Dan Shen, Salvia miltiorrhiza. We will explore how Chinese medicine uses it in herbal formulas, where is is historically cultivated in Asia, discuss how people are using it in modern ways, learn how it is processed and how it’s used in different ways according to the ways it is prepared, and reveal why this commonly used Salvia contains the word shen, translated as “spirit,” in its name.

FREE for all Lilium Initiative members. Registration is required. For all others, please support us with sliding scale donation to support our Initiative. Thank you.

Julia is a licensed acupuncturist, interdisciplinary herbalist, gardener, and geographer who is honored to support people in their healing journey. She/her/they/them has resided in Nevada County since 2013, with a break from 2017 to 2020 to attend acupuncture school in Santa Cruz, CA. Julia had the fortunate experience of growing many Chinese herbs we use in our pharmacopeia with the celebrated farmer Peg Schafer at her Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm. Following that, their interests in geography and metaphysics took her in a different direction for several years. She is currently practicing the medicine in Truckee and Nevada City, CA and loves the work. Julia advocates the domestic cultivation of Chinese herbal medicine with the non-profit Lilium Initiative and hopes that other practitioners will support the movement.

THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR ALL LILIUM INITIATIVE MEMBERS. TO BECOME A MEMBER PLEASE GO HERE.

IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER AND WOULD STILL LIKE TO JOIN US, WE ASK FOR A SMALL SLIDING SCALE DONATION TO SUPPORT THE LILIUM INITIATIVE. THANK YOU.

Registration will close on May 23rd at 11:00pm PT. Please register in advance to receive a Zoom link.

Lilium Initiative is looking for more volunteers to join us and our mission. This open house is an opportunity to find out more about our current projects at this public meeting & panel discussion. Everyone is welcome!

Open House Meeting Agenda

Sunday, October 17th, 3PM - 4:30/5:00PM PT

Use the button above to join us via Zoom today at 3pm PT!

Welcome & Background on Lilium Initiative

Farmer & Practitioner Panel - Farmers and Practitioners will introduce themselves, their farm or practice and how they work with Lilium Initiative.

Q&A & Discussion - Farmers and practitioners will address questions from the moderator and audience.

Projects and Subcommittees- Learn about what's happening at Lilium Initiative - current projects and projects in the works for the next 6-12 mo. Opportunities to plug in and get involved will be shared!

Breakout Sessions - Smaller breakout rooms will be available for the audience to ask questions, learn more about getting involved with Lilium Initiative, and discuss farmer or practitioner initiatives.

Registration Details

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED BUT YOU CAN STILL JOIN US. Click the button below to join us on Zoom once the meeting begins.

Please join the Sonoma County Herb Association for the first presentation in their new series “Foraging For the World of Mushrooms”

Saturday May 15, 2021 from 1:00-3:00

As his new book comes out “Christopher Hobb’s Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide”

https://www.storey.com/books/christopher-hobbss-medicinal-mushrooms-the-essential-guide/#

Christopher Hobbs will give a live general introduction to the world of mushrooms.

Tickets are sliding scale $35-$75 and can be purchased here.

This presentation is presented by the Sonoma County Herb Association as a fundraising event for The Sonoma County Herb Exchange.

BIO

Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D., L.Ac., A.H.G.

Dr. Christopher Hobbs is a fourth-generation, internationally renowned herbalist, licensed acupuncturist, herbal clinician, research scientist, consultant to the dietary supplement industry, expert witness, botanist, mycologist with over 35 years of experience.

The author or co-author of over 20 books, including the forthcoming “Christopher Hobbs’s Essential Guide to Visionary and Medicinal Mushrooms.”

Christopher has lectured on herbal medicine world-wide. He earned his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, with research and publication in evolutionary biology, biogeography, phylogenetics, plant chemistry, and ethnobotany.

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NEW BOOK

Here is the URL for the book from the publisher:

https://www.storey.com/books/christopher-hobbss-medicinal-mushrooms-the-essential-guide/#