Meghan Rhodes MCPP MAPA

Student Story - The Importance of Herbal Medicine to Keeley - Our Herbalism Course

Curious to hear about the importance of herbal medicine for one of our intensive herbalism course students in her own words? Keeley joined the journey for year one of our intensive herbalism course - Awaken Herbal Wisdom - in 2024. Along the journey, she rediscovered the magic of the plants all around her and has been avidly integrating them into her daily life. Read on to hear more of her experience.
the importance of herbal medicine to one of our students pressing a tincture

Tell us about the importance of herbal medicine to you personally. 

I wanted to learn more about herbs and how they could help us to heal. My Dad had an old notebook when I was little that my grandfather used to write in with remedies of different plants. It was really interesting and felt like a magical spell book. I feel this kind of knowledge is disappearing. It's not being passed down any more.

Why did you choose to enrol on our intensive herbalism course? 

I found Meghan and her course, Awaken Herbal Wisdom, by searching for herbal courses around Yorkshire. I really liked the thought of gatherings for each season and online weekly lessons too. I started to follow Meghan on Instagram. I loved her posts and felt inspired by her love and connection to nature and the earth.

What did you most enjoy about your journey on our herbalism course? 

From our first meeting Meghan made everything feel so special, like everything was a gift and our journey together as a group was going to be a wonderful one, which it has been. The setting is beautiful, the yurt and the herb garden are so magical.

What most surprised you about your journey whilst exploring the importance of herbal medicine? 

What surprised me the most was learning about all the herbs (we wrongly assume are weeds) we already have around us. They are so easily accessible! They contain so much goodness and nourishment and we can easily forage or grow them ourselves!

How has taking our intensive herbalism course impacted your life? 

The course has had a huge impact on my life. I use herbs everyday now. I have started making my own oils, creams, body butters and want to make some tinctures for our medicine box at home!

What's the one word you would use to describe how you feel having completed one year of Awaken Herbal Wisdom?

Inspired

If you could share one piece of advice to someone considering joining Awaken Herbal Wisdom, what would you tell them?

For anyone considering doing the Awaken Herbal Wisdom course, I would say go for it. It’s been such an amazing year. I’ve loved every minute! I’m learning so much from Meghan and the others in the group. It’s been such a beautiful and special experience. It has enriched my life more than I could have ever imagined. 

What's the next step for you on your herbal journey?

My next step is to carry on using the herbs and learning more.

Meghan’s reflections on Keeley's journey

It has been magical to watch Keeley’s instinctive understanding of the importance of herbal medicine flourish into a much deeper knowing and practice in her daily life. From one ‘aha!’ moment to the next, each time something has clicked for Keeley, it’s made herbal medicine that much more accessible for her. Her landscape has come alive, with a wash of green and weeds turning into hedgerows bursting with familiar plant friends full of medicine. Her cafetiere has been snaffled for making big batches of herbal tea for drinking and baths. She’s bringing the joy and empowerment of making her own herbal creams and oils into her family. There is absolutely no stopping her!

Keeley has also been one of the beating hearts of her cohort, spearheading organising a lovely dinner out for the group after their autumn gathering - something that is now snowballing into talks of sharing a beautiful cottage for everyone who travels a bit further to come to the yurt, cooking meals together and more. This cohort is unstoppable and they will be brewing up an even deeper connection with their late night chats and self-made feasts! I know from my own experience when I was training in herbal medicine these gatherings can be the beginning of friendships that last a lifetime, and I’m so pleased for Keeley and the entire group to be igniting that flame!

If you’re feeling inspired by Keeley's experience on our intensive herbal medicine course, you’re very welcome to take the next step on your journey learning herbal medicine with us. The course - Awaken Herbal Wisdom - spans all four seasons and gets herbalism both deep into your bones and your daily life. Registration for our herbal medicine course opens each autumn to the waiting list first, so click here to make sure your name is on it. You’ll receive updates on the current year’s cohort as they go on their own journeys and then first access when enrolment opens. For more details about the structure, content and energy of our intensive herbalist course, you can learn more here.

Whatever your next step is in uncovering the importance of herbal medicine to you, I hope you enjoy the journey!

At Rhodes Roots & Remedies School of Herbal Medicine, our practice of herbalism is rooted in the belief that we must remember, reclaim and relearn our knowledge of our bodies, our autonomy and how to work with plant medicine in order to bring control of our own health back into our families and homes for a sustainable future for ourselves and the planet. Through our intensive herbalism course, we facilitate the development of confident, empowered herbalists, attuned to the messages of their bodies and the natural world. Living the deep wisdom of herbal medicine within themselves, their homes and their communities, they uplift themselves and others, creating a stronger society organically. We do hope you'll join us on your journey!

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