Roots, Barks & Berries of the Pacific Northwest
5-Week Herbal Medicine Series
Chuckanut Center, Bellingham, Wa
Sundays - October-11 - November- 08-2026
11:30am - 1:30pm
Autumn is one of the most rewarding seasons for herbal medicine. As plants draw their energy inward, their roots, bark, and berries become rich with medicine and nourishment.
Join me for a five-week immersive journey exploring four of my favorite medicinal plants of the Pacific Northwest. Together we'll study these remarkable plant allies through the lenses of Western & Traditional Herbalism, Ayurveda, medicine making, along with direct personal experience.
This course is designed to deepen your relationship with our local medicinal plants—not only through study, but through observation, practice, and firsthand connection.
Week One: Foundations
We begin with an introduction to several foundational Ayurvedic concepts that will be woven throughout the course. Ayurveda offers a beautifully simple framework for understanding plants, people, and balance.
Topics include:
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The Doshas
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Agni (digestive fire)
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Dipana- digestive stimulants
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Ojas and vitality
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Basic Ayurvedic energetics
We will then explore traditional herbal medicine making, including:
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Tinctures
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Decoctions
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Herbal infusions
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Nourishing infusions
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Syrups
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Oxymels
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Herbal oils & medicated ghee
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Salves
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Poultices
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Simple ways to incorporate herbs into everyday cooking and spices
We conclude the evening with a guided blind plant meditation.
Rather than beginning with information, we begin with experience. The plant remains unknown while we spend 10–15 minutes quietly observing it with our senses, allowing us to set aside preconceived ideas about what the plant "does." Afterwards, we'll share our experiences together and reveal the identity of the plant.
Each participant will receive a tincture of that week's featured herb along with a few herbal gifts to continue working with at home.
During the week, I encourage you to spend time with the plant before researching it. Taste it, smell it, sit quietly with it, journal your observations, and notice how your relationship develops through direct experience.
Weeks Two Through Five
Each class follows a similar rhythm:
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Guided meditation with the plant you've been working with
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Group discussion and sharing circle
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In-depth plant monograph discussion including-
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Western & Traditional uses and historical context
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Herbal energetics
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Ayurvedic understanding of the herb
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Medicine making preparations
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Herbal formulations
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Safety considerations and contraindications
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Questions
Each class concludes with a new blind plant meditation, introducing the next herbal ally for the coming week.
You'll Receive
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Digital monograph for each featured plant
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Herbal medicine making handout
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Introduction to Ayurveda handout
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Four handcrafted herbal tinctures (one for each plant)
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Additional plant materials to work with throughout the course, which may include fresh or dried roots, bark, berries, or other seasonal herbal gifts
This is a hands-on, intuitive approach to herbalism—one that values listening, observation, and experience just as much as information.
Where: Chuckanut Center, Bellingham, Washington
Sundays - October-11 - November- 08-2026
11:30am - 1:30pm
Cost: $325 for the complete five-week series.
Participants enrolled in this course will also receive 20% off the Elecampane Harvest & Medicine Workshop. The two classes complement one another beautifully, offering additional hands-on experience harvesting, preparing, and working with medicinal roots.
Sign up via eventbrite-
Meeting Elecampane:
A Hands-On Harvest & Herbal Medicine Workshop
Saturday, October 24 • 10 AM - 1 PM
Chuckanut Center | Bellingham, WA
We invite you to join us for the Elecampane harvest here at the Chuckanut Center. This year we have an abundant crop of this beloved medicinal root, and it felt like the perfect opportunity to share a hands-on day of harvesting, learning, and making medicine together.
Elecampane has long been valued in traditional herbal practices and is a wonderful plant to get to know through the process of growing, harvesting, and preparing it. There is something special about working with roots — slowing down, digging beneath the soil, and connecting with the deeper parts of the plant.
During this workshop, we will spend time getting to know Elecampane as a plant ally, learning about its history and traditional uses, and exploring ways to bring it into the home apothecary.
Together we will:
• Harvest fresh Elecampane root and learn how to clean, prepare, and preserve it.
• Learn about Elecampane, its traditional uses, and its role in herbal practice.
• Explore practical ways to work with Elecampane in your home apothecary.
• Create an herbal remedy together from the fresh harvest.
You’ll leave with:
• Freshly harvested Elecampane root.
• A jar of the remedy we prepare together.
• A bottle of Elecampane honey tincture.
• Practical skills for harvesting, preparing, and working with Elecampane root.
Root harvesting is one of the most rewarding ways to deepen your relationship with medicinal plants. Join us for a day of digging, learning, and sharing in the abundance of the season.
Cost: $65
Plant Meditations
Each class invites us to sit with a different plant teacher. Together, we’ll create a space where we can be fully present with the “Plant Spirit” and one another. Each meditation will be unique, flowing with the energy of the plant we’re working with. We begin by taking the plant in tincture form, allowing its essence to imprint upon us. Then, we’ll meditate for about 20-30 minutes, tuning in to what the plant wants to share. Afterward, we’ll gather in a sharing circle to explore our individual impressions and insights.
To “sit” with a plant is to open ourselves to direct learning from the plants themselves. This practice is about connecting with the essence, or spirit, of the plant, and honing the skills to observe and listen deeply to the knowledge it has to offer. The gift of this practice is learning how to receive the intuitive wisdom of the plant world.
Suggested donation: $15
Medicine Making Series
4 classes: 2 hours each
dates and times TBA
In this exciting Medicine Making Series, we will explore and demonstrate the best ways to process herbs into medicine. The series will consist of four consecutive classes, each with a unique theme:
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Tinctures: Tinctures are one of the most popular and convenient ways to take herbs. These alcohol-based extracts can last up to 10 years if stored away from intense heat and sunlight. However, tinctures are effective only for plants that are alcohol-soluble, so it's important to verify this before making a tincture. In this class, we’ll explore the differences between fresh and dried plant preparations using various menstruums, styles, and formulations.
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Herbal Infused Honeys and Syrups: This week, we’ll focus on delicious and nourishing ways to extract and preserve the beneficial properties of herbs and mushrooms. Honey is an excellent carrier, and syrups are a great option for water-soluble plants, especially for children of all ages. We will explore different methods of making syrups and honeys, each offering its own unique possibilities.
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Medicinal Oils, Medicated Salves, Poultices, and Compresses: This class will focus on the topical applications of herbs. We’ll start with herbal oils as a great way to deliver herbs to the skin, hair, and lymphatic system. Oils are a potent herbal carrier and serve as the foundation for making salves.
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Tea-Making: Who doesn’t love tea? In this class, we’ll explore various ways to create water extracts from herbs. You’ll learn how to combine herbs for custom tea blends, and experiment with the differences between long infusions, hot and cold decoctions, and simple teas.
Each week, class participants will take home a different medicine we create together, along with notes on how to make these medicines at home.
Ayurvedic Daily Routine:
Introduction to the Lifestyle Practice of “Dinacharya”
Bellingham, Wa
Date and time TBA
Are you ready to transform your daily life and elevate your well-being?
In this immersive 2.5-hour workshop, we will dive into Dinacharya, the Ayurvedic practice of daily routine and lifestyle, designed to balance and rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit.
Dinacharya, an ancient and time-honored tradition, offers a blueprint for living in harmony with the rhythms of nature. In this class, we’ll guide you through each step of this holistic routine, exploring how these practices have been passed down for centuries and why they continue to impact our lives today.
You will gain practical knowledge and tools to cultivate a routine that aligns with your unique constitution and enhances your vitality. We’ll uncover the transformative benefits of each practice and how it nurtures the body, mind, and spirit, leaving you feeling grounded and empowered.
Here’s a glimpse of what we’ll explore:
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Ayurvedic Massage: Learn the art of self-care with Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic oil massage technique, which promotes circulation, detoxification, and mental clarity.
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The Impact of Time on Doshas: Understand the Ayurvedic wisdom behind the timing of daily activities and how different times of day can influence the three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—shaping your energy and health.
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Oil Pulling: Explore this ancient Ayurvedic practice for detoxifying the mouth, improving oral health, and enhancing overall vitality.
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The Magic of Triphala: Uncover the secrets of this revered herbal blend, known for its detoxifying, rejuvenating, and digestive benefits.
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The Power of Gratitude and Prayer: Learn how to incorporate daily gratitude and spiritual practices that cultivate inner peace, clarity, and a deeper connection to yourself.
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Neem Turmeric Balls: Experience the healing benefits of Neem and Turmeric, two potent Ayurvedic herbs known for their detoxifying and immune-boosting properties, and how to make these easy-to-use health-boosting balls.
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More...