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June 5, 2025

Happy Day, Reader

I apologize that our weekly note is a day late, and this is because I'm treading water with all the things that have to be done in this move of our home and apothecary/clinic to one single place an hour away. I had no idea the move would be this big.

I'm staying positive with the thought that it's a good thing to get to reorganize, declutter, and get a fresh start.

Before we dive into today’s herbal topic on a popular question I get asked about ALL the time (How do you know what herb to choose? and other variations), here’s a quote that always grounds me when I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the things to learn:

Isn’t that beautiful?

To merge with a thing — not conquer it, not memorize it, but to become one with its nature. That’s what great herbalism is all about. Not just reading herb books or memorizing Latin names (although those are fun too!), but feeling the plants, watching and listening to what they’re telling us over all seasons, and finally matching them with the people we work with, whether it's just our own self or many, many others.

Which brings me to today’s very special topic:

🌿 Herbal Energetics: Why It’s the Hidden Key to Becoming a Great Herbalist

Energetics might sound a little mystical at first—something airy or hard to grasp. Some even feel it's too "woo." But really, it’s all about paying attention to the qualities of herbs and how they interact with the qualities of individual people and specific conditions.

People are all different. Big Pharma likes to treat us all the same, to give us a small window of "normal," and to prescribe their drugs accordingly. And this is why so many of us don't feel well on drugs, have terrible side effects, or they just don't work at all.

Medicinal plants are not drugs, although they do have drug-like actions. It's up to a good herbalist to know medicinal plants well and to be able to match them with what each individual needs.

When we consider which plants to use, we’re talking about things like:

• Is this herb warming or cooling?
• Is it moistening or drying?
• Does it move things (like stuck lymph or unpleasant emotions), or does it ground and settle?

Every herb has its own “personality,” and when we understand that, we can match it to the right person's needs at the right time.

This is the difference between giving “an herb for a headache” versus giving the right herb for that specific person’s specific type of headache.

Energetics is how we stop treating symptoms (treating herbs like drugs) and start supporting humans.

And yes—there’s real science under it all!

The Beautiful Bridge Between Tradition & Modern Science

Long before herbalists had microscopes or chemical assays, they noticed patterns: ginger made people feel warmer. Chamomile calmed both upset bellies and frazzled nerves. Peppermint cleared the mind and cooled a flushed face.

They used words like hot, dry, moist, and cold to describe what they saw again and again. These weren’t guesses or old wives’ tales—they were observations from generations of healers working closely with plants and people.

Fast forward to today, and science is finally catching up:

• Warming herbs like ginger and cayenne stimulate circulation and activate heat-sensitive TRP channels in our cells.
• Cooling herbs like violet and marshmallow contain mucilaginous compounds that soothe inflamed tissues and calm irritated mucous membranes.
• Moving herbs like rosemary and tulsi can increase mental clarity and circulation, while grounding herbs like ashwagandha, motherwort, or black cohosh calm the nervous system and gently anchor us back into our bodies.

Energetics isn’t the opposite of science—it’s just another language to describe what’s happening in the body, with the plants' actions, and the specific situation.

Why Understanding Herbal Energetics Makes You a Better Herbalist

Have you ever given someone an herb that worked beautifully for you, but didn’t do a thing for them? Or worse, seemed to make them feel off?

Let’s look at a quick example to understand why this is.

Say two people both have digestive issues.

• One is always cold, tends to feel bloated and sluggish after meals, and describes their digestion as “slow.”
• The other runs warm, feels flushed and irritable after eating, and says spicy foods make things worse.

Both might benefit from herbs that help digestion—but not the same herbs.

🌶️ For the cold, sluggish person, a warming carminative like ginger, cinnamon, or cardamom might be perfect. For some, even a touch of cayenne is the best choice. It just depends.

❄️ For the warm, irritated person, a cooling and calming herb like chamomile, fennel, or marshmallow root could bring relief. Again, it depends on the person.

Same “symptom”—different energetic state. When we understand that, everything changes.

Energetics helps us go from “What’s the best herb for bloating?” to “What does this person need right now?”

And that’s where the real healing happens.

That was a very simplistic example, and there's obviously a lot more that goes into creating herbal formulations or making the best choices for an individual, but it gives you an idea of what a holistic herbalist considers.

We cover energetics often, organically, and specifically inside the Confident Herbalist Tribe! In fact, I'm starting a new series of special sessions inside the Tribe on Energetics next month!

Here’s Something I Love About Energetics…

It brings intuition and logic together in one place. 🤲

You get to use your senses—taste, touch, smell—and also bring in biochemistry, anatomy, and modern knowledge. It honors both the head and the heart.

When you taste astringency in raspberry leaf, you can feel its toning action. When you notice how chamomile softens tension, you begin to notice your own body relaxing, too. That’s when you know you’re not just reading about herbs—you’re living them.

And the more you play with this, the more confidence you’ll gain. I promise.

Try This: Start Noticing the Energetics in Your Daily Life

Want a gentle way to dip your toes into herbal energetics?

Here are three simple things to try:

1. Taste your herbs mindfully. Brew a single-herb tea and ask yourself:
   • Is this warming or cooling?
   • Does it feel moistening or drying?
   • Does it make me feel energized or calm?
2. Notice your body’s patterns.​
   Do you tend to run cold? Dry? Do you feel better in warm weather or cool air? This will help you discover your own constitution.
3. Watch how different herbs affect different people.​
   One person might love the lift of peppermint, while another finds it too stimulating. There’s no one-size-fits-all in herbalism—and that’s what makes it beautiful!

If You’re Feeling Overwhelmed…

That’s okay. Truly.

All good herbalists feel this way once they realize there's a LOT more to herbalism than treating the plants like a drug and asking, "What herb for x,y,z need."

Herbal energetics isn’t something you have to master overnight either.

It’s a journey of observation, curiosity, and care. The more you work with plants for medicine, the more you’ll begin to know just how to match them to the moment, situation, and person.

I’ve found over the years that learning energetics is like getting glasses after years of blurry vision—you suddenly see your herbal world in crystal clarity.

And once you do, you’ll never go back.

If you’ve ever wondered why some herbs click with your body while others don’t… or why one remedy works beautifully for your friend but not for you…

Now you know the secret: it’s all about energetics. 🌿

Understanding this not only makes you a better herbalist — it makes your relationship with herbs deeper, more joyful, and more intuitive.

Let’s keep walking this path together, one plant at a time.

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Herbal and Aromatic Formula for the Week

You're going to love this sweet roller bottle blend that will help to banish brain fog.

As you know, Mr. V. and I are in the middle of a HUGE move right now, and I just returned from a trip for my daughter's graduation from medical school in San Diego right in the middle of it. I'm exhausted.

My brain is definitely showing it!

If you're like me, you probably can't stand that feeling, right? Luckily...aromatics to the rescue!

Bye-Bye Brain Fog Roller Blend

Ingredients:

3 drops eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)

3 drops Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

3 drops Tangerine (Citrus reticulata) ... also known by Mandarin

3 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis syn. Salvia rosmarinus)

10 ml carrier oil

**You can substitute the peppermint with spearmint for a "softer" overtone, if you like. Substitutions for eucalyptus may include Saro or gentler Cardamom. Orange essential oil is a great substitution for tangerine, too.

Add your essential oils to a 10 ml roller bottle. Fill with jojoba or almond oil or other carrier oil. NOTE: I love using herbal infused oils as my carriers. A really nice combination might be peppermint-rosemary herbal infused oil.

Apply to your forehead, temples, around the ears and on the neck whenever you'd like to banish brain fog!

**This is a 4% dilution. It is not recommended for children under the age of 10. For children under 10, cut back on the drops by one drop per essential oil.

Enjoy!

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As we work diligently to complete the move process, I hope to be back to "normal" by the end of June. Then I'll be writing a book for a publishing company. It's a crazy, crazy time!

For those of you who have been asking when I'm opening up another group for Ditch the Drugstore or the Family Herbalist Certification since it's been nearly six months, I'm shooting for July, if possible. And..if you're already a student, you can go through any and all open student groups as many times as you want!

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Want to learn more about herbal energetics step by step? I’ve got something special coming up soon — stay tuned!

P.P.S. Did you know? As a newsletter reader, you have access to our FREE Resource Page that's filled with printable items. These are older documents, but are still relevant and have to do with all kinds of topics on homesteading, herbalism, aromatherapy, soap making, and more! The password is lovelife (no capitals or spaces, so watch that autocorrect!)

Thank you so much for being here, in our community!

Please forward this note along to a friend if you think they may enjoy it!

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This note is proudly sponsored by the Confident Herbalist Tribe, our signature herbal and aromatic membership for herbalists of all levels!

Join us!

Fun.

Community.

LOTS of herbal learning.

Specialty courses.

Plant masterclasses.

Live Q&A

Special Sessions.

And more, including nearly a thousand formulations between the massive amount of text materials!

The Confident Herbalist Tribe is the BEST way to support and enhance your herbal learning journey.

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