November 1, 2026

Happy Sunday!

First, I apologize for not writing on Wednesday. Or Thursday, as I meant to do. The reason I didn't is because I have been in a healing state, heavy duty, since Monday afternoon. I finally had the second round of oral surgery, and this time it was more serious and extremely painful.

This is Saturday as I write to you, and the entire side of my head and ear and of course the sockets, still hurt....although I'm no longer as incapacitated. Saying that makes me feel weak, even though I know it's wise to tend to the body-mind so it can do its job, which is to heal. And it's wise to tend to meditation and prayer, so that God can take the reins.

The pain has caused me to sleep a lot....the body's way of saying, "Rest will help you heal."

You may be wondering...."Did she use herbs and essential oils in this process?"

The answer is, "Yes. Quite a few of them, for various things. And I also even opted to use one of the pharmaceutical prescriptions the dentist advised for the pain...only just 1/4 to 1/2 or less of the dose. I did not use acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

This was hard for me to do...break my run of having no OTC or Rx in my system for a decade and a half....but like I always say, "Sometimes the medical system has something for us we need."

So this note will be short, and I'll leave you with some fall things to do and consider if you like, just below.

*****************************

There comes a time in every herbalist's (and aromatherapist's) life when one knows a decent amount. And they feel like they know a whole lot more than they do. This is the phase where a person knows enough to be dangerous.

I remember this phase well. A couple two-three ish years (I'm SUPER bad at time) into my herbal studies--so about 18 ish years ago(?), once I had my first snail mail course under my belt and had amassed a small herbal resource library and a cupboard of remedies....well, I thought I knew it all!

My friends were coming to me for help, and so were my neighbors. My family mostly thought I was crazy, but they coddled me along anyway. 😂

I can remember saying the dumbest things. "Herbs can cure just about anything!"

"Here, just take this special herbal probiotic, and your histamine problem will be completely solved. Forever."

"Urinary tract issues? Try x-y-z!"

Besides not knowing what I didn't know about the human body, I also was operating with a completely allopathic mindset way back then. That's when we ignore the holistic nature of the body, the way all the parts work in synergy with one another, and include our entire terrain (mind, spirit, emotions....and the physical body).

Allopathic-type herbalist thinking is simplistic: "Got a problem? Here. Rub some of this salve on yourself." (Without considering the situation, the person, or even the herbs and essential oils involved in the ingredients---because comfrey is supposed to work all the time, right?)

When I hear my newer students using this kind of language, it sure brings me back to those days long ago....in a good way. It reminds me of the excitement of learning! It reminds me of my own growth. It reminds me of the growth of hundreds of my students in our school over the many years!

And it once again underscores for me how difficult it is (thank goodness) to hurt someone with "safe" herbs. One can still potentially do a lot of damage with certain herbs, and I've even seen some of these in a shop recently (without directions, uses, full ingredients, or cautions) which makes me cringe.....but I'm sure the woman selling them must be in this very place: she probably knows just enough to be dangerous.

Knowing enough to be dangerous (KETBD) is a phase that all herbalists and natural healers must enter into and be wise enough to recognize....and then the exit from that stage is often quick for most of us.

The reason it's pretty fast is because when the realization hits that you might be a little dangerous, this spurs you to want to dive deeper into your learning so you can practice safely and not hurt anyone.

What comes up in the phase after being a bit dangerous is where we begin to understand that we MUST learn about the plants' phytochemistry; the individual's constitution; and also how to think through a specific situation.

The phase after "knowing enough to be dangerous" is where the real magic happens!

But first, we have to get through the KETBD (Knowing Enough to Be Dangerous) phase. Knowing enough to be dangerous is an important phase to experience, and sometimes we will make mistakes.

I remember the first time I made cayenne infused herbal oil, and I asked Mr. V. to be my guinea pig. So, without understanding the power of the oil (it wasn't made into a salve yet or mixed with other infused oils which would have diluted its power), I just dumped some on his sore shoulders and rubbed it deeply in.

After a minute, he looked at me and said, "It kind of hurts." Then he ran outside and stood without his shirt in the snowstorm.

"OOPS......"

I felt terrible. He laughed. Luckily there were no blisters, although his skin was redder than I've ever seen it before or since. I then rubbed some soothing St. John's wort salve with calendula over his skin, and that brought immediate relief.

But what an experience..... And of course there have been a few others. Inside our amazing student community, in the Hang Out, we have a section called, "It Went Wonky." It's a place filled with OOPses, so that we all learn and laugh together.

Here's the thing: If an herbalist doesn't have some experiences (GOOFs) like this, then they're not practicing. They're not working with the plants. They're not learning through the value of the work. And, it's HIGHLY likely they're not learning in a community of some kind.

I wasn't learning in a community. There was nothing available online back then for me. I had nobody to ask.

And worse, I had nobody to reassure me that I hadn't damaged my poor hubs' back forever----and to teach me about what had happened, why it happened, the fact that it doesn't happen with everyone, and to make me feel better about the experience.

All those aspects are incredibly important to a person's journey in herbal learning. Having a real person to ask, and better yet, a REAL community who cares about you and where safety is #1 is vital.

And it's why I created the Confident Herbalist Tribe, our membership, which has many aspects for complete herbal learning and community.

Especially these days with what is going on in the online world, we need a safe (and legitimate) space to learn. Scary stuff is out there now.

So, I want to invite you to a special week of herbal action called.....

🎉 🌿 Herbalist Coaching Week! 🌿 💃🏻

This is a super special week, and we've never ever done anything like this before. Each day, I'll teach a session on an important aspect about learning herbalism, and there will be opportunities to learn more inside the community.

It officially starts November 9th (Monday), at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time. Yes, replays will be available for a few days!

You'll come away:

🌼 Deeply understanding a plant or two, an immersion via text (book), video, and remedy making

🌿 You'll decide on your own learning path. This is VERY important, and most people never even consider this as they start learning. But it will guide you in the choices you make so you save time and money...and stress.

🌼 You'll experience community! The best one out there. Only Confident Herbalist Tribe members are allowed in the Tribe portion, but we're opening a special Coaching Week Community within our larger student community so you can experience a bit of what our students do, and see the wealth of knowledge, information (searchable), support, and like-minded thinking we have.

🌿 You'll have one or more opportunities to get your questions answered! I'm holding these sessions on zoom (meeting style), so these will be very interactive. And these sessions will include fun giveaways!

​This is all free for everyone!​

There is also a special VIP upgrade option, and this choice is extremely valuable....

IMPORTANT NOTE to our current Ditch the Drugstore, Family Herbalist Certification students, Tribe members, and Aromatherapy Certification students:

You already have access to everything, even the VIP stuff!

No need to sign up for or pay for anything at all. In fact, I encourage you to join in on the fun! You'll see the special Herbalist Coaching group inside your version of the community, no matter which course(s) you're enrolled in! So come join in right inside the student community. The special Herbalist Coaching Group is inside the Hang Out.

Monday, November 2, we'll begin interacting inside the group! So please introduce yourself and tell us about your herbal practice!

Then, on Sunday, November 8, we'll have our big Kick-Off Party, then the daily sessions begin Monday, November 9th.

I'd love to see you inside! It's going to be fun!

​Join us HERE!​

P.S. I refuse to do any kind of private group on Facebook. Our community is on our own platform inside Mighty Networks, so you can freely interact with others. And, there are people to help you there.

*****************************

A Fall Pumpkin Oatmeal Recipe I'm Obsessed With

This afternoon, I finally got around to making homemade pumpkin puree with two little sugar pumpkins I got from a local co-op. I couldn't find seeds to grow them so all my pumpkins in garden are either for decorations or for more "squash-y" recipes, LOL.

If you know me, you know I love, LOVE pumpkin anything!

So here's a recipe for baked pumpkin oatmeal. I got this recipe from Sally's Baking website.

This isn't like soft mushy oatmeal you eat like cereal; and it's also not like an oatmeal cookie bar. It's kind of in-between. You can make it during a meal prep time then eat it for a few days and freeze any that doesn't get consumed pretty quickly.

It's soft and chewy, easy to make in just one bowl and your baking pan. Winner!

This note has gotten long, and my head is throbbing, so I left the direct link above for you. Enjoy!

*************************

A couple more pumpkin links.....

I've shared this one before, but since we're talking about food and we have new people on the newsletter who may not have seen it....the recipe below is DELICIOUS and also (better) nutrient dense.

​Pumpkin and Ground Beef Soup​

Easy. One pot. Fast!

And....it's what I'm making tonight, only I'm using ground venison.

**************

I love making our own soaps....only these days I don't have much time. But I can't let fall go by without making three of my soap recipes that I love best, and one of these is made with pumpkin puree!

**I suggest using canned pumpkin (not pie filling---real puree) because it has less moisture than homemade puree, which affects the final soap....

​Pumpkin Spice Handmade Soap Recipe​

Have fun with this one! It's fabulous and great for your skin!

*****************

Remember, if you are missing my Encouragement and Inspiration, it's now over on Substack at Keep Your Lamp Lit! I'll be catching up over there, too.

"Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise." --Jeremiah 17:14

Have a beautiful and blessed Sunday today! And if you're interested in deepening your herbal studies, or tightening up old loose ends, or working on your practice in a more advanced way, join us for Herbalist Coaching Week!​

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Be sure to pre-order my book, Natural Wellness with Herbal Medicine and Essential Oils so it will be in your mailbox November 17th! Just in time for the holidays!