'I will only use plants that are backed by scientific research'

When we put on our blinders such as saying  'I will only use plants that are backed by scientific research' we severely limit our ability to have a complex understanding of herbalism and discredit our own physiology and experience. We also truncate our learning potential if we ignore the experience of those who have gone before as well as the beauty that comes from a coevolved relationship of mutual survival.

Don't get me wrong. SCIENCE IS AMAZING. But I insert scientific understandings, leaps, and clarifications into the rich tapestry of my understanding of herbal medicine that includes traditional use, instinct & intuition, clinical experience, AND medical science/research studies .

I think about plants like mimosa that are INCREDIBLY important to my pharmacopea that have virtually no scientific research to back up its properties. Also, I have never had a person take mimosa and say..."Yeah, I felt nothing, this doesn't work."

I know what it feels like to take an herb.

• How does it shift my mindset?

• Does it give me another perspective?

• How has it helped my clients?

• How does it feel when it is combined with other plants?

• What have my teachers seen personally and in their clients?

• How do my students internalize a plant?

• What happens to a rat's anxiety response when this plant is administered?

• What happens to blood markers, or membrane potentials, or cortisol levels, or blood glucose when a plant is administered?

• How does that align with my visceral and working knowledge of my 14 years of experience?

What key data points help to inform your practice of herbalism?