Join us for the herbal medicine correspondence course and begin a year-long adventure into the deep and magical art of herbalism. The herbal medicine correspondence course is a home study plan consisting of 12 in-depth lessons with herbalist Gail Faith Edwards as your guide. The Correspondence Course fee is $500. A $100 deposit will hold your place, and all books and materials will be sent as soon as payment is received in full. You may begin the course at any time that is convenient for you. Our next group class begins May 15, 2008. "In an unassuming and gentle presentation, Gail Faith Edwards has taught me more practical and hands on knowledge about herbs than I would have thought possible from a correspondence course. She captures the true essence of herbal medicine with her knowledge of folklore, scientific facts, and her wise spirit. Thank you, Gail, for giving me the foundation to make herbal nutrition and medicine a part of my daily life." The herbal medicine correspondence course material and lesson progression is outlined below. The course package will arrive all at once and includes a spiral-bound course book, signed copy of Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs, which will serve as a work and reference book, suggested & required reading lists, the opportunity for unlimited email discussion with Gail to answer questions and offer clarifications, one 15 minute phone conversation per lesson, several dried herb samples, and a certificate of completion when you've finished the course. In addition, herbal correspondence course students may attend the Mid-Summer Medicine Making Weekend July 2008 for half the fee. You may take as much time as needed for each lesson and up to 18 months to complete the entire 12 lesson home study course. Your non-refundable deposit of $100 is due upon registration and the remaining $400 due before the course materials are sent. You can pay by sending a check through the mail, or with a credit card below. "I've searched all over the internet for an herbal medicine home-study course and yours seems to be by far the most extensive and reasonably priced course offered anywhere. Please sign me up!" Although the lessons are designed to flow along with the seasons and are paced for approximately a month's duration, you may take longer, or less than, than one month, if necessary, to complete each project. Each herbal correspondence course student will have plenty of individual attention, and each course will be tailored specifically to the needs of the student. This herbalism home study course has been designed to provide you with a strong foundation of herbal knowledge that you can build upon for the rest of your life. Its purpose is to empower you to use herbs and herbal medicines safely and with confidence to nourish and heal yourself, family and friends. This course offers the aspiring herbalist and serious student of herbalism an excellent springboard from which to build a well grounded career as an herbal healer. Nurses and other health care providers will find this approach to the study of herbalism especially inspiring and fruitful for their work. "Gail Faith Edwards has been a wonderful teacher and mentor. Always available to answer questions and give great feedback. She has encouraged, praised and challenged me. Most importantly, as a true wise woman, she has passed on to me the deep, spiritual respect for the earth and all that grows here. My wild heart sings with the knowledge I've gained through this course and the memories that have been awakened. Thank you, Gail." Note that depending on when you begin the course, the order of lessons may be adjusted so that the gardening and active medicine making and gathering live plants occurs during the appropriate time of year. Herbal Correspondence Course Lesson 1 - Foundation - Wise Woman Tradition, Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs, The Heart as an Organ of Perception, Choosing an Herbal Ally, Sacred Plant Medicine, Earth Awareness, Great Goddess, Shamanism Lesson 2 - Nourishing Ourselves to Optimum Health & Vitality, Vitamins & Minerals - well developed information on each vitamin and mineral, the importance of each, what they do, where to find them, specific herbs and foods that offer them, how to recognize and overcome deficiencies, plant chemistry and constituents of the healing herbs Lesson 3 - Herbs for Women's Health, Herbs for Men's Health, nourishing the reproductive and endocrine systems, fertility, PMS, menopause/andropause, hormonal chemistry, herbs that effect, nourish, strengthen and tone these systems, delivery methods, dosages, contraindications Lesson 4 - Water Based Medicines � making teas, infusions, decoctions, syrups, meads and fermented beverages, the healing properties of honey & yeasts, herbal water baths Lesson 5 � The Immune System, physiology, herbs to nourish our immunity, herbal antibiotics, lichens, fungus, and mushrooms that enhance immunity, methods of delivery, dosages, contraindications Lesson 6 - The Nervous System & Brain, physiology, herbs to nourish, strengthen and tone, herbs to alleviate stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, brain chemistry imbalances, herbal antidepressants as alternatives to Prozac, etc. Herbs for Mind and Spirit, Chronic and Acute Pain, physiology, pharmacology, herbs that relieve pain, applications, dosages and contraindications Lesson 7 - Introduction to Organic Herb Gardening - nourishing the soil, seed planting and plant harvesting according to phases of the moon, permaculture, compost, sheet mulching, weeding and cultivation, Spring Tonics, Basic Botany for Herbalists, Lesson 8 - Harvesting and Processing Herbs - wildgathering with reverence and respect, ground rules, techniques for drying herbs, proper storage, using dried herbs, making pills, powders, capsules, suppositories, poultices and compresses. Lesson 9 - Spirit Based Medicines - Making herbal tinctures in alcohol, vinegar and glycerin, using both fresh and dried pant material and different preparation methods, how to choose the menstrum according to what you are treating, what constituents you are looking for, decanting and storage, dosages, delivery methods, contraindications. Lesson 10 - Oil Based Medicines - making infused oils from fresh and dried plant material, safe use of essential oils, aromatherapy, making salves, waxes, lotions and creams Lesson 11 - Digestion, Bones, Heart & Circulation - Physiology and pharmacology, herbs to nourish, strengthen and heal these systems, delivery methods, dosages, contraindications. Lesson 12 - Council of the Herbal Allies - Earth Songs Heal Her - Initiation and Commencement Herbal Medicine Correspondence Course Fee is $500. A non-refundable deposit of $100 is due upon registration. Several choices of payment follow: Pay in full $500 here. Herbal Medicine Correspondence Course hecoco$500.00 Herbalism Correspondence Course Press this button if you have already paid your $100 deposit and wish to pay the remainder of $400 here. remainder$400.00 Herbalism Correspondence Course - Initial deposit Herbal Medicine Correspondence Course - Press this button to leave your $100 deposit for the herbal medicine correspondence course. dep$100.00 study herbalism and herbal medicine with Gail Faith EdwardsHerbalism, shamanism, art & science of herbal medicine and our wild hearts all come together here at the Blessed Maine Herb Farm School of Herbal Medicine.