Herbal Mini-Course

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theherbalacademy.com
LESSON 1: SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR
SUCCESS
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the My Herbal Study Tips Mini Course!
This course is designed not only for those new to
herbalism but also for those who have been herbal
students for some time. As an herbal student, you
will find there is just so much to learn in the field of
herbalism, from foundational principles and topic
studies to hands-on skills, assessment techniques,
legalities, and so much more. It’s certainly easy to
get overwhelmed by it all, so that’s where this
course comes in!
The name of this mini course, My Herbal Study

Tips, stems from our My Herbal Studies Facebook
community—a group where Herbal Academy
students can share their questions, successes,
herbal fails (aka learning experiences!), practical
experience, and tips with fellow students, group
moderators, and teachers. Our student community
and the strong bonds made there are something we
all cherish and will continue to invest in over the
coming years. We hope you’ll join us there!
Our goal with this mini course is to help you get

your herbal studies off on the right track (or reignite
your studies with some sound ways to restart if
you’re feeling a lull), give you some ideas on where
to begin and how to stay organized, and share
plenty of tips and botanical recipes to help you commit what you’re learning to memory. Ultimately, we
hope that this mini course will help enhance your studies so you can go above and beyond general
notetaking alone.
In this first lesson, you will learn about crafting a vision and creating small wins (AKA, goals!) for your
herbal journey, as these milestones will help to direct your studies. You’ll learn about the benefits of a
study schedule and how to create one for yourself. You’ll also find general and herb-specific study tips
designed to help you stick with your studies, retain what you’re learning, and (most importantly!) enjoy
the process. Lastly, you’ll find several herbal recipes that support healthy brain function and are the
perfect botanical study companions for your journey.
Before we move on to the core of this lesson, may we offer you a bit of encouragement?
© Herbal Academy My Herbal Study Tips Mini Course theherbalacademy.com | page 2

Grace for the Journey
As you make your way through your studies, you may find yourself feeling challenged or even confused
at some points. This is completely normal! Herbalism is a world unto itself, and each person that
embarks on this journey has a different starting point.
If you are brand new to herbalism, don't be afraid to search the definitions of words you come across (or
print out an herbal glossary to keep on hand) or reach out to teachers or mentors for further explanation
of concepts. You have embarked on a lifelong journey that requires you to get to know individual plants
in their own world. Imagine trying to learn the stories of hundreds of people in a singular room when they
all speak different languages! The herbal journey can be intense and intimidating, but it’s also so
rewarding! It requires an intentional process of learning the language, so to speak, and methodically
becoming familiar with core concepts.
So don’t be afraid to take it slow. Be present and proud of every step you take, no matter your pace.
Allow yourself to take your time and repeat the material as often as needed, incorporating the methods
of study that resonate with you. It can be helpful to sit down with a cup of tea and inhale its aroma, to be
present with it, to catch every nuance you can from the cup while you slowly work your way through the
study material at hand. Herbalism is an experience. Yes, there is technical material to learn, but true
mastery comes by building relationships with the plants and gaining hands-on experience.
Finally, remember that herbalism is a rabbit hole of never-ending learning and expansion. Give yourself
grace for the journey, and know that we are with you to help where needed.

CREATING A VISION
When you begin your herbal studies—before cracking open a book, going to class, or logging into your
online course—it can be helpful to think about your vision or the end goal your education will achieve.
This big picture vision or dream shows where you want to be in 3-5 years (or whatever time frame you
have to work with).
Do you want to feel confident supporting your family’s wellness with herbs and holistic approaches, or
take it even further and be a clinical herbalist working one-on-one with clients? Perhaps you want to
open your own brick-and-mortar botanical skin care business and offer clean skin care products to the
masses. Maybe you want to be an herb farmer and supply other herbalists with high-quality plant
material.
Whatever your dream is—even if you’re still figuring it out—casting a vision for yourself can be a great
motivation as you progress along your journey. It could be that you revise this vision as you go, and
that’s okay, too! The important part is to start and be open as you learn more.
One of our favorite ways to envision a goal is by making an herbal vision board.
An herbal vision board is a great way to take a dream you have for yourself and put it into a visual format
that you can come back to again and again for inspiration. This visual collection can be digital or
physical, and it should express what you want your herbal journey to look like over the next 3-5 years.
If you need a visual reference for what an herbal vision board looks like, we have a collection of six
digital herbal vision boards (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-vision-boards/) you can take a look at
to help inspire you in your herbal journey for the coming year, as well as a short video to help you
visualize what a physical vision board may look like.

Visit the course to download the Vision Board video transcript as a PDF.
Now that you have seen some examples of herbal vision boards, it’s time to create one of your own.
Experiential Exercise: Create an Herbal Vision Board
Step 1: Dream a Little Dream
Perhaps you are enchanted with mushrooms and would like to build your mushroom ID and foraging
skills over the next 2 years, so you fill your board with mushrooms, moody woodland scenes, the field
supplies you'll need, photos of several books you want to read, and even a photo of a mycologist you
admire.
Or maybe you see yourself as a skin care formulator tinkering away in your workspace to pin down the
perfect lotion formulation, and so you fill your vision board with your dream workspace, plants you
want to incorporate into your products, the packaging you'll use, a color palette for your labels, and
other products you admire.
Ask yourself the following questions. You can write your answers down in a journal or a scrap piece of
paper, save them on a voice memo, or simply remember them.
● Where do I want to be in 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years?

● What do I want to be doing?
● What feels fun, new, or exciting to me?
● How do I want to feel when I realize this goal?
● What supplies or materials do I need to achieve this goal?

Step 2: Digital or Physical
Decide whether your vision board will be digital or physical.
Digital vision boards can consist of images representing parts of the dream you are trying to visualize.
Two of the easiest ways to create a digital vision board are to gather images in a word processing
document and save them to your computer or save them to a secret Pinterest board.
Physical vision boards can include images alongside other items, like scraps of paper or fabric, dried
plant specimens, stickers, and other similar objects that add depth and interest to the vision board.
These items are collected together and arranged on the board in a location where you will see them
regularly. This will serve to inspire and remind you of your vision and where you’re headed every time
you look at it. A great way to make a physical vision board is to use a corkboard and pushpins to
display your items. You can place the board in your study space or other prominent location.
Step 3: Collect Inspiration
Begin collecting images, patterns, color palettes, words, fabric, etc., that represent your answers to
the questions in Step 1. Images can be sourced online via Google Images, Pinterest, Instagram,
photo-sharing sights like Flickr, or your favorite blogs. Physical images can be sourced from
magazines, herb catalogs, or printed from online sources. You can also use pressed plant specimens
or items collected on a nature walk. If you’re creating a physical vision board, procure the supplies
you’ll need to display these objects after they’re collected.
Step 4: Put It Together
Once you have enough items, begin putting your herbal vision board together. You could place images
in a particular order or arrange them in a jumbled fashion. It’s often easier to begin by placing images
on your vision board first and later fill in the gaps with other elements and textures, such as scraps of
fabric, dried plants, or inspirational graphics. Ultimately, when you look at the entire board, you should
be able to see your vision or end goal coming through. Place your vision board in a place you will see
it often!
Once you have crafted a vision for your journey, telling someone about your goal of becoming an
herbalist can be helpful. Not only is it nice to share your dream with another person, but also having an
accountability partner is an added bonus as it can help set you up for success when it comes to sticking
with your schedules and goals. Having someone to check in with about your herbal studies from time to
time is a really great way to keep your herbal study momentum going.
Now that you have a vision to guide you, let’s look at some time management techniques to help you
make space for study and direct your study periods, so they are as productive as possible.
TIME MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Once you have the big picture in mind, it’s time to look at some practical nuts and bolts to help you get
there—such as making and maximizing time to study! Learning to manage time efficiently is rarely easy,
and it’s often something that is practiced repeatedly to develop properly. While bolstering your time

management skills will certainly take some effort, the work is well worth it in the long run, especially
where your herbal studies are concerned.
Below are a couple of time management techniques that will help you work smarter, not harder, and will
help to enhance your herbal studies moving forward.
Setting Study Goals

When beginning a new course of herbal study, it can be a good idea to set some smaller study goals for
yourself. While your big goal may be to complete your current herbal course or topic studies, it can be
helpful to break your large goal down into bite-sized steps, as this can offer you a bit more direction as
you progress toward your end goal. Also, smaller study goals will cut down on the overwhelm of having
to constantly ask yourself what’s next.
When it comes to setting goals for Herbal Academy courses (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbalism-

courses/), we have designed all courses with built-in goal-setting markers by formatting our courses into
units and lessons. We recommend you start with your end goal of completing the course in mind and
breaking the course down into a set number of stages—one for each unit of the course. Each stage (or
unit) will have several action steps you’ll need to take before you move on to the next stage. These
action items are the steps you need to complete in order to finish that unit, such as starting your herbal
materia medica, stocking your home herb cabinet with preparations, or purchasing that immersion
blender you’ve had your eye on so you can make the creamiest of botanical lotions.
Herbal Academy courses are designed so that

students receive access to each unit one at a
time. We encourage you to look over each lesson
in the unit before beginning your study to identify
the action steps you want to complete before
advancing to the next unit. When you complete
one unit and the next one becomes available to
you, you can take some time to sit down with a
cup of herbal tea and plan your path and action
steps for that unit.
We also recommend setting two milestones per

stage (unit) to show your progress, such as
adding herbal monographs to your materia
medica or preparing three recipes from the unit.
When setting milestones for yourself, keep in
mind where you are on your jouney and set
realistic milestones for each stage. For example,
adding a certain number of herbal monographs to
your materia medica and preparing course
recipes support your learning in a particular unit
so are suitable milestones for your course study.
A bigger milestone might be selling your wares in
a trade show, and that can be a longer term goal
in addition to your course studies themselves.

Lastly, a motivating reward at the end of each stage can be enticing to work toward. This may be
purchasing an herbal cookbook you’ve had your eye on, treating yourself to an herb-inspired self-care
afternoon, splurging on a new book for your herbal library or a new dried herb you’ve been wanting to
work with, going on a guided herb walk with a local herbalist—anything that feels like a treat after all
your hard work!
Stages, action steps, and milestones—these can feel like a lot of work without a clear pathway. We’ve
created a free Herbal Path Planner download that you can use anytime you need to take a large goal and
break it down into smaller individual steps. We’ve even included a version that’s partially filled out for our
Introductory Herbal Course (https://theherbalacademy.com/product/introductory-herbal-course/) so you
can see what this might look like in action, keeping in mind that the action steps and milestones will vary
a bit for each student depending on individual goals and interests.

Visit the course to download the Herbal Path Planner graphic as a PDF.

Visit the course to download the Example Herbal Path Planner as a PDF.

Create a Study Schedule
If you have a goal of becoming an herbalist or venturing into new territory on your herbal journey, we
suggest setting aside intentional time in your schedule for your herbal studies. Having a study schedule
you stick with is an excellent way to make continual progress toward your end goal and keep yourself in
a good, consistent rhythm where study is concerned.
A study schedule for one person may look like 3 hours, 1 day a week, or for another person 30 minutes a
day, 6 days a week, or for someone else, something in the middle. To find a study rhythm that works for
you, look at your current schedule. What does it look like? Is there a block of time you can dedicate to
your herbal studies each week, each day, or a few days per week? Whatever study schedule you decide
on, it is best to block off this time each week consistently so you are not tempted to fill it with something
else. You can always go back and tweak your schedule as needed, but remember that becoming an
herbalist, growing your knowledge, and expanding your skills take time, consistency, and dedication,
and the first step is to carve out the time to enable yourself to make progress toward this goal.
No matter what type of study schedule you try, we recommend rotating back and forth between book
study and hands-on experience to keep things interesting and build knowledge in both ways. For
example, if you have a 3-hour block in your week for herbal studies, why not spend 90 minutes studying
new content, 45 minutes on hands-on herb work, and the final 45 minutes working on your herbal
materia medica?
Experiential Exercise: Sticky Note Study Schedule
One fun way to create a study schedule is to purchase small colored sticky notes, each color
representing a different type of study. You can label these sticky notes and place them in your day
planner or on a printed calendar on each day you plan to study. Because they’re sticky notes, they can
easily be moved around if needed. This helps those who benefit from schedules but need flexibility as
well.

Match topics to colors
For example, green-colored sticky notes can represent outdoor work, red-colored sticky notes for
hands-on kitchen work, blue-colored sticky notes for book study, orange-colored sticky notes for
audio or visual work, and yellow-colored sticky notes for group study. Of course, we want you to make
this fit your needs, so feel free to change the colors however you see fit. It’s a good idea to create a
little color key on your calendar pages to remind you what each color represents.
Label sticky notes
Next, label each sticky note with the time frame you are planning to devote to herb work that day.
If desired, you can label the sticky notes with the details needed to remind you of what you’re
studying. This may look like a green sticky note with the words “identify fresh dandelion” or “make
pine bark rubbing” on it. A red sticky note may say, “taste infusion/decoction of 3 bitter herbs” or
“make liver-supportive tincture.” A blue sticky note might be labeled with “read unit 4, lesson 5” or
“audio recording of chapter 3 of Making Plant Medicine.” An orange sticky note might say, “watch
YouTube videos related to inflammation-modulating herbs” or “take detailed notes on videos in Unit 2:
Lesson 7,” and yellow sticky notes might read, “group study, 7 pm, Zoom” or “make outline of primary
herbal actions for respiratory system to discuss with group.”

Place on your calendar
Finally, place these on your schedule for the coming weeks, depending on how frequently you
decided to study. If you chose to study 3 hours, 3 days a week, you might add 2-3 sticky notes to
each study day, whereas if you chose to study for 1 hour, 6 days a week, you might add one sticky
note to each day of the week.
STUDY SUPPORT METHODS FOR FOCUS AND

RETENTION
No matter where you are on your herbal journey or what small goal you are focusing on at the moment,
and even with the help of a study schedule and clearing your mind before a study session, focusing on
the work in front of you and retaining information can often be a challenge.
Let’s look at some general study strategies that can help you to focus and retain the information you
come across in your herbal studies, along with some botanical study aids and recipes to help you along
the way.

General Study Tips
When it comes to learning the science and art of herbalism, there are several things you can do to make
your studies more effective.
1. Don’t Cram
While cramming information into your head can be helpful just before a test or to get through a course
unit or book chapter, it doesn’t mean you have truly understood the material and will retain it for the long
run. Instead, move slowly through the material, use different types of study tools to grasp the information
you’re learning (more on these in Lesson 2), and be consistent with your study schedule. Learning takes
time—reading, re-reading, practicing, recording notes, reviewing, doing, and observing. Above all,
herbalism, and learning about herbalism, is a practice that evolves with—practice!
2. Stick to the Plan

You created a study path that will lead you to your big end goal, and you have found the study schedule
that works for you in your current season of life. Use those to your advantage and stick with them. They
are a guide and foundation that will help you achieve what you envision.
3. Ask for Help

Don’t be afraid to reach out to your herbal
teachers, a mentor, or fellow students to ask for
help, get some clarification, or get direction to
further resources on a topic with which you are
struggling. Chances are someone else has
struggled with this same thing, and it can be
helpful to hear other experiences or even to hear
the subject matter worded differently.
Remember, herbalism is both a science and an

art, which means so much varies from herbalist to
herbalist and is open to interpretation. Becoming
an herbalist and learning the craft is more than
learning through rote memorization alone. This is
where group study and finding an herbal mentor
can come in very handy.
4. Find a Study Buddy

A study buddy can be a great addition to your
herbal studies, so feel free to grab a friend to learn
with or team up with a fellow student and study
together. You can follow the same study plan,
brainstorm together, share your hands-on
experiences with one another, and support each
other through challenges. We’ll talk more in

Lesson 4 about forming a study group, but for now, grab a friend to hit the books with!
5. Know Your Learning Style

Most of us have a particular way of learning that just seems to work best. Learning styles range from
visual, auditory, hands-on, written, or a combination of two or more styles. While discovering your
learning style may take some time, it’s well worth the effort. We will explore learning styles in Lesson 2,
but it can be helpful to take some time now to
think back on previous learning experiences
you’ve had and try to decipher how you
understood and grasped the materials best.
6. Take Breaks
If you truly want to focus and retain the
information in front of you, regular breaks are a
must, as your brain cells can only absorb so much
at once. This is why shorter study sessions
punctuated by short breaks, or switching to
different types of learning within one session, are
more effective than long, drawn-out study
sessions. Not only that, but your brain needs time
between study periods to compress and
consolidate memories of what you’ve just read or
practiced.
7. Set the Scene for Production

When preparing to dive into your herbal studies,
it’s important to have a space that provides you
with the right environment for learning. This may
be a dedicated space with all your materials in
one place, or it may be a basket or bag filled with
your study materials that you can move from
location to location.
Here are some items you may want to consider

having in your study space.
● Herbal textbooks
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/introductory-herbal-course-textbooks/)
● Herbal reference books
● Notebooks and pens for note taking
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/botanical-study-notebook-set)
● Quick reference charts
● Inspiring herbal graphics to add beauty and inspiration
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/instagram-posts-in-print/)
● Computer or laptop for online lessons and research
● Fresh or dried herbs or photos for reference

For inspiration, take a glimpse inside the various study spaces of four herbal students in the following
video!
Visit the course to download the Herbal Study Spaces video transcript as a PDF.
Beyond creating a space for productive learning, it’s also important that you free yourself from
distractions during your study periods by turning off unnecessary alerts and notifications on your
devices, putting them away, or using an app that blocks certain websites and apps during your study
periods. It can also be helpful to do a brain dump before you begin your studies to get all of the thoughts
roaming around in your mind out of your head and onto paper to deal with at a later time. Some students
even prefer to listen to ambient background music (https://youtu.be/g6cdTzjZdUo) that sets a quiet and
contemplative mood and minimizes distractions.
8. Reward Yourself
We’ve talked about rewarding yourself when you complete a stage or goal on your Herbal Path Planner,
but small rewards can also be sprinkled into your regular study sessions to make the work of study more
enjoyable as well. These can be as simple as enjoying an herbal treat, taking an herbal bath or a walk to
get some fresh air, watching an episode of your favorite TV show, or even taking a nap!

9. Review, Review, Review
Finally, the best way to retain the information you are learning is to review or practice it repeatedly. It’s
also best to challenge yourself when reviewing your study materials instead of simply reading over your
notes, which takes little effort for your brain. One way to do this is to look over your study materials, then
put them away and narrate or speak them out loud to yourself or someone else as if you are teaching
them to them. This may also look like practicing flashcards instead of simply reading the material again
in a book. We will dive deeper into these study practices (and more) in Lesson 2.
Herb-Specific Study Tips

No matter where you are in your herbal studies, it can feel overwhelming to try and soak in the
abundance of information you are learning. Trying to remember lists of new terms, the benefits of
common kitchen spices, and the unique energetics of all the different herbs may be daunting. Here are
some herbal study tips that you may find helpful in keeping all of this information in the front and center
of your mind.

1. Create Herbal Tags
Create herbal tags and hang them around your herb jars to help you remember the properties of your
plants every time you reach for them. Include things like the plant’s common name and binomial, its
energetics and flavor, primary herbal actions, important safety and dosage information, and a use-by
date.

Visit the course to download the Herbal Tag template as a PDF.

2. Create an Herbal Reference Board
If you’ve ever found yourself scrambling to remember what could help in an acute situation, an herbal
reference board may be just the thing you need. An herbal reference board acts as a visual reference of
what to do in certain situations, such as bites and stings, burns and rashes, colds and flu, cuts and
wounds, pain, childhood illnesses, insomnia, indigestion, etc. Each category can list tried-and-true herbs
or herbal formulas used to ease and support the ailment. It should be placed in a nearby location that
you’ll often see, such as your pantry, herbal closet, bathroom, or first aid cabinet, and will give you a
moment to review and absorb the information repeatedly. You can make a reference graphic for any
number of topics you want to have information on hand for to easily reference. The possibilities are
endless!

Visit the course to download the Herbal Academy Common Ailments Guide as a PDF.
3. Learn Plant Binomials

One of the most common responses we hear from past Herbal Academy students asked to advise future
students is to learn both the common name and binomial of every plant they study. A plant’s binomial
consists of its genus name (capitalized) followed by its species name (uncapitalized). You’ll see that we
include both names for plants throughout course materials.
A few important reasons to learn the binomial of each plant you are studying include:
● The first word identifies the genus of the plant, allowing the student to understand the various
species that are in that same genus. This helps you to make important connections as you are
learning different herbal recipes—for example, the Rosa genus includes dog rose (Rosa canina),
beach rose (Rosa rugosa), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), apothecary rose (Rosa gallica), and
Damask rose (Rosa damascena), all of which are used similarly in herbalism.
● Learning binomials helps to reduce confusion stemming from many common plant names
overlapping. For example, mint: we use the term freely; however, understanding the many species

of mint by their binomials will help you as you
study to understand each plant’s unique
properties and uses—for example,
peppermint (Mentha x piperita) differs from
spearmint (Mentha spicata).
● Binomials are universal. When traveling or

communicating with herbalists beyond your
region or abroad, using binomials for plants
will help to ensure you are on the same page,
as the list of common names for many plants
is long and often overlapping! That’s not to
say you won’t want to learn the common
names in various regions, as well, as these
can provide descriptive information about a
plant and are a reflection of herbal tradition in
that region. Binomials can also offer certain
context clues or information about a plant,
and often, there are ways to remember the
characteristics of the plant from its binomial.
For instance, red clover’s binomial is Trifolium
pratense. Trifolium means “three leaves,”
which indicates red clover’s three leaf pattern.
Another example can be seen with chickweed
(Stellaria media), where Stellaria references
the star-like appearance of chickweed
flowers.
4. Botanical Drawings
Drawing a plant allows you to sit and admire all
the intricacies that make it unique. Adding drawings of the plants you study means paying close
attention to every detail, which is so helpful for learning proper plant identification. While studying,
simply sketching out the plant will turn on a different part of your brain and help you commit the plant’s
characteristics to memory. Taking what your eyes see and putting it down on paper is a helpful practice
to aid you in remembering the experience.

5. Get Hands (Eyes, Ears, and Mouth) On With Plants
Organoleptics, the practice of utilizing all five senses in your plant studies, is a powerful learning tool that
can help you recall facts later. A hands-on approach to learning herbalism is a way to involve your whole
body in the learning process. When studying a certain herb—take rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), for
example—the best way to remember various aspects of the plant is to look and observe it in its growing
environment and close up, smell it and note your observations, and touch and taste it (if it’s safe for
internal use). After getting some hands-on engagement with a plant, your mind and body will remember
that rosemary is potent, aromatic, deep green, and has a uniquely pungent, strong flavor. For herbs that
are safe and convenient to eat, incorporate them into your day-to-day cooking as a way to become more
familiar with them.
Botanical Study Aids

There are several herbs known for their ability to boost focus, clarity, and memory in various ways. Many
of these herbs are grouped into categories, such as brain tonics, memory enhancers, adaptogens,
nervines, and stimulants, depending on how they support brain function, and there are many recipes you
can use that include these botanicals.
We’ll briefly look at each category below and some herbs that fall into each category, and then we’ll
move on to some study aid recipes you can incorporate into your herbal studies.

Brain Tonics
Brain tonics are plants that have specific actions that directly affect the body systems associated with
the brain, particularly the nervous and cardiovascular systems. These herbs are specifically indicated for
various brain-related conditions and work to promote overall brain health and function over time.
Some brain tonic herbs include gotu kola (Centella asiatica), bacopa (Bacopa monnieri), and wood
betony (Stachys officinalis).
Memory Enhancers
While some herbs generally support the wellness and function of the brain, other herbs work in specific
ways to enhance memory. Many of the plants in the mint family, such as those below, do just this.
Some memory-enhancing herbs include rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), peppermint (Mentha x piperita),
and sage (Salvia officinalis).
Adaptogens
Adaptogens are herbs that work to increase the body’s ability to resist and cope with stress, including
physical, mental, or emotional stressors, allowing the body to adapt and respond to stress instead of

succumbing to it. Because stress can negatively impact brain function, these herbs are a great addition
to support the brain.
Some adaptogenic herbs include eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus), tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum),
and ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).
Nervines
Nervines, such as chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), are a group of
herbs that help to nourish, soothe, and strengthen the nervous system, which can help to revitalize
neurotransmitter and nerve function, thus benefiting brain health.
Stimulants
Stimulants, such as green tea (Camellia sinensis) and cacao (Theobroma cacao), are substances that
raise the level of physiological or nervous activity in the body, and many plants contain chemical
constituents that have stimulant actions. Most of these substances directly stimulate the nervous and
cardiovascular systems but sometimes also affect the respiratory, urinary, and other body systems, so
it’s a good idea to be aware of how your body and mind respond to different plants.

Herbal Recipes to Support Herbal Study
Below, you’ll find several recipes that use botanical study aids to assist in clarity, memory, and focus.
When you use these recipes regularly during your herbal studies, you can feel good knowing you are
doing something to support healthy brain function.
Minty Brain Tonic Tea

With its nervous system and cardiovascular benefits, this brain tonic tea is sure to support healthy brain
function and help you make the most of your next study session!
Ingredients
2 tbsp spearmint (Mentha spicata) leaf

1 tbsp tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) leaf
2 tsp sage (Salvia officinalis) leaf
Directions
● Bring water to a boil in a kettle or pot.

● While the water is heating, place herbs in a pint-sized glass canning jar.
● As soon as water comes to a boil, remove it from heat and pour hot water over the herbs.
● Cover the jar with a lid to prevent volatile oils from escaping with the steam.
● Steep for 5-20 minutes. The longer you let it steep, the stronger it will taste!
● Filter the herbs using a tea strainer into another clean pint-sized glass canning jar or heatproof
mug. Press down on the herb(s) with a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
● Sweeten as desired, and drink 1-2 cups of tea 20-30 minutes before studying to stimulate the
senses and increase blood flow to the brain.
Study Buddy Tea Blend

A dash of memory recall from rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), a hint of caffeine for stimulation from
green tea (Camellia sinensis) (or a caffeine-free boost of gotu kola (Centella asiatica), and a pinch of
healthy brain function from lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)—are enlivened with a squeeze of fresh
invigorating lemony citrus in this zippy blend. The Study Buddy Tea Blend is your new go-to drink to
help wake up, focus, and retain your herbal studies.
Ingredients
2 parts green tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf (use gotu kola (Centella asiatica) aboveground parts for a
decaf option)
1 part rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) aerial parts
1 part lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) aerial parts

Juice from half a lemon
Raw honey to taste
Directions
● Combine herbs and store in a sealed container. Note that 1 part can be 1 teaspoon, 1
tablespoon, 1 cup, etc., depending on the size of the batch you want to make.
● When ready to make a cup of tea, bring water to a boil in a kettle or pot.
● While the water is heating, place 1 tablespoon of tea blend in a heatproof mug.
● As soon as water comes to a boil, remove it from heat and pour hot water over the herbs.
● Cover the mug with a lid to prevent volatile oils from escaping with the steam.
● Steep for 5 minutes. The longer you let it steep, the stronger it will taste!
● Filter the herbs using a tea strainer into another clean heatproof mug. Press down on the
herb(s) with a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
● Add lemon juice and sweeten as desired, and enjoy!
Memory Boost Nut Butter Recipe

This recipe from the Herbal Academy blog (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbs-for-memory-and-
focus/) includes four brain-supporting herbs to help improve concentration and memory and optimize
cognitive function. Spread it on toast or muffins, add it to smoothies, and even include it in homemade
nut butter cups or stuffed dates! It’s also wonderful eaten straight off the spoon.
Yield: ⅓ cup
Ingredients
2 tsp lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) mushroom extract powder

½ tsp bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) aboveground parts, powdered
¼ tsp gotu kola (Centella asiatica) aboveground parts, powdered
¼ tsp rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) root, powdered
¼ cup nut butter of choice
2-4 tsp honey, optional
Directions
● Prepare herb blend by placing mushroom and herbs in a clean, dry bowl and stirring until well
combined.
● Measure nut butter into a small bowl.
● Add 1-2 teaspoons of honey, if using. Stir until well combined.
● Sprinkle herbs over nut butter and stir to blend. Depending on the consistency of the nut
butter, it might require some extra muscle and a little kneading to combine the herbs evenly
with the nut butter.
● Add more honey to taste, if desired. Stir until well combined.
● Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

● Consume 1-2 tablespoons per day in smoothies, on toast or muffins, or straight from the
spoon.
Join Herbal Academy staff herbalist Stacy Karen as she shares more about these memory-boosting
herbs and demonstrates how to make this yummy nut butter recipe!
Watch the Herbal Snack: Memory Boost Nut Butter video on YouTube (https://youtu.be/-3xMO66Woxc).
Rosemary Memory Elixir

This elixir can be used daily to support a healthy memory. It’s made using dried herbs in order to store
the mixture long term, but you can certainly make it with fresh herbs if you wish.
Ingredients
4 parts rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) aerial parts

2 parts ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) leaf
1 part gotu kola (Centella asiatica) aboveground parts
2 parts oat (Avena sativa) straw
1 part peppermint (Mentha x piperita) leaf
Brandy
Raw honey

Directions
● Combine herbs and store in a sealed container in a cool, dark place until you’re ready to make
your elixir. Note that 1 part can be 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon, 1 cup, etc. depending on the
size of the batch you want to make.
● When you’re ready to make Rosemary Memory Elixir, take a pint-sized glass canning jar and
fill it ⅓ full of herb blend (fill it full if using fresh herbs).
● Fill the jar half full with brandy, and then fill the remaining half of the jar with honey. Use a
spoon to evenly mix the herbs, brandy, and honey.
● Cover with a lid, label your jar, and place it in a cool, dark place for 6 weeks. Visit every 1-3
days and roll jar back and forth a few times in your hands to mix.
● After 6 weeks, strain the mixture, reserving the elixir liquid and composting the herbs. Then
bottle your liquid in a dropper bottle and label your Rosemary Memory Elixir. Store it in a cool,
dark place.
● To use, adults can take 30 drops of elixir daily.
Lion's Mane Matcha Tea

This energizing beverage shared on the Herbal Academy blog (https://theherbalacademy.com/matcha-
tea-recipe/) is warm and comforting and supports mental calm and focus. It’s a wonderful substitute
for your morning coffee and makes a terrific addition to study sessions or any other activity that calls
for focus and mental work.
Ingredients
¼-½ tsp lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) mushroom extract powder

½ tsp matcha powder (more or less to taste and to adjust caffeine level)
1 cup (8 fl oz) water, boiled and cooled slightly
Honey or other sweetener, optional
Directions
● Place powdered lion’s mane extract and matcha in a large mug.

● Bring water to boil in a kettle or pot and let cool briefly, then pour over the powdered herbs
until the mug is about ¼ full.
● Use a whisk or fork to stir briskly for 30 seconds.
● Add the remainder of the hot water.
● If you prefer a latte-style matcha, substitute warmed milk or non-dairy milk of your choice and
stir well or froth to combine.
● Add sweetener to taste, if desired.
Join Herbal Academy staff herbalist Stacy Karen as she demonstrates how to make this energizing
beverage!

Watch the How to Make a Lion’s Mane Matcha Tea video on YouTube (https://youtu.be/NzC_26cd5tI).
CONCLUSION

By now, we hope that you are excited about your future herbal studies and motivated to put some of the
things you’ve learned in this lesson into practice, such as creating a study schedule that fits your
lifestyle, creating goals that motivate you to progress in your journey, implementing new study tips to see
how they benefit you, and trying out a few deliciously supportive herbal recipes.
In the next lesson, you will learn about various learning styles and some study tools that can be used for
each style to aid in the comprehension and retention of new information as you work through your herbal
studies.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Herbalism
Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by David Winston & Steven Maimes (Look
for the second edition, published in 2019, which has an expanded section on nootropics.)
Ask An Herbalist: Tonics 101 by Herbal Academy: https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-tonics-101/
Botanical Nootropics Intensive [for members of The Herbarium]:
https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/course/botanical-nootropics/
Herbs Work For Our Highest Good: Tonics, Adaptogens, and Alteratives by Herbal Academy
Recipes From the Herbalist’s Kitchen: Delicious, Nourishing Food for Lifelong Health and Well-Being by
Brittany Wood Nickerson
Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
The Herbal Brain: Nootropics from a Garden, Not a Lab by Emory E. Prescott
Study Resources
Herbal Journey Planner by Herbal Academy:

https://theherbalacademy.com/product/herbal-journey-planner/
The Everything Guide to Study Skills: Strategies, tips, and tools you need to succeed in school! by
Cynthia C Muchnicky
Understanding Learning Styles by Jeanna Sheve, Kelli Allen, and Vicki Nieter

LESSON 2: HERBAL STUDY TOOLS
INTRODUCTION
Now that you have set your intention, created a study space that is primed for success, and have
perhaps snacked or sipped on some herbal-infused helpers to prepare you for studying, it’s time to dive
into the material. You can continue to set yourself up for success by using study tools or anything that
aids the comprehension and retention of the new information you’re about to encounter.
How should you determine which study tools to use? It completely depends on you! Study tools are not
one-size-fits-all. What works for one student may not be the most effective approach for another,
because no two people (or their learning styles) are entirely alike.
As we’ll explore in this lesson, each of us learns and retains information uniquely, so it's helpful to use
the study tools that aid our personal learning style(s).
LEARNING STYLES AND PREFERENCES

You may find that the study tools that are most useful for you align with your primary learning style or
preferred way of learning. Learning styles generally describe how individuals interpret, absorb, and retain
information (Chick, 2010). One of the most recognized methods of categorizing learning styles, the VARK

model, suggests learners tend to identify with visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic
preferences (Chick, 2010).
This lesson will cover a wide range of study tools that herbal students have used to aid their learning,
and we’ve categorized them according to the VARK model. Importantly, learning style categorization like
VARK describes an individual’s preference and comfort in the learning approach but has not necessarily
been shown to have a definite impact on educational outcomes (Pashler et al., 2009).
While there may not be enough credible studies to validate the use of learning style assessment in
education (Pashler et al., 2009), many of our students agree that they are drawn to particular styles of
learning and using one or more of the below study tools has improved their herbal studies. Try one or a
few to discover what works well for you. See the Recommended Resources section for some resources
to help you hone in on your preferred learning style.
When it comes to study approaches, don’t be afraid to try new things! Even if you identify as someone
who prefers visual learning, don’t let that stop you from using listening tools, getting hands-on, or trying
an entirely new approach to absorb the information fully.
Many of these study tips are inspired by discussions in our very own MyHerbalStudies (MHS) student
community, which is a dedicated space for Herbal Academy students and teachers to come together in
learning and collaborative support. Enrollment in our foundational courses and select herbal short
courses (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbalism-courses/) grants students access to this online
community.

Visual Study Tools
As the name suggests, visual study aids present information visually, such as through images and
illustrations, as well as graphic displays like charts, diagrams, color-coded keys, and presentation-style
videos. Our online courses feature many beautiful visual presentations to help students learn how to
identify herbs by sight, as well as charts and graphics that condense information into an at-a-glance
visual resource. Those who prefer visual-focused learning might integrate the tools outlined below to
support studying.

Herbal Flashcards
You can make herbal flashcards to practice observing plant parts and learning plant families or quiz
yourself on energetics and herbal actions, and in the process you will create a visual resource to come
back to time and again as a useful tool. To make your own, first decide on the theme of your flashcard
set. There are many directions you can take! To help you get started, we’re sharing three theme ideas
that come from our Botanical Drawing for Herbalists Course
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/botanical-drawing-for-herbalists-course/) as well as some
additional examples below.
Our student community has frequently shared just how helpful herbal flashcards are in aiding their
learning, and we understand why—they make the perfect study companion! We’ve helped equip
learners with a thorough, beautifully illustrated done-for-you set of Herbal Actions Flashcards
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/herbal-flashcards-plant-actions/), designed with the key actions
we discuss in our foundational programs to help you memorize—and retain—the actions of the herbs in
your toolkit. Of course, you can make your own as well!

Experiential Exercise: Make Your Own Flashcards
Step 1: Prepare Your Materials
Decide the best size and medium to create your flashcards, whether that be index cards, an online
option like Quizlet (https://quizlet.com/) if you’d like virtual flashcards, or poster board/cardboard that
you cut to your preferred size (possibly to fit in a purse or bag).
Step 2: Choose Your Flashcard Focus
Decide on an herbal topic that your flashcard set will cover. You might even make multiple sets of
flashcards for each approach. Use these cards as helpful tools to use for studying the flashcard set
theme, quizzing yourself, or as a reference.
● Choose a plant part, for example, a leaf or stamen. Write the name of the plant part on one
side of the card, then draw it on the other side. You can draw this as colorfully, simply, or
detailed as you wish to enhance your learning. Do this for several plant parts.
● Choose a plant family, for example, the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Write the family name on one
side of the card and write (or draw!) family characteristics on the other side of the card, such
as square stem and opposite leaves, for example. Create cards for several more plant families
as well.
● Choose a plant, for example, chamomile, and write its genus, species, and family names on
one side, then either write the common name or draw the plant on the other. Do this for 10-20
plants that you work with most commonly.
● Choose 15 kitchen herbs and spices and write their common name on one side of the card,
and their binomial, energetics, and taste characteristics on the other side of the card.
● Choose common preparations in herbalism that may be new to you, for example poultice or
liniment, and write the preparation on one side and its description on the other.
● Create different flashcard sets related to your study focus, such as herbal categories (nervines,
tonics, nootropics, etc.), essential oils, herb safety
(https://theherbalacademy.com/the-herb-safety-continuum-scale/), or kid-friendly herbal
support, and customize each to highlight the key definitions, plants, and terms to know for
each category.

Your flashcard sets will be unique to you. They don’t have to be perfect works of art or even art at
all—remember, they are learning tools, and creating them is a big part of the process of integrating
information. You can tailor them to focus on the information that suits and supports your learning
goals.
Keep Visual Reference Guides Handy

As discussed in Lesson 1, creating an herbal reference board is an easy project to put in your line of
sight. Don’t stop there, though! Our online courses are rich with downloadable charts, diagrams, and
illustrated tables that you can print and hang up alongside your herbal reference board. Soon enough,
you may have a whole wall of visual printouts and reference guides surrounding your study space for
easy reference.

Another simple way to target your focus on visual learning is to work on identifying herbs. You can buy
two or three field guides for plants that grow in your area and keep the books on your nightstand or
somewhere they can become part of your daily routine. Spend a few minutes each day deepening your
knowledge of a plant using each book, and compare the pictures and notes in each field guide to get a
more well-rounded impression of each herb. You can do this for a few minutes before bed or at the table
while you drink your morning tea or coffee, and it’s a great way to learn to recognize plants that you
might find on a walk or hike in your part of the world.
A few North American field guides that we recommend include:
● Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern And Central North America
● Peterson Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs
● Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West
● Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West
You can refer to published flashcards, herbal books (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-books/), and

others’ botanical illustrations—and of course the plants themselves—as visual tools to support your
journey as you endeavor along the path of plant study.

Color As You Learn
Using an herbal coloring book is a particularly fun way to learn about herbs through sight. Use colored
pencils, markers, crayons, and observation skills to get to know the plants you will commonly come
across in your studies—and in the wild! Our own Botanical Illustrations Workbook
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/botanical-illustrations-workbook/) includes 25 botanically
accurate illustrations of fun-to-forage plants that commonly occur in the United States, summary
monographs to expand your learning experience of these plants, and blank pages for additional
sketches and notetaking. Coloring each plant as you learn about its identifying features and edible and
herbal uses is a great way to visually cement your knowledge of these special wild plants.
If you use a medium such as watercolors or pastels in your botanical artwork, you might even want to
display your finished pages as part of your home decor, or find another way to put them where you can
enjoy looking at them often.
To get the inspiration and creativity flowing, print and color this Sumac Coloring Page from our Botanical
Illustrations Workbook, and be sure to review the summary monograph page along with it.

Visit the course to download the Sumac Coloring Page and Summary Monograph as a PDF.
Audio Study Tools

Students with an auditory learning preference may like to use sound to process and retain information. If
you prefer to listen to rather than read material, you may fall into this category. Audio study tools like
podcasts, songs, audio clips, and spoken lectures can be a helpful part of a well-rounded approach to
studying herbs.

Use Text-to-Speech Software
Text-to-speech (TTS) software processes digital text and reads it aloud. There are free and paid versions
of this assistive technology, but most of them work the same way. You’ll either upload a file or type
(copy/paste) in words for the tool to read. You can typically select from a variety of voices and speeds of
playback to customize your experience.
Some popular free TTS tools include:

● Natural Reader (https://www.naturalreaders.com/)
● Wideo (https://wideo.co/text-to-speech/)
● Intelligent Speaker (https://intelligent-speaker.com/)
Read Aloud and Record Yourself

As you’ll come to find out as you begin your herbal education, there is no shortage of written text to
study. If you are feeling particularly overwhelmed by the amount of text to read, try breaking a lesson or
chapter into small sections to read one at a time and record yourself reading aloud. The active approach
of reading aloud benefits long-term recall, and recording yourself speaking allows you access to
playback on your own time and to add your own verbal notes or thoughts as you read.
Listen to the following audio clip for a sample of how to arrange an herbal study recording:

Visit the course to listen to the Kitchen Herbs audio clip example or to download the transcript as a PDF.
Create a Study Playlist

Depending on what your study environment looks like, additional background noise may either enhance
or detract from your learning. However, certain sounds can motivate and help you get into a flow state or
even teach you something new. Try these tips for creating and using a study playlist.
1. Listen at a Low Volume

Keep any additional sound in the background at a low volume so as not to take away from your
point of focus.
2. Skip the Lyrics

Instrumental music makes a great study companion without potentially distracting lyrics—add
ambient tracks, classical songs, or even sounds of nature to help get you in the study mood.
3. Try Binaural Beats

Binaural beats, auditory illusions that happen by listening to different frequencies of sound in
each ear, have been said to aid concentration, memory, and motivation, although this may
depend on the frequency (Garcia-Argibay et al., 2019; Smith & Gonzalez, 2019). Explore a
binaural beat generator or a curated playlist before and during your study session and see if this
helps your concentration and retention.

Listen (and Re-Listen) to Herbalism Podcasts, Songs, and Lectures
A great way to get specific in your audible herbal study is to listen to singers and songwriters who focus
specifically on teaching herbs through song. For example, naturalist, herbalist, and storyteller Doug Elliott
sings tunes celebrating ginseng, dandelions, and ferns, among other herbal topics. Singer/songwriter
Josh Fox croons about reishi, tulsi, ever popular dandelion, and kudzu. (See the Recommended
Resource section for links).
For audio lectures and lecture-style videos (those without a presentation element or visual
demonstrations), listen to them for a second or third time to reinforce what you've learned, especially
while doing other activities, including household tasks, on a mobile device while going on a walk, or
during your daily commute.
An herb-focused podcast can also complement your studies. The Herbarium

(https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/), our robust archive of virtual herbalism resources, offers a
number of plant-focused podcasts here (https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/category/podcasts/),
as well as videos (https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/category/videos/) that you can listen to
while you’re doing other things. Check out our HA Blog post on some herbal podcasts
(https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-podcasts/) that may also pique your interest!

Reading and Writing Study Tools
Learners who prefer reading/writing study methods may slightly overlap those with visual learning
preferences, but this category relies heavily on words, especially through written notes and text in all its
forms. As there are many ways and formats for notetaking, we encourage you to take your time and
explore what is most effective for you.
Notetaking Techniques
Good notes are those that are easy (and enjoyable!) to reference later. Ideally, they improve your
understanding of the herbal topics you encounter. Start with a solid outline, aim for clarity but abbreviate
where you can, and dedicate more time and space to complex ideas. Whether you prefer to take notes
digitally, physically, or a combination of both, how you organize them can make all the difference.
Digital Notetaking
Some students are drawn to digital notetaking to accompany digital learning, and it can be a great
option for quick creation and editing, searchability, and greater legibility. If you type your notes in a word
processor, organize them with headings, subheadings, and bookmarks for easy reference. Explore
built-in formatting features like bulleted and numbered lists, columns, and text styles.

Freeform dedicated notetaking software such as
OneNote, Evernote, or Zoho Notebook allows you
to customize your note creation and organization
experience fully. You can organize with tabs,
incorporate media files, add handwritten elements,
and sync across multiple devices. Each of the
above options offers both free and premium
versions that can match to your notetaking needs
and preferences.
Web browser tools like text expanders can cut

down on typing time by automatically outputting
long text through customizable typed shortcuts,
making digital notetaking quicker and more
efficient. For example, you can set up a shortcut
for “echn” to be echinacea, or “hrbl” for herbalism.
A highlight tool browser extension can keep you
focused as you read text-based lessons, letting
you quickly scan over important concepts directly
in your web browser.
Try using spreadsheets to your advantage to

organize concepts into digestible, easily scannable
content. For example, you might set up a
spreadsheet that arranges herbal actions into three
columns: one for the action name, the next for the
action description, and the third, for example, for
herbs that exhibit the action. If you have advanced
spreadsheet capabilities, explore setting up formulas and pivot tables that feature common herbalist
formulas like calculating weight:volume ratios
(https://theherbalacademy.com/weight-to-volume-tinctures/) for tincture making or using Clark’s Rule
(https://theherbalacademy.com/tummy-soothing-glycerite/) to convert adult dosage to child dosage in a
quick plug-in format.
Make the most of the Unit PDFs included with each of our herbal courses by making annotations directly
on downloaded files. For instance, Apple’s Preview application, Adobe Acrobat, and free online PDF
editors offer options to add highlights, bookmarks, underlines, and additional notes directly in the PDF
document.
Some free online PDF editors include:

● Xodo PDF Editor (https://xodo.com/pdf-editor)
● LightPDF (https://lightpdf.com/annotate-pdf)
● PDF24 Tools (https://tools.pdf24.org/en/annotate-pdf)
Physical Notetaking
Taking notes by hand may benefit learners that prefer pen to paper, like to read their own handwriting, or
want to cut down on screen time. Though some prefer writing in lined notebooks, dot-grid and unlined
paper may offer more flexibility depending on your notetaking style. Keep all your notes in one place,
whether it’s a dedicated notebook
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/botanical-study-notebook-set) like the herbal notebook set

we’ve packaged as a companion to this free course, loose sheets in a folder, or punched pages in a
binder.
Make your notes work for you by using a notetaking system like The Cornell Method to make reviewing
easier. This system divides a page into two columns, with a small row across the bottom. The smaller
left-hand column is for big-picture concepts, or “cues,” and the right-hand column is space to translate
big-picture ideas into more detail. The bottom row offers space to summarize the page (Cornell
University, n.d.). You might also try color coding your notes or highlighting key words and ideas in
textbooks (https://theherbalacademy.com/product-tag/textbooks/) or printed Unit PDFs from the
courses to draw the eye to essential information.
And, of course, we couldn’t mention herbal notetaking without discussing the classic herbalist’s materia
medica. As a useful learning tool, a materia medica is part study guide and part journal. It can be created
digitally or take physical form in a notebook or three-ring binder. Crafting your own materia medica will
definitely help support your studies and create a “living” document that will expand with your knowledge
through the years. The following guidelines will get you started!
Create an Herbal Materia Medica
Dedicating time to focus on a single plant allows you to better gain an intimate understanding of and
connection with that plant. Exploring topics such as native range, cultivation, and botanical description
can also help your academic understanding come alive, so you can begin to understand a plant’s
“personality,” so to speak, through its characteristics and habitat.

One of the best ways to get to know individual plants is through research and one-on-one time with the
plant. You can compile all you learn in this process by creating an herbal materia medica, a catalog filled
with plant monographs for the herbs you have studied. These plants may repeatedly appear throughout
your study materials or be plants in your local area that you want to know closely so you can utilize them
well.
We have an entire Herbal Materia Medica Short Course

(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/herbal-materia-medica-course/) devoted to this topic with an
optional Materia Medica Journal (https://theherbalacademy.com/product/materia-medica-journal/)
course upgrade, and creating a materia medica is also discussed in our Introductory
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/introductory-herbal-course/), Intermediate
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/intermediate-herbal-course/), and Advanced
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/advanced-herbal-course/) Herbal Courses! However, we’ll
quickly introduce here how to create an herbal materia medica of your very own.
To begin, it can be helpful to gather supplies for

your materia medica, such as a three-ring binder,
notebook, or our Materia Medica Journal, a
monograph template like the one below (not
needed with the Materia Medica Journal),
pens/pencils, some images or dried specimens of
plants, and reputable reference and research
materials (you’ll learn more about sourcing
reliable resources in Lesson 5).
If you’re creating your own materia medica, feel

free to download our free herbal monograph
template below.
Visit the course to download the Materia Medica

Cover and Pages worksheet as a PDF.
Fill in each section of the monograph template for

the herb you have chosen to study. You can use
herbal books, your courses/textbooks, or even
herbal seed catalogs to add information about
the plant, such as its common name and
binomial, the plant family it belongs to, and the
geographic location it grows in. You can also
include the plant’s physical description, its flavor
or taste, how to cultivate and harvest it, which
parts of the plant are commonly used, and which
phytochemicals (chemical constituents) it contains. There’s also space to include the plant’s various
uses and energetics, its safety and dosage information, and any herbal preparations that suit it.
If you can’t find all the information on the plant to fill out your monograph completely, don’t worry. You
can always add more to it over time as you come across it again in further herbal studies or as you get
more hands-on experience with the plant.

Black Pepper Monograph
To see an example of a completed monograph

that would be included in an herbal materia
medica, feel free to download the black pepper
monograph from our membership site, The
Herbarium, below.
Visit the course to download the Black Pepper

Monograph as a PDF.
The Herbarium
(https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com) is
Herbal Academy’s online database of plant
monographs, and is designed as a complementary
study tool for students. With many dozens of
carefully researched, in-depth monographs, this
curated resource is a great place to look for
trusted information as well as monograph
examples.
You’ll also find plant monographs in most Herbal

Academy courses, depending on the topic, and
will see that monographs can have varying lengths
and levels of detail depending on where you are at
in your studies and the focus of each monograph.
And, as mentioned, monographs can grow with
time and experience. Ultimately, an herbalist’s herbal materia medica becomes one of their most
treasured resources and is an excellent way to enhance your plant studies further.
Kinesthetic Study Tools

For kinesthetic learners, it’s all about getting the body involved. Students who prefer learning by doing
will benefit from getting physically involved in study, especially by touching plants, getting hands-on with
making herbal preparations inspired by the lessons and recipes, and engaging all available senses to
enhance learning. Mix and match from the suggested kinesthetic learning tools below, and get creative
with incorporating movement into your studies.

Switch Up Your Study Space
Don’t force yourself to sit still to study, especially if it’s difficult to do so. You might combine movement
with learning by walking and listening to an herb podcast or your own recorded audio notes. Use a
sit-stand desk if you can access one, or read on a stationary bike or treadmill. If you are sitting at a desk
but still want to move your body, keep your hands busy with a stress ball or fidget toy. Or, add an herbal
spin to your somatic study session by hand processing herbs—destemming thyme, for example, or
chopping dandelion roots—while listening to a
recorded lecture or study playlist.
Engage Your Senses During

Study
Come study time, occupy all of your senses to
stay engaged in the material. For instance, when
reading about an herb, if possible, have it in front
of you (live, fresh, or dried) while you study.
Touch, smell, and look at it while reading about it
to create a more impactful memory of the plant. If
possible, brew a cup of tea with the plant to enjoy
as you study it. If you don’t have those options,
look at a photo or botanical illustration of the
plant so you can engage with it visually!
Take Movement Breaks

Take frequent breaks between reading to stretch
or engage in your preferred movement activity.
Move to your advantage—could you create a
dance to help you remember something you’ve
learned? What about staying in study mode
during your movement break by going for a
foraging walk or tending to herbs in a garden
space?

Make DIY Study Projects
Herbal study projects are kinesthetic study tools that can benefit any type of learner. DIY projects
translate your learning into tangible materials and offer room for free expression—the “art” of herbalism.
These projects don’t have to be complex. They can be as simple as making jar labels with pressed herbs
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/flower-pressing-herbalists-workshop/) that you can experience
through touch and sight.

Visit the course to download our Jar Label templates as a PDF.
Getting hands-on is particularly important when it comes to herbal studies, and we’ll explore this in
greater depth in the next lesson.

CONCLUSION
As you have undoubtedly seen in this lesson, many study tools are at your disposal to help support your
herbal studies. Allow your learning preferences to guide which tools you incorporate into your education.
Importantly, have fun with it! Keep an open mind, overlap tool types, and stay organized for success.
In Lesson 3, we’ll expand on the importance of getting hands-on with herbs, including just where and
how to gather herbal supplies and key tips for recordkeeping.
Learning Styles
Kinesthetic Learning - Studying Techniques: https://youtu.be/7rDsmLsl_C4

Overview of VARK Learning Styles: https://www.verywellmind.com/vark-learning-styles-2795156
The VARK Questionnaire:
https://www.uab.edu/students/academics/images/academic-success-center/vark-questionnaire.pdf
Education Planner - What’s Your Learning Style?:
http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles.shtml

Music & Podcasts
8 Podcasts Herbalists Will Want to Listen To by Herbal Academy:

https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-podcasts/
Doug Elliott, naturalist, herbalist, and storyteller: https://dougelliott.bandcamp.com/
Josh Fox, singer/songwriter: https://foxsongs.bandcamp.com/releases
Notetaking
Digital Notes vs Paper Notes: Benefits of Taking Notes by Hand:

https://research.com/education/digital-notes-vs-paper-notes
Evernote Free Plan: https://evernote.com/free
How to color code your notes, a tutorial by Janice Studies: https://youtu.be/FGBNr1BZISk
Materia Medica Journal: https://theherbalacademy.com/product/materia-medica-journal/
Microsoft OneNote Digital Note Taking App:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onenote/digital-note-taking-app
Quizlet: Learning tools, flashcards, and textbook solutions: https://quizlet.com/
The Cornell Note Taking System:
https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/taking-notes/cornell-note-taking-system/
Zoho Notebook: https://www.zoho.com/notebook/

LESSON 3: GETTING HANDS-ON
PRACTICE WITH PLANTS
INTRODUCTION
When it comes to herbalism, doing is key! This means getting hands-on practice because experience
with herbs is vital to becoming a better herbalist. “Book smarts” are only part of the path of an herbalist.
Hands-on practice and personal experience are just as important pieces of the puzzle for truly
integrating your herbalism education, which is both an art and a science.
Getting hands-on with herbs allows you to work directly with the medium you are learning about in your
studies. This may be through familiarizing yourself with the physical characteristics of plants, honing in
on your herbal preparation-making skills, coming up with creative ways to use plants in your everyday
life, or getting some one-on-one personal experience with each plant you study to see how it affects
you. Hands-on practice helps you bring your studies to life in a new way that may fill some gaps that
words on a page just can’t fill. Also, most of us retain information much better when that knowledge is
experiential.
Regardless of how you work with plants, some of the most important steps in the process are to take
notes, record your successes and failures, and try again and again.

START USING HERBS
Now that you know just how important hands-on study is and why it can enhance your learning, let’s
look at where to begin.
Choose What Is Currently Relevant To You

While you might be eager to buy all the ingredients so you can make all the things in the course you are
currently enrolled in, you might want to take your time and read through the unit and select a handful of
recipes to try. You might choose these recipes because they help you learn about a particular topic
you’d like to focus on, because they look tasty and enticing, or because you have the necessary
ingredients on hand. Once you’ve identified some recipes, from there you can procure the ingredients to
make the recipes you’ve chosen.
You can also ask yourself the following questions.
● What has piqued my interest in my current studies?

● How can I support myself and particular wellness concerns at the moment?
● Is there a particular project or milestone I need to work toward that will guide me in choosing
which herbs or recipes to start with?

The answers to these questions may vary from herbs for immune support, herbal teas to ease stress,
and herbs for children’s wellness to pantry herbalism or even different types of tincture making, just to
name a few. From there, you may be better able to hone in on specific herbs to begin working with,
types of preparations to make, and recipes to try out in the hands-on portion of your studies.
For example, if you’re currently interested in creating an herbal first aid kit, you might begin researching
herbs that have many uses in first aid situations, such as anodynes, antimicrobials, inflammation
modulators, vulneraries, sedatives, styptics, etc. From there, you may decide you need to research these
types of herbs and come up with a list of plants you want to seek out or purchase (maybe one or two in
each category, with varying energetics).
Once your plant list is complete, try finding

recipes for herbal preparations that would be used
in first aid situations and print them off or mark
them in some way. These may come from a
particular herbal book you are reading, from a
course textbook, such as the Herbal First Aid
book included with our Intermediate Herbal
Course textbooks (https://theherbalacademy.
com/product/intermediate-herbal-course-
textbooks/), from the Herbal Academy blog
(https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/), or from a
quick internet search of reputable herbal
resources.
Next, you can begin making any preparations,

such as herb-infused oils or tinctures that are
called for in the recipes, as these are likely to take
more time to make than the final recipe itself.
While you wait for these to infuse, you may want
to write out a list or summary of the preparations
that will be in the first aid kit and what they can be
used for as a handy reference for you or others to
consult when needed. Once your base
preparations are ready, you may begin working
your way through the recipes you chose, creating
preparations like salves, syrups, tincture formulas,
and more to keep in your home herb cabinet for
use when you need them.
By incorporating hands-on activities based on your current interests or taking content directly from your
herbal studies, you will bring your education to life and are much more likely to understand and retain the
material you are reading. You will also be gaining the firsthand experience of using herbal support for you
or your family, which will build your depth of knowledge through observation, feedback, and the results
you witness.

Experiential Exercise: Getting Hands On in the Kitchen
Step 1: Ask Questions
Ask yourself the following questions to find a starting point for your hands-on study. Feel free to spend
some time on these questions. Write your answers down and then come back to them in a day or two.
Do the answers still hold true?
● What has piqued my interest in my current studies?

● How can I support myself and particular wellness concerns at the moment?
● Is there a particular project or milestone I need to work toward that will guide me in choosing
which herbs or recipes to start with?
Step 2: Find Your Plants
Based on your above answers, choose 10-12 herbs to use in your hands-on studies. To do this, it can
be helpful to list all the herbs that fit the topic you’ve chosen to focus on for the moment. Consult your
Herbal Academy course(s), search The Herbarium plant monograph database, hit the books, or find
reputable herbal sources on the internet to help you research the herbs you’ll want to include on your
list. Keep track of the information you find on each herb either in a notebook or by organizing it in a
spreadsheet so you have a record of the actions, energetics, and uses that recommend each herb for
inclusion on your list.
From there, narrow this list down by choosing herbs that have multiple uses to fit your needs, herbs
that cover the spectrum of energetic qualities so you can create balanced formulas, herbs that are
local to your region and thus are accessible, or other criteria that relate to your situation or topic.
Step 3: Find Recipes to Make
Once you have a list of herbs to use, consult your sources again to find some recipes and herbal
preparations you can make using the herbs you’ve chosen. It’s a good idea to keep the number of
recipes limited to 10 or fewer (4-6 may be enough!) to keep you from getting overwhelmed trying to
make too many things—and sometimes if you have too many on hand you may not end up
needing/using them all! Print or mark your chosen recipes so they are easy to find. It can be a good
idea to create a list of recipe names and write down where the complete recipe is located if they aren’t
printed, including the book/lesson name and the page number. Herbal Academy Courses and the
Herbal Academy blog have numerous herbal recipes to inspire you.
Step 4: Gather Supplies
Look over your recipes and list all herbs and supplies you need to gather so you have everything you
need at your fingertips before you step foot in the kitchen.
Step 5: Get Messy in the Kitchen
Once you have your supplies on hand, head to the kitchen and get busy making foundational herbal
preparations, such as infused oils and tinctures, that are required in your chosen recipes. When those

are ready, make the actual recipes themselves. Don’t forget to label your finished recipes and be
mindful of their shelf life as well as storage requirements.
Step 6: Put Them to Use
Finally, put your recipes to use. Did you make an herbal lotion? Use it regularly. Did you make a
tincture? Take it daily and write down what you observe. Did you make an herbal oil to use in your next
meal? Schedule it on the meal plan for the week or try it out in a few different recipes. Don’t let those
preparations go to waste. Put them to use and take notes on what you observe.
Want another example of deciding which direction to take your hands-on studies and creating your
shopping list? Find guidance and inspiration from the Herbal Shopping List for Beginners
(https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/herbalist-
shopping-list-for-beginners) blog post we shared with our friends over at Mountain Rose Herbs!
Now that you know where to begin with your hands-on studies, let’s look at how to gather your supplies
so you can get started.
Gathering Supplies
When it comes to gathering materials
for hands-on herbal practice, there are
several types of supplies to look for,
such as herbs, waxes and butters,
menstruums (solvents), measuring
utensils, storage containers, funnels,
and a kitchen scale. You can try
researching local places that sell
high-quality products and materials,
such as herb shops and health food
stores. Or, try asking fellow herbalists.
You can also purchase materials from
online suppliers if you have trouble
sourcing local herbs or ingredients.
Don’t forget that if you’re an Herbal
Academy student, you can access
student-only discounts from our
partners in your Student Dashboard.
Supplies don’t always have to cost a

lot of money, and we encourage
resourceful sourcing! Here are some
ways to save money on supplies.
Recycle and Reuse

Start saving glass jars from food items
like pickles, olives, jams, etc., to

repurpose. You can use these to store herbs or homemade tinctures, oils, vinegars, and creams as you
need them. Be sure to sanitize and dry your jars and lids well before using them, and make sure the lids
seal well. If you wish to remove the labels from your containers, soak them in hot soapy water for a few
hours, and the labels should start to peel off. You can also use a small amount of olive oil or rubbing
alcohol/vodkato remove any sticky adhesive that remains stuck to the bottle. (A few drops of cheap
citrus essential oil rubbed on with a cloth or paper towel can work as well, just be sure to wear kitchen
gloves to protect your skin.) Be sure to thoroughly wash and sanitize the bottles before reusing them!
Shop Thrift Stores

Browsing local and online thrift and antique stores can be a great way to find supplies that an herbalist
needs, including glass canning jars, vintage teapots and cups, storage vessels, sifters/sieves, harvesting
baskets, plant pots, herb and flower presses, and even herb-drying racks. Like any equipment, these
supplies should be thoroughly sanitized before use.
Explore Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist can be good resources for purchasing gently used supplies from
nearby community members. As a bonus, you may meet other like-minded herbalists in your community.
Be sure to follow safety guidelines when connecting with strangers and meet in a well-lit, public place.
Visit Used Bookstores and Libraries

Herbal reference books are a fantastic resource to have on hand, but they can be expensive. Instead of
sourcing these new, visit your community library or local used bookstores to see what you can borrow or
purchase secondhand. You never know what treasures you’ll find! If you prefer shopping online, buying
used through Amazon, eBay, or Thrift Books can help you save, too.
If you’re looking for some herbal books to add to your herbal library, we have a list of 101 of our favorites
in our blog post, 101 Herbal Books To Build Your Herbal Library
(https://theherbalacademy.com/101-herbal-books/). We also compile reviews of many of our favorites in
our Herbal Bookshelf (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-books/).
Preview Herbal Books Online

Did you know you can preview the inside of books online using Amazon’s preview tool and the Google
Books (https://books.google.com) search feature? While the results are often quite limited, you can get
lucky and sometimes find what you’re looking for in the search results. These tools also allow you to get
a sense of which books you might want to add to your library before purchasing.
Buy Ingredients in Bulk

Buying in bulk is nearly always more affordable, plus it cuts back on the packing supplies and higher
shipping costs that you would acquire with multiple smaller online orders. However, keep in mind that
buying larger quantities of herbs doesn’t save money if you don’t end up using them before their shelf
life is up, so keep that in mind as you plan your
purchases. If you don’t need a bulk amount, then
consider splitting a purchase with a few local
herbalists. You can all share the shipping costs
and divvy out the supplies accordingly.
Share Equipment
If you’re considering investing in equipment that
you won’t need to use every day—like a tincture
press or high-end dehydrator—then you may want
to see whether a few other local herbalists,
friends, or family members would want to go in on
one with you. You could all split the cost and take
turns using the equipment when needed.
Learn How to Forage

If you’re fortunate enough to live somewhere with
a yard or with access to land or wild spaces
where you can forage, then learning how to gather
wild plants is a fantastic way to save money on
your herbs and forge a deeper relationship with
the plants around you. If you’re unsure where to
start, check out The Foraging Course

(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/the-foraging-course/) or inquire locally to see whether any local
herbalists host free community plant walks.
Grow Your Own Herbs

Whether you have a tiny windowsill or a giant backyard, you can most likely grow at least a few of your
own herbs. Culinary herbs like basil (Ocimum basilicum), peppermint (Mentha x piperita), lemon balm
(Melissa officinalis), and rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) often do well in pots. For a backyard, possibilities
are endless, and you can easily save hundreds of dollars per year by growing your own herbs. Here’s a
list of the 7 Best Plants for a Beginner’s Herb Garden
(https://theherbalacademy.com/beginners-herb-garden/), and you’ll find additional gardening-related
articles if you search the Herbal Academy blog.
Go DIY
You can often save a lot of money by making your own herbal products rather than buying them
premade from the store, and you learn a lot in the process! For example, a 1 fl oz bottle of storebought
tincture typically costs about $15, but for around $23, you could purchase a liter of 100-proof vodka and
combine it with foraged (free!) herbs to make somewhere in the ballpark of 30 fl oz of homemade tincture
(30 fl oz of storebought tincture could cost nearly $450!).
Barter and Trade

Lastly, remember that dollars and bills aren’t the
only forms of currency. In fact, herbalism is a
community craft that has been traded, bartered,
swapped, and gifted for centuries. For example, if
you have an abundance of homegrown tulsi
(Ocimum tenuiflorum), and your nearby herbal
friend has a plethora of foraged hawthorn
(Crataegus spp.) berries, propose a trade. Or,
connect with a local herb farmer to see whether
you could volunteer at their farm in exchange for
fresh herbs. There are innumerable ways to get
creative; start by asking yourself which products
or services you have an abundance of and could
share with others.
Now that you have an idea of some supplies and

materials to gather (and how to save some money
doing it), feel free to download and print this
Herbalist’s Supply Checklist to help you get
organized.
Visit the course to download the Herbal Toolkit

Supply List worksheet as a PDF.
Since we’ve discussed getting hands-on with

herbs inside the home, it’s only fitting that we talk

about incorporating hands-on study outside the home in the field and forest.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT FIELD STUDIES

Herb gardens, fields, meadows, forests, and off-the-beaten-path trails can be excellent places to get
hands-on with your herb studies. Here, you can find fresh, living plants to engage your senses while
directly observing their characteristics and learning more about their growing cycles and habitats.
Here are a few ways to use field studies to enhance your textbook herbal studies.
Start an Herb Garden

One of the easiest ways to observe fresh herbs is
to bring them directly to you by growing them in
your very own herb garden. This can be a few
pots on your patio or a dedicated garden space in
your yard (or community garden plot).
To begin, do a little research and planning. First,

figure out what growing zone you are located in
and your last frost date for the year. You can
Google your last frost date based on your zip
code or location. This information will let you
know what plants thrive best in your area and
when the best time is to grow your plants outside.
Next, pick a focus or purpose for your garden. Do

you want to grow a children’s herb garden, a
tropical one, or a sanctuary for at-risk plants?
What types of seeds and plants are a fit for the
type of garden you want to grow? It’s also
important to consider how much space do you
have available to you and what your experience
level is with gardening. You can start with a few
pots on the patio or in a windowsill, or, if you have
more space, you can grow a large raised bed
garden or even a traditional or cottage style
garden. Our recommendation is to start small, get
a feel for gardening in your area, and expand from
there!
At this point, it’s time to plant. Collect materials for your beds or containers, source high-quality soil, and
gather any soil amendments to ensure the soil contains the right amount of nutrients for your plants. Get
plant starts from friends or from local or online plant suppliers, or start from purchased seeds. If you’re
starting plants from seed, you’ll also want to make sure you have all the supplies for seed starting as
well, such as seed-starting containers and optional seed-starting soil mix, grow lights, and heat mats.
You can read more about growing herbs from seed and preparing seeds for your herb garden in our blog
post, Seed Scarification: What Herb Gardeners Need to Know
(https://theherbalacademy.com/seed-scarification-what-herb-gardeners-need-to-know/).

From there, sit back and watch the growing process begin. There will be more to learn, such as how to
keep the weeds at bay (if you want) and deter pests, but you can learn so much about plants by
watching and caring for them throughout their growing cycle. Get even more details about starting an
herb garden in our blog post, How and Why To Start an Herb Garden
(https://theherbalacademy.com/how-and-why-to-start-an-herb-garden/).
See our Recommended Resource section at the end of this lesson for more resources to help you get
started with your very own herbal garden!
Create an Herbal Materia Medica

As discussed in the last lesson, creating an herbal materia medica filled with herbal monographs of the
plants you are studying and using is a great way to enhance your herbal studies.
One way to make your herbal materia medica a bit more hands-on is to add an image of your plant to
your herbal monograph, whether a photograph, a pressed plant specimen (using our Field Flower Press
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/field-flower-press/) or simply a big, heavy book), or a
hand-drawn illustration (our Botanical Drawing for Herbalists Course
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/botanical-drawing-for-herbalists-course/) can help you flex your
drawing skills, but feel free to just start drawing—the goal here is really just the process of observing a
plant, after all). Ideally, you’ll collect several
images which showcase the plant in all of its
stages of growth. This will allow you to visualize
the plant while reviewing the information you’ve
collected on it. You can find plants growing wild if
you know how to identify them positively, or you
can seek out a herbalist or botanist who can guide
you on an herb walk or even visit a local nursery to
observe plants and snap some photos.
Find Other Creative Uses for

Herbs
You can also get hands on with plants by
developing some creative uses for them. This can
look like sitting with plants and meditating with
them before journaling your observations or doing
some crafts with the plants you study, such as
making a mandala from a plant’s aboveground
parts or using the leaves or flowers of the plant to
create natural dyes. You can also write poems or
stories about the plant you’re currently working
with and even use it to create your own recipes,
whether these are food or herbal recipes. There
are a lot of ways to get creative with plants!
Now that we’ve discussed hands-on uses of herbs both in and out of the house, let’s look into one of the
most important parts of practicing and experimenting with herbs—recordkeeping!

RECORDKEEPING
Taking notes and keeping records on what you study and the hands-on practices you try is a good habit
to get into from the very beginning of your herbal inquiries. Notetaking and recordkeeping serve as
reminders of what you have done, tried, and experienced, and they will help you to make progress on
your journey forward (instead of repeating things you’ve already done but forgotten!).
One of the easiest ways to keep records of your hands-on studies is to add notes, updates, or reminders
in the margins of your lessons or recipes when you make them.
For example, if you make a lotion recipe and substitute an herb you have on hand for one the recipe calls
for, you will want to write down that substitution. If you picked up a tip or trick for getting a flawless
emulsion, be sure to jot the details down in the section of your course text that talks about emulsions
and then add a note to reference that page when you come to recipes on making lotions. Taking notes
and keeping records of what you try when making a lotion will help you the next time you go to make
another lotion recipe.
It’s also important to know that recordkeeping doesn’t stop once you’ve made a recipe. You will want to
use the recipe to get some personal experience with it, and then come back to your notes and add an
update sharing your observations. For example, how well did the lotion absorb into your skin (would a
different type of oil be a better fit?), and was the shelf-life recommendation accurate based on your
microbial testing results?

If you’re not sure what is important to take note of, just write everything down. Your future self will thank
you for it!
CONCLUSION
At this point, we hope you are itching to dive into your herbal studies and find ways to get hands-on with
the content you’re reading. Remember, incorporating hands-on activities and getting experience with the
herbs you are reading about will only enhance your overall experience and success with your studies,
help you retain the information you’re learning, and make you a better herbalist. In addition, you and your
community can benefit from your herbal creations!
In our next lesson, we’ll dive into how to study with others, whether it’s in person or online, and how
finding an herbal mentor can help you as well.
Growing Herbs
5 Easy to Grow Perennial Herbs for Busy Gardeners by Melissa Szaro:

https://theherbalacademy.com/perennial-herbs/
7 Best Plants for a Beginners Herb Garden by Hannah Lasorsa:
https://theherbalacademy.com/beginners-herb-garden/

How to Grow your Own Tea Garden and Helpful Harvesting Tips by Lauren May:
https://theherbalacademy.com/tea-garden/
How to Propagate Herbs from Cuttings by Herbal Academy:
https://theherbalacademy.com/propagate-herbs/
Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies by Maria Nӧel Groves
Growing An Edible Flower Garden by Kira Merrick: https://theherbalacademy.com/edible-flower-garden/
Growing Medicinal Herbs by Tammi Hartung
Growing Plant Medicine by Richo Cech
Herb Projects
10 Herbal Crafts for Long Winter Days by Hannah Kincaid:

https://theherbalacademy.com/winter-herbal-crafts/
A Spring Equinox Drawing Exercise with Joséphine Klerks:
https://theherbalacademy.com/drawing-exercise/
Free Pages for your Materia Medica by Herbal Academy:
https://theherbalacademy.com/free-pages-materia-medica/
Gathering Supplies for your Herbal Materia Medica by Herbal Academy:
https://theherbalacademy.com/supplies-for-your-herbal-materia-medica/
How to Create an Herbal Materia Medica (E-Course) by Herbal Academy:
https://theherbalacademy.com/free-herbal-materia-medica-course/
How to Make Lavender Wands by Cat Seixas: https://theherbalacademy.com/lavender-wands/
How to Make Oak Gall and Coreopsis Botanical Paint by Rebecca Desnos:
https://theherbalacademy.com/botanical-paint/
Supplies
11 Ways to Save Money on Herbal Supplies by Herbal Academy:

https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-supplies/
14 Must-Have Supplies for Herbalists by Meagan Visser:
https://theherbalacademy.com/supplies-for-herbalists/
Herbal Shopping List for Beginners by Herbal Academy and Mountain Rose Herbs:
https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/herbalist-shopping-list-for-beginners
The Best Places to Purchase Herbs and Supplies World-Wide by Herbal Academy:
https://theherbalacademy.com/purchase-herbs-and-supplies-world-wide/

LESSON 4: STUDYING WITH OTHER
INTRODUCTION
Whether you are new to herbalism or have been a solitary herbalist or student up until this point, you
may find great benefit by studying in a group setting. Sharing your herbal studies with others is a great
way to enhance your overall herbal experience, get feedback and answers to questions, share tips and
tricks learned, and so much more. Not only will it help enliven your studies and bring new perspectives,
but it can also help advance your understanding as you benefit from the knowledge of others.
In this lesson, we will look at the benefits of in-person and online herbal studies groups, how to find or
start one, how to tap into Herbal Academy’s student community, and how to work with an herbal mentor.
STUDY GROUPS
One of the easiest ways to study with others is to join or form a study group. These groups can be
in-person groups or online groups consisting of two or more people. Sometimes they have a specific
focus, such as herbal first aid, making herbal preparations, or running a clinical practice; other times,
they’re more general, focusing on herbalism as a whole, and are suited for all skill levels and
experiences; and sometimes they are focused on supporting students in a particular herbal course of
study.

Study groups not only allow you to share
information, knowledge, and learning experiences
with others, but they allow you to form
connections, broaden your way of thinking,
network with fellow herbalists, grow your skills in
a new way, and so much more.
But how do you find a study group?
One of the first ways to find a group is to ask

around. Do you have local or online friends who
are learning about herbalism? Is there a local herb
or health food shop that posts news on a bulletin
board? Does your local newspaper or community
events Facebook page mention herbal meetings
or study groups? Perhaps there is a garden club
or other wellness-oriented meetups in your area
where you can find others interested in learning
more about herbalism. Are you a part of any
online herbal organizations that list study groups
open for new members, such as the American
Herbalist Guild (https://www.americanherbal
istsguild.com/ahg-chapters), which has listings of
local chapters that you can join?
If you can’t find a study group in your local or

online spaces, why not start one of your own?
There are likely other people like you that are
interested in joining an herbal study group if one
exists. All that is needed is the group itself and a
way to share it, and new members will come.
Below, we will walk you through some steps you can take to form your own herbal study group and get
the word out to new members.
How To Form an Herbal Study Group

Study groups can consist anywhere from you and one to two other people to 10 or more individuals who
all want to gather regularly to learn more about herbs, and any number in between! Here are some things
to consider if you’re thinking of starting your own herbal study group, whether in-person or online.
1. Start With A Plan

● When will you meet? Will it be weekly, monthly, or quarterly? What is doable for most people’s
schedules?
● How many members will be in your group? Consider the amount of time you have to dedicate
to those involved in the group.

● Where will you meet? In a home, at a local meeting place, or in an online location? Place some
phone calls or send some emails to secure a location. If you meet online, what is required to
administer/moderate that type of group?
● What time will your meetings be, and how long will they last? Will times be consistent for
each meeting, or will they change from meeting to meeting?
● What will your meeting agenda consist of? Will there be an introduction or time to share
updates since you last met, followed by the main topic of the meeting (and what will this be?),
before wrapping up? Will there be a time for hands-on work together, or will meetings be mostly
verbal discussion?
● What are your ground rules? You may want to spend some time thinking about some general
rules to help guide interactions and discussions for the type of meeting forum you are
developing. These rules may include guidelines on when to listen and when to speak, how to
handle a difference of opinion, how to share and credit other’s ideas, supporting each other, etc.
You will find further information about setting group rules in the Recommended Resources
section below.
2. Don’t Forget The Food!

Food is one thing that brings people together, so if it’s possible, include some sort of food or snack at
your meetings—bonus points if it’s food made with herbs! Perhaps you offer dandelion fritters
(https://theherbalacademy.com/dandelion-fritters/) in spring, ginger pineapple smoothies
(https://theherbalacademy.com/antanti-inflammatory-smoothie-recipe/) in summer, pumpkin beer bread
(https://theherbalacademy.com/pumpkin-beer-bread/) in autumn, and herbal chocolate bark
(https://theherbalacademy.com/chocolate-bark-recipes/) in winter. And don’t forget the drinks. You can
serve a nice glass of lemon balm lemonade (https://theherbalacademy.com/lemon-balm-lemonade/), a
warming cup of spiced apple cider (https://theherbalacademy.com/spiced-apple-cider-recipe/), or even
the occasional summer (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-cocktail-recipes-summer/) or winter
(https://theherbalacademy.com/winter-herbal-cocktails/) cocktail or mocktail.
If your meetings take place in an online format, it can be fun to send out an easy herbal mocktail or tea
recipe with the meeting reminder so members can come to the online space with their refreshments in
hand if they so desire.

3. Advertise Your Herbal Study Group
Once you have all the details of your new herbal study group, you will need to advertise the group locally
or online if you’re accepting new members.
You can do this by hanging posters on bulletin boards around town, in local health food stores or
farm-to-table restaurants, or in places that sell herbs (live or dried), such as greenhouses and nurseries.
If your group is online, you can share a digital flyer or graphic on your website, in a newsletter, on social
media platforms, or in online herbal groups you participate in, if allowed.
4. Get Some Help

Once you have some group members and have met a few times, selecting someone from the group to
help you co-lead is a good idea. This person can help you organize future meetings, contact members,
help with food, lead group discussions, or take over completely if you can’t make a meeting. There may
also come a time when your group feels too large, and you decide to divide it into two smaller groups.
Having a co-leader makes this type of transition much easier for everyone as they can lead one group
while you lead the other. You may also want to designate a note-taker as it can be helpful to keep track
of ideas and topics from one meeting to the next. This would ideally be someone other than the group
leader or moderator as it can be very difficult to do both jobs at once.

5. Continue to Spread Herbal Knowledge In Your Community
Once your herb study group is established, you will likely find opportunities to spread herbal knowledge.
Members of your group can host or participate in small educational herb fairs or nonprofit events at
botanical gardens or nature centers, or even teach or give presentations to local homeschool groups,
and so much more.
Experiential Exercise: Herbal Study Group Brainstorming
If an herbal study group sounds like something you’d like to pursue, take some time to brainstorm
what kind of group you would be interested in. Whether you plan on leading the group or participating,
it can be helpful to go through this process to know what you are looking for.
Download the following worksheet to help you brainstorm your ideal herbal study group. Want to save
ink and collect your notes in a designated notebook? Use our Botanical Study Notebook Set
(https://theherbalacademy.com/product/botanical-study-notebook-set) to jot down all the details.

Visit the course to download the Herbal Study Group Brainstorming worksheet as a PDF.

Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of study groups and know how to create your own group, let’s
look into Herbal Academy’s very own student community—the MyHerbalStudies Community Facebook
group.
TAPPING INTO COMMUNITY

A wonderful part of herbalism is community! Each individual brings their own unique way of working with
plants to the table, and we all learn from each other through sharing our experiences. Here at the
Academy, we gather together in the online MyHerbalStudies Community to engage in our school’s
special herbal community.
Access to this thriving Facebook group is exclusive to students of select programs at the Herbal
Academy. Course enrollment pages (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbalism-courses/) indicate
whether registration in each particular course grants entry to the community. As an enrolled student, you
can also visit your Student Dashboard to see if you have access based on your course registration.
The mission of the MyHerbalStudies Community is to provide a place to share tips, projects, and ideas,
as well as news that might interest fellow herbal students. This unique space fosters herbal creativity and
celebrates the ways we all continue to learn and grow in this study.
We know that herbalism is a lifelong journey of learning and growing. Enrolling in a course that comes
with access to the MyHerbalStudies Community will ensure that you have a supportive online space to
grow within as you develop your personal relationship with herbs and herbalism.
Take a look at the group overview in the video below!

Visit the course to download the MyHerbalStudies GroupNaviagation video transcript as a PDF.
Now that you know about our MyHerbalStudies Community Facebook group, let’s look at how you can
also benefit from working one-on-one with an herbal mentor.
WORKING WITH AN HERBAL MENTOR

Community is an important aspect of herbalism. Herbalism is, after all, all about relationships—the
relationships we have with each other, with our community, with ourselves and our health, with plants,
and with our wider ecosystem and planet. One of the most special relationships within herbalism is the
relationship between herb mentor and student.
Most herbalists eventually find some sort of mentor as this type of relationship is a natural expression of
how our herbal knowledge is passed along and is the traditional way that herbalism has been passed
from one generation to another. Many of us at the Herbal Academy have had mentors that helped shape
who we are as herbalists, and many of us continue to work with mentors or mentees even now. We also
appreciate that mentoring others is a continuing learning experience not just for the student, but also for
the teacher.
The mentor-student relationship is so valuable and special not only because of the information we learn
and experience we gain, but also because it helps us orient ourselves. Who do we want to become as an
herbalist? In what direction are we moving? Our herb mentors are often people we want to emulate who
have been where we are now and have forged ahead to where we may wish to travel, as well. Having a
mentor also helps us by providing insight and perspective when the going gets tough. When we struggle
with new questions or a new case study and can’t seem to find answers, or when it seems like we’ve
lost our way on our path, our mentor can be there with encouragement, a new idea, or the wisdom from
a parallel experience that helps us find the missing pieces of our herbal puzzles.

Join Herbal Academy’s Course Development Director, Lisa Olson, RH(AHG), as she shares more about
the benefits of herbal mentorship, how to find a mentor, and the types of mentorships that may be
available to you.
Visit the course to download the Working with an Herbal Mentor video transcript as a PDF.

Nature as a Mentor
When it comes to having mentors in our life, we must not forget to include nature and the plants
themselves as a mentor, as it’s this beautiful relationship with the green world that keeps us deeply
rooted on this plant path.
When looking to nature as a mentor, it might take some practice to learn its many secrets, but don’t
worry, with time and close observation you can gain a vast depth of insight and knowledge. Getting
outside regularly—yes, even during winter—spending time in nature, observing the green world around
you as it shifts with the seasons, paying close attention to the plants, animals, and insects and how they
respond to these shifts, watching how they interact with one another, and so much more, can be a great
way to learn directly from the plants themselves.
Don’t forget about nature and the plant themselves, who may be the wisest mentors of all.
Interested in learning how to build a relationship with plants directly? Connecting with and learning from
plants is something we can all do, and there is so much to gain from building relationship with the green
world! Read more about cultivating a direct relationship with plants in The Herbarium:
https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/2015/08/meditating-with-plants-learning-plant-medicine-throu
gh-direct-experience/
CONCLUSION

From antiquity, herbalism has always been a body of knowledge and practice shared from plants to
people and from person to person, and it continues to remain the same in our modern world. Whether
we’re studying with one person or a group of people, in-person or online, or one-on-one with an herbal
mentor, the wild and wonderful world of herbs is something to be learned from and shared with others.
Next up in the final lesson of our My Herbal Study Tips Mini Course, you will learn about resources such
as books, websites, physical study aids, herbaria, and more that will help you as you pursue your herbal
studies.
Mentors
AHG Herbalist Mentors: https://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/mentors

How to Learn Herbalism Directly from the Plants by Sage Maurer:
https://theherbalacademy.com/meditating-with-plants-learning-plant-medicine-through-direct-experienc
e/
Plant Personalities: How Growing Plants Deepened my Relationship with Them by Kendra Payne:
https://theherbalacademy.com/plant-personalities/
The American Herbalist Guild Handbook of Mentoring Guidelines for Student Practitioners and Mentors
by Patricia Kryritsi Howell
The Herbalist’s Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicine by Nancy and Michael Phillips
Study Groups
Canva (For a free tool to help you create graphics for your study group): http://canva.com
Netiquette: Ground Rules for Online Discussions by Colorado State University:
https://tilt.colostate.edu/netiquette-ground-rules-for-online-discussions/
Setting Ground Rules for Productive Discussions by University of Minnesota Extension:
https://extension.umn.edu/public-engagement-strategies/setting-ground-rules-productive-discussions

LESSON 5: RESOURCES
INTRODUCTION
As we so often remind our community, learning herbalism is a lifelong journey to be savored and
experienced. It is an endeavor to be nurtured with careful observation, hands-on practice, study with
experienced teachers, and learning from the many available resources compiled by herbalists and
educators of varying traditions and approaches, both modern and historical.
Whether you are brand new to herbalism and just itching to dive in headfirst, or you’ve been on your
journey for a while and you’re ready to take the next big step, having trustworthy resources at the ready
can help further support you on your herbal education path.
Through books, community-based learning, online resources, and physical study tools, you can build a
helpful collection of study supports, often affordably. Curating a collection of reputable and insightful
sources will give you the informational tools you need to dig in on topics of interest, cross-reference
information from multiple sources, and expand your knowledge step by step.

BUILDING AND USING AN HERBAL LIBRARY
As herbalists, our libraries are treasured collections of the books that have helped lead us along the
learning journey. The books that continue to line our shelves are the ones that have resonated with us
most strongly and clearly at some point during our education. Some of these we return to frequently;
others have played a role in building our herbal foundation and hold fond memories. All have offered us
valuable information and insight.
Curating your herbal library doesn’t happen instantly. It’s a process of selecting those books that are
right for your current learning needs or desires and either making room in your budget to purchase them
or making the time and effort to find free copies.
Where To Find Books
Stocking your herbal library little by little may take a lifetime. While some books may be more of a
financial investment than others, ultimately, it’s worth the sacrifice if they become go-to resources.
However, before you spend a large amount of money to fill your bookshelves, there are several
affordable resources to try first.
To prepare for herbal studies we highly recommend obtaining copies of at least three herbal books to be
used as additional resources to support your learning. While you will find that Herbal Academy courses
are packed to the gills with information, as with any field of study, using multiple resources can be really

useful in supporting your learning as well as further exploring the areas of interest that come up for you
in your studies.
Some books are available online for free in full, especially old-timey herbal texts
(https://theherbalacademy.com/3-old-timey-herb-books-you-can-read-online/). Sometimes, Amazon
Kindle books on herbal topics go on sale or are available for free. Google Books
(http://books.google.com/) also offers free previews of many herbal texts, so if you want to get a glimpse
of a particular book, you can search for it there.
If you decide to purchase a book to add to your herbal library, Amazon offers used books for a discount,
as does Thriftbooks. There are also some herbal book swap groups
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/1332794290111358/) on Facebook you can join and participate in as
well. And don’t forget your local used bookstores. You never know when you’ll stumble across an herbal
book gem on the shelves. Even yard sales and resale shops can turn up some herbal gems from time to
time!
Speaking of local, your nearby library can also be a good resource. Even if they don’t have an extensive
herbal book collection, they may be able to get a larger selection by request via interlibrary loan.
Wherever you decide to source your herbal books, keep track of your reading as you embark on new
chapters in your learning. We’ve created free, fungi-inspired bookmarks to help you do just that! The
next time you read through your latest book or need to mark a spot to leave off, these study buddy
bookmarks will come in handy.
Visit the course to download the Herbal Academy Study Buddy Bookmarks as a PDF.

How to Select Books
Now that you know where to find herbal books, you may wonder which ones to add to your collection.
Think about where you are on your journey. If you are just starting, choose books matching your
experience level. As your herbal studies grow, you will add books that cover more advanced topics, so
don’t rush to get your hands on any and every herbal book just yet.
For some guidance in selecting topic-specific and level-specific books for your studies, we have curated
Recommended Resources lists at the end of most Herbal Academy course lessons (including within this
course!) to help guide readers in selecting additional support material related to the topics they are
reading about. Prioritize reviewing the resources that stand out the most to you rather than trying to get
ahold of every suggestion on each list, but by all means, let your curiosity lead you! These
Recommended Resource lists are carefully selected so you can be assured to find reputable sources
specifically chosen to support and expand upon your studies. Learning from multiple sources is a great
way to cement your understanding of a subject, as there are many ways to explain each concept, and
plenty of perspectives to consider!
Herbal Academy’s Herbal Bookshelf

To explore some of the books that we love and highly recommend, visit Herbal Academy’s online Herbal
Bookshelf (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-books/). This interconnected, searchable database
allows you to easily search, preview, and purchase books hand-picked by Herbal Academy educators.
Browse a wide range of topics freely and find related resources by experience level, author, and interest.
Plus, find in-depth reviews and from our staff, so you know exactly what to expect from each selection!
To get you acquainted with this helpful feature, here’s an overview of how it works on the website:

How To Search For Herbal Books
1. On the main page, you will find a field of book covers organized alphabetically by title. You can
browse and click each book cover to reach their expanded profile (learn more about this below).
2. Above the field of book covers is a search bar where you can look up specific titles.
3. To the right of the search bar are several buttons to narrow down your search: by topic, by
author, or by letter. Each has a dropdown menu to navigate through the listings in that category.
4. You can also click on the B, I, or A letters, to the right of the other search buttons, to see books
sorted by level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced).
Once you’ve clicked on a selection from the above search options, the field of book covers below will
collapse to display a grouping of all books in that category. So, for example, if you choose Plant
Identification in the topics menu, you will immediately see only books related to plant identification
topics.

Expanded Book Profiles
Once you’re within a book’s profile, you’ll find a brief description of the book and clickable buttons
indicating the topic and level that take you to those pages with all books in that category. There is also a
handy “Buy Now” button that takes you directly to the book’s profile on Amazon.
From the top of the page you can also navigate with the left and right arrows, each featuring the title of
the book preceding and following the profile you are in so you don’t have to go back and forth to the
category page to get to the next book.
Further down the page, for most books, you’ll see an in-depth Herbal Academy review of the book’s
contents, an author biography, which level Herbal Academy course the book corresponds to, as well as
a description of the course with links to learn more. You’ll also find links to blog articles where the book
or author are featured, and at the bottom is a selection of related books to scroll through.
Getting the Most Out of the Herbal Bookshelf
We created this robust resource to help cut down on the information overload that may come with
weeding through online reviews to find just the right herbal book or browsing through bookstores with
little to no guidance! You may benefit from utilizing this resource in more ways than one:
● If you’re looking for a book but don’t quite remember all the information—maybe you just recall
the author—you can see all books by that particular author to find what you need.

● Use our curated recommendations to determine which books are appropriate for your level of
study and experience, but keep in mind that these are just suggestions to note who might
benefit most from a particular book, not a hard-and-fast rule! Many books may be suitable for a
variety of levels, from the beginning student learning new concepts to the advanced practitioner
seeking reference, and we may also take away different things from a book at different points in
our education and career.
● Explore the topic categorization as a fun way to discover other authors’ perspectives on topics
you may be interested in. As many of us have had that experience of craving more of a certain
topic or author after finishing a book, the Herbal Bookshelf makes it easy to find related books to
add to your reading list.
The Herbal Bookshelf helps out newcomers still finding their footing in herbalism and can inspire those
who are more adept to explore new directions. Use this database as a launching point to building your
own herbal library, and come back to it for fresh inspiration as you grow in experience!
Experiential Exercise: Start Your Own Herbal Library
Creating the herbal book collection of your dreams may take some time, but we suggest starting with
just three selections that you can regularly reference. This way, you’ll have multiple references
available, but not so many books that you feel overwhelmed.
Step 1: Brainstorm
First, decide what types of books and topics are most important for you to have on hand.
Ask yourself the following questions:

● What do I or my family and friends need support with?
● What traditions would I like to learn more about?
● What topics will be most helpful for my stage of life?
● Where do I need extra support in my learning?
● What do I want to learn about my bioregion?
Pay a visit to the Herbal Bookshelf (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-books/) and the following

book collections on the Herbal Academy blog for some quick inspiration:
● https://theherbalacademy.com/tag/book-excerpt/
● https://theherbalacademy.com/tag/book-review/
● https://theherbalacademy.com/tag/herbal-books/
As noted above, you can also scan the Recommended Resources sections at the end of the lessons
in the Herbal Academy courses you are taking for topic-specific book recommendations.
Step 2: Source your Books
Be sure to explore all of the options available to you for sourcing your books. If you’re ready to buy,
select an online supplier for a digital or printed copy, or head to a physical bookstore in your area. If
you’re looking for a free option, you may be able to access a full version online, borrow a friend’s
copy, or find the book at the library. In this case, take note of key information before returning the
book.

Step 3: Repeat!
Don’t feel the need to rush to collect every herbal book out there. Letting your library grow at a slower
pace will encourage you to take more time with the books you already have. When you are ready to
keep growing your library, simply repeat the above process and in time you will have built your own
treasured herbal book collection, customized to your interests and study preferences!
Examples:
Gregory is looking for beginner to intermediate level books on herbalism from some Western
perspectives. He selects…
● Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide by Rosemary Gladstar
● Body Into Balance by Maria Noël Groves
● Hoodoo Medicine: Gullah Herbal Remedies by Faith Mitchell
Lily is looking for advanced level books on phytochemistry and herbal safety. She opts for…
● AHPA's Botanical Safety Handbook by Zoë Gardner & Michael McGuffin
● Medical Herbalism by David Hoffmann
● Herbal Constituents: Foundations of Phytochemistry by Lisa Ganora
Sebastian is looking for beginner and intermediate level books on botany and plant ID for the North
American southwest. They choose…
● Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West by Michael Moore
● Peterson Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster & Christopher
Hobbs
● Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel
HERBAL ACADEMY RESOURCES

We want you to be well-equipped as you dive into the wild and wonderful world of herbalism, with study
support always within reach. That’s why we’ve created several herbalist-approved resources and goods
to ensure that you have the best study experience possible.

The Herbarium
Many students in our community have expressed that The Herbarium

(https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/), our ever-growing, illuminating virtual collection of plant
knowledge, personal and clinical experience, and science-backed resources, is the very best herbal
study guide for complementing and supporting their herbal education.
The Herbarium membership is the herbalist’s ultimate research companion, offering unique intensive
short courses on focused topics alongside our extensive database of over 200 (and counting!)
searchable monographs, not to mention numerous articles, ebooks, podcasts, and helpful downloadable
resources. Members receive special discounts to our partners, as well! The Herbarium is crafted to help
you as an herbalist or plant enthusiast learn and grow in your herbal journey.

Visit the course to watch The Herbarium Plant Database video.
Learn more about The Herbarium membership (https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/)!
The Herbal Academy Blog

A student-favorite resource, the Herbal Academy blog (https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/) is
continuously updated with new herbal content and features hundreds of free articles on natural wellness
and lifestyle, including detailed recipes, simple tutorials and DIY herbal projects for home and body,
interviews, book excerpts, and more. With many diverse contributors, our blog offers a wide range of
perspectives sure to empower, inform, and inspire your herbal practice.
Herbal Academy’s Physical Study Tools

Our online Goods Shop (https://theherbalacademy.com/shop) features a curated collection of botanical
goods for students and herbalists of all kinds. Find textbook sets for introductory and intermediate
learners, along with unique topical workbooks, guides, accessories, and journals to encourage a
well-rounded approach to study.

A few student-favorite Goods Shop products include:
Herbal Journey Planner: The 140-page Herbal Journey Planner is a beautifully designed companion
intended to help anyone curious about becoming an herbalist illuminate their steps of exploration down
the wild and wonderful herbal path. Enjoy discovery activities to help you gain insight, calendars to keep
yourself organized, and note pages to write down all your herbal hopes and dreams!
https://theherbalacademy.com/product/herbal-journey-planner/
Materia Medica Journal: Compiling information into plant monographs is inspiring and fun but requires
diligence and focus. Our Materia Medica Journal features space to accommodate 50 botanical
monographs with room for additional notes, making it a convenient and lovely repository for the herbal
wisdom you discover as you embark on your plant study path.
https://theherbalacademy.com/product/materia-medica-journal/
Botanical Sketchbook: This unique, 120-page Botanical Sketchbook is made especially for plant
lovers. Featuring a handy list of materials to help you get started, plenty of drawing prompts, tips, and
techniques to inspire your artistic practice, and ample sketching space, you’ll be fully equipped to create
your own frame-worthy botanical illustrations.
https://theherbalacademy.com/product/botanical-sketchbook/

Herbal Actions Flashcards: This set of 45 beautifully illustrated Herbal Actions Flashcards will help you
memorize—and retain—the actions of the herbs in your toolkit. From diaphoretic to cholagogue to
galactagogue to vulnerary, each flashcard features a different herbal action on one side, and when you
flip it over, you’ll find the definition of that action along with six (6) herbs that fall into that category.
https://theherbalacademy.com/product/herbal-flashcards-plant-actions/
Forager’s Pocket Guides: One of the most important steps to sustainable and safe foraging is thorough
documentation. This convenient set of Forager’s Pocket Guides includes the Foraging Record Book, the
Foraging Guide Book, and a handy drawstring storage bag to help you document and record every detail
of your foraging adventures.
https://theherbalacademy.com/product/foragers-pocket-guides/
Herbal Preparations Recipe Guides: These mess-friendly, durable, and incredibly practical laminated
recipe and tutorial guides make hands-on learning easy. You will find 32 recipes and tutorials featured as
part of the Herbal Preparations Recipe Guides, covering water-based, sweet-based, alcohol-based, and
oil-based herbal preparations.
https://theherbalacademy.com/product/herbal-preparations-recipe-guides/
OTHER REPUTABLE RESOURCES

Additional worthwhile resources for learning herbs include websites by respected herbalists, online and
print magazines, podcasts, and public access to scientific journals. While not all of these sources are
created equal, several are worth looking at when it comes to advancing your herbal education.
It’s good practice to look for material that includes source citations, as this provides greater context,
shows where the information originated, and helps you cross-reference information to ensure accuracy.
PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/) are two

online databases we recommend to use when searching for in-depth studies and information. These
databases will search from a very large pool of plant-related research journals.
Herbalists are also fortunate to have a number of established herbal associations to turn to for research
support. For instance, associations like the American Botanical Council (https://www.herbalgram.org/)
publish high-quality herbal research summaries and the American Herbal Products Association
(https://www.ahpa.org/) science-based guidance for practices like proper herbal collection and storage,
botanical safety, and compounding and dispensing of herbs.
Note that herbal associations are numerous. With a little browsing, you may find one that addresses your
specific herbal interests and geographic region best and provides additional training resources to
improve your herbal knowledge and practice.
Generally, herbalists whose work appears in or is

referenced in multiple places, including many of
our Herbal Academy partners and educators
websites (https://theherbalacademy.com/team/),
can be a great reference source as well.
When evaluating information during your herbal

studies, if sources are not supplied, or even where
they are, it is imperative to do one's own thorough
research using any source. There is the possibility
of contradictory information, conflict of interest,
disagreement about interpretation of a source,
and other possible issues, and teasing this out
during the research process is part of the learning
process as well.
Our course development team takes great care to

substantiate the concepts and information in each
course lesson and to give credit where it’s due. As
you work through your course studies, we
encourage you to consult any of the sources cited
in the reference list at the end of each lesson that
are of interest to you in order to further your study
of the topics and ideas presented in the course.
As mentioned above, learning from multiple
sources can be an effective way to gain a really
solid understanding on a topic or concept and
develop your skills as a critical thinker!

CONCLUSION
For those at all levels of herbal education, reliable resources are indispensable in reintroducing people to
the plant world. Although you may be drawn to some resource materials more than others, remember
that a combination of approaches will aid in creating a versatile perspective to reference throughout your
studies.
The herbal student journey is one of endless possibilities and opportunities to explore. Once you’ve set
your sights on your educational goals, take the time to prepare for the worthwhile journey ahead. Being
intentional about time management, engaging with study methods matched to your learning preferences,
and connecting with an herbal learning community can make a positive impact on your herbalism path.
Remember to celebrate and share your milestones and successes, as they not only can be motivating,
but also serve to inspire others in their own goals.
So, where to go from here? You have many options! Here at Herbal Academy, we are delighted to walk
alongside you in your herbal education pursuits. We have had the honor of helping over 100,000
students study herbalism and would be thrilled to have you join our learning community, too! We know
there are many ways to continue your herbal education, so we have designed specific paths to meet you
where you are in your journey and to help you reach your individual goals. Visit our Course Page
(https://theherbalacademy.com/herbalism-courses/) to see all of the options that await you.
Thank you for joining us, and we wish you joy and wonder as you continue on your educational journey!
Herbal Books
101 Herbal Books to Build Your Herbal Library by Herbal Academy:

https://theherbalacademy.com/101-herbal-books/
Herbal Bookshelf by Herbal Academy: https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-books/
Herbal Organization Publications
American Botanical Council’s HerbClip: http://herbalgram.org/resources/herbclip/

American Botanical Council’s HerbalGram and HerbalEGram:
http://herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/
Journal of the American Herbalists Guild:
https://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/jahg-back-issues
Plant Monograph Compilations
The Herbarium: https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/

WHO Herbal Monographs:
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/42052
Databases for Phytotherapy Research Journals & Articles
PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/

REFERENCES
LESSON 2:
Chick, N. (2010). Learning Styles. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/learning-styles-preferences/.
Cornell University. (n.d.). The Cornell Note Taking System. The Learning Strategies Center.
https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/taking-notes/cornell-note-taking-system/
Garcia-Argibay, M., Santed, M. A., & Reales, J. M. (2019). Binaural auditory beats affect long-term memory. Psychological
Research, 83(6), 1124–1136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-017-0959-2
Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2009). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the
Public Interest, 9(3), 105–119. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x
Smith, L. & Gonzalez, A. (Ed.). (2019, September 30). What are Binaural Beats, and How Do They Work? Medical News Today.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320019

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© Copyright Herbal Academy

24 South Road . Bedford, MA 01730

The name of this mini course, My Herbal Study

Our goal with this mini course is to help you get

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Experiential Exercise: Create an Herbal Vision Board

Step 1: Dream a Little Dream

● Where do I want to be in 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years?

© Herbal Academy My Herbal Study Tips Mini Course theherbalacademy.com | page 5

Decide whether your vision board will be digital or physical.

Step 3: Collect Inspiration

Step 4: Put It Together

TIME MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

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Setting Study Goals

When it comes to setting goals for Herbal Academy courses (https://theherbalacademy.com/herbalism-

Herbal Academy courses are designed so that

We also recommend setting two milestones per

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Experiential Exercise: Sticky Note Study Schedule

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Label sticky notes

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STUDY SUPPORT METHODS FOR FOCUS AND

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2. Stick to the Plan

3. Ask for Help

Remember, herbalism is both a science and an

4. Find a Study Buddy

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5. Know Your Learning Style

7. Set the Scene for Production

Here are some items you may want to consider

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Herb-Specific Study Tips

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3. Learn Plant Binomials

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● Binomials are universal. When traveling or

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Botanical Study Aids

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Minty Brain Tonic Tea

2 tbsp spearmint (Mentha spicata) leaf

● Bring water to a boil in a kettle or pot.

Study Buddy Tea Blend

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