Bursting with definitive information on a range of herbs, A Woman's Book of Herbs is an extensive guide to their use in healing the mind, body, and spirit:– where, when, and how to collect herbs, and how to dry, store, and prepare them- how to use them: their physical, emotional, and ritual uses- their mythological history and astrological significance- their main chemical components- recipes for food, drinks, and medicinesInfused with the author's empowering holistic approach to healing and her keen sense of importance for women of having understanding and control over the causes of ill-health and the variety of healing processes, A Woman's Book of Herbs is a unique and indispensable work.This is a reissue of the much-loved classic, first published in 1992.
This book is intended to be a users' manual, not a reference book, and so has charts, diagrams, tables and cross-references to enable the interested practitioner to incorporate the Western Herbal Tradition into their practice. It synthesises and elaborates on all the extant information on the Western Healing Tradition as recorded by William Lilly and Nicholas Culpeper in the 17Cth and from the author's own herbal practice. It shows how using planetary energies and the wheel of the year deepens our understanding of the action of medicinal plants on the body and establishes the practitioner within their environment, allowing them to use planetary energies to determine the peak times to harvest and use herbal remedies and to locate health and sickness within the holistic paradigm of Western Traditional Herbal Medicine.For ease of use, the book is divided into two sections. The first details the philosophical framework within which traditional western herbalists can operate; looking at the four humours, and seven planets and the use of the diagnostic tool of the decumbiture chart. The work is so organised that the humoral system can be used without astrology, should that be the preference. The second part covers the practical application of the philosophy, how to collect, make and administer herbal remedies according to the planetary days and hours and the decumbiture chart. Examples of decumbiture charts will be included to show how the philosophy is used in practice. Lastly, a materia medica of common herbs is included. This fascinating new title by the best-selling Elisabeth Brooke will be of interest to anyone involved in the theory or practice of herbal medicine, particularly those who have been inspired by her other classic works including A Woman's Book of Herbs and Herbal Therapy for Women.