Florida School of Holistic Living

What herb have you been using in your kitchen lately?

Share what you're using to add some flavor to our page!

It is a real honor and privilege to share knowledge of the plants. We are always humbled to hear from students like Michelle.

“In Roots class, my interest was genuinely piqued about the healing abilities of herbs. Now that I have taken Family Herbalist, I can trust in these plants fully. They are now my allies and beloved friends. The weekend format is spaced out perfectly for you to absorb the information and prepare for the following session. The information is not so heavy that you can’t comprehend, nor so fast that you can’t keep up. This class is well­-balanced in it’s content and covers the major bodily organs ­so following along is easy. It will teach you about your body, the herbs, preparations, how to use the herbs, how to care for your friends and family, healthy living, and holistic practices. The class also got me in touch with my Self and forced me to really look at my health habits. I had to be honest and evaluate my health issues. I saw areas of my body that needed nurturing and I now have many herbal allies to assist me. I left every session feeling so inspired and eager to make my own herbal concoctions. I feel confident making medicine now and actually giving it to my loved ones. This class has changed me in more ways than I can say. It has had such a profound effect on my spirit, health, heart, and overall practice. Herbalism is a way of life, and the Family Herbal class will make you fall in love with Life and the Plants all over again.”

The kinds words and the experiences we share with our friends and students are why we continue to do what we do day after day. If you want to join them, our door is always open.

Ready to make healing foods right from your kitchen? You don’t need to break the bank to start your journey to natural wellness!

Your local grocery store is packed with the ingredients you need to create powerful remedies and nutrient-rich meals. Those fresh veggies, fruits, and herbs? They’re loaded with the phytochemicals your body craves. And those dried spices in your pantry? They’ve been trusted for centuries to boost immunity and bring balance to your body. 🌱

We’re thrilled to announce that Emily Ruff is teaming up with Nick Polizzi in a FREE series called Healing Kitchen: Let Food Be Thy Medicine. This 9-part journey is like a Netflix cooking show with a green medicine twist, featuring top herbalists, chefs, and holistic doctors.

In this groundbreaking series, you’ll learn how to:
🌿 Craft plant-based recipes that target specific aspects of your health
🍽️ Support your microbiome and rethink your diet
🧠 Support brain function with ancient remedies
💪 Use food to balance your body to navigate physical ailments

And that’s just the beginning!

Register today at: https://healingkitchen.thesacredscience.com/register?a_aid=fhls&a_bid=99099c87

We can’t wait for you to join us and dive into the world of medicinal foods. Get ready to transform your kitchen into a healing sanctuary! 🌟

Prickly pear isn't just a useful herb; it's a powerhouse in the kitchen too! Transform this desert gem into a delicious, plant-based protein that's perfect for your next taco night. These vibrant vegetarian tacos are packed with flavor, super easy to make, and align beautifully with a holistic, health-conscious lifestyle. 🌵

Here's what you need:

½ lb prickly pear (pads + fruit)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 small spring onions or 1 white onion
3 small garlic cloves, sliced
1 large chili pepper, sliced
½ tsp kosher salt
16 (5-inch) corn tortillas
Sliced radish, for topping
Crumbled queso fresco (or skip for vegan!)
Lime wedges, for squeezing

Clean your prickly pear pads and fruit. Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic, chili pepper, and prickly pear. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid, stir in salt, and cook until the liquid evaporates. 🥘

Char tortillas on a gas burner or hot skillet. Stack 2 tortillas, add prickly pear filling, and top with radish, queso fresco, and a squeeze of lime. Add pico de gallo, mango salsa, or guacamole for extra flavor and nutrition! 💚

How do we at FSHL keep ourselves happy and healthy? There are three things we do to find our happy place and be mindful about our health: connect with nature, connect with others, and connect with ourselves.

🌱 Connect with Nature: We immerse ourselves in the natural world to honor its gifts—our food, medicine, and even the air we breathe. That’s why you’ll often find us in the garden, nurturing the plants that nurture us. Being surrounded by nature is our way of caring for this beautiful planet we call home.

🤝 Connect with Others: We thrive on understanding and supporting each other. Teaching herbalism and holistic living isn’t just our passion; it’s our way of creating meaningful connections. Through shared experiences, we broaden our perspectives and empower one another on our wellness journeys.

🧘‍♀️ Connect with Ourselves: True wellness starts from within. We believe that understanding our own bodies and minds is the key to supporting our mental and physical health. That’s why our classes focus on self-connection—because you can’t truly care for others without first caring for yourself.

If you took our Roots of Herbalism course and want to expand your knowledge even more, then you're in luck because our Family Herbalism programs are starting soon!

These programs are the perfect opportunity to improve your confidence in your herbalism skills to tend to yourself and your loved ones. Not to mention it's a great chance for us to reconnect with you, guide you on your herbal journey, and help you forge new connections with people who share your goals.

Aside from our first session beginning September 14th in Orlando, we have another session beginning on October 18th in Tallahassee. This one takes place over two four day weekends. You can also save with early-bird prices for the October session through September 18th!

In this course, you'll explore 150 herbs in-depth, learn cultivation methods to grow your own, and dive into the intricacies of plant physiology, anatomy, chemistry, and botany. Plus, you'll get hands-on experience crafting herbal remedies with expert guidance from our instructors.

Continue your herbalism journey by registering at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/family-herbalist-program-tallahassee-spring-2024-intensive-live-in-person/

We're hard at work tending to our gardens to share with our incoming Roots and Family Herbalism students!

What are you doing to take care of your plants at home?

Want to get involved in our nonprofit and learn some great gardening practices to care for your own garden? Reach out to us to volunteer in our community garden!

Connect with our diverse herbalist community and give the gift of working for the greater good of our neighborhood and the planet by helping us tend to the plants we use for our workshops and our community.

We could always use some help and we'd love to have an opportunity to connect with each and every one of you while we work together for a good cause!

Reach out to our garden manager Jaime Pawelek at [email protected] or apply on our website at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/get-involved/volunteer/ for more info and to get on our volunteer email list for more opportunities to support our herbalist family here in Florida!

Floridians are well aware that summer time equals lots of sun, heat, rain and plant growth! And that goes for all the vines, both native and invasive as well. If you are like us, you are probably having to spend lots of time pulling vines off your plants so they don't get choked out. Some of the invasive vines we are seeing a lot right now are bitter melon, skunk vine, air potato, and cat's claw. Here are some tips for pulling them off your plants from our garden manager, Jaime that are inspired by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences:

✂️ At the end where they are growing, carefully uncurl them from around the plant and cut the vine stems in several places and untwine the vine from your plant. Don't pull too hard on the vines as they could damage your plant!
🌿 Dig down as far as possible where they're growing to get the roots out. Gently pull out the roots, too hard and you might just rip the vine off the roots!
👀 Monitor your garden as often as you can and look for vines just starting to creep up your plants before they get a foothold!
🌱 Bag and discard the invasive vines and their accompanying roots and tubers, as plants like air potato can resprout easily from the aerial bulbils.

Something we strive for here is the ability to include all of our students in what we're doing. And we don't just mean making sure their voices are heard during class discussions and inviting them to participate.

We have students is a variety of life situations attending our classes, which is why we have hybrid options for our programs. Sometimes, life happens and a student will miss out on connecting with their peers in-person - but that doesn't mean they're ever left out!

Check out this picture from our most recent Community Herbalism graduation. You might notice that someone in the photos is wearing a winter jacket. That because they were unable to make it in-person for the final part of he course, so we did a little editing to include them in the photo memories we share together.

We want all of you to be a part of the memories we create here together. It doesn't matter if your situation changes, you're always here in our hearts. 💚

Are you intrigued by herbalism and ready to learn more? Get ready for our Roots of Herbalism training this September!

Join us in either Tallahassee at Florida School of Holistic Living - North Florida Branch on September 14th for a transformative weekend laying the foundations of holistic living while delving into the world of herbalism. Plus, enjoy a special early bird discount if you sign up before August 14th.

This isn't just any classroom experience - it's a hands-on weekend where you'll explore 20 different herbs and use them to create your own herbal tinctures and teas to apply everything you learn!

You'll also receive:
📖 Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
📘 Florida School of Holistic Living Course Book
🌱 Access to Roots Roundtable - our monthly online live sessions to connect, learn, and collaborate with fellow herbalists

Join our herbalist community and connect with like-minded individuals by signing up today at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/roots-of-herbalism-tallahassee-live-in-person-september-14-15-2024/

Check out this Prickly Pear we're growing in our gardens right now! It's doing wonderful in the heat.

Share a photo of what you're growing!

Plant walks are returning this fall! Our amazing teacher Maggie O'Halloran is so excited to take some curious souls to the Mead Botanical Gardens to enjoy nature and learn about edible and medicinal plants that grow right here in central Florida.

Join us as we learn to identify different plants that are edible, have medicinal properties, and have a variety of uses. Expect some hands-on learning as we'll taste, smell, and feel the different herbs while you learn about all the wonderful things they can do!

Come with us to the gardens on Sunday, September 8th and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature together!

If you want more info or to save your spot, check out the event at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/wild-weeds-plant-walk-at-mead-garden-with-maggie-ohalloran-september-8-2024/

🌿How to: Make your own Tincture🌿

Tinctures are a very common herbal preparation we teach others how to make, so we want to give everyone a chance to try it out at home. For this tincture, we'll be using common boneset - our previous plant of the month.

To make a boneset tincture, you'll need a glass jar, dropper bottles, any kind of fine-mesh strainer, dried flowers/leaves, and at least 80 proof vodka/alcohol.

To make:
🌿 Place dried herbs in a sterile glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Use a ratio of 1:5 or 1 part dried herbs to 5 parts menstrum (alcohol).
🍾 Next, pour 80-proof (40% alcohol) vodka to cover the herbs completely and close the container tightly.
🫙 Place the jar in a warm place for 4-6 weeks, shaking it every day and remembering your intentions.
💦 Strain the liquid through muslin or cheesecloth to catch the herbs.
💉 Pour your strained alcohol tincture into a dark glass bottle and label and store in a cool, dark, dry location.

Want to learn more about this herb? Check out the plant profile at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/2024/07/01/common-boneset/

🌵 August Plant Profile: Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.)🌵

From North and South America and the Caribbean prickly pear loves hot, dry places. In Florida, we have 7 types: 4 native and 3 that settled here. These cacti can grow from 2 to 16 feet tall and have flat, spiky pads (cladodes) with bright flowers in yellow, orange, red, or pink. Their dried pads can be planted in a mixture of sand and soil, which will thrive in well-drained soil and lots of sunshine.

Prickly pear pads, fruit, and flowers are super versatile! Historically, the O. cochenillifera species hosted the cochineal bug, which was used to make a red dye called carmine that was heavily used in Mexican culture and trade. Today, the O. ficus-indica species is common in grocery stores as nopales. It's tasty and nutritious - loaded with calcium, vitamin C, and magnesium.

In herbalism, it has many uses:
🌿 It's been used a diuretic, pain reliever, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory.
💊 It's been known to improve urinary/renal health, stomach ulcers, bronchial congestion, and skin inflammation.
🧃 Juiced fruits have been known to ease painful urination and have protective properties for various health concerns.
🩹 Pads can be made into poultices for cuts, tumors, splinters, boils, pleurisy, and rheumatic pain.

Want to know more about this versatile and hearty plant? Check out the full plant profile on our website athttps://www.holisticlivingschool.org/2024/08/01/december-prickly-pear/

Something that those of us here at the Florida School of Holistic Living love about working here is the care and dedication the staff have towards our students.

Here's a little peek behind the curtain: we have a meeting once a week to go over social media content and marketing efforts. We often look through the photos we've taken from each of our past classes to post on our feeds.

It warms our heart to go through these photos. We'll have some photos ready and Maggie can remember how long ago the photos were taken and the story of the students in the photos.

We love seeing how she remembers the moments she spent alongside her past students and hearing the joy in her voice when she recounts the context behind the photos we use.

Whether you are aware of it or not, we remember each and every one of you and the time we spent together. We're so excited to make more memories with all of you soon!

⏳🌿 One Month Countdown! 🌿⏳

The plants are calling, and there's just one month left until our transformative Community Herbalist Program begins! 🌱✨

Have you felt the magic and wisdom of the plants? Have you taken our Roots and Family Herbalist courses, and now are you ready to deepen your herbal knowledge and share it with others? Our nine-month journey into the heart of herbalism starts soon, and we can't wait to have you join us.

Join us beginning on September 8th for a nine month journey into herbal mastery to help you serve your community, strengthen the roots of your herbal practice, and explore a career path in line with the plants.

Our Community Herbalist course provides hands-on study, immersive plant walks, engaging herbal consultations, and dynamic group discussions. You'll also delve into medicine-making, cultivation, anatomy and physiology, personal self development, herbal business planning, and much more - all while receiving personalized support from inspiring guest teachers to help you meet your goals.

We offer this program once a year - this is your chance to immerse yourself in the world of herbalism, gain practical experience, and become a part of a supportive cohort of like-minded individuals.

Don't miss out! Register today and secure your spot in our Community Herbalist Program. 🌿💚

🔗 https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/community-herbalist-program-2024-2025/

Which herbs are you using in your burn bundle?

Burning herbs can be soothing, air-purifying, and often used for sacred practices. We encourage our students to source locally grown plants. Tell us which herbs you're burning in the comments below!

⏰Time is running out to save on our Family Herbalist Program this fall! ⏰

If you’ve completed our Roots of Herbalism course, this is your chance to advance your herbal education to the next level while strengthening your skills for keeping yourself and the people you love healthy and well. It would be our sincere honor to join you again on the journey!

Now is a great time to say yes to the call of the plants - register before August 14th to take advantage of the early bird discount, saving over $100 discount on the full course.

Whether you want to cultivate self-sufficient health solutions for your family, or you want to deepen the roots of your relationship with the natural world around you and reconnect to the lineage of your ancestors - this class is perfect for you!

In this class, we take a deep dive into 150 different herbs, cultivation techniques to grow your own herbs, physiology, anatomy, plant chemistry and botany, and more all on top of hands-on practice making herbal remedies alongside our amazing teacher Maggie O'Halloran.

It all starts on September 14th, meeting one weekend a month through December.

Sign up today and join the herbalist family at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/family-herbalist-program-fall-2024-live-in-person/.

Even if you don’t have a backyard, you can still tend a thriving collection of herbs at home! Container gardening is a fantastic way to grow herbs in any space no matter the constraints, and works especially well here in Florida with our heavy rains and intense sunlight. Here's how we create thriving container gardens here in the Sunshine State:

The Container Matters: Terracotta and plastic containers are resilient and insulate against extreme heat. Also avoid dark-colored containers which can retain heat and dry out your soil/roots.🪴
Pick the Right Soil: Make sure you have soil with good drainage to prevent water log and root rot in such a tight space. Peat moss, perlite, and compost are great to add to soil since they help main moisture while allowing proper drainage 🌱
Find Heat-Tolerant Plants: Useful plants like hibiscus, basil, rosemary and thyme, and native plants like firebush and beach sunflower are all heat resistant and thrive in Florida. ☀️
Maintain and Move When Necessary: Containers have the perk of being moveable. Be sure to move your plants away from the sun during the hottest part of the day, out of extreme weather, and away from the rest of your plants if they have pests or fungus. 🍃

We're currently prepping for our Family and Community Herbalism programs this fall and we can't be more excited!

One of the things we love about Roots of Herbalism is the fact we get to connect to so many new people who are just beginning to explore their passion and curiosity. But, what makes the Family and Community courses even more exciting to us is the chance to reunite with these beautiful people once again.

It's one thing to help someone take the first step in their journey, it's another to be the people they trust enough to come back and invite us to join them for another part of their journey.

It warms our heart to see how they've grown and have a chance to watch them grow even more. It's an incredible feeling to know that the passion that was ignited in them during Roots has been something they've nurtured to begin burning even brighter than when we first met.

We can't wait to see all of our returning students this fall!

Do you want to find a way to make a career out of your passion for wellness, herbalism, or holistic health? A Natural Health career offers a wide choice of practices, including Holistic Nursing, Naturopathic Medicine, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, Registered Dietician, Herbalist and more that you can chart a path towards!

Introducing Career Paths In Natural Health with the Natural Nurse Ellen Kamhi! Join us on September 15th for a live webinar where Ellen will share her story of finding a career in natural health. She will also explain the many paths for a career in natural health, and give specific contact information to schools, programs and organizations where you can begin the search to become a recognized Natural Health Care Provider.

During the webinar, you will also:
💼 List 5 pathways to incorporate a natural focus into their professional pursuits
🪙 Evaluate the ROI of various pathways to certification, licensing and recognition in the world of natural lifestyles
⚠️ Learn caution towards possible pitfalls and legal implications involved with a focus in natural lifestyle professions

Register before September 1st for a special early bird discount. Chart a course for your future by signing up at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/career-paths-in-natural-health-with-ellen-kamhi-september-15-2024/.

Calling all plant friends: share your favorite herb with us!

If you can, tell us why you love it and what you use it for.

Are you interested in exploring the world of herbalism and holistic health, but find it difficult to access the resources you need? Do you want to learn quick and easy herbal remedies you can make at home?

At the request of our students, we're offering a course for anyone who wants to explore their curiosity: Basics of Herbal Medicine Making - a video series, originally a live webinar, now available to everyone!

In this course on herbal medicine making, you'll learn how to create amazing herbal remedies for your family using ingredients from your garden, kitchen, or even the grocery store; no experience required!

And the best part - you set your own price! Any amount you choose to donate helps us create more free resources and scholarships for our students.

Download the series now at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/basics-of-herbal-medicine-making/

This season, our gardens in Central Florida have experienced the same drought conditions affecting many of your across the country. Florida gardens thrive in humid conditions, so what do we do to protect our plants when dry weather persists?

Here are a few techniques from our school teaching gardens to navigate changing weather patterns and keep your gardens healthy:
🪻 Choose Drought-Tolerant Plants: Select plants that are naturally adapted to dry conditions, like beach sunflower and firebrush
🌻 Group Plants by Water Needs: Plant species with similar water requirements together, and space them out from other groups. This makes it easier to water efficiently and avoid over- or under-watering.
💦 Water Wisely: water first thing in the morning and water deeply at the roots
🪴 Choose the Right Containers: If container gardening, use larger pots that hold more soil and retain moisture better. Choose light-colored containers to reflect heat.

Stay safe in the heat this summer, and happy planting!

"Holistic practices can have a profound impact on our physical wellness, but the benefits go well beyond keeping our body strong and healthy.

Returning to the healing power of the plants in our kitchen and backyard not only prevent illness and promote vitality, but also reclaim a sense of personal power as we restore our ability to advocate for our own health and take control of our path to wellness.

Many of our students report that herbalism isn't just another avenue to stay healthy. It's a way they feel strong, self-reliant, and empowered.

When you learn about the plants around you and grow more comfortable relying on them, it also fosters a sense of self-care and accountability. Implementing one simple daily practice, like a nourishing infusion or a healing soup into your routine, can plant a seed for deep and positive healing within.

They say knowledge is power, and we see that phrase come to life as our students grow in their confidence and self-trust as they study and practice the time-honored teachings at herbalism.

That power is in your reach! We’re here to support and encourage you in each step of your personal journey building deeper relationship with yourself, your innate ability to heal, and the generous offerings of the medicinal plants all around you."

🕒 The Countdown is on! Only One Week Left to Get Early Bird Pricing 🕒

Want to learn professional techniques to safely understand which herbs, foods, and nutrients are best for your unique health needs? Then join us for The Natural Nurse Ellen Kamhi’s upcoming class Herbs and Dowsing on August 4th.

This transformative online class will demystify how Dowsing can be used to honor and interface with herbal combinations in order to pinpoint which formulas are most suited to your personal health.

🔮 In this class, you'll learn:
🌱 How to identify practical uses of herbs and herbal combinations
🌱 How to use intention for effective application
🌱 Professional techniques for home experimentation
🌱 Foods, vitamins, minerals, and homeopathy

⏳ Don't miss out on the special early bird pricing! You have just one more week to reserve your spot at a discounted rate. Register by July 21st to take advantage of this offer.

Class will be held online via Zoom so you can take this course from anywhere! Plus, you'll have access to all the course recordings and materials for a whole year if you ever need a reference in the future.

Secure your spot now at https://www.holisticlivingschool.org/product/career-paths-in-natural-health-with-ellen-kamhi-september-15-2024/ to gain more tools for feeling confident in making the most of herbal therapies in your life.

Are you herb-curious?

It's Ask the Herbalist Day! What questions do you have about herbalism and holistic practices?

Drop your curiosities about herbs and health in the comment below. Let's share our questions and learn together!

One of the reasons we love herbalism and holistic health so much is because it has the power to help people find the strength to make a change in their lives. We see that spark in people when they first join us for Roots of Herbalism, and it warms our heart when they come back to nurture that spark into a burning passion.

How have we impacted our students? here's what one of our Family Herbalist graduates had to say after finishing our course: “This class will teach you about your body, the herbs, preparations, how to use the herbs, how to care for your friends and family, healthy living, and holistic practices. The class also got me in touch with my Self and forced me to really look at my health habits. I had to be honest and evaluate my health issues. I saw areas of my body that needed nurturing and I now have many herbal allies to assist me. I left every session feeling so inspired and eager to make my own herbal concoctions. I feel confident making medicine now and actually giving it to my loved ones. This class has changed me in more ways than I can say. It has had such a profound effect on my spirit, health, heart, and overall practice. Herbalism is a way of life, and the Family Herbal class will make you fall in love with Life and the Plants all over again.”

Do you want to see how our school can impact your life and inspire others to make the world a happier, healthier place? Join us this fall where we'll be offering all 3 parts of our herbalist training program and discover the magic for yourself!