Certainly knowledge of herbal remedies is a given for the shaman in treating his patients. Such knowledge is not obtained from a semester course or webinar offered by someone who claims to have the correct knowledge.
Nor can you learn all the subtleties of herbs using a book on herbal medicines. Gathering herbs in the wild is a dangerous activity and should never be done without an expert guide.
One plant leaf can look a lot like another and can be poisonous, if not deadly. Trying a blade here and there is not recommended. Poison hemlock is often confused with wild parsnips or wild carrots. All parts of the hemlock are poisonous. The name actually comes from the Anglo-Saxon hemieac which simply means ‘plant of the coast’)
The berries of various plants can be used in food treatment. A shaman knows which berries can be used as astringents, which can induce vomiting and/or act as laxatives. Don’t go into the woods on a berry-picking expedition unless he knows which specific berries are edible. Not all blue berries are blueberries. All berries that are blue in color are inedible. The inkberry, for example, is poisonous.
The shaman uses herbs in teas, salves, pastes, poultices, and salves, as well as nutrients to strengthen the body and energy.
In today’s modern scientific world, we forget that the plant kingdom is a vast reservoir of chemical compounds. That is changing. It is now estimated that more than 40% of prescription drugs sold in the United States contain at least one naturally derived ingredient. Herbs comprise at least 25% of all known flowering plants; however, only about 2 percent have been investigated for medical use.
Perhaps the shaman has been right all along. Herbs are good for you.
