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What are herbs and what is herbalism?

Are we talking about the same thing? Herbs are different things to different people, with definitions varying according to area of interest and personal bias. What then is Herbalism? Just saying that it is the study of herbs begs the question. The lack of clarity reflects the changing fortunes of herbalism in English speaking cultures over the centuries.

At one time Herbalism was an honorable profession that laid foundations for modern medicine, botany, pharmacy, perfumery and chemistry, but as these developed and our cultures infatuation with technology and reductionism took over, herbalism was relegated to the history books or pleasantly quaint country crafts. This left a word with a variety of uses but without a cultural core.

As herbalism develops afresh in what has been called the Herbal Renaissance, it is time for this little word can be reclaimed.

From a holistic perspective, a herb is a plant in relationship with humanity, and herbalism becomes the exploration of humanities relationship with the plant kingdom. The dictionaries, usually the authorative source of the true meaning of words, would disagree.

The Complete Oxford Dictionary contains over three pages of definitions of words around herb and herbalist, demonstrating the importance of this field to our culture. The primary definition of herb reads A plant of which the stem does not become woody or persistent (as in a shrub or tree), but remains more or less soft and succulent, and dies down to the ground (or entirely) after flowering. The second definition says that the term herb is applied to plants of which the leaves or stem and leaves are used for food or medicine, or in some way for their scent or flavor. Herbalism as a subject was once the description for what is now called botany, again pointing to an important role for herbalism in the past.

The Collins English Dictionary defines an herbalist as a person who grows, sells, collects or specializes in the use of herbs, especially medicinal herbs. It used to be the term for a descriptive botanist, although now they would probably be offended!

Botany views herbs as non-woody plants, that is they do not contain woody lignin fibres. Dorlands Medical Dictionary similarly defines an herb as a plant whose stems are soft and perishable, and which are supported chiefly by turgor pressure. The science of Ecology, the study of the interrelationships between plants, animals and the environment, has a very specific use of the word herb. In descriptions of complex communities such a forest, herbs are plants that are less than 12 inches high that live their life cycles in the herb layer.

This would suggest that trees and shrubs such as Sarsaparilla and Cramp Bark are not herbs.

The culinary arts have explored the use of plants in many delicious ways, but usually restricting what is called a herb to those plants that smell and taste wonderful. These are usually plants rich in pleasantly aromatic volatile oils such as Basil, Peppermint or Oregano. No self-respecting chef would think of creating culinary delights with Stinking Iris (Iris foetidimus), Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetida) or Golden Seal (Hydrastis canadensis)! This does not mean they are not herbs, simply that they dont taste good.

In the various branches of medicine, the word usually implies plants that are sources for healing remedies, either in their crude form or as sources of physiologically active chemicals. This can lead towards to only physiologically potent plants being recognized as herbs, ignoring the gentle tonic remedies. From the perspective of the Medical Herbalist, a herb is any plant material that may be used in the field of health and wholeness.

This may be a herb in the strictly botanical sense with a remedy such as White Horehound ( Marrubium vulgare) , or a part of a plant as in the flowers of Marigold (Calendula officinalis), the heart wood of the Lignum Vitae tree (Guaiacum officinale), the seeds of Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) or the roots of Cone flower (Echinacea angustifolia).

One general definition often given, states that a herb is any useful plant. However, from the perspectives of the environmentalist, it is possible to ask what plant is not useful. Indeed it could be argued that Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, Nettles and Brambles are exceptionally useful as they keep humans off that piece of land!

The wholeness of the environment is vital for individual human health, implying that all plants in our environment have a medicinal role to play in planetary terms.

If the holistic context is taken in its broadest sense, then a herb is a plant in relationship with humanity and herbalism becomes the study and exploration of the interaction between humanity and the plant kingdom. Such a stance highlights the range and depth of human dependence on plants.

This relationship is at the core of agriculture, forestry, carpentry, construction, clothing, medicine and so on. In fact as coal is geologically processed wood, this broad view would include the petro-chemical industry as a sub-set of modern herbalism!

The depth of this relationship goes way beyond such social and economic issues to the very life sustaining mechanisms of planetary ecology. The health and well-being of the biosphere is governed by the green mantle of the Earth. Humanities rapacious exploitation and destruction of the forests and seas strikes at the very core of Gaias life support mechanisms.

It is becoming evident that to survive the crisis at hand, humanity must learn some environmental humility and co-operate with nature. Herbalism is a unique and important expression of this cooperation within Gaia. The green world is actively healing the human world, as a birthright we are in the caring embrace of Mother Earth. It does not need to be created, simply experienced.

Herbs & holism, paradigm shift

Medical Herbalism is thriving today, using whole plants to treat whole people, facilitating the healing process within the framework of holistic medicine. It is both an art and science, and with its roots in the venerable past, it is relevant and meaningful in the present and points not only towards an exciting future for the whole of medicine but even for directions in which our society might decide to go.
It has a breadth of use as wide as any form of medicine, as herbs may be used for any condition that is medically treatable.

This is not to claim that herbalism is a panacea for the ills of humanity! The ecological integration of plant activity with human physiology offers the potential for facilitating the healing process at any time in any situation. The hows and whys of this are developed throughout the book, but Medical Herbalism is re-asserting its relevance today as society learns about wholeness (or the lack of it!).

A new understanding of health is appearing. Such a change is both in attitude and approach, and is often referred to as Holistic Medicine.

This is a small part of a massive shift in the way we see ourselves and the issues that affect us. This has been called a paradigm shift; a change in the patterns of belief and perception that our culture has about itself. Such a shift has happened many times before. From the vantage point of history the transformation of society from the medieval world view to that we now call the renaissance is strikingly clear. However to the people of the time the process of change would either have been imperceptible or totally confusing, unless you were a Leonardo DaVinci!.

This development of new patterns of expectation and explanation is, of course, affecting the field of medicine. Questions are being raised about every aspect of medicine, from the nature of health and disease, to appropriate therapeutic techniques.

All of which is the exploration of the new paradigm.
What then is health from the context of this new paradigm? The World Health Organization has the clearest definition, its simplicity highlighting its profound relevance :

Health is more than simply the absence of illness.
It is the active state of physical, emotional, mental and social
well-being.

This is a wonderfully precise encapsulation of the perspectives of holistic medicine. This approach to medicine starts from the assumption that health is a positive and active state, that it is an inherent characteristic of whole and integrated human beings. From a holistic standpoint, a person is not a patient with a disease syndrome but a whole being.

This wholeness necessitates the therapist appreciating the mental, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental aspects of their patients' lives, as well as the physical. A holistic practitioner, of what ever specific therapy, has a deep respect for the individuals inherent capacity for self-healing. This enables a relationship of active partnership in the healing process, rather than expert and passive recipient.

Relating to the whole person is, of course, not new.

It is an inherent part of the healer's heritage. From the teachings of Hippocrates onwards there has been the deeply caring support of the patient that every doctor, every herbalist, every nurse, is guided towards by their teachers. Naming and emphasizing Holistic medicine today is an attempt to correct the tendency in modern medicine to equate health care with the treatment of a 'disease entity'.
Holism does not pre-define any medical technique or theory. Rather it is a context in which the whole person is considered, their physical health as well as mental/emotional state, relationships and life in the world. An medical doctor can be holistic, as can a medical herbalist or osteopath.

A frame-work becomes apparent that can embrace a whole range of therapeutic modalities, wether labelled 'orthodox' or 'alternative'. They may all be used in a relevant and coherent way whilst treating the whole of a person, not simply symptoms or even syndrome picture.

As holistic medicine rapidly develops it is worth articulating some provisional ideas, bearing in mind that this is a time of flux!

Holistic medicine emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual coming for care, for whilst acknowledging physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects, the importance of tailoring treatment to meet the individual's broad needs is fundamental. The need to understand and treat people in the context of their family, their community and their culture is paramount.
As holistic medicine sees health as a positive state of well being, and not simply the absence of disease, it emphasizes the promotion of health and the prevention of disease. Therapeutic modalities are employed that mobilize the individual's innate capacity for self healing.

An individual's role in their own healing process is emphasized, with much responsibility being handed back to them. Whilst not denying the occasional necessity for swift and authoritive medical or surgical intervention, the emphasis is on helping people understand and help themselves, focussing on education and self-care rather than just treatment and the resulting dependency.

A unique and important characteristic of any holistic approach is viewing illness as an opportunity for self discovery as well as being a misfortune. This leads to many important implications for the caring professions, perhaps best exemplified by the hospice movement.

There is an appreciation of the quality of life in each of its stages and a commitment to improving it, as well as the knowledge of the illnesses that are common to it. The therapeutic importance of the setting within which health care takes place is also fundamental to holistic practice. Part of the problem with medical care is the alienation and dehumanizing that tends to accompany institutions and laboratories. When the healing process is separated too far from the humanity of the people involved, there is nothing other than chemistry and surgery.

The hearts of doctor and patient must meet as well as their skill and symptoms.

For a holistic practitioner there is a recognition of the social and economic conditions that perpetuate ill health, A commitment to change these factors is as much part of holistic medicine as is the emphasis individual responsibility.
Taking all this together clearly shows why holistic medicine transforms its practitioners as well as its patients! Herbal medicine fits well into this emerging holistic paradigm. It is a healing technique that is inherently in tune with nature, and has been described as ecological healing because of its basis in the shared ecological and evolutionary heritage with the plant kingdom that herbal remedies work.

TherapÆutic ecology

Holistic medicine highlights the very personal nature of the healing process. A common idea amongst all holistically orientated therapists is that a human being is a self healing individual, and at best all a medical practitioner can do is facilitate this profound inner process.

Addressing pathology is relatively straightforward, but as the W.H.O. definition highlights, health is much more than the absences of disease, it is an active state of well being. Self healing is a birthright of all, as at the core of what it means to be human is a spark of the divine that moves us towards wholeness and fulfillment. It does not negate the importance of medicine and the healing arts, but provide a broad context within which to view them.

Such a self healing individual is enmeshed in a therapeutic ecology. It is called an ecology because the various components are in relationship with each other and the wider world. The individual is seen as the core of this therapeutic ecology, embraced by four groups or branches of therapies.

They are called medicine, body work, psychological and spiritual techniques. As all healing work happens within a wider picture, the pattern of relationships is itself embraced by the support of Gaia and overlighted by the miracle of Grace.

Medicine is used here to mean anything which is taken for healing purposes. Such approaches include Medical Herbalism, Homeopathy, Naturopathy and drug based Allopathic Medicine. All have in common use of some form level medicine that is taken into the body to achieve the therapeutic goal. The specific vary, of course, but all such medicines can be seen as fruits of the Earth. Wether an herb or synthesized drug, they share a common origin in the physical world.

Body work includes all approaches that do something with or to the physical body. Structural factors are focussed on as either causation or contribution to illness. This includes the manipulative therapies such as Osteopathy, Chiropractic and the varieties of Massage, as well as Surgery.

Personal life style will contribute exercise, dance or any expression of bodily vitality.
Work with the psyche embraces a whole array of psychological techniques, so important for identifying and treating emotional and mental factors in health and disease. All the branches of psychotherapy are involved here, but especially the more holistically orientated approaches of Humanistic and Transpersonal psychology.

A conscious and free flowing emotional life is fundamental to achieving any inner harmony.

This does not mean that everyone must get involved in depth psychology, but that attention be given in the appropriate form for that individuals' emotional needs. Mental factors are crucial as we are what we think.

Spiritual factors in human healing are becoming increasingly recognized by materialistic western medicine.

There are meditative and prayer based techniques where the person aligns their being with higher spirit, or those where a practitioner works with the energy body of a patient. Some openness to spirituality is vital, and it might take the form of the upliftment of a sunset, being touched by poetry or art, belief in a religion or simply a dogma free joy in being alive.

Holism tells us to focus on an individuals unique situation and not simply treat a diagnosed disease syndrome. In the context of this therapeutic ecology, it may be that one person diagnosed with colitis might recuperate best when treated with dietary advice, herbs and osteopathic manipulation whilst for another it could be drugs, psychoanalysis and surgery.

Practitioners will have their firmly held opinions of the pros and cons concerning one approach or another, but the patient is always more important than their doctors belief system.

Such therapeutic relationships point to the possibilities of mutual support. This may take the form of compensating for any weaknesses inherent within a particular therapy, for example homeopathic remedies will not put a fractured arm into a splint. From a more positive perspective, co-operation can lead to synergistic support, with the whole of any treatment program being more than the sum of its parts. A geodesic relationship develops where extraordinary potential and strength can flow from co-operation between the therapies.

Differences can now lead to a celebration of the richness of therapeutic diversity and no longer be a cause for acrimonious debate and conflict

A key insight for the practitioner is knowing the limits of both their therapy and themselves. Within the framework of this therapeutic ecology, a more appropriate avenue can be identified to direct the patient towards their healing. It should be a given that a well qualified practitioner is skilled in their chosen healing art, but a true holistic healer will be thinking beyond their training and focussing on the needs of the sick person. This, however, raises questions about educational standards which cannot be meaningfully explored here.

Suffice it to say that an M.D. who attends a short training in acupuncture is no more an Acupuncturist than a Chiropractor who does a workshop on herbs becomes a Medical Herbalist.

Is it Complementary, Alternative or Orthodox!
This array of therapies are simply different modalities within the broad church of medicine. With the rapidly changing situation amongst of the healing professions, it would be a mistake to talk of Medical Herbalism as a form of alternative medicine. Is it an alternative to Acupuncture, Osteopathy or Psychiatry?

Of course not, they complement each other, creating a complex of relationships where the whole is much more than the sum of the parts. In light of the unique strengths and weaknesses each approach offers, mutual support and co-operation is the way forward towards a truly holistic health service.

All medical modalities are complementary within the perspective of the patients needs.

Language often blocks communication and shared endeavor in medicine. Apparent vocabulary and jargon disparities may mask fundamental agreements of ideas and approach. On the other hand, lack of clarity obscures important differences in both guiding principles and technique.

There is an all too common dogmatic attachment to words and specific formulations of belief, opinion and theory. If the correct words or phrases are not used then the speaker must be wrong!
Entrenched confrontation between dedicated allopathic practitioners and dedicated holistic practitioners becomes irrelevant when seen in the context of therapeutic ecology. Open-mindedness and tolerance should be characteristics common to all involved in health care, whether as practitioners, researchers, or patients.

Medical modalities that have their foundations outside of the bio-medical model should not be ignored or discounted simply because they exemplify a different belief system. They should be respected as an enrichment of possibilities and not a challenge to the status quo.

Everyone involved in health care provision will benefit in such a mutually supportive environment, as such cooperative endeavors bear many kinds of fruit. Health service administrators will appreciate the economic savings gleaned from a lessening of dependance upon costly medical technology.

A proportion of procedures and treatments that currently utilize expensive drugs or surgery will be undertaken by more appropriate techniques from another healing modality. For example, most run of the mill gall-bladder removals could be avoided by using herbs or homeopathic remedies, and some expensive orthopaedic techniques could be replaced with skilled osteopathy.

What then is the contribution of Medical Herbalism to this healing framework? That is what the rest of this little book explores!

An enduring strength of herbalism are its strong foundations in traditional healing, whilst being at the same time part of modern science and medicine. Paradoxically, herbalism is both a wonderfully simple and staggeringly complex therapy.

Its simplicity is reflected in the ease of picking Cleavers from the hedgerow or chewing on stem of Chickweed, whilst its complexity is seen when trying to grasp processes that underlie the multitude of biochemical interactions between all of the plants chemical constituents and the metabolic basis of human physiology. The degree and depth of interaction are breathtaking.

Practitioners of Medical Herbalism have the unique possibility of their patient being introduced to their medicine! A bridge can be built between person and herb, enpowering them to be present and responsible in the healing process. They can be given a packet of herb seeds, encouraging a direct experience of the life of the plant. This experience of herbal vitality will be translated into a deeper rapport with the impersonal medicine they take.

The patient will not only get the medical benefit from the herb but also the enlivening experience of growing and preparing their own healing. If there is no garden, part of the treatment might involve a window box!

Medical Herbalism will take its place at the heart of a future national holistic health service. It is not only an effective medical system, it holds out the hope of great rewards for society if embraced as a modality within an array of health care services.

A brief note on the history of this fascinating avocation.

Herbalism is an ancient and venerable art that has thrived in all cultures of the world and in all historical periods, until the very recent past in the industrialized West. As a constant and vital thread in human life, it is alive and well and even in the western world there is a rediscovery of the value of herbal medicine.

The rich and colorful history of herbalism is the history of humanity itself. As a branch of medicine it has occasionally found itself on the wrong side of the establishment, but this ebb & flow of acceptance is just an artifact of the changing fashions and opinions of medical and legal elites.

Apart from being very enjoyable, a brief skimming of herbalisms fascinating history reveals very little. No attempt will be made to cover it as others have already done it extremely well. The interested reader should consult the excellent Green Pharmacy by Barbara Griggs, the best and most comprehensive history of herbalism yet written.
paul o' sullivan.....informationmembership.com

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