Medicinal Plants and Spiritual Evolution Intensive – David Crow

There are many simple herbs and spices that have highly effective therapeutic powers for preventing and treating common digestive and respiratory conditions. Many of these are widely available as fresh culinary herbs, and many can be easily grown in gardens and windowsills.

These humble healers have well-documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing powers, but are mild and safe to consume on a daily basis by almost everyone. Knowing how to use these medicinal plants helps individuals and families to medically empower themselves by increasing overall wellbeing and treating countless common ailments without needing to resort to stronger and more toxic medications.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• Principles of strengthening digestion in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
• How to improve common digestive problems with herbs
• Principles of respiratory health in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
• How to treat common respiratory problems with herbs and essential oils
• The relationship between digestive and respiratory health
• How aromatic culinary herbs can assist in digestive problems and clear the lungs
• Important spices for daily immune enhancement
• The most effective herbal teas, syrups and elixirs
• Sources and reviews of products

Plants detoxify the biosphere of the Earth, and many medicinal plants are highly effective for detoxifying the inner biosphere of the human body — something that pharmaceutical drugs cannot do. As the levels of environmental toxicity rise, associated health challenges are multiplying and increasing in seriousness, making the purifying powers of plants even more valuable and necessary. Detoxification, whether from environmental poisons or from toxic addictions, has profound implications for removing the obstacles to health, happiness and fulfillment, and plays an important role in our individual and collective spiritual evolution.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• Concepts of toxicity and detoxification in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
• A deeper perspective on trauma, addiction, detoxification and spiritual evolution
• How to apply spiritual detoxification practices from traditional cultures
• Principles and guidelines for safe and effective detoxification
• How to identify types of toxins, their sources and their effects on the body
• Insights into microbial infections and detoxification to support your health
• How to use herbs, essential oils, spiritual practices and natural therapies for detoxification and withdrawal
• Simple practices for nutrition, kitchen medicine and daily detox

Just as pharmaceutical drugs cannot detoxify the increasing burden of toxicity in the body, they are also incapable of replenishing the body’s nutrients and increasing true vitality. Classical medical systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine offer sophisticated and systematic approaches for rejuvenating the body and mind. Using nurturing therapies and medicinal plants rich in nutritive compounds, we can restore strong immunity, overcome fatigue and increase the length, quality and enjoyment of life.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• Soma, ojas, rasayana and principles of rejuvenation in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
• Rasayana preparations for nourishing the body and restoring vitality
• Integrating meditation and spiritual practices with botanical therapies
• Rejuvenative foods and foods to avoid
• How to integrate spiritual practices into rejuvenation therapy

At the center of rejuvenation therapies we find medicinal plants with adaptogenic powers. The roots of these plants offer unique restorative powers that balance and strengthen the immune, endocrine and neurological systems. While generally safe, nontoxic and easy to use, the use of these roots and the preparations made from them requires the knowledge of who, when and how to use them for maximum benefits.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• The spiritual attributes and therapeutic applications of tonifying roots
• When to use and when to avoid adaptogenic roots
• Therapeutic actions and health benefits of adaptogens
• Tonic preparations in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
• Sources and reviews of herbal products

Since antiquity, medicinal fungi have held a highly esteemed place in Chinese medicine. Reputed to support spiritual practices, give long life and enhance wisdom, these medicines have been considered elixirs of the sages that can benefit everyone. Modern research confirms the powerful anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties of these fungi, while modern production and extracting methods now offer a wide range of excellent preparations and products to support health and wellbeing.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• The history and healing powers of reishi, cordiceps and other important species
• Biological unity: the outer and inner biological functions of fungi
• The anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulating and longevity powers of reishi
• The immune, vitality and endurance enhancing powers of cordiceps
• Major therapeutic actions and health uses of medicinal fungi
• Individual constitutions, potential side effects and interactions
• About the best preparation methods and products

Cognitive function is the foundation for all success and accomplishment, whether it is our work in the world or our inner spiritual development. Stress, nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, medications and normal aging are only a few of the many influences that weaken and damage healthy brain function. Throughout time, plants that support mental functions, enhance memory and improve concentration have been regarded as having a unique and special place in the botanical pharmacopeia for supporting mental wellbeing and nourishing spiritual evolution.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• Concepts of mind, concentration, memory and cognitive function in yoga, Tantra, Ayurveda and Chinese medicine
• Modern understanding of cognitive decline and neurodegeneration
• Primary cognitive disorders and causative factors
• Major herbs and essential oils that support concentration and memory
• How to integrate meditation practices into herbal therapy for enhanced cognitive and brain function
• The benefits and drawback of stimulants

Pain and inflammation are the great obstacles to fulfilling the aims of life. When one has been freed from pain by the powers of medicinal plants, a profound appreciation for the benevolence and healing compassion of nature’s remedies arises. The pharmacopeia of pain relieving and anti-inflammatory herbs is vast and requires knowledge to use correctly, but with a few simple, safe and easily available species, even complex and chronic medical conditions can be benefitted and resolved.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• The connection between pain and spiritual evolution
• Types of pain according to Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
• The safe uses of the most important anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and analgesic herbs for specific body systems
• Important but little known herbs for pain and inflammation
• Integrated botanical therapies for menstrual, digestive and arthritic pain, headaches and fibromyalgia
• Herbal preparations including medicated oils, liniments, plaster and other methods
• How to combine meditation and herbal therapies for pain management
• Potential herb/drug interactions
• Sources and reviews of products

We live in an age of widespread unhappiness, caused by a multitude of social, economic, environmental and spiritual factors. Many of these forms of suffering require an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to fully resolve, but medicinal plants offer strong support to help counteract stress, calm the mind and emotions and uplift moods. When integrated with meditation and other practices, herbal medicine can transform the suffering of the mind into a path of spiritual evolution.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• Types of anxiety and depression according to Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
• Concepts of Shen disturbances in Chinese medicine and Prana Vata in Ayurveda
• Concepts of emotional disturbances and psychological disorders from indigenous cultures and shamanic traditions
• About stress, anxiety, depression and spiritual evolution
• How to rebalance endocrine and neurological functions
• Uses and misuses of antidepressant herbs such as St. John’s wort, kava kava and others
• Important but little-known herbs for depression and anxiety
• Uses of important essential oils for antidepressant and anxiolytic functions
• How to combine spiritual practices and herbal therapies for counteracting stress, anxiety and depression

Sleep is essential for the healing of every illness. There are many sleep disorders that affect people of different ages and constitutions, but they can all be benefitted to various degrees by the plants that bring peace to the body, mind and emotions. Whether it is balancing blood sugar, nourishing exhausted adrenal glands, relaxing tense muscles or restoring a tired nervous system, many different plants can be used as allies to produce deep rejuvenating sleep.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• The connection between sleep, dreams and spiritual evolution
• The primary types of insomnia and sleep disorders, and how to treat them
• The source of sleep disorders according to Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
• Approaches to calming the spirit and pacifying Vata
• Categories of nervine herbs according to body systems
• The right use and misuse of relaxant herbs
• Unique and little-known herbs and essential oils for insomnia and restlessness
• Which dietary factors influence sleep
• How to combine meditation and spiritual practices with herbal treatment of sleep disorders
• Adjunct therapies for sleep
• Reviews and sources for herbal products

The highest goal of classical Asian medical systems is a long healthy life leading to spiritual illumination and fulfillment. Traditionally, many medicinal plants and therapies have been used for supporting meditative and yogic practices: some feed the brain and enhance the nutrient essences of ojas and soma, some warm the muscles and circulation and protect from injury, some sharpen the mind and concentration, some produce euphoric relaxation. These therapeutic powers are not only beneficial for those engaged in contemplative endeavors, but also enhance the wellbeing of everyone.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• What “soma” is and the relationship with meditation
• How to use sacred scents for ritual and ceremony
• Which essential oils enhance pranayama
• About attars for marmas and the process of anointing
• Herbal care of muscles and joints for yoga practitioners
• Important herbs for supporting the respiratory and neurological systems
• About nasyas: nasal medications for calming and focusing the mind
• Unique herbs and preparations used with meditation, mantra and yoga
• About dietary guidelines
• Correlations between chakras, herbs and essential oils
• Sources and reviews of herbal products
• Liniments, salves and medicated oils for muscles and joints

Aromatic plants have been used by humans since time immemorial, as fragrant offerings in rituals and ceremonies and medicines for the mind and body. This group of plants rightly deserves the title of “sacred scents,” so widespread and ancient is their use for spiritual endeavors. In addition to being found throughout the world in temples, mosques, churches, pagodas and holy places of every religion, they are also great botanical medicines, known to both traditional healers and now discovered by modern scientific research. Their use in our homes can play an important role in preventing illness, enhancing mental and emotional wellbeing and supporting our spiritual practices.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• Frankincense
  • Its uses for ritual and ceremony
  • Mood enhancing effects on consciousness
  • Anti-inflammatory powers of resin and oils
  • Boswelic acids and autoimmune inflammation
  • Applications for skin care
  • Frankincense and myrrh in traditional liniments for injury
  • Frankincense gum for dental care
• Myrrh
  • Antiseptic powers for respiratory and oral infections
  • Recipes for dental care
• Sandalwood
  • Sacred anointing oil for meditation
  • Skin care uses
  • Meditation incense recipes
• Agarwood
  • Meditation incense
  • Antidepressant and antianxiety effects
  • Spiritual perfume
• The wish-fulfilling powers of the sacred scents

Aging brings a multitude of physiological changes, many of them unpleasant. As we get older, medicinal plants play an increasingly important role in slowing the aging process and counteracting symptoms without toxic medications; in many cases it is possible to reverse chronic conditions we did not have the knowledge, resources or ability to resolve earlier in life. As we develop a deeper relationship with healing plants in our elder years, we find a new appreciation and sensitivity to the healing powers of nature that they contain, leading us to our own unique understanding of ecological spirituality.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• More about aging and spiritual evolution
• Concepts of aging in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine
• Modern understanding of physiological changes and challenges of aging
• Major herbs and essential oils for antioxidant and anti-aging powers
• Herbal protocols for comfortable menopause, prostate health, bone, joint and dental health
• Sources and reviews of products

Diminishment of libido and disturbances of sexual functions are sources of suffering and obstacles to intimacy and expression of romantic passions. Classical medical systems as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine place great emphasis on protecting and rejuvenating sexual vitality, not only for romantic and erotic fulfillment, but also for general health and wellbeing. Medicinal plants offer many forms of nourishment that revitalize, energize and enhance sexual functions without unwanted side effects, but knowledge and understanding of the plants and the spiritual dimensions of sexuality are needed to avoid unwanted side effects.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• Shukra and jing: concepts of essence in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine
• How to support glandular health
• About vajikarana and aphrodisiac therapies
• How to nourish the blood
• Insights on male and female tonics and elixirs
• About exotic perfumes and intoxicating aromas
• Uses and misuses of aphrodisiac herbs
• Sources and reviews of products
• Meditation and spiritual practices for enhancing romance and intimacy