Herbal Medicine Making Basics Workshop: Tinctures & Water Infusions

On Saturday, August 26, 2023 we gathered at Laila Studio for a workshop covering the basics of herbal medicine making with local herbalist, Alex Williams.

We explored two preparation methods: tinctures (alcohol-based extracts) and water infusions. These are the herbal preparations I rely on the most in my practice due to their accessibility and efficacy. We explored the fundamentals of herbal actions and energetics, equipping participants with a framework to select the most suitable herbs for a variety of circumstances.

Participants left the workshop with a jar of tincture, a tea blend, and a workshop handout to learn more and enjoy at home.

Plants & Fungi of the Otherworld Workshop

On Thursday, October 20, 2022 we gathered at Sideshow Gallery to sink deeply into the spirit of autumn by exploring plant allies and mythology connected with this ethereal season.

Celtic mythology provided a guide for understanding and developing a relationship with what is known as the otherworld, a parallel world that exists alongside our own–where the deities, ancestors, and fairies reside.

In autumn, this realm draws closer, and is separated by the thinnest of veils.

The herbs we explored have been historically used for their medicinal and spiritual benefits, while also offering a bridge into the hidden realms of the otherworld.

We sampled these otherworld herbs, explored their traditional use and folklore, learned approaches to meditation, Samhain rituals, and ended with a guided meditation and tea ceremony.

Seasons of the Menstrual Cycle Workshop

A workshop on the seasons of the menstrual cycle led by SJ Cavé Doi, MPH – full spectrum doula and student of First Curve's Bioregional Herbalism Course for the First Curve Community Apothecary Pop-up at the Comfort Station on Sunday, October 9, 2022.

SJ discussed the importance of the menstrual cycle as the "fifth vital sign", reviewing each phase (including how to know what phase you are in), basics of fertility, and ended with an introduction to plant allies and self-care practices that can support menstruating bodies through PMS and menstrual pain.

DIY Fire Cider Workshop

November 6, 2021

October 9, 2022

November 19, 2022

Every autumn, we like to invite our community to gather and share on on building immunity for fall and winter welness with pungent, aromatic, and warming herbs and spices.

We highlight Fire Cider as a unique wintertime remedy, discussing how it can support our health during the colder months of the year, and finish the workshop by making up a batch of Fire Cider together, for each person to take home to support them through the season.

Past workshops have been held at Patchwork Farms in Humboldt Park and the Comfort Station in Logan Square.

Bitters & Weeds for Spring Wellness

March 21, 2021

In this workshop, we learned how to support our bodies in the transition from Winter to Spring with different herbal remedies and practices. Alex shared an herbalist’s perspective on our body’s response to the shifting seasons, focusing on the incorporation of nutrient-dense ‘weeds’ and bitter herbs into our diet and routine. He also talked about ‘Bitters’, the go-to herbal ally for Spring wellness, including information around their use, and how to integrate them into our daily rituals.

At the end of the course, we whipped up some cocktails using some homemade bitters, and everyone brought home a bottle of bitters!

Mythopoetic Mushroom Foray

September 29, 2019

In this workshop / mushroom foray, Alex got into costume to retell the myth of Odin's Eye and the Well of Remembrance to explore what it means to search for wisdom in unknown places.

Mushrooms and fungi provide so much wisdom for exploring the unknown connections between all things. Learning from the mushrooms, we can give up the ways we are accustomed to seeing the world, and open up to a new way of seeing that supports us in weaving webs of reciprocity and healing.