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Medicines from the Earth, 2007
15th Annual Symposium on Botanical Medicine
June 2-4, Black Mountain, North Carolina
SYMPOSIUM REPORT
Participants gathered from all over the country to attend another weekend of herbal inspiration and education at beautiful Blue Ridge Assembly.
The event began with the preconference intensive by Mary Bove on health through the female seasons. Participants not only had a chance to follow healing recommendations for every phase of womanhood, but they also enjoyed a sumptuous lunch on the lawn overlooking the farm at Gaia Herbs.
Symposium speakers included special guests Dharmendra Dube and Sumita Prajapati, Ayurvedic physicians from India. They spend half the year traveling in the US offering lectures and consultations in Ayurveda, and half the year traveling in India performing "seva" by offering their services for free in the villages of the countryside. Their goal is to reestablish the appreciation of Ayurvedic medicine in the home and kitchen before the knowledge is lost to modern pharmaceuticals (which are not usually available in poor country villages). Their complete knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine is apparent in the lectures they presented on kitchen medicine, women's health and pulse diagnosis.
Michael Tierra and Roy Upton presented lectures on Traditional Chinese Medicine for kidney stones, ADHD, Shen disturbances, skin disorders and chronic disease. In the panel on Sunday morning "East meets East" Michael, Roy and the Ayurvedic physicians discussed therapies for a variety of chronic conditions. Despite their different perspectives, it was a very warm and enjoyable panel, which began with a Vedic prayer from Vaidya (Dr.) Sumita for the healers of this earth.
Other symposium lectures featured a wide variety of botanical therapies for chronic conditions including childhood metabolic disorders, sexual health, Parkinson's disease, therapies for infants and toddlers, psychosis, cancer, vascular inflammation, aging and the endocrine system, thyroid disorders, headaches and much more.
Donald Yance presented a comprehensive examination on natural therapies for prostate cancer in his nearly 4 hour intensive, which came with its own extensively footnoted 150 page booklet of information.
Walter Crinnion, ND, a leading expert in environmental chemicals and natural detoxification, presented three lectures on preventing ,diagnosing and treating heavy metal toxicity in children and adults, and in those suffering from neurological diseases.
The outdoor events added a welcome change from indoor focus. Herb walks by 7Song featured information on common but lesser used plants of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Cascade Anderson Geller's walks took participants into the deep forest for a look at the wondrous variety of plants in this bioregion. David Winston's Cherokee walk provided a deeper look into the traditional uses of the native plants and environment, and as always, Doug Elliott's herb walks kept up the laughs and the information in equal measure.
Doug also performed on Saturday night along with his 14 hear old son Todd. They brought down the house with their stories, jokes and sheer joy!
Music resounded throughout the weekend from Doug Elliott's harmonica to Marina Raye's soft and sweet native flute for those who enjoyed meditation and relaxation. The west African band Avec la Force wowed us all with their energy and dynamism on Sunday night..
As you may know, this event was dedicated to the memory of William Mitchell, ND. Bill was a regular speaker at the symposium and is missed by us all. The opening meeting included a brief memorial in silence and also in a stirring song by David Winston, whose words and honoring song inspired us all. There was also a more extended fireside celebration in the amphitheater on Sunday night led by Cascade Anderson Geller. Bill touched so many people's lives and it was moving to hear their stories on Sunday night with the campfire burning bright. For more about Bill Mitchell, click here.
We thank everyone who took time out of busy schedules to attend this event. The weekend had such a special feel to it of joy and happiness. It was an honor to be part of it. Thank you and see you next year! Dates: May 31- June 2, 2008.
Larry and Linnea Wardwell, Organizers
Medicines from the Earth
PO Box 3427
Ashland, OR 97520(800) 252-0688