12. Folk Herbalism & the Wild Self - Jesse Wolf Hardin

Herbalism has always been the medicine of the people, but most of us in the West have been cut off from our earthbound roots and encouraged to forget our innate, ancestral ability to work and heal with plant medicines. Both despite and because of this, an herbal resurgence is slowly uprooting the dominant paradigm as ever more people heed the calling in their hearts to return to the old ways. No one has done more to share knowledge, encourage people of all skill levels, and bring folks together than Jesse Wolf Hardin (and his partner Kiva Rose).

Wolf is an acclaimed ecosopher, author, ecological and social activist, artist, musician, and historian– a champion of both human and bio diversity, as well as of nature’s medicine.  He has been a leading voice of and for the natural world for over four decades, coining the term "ReWilding" in the 1970's. He has been a featured presenter at hundreds of conferences and universities, and is the author of over 600 published articles in over 200 different publications and over 20 books, his work earning the praises of luminaries such as Gary Snyder, Terry Tempest Williams, Joanna Macy, Ralph Metzner, and Starhawk.

IN THE INTRO:

-How I met Wolf & Kiva

-Story medicine, psychedelic healing, witches & wise ones

IN THE INTERVIEW:

-The Plant Healer vision and how it’s evolved

-A child’s life changing epiphany in an avocado tree at military school

-What re-wilding means, from the man who coined the now-ubiquitous word

-Folk herbalism and the infinite ways to walk the plant path

-The three books Wolf had with him when he came into the land he would go on to steward for the next four decades in New Mexico

-The recent planned unassisted home birth of Wolf and Kiva’s son of Ælfyn Wolfson Thorn Hardin

-The fabulous Good Medicine Confluence- “Any pretense of pretending it’s a conference is over”

-Helping plant people reclaim their own traditions

-Regulation and the assault on herbalism (and women) from the 1700’s to now

-Standing up for who we are as wild-hearted healers in a sterile society 

-How Wolf & Kiva met and why their partnership works and is so creatively productive

-The sense of enchantment that feeds those who follow their calling

-Balancing a rational and magical approach to herbalism

LINKS:

-Find Plant Healer Magazine, Herbaria newsletter, the Good Medicine Confluence, Wolf's books, and more at PlantHealer.org

-The Mythic Medicinals shop

-Medicine Stories Patreon 

-Medicine Stories Facebook Group

-Take my fun Which Healing Herb is Your Spirit Medicine? quiz

-Music by Mariee Sioux (from the song Wild Eyes)