The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification

The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification

by Matthew Wood
The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification

The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification

by Matthew Wood

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Overview

The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism places the function of western herbs in their true historical context, apart from homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, and Ayurveda. Recently there has been a revival of interest in western herbalism, but practitioners haven't been able to explore its benefits due to a void of information on the topic—the system of medicine the herbs fit into had all but disappeared. To remedy the situation, herbalist Matthew Wood has researched the old-time practices and reconstructed them for modern use. In resuscitating western herbal medicine and bringing it up to date, he gives his readers a powerful tool for holistic theory and treatment. Wood makes the point that plant medicines, because they are made from a broad range of chemical components, are naturally suited for the treatment of general patterns in the body. He argues against the biomedical model of standardization, in which herbs are refined and advertised as if they were drugs suited to an exact disease or condition.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781556435034
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Publication date: 05/10/2004
Pages: 300
Sales rank: 322,325
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.64(d)

About the Author

Matthew Wood is a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild, and has maintained a private practice as an herbalist for twenty years. He lives and practices at Sunnyfield Herb Farm in Minnetrista, Minnesota.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Craft So Long to Learn1
Part 1Forgotten Energetics of Traditional Western Herbalism
The Forgotten Language of Energetics: The Green Tongue9
The Four Qualities: Energetics of Ancient Western Medicine31
The Six Tissue States: Forgotten Energetics of Nineteenth-Century Western Medicine45
Specific Medicine: Energetics of the Medicinal Substance63
The Fountain of Life: The Energetic Organism83
Organs and Systems: Primary Structures of the Body99
The Three Primary Constitutions: Assessment of the Whole Person121
Part 2Classification of Medicinal Plants
Sedatives: Heat, or the Excited Tissue State137
Relaxants: Wind, or the Constrictive Tissue State159
Nutritive Tonics: Dry, or the Atrophic Tissue State177
Astringents: Damp Flowing, or the Relaxed Tissue State199
Alteratives or Blood Purifiers: Damp Stagnation, or the Torpid Tissue State221
Stimulants: Cold, or the Depressed Tissue State237
Bibliography261
Index269
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