2017 Presentations by Natasha Clarke

FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 ~ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm 
"Medicine of Pacific NorthWest Trees: A Hands-on Medicine Making Class"
Tree medicine is an oft overlooked resource here in the Pacific Northwest but it was only 60 years ago that harvesting bark from the Cascara trees was a job that folks still remember doing to make some extra money. From the mighty Western Red Cedar and Black Cottonwood to the “common’ Red Alder, Cascara and the lesser known Dogwood and Madrona; the trees in this bio region offer a pillar of support for many ailments. As we discuss the role of trees in medicine and culture, their benefits and uses we will be garbling and preparing some tinctures, oils and syrups. Hands-on medicine making helps us ask questions and understand the process of simple techniques that will give you the confidence to be able to make effective herbal medicine at home, from the trees outside your front door. 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 ~ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm 
"Herbal Digestives and Why Do I Worry About What I Eat? A Hands-on Medicine Making Class"
Overwhelmed because you don’t know what to eat and when to eat and then what diet you need to be on? Feel like you are doing all the right things but still nothing works? Anxious and weary with trying diets, cleanses, supplements and still not feeling any better? This class talks about how we can come back into our bodies by trusting and loving and honoring how we feel. Rather than focusing on diet we will talk about how we digest and how this manifests in our relationship with self trust. We will talk about how modern medicine has distanced us from believing in our intuition so that we need to be told how to look and feel. In this class we will have fun garbling some local herbs and preparing some easy herbal digestives while understanding what part they play in the digestive system. By using the local herbs of our landscapes we empower our ability to reach out and take care of our needs beyond pharmaceuticals, supplements and financial constraints. As we practice our hands-on medicine making, we reacquaint ourselves with our feelings and needs as well as greatly improve our digestive abilities in this challenging food climate.