# Sikoohkotooki Home Herbalism Circle

## What will I learn?
**Get to know local plants and ecosystems, harvesting protocols and medicine making traditions**

Learning about plants, their personalities and properties will help you become more self-reliant regarding your own health and that of your communities. Taking a proactive approach in how you care for yourself and extended family/ community, will help you build the competence and confidence to recognise health needs and support treatment of the most common ailments with time-tested home remedies.

Depending on personal interests and health needs, you will choose 1-2 plant(s) per month to explore and build a closer relationship with. You are encouraged to learn more about your plant in ways that best suit your learning preferences. We will work with all our senses to get to know the plants of our choice. We will also engage with the herbal practices of our ancestors to continue the long lineages of ways of healing in community.

The Home Herbalist Circle will gather once a month over the growing season 2024, starting in May and ending in November. Each of the five months of our meetings, we will learn about specific medicinal plants in our bioregion.

See the learning schedule for more details below.

## Monthly Schedule (May-November)

**Every month**
1. in-person meeting one evening every month 7-9 pm
2. a monthly newsletter with background information and hands-on instructions

### Monthly Explorations

| Month | :seedling: May | :rose: June | :ant: September | :sunny: October | :fallen_leaf: November |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| theme | tend | replenish | rejoice | sustain | share | |
| values | gratitude and generosity | respect and honour | honesty and integrity | humility and humbleness | reciprocity |
| element | earth | water | fire | wood | air |
| season | spring | late spring | late summer | fall | transition into winter |
| neophyte plants | Dandelion, Nettle | Rose, Linden | Milky oats, Black Currant | Plantain, Calendula | Hawthorn, Rosehip |
| native plants | Cottonwood | Sweetgrass |Mint | Willow | Licorice |
| system | bitter for digestive system |fragrant for heart and spirit | sweet for nervous system and memory | demulcent for skin | rich for immune system |
| emotions | letting go; moving out of stagnation | working through emotions: love, loss/grief, etc. | relieving stress and finding a sense of calm | building balance | sense of well-being |
| medicine | spring herbal salt for enriched nourishment | brewing beverages to stay cool in summer | berry booster sirup for cold/flu season | soothing salves | bone broth for winter immunity | |
| land-based experience | preparing the ground, planting seeds, spring walk | greeting the coulees in Sikoohkotooki | experiencing the gentle medicine of trees |feeling the ground | conducting an honourable harvest | |

## Registration
Registration details will be shared soon.

## The Herbalist Behind the Programming

The person behind the Elm Charm Educational OFferings is an East German urban herbalista currently residing in Sikoohkotoki/ Lethbridge. I greatly enjoy walking the plant path and am grateful for the opportunities it provides to expand my circle of plant lovers to now also include you!

## Contact

**You can contact me via email** (elmcharm at protonmail dot com) or DM via Instagram

**Visit the Elm Charm Website here:** https://elmrealm.my.canva.site/