Vital Ways: Portland Herbal School

Vital Ways: Portland Herbal School Vital Ways is an Herbalist Certificate School that has been offering shorter and longer herb classes

๐—ฉ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ช๐—ฎ๐˜†๐˜€ ๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ ๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—น, is a Portland Herb School, with ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐œ๐ฅ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ, where you can learn to ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฒ a highly-skilled herbalist to heal yourself, your loved ones, or for a new career. We've been guiding students to become herbalists and gaining their herbalist certificate for over 12 years. We have hands-on classes for everyone from beginners to advanced practitioners with a ๐ง๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐ž๐ ๐Ÿ๐š๐œ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ. We're also a ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐…๐ซ๐ž๐ž ๐‚๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐œ, that's been providing 100% free Holistic Herbal Healthcare for the public. And we're an Apothecary that can provide you with high-quality herb and health guidance. At Vital Ways, Portland Herb School, you earn a Hฬฒoฬฒlฬฒiฬฒsฬฒtฬฒiฬฒcฬฒ ฬฒHฬฒeฬฒrฬฒbฬฒaฬฒlฬฒiฬฒsฬฒtฬฒ ฬฒCฬฒeฬฒrฬฒtฬฒiฬฒfฬฒiฬฒcฬฒaฬฒtฬฒeฬฒ that can pave the way for a career in herbalism like many of our graduates. In our classes you learn the synergy of Traditional Herbal Wisdom of the Ancients integrated with the leading edge of modern Scientific herbalism, informed by your intuition and experience. Vital Ways is Holistic, so you don't just learn herbalism, you also learn a complete method of healing for the whole person, to unlock their innate healing potential. We believe that healthcare is a right, and everyone deserves access to trustworthy holistic health guidance and we run a Free Community Clinic and are proud to partner with Herbalists Without Borders. If you want to learn to be a leader in the holistic herbalism world and help yourself and others heal with the healing power of nature, then we welcome you to reach out and join our community.

Happiest returning of the light Everyone.  We're so thankful for our earth's revolving, and tilted axis, and the gift of...
12/22/2021

Happiest returning of the light Everyone.

We're so thankful for our earth's revolving, and tilted axis, and the gift of seasonal natural cycles that it offers us.

And today we're celebrating this day, as so many throughout history and around the globe have, with lights lit, and hearts warmed by remembering all the positivity we experienced.

At Vital Ways, we're so thankful and appreciative for the amazing community of students, graduates, faculty, staff, clinic clients, store patrons, and all the online connections,

Below are images from this year's classes and are emblematic of all the incredible dedication and commitment to herbalism, healing and evolving perspectives and consciousness that our community showcased.

WIth gratitude to you all on the path.

Wishing you all a light filled year,

Yours in healing
Christopher
Vital Ways Director
Info@VitalWays.com
PortlandHerbalschool.com

Ancient Herbal Remedy for the Mind, Gets a Modern Update-Check out the Simple Combination that Can Boost Your Cognitive ...
03/03/2021

Ancient Herbal Remedy for the Mind, Gets a Modern Update-Check out the Simple Combination that Can Boost Your Cognitive Health

https://youtu.be/CJkWyBs1F3g

And if you want to find out more about herbs and the mind, take an upcoming class at Vital Ways-enrolling now for Spring Term that starts this May!

Vital Ways Institute wants you to get to know Gotu Kola, an herb beloved by ancient and modern Yogis alike, here gets a modern twist with the addition of MCT...

๐™Ž๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ž๐™จ ๐™๐™š๐™ง๐™š which means the plants are awakening from their winter slumber and sharing their food and medicine. And ๐‘ฉ...
03/02/2021

๐™Ž๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ž๐™จ ๐™๐™š๐™ง๐™š which means the plants are awakening from their winter slumber and sharing their food and medicine.

And ๐‘ฉ๐’Š๐’ˆ ๐‘ณ๐’†๐’‚๐’‡ ๐‘ด๐’‚๐’‘๐’๐’†, one of our favorite trees, is just starting to bud which means Maple Fritters are on the menu!

Do you know how tasty Big Leaf Maple Buds are?
Big Leaf Maple, ๐˜ผ๐™˜๐™š๐™ง ๐™ข๐™–๐™˜๐™ง๐™ค๐™ฅ๐™๐™ฎ๐™ก๐™ก๐™ช๐™ข, is a wonderful example of food as medicine, provides tasty flowers in great abundance. Without too much effort, you can gather enough to make a delicious wild food treat.

๐™๐™๐™š ๐™ˆ๐™–๐™ฅ๐™ก๐™š ๐™๐™ง๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™ฉ๐™š๐™ง ๐™๐™š๐™˜๐™ž๐™ฅ๐™š, plus a lot more about spring edibles, can be found on our blog, written by Wild Food Expert, and Vital Ways faculty, Elise Krohn

Elise shared, that the People of the Klallam Nation traditionally infuse the bark for sore throats. As the buds age to be too large to eat, theyโ€™ll become astringent and bitter and you can use them similar to the bark.

๐—ž๐—ฒ๐˜†๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—œ๐—— ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ:

๐—›๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜: Wet, forested areas.

๐—š๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ ๐—ฆ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ: Usually the typical lollypop shape of a maple.
Leaves: Huge, as in Cover Your Whole Head, sized maple shaped, 5 lobed leaves over a foot in diameter.

๐—•๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ธ: The older bark is ridged and grey-brown.
Often Covered in Moss. So much so in fact that it almost seems as if the forest floor and tree are just one large green, glowing, mossy forest creature.

๐—™๐—น๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€: greenish-yellow and hang in clusters on short stalks, bloom in March-April before the leaves come out.

๐—ฆ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐˜€ spiral on their descent to the earth in the typical maple whirligigs, that you played with as a kid.

Have you seen this tree near you? Look for them in wet forested areas.

At Vฬฒiฬฒtฬฒaฬฒlฬฒ ฬฒWฬฒaฬฒyฬฒsฬฒ ฬฒSฬฒcฬฒhฬฒoฬฒoฬฒlฬฒ ฬฒfฬฒoฬฒrฬฒ ฬฒHฬฒoฬฒlฬฒiฬฒsฬฒtฬฒiฬฒcฬฒ ฬฒHฬฒeฬฒrฬฒbฬฒaฬฒlฬฒiฬฒsฬฒmฬฒ we want you to be empowered to harvest the gifts of the forest, so check out our blog for recipes and lots of other tips and edibles

And if you want to truly learn this and a whole lot more, about wild foods, medicines, and holistic herbalism strategies for healing.

๐—ง๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ ๐—ฐ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜€, ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐— ๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ป, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—น๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜„๐—ฎ๐˜†๐˜€ ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐˜€-๐—ผ๐—ป.

๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—น.๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ

Post inspired by Elise Krohn, Vital Ways Faculty.
See it on our blog here:
https://www.portlandherbalschool.com/herbal-medicine/4153/

๐‘จ๐’• ๐‘ฝ๐’Š๐’•๐’‚๐’ ๐‘พ๐’‚๐’š๐’” ๐’˜๐’† ๐’ƒ๐’†๐’๐’Š๐’†๐’—๐’† ๐’•๐’‰๐’‚๐’• ๐’‰๐’†๐’‚๐’๐’•๐’‰ ๐’„๐’‚๐’“๐’† ๐’Š๐’” a ๐’“๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’‰๐’•, ๐’๐’๐’• ๐’‚ ๐’‘๐’“๐’Š๐’—๐’Š๐’๐’†๐’ˆ๐’† ๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐’”๐’‰๐’๐’–๐’๐’… ๐’ƒ๐’† ๐’‚๐’„๐’„๐’†๐’”๐’”๐’Š๐’ƒ๐’๐’† ๐’•๐’ ๐’‚๐’๐’.  Thatโ€™s from our ...
02/28/2021

๐‘จ๐’• ๐‘ฝ๐’Š๐’•๐’‚๐’ ๐‘พ๐’‚๐’š๐’” ๐’˜๐’† ๐’ƒ๐’†๐’๐’Š๐’†๐’—๐’† ๐’•๐’‰๐’‚๐’• ๐’‰๐’†๐’‚๐’๐’•๐’‰ ๐’„๐’‚๐’“๐’† ๐’Š๐’” a ๐’“๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’‰๐’•, ๐’๐’๐’• ๐’‚ ๐’‘๐’“๐’Š๐’—๐’Š๐’๐’†๐’ˆ๐’† ๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐’”๐’‰๐’๐’–๐’๐’… ๐’ƒ๐’† ๐’‚๐’„๐’„๐’†๐’”๐’”๐’Š๐’ƒ๐’๐’† ๐’•๐’ ๐’‚๐’๐’.

Thatโ€™s from our ๐…๐ซ๐ž๐ž ๐‚๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐œ page on our website.

Don't you think that the state of healthcare quality and access in this country is unacceptable?

So, we established ๐—ข๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—–๐—ผ๐—บ๐—บ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜๐˜† ๐—™๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—น๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ 12 years ago, to offer Free Holistic Consultations to our Community.

Our Clinic is overseen by ourfaculty, including Christopher Smaka, with Paul Bergner, Hanna Jordan, and others helping assess and guide our cases.

Our 3rd and 4th year students are the lead practitioners.

We focus on Chronic Health Imbalances which for a free clinic is rare.

All of our Student-Clinician Practitioners offer health intake, evaluation, protocol, and guidance, support, empowerment and education aimed towards empowering our clients to reach their health care goals.

At Vital Ways, we see a person as being much larger than just a diagnosis, or symptoms, so we guide, our clients holistically, for whole person healing.

๐™„๐™› ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™–๐™ง๐™š ๐™˜๐™ช๐™ง๐™ง๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™ก๐™ฎ ๐™˜๐™๐™–๐™ก๐™ก๐™š๐™ฃ๐™œ๐™š๐™™ ๐™—๐™ฎ ๐™– ๐™˜๐™๐™ง๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™˜ ๐™๐™š๐™–๐™ก๐™ฉ๐™ ๐™ž๐™จ๐™จ๐™ช๐™š, or know someone who is, and would like to consider working with our team, for guidance and support including herbalism, nutrition, mind-body healing, then we welcome you to reach out now.
Link in bio.

If you want to learn how you can become a clinician with us, to really make a difference in the lives of others, then we welcome you to join our growing number of healers and herbalists in our ๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐˜€ registering now for classes that begin in May. Or Call 10AM-7PM. 503-914-7908















02/26/2021
๐™”๐™ค๐™ช ๐˜พ๐™–๐™ฃ ๐™ƒ๐™š๐™–๐™ก ๐™”๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง๐™จ๐™š๐™ก๐™› ๐™‰๐™–๐™ฉ๐™ช๐™ง๐™–๐™ก๐™ก๐™ฎ.And it shouldn't cost a lot of money.This is a guiding principle at Vital Ways. We envis...
02/23/2021

๐™”๐™ค๐™ช ๐˜พ๐™–๐™ฃ ๐™ƒ๐™š๐™–๐™ก ๐™”๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง๐™จ๐™š๐™ก๐™› ๐™‰๐™–๐™ฉ๐™ช๐™ง๐™–๐™ก๐™ก๐™ฎ.

And it shouldn't cost a lot of money.

This is a guiding principle at Vital Ways. We envision a time when people are empowered to take back control of their health by learning straightforward, simple natural strategies that may include herbalism.

This hearkens back to a better time when people were knowledgeable about healing remedies and their own health doesn't it?

As the mainstream disempowering dependency model gets the most coverage, there is a growing movement of people who are rising up to rewrite their own narrative by learning healing for themselves.

It can start by trying one herb, feeling it in your body, and learning that way how you can use it to help yourself heal.

And Chamomile is a great for all empowered healers to really get to know. It taste good, is easy to access and grow, and is much more medicinal than most people think.

Its constituents are powerfully anti-inflammatory, and relaxes tense muscles in the gut, calms the mind, and targets the ๐—š๐˜‚๐˜-๐— ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฑ axis. And its a decent anti-microbial for those gut bugs that are causing lots of issues these days. It can't do it all as an anti-microbial, but its a good remedy as support.

And its gentle enough to be used by those with most health conditions.

Its one downside if there was one, is that everyone already is aware of it as common tea, so its often disregarded as real medicine. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Chamomile can be used as an integral part of a larger formula to heal the gut from chronic inflammatory conditions like IBD!

If you're inspired to be guided to becoming your own healer, and want to be a confident effective herbal healer, guided by a passionate group of nationally renowned educators who take an active role in your learning, then we welcome you to join one of our ๐™ƒ๐™š๐™ง๐™—๐™–๐™ก๐™ž๐™จ๐™ฉ ๐˜พ๐™š๐™ง๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™›๐™ž๐™˜๐™–๐™ฉ๐™š ๐˜พ๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง๐™จ๐™š๐™จ ๐™Ž๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ง๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™ž๐™จ ๐™จ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ!

๐—ฌ๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ณ! Herbs are an easy to use and absolutely life changing tool for all would be healers..   And they'...
02/19/2021

๐—ฌ๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ณ!

Herbs are an easy to use and absolutely life changing tool for all would be healers.. And they're fairly accessible, mostly affordable, and often able to be cultivated or wild harvested.

With their gentle yet powerful actions, , you can make your journey on this orb more connected to nature, and more aligned with the healing essence that they represent.

Nature provides us with such an amazing array of free or very affordable solutions just like this gorgeous plant, Passionflower.

Health is now being sold to us by the capitalistic networks that define our reality, but you definitely donโ€™t need to spend exorbitant amounts to take the first initial steps on your own self-empowered healing journey. You can become a transformative healer, yourself and herbs can be an important part of that journey.

๐™„๐™› ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช ๐™ฌ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™ฉ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™—๐™š๐™˜๐™ค๐™ข๐™š ๐™– ๐™๐™š๐™–๐™ก๐™š๐™ง ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง๐™จ๐™š๐™ก๐™› ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™™ ๐™ค๐™ฉ๐™๐™š๐™ง๐™จ, and be empowered along your own health journey to take steps that will give you back control of your health sovereignty, you can.

And then, if or when you need to seek the guidance of others, you can do so from an empowered place, that ensures that you are always at the center of your care.

It starts with adding just one new healing idea per day. Today Passionflower.

๐™„๐™ฉโ€™๐™จ ๐™– ๐™ฉ๐™ค๐™ฅ 20 ๐™ง๐™š๐™ข๐™š๐™™๐™ฎ ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง ๐˜ผ๐™ฅ๐™ค๐™ฉ๐™๐™š๐™˜๐™–๐™ง๐™ฎ, ๐™Ž๐™˜๐™๐™ค๐™ค๐™ก, ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™™ ๐™๐™ง๐™š๐™š ๐˜พ๐™ก๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™˜.

Easy to grow, and some of the most beautiful flowers with edible fruit.

Its easy to use, doesnโ€™t have a lot of contraindications, and tastes pretty nice.

Itโ€™s a classic, calming, even sedating, nervine. This means that itโ€™ll help calm and center your mind, and is a core remedy for bringing down excited anxious states.

Its also a mild pain remedy, and skeletal muscle relaxant for that all too common tension mixed with anxiety.

Its wonderful as part of a sleep formula for that constellation of anxiety, pain, tension, and stress.

Its an essential home medicine kit herb- safe for kids, dogs, and most humans.

Have you grown and/or used this amazing plant for you healing?

You can become a healer.

If you want to become a healer, and join an amazing group of like-minded people, online and in person, then join us at Vital Ways School for Holistic Herbalism.

One thing, I really miss about seeing clients live, is doing pulse analysis.Pulse, is a traditional evaluation technique...
02/08/2021

One thing, I really miss about seeing clients live, is doing pulse analysis.

Pulse, is a traditional evaluation technique, from Chinese Medicine and ancient Greece now integrated with Modern Physiology.

It gives us valuable insights in our 1-2 hour holistic consults.

1) ๐‘ท๐’“๐’๐’—๐’Š๐’…๐’†๐’” ๐’Š๐’๐’—๐’‚๐’๐’–๐’‚๐’ƒ๐’๐’† ๐’Š๐’๐’”๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’‰๐’•๐’” into a variety of functions, organs, and mindset and unlocks a personโ€™s experience.

With tongue analysis, reading the body, and energetics, it forms an entire branch of evaluation that we teach, integrated into modern biomedical perspectives. Together they are most effective.

2) ๐˜พ๐™ง๐™š๐™–๐™ฉ๐™š๐™จ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™š ๐™จ๐™–๐™˜๐™ง๐™š๐™™ ๐™˜๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™š๐™ง: Starting pulse first thing is preferred. It sets the tone, and reaffirms our sacred contract- them entrusting in us, their most precious possession-their health, and we, fully accepting this responsibility, by being completely present and fully committed to our time.

This space becomes the healing vessel, the yin, the structure, the container for the work of next two hours.

In China it's said, one has to do 5000 tongues, and 10,000 pulses to get competent. Lao Tsu told us, the journey starts with one.

๐™ƒ๐™ค๐™ฌ ๐™๐™ค:
๐™Ž๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ง๐™ฉ ๐™ฌ๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™ ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช๐™งs.
1-Calm your nervous system
2-Feel the pulse, on the radial artery where your thumb meets your wrist. Press firmly, straight down into the vessel, feel the coursing of the life energy.

Then assess ๐—ฅ๐—”๐—ง๐—˜: Above 70bbm or so is a sign, below 60 is sign. Could be excess stress, cardiovascular disease, hyperthyroidismโ€ฆthere are lots of possibilities, so we'll explore more.

Second, ๐‘๐„๐†๐”๐‹๐€๐‘๐ˆ๐“๐˜. Lots of causes of irregularity too.

Fast, irregular pulse indicates in many cases a nervine, perhaps skullcap, motherwort, or others. We'll answer that based on what else we find.

Its not easy to learn but when properly guided, very achievable and invaluable.

Learn this and much more in our ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐‡๐ž๐ซ๐›๐š๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ ๐œ๐ฅ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌstarting this March. Visit us here:

๐‘ท๐’๐’“๐’•๐’๐’‚๐’๐’…๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’“๐’ƒ๐’‚๐’๐‘บ๐’„๐’‰๐’๐’๐’.๐’„๐’๐’Ž for more or send us a message.

๐™๐™๐™š  #1 consideration about whether youโ€™ll get a chronic disease, chronic pain, emotional imbalances or be significantly...
02/02/2021

๐™๐™๐™š #1 consideration about whether youโ€™ll get a chronic disease, chronic pain, emotional imbalances or be significantly impacted by the nasty virus going around is, as proven by research, your metabolic health.

Metabolic health, simply put, is how well your body moderates the energy in your blood. For most folks this means glucose.

Glucose is from food, and some is made in the liver when we send our livers the signals-stress, movement deficiency, sleep debt, inflammation.

A healthy metabolic response is blood sugar levels around 85ng/ml or less when we havenโ€™t eaten. Its an easy test to run at home with a glucose meter at pharmacies for $20-30.

With high stress (incl. sleep loss), excess carbs to energy needs, and insufficient movement, the numbers climb. This lays the basis for all the major causes of death-Cancer, Heart Disease, Autoimmunity, Neurodegeneration, and this gnarly virus.

Not just lifespan is impacted but healthspan too. Fatigue, and pain, are two common symptoms.

Doesnโ€™t matter if youโ€™re large or small bodied. Metabolic health isnโ€™t obvious from body size in many cases.

๐™๐™ค ๐™˜๐™ค๐™ง๐™ง๐™š๐™˜๐™ฉ ๐™ข๐™š๐™ฉ๐™–๐™—๐™ค๐™ก๐™ž๐™จ๐™ข, ๐™– ๐™๐™ค๐™ก๐™ž๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™˜ ๐™ฅ๐™š๐™ง๐™จ๐™ฅ๐™š๐™˜๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ซ๐™š ๐™ž๐™จ ๐™š๐™จ๐™จ๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™–๐™ก
Nutrition, Mindset, Movement, and Sleep.

Herbalism works incredibly well as part of a holistic approach. Specifically 2 categories of herbs:
๐˜ผ๐™™๐™–๐™ฅ๐™ฉ๐™ค๐™œ๐™š๐™ฃ๐™จ: Ancient remedies for healthy stress response
๐™‰๐™š๐™ง๐™ซ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™š๐™จ, herbs that transform the mind.

To learn more, see the ๐‘ป๐’“๐’‚๐’๐’”๐’‡๐’๐’“๐’Ž๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐‘บ๐’•๐’“๐’†๐’”๐’” ๐‘ด๐’‚๐’”๐’•๐’†๐’“๐’„๐’๐’‚๐’”๐’” in 2 weeks.

And

๐™ƒ๐™ค๐™ก๐™ž๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™˜ ๐™ƒ๐™š๐™ง๐™—๐™–๐™ก๐™ž๐™จ๐™ฉ ๐™ฉ๐™ง๐™–๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œ ๐™ฉ๐™๐™–๐™ฉ ๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ง๐™ฉ๐™จ ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ˆ๐™–๐™ง๐™˜๐™ and May covers this and much more to help you help yourself and others heal a the deepest levels.
Detes in Events

This post is part of the โ€˜โ€˜๐†๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฑ๐ž๐โ€™, a self-paced holistic herbalist daily insights feed-It starts later this week of social media-Check back.

The healerโ€™s path is often seemingly solitary and can be lonely and challenging at times.As a conscious person with drea...
01/30/2021

The healerโ€™s path is often seemingly solitary and can be lonely and challenging at times.

As a conscious person with dreams of a better world, interested in healing with medicinal herbs, and living more closely aligned with your purpose, do you feel alone?

Or do you feel connected, inspired, and supported by others who share your beliefs, and hold space for your unique way of showing up?

With the increase in divisiveness, isolationism, and separation, weโ€™re hearing from a lot of people that they feel even more alone on their journey.

We want to remind you that you are not alone on this path. There is a global community of people who share these values.

There are many like you out there who appreciate the transformative healing power of nature and healing plants and their importance for our world that is so desperately in need of healing.

At Vital Ways, our community of visionaries, luminaries and changemakers in our Herbalist Certificate Programs, Free Clinic, and Apothecary, is where we are constantly inspired and reminded of this movement towards a better world.

If youโ€™d like a closer connection for support, inspiration, community and connection, then we invite you to join our vibrant community.

We have two classes that are now enrolling for a limited time and start in March.

See the Link in the bio above for more details.

Our personalized, hands-on, live Herbal Healerโ€™s Certificate course, is online, and in person, and recorded for later viewing.

Please donโ€™t forget that you arenโ€™t alone. There is a movement happening, and it needs you. And its growing as more conscious people wake up to whatโ€™s important.

Our community is an example-See the link above.

To healing, and community
Chris









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Communing with the Pine family is an easy, and powerful way to transform our vital health as steps towards a way out of ...
01/12/2021

Communing with the Pine family is an easy, and powerful way to transform our vital health as steps towards a way out of our current crisis.

The Pine family, 235 or so trees and shrubs, and their constituents, can shift your health in remarkably positive ways, that might very well surprise you. And theyโ€™re easy to identify and use and are abundant in most ecosystems in North America.

The needles, that are the Pineโ€™s version of leaves, are remarkably high in Vitamin C, and are loaded with powerful antioxidant phytochemicals like Resveratrol, and a wide array of terpenes.

And of course, there are about 20 or so Pines, that we get edible pine nuts from.

And the resin from Pine is a wonderful topical antimicrobial, that has a long history of use for dental applications and can positively influence the mouthโ€™s microbiome.

The Family includes mostly evergreen Pines, Spruces, Hemlocks, Tamaracks, Doug Firs, Larches and more.

Pine family medicine is applicable to multiple current human issues: Pines are
expectorant, carminative, diaphoretic, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, rubefacient, and much more.

And their aromatic compounds powerfully affect our minds.

The unseen Pine aroma from their volatile compounds bathe you in a sweet, gentle, clear expansive, calming but energizing fragrance. Most noticeable on a forest bathing jaunt in a sunny spot in summer, the needles always hold the medicine and give it up freely.

And right now, with the fear and anxiety contracting our minds, just beholding a Pine family tree, slowing to the trees pace, being present, gathering needles, and gently crushing them to release their aroma or drinking a roughly chopped needle tea, leads to an immediate psycho-emotional expansion, and enlivened calm.

At Vital Ways we teach a lot about Pines and the mind-Powerful medicine for challenging times. Click the bio above to see our classes and to find out how to become an herbalist in 2021.

Herbalist Certificate Programs registering now. Find out more or talk to one of our advisors

info@VitalWays.com or (503) 914 7908

Stress, the physiological intersection of our mind-body response  to challenge has reached new levels in the present tim...
01/08/2021

Stress, the physiological intersection of our mind-body response to challenge has reached new levels in the present time.

As we all experience heightened levels of challenge and are continually bombarded with the disempowering narrative that we are powerless against it, and that only for profit chemical-biological medicine can help us, we know differently.

The interpretation of our stress-challenge response as a pathology is part of the problem itself.

Nature doesn't make mistakes, and we, and our stress response are part of nature.

Challenge and Stress has always been with us. The physiological changes that occur provide us with the ability to rise up to challenges, learn and grow from them.

Our blog, linked in the bio, explains how our brilliant systems prepare us for growth and evolution and how we can be empowered to work with it.

One way, is by using ancient remedies that we call Adaptogens. Pigeon-holing them as 'herbs for stress' is inherently a limiting perspective.

Herbs like Ginseng, the most revered tonic in China, Reishi, the mushroom of immortality, and Gotu Kola, or monk in a mug as I call it, can guide you to choosing how you respond to challenge, and how you can transmute it for your evolution should you choose.

The key here is knowing that you have choice, and that nature doesn't make mistakes.

Choosing which of the radically different 25 or so adaptogens is right to accomplish your goals is the next step.

We'll highlight specific remedies in future posts, and discuss how to make the choices to support your needs, goals and if you want, evolution.

Are you using adaptogens? Which ones?
To nature, healing, evolution and the deconstruction of false narratives,
Christopher




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Few remedies are so perfect for the present time, and so universally beneficial as Holy Basil.  Holy Basil, Tulsi, belov...
01/05/2021

Few remedies are so perfect for the present time, and so universally beneficial as Holy Basil.

Holy Basil, Tulsi, beloved by ancient yogis, and modern healers is easy to grow, gentle, but deeply healing specific to many of the worldโ€™s modern ills, from diabetes, inflammatory diseases, and above all right now the mental-emotional effects of our current predicament and the associated tension, unresolved stress, anxiety and depression.

Holy Basil, or Tulsi, as itโ€™s known in India has a superpower. Did you know herbs have superpowers, that are truly unique and specific, and sets them apart from all others. These aren't written about in books and can only be learned by using the plant, and feeling its healing effects in your body.

Every other way of knowing a plant, from books, or other media is all derivative from someone else. Its not your knowledge. But when you use the herbs, in a hands-on way, then you learn from the plant itself and its you knowledge.

This is why we provide plants for our students at Vital Ways Institute, so that each student learns the wisdom in a hands-on personal, experiential way. This is a level of connection and understanding that canโ€™t come through the intellect and is a highlight of a Vital Ways trained herbal healer.

Holy Basil is
Carminative: Relaxant to digestive spasm gut.
Diaphoretic: Reduces fever.
Nervine: Affects the mind.
Adaptogen-Benefits the physical response to the stress.
Its superpower though, transcends all of these descriptions.

Its superpower, is to promote a flow state, via relaxing tension, uplifting the mind, and energizing the body to a heightened state of peaceful awareness. The ancients yogis knew this, and used it for this.
See our blog at our website, linked in he bio above









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Happiest 2021!We continue to be so thankful for you, our community, and conscious people everywhere, who, despite the ch...
01/01/2021

Happiest 2021!

We continue to be so thankful for you, our community, and conscious people everywhere, who, despite the challenges, are staying aligned with what you know is your highest truth.

For 2021, weโ€™re wishing you strength to persevere despite all the challenges and are here to remind you that youโ€™re not alone.

At Vital Ways Institute weโ€™re on this path with you.

With the wisdom of Gotu Kola, the mental energy of Bacopa, and the strength of Yarrow combining into our first tea of 2021, we reflect on our past year, and set intentions for this one.

We are feeling so thankful for you, our conscious community and connections, for showing up as best you can, and taking actions that align with your path. Its people like you, that keep our spirits high, as we see that weโ€™re not alone in seeing how out of balance the world is, and how needed holistic healing is right now.

With the knowledge that you are striving to be a lightbringer and changemaker, you inspire us to show up on our journey.

We couldnโ€™t do what we do, without you.

So, we want to show up for you in the same way.

What are you committing to trying to do this year?

How would you like to show up on this journey?

Iโ€™m focusing on 3 things:

1- Eat what nourishes my Body
2- Think and Feel what nourishes my Mind
3-Spend more time connecting with those who nourish my Soul

To healing for each of us, our broken systems and our amazing planet,
Christopher









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Address

2714 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR
97211

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(503) 914-7908

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Our Story

What is Vital Ways?

It is a School, 1-4 years long, in which students meet 1 weekend per month, for 8 or 9 months, to learn holistic healing with a passionate, highly experienced faculty and a like-minded community of amazing people. Each program can be taken as a stand-alone course, or as part of our Holistic Clinical Practitioner Sequence, culminating in a Practicum where Student Clinicians serve the public in our Community Free Clinic.

Classes at Vital Ways integrate Traditional Healing Wisdom from ancient healers, with the most modern interdisciplinary holistic health information from science and clinical practice. With this synergy of knowledge and wisdom, students develop the skills to be able to address complex presentations effectively. Our classes are diverse, dynamic, and experiential to ensure that each student is guided and empowered to understand holistic herbal healing both intellectually and experientially.

At Vital Ways, students learn an entire method of practice that focuses on nutrition, herbalism, and holistic lifestyle. The holistic curriculum at Vital Ways emphasizes not just addressing symptoms but also on resolving root causes and facilitating vibrant health for the whole person, mind, body and spirit. Since a personโ€™s health is influenced by numerous things including history, food, and lifestyle, we teach students how to guide others to be healthy by working with each of these.