The Plant Path: Clinical Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

"Tonic" is a mysterious, nebulous word that pervades the halls of herbal medicine. But what does it actually mean? Its meanings seem to vary widely, often leaving its clinical value unclear. In this post, we'll examine the term's origins and uses and offer a practical framework for making "tonic" clinically useful.
 
Here's what you'll learn:
Why "tonic" is one of the most misunderstood words in herbalism

The four key classes of tonics and what each means, with examples of herbs within each tonic category and how they can be used clinically

How to recognize the qualities that define each type of tonic herb

Cross-cultural perspectives on tonics, from Western herbalism to Eastern medicine

 
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CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
————————————
To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
 
Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
 
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
 
Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
 
Shop our herbal products: 
https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
 
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ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
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The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
 
————————————
ABOUT SAJAH
————————————
Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
 
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WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
————————————
If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.

Sinus infections are painful and often scary because they can make it difficult to breathe. Many people quickly get antibiotics for this condition, and while that is in no way wrong and may be necessary at times, sinusitis can often be treated with herbal remedies. 
 
Sajah Popham from The School of Evolutionary Herbalism tells the story of how he used herbal neti pots to treat his own sinus infection that wasn't responding to systemic herbal treatment. Instead of using a simple saline solution, he added specific herbs, experienced a swift turnaround in his symptoms, cleared the infection, and avoided antibiotics.
 
Sajah explains that the key to treating sinusitis lies in the herbs you choose and in delivering them topically to the tissues that need them. 
Here's what you'll learn:
The five herbs that worked for me and why I chose them

Why whole herbs are better than isolated compounds

The conundrum of the antimicrobial action: making sense of the terms antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal, and how to use antimicrobial herbs

How to prepare and use medicated neti pots and nasal sprays

Substitutions for harder-to-procure and at-risk herbs

 
————————————
CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
————————————
To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
 
Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
 
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
 
Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
 
Shop our herbal products: 
https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
 
————————————
ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
————————————
The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
 
————————————
ABOUT SAJAH
————————————
Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
 
————————————
WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
————————————
If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.

When you consider topical applications, poultices and salves might come to mind, but did you know that herbs can be applied topically to the respiratory tract?
For sinusitis and sinus infections, using a simple neti pot can make all the difference. This approach enables herbs to act precisely where they're needed, providing relief and support for healing. In this post, we'll explore the practice of neti, a traditional Ayurvedic technique for nasal cleansing, combined with herbal medicine to treat sinus infections effectively. 
Here's what you'll learn:
How I treated a sinus infection using herbal neti pots
Typical systemic herbal treatments for infection and why they don't always get to the root of the problem
Herbal actions and preparation methods best suited for topical sinusitis treatment
Safety considerations for herbal neti pot therapy
 
————————————
CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
————————————
To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
 
Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
 
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
 
Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
 
Shop our herbal products: 
https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
 
————————————
ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
————————————
The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
 
————————————
ABOUT SAJAH
————————————
Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
 
————————————
WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
————————————
If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.

Does the term "topical herbs" make you think of applying herbs to your skin? Perhaps creams, salves, or poultices come to mind. The thing is, application to the skin, while very important, is only one of many types of topical applications.
 
Any time an herb comes into direct contact with tissues, whether the skin or the mucous membranes of the respiratory or digestive tract, it is acting topically. This post is the first in a series where we'll break down the meaning and methods of topical medicine in order to redefine how topical herbal medicine can be used. 
 
Here's what you'll learn:
A broader definition of topical application and how herbs act topically in the respiratory tract, digestive system, female reproductive system, and on the skin

Key topical herbal actions such as vulnerary, antimicrobial, and demulcent

Preparation types for topical use, such as poultices, infused oils, liniments, and medicated neti pots

Recommended herbs for each organ system and their unique roles in healing, plus important considerations for using topical herbal remedies safely

 
————————————
CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
————————————
To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
 
Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
 
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
 
Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
 
Shop our herbal products: 
https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
 
————————————
ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
————————————
The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
 
————————————
ABOUT SAJAH
————————————
Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
 
————————————
WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
————————————
If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.

The elements offer a profound framework for understanding health, herbal medicine, and our connection to nature. Sajah Popham from The School of Evolutionary Herbalism discusses how, across traditional systems such as astrology, alchemy, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Air element governs vital processes of movement, respiration, and communication in the body and mind. By observing how the Air element manifests in our constitution and in plants, we can better utilize specific herbal remedies to soothe nervous tension, clear respiratory pathways, and restore internal balance.
 
Here's what you'll learn:
How the Air element operates across astrology, alchemy, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine

The physiological functions of Air through the zodiac trine of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius

Physical and energetic keys to Air element plants, including tastes and morphology

Essential herbal actions for Air imbalances, such as nervines, expectorants, and carminatives

Practical applications of herbs like Blue Vervain, Mullein, Milky Oats, and Lemon Balm for Air element imbalances

 
————————————
CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
————————————
To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
 
Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
 
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
 
Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
 
Shop our herbal products: 
https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
 
————————————
ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
————————————
The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
 
————————————
ABOUT SAJAH
————————————
Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
 
————————————
WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
————————————
If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.