Herbal Allies: My Journey with Plant Medicine

Chronicling more than forty-five years of his intimate relationship with the plant world, Robert Rogers describes the journey that led him to become an herbalist and shares his deep knowledge of the twenty plants that form the soul of his medicine kit. Rogers weaves personal experience, observations, and knowledge from indigenous healers, and many years of expertise from his practice as a professional herbalist and clinical professor to present a unique and fascinating narrative that not only limns one man's vital connection to plants but also provides invaluable information on effectively using plant medicine for the prevention and treatment of a variety of health conditions. Organized in chapters according to the optimum harvest seasons as determined by the Cree lunar cycles, the twenty plants include familiar trees such as the aspen, birch, spruce, and poplar as well as lesser-known small plants such as Labrador tea, cow parsnip, and buffalo berry. Each plant is introduced and described, and its specific merits, qualities, and usages are presented through the author's personal experiences, in traditional practices by indigenous cultures, modern commercial uses, the author's professional clinical treatments, the medicinal constituents of each plant, homeopathic applications, and recipes using various parts of the plants. Detailed photos of each plant provide reliable identification. Rogers also conveys common names, tips for collection, and observations on the personality traits and spiritual properties of the plants. Poems, stories, and legends from different cultures round out portraits of the plants as living beings that speak to us in a language we need to learn.