The Gift of Healing Herbs: Plant Medicines and Home Remedies for a Vibrantly Healthy Life

by Robin Rose Bennett, Rosemary Gladstar (Foreword)

Discover the many ways you can use plant medicine to boost your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing—with over 180 recipes and step-by-step instructions for herbal teas and other natural remedies.
 
“ . . . contains far more than simple directives found in most herb books . . . Spiritual insights are richly interwoven with excellent herbal remedies.”
—Rosemary Gladstar, author of Medicinal A Beginner’s Guide

With more than 180 easy-to-follow recipes and written by a well-respected urban herbalist, The Gift of Healing Herbs explores herbology as the “people’s medicine”—freely available to all—and as a powerful yet gentle way to heal the body, mind, heart, and soul. You will learn
 
• The true nature of health and the causes of illness
• The physical systems of the body and the common and not-so-common herbs for tonifying them
• Recipes for teas, brews, and how to incorporate herbs into your daily life
• The relationship between our body systems and the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water
 
Filled with personal stories, case histories, prayers, meditations, and more, The Gift of Healing Herbs is equal parts inspiration and instruction drawn from the author’s decades spent teaching and practicing herbal medicine in a spiritual, earth-based, non-dogmatic style. Bennett explores how one’s personal story turns into one’s embodied physicality—ultimately revealing unique paths of healing for each reader.

Genres: Herbs, Nonfiction, Health, Plants, Witchcraft, Nature, Gardening

592 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Robin Rose Bennett is a writer, teacher, green witch, herbalist, and a wisewoman… one who loves the earth and gives voice to the healing wild food and medicine plants which surround us. She has been a practicing herbalism for over 30 years, based in New Jersey & NYC. Robin focuses on the spiritual and ecological lessons of plants and treatment of illness.

Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of really great practical information in this book on healing holistically with herbs and natural medicines, with a touch on spirituality. This is definitely a heal your whole body, mind and spirit approach.
There's recipe's and info on the plant medicines as well as success stories from the author's clients.
This is a book I will return to again and again, it's recipe's are easy to make for the every day person with easy to find or grow plants.

[Tish Korau-Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its beautiful. It is part of my course material for the certificate of medical herbalism here in NZ and i resonated with it immediately. I've never really been into herbs, or gardening or green anything really... But this... This just fits! Its such an easy read and i feel so enlightened everytime i pick it up. Thank you so much Robin Rose Bennett. ❤️🌿

[Cris Daining · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book about herbs and intentional positive healthy living. I think it's my new favorite herb book.

[Ehris Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an herbalist and green witch, I often turn to this dog-eared book on my bookshelf for a quick reference on an herb's materia medica, recipe, or ritual. As Grounded Goodwife, my mom and I offer hands-on holistic workshops. I can't tell you how many times we quote Robin Rose Bennett when we talk about the medicinal benefits of Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot). I just love her quote, "Wild carrot's wild, not tame, and she just won't be pinned down." This book is ideal for all levels of herbal studies. For beginners, it reassures them that they can start simply and learn to trust their own instincts and experiences. I'm so grateful for Robin Rose and this book!

[Ashley Hartford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a compilation of knowledge. I have been looking for this exact book and it came into my hands in a moment when I needed it the most and it opened to the exact page I needed when I picked it up. Few books really call to a person, but this one called me home! I couldn't put this down and finished bookmarking all my most pressing herbal needs in just a few hours but I keep coming back to it every night to skim through different parts. It was so wonderful to also be able to hear Robin speak this past weekend and I have to say, she really has a relationship with these plants. If you ever get the opportunity to hear her, I encourage you to go. It will really enhance your perspective. I found a lot of herself between these pages with her honest and down to earth life stories. This book that she wrote was such a gift to all of us who are searching for alternative healing in our homes!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed all the stories that Robin shared of healing people and animals and such a practical book to have on my reference shelf, Mother Earth is amazing...

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love this book. The poetry and personification of medicinal plants, flowers, and trees provides an intimate introduction and connection with these healing gifts from nature. You learn not only what herbs can heal or prevent various ailments, but how to identify what parts of the flowers, roots, and leaves, etc hold their healing properties and how the characteristics of the plants can reveal this to the healer.
Language, presentation, and personal anecdotes make this book accessible to any reader who is interested in learning. No advance knowledge of herbs or healing is needed.
You will also discover, in the recipes, that your kitchen pantry already contains a bulk of ingredients (herbs, oils, vinegar, seeds, spices) to get started in healing practices for yourself and others.
I refer to this book often, as I do Robin Rose Bennett's other book -Healing Magic for insightful guidance, discovery, and keeping attuned to nature's gifts for healing and promoting health.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great find. You will be surprised what we consider to be weeds can do to heal us from many, many ailments. I will never ever look at a Dandelion as a weed to be uprooted and discarded. The author is a Herbalist by profession and she has shared many a secret on recognizing the plants which are all around us, readily available for the remedial recipes she has given.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clear and simple recipes, bogged down in a very distracted and scattered meander through the authors experiences. A little too "the fairies healed them" for me, the recipes did look interesting. Unfortunately I would be hard pressed to find them again the book when i actually needed them.

[Amy Doeun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her conversational style and engaging stories. It took me a little bit to figure out the format the book was following, for example the materia medica is mixed in with stories but once I figured it out I loved it. So much great information!

[Victoria Vila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew very little about herbs and their uses before I picked up this book and I'm glad my curiosity led me to this gem. Super easy to digest for beginners, plenty of helpful resources, and the writer is a lovely mind to gain insight into. Highly recommend for anyone who's interested in herbalism

[Silica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. There are parts of it that are excellent, but the spiritual framing is problematic, and it's a central part of the book, not something that can be set aside (IMO) to focus on the good.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to have on hand.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book and resource for anyone looking into traditional/herbal medicines and remedies. This book is going right on my kitchen shelf! I’ll be referencing this book for years to come.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good comprehensive book on different herbs and how to use them.

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love this book! So many great recipes, easy and not overwhelming to read.

[Laura Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite herbal books of all time. Maybe if I had to pick just one to be on my plant apothecary shelf, this would be it.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ended up buying this book. This is a guide to herbal healing, but also told in this very lovely, magical way, with lovely stories and information and anecdotes. Really beautiful book.