Healing Wise

by Susun S. Weed

Healing Wise sets forth the foundations of the Wise Woman Tradition, contrasting them with the Heroic and Scientific views of healing. "Weeds draw us into ancient wisdom in a clear and refreshing way," says herbalist Rosemary Gladstar.

I see the Wise Woman. She carries a blanket of compassion. She wears a robe of wisdom. From her shoulders, a mantle of power flows. She ties the threads of our lives together. I see the Wise Woman. And she sees me.

Seven herbs -- burdock, chickweed, dandelion, nettle, oatstraw, seaweed, and violet -- are explored in depth. Each monograph includes the "voice" of the herb, a weed walk to encounter the herb in its environment, detailed instructions for harvesting and preparation, properties and uses for every part of the herb, pertinent facts, fun folklore, and recipes for gourmet foodstuffs, wines, beers, cosmetics, and more.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Herbs, Reference, Plants, Womens, Spirituality

295 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1989

About the author

Susun S. Weed has no official diplomas of any kind; she left high school in her junior year to pursue studies in mathematics and artificial intelligence at UCLA and she left college in her junior year to pursue life.

Susun began studying herbal medicine in 1965 when she was living in Manhattan while pregnant with her daughter, Justine Adelaide Swede.

She wrote her first book -- Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year (now in its 29th printing)-- in 1985 and published it as the first title of Ash Tree Publishing in 1986.

It was followed by Healing Wise (1989), New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way (1992 and revised in 2002), and Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way (1996).

In addition to her writing, Ms Weed trains apprentices, oversees the work of more than 300 correspondence course students, coordinates the activities of the Wise Woman Center, and is a High Priestess of Dianic Wicca, a member of the Sisterhood of the Shields, and a Peace Elder.

Susun Weed is a contributor to the Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women's Studies, peer- reviewed journals, and popular magazines, including a regular column in Sagewoman.

Her worldwide teaching schedule encompasses herbal medicine, ethnobotany, pharmacognosy, psychology of healing, ecoherbalism, nutrition, and women's health issues and her venues include medical schools, hospital wellness centers, breast cancer centers, midwifery schools, naturopathic colleges, and shamanic training centers, as well as many conferences.

Susun appears on many television and radio shows, including National Public Radio and NBC News.

from http://www.susunweed.com/SusunWeed.htm

Reviews

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise looks at health and healing from a completely different perspective than any other resource I've ever consulted. Instead of looking at illness as something needing medication (as in western scientific medicine) or as the result of some sort of bodily imbalance (as in traditional eastern medicine), this book looks at illness as an opportunity.

At first, I have to admit that this concept sounded really strange to me. What sort of opportunity is suffering from Chronic Fatigue or having to deal with the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis? However, as I continued through the thorough and easy to understand explanations of the wise woman tradition, I began to understand more about the principles behind optimum nourishment.

Basically, this concept requires that we learn to take care of, accept, learn from and love ourselves at every point in our life process. To do so, brings about change and further opportunities to nourish our being. Thus, if we have an illness in the traditional sense, then we need to take the opportunity to learn about ourselves and fully nurture our being before we can ever hope to release the seemingly negatives aspects of the situation.

Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise has me intrigued with the wise woman tradition. I find the concept of a spiral healing pattern (as opposed to the linear pattern of western medicine and the circular pattern of traditional eastern medicine) fascinating. I also like that this book gave me a distinctly different way to think about my health. I am extremely eager to learn more about this tradition.

[Ryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this silly magical little book. At first you open the book and think, Who is this new-age whack job and what is she trying to say? Upon closer inspection, this book is an outstanding resource full of true wisdom and practical applications of common plants in healing. I feel that I will return to this book again and again for information and inspiration as I get to know my plant allies. I think the book would have been stronger if it spent less time explaining the scientific and heroic traditions and more time on other healing plants. P.S. Love you Dandelion. P.P.S. Thanks Kara for getting this book for me at the thrift store.

[Linn Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another grandmother of herbal medicine, Susun tells it how it is.

She has a really different take on herbs to many other writers out there - in that she is very connected to the spirits of plants. I personally love how she allows each plant to tell their story in their own words.

But there is no denying Susun knows her stuff. The medicinal qualities of the plants are really well researched, her insights are clear and sharp on medicinal uses and great recipes.

I love that she uses really commonly available herbs that you can go out and forage for yourself (if you live in northern America or Europe). Why use exotic herbs when a common weed (many of the most effective herbs are) will do just as good a job?

[ryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a unique herbal. Susun Weed focuses on seven common plants and details their multiple uses and personalities, devoting full chapters to each. she lays out a distinction between the scientific, heroic, and wise woman traditions in healing arts, explaining how the one "fixes", the other "cleanses", and the last nourishes the whole human. Weed is very conscious to offer information in forms palatable to both sides of the brain / different styles of learning, and the tone feels friendly and conversational. an excellent introduction to these plants and to herbalism in general, and a refreshing change from herbals with 500 plants and only a half-page for each.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

The information here seems pretty cool and useful (maybe I'll go picking some dandelions some time) but the presentation is pretty bad and often a bit culturally imperialistic (she even cites Carlos Castaneda at one point lol). The theology is interesting I guess. Her tone was almost constantly grating.

[Haliation]

TBD, with low expectations - I’m building my herbal/plant witch library and this is allegedly a “classic” that I saw for $2. So it’s mine now! From skimming the first few pages this is definitely a book written in 1989. If you know what I mean. I am really looking forward to the recipes, though.

[Stephanie Solomon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun but WAY over the top.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic herbal for women. A good entry guide for developing relationships with healing plants. Magical.

[Maja Haloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming story-telling and helpful herbal information to help women keep themselves healthy and happy.

[Kristen Brockmeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information - this belongs on my reference shelf forever.

[Sarah Esmae Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fully resonate with the wise woman way. It is a path that speaks to my soul. If you love plants and are a bit witchy and feel like you don't quite fit in with modern herbalism, read this book!

[Rosemary Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susun Weed's books and wisdom help to reawaken a voice inside of us that has been there all along. The voice of ancestors, of intuition and knowing, of Mama Earth and our connection with and to her. The collective spiral dance that stretches back through the ages to our primal root and deepest source. That is wholeness, and Susun invites us to remember and to step into that rhythm of abundance, of interconnectivity, of life. She empowers us to unearth, nourish, and become our fullest selves. Her teachings resonate deeply with me to the extent that I find myself reaching for her books time and time again because they are always relevant to my path, no matter where I stand. I highly recommend Susun Weed's work to any and every person out there. 💚

[Everlasting CBD · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have read more books of susan this was ok ok. i have found many recipes I liked them. I also want some new recipes with cbd it was amazing collection i am also looking for recipes to make cbd coffee https://everlastinglifecbd.com/produc...
please try this and add some twist so we can make it perfect.

[Diane Bluegreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book for its philosophy the most...the theory rather than the practical stuff. it's worth buying for that alone,and i've bought more than one copy of this book...because i couldn't find my copy,and i wanted to always have it at hand.

[Jesse Naumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book I had to get past my bias about men vs women energetics and understood what I could without acting like a typical Male. This book contains wisdom for all.

[Mae Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

What felt like a refreshing perspective on healing and wisdom is actually an invitation to return to our goddess-given gifts that are abundantly present within our Wisest Self already. This book is a boon for anyone called to healing, medicine (in any capacity), or those seeking connection with the Feminine Divine in as easy a venue as your own back yard.

This book is absolutely amazing and a must read. It has me looking at not only “pesky weeds”, but myself as well, with more curiosity and compassion than ever before. What are we capable of accomplishing, of healing, if instead of imparting rigid rules and limitations we break down barriers that stand between us and our ultimate potential through expansion and nourishment? This book gives you the tools to find out, along with very practical guidance for navigating our earthly experiences.

Looking forward to reading more by Susun S. Weed.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the distinction made between 3 traditions of healing (scientific, heroic, and wise woman). This book focuses on the wise woman tradition and is an approach with a focus on nourishment. The overall tone is accessible as it feels more like a nice conversation (even if one sided) rather than a lecture. I also appreciate that the author sources her information so that one could look to those sources should they wish. One thing I could not get past and dropped my rating to a 3 was the accents or dialects attributed to the herbs highlighted in the monographs. It was so bothersome to me, I almost didn't read them which would have been a shame because they have a wealth of information worthy knowing.

[Sandra Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first of Susun's books that I read. It opened up a whole new world to me. I had been exploring and studying herbalism on my own for years, then I wondrously stumbled upon Susun S. Weed! I went on to purchase the rest of her books, and also to study with Susun via her corresence courses. My connection with Susun and her teachings has been one of the greatest gifts to my life. Her books (all her teachings) are straightforward, entertaining, eye-opening, and full of valuable wisdom.

[R · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly only giving it 2 stars because I appreciate the kitchen recipes and plant info, however the rest of the book is horribly written, repetitive without really saying anything, and - albeit it's on older book - I heavily disagree with the disparaging look they cast on modern medicine.
Read it for the Part 2 Plant chapters and ignore the rest.

[Iris Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herbal for the Childbearing Year was my definitive "go-to" for my pregnancies and infant years!

SO. MUCH. WISDOM. 💚

After that, my path was set and Healing Wise was next. So foundational to approaching healing and wellness. Now I have quite the collection of Susan Weed books! Looking forward to the upcoming one as well 💚🍃🌿

[Mary Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gonna stick with this book: I think it's a valuable tool for respecting the plants we see every day, and recognizing their worth at the start, and not just filtered through bottles.

Some things, like I said before, I find nonsense. But I mostly like it, and I intend to use it in the coming year.

It came to me in the perfect time: we're just approaching spring :)

[Carolyn Slater · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was absolutely ridiculous. I've read a book by Susun before that were pretty decent, but this book was so dull and insane that I gave up. This reads like it was written by some cooky old lady who is mostly deranged. The recipes are the only part that were of any interest but they're pretty common in every herbal book so there is no need to waste money or time on this book.

[Stephie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Literal witchcraft throughout the entire book. If the weed section had omitted it, I considered just tearing out the first half of the book (which was so painful to get through 🥴), but of course it didn't. The weed POV was a bit childish to me. Honestly, no redeeming qualities.

[Krysta Sa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susun Weed perspective is interesting and empowering.

[Raven Route · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susun Weed perspective is interesting and empowering.
it is amazing and having good advices about herbal medicines https://ravenroute.com/products/daze-...

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent look at herbalism and healing from the wise woman perspective. Includes recipes, ways to heal. Love this. Think of "Women who Run with the Wolves" for health.

[Katherine Bickford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healing wise is my essential 'go to' reference guide for healing that I will not be without. I use it for everything! I've colored the awesome illustrations throughout the book and treasure the wisdom that Susun has shared. Her guidance is brilliant and heartfelt. I've purchased several copies as gifts because it's my favorite all time book about healing. This was the book that inspired me to actually "get to know" plants by listening to them. I recommend it to everyone. This book will change your life.

[Regina Mastrogiacomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has a lot of good information about the use of herbs you might have in your backyard. Some of the book is a little hokey but it still a fun book and informative book about how to use herbs to help your body.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with other herbal books, I will add to the review after I have worked with this book more. But I have to admit some of her writing was a bit too hallucinogenic for me, though I in general found it more endearing than annoying. Wish there were better drawings ( or actual photos ) of the herbs. Glad to have this in my personal library.

[Sandra Holladay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susun keeps her plant allies to a minimum (7) which allows her to fully cover the benefits of these healing herbs. In addition, they are common herbs/weeds that are easily found for those of us in North America (i.e., never used Burdock before and the local health store didn’t carry it because it was “so plentiful” in the area. After googling what it looked like and where found I looked around and found lots of it on the trail behind our house). The section on the ‘Herbal Pharmacy’ is excellent, covering various methods of ‘making’ herbal medicines. An in-depth Glossary helps with all those words (I have) problems with understanding. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is I found the part where the plants talk (usually in annoying accents) highly irritating and not adding to the book itself. What bits of information gleaned from those 2-3 page dialogues could easily have fit into a short paragraph and been more helpful. Overall, the wealth of information found in this book makes it well worth purchasing and keeping as a reference manual.