More Than Remedies, Herbs Are True Teachers
After more than three decades of working with herbs
I can honestly say they never cease to amaze me. To me, herbs are more than remedies you reach for when something feels off. They’re not just bottles on shelves.
They are teachers — patient, powerful, and profoundly wise. They remind us that health isn’t about shortcuts, but about creating steady rhythms of support. Herbs are full of wisdom, inviting us to experience health in a deeper way.
Herbs Teach Patience
One of the most powerful lessons herbs offer is patience.
Unlike pharmaceuticals, which are often designed to suppress a symptom, herbs work with the body’s wisdom. They don’t force; they guide. Think of herbs like gentle companions walking alongside you.
They strengthen and re-balance gradually, helping you shift from the inside out. Healing is a journey — one that unfolds with consistency, attention, and care. The results unfold layer by layer, just as nature works in cycles — gently, yet powerfully.
This can be both humbling and empowering. Humbling, because herbs remind us we cannot rush nature. Empowering, because they show us the body is resilient, capable of repair when given the right support.
Herbs Can Act Quickly Too
Patience does not mean inactivity. Many herbs begin working right away to nudge the body back toward balance. Some can surprise us with how quickly they act:
- Hops, valerian, and passionflower can calm a restless mind and help prepare the body for rest
- Peppermint, lobelia, and ginger can ease indigestion or nausea in minutes
- Slippery elm can coat the gut lining like a soothing balm
- Lavender has health benefits including for relaxation, mood, and sleep
Even from the very first use, herbs begin nudging the body back toward balance — one cell, one stitch at a time — gently strengthening from within.
Herbs as Gentle Reminders
For me, herbs are also messengers. They whisper truths we often forget in our busy lives:
- Slow down ... healing takes time
- Nurture consistently ... the body thrives on steady support
- Trust your resilience ... given the right tools, your body remembers how to repair and restore
Herbs remind us that the body thrives on rhythms, not extremes. They show us how deliberate, thoughtful steps ripple into transformation. And they help us trust that resilience is always within us — it just needs space and support to emerge.
Healing, Layer by Layer
The results of working with herbs don’t usually arrive all at once. Instead, they unfold gradually, like peeling back layers of imbalance and revealing a stronger foundation underneath. This mirrors how nature works: in cycles, in rhythms, in steady transformation.
A seed doesn’t become a tree overnight. Our bodies, too, respond to gentle, consistent support. Herbs remind us to respect this process.
When I look back on my own journey, what stands out most is how herbs have shaped not only my health but also my perspective. They’ve taught me patience, reminded me of resilience, and shown me that healing unfolds in layers — just as nature does, gently yet powerfully.
Why I Still Love Herbs After 30+ Years
When I first began using herbs, I saw them only as natural remedies for specific issues. But as the years passed, I began to notice something deeper. Herbs didn’t just improve health problems; they reshaped how I understood healing itself.
They taught me to look at the whole system — body, mind, and spirit — and to see symptoms as signals rather than enemies. They helped me embrace consistency, not perfection. And perhaps most of all, they reminded me that health is not something we chase; it’s something we cultivate with attention, care, and connection.
Herbs are nature’s gentle teachers. When we invite them into our daily lives, they not only strengthen our bodies but also expand our perspective of what healing truly means. That’s why, even after over three decades, I remain in awe.
Herbs are patient, powerful, and profoundly wise — and when we listen, they guide us back to balance.
Final Reflection
Herbs are more than plants or ingredients in a bottle — they are living teachers, full of wisdom, waiting for us to pay attention. For me, this truth has only deepened over the years. Every time I work with herbs — for myself, my family, or my clients — I see how they guide us to resilience, to patience, and to trust in the body’s ability to heal.
Which herb has surprised or supported you most in your journey?
Take a moment to reflect and you may discover that one herb has already been quietly teaching you all along.
I'll leave you with this thought from Albert Einstein:
“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.”