The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism

During my journey of healing, I’ve picked up a lot of amazing books. I’ve read through them, finding connections to so many wonderful ideas, perspectives, and of course, plentiful methods and modalities. So, in discovering all of this wonderful information, I was so excited, and constantly hopping in and out of countless rabbit holes as I jumped from one focus to another! The issue is that I would never see ANY of the books to completion, yet I’d add dozens of books to my collection. It even got so bad that I’d say to myself, and my partner– “I’m not buying anymore books until I finish the ones I have!”. Then I’d come up with the finish one, buy one concept. It was shortlived! So, for 2024 I’ve made it my business to finish these books. The 1st book I’ve completed this year is The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism by Karen M. Rose.

Let’s Make it Personal

When I first discovered this book, I immediately recognized the author. I remember watching a YouTube video years ago pertaining to healing. There was also a recollection of seeing her on Facebook with herbs and offerings of herbal healing, alas, this was a scammer using her pictures. I eventually traced everything back to the real source, Karen M. Rose. So, with authenication and reviews, I had high hopes for this book!

Her personal introduction made me feel as if I were face-to-face, meeting her for the very first time. It was very direct, and very welcoming. She spoke about her childhood, her native home, the way of life there, and the people who inspired her to become a healer. It served to (in my opinion) give the reader an understanding that herbalism was the foundation she was raised upon; further driving the point that, respectively, she does the damn thing!

Amazing Visual Appeal

Karen M. Rose did not dissapoint. Spiritual Herbalism is a great read for the budding herbalist, or even the master. I aim to tie herbalism with spirituality, and this book hit all the major points I was seeking when I decided to purchase it. Every chapter has a brief introduction disclosing the particular body system it covers. The chapter intro pages feature real images captured of Karen M. Rose’s herbs, or her working with them in some way. These type of images are scattered between the intro and supplemental information provided for each chapter. I think it adds a great personal touch, and further extends that personable introduction given at the beginning of the book.

For those who love a visual appeal, the artwork is absolutely beautiful! A small glimpse is given on the cover, but it doesn’t do the artwork between the two covers justice. It meshes well with the text, which is divided into eight chapters covering various body systems. The images feature herbs illustrated in relation to the body system its supports. The colors aren’t too busy, doesn’t pull you away from the text, and actually helps to create a connection between the body systems and herbal functions that support it. If you’re familiar with the doctrine of signatures, you will see this concept throughout the entire book–beautifully illustrated!

Introduction of Spiritual Connection

In addition to the herbal artwork, there’s also artwork that depicts the deities associated with the body systems throughout. At the start of every chapter, Karen M. Rose shares the link to gods & goddesses, planetary correspondence, zodiac signs, elements, and more. She even briefly explains real-life scenarios to bridge the body system to other issues that arise, addressing the mental, physical, and spiritual spectrums. She does an excellent job at this by indulging details where unresolved traumas lie, the issues that manifest physically in our bodies, and instilling the point that your body will tell you when there are issues that need to be addressed. It’s a seemless, consistent flow throughout that’s engaging, informative, and intriguing.

Understanding Body Systems & Functions

Beyond the chapter intro is where the author delves into the specific respsonibilities and functions of the respective body system. The way she does this is done with ease. She keeps it simple yet provides so much value within its simplicity. She makes the connections to the purpose these functions serve, what body functions mean spiritually, and even goes into detail about several other things like health issues, daily living, societal standards, and so much more. How she ties these concepts together makes it easy to comprehend, and she makes it so uncomplicated for herbalists who may struggle understanding herbal actions.

Chiming in on the Herbs

Nearing the conclusion of each chapter, the author features a small selection of herbs that support the body system referenced. Each page captures all the relevant information you’d find in any monograph or materia medica. I love the additional information she provides on these pages–such as history or historical uses, where she addresses a variety of cultures and their ancient uses for the herb. She also includes the recommendations for herbal preparations, including, teas and tinctures.

Chapter Conclusion

At the conclusion of every chapter she includes recipes, rituals, and other information to encourage implementing herbs for healing. Of course, this relates to whatever body system that chapter has covered. She continues welcoming readers into her world as an herbalist, mentor, and teacher. She references her and others’ experience, which gives her readers further insight beyond her own perspective, opinions, and beliefs. I appreciate how she navigates frequently to the experience of her students, as well as her customers.

Final Thoughts

All in all, this book was well-crafted, pleasing to the eye, and is an amazing resource for anyone looking to correlate spirituality to herbs, healing, and the functioning of the human body systems. There is a plethera of information within these pages, and reading them will take you on a beautiful, guided, and informative journey. I’ve learned a lot from this easy read, and am definitely going to make reference notes for my own learning and development. As a woman of color, I absolutely loved the background Karen M. Rose gave, not only about herself, but other cultures as well. I love and respect the fact that she paid homage to a variety of cultures, their use and implementation of herbs, and even addressed a variety of modalities in the process. I loved that she described the deities, their significance, and correlated their significance to mental, physical, and spiritual healing.

I highly recommend this book! It’s the 1st book of 2024 for me, and it’s set the bar pretty high for others. I am optimistic in my belief that other authors will bring something special, and have their own blend of personality, experiences, and wisdom gained that they’ll uniquely share with others. Much love and gratitude to Karen M. Rose for bestowing her knowlege and wisdom upon us, I’ve truly enjoyed this gem! Thank you.

Karen M. Rose Resources

Below are the resources where you can find out more about Karen M. Rose and her work. Her homebase is Brooklyn, NY, and she hosts an annual spiritual herbalism conference. It’s defintely on my to-do list! I would love to meet her, and it would be an honor to work under her guidance in the future. Check out the links below to learn more about this wonderful soul!

• Sacred Vibes Apothecary
• Sacred Botanica
• Sacred Spice
• Sacred Vibes’ Annual NYC Spiritual Herbalism Conference

If you have any experience working with Karen M. Rose, or have a copy of The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism, comment below and share your experience! I personally would love to hear about any connections with her, or any of her learning programs.