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After writing last issue's article on Motherwort, I was asked to write a regular herbal column, and I am excited for the opportunity to share what I have learned about plants with you. I am being mentored in the Wise Woman Tradition, and it has given me a whole new way of viewing the world — health and healing in particular.

I have found that this tradition resonates deep in my core, and I offer you a glimpse into this practice. Thinking in a wise-woman way, I no longer see sickness as a set of symptoms to be diagnosed, treated, fought and overcome. Rather I ask, "How is this problem my ally?" I trust that what my body does is right — that this illness is a gift in some way and that the symptoms I'm experiencing are my body's healing response.

The Body's Internal Wisdom Once, early in my transition to this way of thinking, I was visiting my father, and I got a bad cold. He offered me his over-the-counter cold medicine, but I didn't want it. I knew my body was doing what it needed to do to heal itself. The mucus that was making it difficult to breathe was not the problem, but part of the solution. And I knew that this cold was a reminder to take care of myself while traveling. My husband suggested doing chamomile steams, since chamomile is an herb that's easily available, even when one is away from home.

So I brewed a big pot of chamomile tea, put a towel over my head and the pot and breathed in the steam (see box). This cleared my nose, making it easier to breathe while also providing my body with another healing tool, the soothing medicine of chamomile. (See "Compassionate Chamomile" issue #16.) I still had several days of cold symptoms while my body healed, but a sinus infection did not take hold.

I love experiencing my body's healing capability. It feels miraculous every time. Moving through this illness allowed me to deepen my relationship with chamomile. Now I reach for my chamomile blossoms every time I have a stuffy nose. The feel of the tiny dried flowers in my hands, the smell, the heat of the steam, are all amazingly comforting. I trust this plant is a powerful ally and will help my body through an uncomfortable period.

We each are drawn to different plants, to the ones that are perfect for us at a particular time. Health and healing are unique, individual. I've learned what I know about herbs one experience at a time. There are many excellent resources available documenting experiences of other herbalists, as well as all of the wonderful scientific information available about plants (see box). These herbals can teach us a lot and provide an excellent starting place for our work with the plants. However, no book can say, "Use this plant for this illness, and it will work in this way, always." Certain herbs, like valerian, can help one person sleep easily at night but can make another edgy or fidgety. There is no substitute for listening to the wisdom of our own bodies. The Wise Woman Tradition encourages us to go beyond book learning and to trust our own experiences.

Start simply. When your stomach is upset, ask yourself, "What is the gift here? How is this experience an opportunity to learn or grow?" Ask yourself what you need. A soothing herb? An energizing herb? Find resources you trust. See what's suggested for the condition you're experiencing or look to the plants you already know. Try them and then ask, "How did that feel in my body?" With every experience, your understanding and confidence will grow.

Eight years I've walked this herbal path, learning through experience, and it is from this place that I offer these articles. I hope my stories will inspire you to trust your own bodies, to grow your understanding of the green world and to enjoy the wonder of the plants

Kimberly Gallagher, M.Ed., and her husband, John, run a family business that helps people learn about herbs. Along with an Herbal Medicine Making Kit, they created "Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game," a cooperative board game that teaches about edible and medicinal plants. See www.learningherbs.com. Kimberly is an herbal apprentice at RavenCroft Garden in Monroe, Washington. See www.familyherbalremedies.com for more of her herbal-remedy articles.

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