Herbalism can begin with the plants growing around us and the ingredients already in our kitchens. In this class, clinical and bioregional herbalist Arielle Hayat introduces the foundations of herbal medicine, exploring how getting to know plants can deepen our relationship with our bodies, our health, and the places we live.
You'll learn how herbalists approach plants through taste, scent, observation, and traditional energetics, including warming and cooling, moistening and drying, and relaxing and stimulating qualities. Arielle also explores the importance of sourcing quality herbs, accurate plant identification, and gathering with respect for the land and the traditions behind the practice.
The class offers a practical introduction to herbal preparations, from infusions and decoctions to tinctures, herbal vinegars, syrups, and honey-based remedies. With examples of herbal broths, pestos, and other everyday foods, Arielle shares accessible ways to bring herbs into daily life and begin building your own home herbal practice.
In this class, you'll explore:
Herbalism as a science, art, and craft rooted in relationship with plants
Bioregional herbalism and getting to know the plants growing nearby
How taste, scent, and traditional energetics inform our understanding of herbs
The foundations of sourcing, gathering, and storing herbs
The differences between infusions, decoctions, tinctures, and other herbal preparations
Simple tools and ingredients for making herbal remedies at home
Everyday ways to incorporate herbs into meals and self-care practices
About Arielle Hayat
Arielle Hayat is a clinical and bioregional herbalist who trained at ArborVitae School of Traditional Herbalism in New York. Her approach emphasizes local plants, hands-on medicine making, and developing a personal relationship with the natural world. Drawing on her training in traditional Western herbalism and her ongoing studies in Chinese medicine, she encourages learning through observation, sensory experience, and respect for traditional plant knowledge.
This class is part of Casa Curativa's Friday online class series, bringing herbalists, practitioners, and educators together to share practical skills and deepen our understanding of the body.
Explore more classes and courses at Casa Curativa.
Class Description:
Learn to make your own tinctures from fresh and dried plants and fungi. In this class, we will discuss what tinctures are, why we work with them, and how to make them - step by step. Activate the herbal chemist within!
Teacher Bio:
Lindsay Chestnut is an herbalist, permaculture practitioner, astrologist, and educator whose work explores the relationships between plants, people, and the patterns that shape both earth and cosmos. Her teaching weaves herbal energetics, physiology, astrology, and hermetic philosophy, guiding students to recognize the patterns connecting plants, bodies, and cosmic cycles through storytelling, somatics, and experiential learning.
