Transcending Roots Apothecary
introduction to herbal medicine
and Practices program
APPLICATIONS CLOSED FOR 2023 APPRENTICESHIP
ALL APPLICANTS FROM 1/10/23 and on will be for the 2024 program
Welcome to the journey into plant medicine. I am so happy to have you here and considering walking this path with me. The plant path is a deeply sacred journey, and I would not be complete without it. It is this work, these practices, and this connection to the earth that guides me through every breath, movement and thought, and my goal is to help awaken those places within others. These practices are deeply inherent ancient wisdom that exists in every cell of every being just waiting to be reawakened.
This is more than an herbal medicine study. There will be plant identification, medicine making, applying herbal remedies to every day ailments, learning about plant synergy and energetics and more. But on a deeper level, together we will journey through the seasons, exploring ways to incorporate plant medicine and magic into our lives. In addition to the herbal medicine teachings, we will work with earth spirit practices, like the wheel of the year, plant communication, plant ally journeys, meditation, and more. We will gather once a month in person and again once a month virtually from April or May (weather depending) through October.
Together We Will Learn:
- the foundations of herbalism
- various methods of hands on medicine making
- plant identification
- ethics of practice, including ethical and sustainable foraging/wildcrafting
- ways to incorporate plant medicine and magic into your daily life to support yourself, family and friends
- learn to tune deeper in with your own body to begin to take your own health back into your hands, and reconnect to ancestral medicine
- herbal self care
- confidently learn to work with herbs for common ailments
What to Expect:
Beginning 2024: Circles will be in the Berkshire mountains of Becket, Massachusetts.
If enough interest remains in the Philadelphia area, I may continue a consolidated version of this program in the city that will be more like a series of classes in the Sacred Path Collective storefront.
We gather one weekend (Saturday thru Sunday) a month, May through October.
We will gather late morning/early afternoon on Saturday and end our weekend Sunday afternoon.
Participants are welcome to camp on the land, or find their own lodging if they choose not to camp. Each month we will be gathering on my land, with an occasional possible local field trip when applicable. This will provide us with a beautiful opportunity to really connect with the plants and medicine making, including a special bonus, learning a home grower's guide to medicinal hemp cultivation.
Breakfast, clean mountain water, and herbal infusions will be provided.
Please plan to bring a meal for yourself for dinner Saturday night, or a dish to share.
(4.5 HOURS NORTH OF PHILADELPHIA)
The depths to which you take this apprenticeship is in your hands. Opportunities like helping out in the apothecary or on our land will provide more hands-on work with medicine making, learning about herbs and their actions, plant communication, constitutional prescribing, etc.
Please bring your own utensils and plate. Please also have with you a bottle of water, sun protection, and an insect repellent. We recommend St John’s Wort (or St J’s) Oil as a sun protectant and can provide recommendations for insect repellent if you'd like. Please, no aerosol or chemical based sunscreen or insect repellents.
Location and Dates:
The Berkshires Circle will be on the land I tend to in the forest of Western Massachusetts. Overnight camping is an option, weather permitting. There are also opportunities for Philadelphia apprentices to come to Western Massachusetts for our circle or for additional continued learning outside of our monthly gatherings.
Applications are open for the 2024 program.
Please click below to apply and for more information.
Tuition and Fees
Beginning in 2023, we implemented a tuition that is truly inclusive by making the program have an honor based variable scale, while also honoring the time, energy, work and commitment invested in sharing and teaching this knowledge. We ask that students choose the investment that is the maximum they are able to contribute given their financial circumstances.
SEE APPLICATION LINK FOR CURRENT TUITION RATES
Work trade discount options are also available on a very limited basis.
If you are not selected for this current apprenticeship year, all additional applicants will have first choice on space in the following year's circles.
Applicants are contacted and selected in the order upon which they apply, and their punctual communication and response time.
Previous and Current Student Stories
"Journeying with the plants through the Herbal Apprenticeship at Transcending roots has been a spiritual and life-altering experience. We deep-dived into folk medicine, plant identification, medicine-making, magic, ritual, ceremony, meditation, and self-exploration. There were so many impactful moments that it's hard to pinpoint just one. What I noticed is that I developed a deeper sense of awareness with myself, my community, and the Earth around me. I was able to shed old narratives and step into my full potential. the aspects that I enjoyed the most was integrating the lunar cycles and taking field trips out into the wilderness! Kim's knowledge and approach to plant medicine is not only inspiring but also empowers you on a soul level. The practices that you learn will be with you for a lifetime !"
- Najat 2nd Year Apprentice
"This was my first herbal apprenticeship, and it was such a beautiful learning experience. Kim really opened the garden door for me and helped me hone in and slow down, by getting to know one plant very well. I see the Earth with new eyes because of this apprenticeship. I see the lineage of my ancestors, and the TCM wisdom that is fading from my family. It is because of this apprenticeship journey that I felt called to dive deeper into the medicine of my ancestors. The community of women brought together through this apprenticeship is something I am truly grateful for as well. We all came from different levels of experience, different backgrounds, but centered around our gratitude and connection to the Earth. Kim's wisdom runs deep and her passion for the plants and their gifts are seen in how she teaches, through hands-on experiences. Making medicine, gathering flowers, spring greens, summer berries, I live more in tune with the seasons thanks to this apprenticeship. And she was so welcoming to my little 2 year old joining in and learning alongside, which was truly so so special."
- Steph, 1st year apprentice
"This year I invested in a Spring-Samhain herbal apprenticeship at Transcending Roots in Fishtown. An eclectic circle of sisters gathered monthly to roam local parks to learn about the healing plants and how to work plants into medicines. We walked the wheel of the year together, and it was the first time I really committed to practicing ritual in a group. Not only did I learn a lot, I also felt part of a community of beautiful, intuitive and supportive souls. The teacher, Kim Geisler, took us to places I have never explored and her knowledge and years of experience inspired the whole group as we connected with our ally plants for the journey. I now have shelves filled with medicinal tinctures, oils, and salves and herbs are regularly drying around my home. I will continue practicing and refining the skills introduced by this class, each year building my knowledge.
The experience of this class not only expanded my practical knowledge of plant medicine and magic, I also reconnected my heart to ancestry, nature and art. I grew up learning about birds and plants, and I miss it. I also discovered one of my closest city friends used to forage regularly as a kid in rural PA, so her and I had many side adventures hiking and exploring natural spaces in Philly. I hope to continue to create community connected to nature. I am grateful to know a new circle of woman, each one a healer and teacher with hearts filled with positive energy to share.
~ Blessed be"
- Kim, 1st year apprentice
We all wake up with the same Sun, and fall asleep under the same Moon. We feel the weather changes as the seasons shift. The cold hard breeze of a winter afternoon, the crunch of the leaves under the soles of our feet, and the refreshing waves of the ocean on a hot summers day. Earth is always reminding us of her presence, and immersing myself with her medicine opened a door I never even knew existed.
This herbal apprenticeship brought Earth to life. When I’m outside, the world around me becomes more vivid. The songs of leaves dancing in the wind, the sun kissing the trees as it sets, the bees blissfully bathing in the pollen of flowers, and the plant allies that once were just “weeds” still mesmerize me. Every time I leave my home, I see and deeply feel the life radiating through the plants that encompass our surroundings. I can feel the Earth shift through the seasons, as this winter called for rest. When I make medicine for myself and loved ones, I feel our energies dance with each other as we work together to heal and support. My plant allies have taught me lessons that I never knew I needed, invoking a new level of awareness and balance. Plant medicine has expanded my capacity to experience life. I’ve learned that everything can take place at once. The euphoric, the suffering and the overcoming. Instead of running away, I now welcome the spiral of life.
So thank you for opening this door. Not only teaching me the ways of plant medicine, but gifting me the opportunity to create this enchanting relationship with Earth herself. I recommend this path to you all, and I leave you with this:
“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” ― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
~ Genesis, 2nd year apprentice
