Does this sound like an interesting Saturday afternoon workshop to you? “Healer or Witch: An introduction to herbalism”. It was offered through a neighbouring town’s culture and arts centre, not by some fly-by-night snake oil salesperson, so I was intrigued.
I’ve always wanted to learn more about the possibility of using the plants in our gardens; for example the Echinacea flowers that I’ve heard can be used to cook up homemade cough drops and syrups. So when I saw this workshop listed in a community flyer, I was intrigued:
Learn more about the history of these healers who have been called witches, as well as the contemporary practice of herbalism.
Participants will also have the opportunity to study the medicinal properties of some plants and experiment with a plant transformation technique.”(1)
The event was this afternoon, and I was there! My husband joined me, because this was a weekend session – and because he reluctantly fell in love with gardening after helping me put in our first perennial flower bed almost twenty-five years ago.
All these years later, we’re enjoying the results. Our backyard feels like a small nature park, with different little ecosystems all supporting bees, birds, and butterflies. Without having to waste drinking water on our plants ‘-)
The fact that he came with me might also have something to do with the fact that I’d mentioned that we could stop in at a nearby microbrewery on our way home, if he wanted to! The location of the workshop was another draw, as it was held in one of our favourite buildings in the area.
The workshop was presented in an attic art gallery, housed in an old mansion that was converted to a municipal cultural centre back in 1963. The historic setting seemed perfect for a discussion of witches and healers.
It was also somewhat ironic, given that this waterfront land was held by priests at the end of the 17th century; the Fathers of Saint-Sulpice.(2) The current building dates from 1915, after the original 1891 home was demolished:
Comprised of thirty-five rooms, the mansion has a symmetrical design, differing only with the entrance portico adorned with columns.
An extensive veranda girths the other sides and overlooks the lake, maintaining the same formal tone.
The exterior walls are made of rustic limestone blocks purchased from local quarries.
The hip roof was originally covered with cedar shingles, long since replaced with sheets of ridged copper leaves.
The building, with its decorative hand-curved interior woodwork, stood high above the river, reminiscent of seigniorial manors.”(2)
I’d found the advertisement for “Healer or Witch: An introduction to herbalism” because of my mild cognitive impairment (MCI). That sounds odd, doesn’t it? This year I’m making a real effort to keep my brain active by learning new things, to hopefully prevent my MCI from getting any worse.
The MCI is the reason for which I had to step away from my beloved career at the end of 2018, and it limits me to activities that don’t last much more than an hour. After that, I lose the ability to concentrate and focus. So I need to find short-duration activities, or ones which I can do at my own pace – online for example.
The most fun I’ve had so far, with learning new things, has been my participation in workshops. So I’ve been keeping my eye out for any that look interesting. Two weeks ago I attended one on making soy-based candles, which was a lot of laughs.
These events are also fantastic opportunities to meet other people, to break the isolation of being home alone all day – when I used to spend my workdays surrounded by colleagues and friends.
It’s difficult to explain the impact of this isolation, particularly when I first had to stop working, for someone used to being around others for eight to ten hours a day. That first winter, when I’d just been put on medical leave – very reluctantly – was not a good one.
This is why face-to-face activities are so important to me, rather than simply focusing on online learning opportunities. And it’s a bonus when my sweetheart can be there with me ‘-)
The presenter of our workshop today was a young herbalist named Alexandra, who uses the nom de plume of Clotilde du balai. In English that would be Clotilde of the Broom; a witchlike name for her small business. She wasn’t dressed as a witch though; just boots, jeans, and a t-shirt.
Alexandra talked to us about some of the history of medicine, and how women have always been an integral part of the healing arts. Then when religious orders opened formal schools of medicine hundreds of years ago, they opted to ban women – and to try to distance themselves from the types of healing arts that had been practiced for centuries.
If you’re interested in this topic, there’s a fantastic article from 2000 in JAMA (formerly the Journal of the American Medical Association):
Witch-hunting swept through much of Europe as the Middle Ages waned.
Because women were not allowed to study medicine, skill in healing was assumed to have been obtained from the devil.
Spinsters, widows, and other women who refused to conform to the expectations of their low social status, including female healers and midwives, were frequent targets of witch-hunts.
Scant evidence was required to convict.”(3)
Alexandra explained that, prior to this period in Europe, healthcare had been in the hands of women. Knowledge of diagnostic arts, plant-based remedies, and the like were passed down from mother to daughter.
This home-based care evolved with women at the helm because it was the women who were responsible for taking care of the home and its inhabitants, as well as of the home’s gardens. It made sense for women to learn about and use plants from their gardens, and often from the surrounding woodlands or fields.
Most of this healing knowledge was based on observation, on learning what works and what doesn’t; the same principle used in medical research today, but this was on a much smaller scale. Religious orders of the time, and their witch hunts, helped change the societal view of women; from respected healers to feared witches.
I take this talk of witches somewhat personally, as a redhead who likely would have been burned at the stake or drowned as a witch. First off, because I have an affinity for the natural world.
As a child, I even spoke to small wild animals and literally had many of them eating out of my hands; one particular gopher, a gaze of racoons, a scurry of squirrels, and a few different species of birds.
Our backyard gardens now feature bird baths and feeders, and I set out little dishes of water for the young wild rabbits each spring – even though they eat some of our plants. Second, because I speak my mind – and history has shown that outspoken women became targets of these religious witch hunts.
After a few minutes on this topic, Alexandra turned to the more hands-on aspect of the workshop; actually making something! She taught us the difference between an infusion and a decoction, and explained why she’d chosen to show us how to make a syrup with dried elderberries.
And then she showed us how to actually make an elderberry syrup; giving each of us a little take-home bottle to try at home 😉 She picked this type of berry for a few reasons.
It’s a locally-growing shrub, and it’s always fun to learn about something important to the history of our own area. We can buy them at plant nurseries and grow them ourselves – being careful not to subject them to any pesticides or herbicides or these would end up in our recipes.
Because it grows wild, the indigenous peoples who previously inhabited these lands used these berries – and many still do today. Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis) can sometimes be foraged here – if you’re completely certain that you can properly identify them! And, of course, if you’re not trespassing on private property or breaking any laws or regulations on public lands.
Finally, elderberries are not only an antioxidant, but also an immune system stimulant. Alexandra referred to some medical research being undertaken into the possible disease-fighting properties of these berries for some surprising diseases.
Out of curiosity, I checked an international registry of clinical trials after the session. One of these studies caught my eye: “Effect of Elderberry Juice on Cognition and Inflammation in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment”.(4) The description of elderberries, for this research, includes the facts that they:
have been shown in a number of studies to have significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Multiple human and animal studies have supported the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of elderberry preparations and it has been used in natural medicine for hundreds of years.
Studies examining factors that may decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease have revealed that drinking juices with similar properties to elderberries is one of the most reliable way to decrease risk.
As such the investigators wish to determine the effects of elderberry juice on cognitive decline in a group of subjects at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease, those with mild cognitive impairment.”(4)
Elderberries contain high levels of anthocyanins, which themselves are the subject of numerous medical research studies. One in particular referred back to the use of elderberries in the same ancient healing arts that might have been considered witchcraft at some point:
The roles of anthocyanin pigments as medicinal agents have been well-accepted dogma in folk medicine throughout the world, and, in fact, these pigments are linked to an amazingly broad-based range of health benefits…
But while the use of anthocyanins for therapeutic purposes has long been supported by both anecdotal and epidemiological evidence, it is only in recent years that some of the specific, measurable pharmacological properties of isolated anthocyanin pigments have been conclusively verified by rigorously controlled in vitro, in vivo, or clinical research trials.”(6)
So, was it a coincidence – or was it witchcraft? The reason that I’ve been participating in these types of workshops is to prevent my own mild cognitive impairment from worsening. And then I find out, on a government website of clinical trials, that the very same berries that Alexandra chose for this event are being tested in “Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment”. (4)
Seems kind of spooky, doesn’t it? I’ll let you decide for yourself whether this was simply a coincidence… And no, I’m not going to share Alexandra’s recipe for elderberry syrup. I don’t want to give away any of her trade secrets; if you’re interested, I’m sure you can find instructions online ’-)
During the question and answer portion of the workshop, I had the opportunity to ask my question about using Echinacea flowers. Alexandra explained that although most people think the flowers are the most potent part of these plants, it’s best to use roots. It was a truly interesting and entertaining workshop, with a personal twist on the whole MCI issue.
As always, thanks for stopping by the blog! I’d love to receive your comments over on Instagram or Twitter, and let me know whether you’re going with witchcraft or coincidence for the MCI intrigue!
I’ve had to disable the comments feature here. I was receiving far too much obscene spam from overseas sources, and simply couldn’t deal with it anymore. I wish you a great end to your weekend, a fantastic start to your week!
References
(1) Workshop – Healer or Witch: An introduction to herbalism. City of Pointe-Claire. Online. Accessed 23 Feb 2019:
https://www.pointe-claire.ca/en/calendar/workshop-healer-or-witch-an-introduction-to-herbalism/
(2) About Stewart Hall: Short History of Stewart Hall. The Friends of Stewart Hall. 2007. Online. Accessed 23 Feb 2019:
http://www.jka.ca/SH/about_sh.htm
(3) Rhoda Wynn. Saints and Sinners: Women and the Practice of Medicine Throughout the Ages. JAMA. 2000;283(5):668–669. doi:10.1001/jama.283.5.668-JMS0202-4-1. Online. Accessed 23 Feb 2019:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1843228
(4) University of Missouri-Columbia; Principal Investigator David Q Beversdorf. Effect of Elderberry Juice on Cognition and Inflammation in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment. ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT02414607. 13 Apr 2015. Online. Accessed 23 Feb 2020:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02414607?term=elderberry&draw=2&rank=2
(5) Mary Ann Lila. Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach. J Biomed Biotechnol. 01 Dec 2004; 2004(5): 306–313. doi: 10.1155/S111072430440401X. Online. Accessed 23 Feb 2020:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082894/