Susun Weeds Wise Woman Forum

Here is what Susun says about Simples and WHY she uses them.
http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/S ... ngwise.htm

I would like to know what others think about Simples, do you use them?
Do you use them exclusively?

I use them exclusively, even after all these years. My gram used simples as well.
The only thing I blend is scented sprays.

I don't use them exclusively, but I have a preference for them and use them a lot. I do like my daily tonic, which is dandelion/nettle/red clover and sometimes burdock; but that's the only thing I think I use regularly that contains more than one herb. When I do mix, I make up each herb separately and mix the results.

It's interesting how many approaches there are; years ago I took a correspondence course from Rosemary Gladstar, who talked about using three herbs and how to learn to balance them out, i.e. one would be the primary one and then you'd choose two to support it. I never quite caught on to that.

i.e. one would be the primary one and then you'd choose two to support it

It rather makes sense to me, but it could surely amount to quite a bit of experimentation..... something to think about.

It made sense to me in a way too, but usually I feel drawn to one herb or another and that's what I go with.

This is an amazingly well-written article by Kiva Rose entitled "Simples and Formulas".
http://bearmedicineherbals.com/simples- ... mulas.html

Thank you Lady A, that was indeed an excellent article! It also touches on another one of my concerns, i.e. buying commercial preparations. I don't want to speak for anybody else but my instinct as a herbalist is to keep it small and personal. Herbalism can be taken over by mass-think and advertising etc. just as much as anything else.

ItalianBee, I agree with you about commercial formulas and the like, they are about profit not quality, plant energy, and certainly they don't have a clue about the healing energy that an herbalist/healer imbues into her/his medicinals.
Besides, the fun in herbalism is the collecting of the plants, roots, bark, berry, fungus.....