About
Kia ora tatou, hello to all, and welcome to my little corner of the online world.
My name is Michelle and I’d like to give you a little bit of background on me and how the Village Herbalist came to be.
For a large part of my life I lived off the grid in various remote places around NZ. Living in these locations led me to develop an interest in growing my own food, as there were no supermarkets just down the road and I had no refrigerator in the early days to keep food fresh.
It is very satisfying to run out to the garden of an evening to pick what you will prepare for dinner. To know exactly what has gone into your food and perhaps more importantly what has NOT gone into it.
Being a mother to 3 sons, it was a natural progression to move into growing my own medicine. My sons are all grown up now, but I can honestly say they have never required the services of a GP unless it was for broken bones or stitches.
I did most of my study whilst the boys were younger, practicing and consolidating my learning every day as I planted my gardens, made teas and tonics, balms and creams and tended the boys health needs. This soon progressed to helping others in my community.
I graduated from my studies as a qualified Complimentary Health Practitioner with a Diploma in Herbal Medicine; Diploma in Herbal Studies and Certificates in Urinalysis, and Iridology. Later on I completed a Bachelor of Nursing as well.
I have been inspired by wonderful women such as Rosemary Gladstar, Deb Soule and Juliette Baracli de Levy. In fact, one of the highlights of recent times for me was a trip I made to the island of Kythira where I visited the former home of Juliette. I was able to hug her Olive tree, see the heart stones she had collected from the local beach, commune with her in spirit, and swim in the ocean she adored. A truly magic and memorable time.
Upon moving into an urban environment for several years, I completed the Bachelor of Nursing and entered the medical model for a while, working as a community nurse. The plants were always with me though and I did have occasion to use them in my nursing practice.
The Village Herbalist takes its name from, and is deeply rooted in, community. It is a fruit of the land and the heart, and its tikanga embraces the history and wisdom of all those traditional healers that have gone before us, the earth upon which we live, the plants which we use and the Divine Energy/Spirit behind it all.
My focus is on enabling others to understand, know and grow these amazing plant allies. To encourage and foster confidence in the use of the plants to treat themselves and their families. To encourage people to grow and preserve these wonderful plants for future generations.
I am drawn to to the Whare Tapa Wha principle of health, acknowledging that we are inextricably mind, body, spirit, and whanau. I believe in prevention over cure, cultivating wellness over dis-ease, always mindful of the fact that every individual is unique in a unique situation and that all these factors need to be considered if true health and wellbeing are to be achieved. Consultations
The Village Herbalist has a small range of quality herbal products, under the label Serenity Herbs, which was the name I first started practicing under many years ago. I can also custom blend creams, lotions and gels to suit the individual. Products
Finally I am committed to sustainable use of the plants. The continuing tide of change towards less invasive health care sees the demand for nature’s medicines increasing all the time. Current thought patterns, harvesting mentality and methods need to change now before certain plants are lost to us forever. Education and conservation are two of the key principals that underpin my practice.
If you wish to contact me about any thing of interest on this web site you are most welcome to reach out. Contact
Warm Blessings , Michelle
