Northern California Women's Herbal Symposium

There was a lot of interaction at the Labor Day symposium I attended with people of all ages, from months' old babies to women in their sixties (count me among the latter). I watched conservative women who began by thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" end up hugging children, young women, and their peers. "Let's stay in touch" they said, repeatedly. This was a 4-day weekend of transformations. The symposium coordinators, and regular teachers and participants know this. Transformation is common at all of these events.

So, what actually happened? Each symposium is different; each has a different central theme. This one centered around sustainable living and included seminars and workshops on using microbes and plants to clean up pollution, biodiesel, straw bale housing, and eco-remodeling. Each symposium has a variety of teachers. Some are local herbalists, and others come from hundreds of miles or more to teach here. Maria Yraceburu came from Southern California (she could be anywhere by now) to teach ancient Apache herbal and emotional solutions to many health conditions that are part of her lineage. Mrs Beatrice Waight, an authentic Shaman healer, came all the way from Belize to pass along information on Mayan healing using herb teas and herbal baths. Both taught the importance of using strong intention and prayer with these techniques.

Nancy Kissam, a walking encyclopedia of information on native California plants, took women on herb walks. Shelly Mortensen taught a method she developed of adding unscented flower essences to watercolors for paintings to enhance their colors and vibration. Debra Riordan spoke on Ayurvedic herbs for women.

Still, there's so much more than the classes. There are ceremonies. Rituals rarely touch me deeply, but these did. On Sunday evening, there was a ceremony where young girls who began menstruating were initiated into womanhood, and all of the crones - the elders - were honored. The friends who attended with me all had the same feeling: we felt the power that comes with the acceptance of being crone. And we love it. We loved the nursing mothers, the mothers of small children, the childless women, all sharing stories with one another.

The Women's Herbal Symposium takes place on Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, California (in Mendocino County). A creek runs through the property, and there are some areas where you can swim or at least cool off during any hot days. There are flush toilets, hot water, filtered water for drinking, and exceptional vegetarian food. I had expected a lot of rice and beans. Wrong! Think spinach fritatta, vegetable curry, soba noodles, polenta, barbequed tempeh, and plenty of salads with mixed greens.

There is a marketplace one afternoon where you can honor - and buy - art and handmade herbal blends and tinctures. There's a talent show to join in or just watch. There's lots of dancing. And if you don't feel like doing anything, you don't have to. No pressures; no judgments.

In fact, all judgments seemed to have been left at the entrance and exchanged for acceptance. This symposium could have been called, Finding the Powerful Woman Inside You. Instead, coordinators Terri Jensen and Karen Aguiar trick you into thinking it's all about herb lore. It's much more than that. The Northern California Women's Herbal Symposium may be the most important weekend you attend.