Jo Wilson’s home is the old former hospital in the small Riverina town, The Rock. There are many rooms, each with its own history and stories. Once, where people came to be born, regain health or die, Jo is activating healing through plants in her extensive garden and teaching students how and when to use them.
Also a Reiki master and teacher of yoga, Jo’s focus on facilitating healing goes back many years. Her teaching now includes herbal medicine with students coming from hundreds of kilometres away to attend her courses.
“In the Level One course I introduce plants, their characteristics and how they can be used for many situations. Most people are unaware of how common weeds have multiple uses, such as making stinging nettle tea which contains high levels of dietary iron”.
“Students learn to identify plants with most accessible across the Riverina and many growing wild along roads. Once you know what they are, you start seeing them all the time”.
“I get everyone to taste the leaves and flowers of each plant. Some are a little reluctant to initially as there is an unspoken belief you can’t eat anything that isn’t in a packet or has been bought. Somehow, this belief is connected to some concept of food safety”.
“Developing confidence in your own intuition is so important when using plant medicines. This knowledge has been known for centuries and it is exciting to have so many people wanting to learn about traditional medicine. Many students tell me that western medicine is unable to provide any relief for some really common ailments and they want to find alternatives and be active in creating their own, or, their family’s healing and wellness. Exzema is one ailment in particular”.
Foundation plants for a herbal medicine garden include purple sage, common thyme, holy basil, rosemary, mint (in a container), lemon balm, heartsease, borage, comfrey, white yarrow, tansy, nasturtiums, echinacea and calendula, Ms Wilson suggested.
“Some of the most valuable weeds for medicines are milk thistles, dandelions, chicory, stinging nettles, St John’s wort, petty spurge and marshmallow plant”.
The old hospital has been brought back to life by Ms Wilson’s care and attention.
Pennie Scott
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
