I created this blog with the intention to chart the progress of my Herb Lab project from its genesis through completion. I have 3 projects that I've planned to complete my Herb Lab hours. Since regular Herb Lab hours are completed per semester, I'll have three semesters to complete my projects. Most of the time I will be working simultaneously on more than one project, but my aim is to have all three completed by Fall 2012.
I realize the undertaking of this project will require a great deal many more hours than the Herb Lab requires, however, I consider it a privilege to be able to work with the herbs in this way and I am very much looking forward to creating a relationship with plants. It is my hope that my connection to the plants will deepen my relationship with Mother Earth and the spiritual essence that lives within Her. Through the experience of gardening I am hoping to connect in a deeper way to the Taoist roots which are the foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The entirety of the task I am undertaking is vast, and as I creatively achieve my goals, there will sometimes be snares in the road. I wish to chart my entire progress in this blog so that, even if a part of a project does not bare fruit, this blog will serve as documentation of my progress. The three projects I wish to complete are:
1) Making a Visual Materia Medica of Individual Chinese Herbs chosen from the "Examination Single Herb List" given online from the California Acupuncture Board Licensing Exam Preparation website. I am still working on how this will manifest. I may make a tangible book or instead post it electronically through this blog. I'm also toying with the differences of media to use. I may use pictures from the Tao of Wellness's herb cd, or pictures from a Visual Materia Medica made by Sacred Lotus Arts. The book may be viewed at:
https://www.sacredlotus.com/store/details.cfm/
I may also use pictures taken of the plants of the Chinese Herbs grown in the Community Garden on Venice and Walgrove. The final product may contain a collaboration of all these images. I am still in the creative stage of this project.
2) Creating a garden of Chinese Herbs in my own backyard. I would be caring for the plants from seedlings and charting their growth progress pictorially and posting it to this blog. This will be beneficial for me because I am hoping to grow some Chinese Herbs as an acupuncturist and this not only allows me to learn how to care for plants, but allows me to build a relationship with all the living, breathing plants of the Earth.
3) In my research of Chinese herbs through building the Visual Materia Medica and working hands-on with herbs through planting my Chinese Herbal garden, I will become very educated on the herbs, what families they belong to, etc. In my final project I will study classical TCM formulas that are both required for the California Acupuncture Board Licensing Exam as well as being allergy-friendly for me. I will make a total of 10 formulas at home using different processing methods. All of this will be recorded via picture/video and uploaded to this blog. This project will most likely be achieved in my final semester of my herb lab hours, since it requires the knowledge and research gained from completion of my first two projects.
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