Debbie , in her posting on thyme has introduced a topic that has been touched on in previous postings, but only as an aside and I wondered what people's opinions are in general on this subject.

Does your body know instinctivly what herbs it needs to deal with any health problem you may have?We are all used to animals being able to seek out and eat certain plants when they are ill so it makes sense that humans have the same ability. Or is our inner voice drowned out with the clamour of the modern world?

Sarah has on a number of occasions mentioned that plants tend to spring up when we are in need of their healing properties. Or could it be that we become aware of them when we need them ?

When deciding what herbs to include in my patients prescription, there is usually at least one that scientifically doesn't seem to fit, but it is a "gut " reaction that it needs to be in there. The vast majority of herbalists experience this on a regular basis.When talking to colleagues about prescriptions the conversation usually goes along the lines of "so what herbs did you use then " to which the reply is x y z and the response is " yes, but what else did you put in just because"and the reply comes " well I did put some abc in as well because , well you know, it just felt right------" At this point I would like to point out that we medical herbalists are properly trained but we are, of neccesity, in touch with nature and our feelings--honest we are !!!!!!

What are other peoples thoughts?

Linda

I think that maybe the intuition is a subconcious remembering of a fact that we can't necessarily call immediately to mind...

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Hi Linda

I think this is a really fascinating topic. I'm sure Claire is correct in some respects. I know that many times someone has mentioned a difficulty I've immediately had a particular herb spring to mind. Usually I don't say anything because I'm not sure why I've had that thought, so I research that particular herb and often find I'm right.

I've had numerous occasions when I knew I needed something and I would literally fall over the herb I needed, often for more than several weeks, until I realised what I needed and why it had been trying to grab my attention. Other times, I've gathered a real glut of one or more herbs wondering why I felt so compelled to gather so much only to find I had real need for it later on in the year.

I've also had the other way happen. I've worked out a formula in my head and then when I come to find the particular bottle or jar in the larder I cannot find it, no matter how hard I look. Despairing, I have made up the formula without whichever herb it was, only to find it again the next day when the opportunity for choice was no longer there. I've come to accept now that if something hides, it's not supposed to be in the formula and I don't waste time looking.

I'm sure intuition comes with a greater understanding of how different herbs will react with different people. For example, I had a family funeral yesterday and decided to make the widow and children a helpful sleep formula, including the grandchildren. I asked for suggestions on another forum and various people spoke of their favourite combinations. I used this new knowledge, together with research I'd done earlier on herbs to lift your mood last year and tried to tie the herbs in with the various personalities. I've no idea if they will actually find the formulas helpful, but they were very touched to receive them.

Sarah

How relieved I am to find that other practitioners add 'odd' herbs to their prescriptions.
When I was teaching at UCLAN I would go through scripts with my students, and always had to admit that one or more of them had no logical reason for inclusion. I still stand in front of my dispensary bottles knowing I have not quite finished the mixture and waiting for one bottle to 'jump out at me'.

An illustration of herbs growing where they are needed is the time I found colts foot growing in abundance on coal slag heaps at Coventry collery. Nothing else was growing in the area. It was quite remarkable.

best wishes - Jenny

Not on a medicinal level but on a fragrance blend level I do the same thing, I devise 'recipes' for bath oil blends or pot pourri and instinctively know what oils need to be added, I often don't follow recipes to the letter either as intuition tells me that a certain oil would be better for the mix than the one recommended.
I have come across herbs that were needed medicinally both for myself and friends, one friend had really bad ezcema and was ignoring the chickweed that had sprung up in her lawn and borders, I pointed out the benefits of chickweed cream for soothing eczema and gave her a DIY recipe from one of my books, she harvested the chickweed made the cream and after months of sore itchy skin her eczema calmed down.

In my own garden I got irritated by the way that Herb Bennet or Wood Avens kept springing up everywhere, I've strived to erradicate it before now but it kept worming its way back into the borders and paths. This year I gave up the battle and decided to let what wishes to grow in my garden grow, considering if it has no use I'll weed it out at the time if its stopping something else growing that I do need. And if it comes back again I'll see if I need it upon its return. This year the wood avens sprung up once again, so I investigated and being a keen herb beer and wine maker imagine my surprise when I read the following in Mrs Grieve's Modern Herbal "Augsburg Ale is said to owe its peculiar flavour to the addition of a small bag of Avens in each cask. The fresh root imparts a pleasant clove-like flavour to the liquor, preserves it from turning sour, and adds to its wholesome properties. " Okay I don't 'need' the wood avens, but I can certainly make good use of it!

I do believe that mother nature gives us herbs that we can use to treat ourselves right on our own doorsteps, although this makes me wonder why? In some areas large amounts of a certain wild herb may grow, but it doesn't mean that everyone in the area suffers from a condition that herb is required to ease or cure. Granted local conditions, soil type etc all play their part in regional gluts of herbs, but you can't help but wonder why certain things that haven't grown in your garden or area before turn up when needed?

Debs