Herbal Intelligence: Plant Teachers and the Return of Viriditas

A guide to the cultural reawakening of modern herbalism

- Reveals how herbalism is a powerful way to participate in the green transformation underway in our culture

- Examines the radical and non-hierarchical roots of herbalism, the growth of spiritual awakening and social radicalism

- Looks at the most recent research in herbalism, revealing the exponential growth in peer-reviewed literature covering phytotherapy and other herbal-oriented healing modalities

Providing a comprehensive guide to the dynamic new landscape of modern herbalism, renowned medical herbalist David Hoffmann explores how ancient healing modalities are once again becoming prominent.

Using the concept of viriditas--the understanding of nature as divinely intelligent--Hoffmann examines biodiversity and chemodiversity, elaborating on the ecological role of human-herb interactions and coevolutionary relationships between species. Presenting evidence of medicinal plant use by animals and early humans, he reviews herbalism from its ancient roots to the modern varieties in practice today, emphasizing how herbalism that developed outside of the dominant culture laid the foundations for the effective, simple techniques relevant for our modern world. He examines the radical and non-hierarchical roots of herbalism, considering the parallels between the field’s development and the growth of spiritual awakening and social radicalism.

Exploring herbalism through the modern scientific lens, Hoffmann reveals the exponential growth in recent research and peer-reviewed literature on phytotherapy and herbs. He describes the problems inherent in herbalism’s integration into the global marketplace, emphasizing that herbalism must stay rooted in the health of the people to avoid becoming commodified. He offers a range of herbal approaches to support personal and cultural resilience during the myriad crises humanity is facing. Ultimately, Hoffmann says, a vibrant culture of herbalism can have critical implications for the future, serving as a crucial force for health and resilience.

David Hoffmann, FNIMH, RH (AHG), has been a clinical medical herbalist since 1979. A Fellow of Britain’s National Institute of Medical Herbalists, he is one of the founding members of the American Herbalists Guild and the author of many books, including Medical Herbalism, The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal, and The Herbal Handbook. He lives in California.