Seeing a number of courses these days of being an urban shaman and shaman 101 etc makes me realize how we have lost touch with the basic meaning of the word and it traditions. Shaman really means a traditional healer. Every culture has their traditional healers. The word Shaman means “one who knows” and originates… Continue reading Respecting the Name Shaman and What it Means.
Author: Jean-Francois Sobiecki
I am an ethnobotanist and healer with a passion to research medicinal healing plants and to create healing gardens where we can study traditional medicine for application in health promotion and re-connection to nature.
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Ubulawu: Southern Africa’s Undiscovered Psychoactive Plant Healing Medicine.
Ubulawu: Southern Africa’s Undiscovered Psychoactive Plant Healing Medicine. Ubulawu is an undiscovered − to Western society, yet an anciently used African plant medicine that heals the body and mind. Ubulawu is made mostly from the roots but sometimes the stems or bark of particular subtle acting psychoactive plants. Though a number of different species are… Continue reading Ubulawu: Southern Africa’s Undiscovered Psychoactive Plant Healing Medicine.
The cultural influences on the study of traditional medicine and psychoactive plants.
A number of interlinked factors have caused Africa and Southern Africa in particular to be lacking in the study of psychoactive plants. Some reasons include: researcher bias concerning substance use, a lack of attention by researchers to the region’s psychoactive flora, the overlooking of more subtle psychoactive effects of traditional plants medicines and the loss… Continue reading The cultural influences on the study of traditional medicine and psychoactive plants.
Why mindfulness is so useful?
Mindfulness is art of being focused on the present moment. It forms the basis of Eastern meditation practice and I would argue for all spiritual practice. Mindfulness allows for self mastery. By being aware of your state, you can adjust yourself if you are being overwhelmed by negative disturbing emotions. In today’s technologically stimulating consumer… Continue reading Why mindfulness is so useful?