In light of the recent pandemic, it’s clear to me now more than ever that health sovereignty and empowerment requires radical connection to the natural world, plant medicine and ancestral wisdom ways, living in harmony with nature and Mother Earth. It also requires community support and collaboration. With threats of COVID-19 and of a mandatory vaccine and digital certificates, lack of access to life-saving treatments for so many, and reports that the pandemic seems to be hitting people of color & native populations the hardest - virus is disproportionately affecting Blacks, Latinx, and Native Americans (highlighting the systemic disparities already in place), we need to bring back medicine into the people’s hands as much as possible. Food and plants as medicine is obviously a primary part of this and a topic we’re passionate about on this podcast.
Today I’m releasing an interview I did with Dr. Leslie Korn, PhD. We recorded this interview a while back before the pandemic began (pre-Coronavirus), yet the topic discussion remains highly relevant: Nurturing Radiant Health At Every Stage with Everyday Plant Medicine... What better week to release such an episode than this week in celebration of Earth day on April 22, which also happens to be a new moon in earthly Taurus. Of course we celebrate earth day every day on this podcast and Dr. Leslie’s new book, Natural Woman, can be an ally to put this into practice in our daily lives.
Dr. Leslie Korn served as a Fulbright scholar on traditional medicine, a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School, and a National Institutes of Health–funded research scientist in mind/body medicine. In 1975, she founded the Center for Traditional Medicine, a public health clinic in rural indigenous Mexico that she directed for over twenty-five years. Author of nine books, she teaches and consults internationally for mental health professionals and tribal communities.
Her latest book Natural Woman is an incredibly comprehensive DIY herbal medicine book: Dr. Leslie draws from several herbal traditions (the medico-spiritual traditions of Curanderismo (Mexico), Ayurveda, Sufiism, and Northwest plant/fungi use by Native American communities) to address numerous health conditions—acute and chronic—and includes descriptions of how to use herbal preparations for spiritual and ritual use.
This book is designed to serve as an herbal companion for you to consult time and again for trusted guidance that can be shared with family, friends.
In these modern times when we’re losing this custom and tradition of passing of information from elders, it is an invaluable resource especially in the context of this pandemic which highlights the critical importance of health sovereignty, restoring our sacred natural connection with Mama Earth.
In this interview and Dr. Leslie’s book, we explore the sacred connection between herbs and womxn in ALL their beautiful forms.
Show Notes
In this episode, we discuss:
Dr. Leslie Korn’s search for adventure, how she found herself in Mexico and being initiated into her healing path through illness, becoming her “own laboratory” and experiment of One
How the local women taught Dr. Leslie about regional and traditional medicine of Mexico
How Dr. Leslie created a local health center focused on traditional healing practices in Mexico
“Being on one’s own during which can be a serious acute illness taught me about not being afraid and not being fearful about dis-ease... and to use nature.” ~ Dr. Leslie
How Dr. Leslie began working as a traumatologist, merging energetic touch and psychotherapy
How touch is womxn’s intrinsic mode of communication
How Dr. Leslie works with people who do not feel comfortable being touched, and the power of animals for healing
How trauma disrupts our natural rhythms and how touch can provide a template for re-balancing
How licorice root is central to balancing our internal rhythms
Herbs have their own internal clocks regulated by light cycles and environment storing nourishment that furthers our own rhythms.
The different types of rhythms we have, including circadian and ultradian
The connection between breath, our brain and rhythms, and how we can naturally optimize our own rhythms for optimal health
Dr. Leslie shares about a variety of power plants such as chamomile, and jamaica as a wonderful source of antioxidants that regulates rhythms of our digestion
The importance of cross-cultural wisdom sharing and how this feeds into Dr. Leslie’s mission
Why rituals are so important for our health and livelihood
Rosemary’s protection powers and long historical connection with humans
The importance of connection and mentorship for learning - passing wisdom traditions through heart-based relationships
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Connect With Dr. Leslie Korn
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Amazon Author Page | Psychology Today | Academia | Research Gate
Center for World Indigenous Studies
Books by Dr. Leslie Korn:
Natural Woman: Herbal Remedies for Radiant Health at Every Age and Stage of Life
Rhythms of Recovery: Trauma, Nature, and the Body
Resources
Free course: Nutritional & Integrative Tips During COVID-19
Coronavirus: Tips to Support your Immunity
WORK WITH VENESSA
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