"Creating a Materia Medica" with Lindsey Feldpausch of Herbal Academy

"Materia Medica" is Latin for "Healing Materials"". It is a collection- a compendium of Monographs- of all of the herbs we use and have knowledge of in our practice. These Monographs are added to continuously throughout our practice, from Herbals, oral knowledge, our own personal experience and use, schools and classes we attend, and more.

Keeping a Materia Medica builds our knowledge base. It allows us to understand traditional and historical knowledge- while also integrating modern knowledge and scientific understandings; aiding us in creating a well-rounded understanding of these plants. And it creates a living document of your Herbalism journey.

You don't have to record every plant you encounter. You can focus on plants you already know or are interested in; plants from a cultural tradition you're a part of; plants from your bioregion; or another area of limited focus. Your Materia Medica should revolve around your own knowledge, interests, and specialties, and grow as you continue to practice.

A good Plant Monograph should contain:

1. Images of the plant (drawn or photographed)
2. Specimes, if possible or available
3. Written information on the Plant's characteristics
   • Familial, Scientific, and Common names
   • Global distribution, conservation status, and sustainability
   • Native, Naturalized, and Invasive regions
   • Botanical description of the plant
   • Description of how the plant smells and / or tastes
   • Parts typically used
   • Traditional / Historical and Modern uses
   • Scientific knowledge and studies conducted
   • Phytochemistry (known chemical compounds)
   • Actions (Antiseptic, Diuretic, etc)
   • Energetics (Hot / Cool; Moist / Dry)
   • Preparation types and typical Dosages
   • Concerns, Contraindications, and Interactions
   • Gardening information
   • Wildharvesting information
   • Recipes for additional use (medical and non)
4. Your own Observations

Know your plants well, and start small. 7 plants per blend should be your max- or up to 3 if you're a beginner. You're looking for synergistic effects- but it doesn't do you any favors to throw a bunch of Herbs with the same purpose all together into a blend. You should use what you know, and really hone in on what works well together.

It was decent. It was less about building a Materia Medica as a whole, however, and more about building Monographs for your Materia Medica. Which makes sense; little hard to build a Materia Medica without Monographs! And it went really in depth into the various aspects of a Monograph and what should (or could) be included on it.

I didn't wind up getting much out of the class aside from a few new sources, though- and a couple small things I had actually missed considering for my own Monographs. But it was decent overall. It was definitely nice getting to see the woman who hosted the Herbalism Conference I attended the other month speak on a course on her own. I got a better feel for her own knowledge and teaching style. She reminds me a lot of a more confident Naomi Stein. I'll probably take more of her classes after this.