Kevin Spelman Teaching at VCIH in September!
Why are Plants Essential to Human Health?
Thursday September 26, 6pm-8:30pm
Ayurveda, the Mother of all Healing
Saturday September 28, 9am-5pm
Why are Plants Essential to Human Health?
Thursday September 26, 6pm-8:30pm
Free; pre-registration required
*This free workshop will also be available online! Use your google+ account (or create one) and search for info@vtherbcenter.org to add to your circle. Go to our google+ page on Thursday, September 26th to see the live broadcast!
Currently, there is no comprehensive understanding of the role that plants play in human health. In this inspiring and thought-provoking talk, Kevin Spelman will present several health themes, often not encountered in mainstream thought, detailing how plants are involved in human evolution, adaptation to stress and, ultimately, longevity. In this fascinating discussion, discover why exposure to plant chemistry is crucial to our health and why medicinal plants (as dietary choices and herbal remedies) are sensible (and likely essential) therapeutics.
Ayurveda, the Mother of all Healing
Saturday September 28, 9am-5pm
$85 members/$100 non-members
This intensive will also be offered online at $60 for members and $75 for non-members–stay tuned for details!
Ayurveda has been called the mother of all healing for good reason—it is practical, accessible, and provides a unique understanding of one’s personal health. In this day-long comprehensive training session, Kevin Spelman will introduce the basic principles of Ayurveda, including the Vata, Pitta, and Kapha constitutions. He will explore key medicinal plants from the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia, along with common Western herbs viewed through the Ayurvedic model–an unusual treat. This will be a thorough introduction for beginners and those looking to better understand their own health and will also be useful for practitioners interested in adding a new perspective or new plants to their practice. Kevin is a dynamic speaker and a seasoned clinician deeply steeped in both traditional medicine and a scientific perspective–this will be a real pleasure!
Kevin Spelman, PhD, MCPP is an herbalist, scientist, clinician, educator and writer, and a consultant for the natural products industry. Dr. Spelman has practiced western phytotherapy, informed by the Ayurvedic system, western herbalism, and modern physiology since 1989. He was a cofounder of the first Masters of Science degree in clinical herbal medicine (Tai Sophia Institute), as well as a founding faculty member of the first Bachelors of Science degree in botanical medicine in the U.S. at the North American College of Botanical Medicine. Most recently a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Health, Dr. Spelman has also worked as an herbal pharmacist for Dr. Vasant Lad and ran the Ayurvedic Herbology course at the Ayurvedic Institute for many years.