Southeast Wise Womens Herbal Conference October 10-12

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Published on Friday, 31 July 2015 14:30
Written by editor

11th Annual Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference: A Celebration of Earth-Based Healing and Women’s Wisdom

One of my favorite gatherings of the year, the SEWHC is where I connect with some of my closest girlfriends and feel held by sisters who are walking the earth wisdom path. I love soaking up the early fall colors, crisp air, and lake swims. The ritual ceremonies are beautifully held and bring a deep resonance of purpose and connection to the world. I appreciate the integrity, the food, the vibes, the love that goes into this gathering. – Janell Kapoor, Ashevillage Director



My mind and heart open wide in this amazing space created by and for women. What a beautiful way to spend a weekend, surrounded by the wisdom of women and the earth! I carry this inspiration into my life and into the world. – Kathryn Blau, Ashevillage Outreach & Office Manager and Conference Volunteer

Ashevillage is proud to be a co-sponsor of this wonderful local event happening October 2-4, 2015. At the Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference, 40 teachers offer over 70 classes on a wide range of topics including plant identification, using herbs, traditional medicine, health and healing, nutrition, sacred sexuality, the wise woman ways, and more. Conference classes, intensives, special events and celebrations are inclusive of women at every level of expertise, from the beginning herbalist to advanced practitioners. This much loved annual women’s conference has quickly grown to over 1,000 women since 2005. The women who gather–of many backgrounds, faiths, colors, shapes and sizes–are part of the web of wise women dedicated to a new paradigm of health and wholeness for themselves and the earth.

On the weekend of October 2-4, the shores of Lake Eden in Black Mountain will once again echo with the voices of women—over 1000 strong—at the Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference. For ten years, they have traveled from all over the region—and as far as the West coast—to attend workshops, share their stories and ideas and celebrate their relationship with the Earth, with themselves and with each other.

SE Wise Women Herbal ConferenceThat’s what Conference Director Corinna Wood had in mind when she conceived the event over a decade ago. “Our conference is focused on the Wise Woman tradition. It’s about earth-based healing, local plants and women connecting with themselves—nourishing themselves, physically and spiritually. These are tools for healthy and joyful living in these challenging times,” she explains.

Wood herself is an herbalist and beloved teacher. The co-founder of Red Moon Herbs, she has helped to awaken thousands to the benefits of using indigenous plants for health and healing. “The Appalachian Mountains have such a rich history of herbal medicine,” she says. “In creating the conference, I wanted to connect women with other regional herbal teachers.”

Nationally recognized and renowned instructors at the upcoming conference include herbalists, holistic health professions, poets and performers: Amikaeyla Gaston, Rosemary Gladstar, Whapio, Monika Ponton-Arrington, and Jessica Godino among them.

Over the years, the event has expanded beyond herb walks and medicine making— although these aspects remain a core of the curriculum. The conference now offers over 60 workshops and intensives that embrace the entire life journey, from midwifery to conscious dying, sacred sexuality to self-empowerment.

SE Wise Women Herbal ConferenceIntegration and diversity are key elements of the gathering and this year, in particular, there is a focus on the nurturing and empowerment of young women. For teenage girls, the conference is a particularly enriching experience. The Wise Maidens program, geared to girls 13-17, comes at a time when, as adolescents, they are establishing a sense of themselves as women.

In addition to workshops, participants can enjoy the outdoors or stir their creative spirit with drumming, dancing and song. Evening gatherings offer films, music and camaraderie: myriad opportunities to engage in community and sisterhood.

Accommodations range from cabins to bunkhouses to camping. Weekend meal tickets are available and communal meals feature a fresh, locally sourced, seasonal menu that is based on “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon—wholesome, tasty and deeply satisfying.

As might be expected, attendance is limited to women and girls (boys up to age nine may attend). Childcare is available during class sessions. For details and easy online registration visitwww.sewisewomen.com.

Those who dwell among the mysteries of the earth are never alone. – Rachel Carson