A sacred gathering where the energies of the divine femininity gather to learn, dance and sing their way into new enlightenment.
Sound magical? It is.
Does it sound too good to be true? It’s not.
Every year, in October, over 1,000 women meet in Black Mountain, NC to partake in such festivities. Yes that’s a lot of estrogen and it’s contagious. No, sorry, men are not allowed. That might sound tough but there is something behind this, the energy and healing experience of so many woman gathered to respect each other is part of that magic.
I am lucky enough to be a part of the SEWW herbal conference for three years now. I volunteer every year for two reasons: to help with the creation of the conference while getting to know other women who are doing the same. I’ve made good friends this way and it makes me happy to help. The other reason is a discount on the conference itself, not unworthy of the price but when you can get a discount doing something you enjoy, why not. The knowledge I’ve acquired from the woman’s herbal conference is honestly priceless. This year was my best time there yet. With this years’ theme “heal your-self from the inside out,” I left the conference with a new perspective on health.
A weekend full of classes, events, amazing vendors, lovely ladies and heart-lifting experiences it’s actually hard for me not to get emotional when I think about it. This year I decided to camp all weekend instead of commute from my home each day as I’ve done in previous years. Each morning I woke up to the view of Eden lake, with the fog from 
the mountain rolling down around us, the crisp fall air and sounds of birds chirping, I have to say camping really added to my enjoyment of the weekend. There is something amazing about the energy produced from the conference and to leave it and step into the “real world” kind of strips you of the feeling. I also was fortunate to share my experience with a good friend, Crystal Joy. She flew all the way from Portland, Oregon under my recommendation. Though not to my surprise, after being there for maybe about two hours she expressed her plans to come back EVERY year. Can I get a hallelujah?! Of course, I will be doing the same as it is something I look forward to and actually have been wishing this was a school that I could attend all year long. Luckily, you can reach out to most of the teachers to receive further education in the subjects they teach.
With all the different subjects, there are plenty of amazing, intelligent and well-known teachers from around the U.S. who share their time and knowledge.
I’ll share some of my favorite classes this year with a few insights of what they have taught.
To start the conference off I signed up for an Intensive (a longer and more in-depth class) with Phyllis Light on ‘Epigenetics & Methylation, The influence of our Ancestors’. I have a deep interest in epigenetics and as Phyllis said it is the science of the future, becoming one of the most researched topics. I left that class totally mind blown and in awe of our bodies. Though this was an intensive and hard to just explain I will do my best to give you an idea.
Epigenetic tags on our DNA do not change our underlying genes, but the tags themselves can be inherited. Methylation (a naturally occurring process in the body) and the release of neurotransmitters affect which tags are laid down. The tags that can be inherited by our parents and grandparents are their nutritional level, traumas they have experienced, and any environmental toxic exposures and lifestyle choices. Research has found that methylation and its effect on epigenetics plays a role in autoimmune diseases, cancer, and mental health issues. Phyllis gave a list of herbs, foods and lifestyle choices that affect this process in the most positive way possible, since this isn’t just for us but for the livelihood of our offspring.
^ I know this was a vague definition but the key point I learned from this class is DNA tells what you can do, static and fixed; Epigenetics determines what you can do with the potential of your DNA.
A book that sparked my interest in epigenetics is Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan, M.D. and Luke Shanahan. If you’re interested in learning more I highly recommend checking it out.
Next, Mimi Hernandez’s class on ‘Root Medicine of the World’ gave me a great perspective, or should I say three perspectives on root herbs. Her class was actually composed from her students researching each root herb. Root herbs were studied within three categories: tradition, intuition and scientific study. My favorite of the herbs mentioned were Eleuthero, Maca and Solomon’s Seal.
My first plant walk couldn’t have been a better one! Cindi Quay, a Native American descendant, is an amazing teacher. Looking at and identifying herbs, she also would share stories of her elders who used herbal medicine as a way of life.
‘The Health benefits of medicinal mushrooms’, taught by Gina Contia was amazing! Reshi, Lion’s Maine, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and Cordyceps should all be worshiped for what they can do for our health. The class went over the best method to extract the medicinal properties of the mushrooms. This class actually changed my life, giving me the insight to offer Turkey Tail to my father who was just diagnosed with prostate cancer.
On Sunday I got to finish the conference off with an amazing class called ‘Approaches to Healthy Gut Flora’. Brittany Wood Nickerson is an amazing herbalist offering information on nutrition and diet with what effects our micro biome, and what to avoid for the health of it. She talked about different herbs and gave recipes. My favorite lesson learned from the class was the saying, “You are what you eat” is not entirely true. Instead, we should be focusing on the idea that you are what you digest. A person can eat the best organic, whole foods diet but if not digested correctly, it won’t do any good. We need to work on our gut flora for a truly healthy diet.
Not only did I learn from these amazing teachers, that I can not thank enough for sharing the gift of knowledge and insight with each and every one of us. I also attended two concerts with amazing empowering performers, had a yoga class, participated in a barter circle to exchange my own goods for other handmade treasures and won a raffle! Laughs and tears shared, cause come on’ with this many ladies you know the water works are included.
Yes I do love the South East Wise Women herbal conference.
Great article!!🙂