An herbalist’s steps are important. They are a sort of road map that each herbalist follows in order to come to a remedy best suited for a person’s imbalance. Each herbalist follows these steps in their own way; herbalism is intuitive. Different herbalists may come to different remedies for the same ailment, but each remedy, although different, can bring balance.
There are four steps that an herbalist follows. These are flexible steps that herbalists around the world will execute differently. The names and descriptions of each step will not look the same for every herbalist, but the ideas are similar. I’ve broken down an herbalist’s steps into four categories or “things to know” that help guide an herbalist to the best remedy.
An herbalist’s steps are: 1. Know the person’s constitution. 2. Know the person’s constitutional imbalance. 3. Know the tissue state related to the constitutional imbalance. 4. Know the herb that helps bring the body back into balance. Generally, the steps can be summed up this way: It’s about knowing how to read people, knowing imbalances, and knowing herbs.
An Herbalist’s Steps (No. 1)
#1. Learn how to read people by learning the constitutions/doshas.
While I don’t trust everything Google says, the definition it offers for constitution is on point. It says that a person’s constitution is “an individual’s overall physical and mental makeup, including their inherent qualities and the influence of environmental factors. It encompasses factors like strength, resilience, and susceptibility to illness.” Basically, in a very simple, down-to-earth way, it’s how a person is wired.
Doshas or Constitutions
There are three main doshas (or constitutions) in Ayurvedic medicine that can be used in herbalism. The three doshas are: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Knowing each dosha intimately will help you read people more clearly.
From those three doshas, there are seven constitutions (Ayurveda calls them Doshas and Dual Doshas). These seven doshas or constitutions are Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha, Vata-Kapha, Tridosha. Let’s briefly look at the traits of each of the seven constitutions.
Seven Constitutions & Their Traits
| Dosha | Elements | Speech | Strengths | Susceptibly | Body Type | Weaknesses |
| Vata | Ether & Air | Chatty | Creative, flexible, fast thinkers | Dry skin & hair, gas, trouble sleeping, constipation | Small frame | Too much change can make them unstable, lose interest fast, run from stress |
| Pitta | Fire & Water | Blunt, clear | Natural leaders, driven, intelligent | Ulcers, intestinal issues, hormonal problems | Medium build, intense eyes, sharp jawline | Controlling, judgmental, fight in stress |
| Kapha | Water & Earth | Sweet, grounded, slow, open to sharing, good listener | Calm nature in chaos, patient, loyal, serves from their heart | Prone to weight gain, high blood sugar or cholesterol, congestion | Large bone structure, strong, thick hair | Prone to codependence, letting go is difficult, freeze in stress |
| Vata-Pitta | Air & Fire | Fast, clear, sensitive to others | Lovers of change, critical thinkers, great response to pressure | Eczema, IBS, randomly waking in the night | Build will be like Vata or Pitta or a combination of the two | Prone to insecurity, driven by what others think of them, self doubt |
| Pitta-Kapha | Fire & Earth | Reserved, intentional, meaningful, straightforward | Devoted, patient, persistent, thoughtful, compassionate, mentally & emotionally stable | High blood sugar, fatigue, digestion issues, deep sickness | Build will be like Pitta or Kapha or a combination of the two | Silent sufferers, tendency to neglect their own needs |
| Vata-Kapha | Air & Earth | Friendly, content, supportive | Loves simplicity, empathizer, helps others succeed, go-with-the-flow, inner strength | Delicate health, nervous system issues, joint problems, immune system disfunction | Build will be like Vata or Kapha or a combination of the two | Loses themselves in others, loss of identity & purpose |
| TriDosha (very rare) | Ether, Air, Fire, Water, & Earth | Difficult to describe them specifically | Nurture received in childhood is their greatest influence | Strong health, rarely ill | A possible blend of all three consititutions | Hard to find their center if they become imbalanced |
The information from the table above was taken from the book, The Seven Ways of Ayurveda by Sarah Kucera. She does an exceptional job of describing the doshas/consititutions in a simple and concise way. The table is a general way of getting to know the constitutions. There is much more involved than memorizing a table in order to discern a person’s constitution.
Keys to Finding a Person’s Dosha
But there are ways to get to the know a person’s dosha (constitution). One of the best ways is to have them tell you what they were like as a child. Our childhood, unless influenced by extreme trauma or hardship, can often be the megaphone that reveals our dosha. How did you speak to others as a child? What were your strengths in childhood? Your susceptibilities? How did you handle stress as a child? Answers to these questions can help us discern a person’s constitution; however, it’s important to know that we are a blend of all three doshas. While a person’s constitution may be Pitta dominant; this doesn’t mean that they have no Kapha or Vata. We always have all three; but some doshas are more dominant than others.
An Herbalist’s Steps (No. 2)
#2. Learn how to recognize the constitutional imbalance.
After finding the dosha/consitution that a person had at birth, the next step is to recognize the constitutional imbalance. Their original (the one they were born with) constitution, many times, can help an herbalist see the constitutional imbalance. Generally, if a person has a Pitta constitution, then many times (but not all the time) their health issues stem from excessive Pitta symptoms. They are too hot, too inflamed, or in a hyper state. The Pitta (fire) has become so strong that it has burned away the Vata and Earth. Each constitution has certain susceptibilities, so it’s good to become familiar with each dosha’s possible health struggles.
Remember the Dual Doshas
Most of the time an individual will be a Dual Dosha (vata-pitta, pitta-kapha, or vata-kapha) , which means they are a combination of two of the three doshas. In this instance, it might be difficult to discern the imbalance. There also may be more than one imbalance-in fact, most people have more than one imbalance. That’s why it’s always recommended to ask questions. Get to know the person; read their body language. Look at their skin. Are they mentally clear headed? Anxious? Or perhaps they are more stable and sedentary? Without a real knowing, an herbalist’s remedy can fall flat and do nothing. Here is a list of questions to consider.
This list isn’t comprehensive. It’s important to be thorough, and get as much information as possible before recommending a possible remedy. As a beginning herbalist, you may need to send them home to journal their symptoms for a week. Get to the heart of their story. Herbalism doesn’t only address the physical. It also understands the connection that the body has with a person’s emotional, spiritual, and mental outlook as well. Our thoughts can influence our health. Seasons, past trauma, weather, & family struggles can, too.
An Herbalist’s Steps (No. 3)
#3. Learn the tissue states and how they are connected to each constitutional imbalance.
Turn on your brain here, because now we connect all these ideas that we just mentioned to the six tissue states. But first, what is a tissue state? Tissue states are used to describe the quality of tissue. Basic, right? In the six tissue states, you have three sets that are opposites. The three sets of opposites are: hot/cold, damp/dry, and tense/relaxed.
- Heat(Excited/hyper state)
- Cold(Depressed)
- Damp Stagnant(Stuck/Torpid)
- Dry(Atrophic)
- Wind (Constricted/Tense)
- Damp Flow(Relaxed)
Constitutions & Their Tissue State Tendencies
Now let’s connect the constitutions to the tissue state that they tend to struggle with. This is not set in stone! There are many variables to consider, but it gives an herbalist a place to begin. Remember, it’s possible for a Vata Dosha to experience Pitta-like symptoms. A person is made of all the doshas; imbalance means that one is overpowering the others to an excessive degree. The goal with herbalism is to bring the body back into balance.
Most of the information from this table came from the book, The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism, by Matthew Wood. Another book that I recommend is Energetic Herbalism, by Kat Maier. She gives detailed information about the doshas and the tissue states. I have included some of the information from her book in this post.
Tissue States On A Spectrum
It’s also good to understand that the the tissue states are on a spectrum. The tissue states have to do with Temperature: Hot/Cold, Tension: Constriction/Relaxation, and Moisture: Atrophy/Torpor. These tissue states are opposites. This is good to understand because many times you treat a hot tissue state with herbs that encourage a cold tissue state. The objective is to help them find the center.
An excited state is the opposite of a depressed state. The constricted state is the opposite of the relaxed state. The atrophic state is the opposite of the torpid state.
So, based on a person’s constitution and their symptoms of imbalance, you eventually figure out (sometimes through trail and error) what tissue state the ailment falls under. It’s important to understand that a person may experience imbalance in all the tissue states. But which tissue state became imbalanced first? It’s possible that the damp flowing tissue state has led someone to become atrophic and dry. It makes sense to treat the damp flowing tissue state with a moistening/oily remedy. Once you know the tissue state that needs to come back into balance, it’s time to choose how you’ll remedy the issue.
An Herbalist’s Steps (No. 4)
#4. Learn how to choose the best remedy.
Now that you know the constitution, the constitutional imbalance, and the tissue state, it’s time to choose a remedy. BUT, it’s important to remember this: No matter the tissue state, remedy their current symptoms first. A body in fight or flight mode will not heal. Make them comfortable, then address the deep rooted issues that are leading to their imbalance.
There are many ways to come to a specific remedy that could help alleviate a person’s imbalance. But for sake of length, I will only discuss one called The Law of Action and Reaction.
The Law of Action & Reaction
In his book, The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism, Matthew Wood combines certain laws into one law and calls it The Law of Action & Reaction. He describes it very clearly in his book. I will attempt to summarize it here. The law is based on the idea that our bodies will do everything in their power to heal. When the environment changes, then body responds innately. It’s how God wired us. As the body responds to the environmental changes (The body’s response could be an increase in temperature to kill a virus, or sweat to purge a toxin, or vomiting to rid the body of poison.) it will eventually return to homeostasis when the body is balanced.
It’s important to remember that when a body is able to respond, then it will be able to recover. But when the body is clogged or fixed, issues can arise and prevent the body from coming back into balance. It’s also important to remember that the goal is balance. We don’t want to go too far toward the opposite end of the spectrum. We want a person to be in the middle-homeostasis.
Imbalances are the six tissue states.
The actions and the reactions of the body are where we get our six tissue states. The imbalances are when there is excessive action or too little action. It’s good to remember that the goal is to work alongside the body’s innate ability to heal. Suppression of symptoms will only exacerbate the condition. It is possible to use herbs to suppress instead of using them to encourage the body’s independence. We need to give the body tools to help it solve the ailments by itself.
Herbs and their patterns.
Every herb that God created has a pattern. When the pattern of the herb is applied to the body, it is able to guide the body back to balance. It is never forced. Just helped along the way. Since herbs have patterns it’s important to know what they are. Get to know each herb and the patterns it shares with the body. Know where the herb grows, the food it loves, the way the roots reach into the earth, the places in grows, what grows beside the herb, how the herb has been used in ancient medicine and present day medicine. Taste, touch, smell, listen (yes, you can listen), and look. God has entrusted us with the gift of herbs; how can we use these gifts unless we get to know them?
Conclusion
Whew. We covered a lot in one blog post. Let’s recap. An herbalist’s steps are grounded in three ideas: The first is knowing how to read people. This means understanding the seven constitutions and recognizing them in those around you. It also means learning how to to see a person’s imbalance based on symptoms and life history. The second is knowing the imbalances. Study the tissue states and know how they reveal themselves in the human body. Understand the tissue states as opposites and on a spectrum. Connect the tissue states with the doshas that they generally belong to. The third is knowing the herbs. Get to know each herb like you would a friend. God has given them to us; they are a gift. Let’s use them with wisdom.