About the Issues

Berries

photo by Larken Bunce

Welcome! We made Numen to help create a local medicine movement that is as widespread and effective as the local food movement.

There is lots you can do to help: Learn more about the different issues explored in the film below. Organize screenings and discussions of Numen and other films in your community. Check out the 10 Simple Tips for making positive change in your own healing habits and take a stab at making a tincture or healing salve for your family.

Help spread the word—with your help we can change the way healing happens from the grassroots up.

1

Ecological Medicine

Ecological medicine begins with the assumption that human and environmental health are inseparable and that we can't be well until the planet is well. It follows that nothing used in healing and healthcare should cause damage to other species or the ecosystem. Read more →

2

Community-Based Medicine

Information about environmental toxins can be overwhelming. As Rosemary Gladstar told us,

"I think it is important to be informed . . . but I can only take in so much information." Read more →

3

Whole Plant Medicine

The belief that whole plants are used to treat whole people is the heart of traditional herbal medicine and so the heart of Numen as well. This is a key difference between allopathic medicine and most traditional systems around the world. Read more →

4

The Business of Herbalism

Botanical medicine, the art and science of collecting, preparing, and utilizing plants for healing, is one of the oldest healing methods in human history. The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of the world's population presently uses herbal medicine for some aspect of primary healthcare. Read more →

5

Spirit, Nature, & Healing

There are lots of resources in books, online, and in classes and at conferences about connecting with the spirit of the plants. Rather than simply repost that information here, we want to include this description from our interview with Rosemary Gladstar. Read more →

6

10 Things You Can Do

A list of ten things you can do now (depending on the season!) to make positive change in your own healing habits. Read more →