THE 2023 OJAI HERBAL SYMPOSIUM

The 3rd Ojai Herbal Symposium occurred on Saturday-Sunday, November 11-12, 2023, in-person at Krotona Hall in the Ojai Valley ~ and live-streaming online! Scroll down for schedule, presenters and registration info.

12 Category 1 Continuing Education Units for Licensed Acupuncturists at no extra cost!


“Herbs: The People’s Medicine

Humans have been using plant medicine for at least 50,000 years. Today, 60% of the people around the world still depend on herbs for their primary health needs. This year’s Symposium features a diverse faculty of presenters exploring how cultures and individuals are using medicinal herbs for better health and well-being. Herbalists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, medical doctors, chiropractors, health practitioners of all types, and those simply interested in herbs will find our presenters’ content educational and enlightening.


Please subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the page to stay updated or email us at info@ojaiherbal.org with questions.

Event Details
  • FRIDAY SCHEDULE
  • November 10, 2023 7:00 PM- 9:00 PM
    Meet-And-Greet with Zhena Muzyka at Club Magic Hour
  • SATURDAY SCHEDULE
  • November 11, 2023 9:00AM - 9:15AM
    Welcome
  • November 11, 2023 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM
    Chumash Blessing by Patrick Tumamait

    “The culture and the people are still alive. Our life entails protecting the cultural history and ancestry of our people, having people recognize the past as a legacy to our future. Protection and awareness so that we can share it with others and preserve it for the future generations to come. We have to remind ourselves that we are the Gate Keepers of the World in all its of glory and beauty and not take it for granted for Mother Earth is almighty. We’re fortunate to have people who want to listen and learn about our culture. I feel honored to be associated with those people.”

  • November 11, 2023 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
    Saturday Keynote: Amanda McQuade Crawford, RH (AHG), MFT -"Botanical Medicine for Common Cardiovascular Concerns"

    Heart disease and stroke are #1 and #2 on the World Health Organization’s list of global causes of death. Everyone is affected by them, directly or indirectly. This class, while aimed at clinical herbalists, will provide all participants with a greater understanding of the holistic approach to cardiovascular conditions. Content will include evidence-based herbal prescriptions, the neuroendocrine connection for heart patients, and how to choose the best herbs for optimal supplementation. (1.5 Category 1 Acupuncture CEUs approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 11, 2023 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
    "Causes, Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease"

    This lecture will discuss recent evidence concerning beta amyloid, tau protein, and other more likely causes of Alzheimer's disease. Epidemiological evidence provides the best clues to the causes of the disease. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 11, 2023 12:50 PM - 1:20 PM
    Saturday lunchtime activity: Outdoor Qigong Practice

    In this class we will practice an ancient Qigong technique to connect with, cultivate, and nourish the Three Treasures (Jing, Qi & Shen) of Classical Chinese Medicine. We will identify and use acupuncture points for focus and connection to the Three Treasures. Also we will use a "song" as a guide for the practice. (0.5 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 11, 2023 1:40 PM - 2:40 PM
    "Herbs in the Curandismo Tradition"

    This course gives a brief overview of Curandismo, a traditional healing practice originating from Latin American and Hispanic cultures. It combines indigenous beliefs, folk medicine, and spirituality to promote overall well-being. Practitioners, known as curanderos or curanderas, use techniques like herbal remedies, spiritual cleansings, and rituals to address physical, emotional, and spiritual imbalances. It's a holistic approach often passed down through generations, and still valued in many communities. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 11, 2023 2:55 PM - 3:55 PM
    "A Classical Chinese Medicine Overview of the Three Treasures"

    This talk will explain - from the perspective of Classical Chinese Medicine - the origin and dissemination of the Three Treasures of Humanity, their manifestations in the human body, and their relationship to the Three Treasures of Nature. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 11, 2023 4:10 PM - 5:10 PM
    "Opuntia: The First Medicine of the Americas"

    In this presentation we will discuss the the historical, cultural, and medicinal importance of the Opuntia (prickly-pear) genus. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the Spaniards learned of its incredible value and began exporting Opuntia ficus-indica to all of Spain’s colonies. Researched for over fifty years, prickly-pear has been used to treat over 40 different medical conditions. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • SUNDAY SCHEDULE
  • November 12, 2023 9:00AM - 9:15AM
    Welcome
  • November 12, 2023 9:15 AM - 10:45 A.M.
    Sunday Keynote: David Bearman, MD - "10 Medical Cannabis Myths Debunked"

    Acupuncture, naturopathy, chiropractic, and herbal treatments are often used as complementary or alternative medicine. Cannabis is one of those such therapeutic agents. There is a lot of misinformation among both patients and practitioners about cannabis. This class explains that cannabis is safe and enables practitioners to answer questions from patients to reassure them that this can be an appropriate treatment or therapy. (1.5 Category 1 Acupuncture CEUs approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 12, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    "Creating a People's Medicinal Garden"

    Based on her years of experience developing the Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden in Ojai, Carol Wade’s class will provide you with an overview of the skills and information needed to start a community-centric and sustainable medicinal herb garden. Content will include identification of appropriate plants, garden development strategies, how to use the garden as an outdoor community herbal education classroom, and examples of potential income streams to and from the garden. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 12, 2023 12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
    Sunday lunchtime activity: Outdoor Nature Immersion

    In a natural environment, you will be guided in dropping into a deeper state of connection to nature and the more-than-human world through a sensorial experience that will assist you in slowing down, relaxing, and observing with all of your senses. This is an integrative practice that can help let all of the miscellaneous fall away. It is more about being “here” than it is about being “there.” This is a short introductory session. (0.5 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 12, 2023 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
    “Magical Mugwort: Its Medicinal Uses from East and West”

    Mugwort has one of the longest histories of continuous use by people in Asia, Europe, and Indigenous America. This class will identify various Artemisia species of Mugwort found around the world and describe the scientific validation of their uses. Practical information will be presented on specific herbs, including types of preparation, dosage, and cautions for 6 major areas of health care. The presentation also will include a discussion of self-help strategies. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 12, 2023 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
    "Creating Rhythms and Rituals with Ayurveda"

    In this talk, we will cover the foundations of Ayurveda and explore how to integrate the knowledge of the "doshas" for implementation in daily and seasonal rituals. Food and lifestyle examples will be offered to support these rhythms. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

  • November 12, 2023 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    "A People's History of Herbal Medicine in America"

    Fossil evidence shows that humans have been using herbs for medicine for at least 50,000 years. Today, the World Health Organization estimates that 60 percent of the world’s people rely on plant medicines for their primary health care. This presentation will review the history of herbal medicine in America and focus on a pivotal period in that history — between 1875 and 1925 — that sheds light on why medicinal herbs no longer play a role in modern mainstream healthcare except for their use in complementary and alternative medicine. We’ll discuss actions that can help return herbs to their rightful status. (1 Category 1 Acupuncture CEU approved by California Acupuncture Board)

Chumash Elder
Patrick Tumamait is the son of Vincent Tumamait & Lucy Castro Tumamait. He grew up in the Ojai Valley and still lives in the Meiners Oaks neighborhood near the birthplace of his great, great grandmother, Maria Ricarda Alulalmeque, who was raised in the Chumash village of Matilija. Pat can trace his family lineage from his father to at least 11 known Chumash villages and as far back as the mid-18th century. “The culture and the people are still alive. Our life entails protecting the cultural history and ancestry of our people, having people recognize the past as a legacy to our future. Protection and awareness so that we can share it with others and preserve it for the future generations to come.”
Registered Herbalist (AHG), MFT, Author
Amanda McQuade Crawford practiced as a Consultant Medical Herbalist for decades before she became a licensed therapist (MFT).  She graduated from Britain’s College of Phytotherapy, is a Member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild, and a consultant in the natural products industry. She continues to serve the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a Review Panelist and the American Botanical Council as an Advisory Board Member. She is the author of two books on women’s health: Herbal Remedies for Women and The Natural Menopause Handbook.
MD; Former Executive Director, American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine
One of the most clinically knowledgeable physicians in the U.S. in the field of medical cannabis, Dr. David Bearman has spent 50 years working in the substance and drug abuse treatment and prevention field. Dr. Bearman was a pioneer in the free and community clinic movement. His career includes public health, administrative medicine, provision of primary care, pain management and cannabinology. He is the former Executive Director of the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine and the author of Cannabis Medicine.
Founder, Club Magic Hour & Zhena's Gypsy Tea
Zhena Muzyka is a socially responsible business leader who founded Zhena’s Gypsy Tea in 2000 and helped to pioneer fair trade & biodynamics in the food & beverage industry. From authoring her bestselling book, Life by the Cup, she went on to become the head of her own publishing imprint at Simon & Schuster where she published 40 wellness, spirituality & ecology books which educated and entertained readers globally. Her latest endeavor, Club Magic Hour, combines organic tea & botanicals with transformational wellness teachings in a subscription box & is already finding a global audience. Zhena lives in Ojai and can be found at ClubMagicHour.com.
Licensed Acupuncturist
John Hickey, LAc has been actively involved in studying, teaching and practicing Shiatsu massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Classical Chinese Medicine since 1980, the year he attended Shiatsu Massage School of California in Santa Monica. He became assistant teacher to the owner DoAnn T. Kaneko in 1982. John studied at California Acupuncture College and became licensed in 1985. He went on to co-found the Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine in 1987 where he served as Vice President, Academic Dean and Instructor. From 1998 to the present, he has been in private practice specializing in Shiatsu and acupuncture treatments while studying and practicing Classical Chinese Medicine with renowned Daoist priest and Chinese Medicine Doctor Jeffrey C. Yuen.
Chiropractor
Dr. Elena Esparza, D.C., was born and raised in East Los Angeles. She has studied physical medicine, manual medicine, herbal medicine, and energetic medicine throughout the United States, Mexico and Central America. She received her Doctorate of Chiropractic Medicine in 1999 from the Southern California University of Health Sciences, Los Angeles. She also received her Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology with a Spiritual Emphasis, at the University of Santa Monica in 1996. Dr. Elena has a family practice in the heart of East Los Angeles and specializes in detoxing the body on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Her emphasis is focused on wholeness and integration.
Professor Emeritus, USC School of Pharmacy; Co-Author of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West, 4th Edition
Jim Adams is Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at the USC School of Pharmacy. He was trained by a Chumash Indian Healer for 14 years. Dr. Adams taught pharmacy students, medical students, doctors and other healthcare professionals for 33 years while researching the natural pharmaceutical compounds in native plants. He is co-author of the 4th edition of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West.
Registered Herbalist (AHG); Founder/Director, Ojai School of Herbal Studies; Founder, Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden
Carol Wade has been a practicing professional herbalist and nutritional counselor for more than 30 years and is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild. She is the founder and Director of the Ojai School of Herbal Studies, a 22-month herbal studies program located in Ojai, California. Her garden, the Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden in Ojai, California, serves as a hub for several medicinal herb-oriented ventures that bring the idea of using medicinal herbs in daily living as a viable and logical choice to the community at large.
Naturalist, Plant Educator, Co-Author of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West, 4th Edition
Enrique Villaseñor is a multi-ethnic Healer, naturalist, retired educator, cyclist and author with Indigenous ancestry. He was a public school educator for 35 years, teaching in elementary, middle and adult schools. Enrique learned traditional healing from his mother, a Healer, and Professor Emeritus James Adams. As part of this process, Enrique has researched and taught traditional healing, participated in field studies, co-authored several research papers, and is a co-author of the fourth edition of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West.
Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Founder of Mādhya Way School for Ayurveda, Co-Author of From Stressed Out to Stress Wise: How You and Your Students Can Navigate Challenges and Nurture Vitality
Anjali Deva is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Yoga teacher in Los Angeles. She was introduced to Ayurveda and Yoga at a young age by her father, Arun Deva. She went on to train with Kerala Ayurveda Academy, Loyola Marymount’s Yoga and the Healing Sciences Program, and many influential teachers both here in the United States and in India over the last decade. Her passion began in the kitchen with a desire to understand how the food we eat influences our bodies and minds.That passion has grown to include helping people find their inner wisdom, clarity, and health through the wisdom of Ayurveda in her clinical practice, Rooted Rasa. Anjali is the founder of Mādhya Way School for Ayurveda.
Licensed Acupuncturist, Co-Author of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West, 4th Edition
Michelle Wong is a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as Functional Medicine. She graduated from UCLA with Bachelor of Science, and from Dongguk University, Los Angeles with her Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine, and has studied in both Beijing and Seoul. Michelle believes in giving her patients to help discover and treat the root of the problem, so that the various symptoms resolve naturally. This includes aspects of emotional and spiritual health, which Chinese medicine has a long recognized and treats in symphony with the physical.
ANFT Certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide
Elena Rios is an ANFT Certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide, Nature Connection Mentor, Interdisciplinary Artist, and Cultural Practitioner. She draws inspiration from the stories of her late grandmother, a "curandera" and a "huesera,” who practiced these traditional healing ways. Elena’s journey toward deepening relationship with the healing power of trees, plants, herbs, and flowers has continued throughout her life. It has taken shape within the context of their use in Indigenous ceremony, dance, and song, including Danza Azteca Mexica.  Elena continues to participate in these circles of learning and ways of being. She currently guides Nature Immersion events at Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and travels to destination locations upon special request.
Symposium Director, Author of Medicinal Herbs of California
Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer
Lanny Kaufer, Ojai herbalist and native plant educator, is enjoying his 47th year of leading “Herb Walks” and nature hikes in Ojai, Santa Barbara, and the surrounding area.  A retired public high school teacher with a Biology degree from the University of California, Lanny specializes in making learning about edible and medicinal plants accessible and fun for people of all ages. Lanny acquired much of his plant knowledge in field study with well-known herbalists and ethnobotanists, including the late William LeSassier and the late Chumash teacher Juanita Centeno.
8 Comments
  1. Cindy Wilson CMT

    I am very interested in this event.

    1. herbal18

      Hi Cindy. Thanks. You are already on the list to notify as soon as tickets go on sale. Soon!

  2. Teagan Clive

    So good to see this symposium return. Please keep me informed of your calendar.

    1. herbal18

      Glad to hear it, Teagan. I’m adding you to the newsletter email list for monthly updates. How did you hear about the Symposium?

  3. Yamile Talero

    I live in SB and Im excited to have this Local symposium and meet like-minded people in the area.

    1. herbal18

      Thanks! We’re excited, too, Yamile. Stay tuned to the newsletter and social media for updates as they roll out.

  4. Gena

    This looks amazing! I wish I could get acupuncture CEUs in Texas for this.

    1. herbal18

      Thanks, Gena. I wish you could, too. It might be worth asking the Texas Acupuncture Board if they would accept these CEUs. We are offering online attendance. How did you hear about it?

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Event Details