Herbalism, medicine making, ethnobotany and hope- an immersive day of plants!

PLEASE NOTE: The original agenda of the day has changed, and now instead of a series of lectures there will be a herbal medicine making workshop where you will be blending your own teas to support stress and mental health.

Immerse yourself in the knowledge and practical teachings from Rebecca Lazarou (also known as Laz), a medicinal plant scientist and botanical scholar, who will dive deep into:

🌿The history and politics of herbalism
🌿The science behind herbal medicines

🌿A herbal meditation and somatic practise
🌿Medicinal tea blending and home herbalism
🌿Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology
🌿The conservation of traditional land-based knowledge and Laz's PhD research
🌿 Opportunities for a better system informed by her learnings in botanical academia and indigenous knowledge

Not only will you learn but also be able to create your own bespoke medicinal teas for mental health and stress that you will be able to take home and enjoy.

The world is changing rapidly, and most of us have become conscious that we need to return to the Earth, and recreate a system with much more symbiosis than we currently have. This day is an exploration and celebration of all that is possible.

🌺Bespoke tea blend to take home 🌺As part of the workshop you will be making your own bag of organic, loose-leaf medicinal tea to take home with the selection of herbs curated to help you with mental health, mood and stress.

💚Herbal Shot Bar 💚 Try Laz’s blends that have the power to calm, energise, focus your attention and lift your spirits- delicious herbs steeped in wisdom and energy.

☕Tea Bar ☕Laz’s medicinal teas will be available, with herbs that boost your wellbeing, nourish your body and soothe your soul.

🌷Music, stalls and a raffle 🌷There will be music, a Laz The Plant Scientist stall and a raffle as this day is more than just a workshop- it is a fundraiser for Laz’s research into the conservation of traditional knowledge, as well as a celebration of her business’s 5^th birthday!

Timetable for the day:

12.30- 13:00: Arrival

13:00 - 13:45: Herbalism, plants for health and the medical system talk

13:45 - 14:00: Break

14:00- 15:00: Herbal meditation practise, teachings on the science of the plants, and blending your own teas

15:00 - 15:45: Break

15:45- 16:45: Practical advice for integrating herbal medicines moving forward. Also teachings on ethnobotany, systems change and the research you are supporting.

16:45- 17:00: Q&A

17:00: Q&A

17:00 - 18:00: Free time to enjoy a herbal bar, tea and chats

Main event is from 1-5pm

Please note we will not be providing food. There is a Tesco close to the venue, and limited parking available on the street.

More information

This event is to celebrate 5 years of Laz’s herbal business Laz The Plant Scientist, but also to raise funds to support her research. Community events like this allow the research to maintain being an independent body of work, so she can freely do what she believes is best for our communities and our planet.

Who is Laz and what is Laz The Plant Scientist?

Laz is an ethnopharmacologist (medicinal plant scientist), writer, speaker and herbal formulator.

Currently she is doing her PhD in medicinal plants at Kew Gardens and UCL School of Pharmacy, and is the science advisor for Herbal Reality and a board member for the McKenna Academy founded by Dennis McKenna.

Laz The Plant Scientist is her herbal medicine company that she founded to provide people with high quality, sustainably sourced medicines to support people in living easier and happier lives. Her formulas are inspired by medical herbalism, ethnobotany and modern science.

“Ultimately my aim is to help nurture our relationship with nature through natural medicines, and support our species return back to Earth centred living. I am devoted to science to demystify these topics, but equally I am committed to rekindling the magic, awe and healing we find on our precious Earth.”- Laz

What is Laz’s research?

Traditional knowledge on how we live off the land is going extinct. An African proverb says "When an elder dies a library burns down". From medical knowledge, to food and building materials this knowledge is crucial for our species to live thrive along with the land. The research of this knowledge is called “ethnobiology”.

Laz is currently doing her PhD at Kew Gardens and UCL School of Pharmacy. For this she will be returning to her home island of Cyprus, and archiving the traditional medical knowledge of her people. Following this she will create citizen science methods and an application so people can do this for their own communities. With some hard work and luck she aims to do this not only for medical knowledge of plants, but for ethnobotany and ethnobiology as a whole.

This not only ensures the longevity of our bio-cultural heritage and “the old ways”, but can support the regeneration of these ways of living. This knowledge has allowed our species to live in synergy with the Earth, safely, since our inception and these practises give us tangible ways to divest from the current sick system. We do not have to just create something new from scratch- rather we must remember and honour what came before.

We are at a profound and unique time in history when the ancient ways are still alive along with incredibly advanced technology. However, this period of time is fragile and in a glimpse we could lose the precious Earth knowledge and wisdom of our species.

We must work to protect what has sustained life for so long to help ensure healthy life in the future. This is what Laz’s life and work is devoted to, and this day is a celebration of all that is possible.

Who this is for?

This is for anyone interested in:

• Herbalism
• Natural healthcare and leading a better-quality life
• Systems change
• Living in harmony as part of the natural world
• Ancestral living
• Ethnobotany
• Wanting to meet others who care about the same things
• A lovely day out!