PodcastsAlternative HealthThe Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

Sajah & Whitney Popham, founders of The School of Evolutionary Herbalism
The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy
Latest episode

212 episodes

  • The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

    The Zodiacal Study Strategy

    18/03/2026 | 46 mins.
    2026 Enrollment for Botanical Constellations is open!
     
    This is a 12-month online course of herbalism through the zodiac. Inside you'll learn how each sign connects with plants, people, and health through the lens of herbalism and medical astrology.
     
    🌿 You can learn more here:
    https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/astro-herbalism-mini-course/botanical-constellations
     
    Have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to learn herbal medicine and astrology? 
     
    This is one of the biggest challenges I hear from people studying herbalism on its own
 throw astrology on top of it, and it just seems like too much. They say, "I was already overwhelmed trying to learn how to become a great herbalist. And now, to practice this way, I have to learn the massive system of astrology too. I'm busy with my day job, family, home, and garden, and it's too much."
     
    But it doesn't have to be that way! There is a strategic approach that allows you to study herbal medicine and astrology at the same time. The philosophical bases of both herbal medicine and astrology are, at their core, one and the same- for they are built off the same fundamental blueprint of nature. 
     
    When you study these fundamental principles and patterns of astrology and herbalism simultaneously, it enhances your learning of both systems, making it quicker to learn them and thus incorporate them into your work with people. 
     
    This is what I call the Zodiacal Study Strategy.
     
    It is a model for study that you can incorporate into the time you have available—or rather the time you create—to optimize your learning process of both herbalism and astrology. It is built on the similarities between the philosophical foundations of holistic herbalism and astrology, or what I think of as the architecture of the zodiac.

    As with anything worth learning, you must make time to study, integrate, and practice. Unfortunately, it won't magically appear. What differentiates a good herbalist or astrologer from a great one is discipline and consistency in studying and gaining experience. And it's about using your time strategically. What follows is one year's worth of study. By the end of that year, you will have a solid foundation in both astrological medicine and clinical herbal medicine.
     
    ————————————
    CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
    ————————————
    To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
    http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
     
    Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
    http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
    https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
     
    Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
     
    Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
    https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
    ————————————
    The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT SAJAH
    ————————————
    Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
    His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
    He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
     
    ————————————
    WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
    ————————————
    If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.
  • The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

    How to Really Read Your Constitution in the Natal Chart

    11/03/2026 | 48 mins.
    In this episode, Sajah talks about how to assess a person's constitution through the natal chart and why this matters for effective holistic herbalism. You'll learn how the rising sign, planetary placements, and the 1st to 6th house relationship reveal underlying patterns that determine health, imbalance, and therapeutic strategy.
    Here's what you'll learn:
    What "constitution" means in holistic medicine — and why it's foundational

    Why treating symptoms without constitutional assessment often fails

    The difference between prakruti (core constitution) and vikruti (current imbalance) in Ayurveda, and how they relate to the natal chart

    The #1 mistake beginners make in medical astrology

    Why the rising sign is the true constitutional doorway

    How to assess constitution through: the rising sign's element, mode, and ruling planet, planets conjunct the ascendant, the ruling planet's placement, strength, and dignity

    How the 1st house and 6th house form a quincunx, revealing health vulnerabilities

    A breakdown of the Gemini–Scorpio elimination axis as a case study

    When the rising sign can be overridden (stelliums, stationary planets, elemental dominance)

    Why constitutional knowledge should guide herbal formulation

     
    ————————————
    CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
    ————————————
    To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
    http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
     
    Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
    http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
    https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
     
    Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
     
    Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
    https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
     
    Shop our herbal products: 
    https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
    ————————————
    The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT SAJAH
    ————————————
    Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
    His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
    He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
     
    ————————————
    WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
    ————————————
    If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.
  • The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

    Four Herbs of the Sun: Warmth, Vitality, Heart & Spirit

    03/03/2026 | 48 mins.
    Join the FREE Astro-Herbalism Mini-Course that's happening right now: https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/astro-herbalism-mini-course/
    In medical astrology, the Sun represents the gravitational center of the psyche and of the body. Just as the planets orbit the Sun, so too does our physiology organize itself around a central core of vitality, expressed through the heart, the circulation of blood, and the distribution of warmth throughout our organism. 
    When the solar principle is strong, we see resilience, clarity, steady immunity, and a sense of inner coherence. When it is weak, patterns of fatigue, coldness, poor circulation, and psychoemotional instability may emerge.
    In this episode, I'll explore four medicinal plants that are powerful expressions of the solar archetype. Through the lenses of heart, warmth, vitality, and spirit, we'll examine how Hawthorn, Angelica, Ashwagandha, and St. John's Wort restore the solar force within us, bridging alchemical philosophy with grounded clinical application.
    Here's what you'll learn:
    The deeper alchemical and medical astrology meaning of the Sun as the center of the psyche and the body

    The Sun's rulership of the heart, cardiovascular system, and core vitality

    How solar vitality influences immune strength and resilience

    Why Hawthorn is a primary cardiovascular trophorestorative and Shen stabilizer

    How Angelica restores warmth, circulation, and digestive fire in cold, deficient patterns

    How Ashwagandha builds steady, calm vitality rather than overstimulation

    How St. John's Wort protects and uplifts the psychoemotional "solar spirit," including its liver and nervous system connections

     
    ————————————
    CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
    ————————————
    To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
    http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
     
    Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
    http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
    https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
     
    Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
     
    Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
    https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
     
    Shop our herbal products: 
    https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
    ————————————
    The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT SAJAH
    ————————————
    Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
    His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
    He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
     
    ————————————
    WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
    ————————————
    If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.
  • The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

    Planetary Sympathy and Astrotherapeutics

    25/02/2026 | 33 mins.
    Most traditions of herbal medicine across the world use the fundamental principle of antipathetic medicine in their approach to therapeutics. But in the practice of alchemical medicine—based on Paracelsianism— and in astro-herbalism, another approach is commonly used: sympathetic medicine. In this episode, we'll explore some of the principles of sympathetic medicine, how it differs from the antipathetic approach, and how we can work with it to deepen our understanding of plant to planet correspondences.
     
    Here's an overview of what you'll learn:
    The key differences between sympathetic and antipathetic medicine

    How to think through planetary correspondences in plants and more importantly, in practice

    The various layers of herbal sympathy to planets such as organ affinities, energetics, and herbal actions

    How herbs can paradoxically embody both sympathetic AND antipathetic qualities to a singular planetary force

    Refining clinical application through the Triune System

     
    Warning: this is a slightly more advanced discussion relating to astro-herbalism and planetary correspondences in plants. If you're not familiar with this topic it might be a bit complex!
     
    ————————————
    CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
    ————————————
    To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
    http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
     
    Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
    http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
    https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
     
    Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
     
    Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
    https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
    ————————————
    The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT SAJAH
    ————————————
    Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
    His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
    He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
     
    ————————————
    WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
    ————————————
    If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.
  • The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

    Astrological Medicine for Herbalists with Judith Hill

    20/02/2026 | 1h 33 mins.
    If you've ever wondered how astrology can interface with medicine, and whether it really works, you're in for a treat!
     
    I am delighted to share my interview with Judith Hill, who has been my teacher and mentor for over 15 years. Since we first met, she has profoundly influenced me as an herbalist, practitioner, and individual. Her guidance has been instrumental in helping me comprehend the profound impact of the celestial realm on us as humans, constantly inspiring my practice of integrating clinical herbalism and medical astrology.
     
    Judith is the founder of the Academy for Astrological Medicine and an award-winning author of fourteen books, including her latest, The Twelve Zodiac Sign Syndromes of Medical Astrology: Expanding Our View of the Seasonal Wheel. She produces The Renaissance Medicine Conference and has created many well-known astrology courses. 
     
    If you've ever been curious about how astrology intersects with medicine or questioned its efficacy, this interview is for you!
     
    We covered a lot of ground in this conversation, including: 
    Using astrology as a means for potentizing herbal remedies from harvesting to preparation, to administration

    Techniques for working with the Moon

    How to talk to skeptics (there are many people who "don't believe in astrology!")

    The classification of plants astrologically, the issues we inherited from the ancients, and how we can modernize astrological medicine

    How astrology reflects health patterns across the human being

    The interrelationship of physical and psychological health conditions

    Practical ways doctors and practitioners can integrate astrology into their modern clinical practices

    Timing interventions, choosing remedies, and patient-practitioner compatibility using astrology

    Real-life case studies demonstrating astrology uncovering hidden causes of illness

    The intuitive and mechanical insights astrology provides for modern healthcare

     
    ————————————
    CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY
    ————————————
    To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: 
    http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
     
    Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels:
    http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism
    https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/
     
    Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ
     
    Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:
    https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/
     
    Shop our herbal products: 
    https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT THE PLANT PATH
    ————————————
    The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.
     
    ————————————
    ABOUT SAJAH
    ————————————
    Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy.
    His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves.
    He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines. 
     
    ————————————
    WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST?
    ————————————
    If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.

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About The Plant Path: Herbalism, Medical Astrology & Spagyric Alchemy

The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine, providing unique insights, skills and tools for the practice of true holistic herbalism grounded in traditional practices of herbal medicine. From clinical strategies to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather how we can work with them to heal and consciously evolve.
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