Animá LIfeways & Herbal School is the proud founder and host of the annual Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference. Animá provides unique nature-informed educational resources, acclaimed Herbal and Lifeways correspondence courses, hands-on events and retreats in a healing wilderness setting, life changing personal counsel and online healing consultations. While opting not to become an “official nonprofit” organization, Animá is devoted to its healing mission and not profits... with all services offered on a sliding-scale donation basis.

Animá Defined

Animá is a contemporary study and practice intended for all deeply feeling, intensely seeking people... a consciously decisive way of life rooted in ancient ways of knowing and being, in connective New Science as well as the lessons and revelations of the natural world. While any one of its lessons can be independently employed, for those of strong intent and focus Animá becomes a way of living every moment of our lives alertly, consciously, wholly and purposefully. The name Animá (pronounced ani-mah) is derived from the ancient Latin animus, meaning not only “breath” and “spirit” but also “courage.” The word has since been redefined by everyone from Plato to Jung, but at its root it is simply the vital life force connecting and animating all things, the healing force, containig the collective knowings (sometimes called “collective unconscious” or “collective conscious”) of all creation throughout time. The practice of Animá, then, is being – ever more consciously and courageously – an intentional participant in that unending process of healing, awakening, enlivening and creating.

The Animá Tradition of Herbalism

The Animá definition of health is wholeness, with healing becoming the natural and sometimes deliberate process of contributing to wholeness and helping to restore balance. The Animá Tradition of Herbalism is sourced in and fed by nature – nature’s plant medicines and all they have to teach us, and our own telling natures and knowing bodies... grounded in and continually tested by ongoing personal experience. While we draw from the recorded wisdom of healing traditions from around the world, we focus most on those ways that reflect the informative ecosystem and indigenous practices of the various bioregions where we each reside, and closer still to our own evolving intuition and skilled observations.

Animá Herbalism Correspondence Courses mix life changing self awareness skills with practical information on vitalism and energetics, medicinal plants and their uses, the Animá Medicine Wheel as a guide to constitutional diagnosis, formulas, wildcrafting and ethics. Online courses include.… (give a few possible course titles please)

Go to the Studentship Page to Read More

The Animá Medicine Woman Tradition

The Medicine Woman Tradition is a much valued component of the Animá Tradition of Herbalism, serving as a special advanced program for female healing pracitioners through a select number of Medicine Woman Mentorships.

For more information go to The Medicine Woman Tradition Online

Animá Correspondence Courses

Folks from all over the world are able to study Animá Herbalism and Lifeways through in-depth online Correspondence Courses including a growing assortment of topic-specific 8 week long lessons that include readings, self exploration questions and practical assignments. There are also a limited number of Animá Medicine Woman, Shaman Path and Path of Heart Mentorships available, intense online programs a year or more in length.

For more information or a Student Application

As I walk this path in The Medicine Woman Tradition, I am grateful for the courage I found in myself to finally step with two feet and whole heart into this journey. I am in awe at the support, the love, and the sincere guidance Kiva, Loba, Wolf, Rhiannon and the Canyon have repeatedly given me. This past year has been one of great unfurling and and discovery, challenges and pain, and pure enthusiasm and confidence in which to continue this walk of life. ............-Stacey, Medicine Woman Mentorship Student

Benefits of Animá Practice

As always in the real world, benefits and blessings come not so much from knowledge gathered, so much as from lessons lived, skills applied, and truths acted upon. It’s through not just their studies but their dedication, application and manifestation that Animá students are able to: Deepen their sense of presence, enjoy increased mindfulness, and explore personal direction and purpose. Increase awareness and understanding of their natural authentic selves, further awaken their bodily senses, recognize more beauty, hear more exquisitely, and maximize and value even the most mundane details of their finite lives. Explore their so called 6th Sense, including resonant empathy and innate intuition, tap into bodily knowing and primal instinct. Deepen their sense of place, further their awareness of and active relationship to the natural, revelatory world. Increase their sense of self worth and confidence, based on your true rather than imposed or imagined characteristics and gifts. Come to better understand their fears, and how to use them as markers for what needs their attention, as fuel to act, to change what needs changing. Realize that they’re a co-creator of not only their reality but also our world, and then commit to acting accordingly. Learn how to grow from every mistake or misdirection, getting beyond victimhood and attachment to escape. Make every moment a decisive moment, and take responsibility for what they do and don’t do. Reawaken a childlike sense of wonder and connection. Learn how to best utilize their gifts and skills for the good of their self and the world. Discover how to actively fulfill their most meaningful purpose and live their dreams. And learn ways and reasons to better celebrate and savor!

Animá Learning Center & Sanctuary

Gila Wildlands, New Mexico

The Animá Center is surrounded by one of the wildest and most enchanting mountain ecosystems in the U.S.: New Mexico’s Gila National Forest. A crystalline river runs through the land and past giant, fiery purple and orange cliffs featuring the rock-art spirals of the ancient Mogollon Indians. It’s as far removed from the noise, schedule and haste of the modern world as one can get, a four to five hour drive from the Albuquerque or Tucson airports. All services, books and events are offered on a donations basis. The Center serves several complimentary roles, as:

1. A place-specific source of the Animá teachings and practice

2. The physical home of the Animá Lifeways & Herbalism School, hosting guests for herbal and shaman path workshops, vision quests, wilderness retreats and life-changing personal counsel

3. A Botanical & Wildlife Sanctuary, a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Cooperator with already over 3 decades of river restoration efforts, focused on maximizing plant and animal diversity, conserving and reintroducing native plants including wildlife forage and medicinal herbs

4. An Archaeological Preserve, protecting the physical ruins and legacy of those ancient peoples who once tended river canyon where the Sanctuary nests

Click Here To Read More

Animá Herbal and Lifeways Books

Animá’s Sweet Medicine Press is in the process of producing and offering a selection of finely crafted books such as the upcoming Animá Medicine Woman Book of Herbalism by Kiva Rose, and Jesse Wolf Hardin’s Home: Reinhabiting Self, Place & Purpose. Books already available include Hardin’s Gaia Eros: Reconnecting with the Magic of Nature, and the illustrated “kid’s book” for all ages I’m a Medicine Woman Too!

What a beautiful gift Jesse has created. Its wise, the drawings are beautiful, and its so lovingly done. This book is a treasure... -Rosemary Gladstar

"A book thoroughly enjoyed by both myself and my little boys, I'm a Medicine Woman, Too! entices us not to look to others for ourselves, but rather to go within and bring out what we are, and know in doing so that we give the world around us what it needs. That such an important insight is accompanied by such beautiful images makes this book even more of a treasure." -Jim McDonald

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The Animá & Medicine Woman’s Roots Blogs

The Medicine Woman’s Roots Blog

An award winning blog by Kiva Rose, featuring profiles and never before reported information on the medicinal plants of the Southwest, how-to tips on medicine making, teaching tales from the Medicine Woman Tradition, and other captivating new stories, poetry and photography by lauded herbalist and inspired teacher Kiva Rose.

To get new posts sent to you automatically, go to the Medicine Woman’s Roots blog and click on “Subscribe.”

Thank you Kiva for all this inspiration! I think I’ve learned more useful information from your blog in the last few months than in the past 11 years of studying herbs. -April Horton

The Animá Blog

Featuring inspiring teaching tales and stories of life at the Animá wilderness sanctuary, profiles of students and supporters, event announcements, beautiful new photos of the Center and its plant and wildlife, progress reports on the restoration work at the Center, artwork, poetry, and recently published articles by Jesse Wolf Hardin, Kiva Rose, Loba and associated students, friends and authors.

To get new posts sent to you automatically, go to the Animá Blog and click on “Subscribe.”

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