This article was originally written for Herbal Reality, an educational resource created to be a voice for herbal medicine. Herbal medicines are fast gaining popularity — but why? The trend More and more so in the past couple of decades people have been turning towards natural medicines for their healthcare (1). Herbal medicines generally fall…

I WAS NOT IN GLASGOW in 2021 as 120 world leaders, 40,000 official participants, 3,886 journalists, and several thousand activists converged on the city for COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference that famously ended in disappointment. But I was in Edinburgh a year later as scores of rugby fans filled airport bars at five in…

Greetings Family and Friends! Lee Kaiser here, community member and resident ecologist at Novalis. I am writing from the US after my latest 5 months of intensive work, play, and study, with plentiful personal, collective, and ancestral healing as part of a continuation of the transformational journeys that I have been blessed with over the…

RESEARCH VESSEL HERACLITUS, the Chinese-junk research ship built by the Institute of Ecotechnics in 1975, has sailed the world’s oceans for over forty years, traveling more than 270,000 nautical miles in every sea except the Arctic. Over the course of its twelve epic expeditions, the ship has been a nautical home to hundreds of seafarers…

On 12th April 2024 I shall embark upon the greatest challenge of my life.—The Marathon des Sables (MDS)—Known as the “Thoughest Footrace on Earth” It’s a 250km Ultra Marathon through the Sahara desert, in temperatures which often exceed 50°C in the day and can go as low as 5°C at night. It also involves carrying…

I have long been convinced that the mind-manifesting powers of psychedelics have the potential to help humanity meet its greatest scientific, technical and leadership challenges. By illustration, I can offer my own example. Using psychedelics interwoven with other practices, I tackled one of science’s major mysteries: How did life begin?

Ethnopharmacology is the study of how different cultures use plants and natural substances to treat illnesses and promote health. This interdisciplinary field combines elements of anthropology, pharmacology, and botany to investigate the historical, cultural, and scientific aspects of traditional remedies. Throughout human history, various cultures have developed their own unique knowledge and practices when it…

An herbarium is a curated collection of meticulously preserved plant specimens and their associated data, which are utilized for rigorous scientific investigation. These specimens may encompass entire plants or specific plant parts, typically desiccated and affixed to paper sheets. Herbaria play a pivotal role as indispensable resources for biodiversity, ecological, and evolutionary research. They afford…

In the heart of every leaf, root, and flower lies a story—a narrative of survival, healing, and profound connection. This is the realm of ethnobotany, a field where the eternal echoes of plants meet the curiosity of human intellect. Ethnobotany is not merely a scientific discipline; it is a bridge between worlds, a dialogue between…

Ayahuasca is a Quechua term that is commonly translated into “vine of the spirits, vine of the soul, or vine of the dead” and refers to jungle liana in the Malpighiaceae family taxonomically known as Banisteriopsiscaapi Spruce ex. Griseb. The same term is synonymous with a psychoactive tea or beverage traditionally used by cultural groups…