Curanderismo: Plants Course

Lesson 1 • Origins and Cultural Context

Traces curanderismo from pre-Columbian Mesoamerican traditions through Spanish colonial synthesis. Grounds plant knowledge in its living cultural heritage.

Lesson 2 • Core Worldview and Cosmology

Examines the spiritual cosmology that shapes how curanderos understand illness and healing. Connects worldview to plant selection and ritual use.

Lesson 3 • Ethics and Responsibility in Practice

Establishes ethical obligations toward patients, plants, and community. Provides a moral foundation for all subsequent plant work in the course.

Lesson 1 • Market and Dried Herb Identification

Trains students to identify plants in dried, powdered, or bundled market forms. Addresses adulteration and substitution risks common in herbal markets.

Lesson 2 • Toxic Look-Alikes and Safety

Catalogs dangerous plants that resemble common curanderismo herbs. Builds critical safety habits that protect both practitioner and patient.

Lesson 3 • Taxonomic Classification Systems

Explains family, genus, and species classification as applied to curanderismo plants. Helps students reconcile folk names with scientific nomenclature.

Lesson 4 • Botanical Basics for Healers

Introduces plant morphology terms essential for accurate identification. Connects botanical vocabulary to field and market recognition of medicinal herbs.

Lesson 1 • Nervine and Calming Plants

Examines herbs used for susto, anxiety, and nervous system imbalance. Links emotional and spiritual diagnoses to specific plant remedies.

Lesson 2 • Women's Health and Reproductive Herbs

Covers plants used for menstrual regulation, pregnancy support, and postpartum care. Includes critical contraindication guidance for reproductive contexts.

Lesson 3 • Digestive and Gastrointestinal Herbs

Covers plants used for empacho, indigestion, and gut complaints central to curanderismo. Connects traditional indications to known physiological actions.

Lesson 4 • Anti-Inflammatory and Pain-Relieving Herbs

Profiles plants applied topically and internally for pain, swelling, and musculoskeletal complaints. Bridges traditional use with anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Lesson 1 • Susto: Fright and Soul Loss

Defines susto as a culture-bound syndrome and identifies its physical and emotional symptoms. Guides plant and ritual selection for susto treatment protocols.

Lesson 2 • Hot and Cold Disease Classification

Explains the humoral hot-cold framework inherited from Galenic and indigenous traditions. Trains students to match plant temperature qualities to illness categories.

Lesson 3 • Mal de Ojo and Envy-Based Illness

Examines mal de ojo as a diagnosis rooted in social and spiritual imbalance. Connects protective and curative plant use to this diagnostic category.

Lesson 4 • Empacho and Digestive Blockage

Covers empacho as a gastrointestinal diagnosis unique to curanderismo tradition. Identifies plant remedies and manual techniques used in treatment.

Lesson 1 • Teas, Infusions, and Decoctions

Distinguishes infusion from decoction and identifies which plant parts require each method. Establishes foundational preparation skills used throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Oils, Salves, and Topical Preparations

Guides students through infused oil production and conversion into salves and balms. Connects topical preparations to curanderismo massage and limpia practices.

Lesson 3 • Tinctures and Alcohol Extracts

Teaches maceration of plant material in alcohol to produce concentrated extracts. Covers menstruum selection, ratios, and shelf-life considerations.

Lesson 4 • Dosage, Ratios, and Formulation Logic

Establishes principles for combining plants and calculating safe doses across preparations. Prevents common formulation errors through systematic ratio training.

Lesson 1 • Herb-Drug Interaction Principles

Explains pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms behind herb-drug interactions. Equips students to identify high-risk combinations in patients using medications.

Lesson 2 • Toxicology Basics for Herbalists

Introduces dose-dependent toxicity, cumulative effects, and organ-specific plant toxins. Provides the scientific foundation for all contraindication decisions in practice.

Lesson 3 • Referral and Scope of Practice

Defines the boundaries of curanderismo plant practice and criteria for referring to biomedical care. Protects patients and practitioners through clear scope awareness.

Lesson 4 • Contraindications by Patient Population

Identifies plants contraindicated for pregnant women, children, and elderly patients. Trains students to screen patients before recommending any plant preparation.

Lesson 1 • Egg, Herb, and Object Limpias

Teaches the three primary limpia modalities and the plants associated with each. Develops procedural competence in executing each modality correctly.

Lesson 2 • Floral Baths and Spiritual Cleansing

Guides preparation and administration of floral baths for energetic and emotional cleansing. Links bath ingredients to specific spiritual and therapeutic intentions.

Lesson 3 • Protective Plant Bundles and Amulets

Covers construction of protective plant preparations for ongoing spiritual defense. Connects specific plants to their protective properties and traditional symbolism.

Lesson 4 • Incense, Copal, and Smoke Cleansing

Examines the role of copal and aromatic plants in smoke-based spiritual cleansing. Develops safe and intentional fumigation practice within ritual contexts.

Lesson 1 • Community Seed Saving and Plant Sharing

Explores seed saving, plant propagation, and community exchange as acts of cultural preservation. Connects stewardship to the continuity of curanderismo healing traditions.

Lesson 2 • Drying, Curing, and Long-Term Storage

Teaches post-harvest processing to preserve plant potency and prevent spoilage. Ensures that stored material retains therapeutic quality over time.

Lesson 3 • Cultivation and Home Garden Design

Guides students in growing key curanderismo plants in home and community garden settings. Reduces pressure on wild populations while ensuring reliable plant access.

Lesson 4 • Ecological Principles of Wild Harvesting

Introduces population ecology concepts relevant to sustainable wild plant harvest. Connects harvesting decisions to long-term plant community health.