Ancestral, Folk, & Herbal
6-Month Online Program
Register Now for
January 27 th-July 2025
Tuesday & Thursdays
5:00pm-7:00Pm MT
REgistration deadline December 1st
Limited Spots Available
JOIN US
Learn Comprehensive, Integrative, Person-Centered & Culturally-Guided Healing
Herbalism
Energetic bodywork
Learning & Working w/ Elders
Energetic cleansing
Ancestral & Inter-generational Healing
LEARN ABOUT
Our Teachers and Program Contributions
Our school features medicine workers and elders working across a spectrum of the healing arts. Students have an opportunity to study medicine in the context it is relevant to and classes are often taught in a nonacademic way. Several of the teachers have written books, and may have a masters or PhD but this is not our focus. We value the grandma healers, and the ones who carry the knowledge of many generations of their elders doing the same thing, the people who are actively working with their community and being in touch with their roots.
Read about each teacher’s bio and program contribution below:
Miriam Foronda
Classes & Topics
* Elements of Ceremony
* Life as Ceremony
* Guidance for working alone, and in community (through virtual and face to face ceremonies)
* Invoking the elements of the Natural World, Ancestors and Divine Energy.
About
My family ancestry is from Honduras, Central America. I was born and raised in New York City, there I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the City University of New York. As long as I can remember I have had the gift of healing through my hands and an acute sense of intuition. However, as a child and young these gifts were not spoken of or used. In 1984, I received a spiritual calling through a sweat lodge ceremony facilitated by Uncle Charlie Thom of the Karuk tribe in Mt. Shasta. From there my life as I knew it changed. My first visit to New Mexico was in 1987 to participate in ceremony for the Harmonic Convergence. Then in 1989 I visited Taos, New Mexico for the San Geronimo Feast day. On this day God called me to move to Taos. My new life began on August 31, 1991 when I moved to Taos. Here I raised my two younger children. When they went off to college in 2005, I too decided enter the Master’s degree program in Educational Leadership at the University of New Mexico. At that time my mentor asked me to teach the Sacred Ceremony class at UNM-Taos. My Master’s thesis evolved from this class and from my own spiritual developmental path. When I completed the Master’s degree there was an urgency to continue my education which led me to enter the doctoral program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. I opted to receive a second Master’s degree in Transformative Studies due to lack of money to complete the doctoral dissertation. Over the last three decades my spiritual path has led me to become a ceremonialist in facilitating sweat lodges, vision quests, water blessings and healing ceremonies. Through my own spiritual development I have a great interest in how other’s spiritual development leads them to their self- authorship and authenticity through ritual and ceremony. This is my passion. My commitment to be of service to others by the will of God is how I live my life.CLASSES & TOPICS
- Discover the principles of Elemental Medicine
- Learn about the **Elements of Ceremony** and how they can enhance your spiritual practice
- Experience **Life as Ceremony** and the sacredness in everyday moments
- Engage in the process of **Invoking the Elements of the Natural World, Ancestors, and Divine Energy** to deepen your connection to the universe
- Participate in **Land Blessings** and explore the transformative **Healing Power of Water**
- Get hands-on experience in **Creating Your Own Altar** as a personal space for reflection and intention
- Embrace practices aimed at **Transforming Energy, Enhancing Relationships, and Nurturing Self-Care**
- The Balance of Sacrifice and Nourishment
Karen Waconda
Classes & Topics
*Anti-Oppression, Equity, and Accountability Training
*Protocols and ethics in integration with medical practice
*The Medicine of Sacred elements and your relationship to them
*Making tinctures, salve, and soap making
Medicinal vinegars using herbs and fruit
Medicinal Plant Materia Medica,/h3>
*Discussion of healthy lifestyles, wellness, and healthy eating
BIO
KAREN WACONDA-LEWIS is a native from Isleta/Laguna Pueblo. After initiation into the Native Medicine, she brought the native medicine into an urban American Indian health clinic in Albuquerque, NM and continues to expand the program to local hospitals, Indian Health Service, VA Hospital and surrounding organizations. She joins Western Medicine with Native healing in preventive health, mental health and overall well-being. She is the founder and director of Center for Native American Integrative Healing, LLC located in Albuquerque, where other indigenous healers practice their traditional medicine and extends out to the community. She also is the founder of Wa’Kanda Retreat & Spa which brings in holistic, chemical free, healing for those in chronic need. She is a graduate of Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader and regularly provides dharma teachings with integration of native teachings throughout NM, nationally and at Insight Meditation Society-staff and teacher training. She has interconnected the native teachings with Vipassana teachings into ceremonies, sweat lodges and into her community at Laguna Pueblo. At Laguna Pueblo, the ancestral teaching of mindfulness compliment the Buddhist teachings at the Detention center at Laguna pueblo giving insight and wellness to the inmates and families. She is co-founder of the Annual Indigenous and Native Healer’s Silent Retreats and Albuquerque POC and Allies Sangha.CLASSES & TOPICS
- Anti-Oppression, Equity, and Accountability Training
- Protocols and ethics in integration with medical practice
- The Medicine of Sacred elements and your relationship to them
- Making tinctures
- Medicinal vinegars using herbs and fruit
- Medicinal Plant Material
- Discussion of healthy lifestyles, wellness, and healthy eating
Dr. Pepper Hernandez
BIO
Founder of Non-Profit Humboldt Holistic Foundation to help expand and create resources for the stability of Holistic Projects for Humboldt County and beyond. Like a woven scarf, Dr. Hernadnez's threads are made up of Apache, Navaho, and Indigenous Mexican on her father's side. Cherokee, Arapaho, and Cheyenne from her mother's side. Her great, great, great grandfather walked the trail of tears to make it to Oklahoma as their home. The place where her mother would receive her in spirit to birth. She has been a spiritual teacher for over two decades, adding to her tool bag along her journey. Mainly focused on the mental, physical and spiritual bodies, she bridges naturopathic medicine with the more spiritual aetherial worlds. With the intention that all humans spirits are energy manifested physically. Pepper is a researcher focusing on Neuroscience, Hebbs Law and bridging the gap between science and spirituality. She is fascinated by Entheogenics, Neuroplasticity, and Quantum Physics. As her values and purpose evolve, she chooses to work on a deeper level with clients as a spiritual educator. She calls this type of work Quantum Alignment Therapy® which includes working with the balance of nutrition through food and supplementation, energy alignment, and chakra balancing. mental, physical, and spiritual homeostasis.CLASSES & TOPICS
- Medicinal Foods For And Herbs
- Cancer Prevention Including Cannabis Care
- Energy Movement to repattern imbalances and blockages
- Hands On Healing, Quantum Healing, And Distance Healing
- Maintaining and resonance of higher Vibrations and Frequencing to create the life you want to live
- Positivity, Surrender, and Releasing Trauma and Blockages energeticically and Emotrionally
- Ancestral Energy Centers And Chakras
- Sacred Sexuality
Tiffany Freeman
Classes & Topics
A Common Herbal
Get to know the energetics and therapeutic qualities of common herbals. Deepen your understanding through herbal energetics, indications and helpful preparations of some of our most commonly used herbal powerhouses.Nourishing the Blood: A Traditional look at postpartum care
In this session we will be discussing the role that blood plays in the postpartum parent and the connections that blood has to the healing of tissues, mental & emotional wellbeing, milk production, overall wellbeing, and resilience as we enter a new phase of our lives. We will be exploring traditional ways to use herbs, foods, and traditional techniques for building blood, healing tissues, milk production, supporting the postpartum birthing parent, and traditional Indigenous nêhiyaw perspective.Medicines of our Ancestors
Many of our ancestors held common medicinal techniques that were used for healing, techniques that have been found to span the globe. In this session we will look at the some of these medicines through the use of herbal smoke, moxabustion, cupping & blood letting. We’ll discuss its purpose through parts of history and the importance as we all as the indications for modern day applications of these ancient techniques.Our Hearts Opening: Traditional perspectives on Tongue Assessment and other Energetic Assessments
In the session we will learn about the tongue as an assessment tool. The colour, shape, texture or coating and geographic locations of the tongue are used to determine specific energetics and patterns that help inform more accurate treatment protocols and recommendations. In this class we will also use the knowledge we learn from tongue assessment to look at other areas such as the face.
About
Dr. Tiffany Freeman R.Ac, TCMD, Reg. CL.H (AHG) Tiffany Freeman, she/her, traditional name askîy maskihkiwiskwew, earth medicine woman, is a mixed nêhiyaw iskwew of Treaty 1 ancestry (Peguis First Nation) living on Treaty 7 territory in Mohkinstsis (Calgary, Alberta, Canada). Professionally Tiffany is a Registered Acupuncturist (CAA), a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor (AAATCMD), a Registered Clinical Herbalist (American Herbalist Guild) and an Indigenous Birthworker. In clinical practice Tiffany focuses on client centred gender inclusive medicine, and has a speciality in sexual, reproductive, generative health and birthwork. She offers care for birthing parents through all phases of pregnancy including pre-conception, fertility, pregnancy/ pre- natal and postpartum care; bringing her Indigenous traditions, ceremony & traditional food knowledge to her birthing parents & families as well as care through herbal protocols & acupuncture. Along with her clinical practice she is also an instructor, author and educator teaching a variety of courses in herbalism, assessment techniques, and reproductive, generative & sexual health courses. She is an instructor/author at Wild Rose College of Natural Healing and offers.
- Herbal energetics, indications and helpful preparations of some of our most commonly used herbal powerhouses.
- Nourishing the Blood: A Traditional look at postpartum care
- Medicines of our Ancestors
- Traditional perspectives on Tongue Assessment and other Energetic Assessments
Joseph Brophey Toledo
BIO
Malia Roe is a practicing indigenous pagan who walks the six-fold path. As a practitioner, she draws deeply from her lifelong experiences with the invisible world (spirits, ancestors, energy) that began in her childhood and were nurtured through a long line of engagements and teachings with seers, wise women, cunning folk, herbalists, and medicine people from a diverse set of cultural and ancestral traditions. She has been called to share those teachings and experiences with others in ways that support their own journeys of self-awareness and empowerment. In addition to thirty years as a practicing intuitive advisor and life counselor, Malia is a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD) as well as the Ancient Order of Druids in America and the Sisterhood of Avalon. She is a certified Life & Mindfulness Coach, a certified Master Herbalist, an OBOD-trained Celebrant and legal ceremonial officiant, and a member of the Native Roots Medicine Collective. She is also an active member of the Taos Healing & Reconciliation Project and a trained HRI facilitator.
CLASSES & TOPICS
Power of Hands
Grounding Down with Healing Thoughts
Healing Mind & Healing Body
Herbal Connections
Earth People
New Mexico Indigenous People and land based spirituality
Elizabeth
BIO
Bio: Elizabeth Scheer is a transformational posture & movement specialist, guiding clients to unlock their body's potential. With over two decades of experience as a licensed massage therapist and 500+hr yoga certification, she adeptly assists students in uncovering and releasing rigid holding patterns, allowing for a profound awakening. Through her intuitive approach, Elizabeth facilitates a journey of self-discovery, helping individuals transcend physical & emotional discomfort, blocked energy, and suppressed emotions. Her sessions leave you feeling more vibrant, present, confident, and open, as she draws from her own journey of integrating and transmuting emotional and physical trauma. Each encounter with Elizabeth is not just a session; it's a transformative experience tailored to nurture and empower. Topics: Reclaiming and repatterning from the inside out: Healing physical and emotional pain and trauma through movement and posture realignment using posture correction and neuro-muscular regenerative somatic techniques. 1. Cultivating Awareness 2. Embracing Acceptance, Compassion, Softening, and Mindful Slowing Down 3. Feeling to Heal: Embracing Truth and Confronting Fear 4. Finding Freedom Through Structure 5. Nurturing Self-Love 6. Attuned to the Needs of Our Shared SpaceCLASSES & TOPICS
- Reclaiming and repatterning from the inside out: Healing physical and emotional pain and trauma through movement and posture realignment using posture correction and neuro-muscular regenerative somatic techniques.
- Cultivating Awareness
- Embracing Acceptance, Compassion, Softening, and Mindful Slowing Down
- Feeling to Heal: Embracing Truth and Confronting Fear
- Finding Freedom Through Structure
- Nurturing Self-Love
- Attuned to the Needs of Our Shared Space
Malia Roe
BIO
Malia Roe is a practicing indigenous pagan who walks the six-fold path. As a practitioner, she draws deeply from her lifelong experiences with the invisible world (spirits, ancestors, energy) that began in her childhood and were nurtured through a long line of engagements and teachings with seers, wise women, cunning folk, herbalists, and medicine people from a diverse set of cultural and ancestral traditions. She has been called to share those teachings and experiences with others in ways that support their own journeys of self-awareness and empowerment. In addition to thirty years as a practicing intuitive advisor and life counselor, Malia is a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD) as well as the Ancient Order of Druids in America and the Sisterhood of Avalon. She is a certified Life & Mindfulness Coach, a certified Master Herbalist, an OBOD-trained Celebrant and legal ceremonial officiant, and a member of the Native Roots Medicine Collective. She is also an active member of the Taos Healing & Reconciliation Project and a trained HRI facilitator.
CLASSES & TOPICS
- Celtic Spirituality, Magic, And Mysticism
- Herbal Remedies for energetic Protection and energetic Boundaries
- Herbal Remedies for basic body systems: Lungs, Immune & Nervous System
- Low Dose Herbs
- Medicine Making of Salves, Oils, Tinctures and Flower Essences
- Relation to energy of self and others
Morgaine Witriol
BIO
Morgaine Witriol is founder of the Native Roots School of Ancestral, Folk & Herbal Medicine in Taos, NM, a collective of 10 different teachers that teach each about their own ancestral healing modalities. Morgaine is a clinical herbalist, wild crafter, gardener, medicine maker and intuitive being in service to the plant and fungal folk. At her private practice in Taos, NM people can receive a combination of clinical, spiritual and medical intuitive treatments including bodywork, herbal consults, somatic trauma release, repatterning and reconditioning intergenerational and ancestral wounds, lymphatic drainage, abdominal massage, and sound healing. Morgaine's focus in her practice aside from trauma work is focused working with people that are diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, arthritis, depression or hard to treat chronic disease that western medicine is stumped by. At Native Roots, Morgaine teaches about reclaiming one’s own ancestral traditions as a displaced person, Jewish Folk Medicine, Southwest Materia Medica, Herbal Allies for Trauma & Grief, Ethics, Cultural Appropriation, Plant Energetics, Energywork, Clinical Herbalism, Flower Essences, Medicine Making and leads several multi-day field trips doing medicinal plant walks. Morgaine developed and ran educational programs accredited through the University of NM, has taught at the American Herbalist guild conference twice, and is now teaching at Northern University on herbalism for the nursing department. Her favorite people to teach are doctors, nurses, children and teachers. She has led plant and mushroom walks for the New Mexico Association of Osteopathic Medicine, Flower Hill Institute, presented for Native Plant Society, and taught wellness through plant and mushroom medicine for Taos Municipal Schools Employees. Morgaine apprenticed with a Mayan medicine man for 1 1/2 years in Belize. She studied at Northwest School For Botanical Medicine, Dandelion Herbal Center, Blue Otter School, California School Of Herbal Medicine & Milagro Herb School. Pre pandemic Morgaine led student trips to study herbalism with a Medicine Man in Guatemala for 4 years. She also founded and ran a Folk Farm & Forest Youth Camp. In her free time she visits with elders and elements, and practices the art of joy and balance.CLASSES & TOPICS
- Reclaiming medicine as a displaced person, the science of Plant meditations and communication with plants and water as medicine
- Herbal Remedies for Grief and Trauma
- Jewish Folk Medicine and reclaiming your own ancestral traditions
- Herbs for the kidney and repatterning ancestral and intergenerational trauma with intergenerational gifts, energy scans for ancestral wounds
- Herbs of New Mexico or Herbs or herbs for Cancer, liver herbs, energy scans childhood or emotional blockages
- Heart herbs and the cardiovascular system, energetic shifts and transformation tools
- Releasing emotional trauma from the body (including childhood wounds, sexual trauma, ancestral and intergenerational trauma, and soul retrieval)
- Ancestral, Childhood and repatterning other imbalances in the body energetically
- Matching plants with people: Herbal Formulations
*Plant energetics: communicating with the plant ancestors
Dosaging for the spirit, flower essences
About you
Who this program is designed for…
The person who has felt the calling to honor their own healing process and wants to be of service to their community. This is for people who are ready to create their own unique practice of holistic health and medicine. Those who feel in their hearts and spirits and every cell of their body the call towards creating relationship within and without – with the elements, with the plant and stone people, with all of nature and life itself. The ones who want to awaken the cellular and ancestral memory, who honor reverence and humility in the presence of medicine and the medicine keepers.
We have had doctors, nurses, lawyers, homesteaders, massage therapists, journalists, clinical and beginner herbalists, therapists, travelers, wanderers, farmers, native, non-native. We’ve had students at their quarterlife, midlife and ¾ life transitory points, who feel ready to honor their true life calling. Those who have felt disempowered, ready to really do the work, shed the trauma, face the intergenerational wounds, reclaim their roots.
What form will your future take?
Comprehensive Curriculum
What students will learn and gain through this program:
- A strong foundation in herbal materia medica,
- Self-healing, shadow work, and integration
- Uses of Medicinal Plants for physcial and emotional well-being
- Heal ancestral trauma and wounds
- Community building, with emphasis on community health
- Creating Relationship to the elements (fire, earth, water, air)
- Learning to honor our innate rhythms and cycles through prayer, ritual, and ceremony
- Bodywork and intuitive body mapping practice on self and others
Online Program
Online Program
6-Months
96 hours of educational time
January 16-July 2025
Tuesdays + Thursdays 5:00 – 7:00pm
Sliding Scale Cost: $2,200-$4,050*
By donation to tribally affiliated members of New Mexico
REgistration
Program Pricing & Payment
We try to make classes affordable to everyone as well as economically viable for teachers.
*Our programs are offered on a sliding scale, and we ask that you pay within a spectrum of what you can afford. The lower end of the scale applies to people on the lower income tier who also: work full time, are single parents, New Mexico residents or indigenous. To qualify for this you MUST show proof of medicaid or income as a full time employee that has proof of income at poverty levels. Proof must be sent before admitting to class if you are unable to prove this or additional fees for the middle part of the scale plus tax before admiral to class. Payments made are non-refundable.
Our sliding scale for the 96 hour online 6 month class is
2,200-$4,500
Tribally Affiliated people of NM may pay on a donation basis and a 10% NM Heritage discount is offered.
Please follow the link below and fill out the registration form.
Please reach out to in**@na****************.com if you need to set up a payment plan. All payment plans must be completed 2 weeks before the start date of class.