The Gift of Healing Herbs: Plant Medicines and Home Remedies for a Vibrantly Healthy Life

Amazing and Comprehensive Daily Working Reference!
The Gift of Healing Herbs is a compendium on herbs, their uses, benefits and how they relate to the reader’s daily life and well being. Robin has created a reference to aid anyone, including and maybe especially beginners (because it puts so much together in one place and makes it all so comprehensible). It is helfpul in understanding how to use herbs and nature’s bounty to aid in health maintenance or recovery, energy levels and dealing with life challenges through herbs, while realizing that each of us is a total being, connected with all other life.The book includes complete guides to herb preparation for use in various mediums, recipes, remedies, and what herbs are directed to specific aspects of the persons well being – awareness of the magic of healing powers of plants all comes together.This is the most complete “single source” that I have come across – a true daily reference that puts so much all in one source. I have taken courses with Robin. She has invested years of knowledge and experience to share with the reader. I am really excited about this book! I purchased both versions: the hard copy to facilitate making my own notes and the electronic version for my iPad to have readily available where ever I might be.

Best beginner book for the true holistic
I’ve been reading a lot of herbal books lately, but this so far is my favorite, bar none. Robin Rose Bennett is knowledgeable while also being supremely approachable. She sounds exactly like a patient, entertaining teacher. I greatly appreciate Robin’s flexible, holistic approach. A lot of herbalists, while undoubtedly well meaning, can be a bit militaristic. You absolutely MUST have this entire array of expensive herbs and make them the exact correct way or else the medicine won’t work. Robin, on the other hand, is the most practical writer I’ve read. She doesn’t gloss over what she feels is most effective in certain situations (collecting your own herbs, making tincture out of fresh herbs, all that kind of stuff), but one of her mottos is to use the best available herb you have. Robin gives you lots of alternatives and she also gives you a few easily accessed herbs that have lots of uses. She also does an incredible job of explaining why plants are good for certain things instead of just listing all the attributes (for example, why burdock is good for the skin or explaining blood and liver cleansers). I love that Robin includes tons of resources and discusses other herbalists’ methods which differ from her own style, too.I will note that this is not the most organized or scientific book (although she does discuss science). Robin’s emphasis is holistic health and that includes spirituality. I appreciate this and think she does a good job of teaching about intuitive plant wisdom without being too “woo.” The layout of the book has separate sections for different body systems, which is helpful, but again a lot of her information is anecdotal and she wanders a bit when she writes.As a beginner I often feel overwhelmed because it feels like there’s only one right way of doing things and I’ll never have the supplies or knowledge to accomplish what I want to. This book reassures me that I can start simply and learn to trust my own instincts and experience.

A well written book with useful information
I read it and reviewed it and used it to treat myself and even my dog with excellent effects. I wanted to compare and contrast this information with Matthew Wiod’s Herbal Repertory and was glad to see both the overlap and the new information in her book. I would critique it a bit and offer that eating the herbs is not discussed…only brewing them for a really long time or tinctures or other processing methods were suggested. But the properties and mixes of herbs was good information. Happy with my purchase!

Lots of helpful information!
Bigger than expected, I have read a little bit of it so far and I am enjoying it!

Totally inspiring, heart warming and very informative read. It is such a comforting book because it empowers you with knowledge, giving you a perspective which allows you to feel a true sense of connection to our plant family and the delight in being able to recognise their healing powers.

I love this book. The descriptions and recipes are simple enough for beginners, and it uses fairly common herbs (even dried herbs from your spice cabinet). I also like that it has a section on ‘body symptoms’, as well as a section on each individual herb and uses. I’ve read a lot of books by popular herbalists with fancy recipes for creams and tinctures, but, for me, this one is far more practical and easy to use. Happy to have my own copy to reference and lend!

I found this book very inspiring and read it in one sitting. I love the formulas she gives. It is a book I refer to often.