Hello, I am Theo, a father, gardener, director of a family run plant nursery in Macclesfield and graduate of the School of Intuitive Herbalism and a student at the Northern School of Shiatsu.
Insight Herbalism is about your direct experience of the plants. It is relational – not prescriptive. In practicing insight herbalism we build a relationship with one another and specific plants. I show you how plants can reflect our inner nature, teaching us about ourselves. This can help interrupt habitual patterns and thus play a part in restoring health and vitality.
Shiatsu is a therapeutic massage technique that offers direct access to the body’s knowing. Touch can focus our attention, and is unbiased. Shiatsu can remind us of our bodies innate power, intelligence and joy.
I am offering one to one sessions combining plant work with shiatsu. During these sessions I will provide a warm, welcoming space, that will give the opportunity to explore your health and whatever draws you to this work.
1st session – In the first session I will take a medical history ensuring a safe practice, this will be folowed with a general discussion as we will explore what you hope to get from the session and I suggest what I can hope to offer. We will finish with a short session of shiatsu allowing the body to speak. Total time 1 – 1.5 hours
2nd session – From the insights gained in the first session I will introduce a plant, most likely we will drink this plant as a tea whilst exploring what the plant has to offer. We will then move on to a longer shiatsu session, holding our experience of the plant whilst we connect with the body. We will finish with a discussion of the session. Perhaps I will set you some homework! Total time 1 hour
3rd session – The third session will jump off from where we left the second session likely following a similar pattern but perhaps allowing us to explore a little deeper. We will finish with a review of the three sessions and can decide if we want to continue. Total time 1 – 1.5 hours
I have always been a deep listener, trying to understand before I express an opinion or act. I admire what man has achieved in the world. I wanted to understand why and how. So I studied economics. At university I found the really valuable things in life came not from the myth of money and success but from the land and our relationships. I changed to a practical path engaging, with the land and people connected to it.
I started to work as a gardener. I reconnected with my family and the business my father had built from scratch. I began to learn how to cultivate space, how to invite in nature, birds, insects, plants and people. Through their garden people can start to reform their partnership with the natural world.
My mind took me to economics. My hands to the garden. It wasn’t until I found herbalism that these two worlds could meet. Plants whispered love into my heart when it was too broken to think. My journey with plants began in the garden but it took years before I started to listen to the plants. Herbalism connected my head and my hands. Herbalism woke up my heart. I am privileged, my whole being is working in unison, my mind body and soul delight in the path of the herbalist.