Deva Herb Workshop at Bhrugu Aranya, Poland

Mother Earth created herbs as a natural medicine chest for all beings that inhabit this planet. In ancient times, man was led by instinct and knew exactly which herbs to use.

In modern times where contact with Nature has been lost, our natural inner wisdom and intuition has also been forgotten. Yet the healing plants continue to live in the pastures, forests and gardens. Let us recognize them again and learn to use the amazing bounty of Nature.
Our first Homa Herb Workshop was held at Bhrugu Aranya Homa Farm this July. The workshop was led by Asia, my wife, and myself, in our recently-built straw bale house in our community. For ten years we have been growing Homa Herbs and gaining practical experience in their medicinal uses.

We wanted to make people aware of Homa Herbs and potent remedies that can be made at home, so, the workshop was practical and experiential. The first day concentrated on identifying the many wild herbs that grow within the boundaries of the Homa farm, as well as those grown in our herb and vegetable gardens. There were herb walks in the surrounding forest and fields, where medicinal and salad herbs were identified and their uses discussed. The group learned how to harvest, dry, process and store herbs with Agnihotra Ash, so that the herbs could be available throughout the year.
As Shree Vasant and Orion have both stated, herbs growing in a Homa atmosphere have increased medicinal properties, aroma and flavour.
The second day was given entirely to the practical experience of preparing Homa Herb Folk Remedies. Monika Koch, German pharmacist and Agnihotra practioner, pioneered the use of Agnihotra Ash Medicines which continue to benefit many around the world, often resulting in miraculous healing experiences.
In Homa Herb Folk Remedies we combine the healing power of the Agnihotra ash with that of medicinal herbs. Agnihotra ash medicines and herbal remedies complement each other extremely well, enhancing the medicinal effects and contributing to a greater holistic healing spectrum. The preparations included herbal infusions and decoctions, tinctures, syrups, poultices, infused oils and medicinal ghees.
Many beneficial herbs can be grown even in a small garden or in pots on a balcony. The bounty of Nature is such that, within a very small area, many wild herbs may flourish that can be used medicinally or eaten in salads. Several plants that are thought of as weeds actually have a long history of use as folk medicine. By adding the extra ingredient of Agnihotra and Homa Therapy, these common herbs become a powerful aid to our health and well-being.

The focus of Homa Herb Medicine is a comprehensive revival of effective folk remedies that can be made at home. It is a living and vastly adaptable subject that can be applied to all the myriad herbal preparations imaginable.
Although the focus of the workshop was on herbs growing in Poland’s temperate climate, all the applications of Homa Herb Folk Remedies can be applied to any herbal preparations and to any herbal system, be it Western, Ayurvedic, Chinese, etc.
There is an old tradition of folk herb use in Poland, which meant there was great interest in our workshop. We had a wonderful group of participants from Poland, Denmark and Switzerland, who showed great enthusiasm and interest in applying Homa Therapy principles to growing Homa herbs and preparing herbal medicine.
An added dimension to Homa Herb gardening and preparations that we focused on was introducing an awareness of the Deva and Nature Spirit realms. Already, every morning at Bhrugu Aranya Homa Organic Farm, before we start our work in the gardens, we have been joining together to attune to the Garden Devas to ask for their cooperation and guidance in co-creating the gardens.
When we do this process we feel intuitively guided throughout the day and there is a sense of harmony, peace and joy that pervades the garden and all those who work there. We feel it is an important step to reconnecting to Nature and Mother Earth. It is a healing process for all of us. We even attune ourselves to the Devas to know which herbs are ready for picking and when.
When the sacredness of Nature is respected, one’s connection to the herbs and Nature is deepened, intuition is heightened and magic abounds. The vibrational quality of the herbs is elevated and this leads to more effective herbal remedies.
Nearly every household has some herbal preparation that has been handed down from the previous generation or newly learned. Applying Homa Herbal techniques to that remedy is a very simple step forward.
We hope that by identifying and studying the wild herbs that grow on your land and in your gardens in your own climate, these Homa herbs can be used for relieving everyday ailments and especially for preventative medicine. Become aware of the seasons, of which plants are available at which times, and use them fresh in teas or salads, and dry them for future use.
Diseases appear to be on the increase, but as the nutritional and medicinal properties of non-Homa herbs, vegetables and fruits diminish, people’s immune systems are becoming weakened and they are more susceptible to catching viruses and illnesses. By using Homa Herbs and remedies made with Agnihotra Ash, we can strengthen the body’s immune system and take control of our own holistic health.
At Bhrugu Aranya we are producing our own herbal teas for sale and in the near future we will have a website and a Homa Herb book published. We welcome any inquiries on how we can help.

Asia Maher from Poland is an artist, massage therapist and herbal healer. Rory Maher, an Irishman born and raised in Peru, is a Homa Organic gardener specializing in herbs, and author of the new book, Homa Herbs for the New Age. The couple resides in their ecological straw-bale house at Bhrugu Aranya Homa eco village community, with their two young children.