Planet Herbs’ target market includes potential students interested in beginner through advanced herbal training. Our students want the potential of being useful in the household and the community; they seek a much deeper understanding than students who attend competitor courses. As herbalists, they seek a complete and systematic training in traditional clinical herbal medicine.

East West School of Planetary Herbology has been offering herbalist training for over 35 years. We have taught thousands of students who have been able to develop what may have started out as a hobby, into a professional practice with a decent to excellent livelihood.

What you receive from being a part of and taking our course is a solid foundation based on the wisdom of all the major world herbal traditions as well as the rich experience of our many teachers. This foundation will set you up for safe and effective herbal usage at all levels. It is in contrast to the overly simplistic what we call “allopathic — this for that”  approach that most other courses teach.

Many people may ask what is the legal and professional standing of an “herbalist” in North America and Europe today. My answer is that herbalist, with the exception in some areas of Chinese herbalists and some naturopaths who include herbs in their practice, there is no official legally recognized profession as “herbalist” in America. Anyone who may use a few words such as garlic or ginger could call themselves an “herbalist.”

Because there is no legal standing doesn’t mean that there is no definition of ‘herbalist’ in the higher sense of the term. In that sense, “Herbalist” is defined by who and where one studies, their experience, recognition by other well recognized herbalists and organizations such as the coveted professional RH (Registered Herbalist) standing of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG) and the East West Herb Course East West Certified Herbalist EWCH degree. Herbalism is the most wonderful study because it is so vast and there is always more to learn.

The usefulness of what one learns however, is based on having a well grounded foundation. This is what the East West course aims to provide. So, don’t be mislead by a school offering a college level degree in herbal medicine such a degree is only useful based on the standing of the college. For instance a degree from Harvard is of far greater meaning and value than a degree from some virtually unknown college. Also, definitely don’t be misled by schools and course offering an MF (master herbalist) degree. The greatest herbalists are far to wise to give any credence to the notion of “master” as it pertains to a subject so wonderful and vast as herbal medicine.