By David Crow, host of the Plant Medicine for Modern Epidemics Summit

It was not my intention to be prophetic when I named the theme of the 5th annual Plant Medicine Summit “Plant Medicine for Modern Epidemics” last January. 

I was thinking about the widespread health challenges such as Lyme Disease, metabolic syndrome, and viral infections such as Epstein-Barr, and herpes, and the many ways that herbs can prevent, manage, and cure these conditions. 

Then the SARS-COV-2 virus appeared, and Covid-19 was the pandemic that overshadowed everything else.

Over the last 40 years I have been watching natural medicine gradually take its rightful place in our society, driven by the need for nontoxic, nutrient-based immune building and gently detoxifying alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs. In the last 10 years this trend has accelerated, and I have had the great honor of personally knowing and working with many great herbalists in the field.

Suddenly, in the last few months, as a result of our collective health crisis, botanical medicine is now so urgent, popular, and necessary that herb companies are having difficulty keeping up with demand.

Against this backdrop of rapid awakening health consciousness and the radical transformation of cultural values it brings, I invite you to join me for the 5th annual Plant Medicine for Modern Epidemics Summit, taking place August 24-28. 

I am pleased and honored to present a stellar lineup of some of the most renowned and respected educators, clinicians, and researchers in the field of botanical medicine.

Some bring specific knowledge relevant to the pandemic of Covid-19, such as Dr. Vasant Lad’s wise words about how ancient Ayurveda understood contagion; Dr. Mark Halpern’s teaching on boosting immunity with Ayurvedic herbs; Dr. Jill Stansbury’s extensive insights on the many body systems we can treat to boost immunity; and K.P. Khalsa’s clinical pearls on treating viral infections and post-viral fatigue. 

But the topics go far beyond the viral threat only, such as David Winston addressing the pandemic of anxiety and depression; Dr. John Douillard addressing mental detoxification; Dr. Gabrielle Francis teaching us about Mayan herbal baths for clearing trauma; and Karen Wang Diggs showing us how we can make fermented foods at home to support a healthy digestive microbiome.

The 5-day summit begins on August 24, and like all the summits on The Shift Network, it is free of charge. Please join me for this historic gathering of healers at this crucial time.

You can register for this free summit here.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “The Master Key” by Robert Peng, a featured speaker in The Shift Network’s 2019 Qigong Global Summit, is one of the most profoundly important books I’ve ever read. I can say that it’s life-changing with complete confidence, because it changed my life before I even finished reading it. I was so impressed with this book that we are serializing the section called “One Hundred Days of Darkness and Light” in future issues of Catalyst. You can read the twenty-first installment (as well as the previous ones) here.
— Phil Bolsta
 

The uplifting stories in this issue’s “The Nicest Thing” section come from David Crow, the host of the Plant Medicine  for Modern Epidemics Summit, and two summit speakers: Peruvian curandero, psychologist, and author don Oscar Miro-Quesada... and Dr. Marc Halpern, President of the California College of Ayurveda, and co-founder of the National Association of Ayurvedic Medicine...

... and two brand-new Shift faculty: energy healer Cyndi Dale, whose 7-week live video training, Amplify Essential Energy to Heal Dis-Ease & Restore Balance, begins this Tuesday, September 1… and peace troubadour James Twyman, whose 7-week live video course on the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi, Radical Wisdom for Radical Times, begins Tuesday, September 8.

The plants have enough spirit to transform our limited vision.
— Rosemary Gladstar
 

Welcome. I'm David Crow, and I'm the host of the Plant Medicine for Modern Epidemics Summit. This is our fifth year of doing this summit and the theme is plant medicines for modern epidemics. As you can imagine, there's a lot of very important, relevant, and timely information that will be presented by a stellar lineup of brilliant clinicians and herbalists. 

So I'll mention a few of these people, but before I actually tell you the details of who they are and what they're presenting, I just want to mention that there's a lot of information about the Covid-19 pandemic, and that makes perfect sense with the conditions that we are in right now. But I will also mention that there are so many other aspects of using herbal medicine for modern epidemics that are relevant to many other kinds of conditions.

To watch this 5-minute video and read the rest of the text, click here.

How to Deconstruct Racism, One Headline at a Time
TED Talk By Baratunde Thurston

This marvelously engaging TED Talk manages to convey profound insights into systemic racism with huge doses of humor. Baratunde Thurston, a writer, activist, and comedian who’s produced for The Daily Show and advised the Obama White House, is the executive producer and host of We’re Having A Moment, a limited-run podcast series that captures this defining moment of pandemic, policing, and race in the U.S. To watch this 17-minute video, click here.

Healing Racism: 12 Things I Learned
By Milagros Phillips

Race is not real. The idea of race was created by those in power to justify keeping people in bondage, extract free labor, control the economy and the narrative, and build wealth for themselves and their families. Racism, the idea that certain groups are superior to others based on their physical characteristics, is the result of hundreds of years of conditioning facilitated by the myth of race. Race is not real, but racism is! To read more, click here.

Gary Admitted His Racial Bias And Now He Has Changed For The Better!
Upworthy video

How do we eliminate prejudice? Heather McGhee, an American political commentator and political strategist, delivers an amazing response to that question and shows us why we need to start and continue the conversation. When Gary admitted on air to Heather that he was prejudiced, and that he wanted to change and become a better American, Heather answered back with compassion and talked to him about ways that could help him. In a beautiful coda to this encounter, Heather traveled to North Carolina to meet with Gary and continue their conversation. Click here to watch this 2-minute video.

Click here to watch Heather’s subsequent TED Talk about building a friendship with Gary — and how racism has a cost for everyone. "Our fates are linked," she says. "It costs us so much to remain divided."

We Talk to Interracial Couples 50 Years After Loving v. Virginia

53 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Loving: Mildred and Richard Loving, who successfully sued the state of Virginia, forcing it to recognize their interracial marriage. That landmark case overturned laws against interracial marriages all across the country. Inb this 6-minute video, interracial couples speak about their relatinoships and about loving against all odds. Click here to watch the video.

Click here to watch a 4-minute video about how Loving v. Virginia led to legalized interracial marriage. Click here to watch an 8-minute interview with the director and cast members of the film Loving, which tells the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving.

Curbing Implicit Bias: What Works and What Doesn't
By Betsy Mason

The best theory of how implicit bias works is that it shapes conscious thought, which in turn guides judgments and decisions. The ABC News correspondent Pierre Thomas expressed this very well recently by saying, “Black people feel like they are being treated as suspects first and citizens second.” When a black person does something that is open to alternative interpretations, like reaching into a pocket or a car’s glove compartment, many people — not just police officers — may think first that it’s possibly dangerous. But that wouldn’t happen in viewing a white person do exactly the same action. To read more, click here.

Open Letters and a Decolonial Framework
Presented by L.A.’s Hammer Museum

Artists, curators, educators, frontline staff, art conservators, and others are using public-facing strategies such as open letters to demand the resignation of leaders, defunding the police, diversification of staff and collections, and an overall acknowledgment of practices that uphold colonialism and white supremacy within art spaces. In order to examine the questions and demands that seek to provide a decolonial framework for the future of art spaces, Erin Christovale, Hammer’s curator, moderates conversations that examine three texts that were recently crafted and signed specifically by Black artworkers. Click here to watch this 97-minute video. 

Click here to read “On the Limits of Care and Knowledge: 15 Points Museums Must Understand to Dismantle Structural Injustice” by Yesomi Umolu.

Click here to read “The Kennedy Center Announces Anti-Racism Initiatives With #BlackCultureMatters, the Cartography Project, and More” by Rosa Cartagena

Here are actions The Shift Network is taking to advance racial justice and healing, to uplift BIPOC voices, and to support key organizations whose mission is to transform racism. 

We hosted 30 speakers in June in the free Transforming Racism Facebook Live Series. Click here to view the names of all 30 Transforming Racism speakers and their presentations. You can watch all 30 sessions here.

You can also watch these 20 archived interviews from our African American Wisdom Summit, and the 23 archived interviews in the Healing Cultural Wounds section of our World Peace Library. 

Click here to read our Company Statement regarding George Floyd and incidents of police brutality.

You’ll find more resources and information here and in the “Racial Justice and Healing” section in future issues of Catalyst.

The Master Key
By Robert Peng, a featured speaker in The Shift Network’s 2019 Qigong Global Summit

It's 1972 in the industrial city of Xiangtan, China. A frail child with a heart condition sneaks into a hotel boiler room and befriends the elderly yet vibrant attendant, who eventually reveals his true identity as a revered Qigong master. He heals the boy and, for the next 13 years, secretly teaches him the keys to unlocking the spiritual and healing dimensions of the Life Force.

It sounds like a modern-day fable, but the story is true. And with The Master Key, that grateful student, Robert Peng, invites all of us to enter the next chapter of this empowering path. Here, Master Peng brings together the unique insights of his teacher with the moving account of his own journey.

Click here to read the twenty-first installment (as well as all the previous installments) of this profoundly moving book.

In this special video series, prominent authors, speakers, thought leaders, and others answer the question, “What is the nicest thing a non-family member has ever done for you?”

David Crow’s Story
Plant medicine pioneer, and host of the Plant Medicine for Modern Epidemics Summit

EXCERPT: He was in Kathmandu after leaving Tibet, after being in Chinese prison camps for almost 30 years after the Chinese invasion. And he had been the physician of a large monastery. As he was going through his training as a young man, he had trained in the classical ways of going out into the forest with his teacher, harvesting the herbs, having ceremonies to give thanks to the plants, and all these classical kinds of ways of learning and practicing Tibetan medicine.

To watch the video and read the transcript of David’s life-changing 9-minute story, click here.

don Oscar Miro-Quesada’s Story
Peruvian curandero, psychologist, and author

EXCERPT: She also expressed extraordinary trust, because during that time that we were together in Santa Barbara without the other members of this welcoming committee, her beloved husband Sidney crossed over. She asked me to hold her hand and spend the entire afternoon together, holding her, as she released the pain of that loss, and cleared her resistance to letting go. That was a gift of deep, deep appreciation for who I am in her life.

To watch the video and read the transcript of don Oscar’s tender 4-minute story of comfort and connection, click here.

Marc Halpern's Story
Ayurvedic doctor and teacher, and co-founder of the National Association of Ayurvedic Medicine

EXCERPT: I went to visit with him and he was so kind to invite me to his home. He was so kind to come where I was staying at the ashram and do a personal initiation with me, something that he didn't do very often with people. 

To watch the video and read the transcript of Marc’s 8-minute story of a life blessed by kindness, click here.

Cyndi Dale's Story
Energy healer

EXCERPT: And so I decided that I wanted to die. I decided I was done. I decided I was going to leave. And so I told my parents, “I'm going to die.” And they looked at me like they did with many of the phrases that I would utter. And they said, "Whatever," and between themselves said, "Isn't she imaginative?" And I woke up the next morning really, really ill. I had the flu, I had a fever. I was very sick.

To watch the video and read the transcript of Cyndi’s 10-minute story about the supernatural voice that saved her life, click here.

James Twyman's Story
Peace troubadour and bestselling author

EXCERPT: When I was 18, I left home in Minnesota, went to Chicago, and wanted to become a Franciscan. I've always been in love with St. Francis of Assisi, so I entered the Franciscan order in Chicago. And I was also going to Loyola University, so I was living with the Franciscans, being educated by the Jesuits.

To watch the video and read the transcript of James’ 3-minute story about the career-changing encouragement he received from a trusted mentor, click here.

“Amplify Essential Energy to Heal Dis-Ease & Restore Balance” Facebook Live Q&A with Cyndi Dale

Would you like to harness the power of energy medicine tools — including scalar waves, psychic surgery, and your chakras’ specific extrasensory energies? Bestselling author, preeminent intuitive, and world-renowned healer Cyndi Dale will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Tuesday, August 25, at 1:00pm Pacific to share how you can cleanse dis-ease and restore balance within yourself, nature beings, pets, and more. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

“Transform Loss Into Life Reimagined” Facebook Live Q&A with Wendy Black Stern

Would you like to transform grief into greater self-understanding, love, gratitude, and new possibilities? Wendy Black Stern, yoga therapist and founder and president of Grief Support Network, will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Wednesday, August 26, at 9:00am Pacific to share how you can transform grief with mindfulness and gentle somatic movement in a supportive, compassionate virtual community. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

“Voicing the Goddess” Facebook Live Q&A with Dr. Shamini Jain

Would you like to explore the many forms of the Divine Feminine, and experience their portals that catalyze joy, creativity, and grace? Psychologist, scientist, and social entrepreneur Dr. Shamini Jain will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Thursday, August 27, at 3:00pm Pacific to share how you can use the power of your voice to connect with Vedic and Tantric goddesses through sacred sound and mantra. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

“Radical Wisdom for Radical Times” Facebook Live Q&A with James Twyman

Would you like to join an inspired modern troubadour on his quest to embody personal peace by emulating St. Francis? Bestselling author and peace troubadour James Twyman will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Tuesday, September 1, at Noon Pacific to share how you can simplify, heal old wounds, and reimagine your life. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

Unlock Your Feminine Power
A free seminar by Claire Zammit, PhD
Tuesday, August 25

This free seminar features an all-star roster of speakers, including Michael Bernard Beckwith, Marianne Williamson, and Jean Houston. Discover the surprising reason millions of conscious women are feeling stuck or blocked when it comes to their higher calling and destiny… and make the one simple but powerful shift that you can make to gain the power to leap forward into the larger life that’s calling you. Click here to register for free.

#ReparationSunday: Global Ritual for Reparations
Led by Yeye Luisah Teish
Sunday, August 23

Join us for our Online Reparations Sunday Ceremony and Ritual! August 23 commemorates the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. On this day at Noon Pacific, we will hold a Global Reparations Ritual led by Yeye Luisah Teish, author of Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals. Yeye is one of the most well-known Yoruba priestesses worldwide, who is celebrated internationally in Goddess circles as a writer and ritual-maker.

Click here for more information. Click on the button for "tickets" and register for the event. After you register you will be given the Zoom link and a PDF with a list of the things you will need in order to participate in the ritual.

Through God’s Eyes: Finding Peace and Purpose in a Troubled World by Phil Bolsta of The Shift Network. Through God’s Eyes is a road map for living a more peaceful, beautiful life. It’s the only book that shows you how dozens of spiritual principles interact, how to weave them together into a cohesive worldview, and how to practically apply this spiritual wisdom to bring joy and vitality to your daily life. For more information and to order your copy, click here. To request a free sample chapter from the author, email Phil at GodsEyes@me.com.

Through God’s Eyes is a superb book, a truly enlightened piece of work that is an essential read for all people who are truly devoted to the care and refinement of their soul. Phil is a contemporary mystic, a man whose life is a living commitment to spiritual service. I am honored to know him.
– Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit and Defy Gravity

One of the most important books I’ve ever read. An incredible compilation of spiritual wisdom and insight. It’s the owner’s manual God should give you when you’re born.
– Robert Peterson, author of Answers Within

For several years, The Shift Network has hosted Indigenous leaders from around the world and invited them to share their sacred knowledge, rituals, and practices to guide us in a way of living that is sustainable, healthy, and just. We’re thus delighted that the Global Indigenous Wisdom Library makes this “virtual council” of leaders and their wisdom available for everyone, everywhere for free. The Global Indigenous Wisdom Library is a collection of audio and video interviews featuring Indigenous leaders from around the world sharing prayers, sacred songs, prophecies, spiritual teachings, and pathways to healing, as well as concrete examples for birthing a new era — one in which all members of the human family are treated with respect, understanding, compassion, and justice. This sacred wisdom is important medicine for us all.

The production of The Global Indigenous Wisdom Library is a gift from The Shift Network, designed to inspire, inform, and involve you by highlighting the voices and important messages of Indigenous leaders from around the world. We want to give a heartfelt thanks to Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr. (“Brother Phil”) for his partnership in helping create this Indigenous Wisdom collection. And we thank all the speakers who have contributed to this body of knowledge. To discover more, click here.

World Peace Library. Designed for the layperson and professional peacebuilder alike, the World Peace Library has over 425 audio and video interviews with some of the most remarkable, inspiring peacebuilders in the world available to you at NO COST. You’ll find hundreds of hours of inspirational, peacebuilding, compassion-spreading talks and trainings at your fingertips with this FREE global resource. There’s no way you can’t come away from the World Peace Library deeply inspired, transformed — and part of the solution. Click here to find out how to take peace to the next level — and help co-create a global culture of peace that leaves a legacy of good for our children, our children’s children and all of humanity and life on earth.

Book by Stephen Dinan: Sacred America, Sacred World. Infused with visionary power, Sacred America, Sacred World is a manifesto for our country’s evolution that is both political and deeply spiritual. It offers profound hope that America can grow beyond our current challenges and manifest our noblest destiny, which the book shows is rooted in sacred principles that transcend left or right political views. To order your copy, click here.

If you would like to submit something to Catalyst, please see the submission guidelines: click here.