Patrick Ndumbi

Herbal Medicine
September ‘07

I was born and raised in the rural mountainous village of Tinechung in the North West Province of Cameroon. Our native primary health care system is founded on age-old herbal traditions. In my village, as elsewhere in traditional Cameroonian society, the knowledge and practice of herbal medicine is based largely in individual families, and this quasiproprietary herbal knowledge is passed down through many generations. Incidentally, I am co-custodian of my family’s herbal heritage. Thus my coming to the Tai Sophia’s Herbal Medicine program is traceable to my herbal roots.

Being a full-time student is a most exhilarating experience for me after a 25-year interval. It is very rewarding for me to become humble and discipline myself back into student life. Tai Sophia has top-notch teachers, and each herbal faculty member has a unique set of skills that enhances my learning. During the fieldtrip to United Plant Savers, my teachers and field guides helped me to positively identify herbs in their natural habitat. The SOPHIA class with Bob and Dianne “spoke” to me in a life-changing way; I have not been the same since I learnt that “upset is optional” and that “large mind” is the best way to relate to every given circumstance.

These I consider to be among my greatest gifts from Tai Sophia. I must admit that the course work coupled with the exigencies of family and work life has been quite demanding. I was having some health issues and went to the Tai Sophia Clinic. One of the clinical herbal students (level III) brilliantly assessed my needs and made recommendations (a combination of herbal remedies, dietary supplements, & lifestyle modifications) which I implemented, and this turned my health around positively and dramatically.

Tai Sophia is a school and family wrapped in one beautiful package, unique in its ability to make the learning process enjoyable and rewarding. My one regret is that I did not think about the school much earlier. However, I am glad to be part of the Tai Sophia family and busy dreaming big dreams.

Lisa Scott

Herbal Medicine
September 2005

"I don't come from a background of herbs or gardening - I grew up in Chicago," says Lisa Scott, student in Tai Sophia Institute's Herbal Medicine master's program. In the summer of 2002, while working as management consultant for a nonprofit in New York City, she took a class in aromatherapy and chakra work. "That was my first exposure to plants. I became fascinated and started reading more," Lisa says. "I got so into it, I began blending oils for friends, and I healed myself of a urinary tract infection. Then I knew I wanted more experience with 'alternative' medicines.

"I began looking online for information, and found that Tai Sophia Institute was 20 minutes from where I lived in Silver Spring. Coincidentally, around that time I began seeing a Tai Sophia graduate for acupuncture treatment. On my first visit I noticed a brochure about the Institute in her waiting area. That prompted me to research Tai Sophia further, and I found that its acupuncture program was well established with a strong reputation, and the Herbal Medicine program was the most thorough of anything I had come across. So I arranged to visit the Institute. When I entered the building, I instantly felt that this was a healing place. I was impressed by the professionalism of the people I talked with and the whole process - it was top-notch.

"I love it here. I feel I'm in the right place with regard to my personal evolution: I'm learning about myself as I learn about herbs, and becoming more grounded and authentic with each passing trimester. I am connecting with Self on a deep level, which is allowing me to experience healthier and more profound relationships with the people in my life, as well as with plants and other living things around me. My learnings at Tai Sophia have helped me tap into what I believe is my life's mission: to help others choose and live their highest good."