🌿 The Straight forward Wisdom of Herbalism: Learning from Nicholas Culpeper
In today’s world of expensive supplements, endless protocols, and ever-changing wellness trends, it’s easy to forget the pure, simple roots of herbal medicine.
One of my favourite historical herbalists, Nicholas Culpeper (1616–1654), was known for his fearless honesty and dedication to making herbal knowledge accessible to all.
🌼 Who Was Nicholas Culpeper?
Nicholas Culpeper was born in 1616 in Surrey, England. After the death of his father, he was raised by his grandfather, a clergyman, who gave him an early education in Latin and Greek. Originally destined for the clergy, Culpeper instead chose to study medicine and astrology.
He apprenticed with an apothecary in London but soon became frustrated with the medical establishment of his day, which kept healing knowledge behind closed doors, available only to the wealthy. At a time when licensed physicians charged high fees for Latin prescriptions, Culpeper translated medical texts into English so that ordinary people could understand and heal themselves.
He opened a practice in Spitalfields, East London, serving the poor who could not afford a doctor. He treated people with locally available herbs, often gathered himself from the fields and commons. His approach was grounded, accessible, and radical for its time – combining botany, astrology, and direct observation of nature.
🌿 Culpeper’s Philosophy
Here are some of his most powerful quotes that continue to inspire herbalists today:
“Such is the power of Nature, that it hath placed remedies for all diseases in the herbs of the field, which grow for the use of man.”
This reflects what I see daily in clinic – that nature offers gentle, profound healing when approached with respect and understanding. We don’t need to look to faraway jungles or isolated compounds. Many of the plants that heal us grow right here in our meadows, hedgerows, and woodlands.
He also said:
“God hath bestowed upon the Plants a secret virtue, which it is the part of a wise man to discover, and of a good man to use to his neighbour’s good.”
In other words, herbal knowledge is not about hoarding power or secrets. It’s about observation, wisdom, and using what we find for the benefit of others.
And my personal favourite:
“I consulted with my two brothers, Dr. Reason and Dr. Experience, and took a voyage to visit my mother Nature… being warned by Mr. Honesty… I have done it.”
This shows Culpeper’s belief that true herbal practice is rooted in reason, experience, and nature, guided by honesty. No marketing spin. No gatekeeping. Just plants, people, and the knowledge that bridges them.
🌿 How Did Culpeper Heal?
Culpeper:
Gathered herbs himself from local fields, commons, and hedgerows.
Used astrological correspondences to guide his prescriptions, matching plants to planetary influences.
Treated the poor and working people of London who had no other access to care.
Believed in simple, direct remedies, empowering people to make their own medicines at home.
He challenged the medical authorities of his day, who resented his publications that exposed herbal knowledge to the public. Yet it is precisely this commitment to accessibility, truth, and nature that has kept his work alive for centuries.
🌼 Why This Matters Today
At Oxford Herbal, I continue in this tradition. I believe:
Herbal medicine should be accessible.
The wisdom of nature is straightforward, though not simplistic.
Each of us has the capacity to learn and use this knowledge for ourselves and our families.
If you ever feel overwhelmed by wellness noise, remember Culpeper. He cut through the confusion with simple truths: nature heals, plants carry virtues, and knowledge belongs to the people.
📝 Your Next Step
Take a moment this week to:
Walk in your local green space.
Notice a plant you see often.
Learn its name and one traditional use.
This is how herbalism begins: not with a product, but with a relationship to nature.
If you’d like to deepen this relationship, join me on an upcoming foraging walk or book a herbal consultation. Let’s return to the pure, grounded wisdom of herbal medicine together.
