foundations of herbalism

Ritual Herbalism: wildcrafting & Medicine Making Immersions

JOIN US IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA FOR ONE OF OUR WEEKEND HERBALISM INTENSIVES

“This weekend was magical. Lupo's focus on each individual plant and its story was inspiring. The knowledge and ability to connect with each of us in different ways was something I admire. Cannot wait to fully dive in, from sunshine to earth, thank you! "

— Mara, 2024 May Immersion Student

FALL Ritual Herbalism: Wildcrafting & Medicine Making Immersion

Roots, Berries and Seeds

September 14 & 15 | Red Moon Herbs 

Join us for the second weekend of wild abundance as we continue upon the path of honoring the Art, Science & Spirit of Herbalism. We will spend this pre-autumn equinox weekend deeply immersed in the abundance of native and wild plants that have come to fruition throughout the growing season. 

We will continue to focus on proper plant identification skills, as the plants are at their peak for the year. Stewardship and ethical wildcrafting & foraging techniques will be fortified, and medicinal mushrooms will be incorporated. We will learn the craft of magical medicine making together, with roots, berries, and seeds, as we gather medicinal plants and fungi from the landscape and create a batch of herbal medicines. Folks will receive both new skills and plenty of recipes and remedies to take home.

Throughout this weekend immersion we will strengthen the craft of intuitive & ritual herbalism while learning how to pair these skills to make the most potent forms of herbal tinctures and glycerites (alcohol free extracts) with both fresh roots, seeds and berries. We will co-create medicinal herbal syrups, including the ever popular elderberry and create potent herbal topical applications as well. We will discuss how to adequately dry and store our herbs and remedies for the fall and winter seasons ahead. 

this program is for you if:

  • You have been wanting to join one of our herbalism programs but haven't been able to due to time or financial restraints

  • you want to learn herbalism but are not sure where to begin

  • you want to be empowered to take care of the health of yourself and your family

  • you have been yearning to gather in community and connect with ancestral practices

  • whether you are a beginner or a seasoned vet this program is for anyone

  • You have been wanting to learn how to connect with the plants

WHEN WILL WE MEET?

Our weekend Immersion will meet for two days each session. Classes will be held from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. There is an option to carpool in which we will meet at 9:30 a.m. the morning of each class. Th exact address will be sent after registration. We ask that people bring a packed lunch. The morning will be spent doing plant walks and wild crafting, and in the afternoon we will be making medicine together.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

Plant Identification & Ethical Foraging

TINCTURES & GLYCERITES

PLANT actions & energetics

intuitive plant communication

HERBAL INFUSIONS & DECOCTIONS

HERBAL SYRUPS FOR IMMUNE SUPPORT

medicinal salves & TOPICAL preparations

HERBS OF EACH SEASON

sign up for our FALL weekend immersion

$444

two payments of

$222 

Are you facing financial restraints? Scholarships and extended payment plans may be available on a case by case basis. Please reach out to twinstaroffice@gmail.com to inquire.

“This weekend was life-changing! Lupo is a master and so generous with sharing her vast knowledge. The setting was magical and I feel like I've found my tribe and my mission.  I learned so much and am inspired to continue this path. I can't recommend it enough!"

— Lynda, 2024 May Immersion Student

MEET YOUR TEACHERS

Lupo Passero

An Herbalist for over two decades, Lupo has been invited to teach at various institutions around the country including, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Western Connecticut State University, Yale University and The Graduate Institute. Lupo’s immense love for travel has lead her to teach numerous herbal trainings and retreats throughout Central America, Europe and the UK.  She has had the privilege of studying under the tutelage of many great teachers including Himani Ellis, Rosemary Gladstar, Pam Montgomery and a host of traditional and indigenous Medicine People from across the globe.

 Lupo recently returned to the “home of her heart” in Asheville, NC where she splits her time between Connecticut, Costa Rica and Mexico. She and her two grown children currently reside in the Southeast, but will always have a home in New England. When she is not traveling or teaching she can be found foraging the mountains of Appalachia, or harvesting in her medicine wheel garden in the hills of Connecticut, or traipsing through the jungle, usually with her camera in hand and always with ceremony and ritual in her heart. 

Jeannine Dunn

Jeannie Dunn is the owner of Red Moon Herbs. Red Moon Herbs has seen many changes over the past 30 years. Throughout these changes, the focus and mission of the business has remained strong and true: to create herbal products from local, abundant plants. As an herbalist and NC native, Jeannie has been wildcrafting and making herbal extracts, oils and salves for over 17 years. She studied at the NC School of Natural Healing and One World Healing Arts, but her herbal roots go much further back, to the back-to-basics lifestyle infused in her as a child. She picked strawberries, canned vegetables, and pulled weeds from row crops with her parents and three siblings on their multi-generational family farm in Efland, NC. Today, knowing the powerful beneficial properties of those “weeds”, Jeannie happily uses them in her cooking, herbal elixirs, and magical concoctions. In the last several years, she has embarked upon a new endeavor at Spiral Mountain — where the vision is to create a place where everyone feels welcome, and where we can learn about sustainability and regenerative agricultural practices together in community. She enjoys time with her 7 kids, two humans and five goats.

Melissa Fryar 

Melissa Fryar is an Asheville born Appalachian herbalist who was lucky enough to be born in her favorite plant and foraging land. She has studied with some amazing herbal elders including Rosemary Gladstar and Deborah Francis, and more importantly, from her grannies and the plants and trees themselves. Her passions include:  food as medicine, folk and regional plants, a sweet old hound dog named Bocephus, and her family. She hopes to be a student for the rest of her life. Melissa has taught regionally for several herb schools and at various conferences throughout the area. She can be reached at rootmama13@gmail.com

WHO IS TWIN STAR Tribe?

Twin Star Tribe is a Spirit Based Herbal & Energetic School offering community classes, workshops including Herbalism and Flower Essence Certificate Programs, Green Witch and Goddess Trainings, Sacred Travel and Ritual Jewelry. We have two locations: Twin Star North, in the beautiful hills of Western Connecticut and Twin Star South in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains of Asheville, NC where Twin Star’s founder and director Lupo Passero, Herbalist, Educator and Flower Essence Practitioner, shares her time and teachings in our classrooms, throughout the country and internationally.  Twin Star Tribe offers a myriad of classes ranging from evening or half day workshops to two-year+ professional herbal training intensives. Lupo and Twin Stars staff of knowledgeable and heart led healers and teachers cover a variety of topics including Western Herbal Medicine, Flower Essence Therapy, Plant Spirit Healing, Nature Connection, Green Witch and Goddess Trainings, Astrology, Ayurveda and more. If you are interested in having an herbal class or workshop held in your community or you would like to offer one here at Twin Star please inquire within. Twin Star’s Connecticut classroom is located in historic downtown New Milford, CT and at the Art Garden in the River Arts District in Asheville NC. We can be reached by email at twinstaroffice@gmail.com.

FAQS

  • Our Weekend Immersions, although connected to our Foundations of Herbalism program, are more condensed offerings open to both FOH students and the public. Where FOH runs from March-October, these weekend immersions each run for two days only. During these two days students will get hands on experience learning select beginner friendly herbal lessons from the FOH program.

  • Not at all! Although we recommend students joining both immersions, since the lessons build off of one another, each weekend immersion can be take as a stand-alone program.

    If you do want to attend both, you will save over $100 when you register for both vs registering for one at a time. Learn More Here.

  • Both of these immersions will be taking place in Asheville, North Carolina.

    For the Spring Weekend immersion we will be meeting at Soulflower Botanical Sanctuary

    For the Fall Weekend immersion we will be meeting at Red Moon Herbs

    The exact addresses and times will be sent after registration

  • Although we can't promise financial support, we may be able to accommodate extended payment plans or scholarships. Please email us at twinstaroffice@gmal.com with your inquiry.

  • This is an adult workshop you must be 18+ to attend

  • Yes, whether you attend one or both these hours will count towards our certificate program

    *These hours do not count as extra for current FOH students

Spring Ritual Herbalism: Wildcrafting & Medicine Making Immersion

Leaf, Flowers and Stems

2025 TBA | Soulflower Botanical Sanctuary 

Join us for this mid Spring weekend of wild abundance as we dive deeply into the Art, Science & Spirit of Herbalism. We will spend this incredible weekend deeply immersed in the abundance of wild plants as well as cultivated herbs that can easily be found (and grown) throughout the Appalachian mountains. 

We will focus on improving proper plant identification skills, ethical wildcrafting & foraging techniques and learn the craft of magical medicine making together. We will gather herbs from the landscape and create a plethora of herbal medicines. Folks will receive both new skills and plenty of recipes and remedies to take home.

Throughout this weekend immersion will honor the craft of intuitive & ritual herbalism while learning how to pair these skills to make the most potent forms of herbal infusion and decoctions (medicinal teas) with both fresh and dried plants. We will co-create botanical tonics meant to fortify our systems throughout the seasons. And produce potent medicinally infused herbal oils to be used for the body as well as the Spirit.