• December 16        Hawaiian Natural History
• December 23        Hawaiian Cultural History
• December 30        Introduction to Hawaiian Medicine
• January 6             Introduction to Chinese Medicine
• January 13           Plant Anatomy and Botanical Nomenclature
• January 20           Plant Families

• Practitioner: Scientist and Shaman

The Twelve-Week Introductory Course

Currently the twelve-week introductory course is divided into two six-week segments. Each six-week segment can be taken alone or used as a prerequisite to begin either the one-year or the two year apprenticeship programs.

During the twelve week introductory course we cover:

• Hawaiian natural history • Hawaiian cultural history • Introduction to Hawaiian medicine

• Introduction to Chinese medicine • Plant anatomy and botanical nomenclature • Plant families

• Practitioner: Scientist and Shaman • Qigong and Hakahele • Hawaiian paradigms • Listening to plants • Traditional plant gathering protocols • Creating herbal formulas

• Medicine making: Tinctures, tablets, and salves • A lot of Hawaiian plant medicines

The cost is $179 for each six-week segment or $39 per class. No refunds. Make up classes are available on request.

One & Two Year Apprenticeship Guidelines

I have one-year and two-year apprenticeships available. The one-year and two-year apprenticeships may be cancelled by either the student or teacher at any time and for any reason. As long as I feel that you are sincere you can restart again any time. Currently, fees for each apprenticeship is $160 per month plus textbooks and materials. Tuition is due on the 25th of each month for the upcoming month. There are no refunds for any given month of training that is only partially completed.

The One-Year Hawaiian Herbal Medicine Apprenticeship

The one year Hawaiian herbal medicine apprenticeship covers Hawaiian herbal medicine in depth, including herb gathering, preparation, and dosage, constituents, indications, and contraindications. Also covered are wild edibles and wildcrafting, plant anatomy, plant identification, and Western anatomy and physiology as they relate to Hawaiian and Western herbal medicine. At the end of the one-year apprenticeship students are expected to be able to identify and effectively use approximately 100 Hawaiian plants as food and medicine.

Classes are done in person or on the telephone or Skype. Usually we do one two-hour class per week and students should plan on about an hour of study per day. We have quizzes every week, just to keep you on track. You do not have to be quizzed, but it really helps in the learning curve. If I am doing clinical work at the time and students are in the area, they are welcome to sit in and watch as I treat patients, with the patients' permission, of course.

For the one-year Hawaiian herbal medicine program there are about $100 worth of textbooks and supplies needed.

The Two-Year Hawaiian and Chinese Herbal Medicine Apprenticeship

The two-year apprenticeship is markedly more vigorous than the one year program. The desired outcome is that, at the end of two years, an apprentice can look at someone, do a reasonably good energetic tongue and pulse diagnosis, and put together a suggested plan including an acupressure treatment and an herb formula using Chinese, Hawaiian, or Western herbs.

During the first year of the two-year apprenticeship we cover more than 200 plant medicines in depth: 140 Chinese herbs, and 60-80 Hawaiian and Western herbs. During the second year we go over major acupuncture points and Chinese herb formulas. I do not teach my students to do acupuncture, only acupressure. Study time is approximately one hour per day, with quizzes every week.

Neither the one-year nor the two-year certification is a license to practice medicine. This apprenticeship is not accredited. If you want a license to practice medicine you must attend an accredited college of medicine. Some of my students, after studying with me, go on to attend colleges of Chinese medicine. They do very well and I am proud of them.

The two-year apprenticeship classes are done in person or on the telephone or Skype. Typically we do one two-hour class per week. The apprenticeship involves about an hour a day of study. We have quizzes every week, just to keep you on track. You do not have to be quizzed, but it really helps in the learning curve. If I am doing clinical work at the time and students are in the area, they are welcome to sit in and watch as I treat patients, with the patients' permission, of course.

Tongue and pulse need to be done in person, but 90% of the rest of the study can be done by phone or on Skype. I have the names and numbers of students who have done this training by remote if you want to talk to them. So, I can easily be on another island (or anywhere in the world) and we can still keep you on track.