Artemis Herbal Medicine - tradition
ARTEMIS - goddess of Nature and Wilderness
In ancient greek mythology ARTEMIS was regarded as the goddess of nature with a strong focus on healing. Her deep, harmonic relationship with the environment enabled her to find and use an abundance of potent natural resources not only for her own vigour and vitality, but also for those she cared for.
Medical practitioners of ancient Greece felt inspired and guided by her and were skilled in the preparation and application of safe and effective herbal medicine.
Physicians like Hippocrates and Galen have deeply influenced the philosophy and practice of European Medicine to this very day. (The Hippocratic Oath that is taken by doctors swearing to ethically practiced medicine is an example of this).
ARTEMIS connects us with this profound and rich inheritance, as it was passed on orally in Europe from generation to generation.
Take me to the ARTEMIS product range of Tea Therapies, Body Care Therapies and Syrup Tonics so I can learn more
The Story of the ARTEMIS Inheritance from a Swiss Nun
ARTEMIS founder, Sandra Clair, is an expert traditional medical herbalist who hails from Switzerland. Sandra has an extensive and impressive list of qualifications in both modern and traditional medicine. However, it was the training she received from Sister Pauline, a Swiss Catholic nun, which influenced her most profoundly.
Sister Pauline practiced her spirituality in every-day life as a midwife and herbalist and was a master in the art and science of traditional herbal remedies. Sandra Clair spent three years learning from Sister Pauline who initiated her into many of the revered secrets of European Herbal Medicine, adding Sandra to the special lineage of medical herbalists.
Sandra Clair recognises the training she received from Sister Pauline as a special inheritance and is dedicated to passing it on through her specially designed ARTEMIS product range of Tea therapies, Body care therapies and Health Syrups.
The Materia Medica - An ARTEMIS treasure and source of secrets of health and vitality
Sandra Clair has the distinguished honour of being the caretaker of the Materia Medica, a priceless work, first published in Switzerland in 1588. This tome is believed to be the oldest medicine book in New Zealand. Sandra received this priceless work through her long lineage of medical herbalists and built on this special knowledge her certified organic range of health teas and body care therapies.
The 16th century botanical Materia Medica written by Professor Jacobus Theodorus Tabernaemontanus is regarded as the most comprehensive and detailed text on classical European herbal medicine. It summarises the knowledge of the most important antique and contemporary European herbal textbooks available at the time, dating back to Greek physicians who were considered the fathers of modern medicine. The hallmark of this rare book is its typical Renaissance writing style which is based on a logical and scientific way of describing the virtues of the plants, many of them now confirmed by modern research.
Sandra Clair is spending time from 2009 to 2011 with a German Emeritus Professor from the University of Würzburg and two experts in medical history and natural medicine from the Swiss Universities of Berne and Zürich to analyse and transcribe a section of the 1500 page book, which is flawlessly referenced in ten languages. From her findings she plans to publish her own book, analysing the 500-year-old history of herbal medicine, comparing the ancient knowledge with modern scientific research and translating the findings into modern language and practical use.
Learn more about the Materia Medica and Sandra's progress by signing up for regular updates here