Susun Weed Press Release

(In response to recent False accusations)

Herbalist Takes a Stand Against Hate

Susun Weed is a 76-year-old lesbian feminist herbalist. Her work over the past fifty years has transformed herbal medicine. She articulated the tenets of the Wise Woman Tradition. She introduced the concept of nourishing herbal infusions. She restored herbal medicine to its rightful place as "people's medicine." She worked tirelessly for decades to maintain free herbalism, free from licensing. She integrated herbalism into as many healing settings as possible, from community clinics to hospitals. She is a way-finder and a visionary, beloved by millions. "The rock star of herbalism."

Ms Weed does the kind of things most herbalists do. She has written six books (which have sold over 2 million copies). She teaches at conferences, hospital wellness centers, and her own home. She offers correspondence courses (2000 students), online courses ( ?? students), and a free weekly Q&A session on herbs and health (for over 20 years).

Susun does something else, something rare, something that few herbalists dare. She trains shamanic herbal apprentices, many of whom choose to live with her. Over the past 35 years more than 1000 aspiring shamans have inquired into her program. It is "the most difficult thing you will ever do," she warns all prospective apprentices. "Take a correspondence course, instead. It's easier. You will enjoy it more."

There is a lengthy and expensive apprentice application process which is designed to eliminate the faint of heart and make certain that all applicants understand and agree to the dramatic upheavals of apprenticeship.

Susun's track record is remarkable. Those who read her books and participate in her courses and classes are, with few exceptions, "highly satisfied." Her work is generally regarded as "exceptional."

Except by apprentices who leave before completing their chosen term.

An apprenticeship is significantly different from any other type of learning and is always an intense experience - physically, emotionally and spiritually - for everyone involved. Apprentices can - mostly by mistake - cause grave damage to Susun. For instance, apprentices have burned down Susun's barn and killed all her animals, punched holes in the walls of the apprentice house, called the police to "save" the other apprentices, and even had Susun arrested on trumped-up charges of strangling. (The case never went to trial; it was dismissed when, after 9 months, the complainant still could not provide a single piece of evidence to support her allegations.)

Apprentices who leave almost universally blame Susun and loathe her. (About one-third of apprentices who leave the program return and complete their apprenticeship in some form.) Susun expects this. She warns prospective apprentices that they will want to leave, that they will hate her, that they will question their participation in the program. "If you don't want to leave, I'm not doing my work," she says. "If you leave, you aren't doing your work."

Recently, one apprentice who left her 2020 program has used the trend in cancel culture and the platform provided by social media to spread false and malicious gossip about Ms Weed.

K, who apprenticed at the same time (and who graduated) has been berated and battered by #hateculture attacks for countering the false allegations with her own experience. "The victim is right, so you must be lying," they told her.

We love to see a villain brought down. But we love even more to see a successful, loving, kind person trashed. Ms Weed is a powerful woman who has agitates for women's rights. Outspoken women are always easy targets, for they make us uneasy.

Susun is concerned that these unsupported allegations are adversely impacting not only her but her family, which includes her co-teachers, her daughter and granddaughter, 324 graduated live-in apprentices, 212 graduated live-out apprentices, a group of 20 apprentices in Germany, a group of 11 apprentices in Florida, several hundred Green Goddess apprentices, and hundreds of thousands of students and followers of her radio shows.

Susun Weed has decided to stand up and counter hate. We invite you to stand up in your own life and counter hate with us.