For: April
Check back on this page for monthly homework assignments for our 2026 Racemes of Delight class.
Turning in Your Homework
Homework can be turned in in-person, emailed to homework@wildcherries.org (to share privately with the teachers), or uploaded to the shared google drive (to make it available to the whole class).
For April
Therapeutics – Chronic Pain
Pick an anti-inflammatory herb to take for the month on a daily basis. Reflect at least 1x a week on what you notice in your body.
Reflect on taking herbs everyday – What is it like to take herbs multiple times a day everyday? (easy, hard, what are the barriers for you, what could be other barriers?) What tools or other things could you do to make taking herbs regularly more accessible for you or other people?
Community Care
Work with someone in your life to make a simple anti-inflammatory/pain protocol for them – a tea, a tincture, an oil, salve or liniment. It could be the same herb you’re working with or could be something else. Discuss what herbs would be accessible for them, and make and provide them the herb(s). If possible, get feedback from them about how it was to use the herbs, did they encounter any barriers to using them, and if they noticed any benefits or effects.
Start off by asking them about their pain. Here are some interview questions to practice with (you don’t have to ask all of them – pick the ones that feel most relevant or helpful!):
Characteristics: Where is it, does it move or is it fixed (where does it go?)? How would you describe it (sharp, dull etc)? Is it one sided or symmetrical?
What is the intensity? Is the pain constant or intermittent?
Onset: When did it start? Was there a clear trigger?
Aggravating or Relieving Factors: What makes it worse and better? Does weather effect it? What time of day is it the worst? What have you already tried?
Do you have other symptoms associated with it? (Eg. fatigue, headache, digestive, mood, numbness, tingling etc)
Safety: Do you have any other significant health issues, past injuries, surgeries or diagnoses? Do you take any medications? Do you have any allergies?
Emotional/Psychological Context: How does the pain affect your mood? Vise versa – does your mood effect the pain? Any major life stressors at onset? Do emotions worsen or relieve symptoms? What emotions surface when you think about the pain? How would you say the pain has impacted your life?
Lifestyle/Environment: Activity levels, occupation, stress levels, quality of sleep, environmental factors? Daily diet, cravings/aversions/food sensitivities, hydration/drinking habits? Any drugs or alcohol?
Hormonal Factors: Do you get a period? If yes how does your pain change with your cycle? Do you take hormones – if yes does your pain change when you take the hormone or when you haven’t taken in a while?
Energetics: Do you tend to feel hot or cold, damp or dry? Do you prefer warm or cool environments? Do you sweat alot? Do you tend to feel thirsty even if you drink often?