"Chris Marano is a human treasure trove of herbal knowledge. As a student in his apprenticeship program, I have had access to his encyclopedic command of the field of herbal healing, his deep, intuitive connection with the green world and his flexible, patient teaching style. These have all been great gifts.
Chris is unique in being able to combine years of herbal study and practice with a spiritual underpinning that makes the connection between the specific chemistry of medicinal plants and the more profound mysteries that activate and support the healing. ... Show moreAs a former pre-med student, he knows the science behind the complicated compounds that plants provide. As a longtime student of Buddhist practice, he knows how to sit in silence with the essence of things and beings. His voracious curiosity has led him to investigate a variety of other spiritual traditions, including Cherokee healing and neo-pagan earth-based ritual, and all of these inform both his herbal practice and his teaching.
Chris’s love of music, film, history and his many travels throughout the Americas also bring richness to his teaching and healing. His personal qualities of humor, compassion, and appreciation of service complete the deep humus from which grows the dense rain-forest that is this man, teacher and healer. I am honored to be his student and his friend." - Andrew S., teacher, linguist, activist, Vermont

"Chris Marano is an excellent blend of brilliant practitioner and authentic human being. Having completed a 12 month basic apprenticeship as well as a 6 month advanced apprenticeship, I am equipped with an abundance of information including the basics of Chinese medicine, tongue, pulse and eye diagnosis, various uses of innumerable herbs and their effects on the systems of the body and that’s just to name a few. My notebook of materia medica alone would have made the experience completely worthwhile.
I went to fill my brain with information, which I did, but I walked away with a deeper understanding of human beings and plants, and our interconnectedness. Through his openness, caring and humor, Chris created an environment where we could not only learn, but transform. It doesn’t get better than that. ... Show moreI believe one of the greatest gifts that Chris offers is the philosophical view that he, and all herbalists, are not so much healers, but educators. We assist people in understanding how the body functions, how herbs can effect that functioning in positive ways and how each person can work toward making themselves healthier. Herbs can be used symptomatically but true change comes through creating new healthy habits, and this takes time. " - Caroline L., Hadley, MA

"When I met Chris in Vermont at a gathering, we bonded over our appreciation of Green Medicine and a love for the wild magic of the North Eastern plant world. I quickly saw that Chris had more experience than I at identifying and explaining the uses of many common woodland plants so when he offered a special class in Vermont aimed a Green Medicine, I enrolled, despite making my home in Albany NY. ... Show moreOver the two year course, I learned a great deal about local plant uses, preparation and identification as well as the foundations of Traditional Chinese medicine of which food is so integral. Having briefly studied herbs and nutrition for years with other herbalists, it was wonderful to deepen my learning with Chris and his devoted Vermont students. We made all kinds of medicines including tinctures, salves, cordials, ligaments, teas and incenses and discovered a great deal about ourselves and one another through the playful and exploratory process that Chris facilitated. And we learned important lessons about healing the Body/Mind/Spirit as well, using both sacred ceremony and the wisdom found in Earth’s abundant gifts to us all.
The shared weekends were great fun where we all learned and taught through example– Chris has a way of using story and context to make the applications and studies of each plant both practical and memorable so that his students walk away with useful hands-on skills and knowledge. I found myself eager to share both the information and the tools with my friends and family. For awhile I considered becoming an herbalist here in Albany, but have found it makes more sense for me to count on Chris for herbs and refer friends to him for consultation as well. " - Chrys B., Albany, NY

"Chris is a natural born teacher, and I recommend him to everyone I know. An apprenticeship with Chris Marano will change your life for the better, as I am the better for having entered into and completed the role of apprentice.
" - Zach L., Student/Farmer, Northampton MA