"I heard about Chris Marano’s teaching excellence when hiring health-care educators to speak to our insurance clients on a whole range of subjects, including preventive health care and wellness. Chris Marano is a Master Herbalist in every sense of that title. He hasstudied deeply in all the major healing practices including Western, Chinese and Native American traditions. His presentations are at once fascinating to listen to and filled with user-friendly knowledge that can be applied in every day life. His keen interest in the art and science of herbalism is combined with his relaxed style of reaching out to those who are fortunate enough to be in his workshop. I highly recommend Chris Marano as a teacher and lecturer without reservation." - Claire Alemian, Wellness Representative, MIIA Health Benefits Trust, MA

"Thirteen years ago I had the good fortune of crossing paths with Chris in a meditation class that he offered to the public. At that time he not only taught me the fundamentals of Chan Buddhist sitting meditation in a warm and thorough way, but he also, in the talks he would sometimes give after our mediation sessions, opened my mind to more peaceful and thoughtful ways of approaching myself and the larger world. Many years later, we crossed paths again, and I welcomed the opportunity to have Chris as my teacher and guide in a new realm – the herbal world. Throughout a one-year herbal apprenticeship I completed with Chris, he demonstrated the attributes that I had so admired in my earlier experience as one of his students: dedication, thoughtfulness, creative use of metaphor to illustrate tricky concepts, deep respect for and connection to the natural world and the world’s people, and an openness to whatever a moment might bring." - Jennifer G., owner of Acadia Herbals, Northampton, MA

"Chris has a wealth of knowledge and doesn’t skimp where sharing it. He has a passion about what he teaches and he passes this along to his students. Whether it’s a workshop on understanding wildcrafting herbs for medicine and the lunar calendar, identifying and gathering herbs, or tincture making, you are sure to come away with a drive to learn more. His classes are designed to teach not only the practical but the spiritual as well. And no matter how many people are in the workshop, it always feels as if you are getting a one-on-one tutorial. If you want to learn more about yourself, your craft and your place in the world around you, these workshops will definitely put you on this path of self-discovery." - Audrey ___, Amherst, MA

"Each time I encounter Chris, I feel an overwhelming sense of calm, and a deep respect for Life and all things in it. Having taken several classes with Chris, I am inspired to persist in my own quest for optimal health, and compassion for others who may seek the same thing. Chris serves as a unique example of a friend, teacher, role model, and positive peer influence. He is someone to follow as you proceed on your own path. " - Dorothy S., student, farmer, Natick, MA

"Chris's generosity, wisdom and good humor shine through whatever he does - herbal counseling and prescribing healing herbs, teaching about herbs and herb-crafting, reminding us the earth is sacred - I have experienced all of these aspects of his work/life. Camping out in my small tent at the Interdependence weekend (July 03) on Chris's respectfully reclaimed piece of land in Wendell, walking around the gardens talking/sharing about the growing things, taking part in the early morning Cherokee Going to Water ceremony, were unforgettable experiences for me." - Jay G., teacher, writer, storyteller, Greenfield, MA