Meet Laura Cascardi | Director and Founder of Equinox Center of Herbal Studies

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Cascardi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
My business is rather layered. We have an herbal education center, workshops, one-on-one consultations and an associated herb shop with bulk herbs and herb crafting supplies. I create community and accessibility within herbalism. My center includes a reading nook where one can drink a free cup of hot tea and study and host hands-on classes that are free of charge for the public. While the herb shop is an important stream of revenue, I want to step out of the typical mindset of retail that everything is for sale and engage with individuals from all walks of life.

Herbalism is for everyone and creating a safe space, whether in the long term programs I offer, individual consultations or in the store is key to creating accessibility. I am here to serve as a resource for the community.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am herbalist. I work one on one with individuals to encourage healthy living through diet, lifestyle and herbal recommendations; I direct and teach an herbal program called Foundations in Herbalism, a 10 month intensive education program; I host workshops to encourage others to pursue their dreams and turn them to realities; I have an herb shop that supplies herbs, essential oils, handmade products and tools of the herbal trade; and I create space for individuals to explore herbalism. I have been in business since 2014. I started small and have continued to grow through consistency, effort and support of the community that has been built through Equinox Center of Herbal Studies. I am deeply proud to call myself an herbalist. I consider myself a holder and carrier of knowledge that is essential to human existence.

There have been times of ease and times of challenge in this project. There have been moments when I almost gave up and some little sparkle kept me going. Usually I am ecstatic to be engaging with people and plants in a beautiful and meaningful way. Through this project I have become more patient and more trusting. I have learned to be more accepting and also how to create better boundaries. I have learned to let things go that don’t serve me and have invited in the essence of sacred time.

I would like the world to know that every one of us is here on this planet because our ancestors used medicinal herbs. This is innately human. I encourage people to explore the world around them, engage with the weeds and explore plants.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Fort Collins is full of nook and crannies! Wolverine Farms Publick House is a beautiful and creative space that hosts books by local authors, coffee, local brews and many events such as poetry readings, artist installations and live music. Whatever is happening there would be a must. Avogadro’s number is a bar, restaurant and music venue with one of the most amazing back patios (including a treehouse to play in!) that I would definitely stop in at.
I would bring them to shop for some ingredients for home cooked meals from our local Co-Op, Mountain Avenue Market.

There is a great zero waste coffee shop called The Foxden I would bring them to but sometimes we would have to also visit The Little Bird Cafe who specializes in fresh baked goodies alongside their amazing coffee.

For nightlife we have a comedy club, lots of bars and a couple of great music venues, I would likely prefer to bring them to the Lyric which is a movie house that focuses on showing independent movies.

I would definitely bring them up into the mountains for a dose of Colorado mountain time. We have so many lovely trails and open space to explore.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would first love to thank and honor all of those who came before me that held herbal knowledge as a torch, sometimes even through persecution. I was first educated by my Great Grandmother, Frances and later my Grandfather, Ralph. I am deeply grateful to carry their knowledge into the present. My formal training came from someone I consider a great mentor, Feather Jones of Canyon Spirit Ventures in Sedona, AZ. She is so incredibly knowledgeable and carries a depth of herbal and spiritual understanding that is nothing short of deeply admirable. I have had many teachers over the years and many glimpses of knowledge from various individuals and I am deeply grateful to each individual. One of the deepest places of learning and growth that I experience is from my students. I am deeply grateful for their input, effort and continuing love of herbalism. They are what keep me going and deepening my personal relationship with the plants.

Website: www.equinoxcenterofherbalstudies.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/equinoxcenterofherbalstudies/