autumn course
All about wild herbs.
The Herbal Apothecary of Autumn – 5 Week Course
Ellen Beukelman will be your facilitator and guide you throughout the course.
15th October - 12th November 2026, Prague
From Summer's Abundance into the Quiet of Winter.
Step into the world of herbs and the turning of the season — this is a five-week herbal journey through autumn, as the energy of summer slowly begins to draw inward.
Autumn is a season of harvest, grounding, transition and creativity. A time to gather what nature has offered, to nourish and support the body, and to begin preparing for the colder and darker months ahead. It is also a season that invites us to bring together knowledge, creativity and intuition.
Together, we will explore how herbs can support us through this seasonal shift — bringing the abundance and vitality of summer into the ground of our bodies, before slowly stepping into the quiet of winter.
Each week, we will spend time both learning and making. We will dive into different herbs and the body systems they traditionally support, approaching herbalism from a holistic perspective — looking at the body as a whole and at how different systems work together. And then, we will turn that knowledge into something of our own, creating a new herbal preparation to take home and add to our growing personal apothecary.
By the end of the course, each participant will have built their own herbal apothecary, but also gained the knowledge and confidence to continue creating their own herbal preparations at home.
We will be working with high-quality herbs, most of them carefully wild-harvested, alongside organic oils, vinegars and other natural ingredients. Each week, we will work with approximately 10–15 different herbs, giving you the opportunity to explore a wide variety of plants and choose the ones that best support your own needs and call to you.
The course is held as a closed group, allowing us to grow together as a small and supportive herbal community over the five weeks. It is a space for learning, creativity, conversation and connection — an invitation to deepen your relationship with plants and discover how herbs can become part of your everyday life.
Full Course Program
15.10.2026 Roots & Grounding: Digestion, Nervous System & Finding Our Foundation
22.10.2026 Fire & Immunity: Warming the Body & Seasonal Protection
29.10.2026 The Heart Within: Heart Strength, Connection & Herbal Tea Blending
5.11.2026 Body Flow: Herbal Oils for Circulation, Movement & Support
15.10.2026 Stepping into Dark: Warmth, Rest & Embracing the Season
What to Expect Each Week
Week 1 — Roots & Grounding
Digestion, Nervous System & Finding Our Foundation
Thursday, 15.10.2026 - 18.00 - 20.30
We begin our herbal journey from the ground.
As autumn arrives, nature begins to draw its energy downward and inward. The trees slowly release their leaves, the harvest is gathered, and the roots remain — holding and storing what is needed for the season ahead.
In this first session, we will explore grounding herbs, roots and plants traditionally used to support digestion, the nervous system and mental clarity. We will talk about the importance of supporting our body's natural systems and flow, and how digestion can become a foundation for both physical and emotional wellbeing.
Working with a selection of roots and other supportive herbs, we will explore how different plants can help us feel more grounded, nourished and steady as we move into the changing season.
Hands-on practice:
Together we will create our own personalised herbal tinctures, choosing from a selection of
herbs to create a preparation suited to your own needs and intentions.
You'll leave with:
● A personalised herbal tincture
● Knowledge of herbs traditionally used to support digestion, the nervous system and mental clarity
● Printed notes and herb information for your growing herbal booklet
Week 2 — Fire & Immunity
Warming the Body & Seasonal Protection
Thursday, 22.10.2026 - 18.00 - 20.30
As the air begins to cool, we turn toward the warming and protective qualities of plants.
In this session, we will explore aromatic, pungent and warming herbs traditionally used to
support the immune system, circulation and vitality during the colder months. We will work with the harvest of the season alongside roots, spices and aromatic herbs — discovering how different plants bring warmth and movement to the body.
We will explore the traditional practice of making fire cider: a vibrant herbal vinegar preparation combining seasonal ingredients, pungent roots and aromatic herbs.
Hands-on practice:
Together we will make our own fire cider, creating personalised blends with a wide selection of herbs and seasonal ingredients.
You'll leave with:
● Your own handcrafted fire cider
● Knowledge of warming and immune-supporting herbs
● Printed notes and herb information for your growing herbal booklet
Week 3 — The Heart within
Heart Strength, Connection & Herbal Tea Blending
Thursday, 29.10.2026 - 18.00 - 20.30
In our third session, we turn our attention toward the heart — exploring it both as a vital physical organ and as the quiet center of our emotional lives.
We will dive into plants traditionally used to nourish the physical heart and encourage healthy circulation, while also spending time with herbs that have long been associated with tenderness, connection and inner resilience. It is an invitation to look at how different plants can support our emotional wellbeing and the strength of the heart.
Through scent, taste and a variety of herbs, we will learn the art of formulation — discovering how to bring different plants together into a balanced and harmonious blend.
Hands-on practice:
Each participant will craft their own personalized herbal tea blend, choosing from a wide
selection of plants.
We will explore the space where knowledge and intuition meet, creating a preparation designed to support both the body and the heart.
You'll leave with:
● A personalised herbal tea blend
● Insight into herbs traditionally used to support the physical and emotional heart
● A deeper understanding of herbal formulation and intuitive blending
● Printed notes and herb information for your growing herbal booklet
Week 4 — Body Flow
Herbal Oils for Circulation, Movement & Support
Thursday, 5.11.2026 - 18.00 - 20.30
Before we enter the deeper stillness of winter, we take time to keep the body moving.
As the temperature drops and the days become shorter, many of us begin to feel stiffness, tension and a slowing down in the body. In this session, we will explore herbs traditionally used to support circulation, movement and the body's natural flow.
We will work with different herbs and oils, learning about their qualities and how they can be combined to create nourishing massage oils for the body. Together we will explore plants traditionally used to soothe tired muscles, support circulation and bring warmth to areas of stiffness and tension.
Hands-on practice:
Together we will create personalized herbal massage oils, choosing herbs and oils to suit your own body and needs.
You'll leave with:
● Your own personalised herbal massage oil
● Knowledge of herbs traditionally used for circulation, movement and body support
● Insight into different oils and their uses
● Printed notes and herb information for your growing herbal booklet
Week 5 — Stepping into the Dark
Warmth, Rest & Embracing the Season
Thursday, 12.11.2026 - 18.00 - 20.30
We close our journey by stepping gently into the darkness.
Autumn is a threshold — a time of letting go, slowing down and preparing for rest. Rather than resisting the darkness of the coming season, this final session is an invitation to embrace it. Together, we will explore herbs traditionally used to encourage relaxation, warmth and deep rest. We will work with mineral salts, herbs and natural scents, exploring how these elements can come together to create a nourishing and grounding bathing ritual.
This will be a more ritual-based and sensory session, bringing together the knowledge, creativity and intuition we have cultivated throughout the course — and creating space to slow down, soften and welcome the darker season.
Hands-on practice:
Together, we will create personalised herbal bath salts, blending mineral salts, herbs and natural scents into a preparation for warmth, relaxation and quiet moments at home.
You'll leave with:
● Your own personalised herbal bath salts
● Knowledge of herbs traditionally used for relaxation and rest
● An introduction to natural scents and aromatic herbs for bathing
● Insight into the traditions and benefits of herbal bathing
● The final notes for your herbal booklet and home apothecary
Throughout the Course
Build Your Personal Home Apothecary
Week by week, you will build your own collection of herbal preparations to take home and use throughout the season. Each creation will be personal. Rather than everyone making exactly the same product, you will have the opportunity to choose from a wide selection of herbs and create preparations that reflect your own needs and interests.
Over the five weeks, your home apothecary will grow to include:
● A personalised herbal tincture
● A handcrafted fire cider
● A personal herbal tea blend
● An herbal massage oil
● Herbal bath salts
Meet the Herbs
Each week, we will work with approximately 10–15 different herbs.
You will have the opportunity to meet the plants through scent, taste, touch and conversation, while learning about their traditional uses and qualities. We will work primarily with high-quality and carefully sourced herbs, including many plants that have been and harvested from the wild.
Recipes & Herbal Knowledge
Each week, you will receive recipes, herb information and notes on the preparation methods we explore. By the end of the course, you will have created your own growing collection of herbal knowledge — something to continue working with long after our five weeks together.
A Herbal Community
The course is held as a small, closed group.
Over five weeks, we have time to get to know the plants — and each other. There is space for questions, conversation, creativity and shared experiences.
This is not simply a course about making herbal products. It is an invitation to build confidence in working with plants, to explore both traditional knowledge and intuition, and to slowly create your own relationship with herbs.
As autumn turns toward winter, we gather what we need — and carry it with us into the darker months ahead.
The course is hosted in the beautiful I.P Pavlova in Prague 2.
Sessions take place on Thursdays from 18:00 to 20:30, starting on 15th October 2026.
The price for the full 5-week course is 9,000 CZK, which includes all of the materials we will use: high-quality herbs, oils, essential oils, alcohols, vinegars, glycerins, salts, as well as glass jars, bottles, and paper packaging for your creations.
This is an intimate course with a maximum of 10 participants.
Reservation is required — please secure your spot by clicking the button to send us an email, and we will send you all the necessary details.
If you have an inquiry about Autumn Course or other activities, I will be very happy to hear from you.
"In some native languages, the term for plants translates to - those who take care of us."
Robin Wall Kimmerer