Original Medicine

 

Original Medicine Yearlong Program

Original Medicine Yearlong Program is a psycho-spiritual cross-cultural mindfulness approach to healing and personal development. The contemplative teachings weave together Indigenous wisdom, mindfulness, and earth-based practices. This program teaches participants how to work with the four seasons as tools of self-awareness, to learn the process of tracking one’s own changes, and to connect to one’s own natural phenomena as a human being. In Indigenous societies, there are long-standing practices of creating the sacred, cultivating stillness, and embracing silence. Being in nature and engaging in rituals is important to honor the forthcoming changes in the world both within and around us.

Indigenous societies recognize individuals holding their personal power as their Original Medicine. The shadow of the false self is purified as humans strengthen their authentic selves through the practice of coming home to their truth and power. The teachings of Buddha and Indigenous wisdom build this foundation of truth, trust, and love. Together we will explore ways of coming into our own Original Medicine and enhance our personal growth and purpose.

Apply Here

We warmly welcome applications through Friday, January 9, 2026.

If your heart is drawn to Original Medicine but your life can’t hold a yearlong commitment at this time, please consider joining us through our weeklong retreat pathway.

 

See how Original Medicine has impacted our participants:

2026 Schedule

SAVE THE DATES

** All sessions are Live-Online via Zoom**

Monthly Tuesday Sessions

6:00 - 8:00 pm PT

​January 13 

February 10   

March 10  

April 14 

May 19

June 9

July 14

August 11

September 8

October 13

November 10 

December 8

Tuesday Small Pod Sessions

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm PT

February 24  

April 28

June 30

August 25

October 27

December 1

Earth-Based Community Gathering

Thursday, September 10 - Sunday September 13, 2026 in-person at Wolf Dream Mountain in Northern California

Please note: There will be additional costs for this in-person gathering. More details to come at a later date for program participants.

Application Process

Thank you for your interest in our Original Medicine programs! This immersive experience is designed to provide participants with the tools, practices, and guidance needed for profound personal transformation and growth. Over the course of a year, participants will engage in a combination of experiential learning, personalized mentorship, and community connection to deepen their understanding and embodiment of the program’s principles and framework. 

Our programs emphasize:

  • Holistic integration of mind, body, and spirit.

  • Cultivating resilience and clarity to navigate life’s complexities.

  • Building connections within a supportive and diverse community.

Given the personalized nature of these programs and the commitment they require, space is limited, and each application is carefully reviewed by our team. We seek to create a balanced community that honors diversity, shared intentions, and the acceptance of being ready for transformative personal growth.

Apply Here

We warmly welcome applications through Friday, January 9, 2026.

 

Reciprocity Contribution

As we look towards creating a restorative economy, one important way to ensure continued growth and engagement with our communities is establishing a practice of sacred reciprocity contribution. Reciprocity practice welcomes individuals to support the participation of others who may not have the same capacity. We recognize most mainstream events and programs like ours are priced at levels far out of reach for many in our community. As a result, we have made our events and programs accessible to all by inviting participants to enter into a relationship of sacred reciprocity to share support with others on the path. 

Additionally, reciprocity practice helps ensure that our teachers and medicine elders are adequately compensated for their time and effort, supporting their long-term sustainability and livelihood. Working towards a restorative economy requires our intentional practice of addressing the systemic inequities that often result in income disparity for BIPOC teachers. 

Our contribution tiers take these practices into account and we encourage you to consider your own circumstances. Understanding the challenging times, we trust you to attend to your needs and ask you to consider meeting yourself wherever you are financially, with the least amount of harm possible. Please consider contributing according to your ability and to the greatest extent that feels personally meaningful for your situation, with the benefit of others in mind.

 
 
 

Please select one of following tiers of contribution for the Original Medicine Yearlong Program:

Benefactor Tier:                 $780

The Benefactor Tier provides an opportunity for individuals with financial means to support access for those with limited resources, enabling broader participation and inclusivity.

Spiritual Friend Tier:       $640 

The Spiritual Friend Tier nurtures the sustainability of our program and is designed for individuals who are employed and able to comfortably support their financial well-being while contributing to our shared mission.

Community Builder Tier: $520

The Community Builder Tier offers a reduced rate for those facing moderate financial constraints or barriers. For example, if you are living on a fixed income, are a senior, a full-time student, or temporarily unemployed, this tier provides support to ensure your sustainability during these times.

Financial Support Self-Reflection:

Lastly, no one is turned away for lack of funds. Each program offers a limited number of spots available for those experiencing severe financial constraints or barriers. If you are navigating any of the circumstances shared in the financial support self-reflection below, you are welcome to reach out to info@braidedwisdom.org. 

  1. My financial situation requires me to live paycheck to paycheck, without a safety net or the option to rely on financially stable or wealthy family or friends for support. I currently do not own any property, nor do I possess investments, stocks, retirement accounts, savings, an emergency fund, or inherited funds. My income solely covers my basic daily needs, leaving no disposable income for additional savings, investments, outings, or entertainment.

  2. I or a member of my immediate family is facing a health crisis that has significantly intensified the financial strain, making it even more difficult to meet our minimum daily needs. As a result, I/we frequently depend on community services and charities for essentials like food and clothing due to these financial constraints.

Thank you for your thoughtful reflection and consideration. We believe liberation is a collective path that thrives on meaningful relationships and mutual sustainability and sacred reciprocity. We appreciate your honest reflection and collaboration to expand these offerings to more beings in our community! 

 

Core Program Components

 

 Monthly Sessions

Monthly two hour Tuesday sessions from 6:00 - 8:00 pm PT for wisdom teachings and contemplative practice

Pod Meetings

Every other month one hour mentor pod meetings with a small group of participants with assigned Mentors and Teaching Assistants for group practice

Mentor 1:1 Support

Twice a year meetings with an assigned mentor for personal support and development

 

Spiritual Friends

Monthly check-ins with assigned Spiritual Friends to connect with peers and cultivate community

Land Retreat

Land-based gathering at sacred ceremonial Indigenous land in Lake County, CA to learn earth-based practices and cross-cultural ceremony
Please note: There will be additional costs for this in-person gathering. More details to come at a later date for program participants.

Learning Tools

Online learning portal to access course recordings, assignments and personal journal assignments

 

Additional Support

  • Guided Self-Regulation Movements

  • Teachings from Elder Wisdom Holders who offer diverse perspectives and approaches to Indigenous practices (Original Medicine 4-part Series)

  • Required assignments, readings, audio, and video

  • Personal journal assignments to do on your own time to help you reflect on the teachings as you go

  • Personal practice, ritual, ongoing meditation practice, mindful movement 

 

Teaching Team

  • “Before coming to OMYL, there was this persistent sense that something was inherently wrong with me. I would often go into spirals of self hatred. I couldn’t see my own worth. In OMYL, I was fully witnessed in my inherent value, pain and challenges, and I started to see I could be my own medicine. Being witnessed by others is the most beautiful thing I’ve experienced."

    Nancy Pham, Nurse Practitioner

  • “I love being with the seasons and elements as a metaphor for our emotional landscape. Something I experienced in the fall season was getting clear on what was serving me and what needed letting go. OMYL helped me consider what it means to be in integrity. This exploration helped me build an internal strength, allowing me to braid together the medicine within, and connecting me to the inspiration of my ancestry."

    Jamil Moises Liban-Ortañez, artist, Filipinx folk medicine, expressive arts therapist

  • "The Original Medicine Yearlong Program supported me through an important period of healing and transformation in my life. Mindfulness practices helped me become aware of generational trauma and patterns of harm in my family. Earth-based rituals allowed me to hold my family’s pain with gentleness, forgive myself and my beloveds for the suffering we caused, and release resentment. Because of my participation in the OMYL program, I am better able to honor my natural rhythms and show up with more authenticity in my relationships. I walk this Earth with gratitude for our sacred interconnectedness and trust in the Great Mystery."

    Irazema Guerrero Meléndez, associate clinical social worker, educator, lifelong learner

  • "Through the Original Medicine program, I developed a spiritual practice rooted in connection to the earth, the elements, and all living beings. Mindfulness and earth-based rituals have helped me slow down, heal old wounds, and choose compassion over old stories. I now feel deeply supported by my ancestors, the natural world, and a beloved sangha—and I no longer feel alone."

    Lori Billela, Director, Clean Energy Services at Ava Community Energy

  • "Original Medicine affirmed my path toward healing and strengthened my relationship with myself in a kind and authentic way. It gave me the courage to make life changes aligned with my values, opened me to greater joy and compassion, and deepened my trust in both my intuition and the mystery of allowing life to unfold."

    Jen Racho, Practice Leader, Common Ground Meditation Center and Clouds in Water Zen Center

  • "Original Medicine gave me the clarity and confidence to authentically invite nature and ancestors into the spaces I hold, even in settings where I might once have been cautious. This connection has become foundational to my work, allowing me to ground spaces for healing, invite others to bring their full selves, and embody a deeper relationship with nature and ancestors as teachers."

    Jonathan Relucio, Facilitator and Coach

FAQs

  • There are no prerequisites to participate in OMYL, only a commitment to your own personal growth.

  • No, the Original Medicine Yearlong Program is open to all people with any cultural background or spiritual practices.

  • Original Medicine Yearlong Program - This is an intensive, fully immersive multi-month program with several components that require a regular time commitment. Participants must attend an information session and meet the lead teacher to be considered.

    Original Medicine 4-Part Series - This offering is a series of four seasonal 1.5-2 hour virtual sessions often with special guest teachers held on Saturdays throughout the year. This series is open to the public. You do not need to attend any prior session to participate. To explore and register for future sessions, please visit our events page.

  • No, the 4-Part Series is open to the public. Anyone can join us.