Dave Achula Herbalist

I am bringing together small groups this Spring & Summer to connect with wild plants. And you get to sign up until friday 27th with 25% off with discount code: SPRING Groups are limited to 10. Achula.com or Link in Bio for more info/booking. Are you in?

HI! Re-introduction here to all of you who started following me recently 🧡 Come & say hi in the comments. How are you feeling today? What would you like to ask me? Do you work with plants yourself? What are you passionate about? Come & say hi, don’t be shy.

When we call it a bad trip it's likely to fall short on all the insights that this "bad trip" is here to teach us. Usually when people speak of a bad trip i notice that there has been little reflection on what lead up to the "bad part", how they moved through it and what they could learn from this? Often it turns into a traumatising experience or unprocessed trip which keeps the "user" away from psychedelics. A “good trip” is usually described as euphoric, insightful, connected, expansive, mystical. A “bad trip” may involve fear, grief, ego dissolution, paranoia, emotional overwhelm, or confronting parts of ourselves we normally avoid. Researchers like Stanislav Grof argued decades ago that frightening psychedelic experiences can sometimes uncover unresolved trauma or psychological material that later leads to insight or healing. External circumstances can strongly influence the experience: • unsafe environments • emotional stress • unresolved trauma • lack of guidance • social tension • overstimulation • unexpected triggers • dosage & unpredictability The question is often not: Was it a good trip or a bad trip? But: What was the experience trying to show me? What comes to mind when you hear “bad trip”?

This plant defends itself with a sting yet has a long history of healing the body. Stinging nettle (Urtica Dioica) has been feared, avoided, even cursed for centuries yet it has also been deliberately used in some of the oldest healing traditions for pain that modern medicine still struggles to fully resolve. The sting itself is not random irritation it is a complex injection of histamine formic acid and other compounds that trigger circulation and immune response right at the skin this is exactly why traditional practitioners used a method called urtication intentionally brushing fresh nettles over joints affected by rheuma and arthritis to stimulate blood flow and reduce chronic stiffness. It sounds primitive but the mechanism is not mystical increased circulation can support tissue repair and the counter irritation effect may disrupt pain signaling pathways in a way that mirrors some modern topical treatments. Beyond the sting nettle is deeply nutritive rich in minerals like iron magnesium and silica with documented anti inflammatory properties that can support joint health from the inside out. Would you ever try nettle for joint pain?

Did you know that lucid dreaming is a learnable skill, practiced across ancient civilisations, increasingly studied by neuroscience for its potential in trauma therapy, creativity, spirituality, and even performance enhancement? ✨ Join us on Saturday 2 May, 16:00–18:30 at the Embassy of the Free Mind (@embassyofthefreemind ) for a multidisciplinary workshop led by philosopher, artist and cross-cultural historian Marieke McKenna (@mariekemckenna ). Marieke has studied dreams through the lenses of neuroscience, history, philosophy, and cross-cultural anthropology, with research experience at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. She also led a multi-year oral history project documenting dream practices across cultures worldwide, and will be sharing many insightful findings from her interdisciplinary research. She will be joined by herbologist Achula (@achula__ ) who will introduce ‘oneirogens’ (dream-enhancing plants) and how to work with them safely at home. In this workshop, you will learn: 🌙 How different cultures have understood and worked with dreams 🌙 The science of the dreaming brain 🌙 How to improve dream recall through simple, evidence-based techniques 🌙 How to enter deeper, more vivid dream states and how to use dreams for creative insight, emotional processing, and inner exploration. 🌙 How to work with your dreams alone or in a group context. Date: 2 May 2026. Time: 16:00–18:30. Location: in person, Keizersgracht 123, Amsterdam Tickets: €50, available via the Embassy of the Free Mind website or Marieke’s link in bio. Cover photo reel: Marieke by @philinevandenhul

Dandelion is one of the most generous plants we have. From flower to seed, it reflects the cycles of life, but its medicine runs just as deep beneath the surface. The leaves are traditionally used to support the kidneys and help the body release excess water. The root works closely with the liver, supporting digestion and the body’s natural clearing processes. The flowers can be infused into oils to soothe and restore the skin. This plant doesn’t just tend to us. It tends to the earth as well. Dandelion helps break up compacted soil with its deep taproot, drawing minerals up from below and returning vitality to the ground. It grows on every continent except Antarctica, quietly adapting, persisting, and offering its medicine almost everywhere humans live. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dandelion is used to clear heat and support detoxification, especially in the liver and stomach. Across many cultures, it has been used as both food and medicine, a bitter tonic that awakens digestion and brings the body back into balance. Have you ever worked with dandelion? #dandelion #herbalmedicine #herbalhealing #taraxacum #medicinalplants

There’s something powerful about having a place dedicated to your craft. Same hands. Same herbs. But a completely different energy. This is where I study, create, and keep learning. And you can feel the difference #herbalmedicine #interiordesign #planthealing

Spring is here 🌱 The real New Year begins on the 21st of March. The equinox signals the return of light and life, when plants begin to grow again, making it a natural point to begin a new cycle. As the body emerges from winter, so too does the land. The first plants that rise are not incidental; they are part of a larger intelligence, offering their bitter, mineral-rich qualities to cleanse, restore, and rebalance after a long winter. To move with spring is to participate in this process to release what has accumulated, and to realign with life as it returns. In recognition of this seasonal threshold, I’m offering up to €100 off on ceremonies, 25% off medicine walks & medicine making workshops & 20% off in my herbal shop until March 22. Link in Bio Do you feel the shift of spring in your body? #spring #dandelion #herbalmedicine #herbalapothecary

You Are Nature

Viagra wasn’t always how humans “fixed” desire. Long before pills, cultures around the world turned to plants to awaken sexual energy. These plants were known as aphrodisiacs. Its name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, desire, and pleasure, honoring the plant’s connection to sexual energy and vitality. An aphrodisiac plant isn’t about instant heat. It’s a plant that supports the conditions for intimacy: better blood flow, steadier mood, deeper sensation, more presence in the body. In Egypt, blue lotus was steeped and sipped for its dreamy, heart-opening effects, used in ritual, intimacy, and prayer. It softened the body, quieted the mind, and let pleasure move slowly, like water. In India and Africa, mucuna wasn’t called an aphrodisiac at all, it was a nourisher. A seed for the nervous system. A builder of vitality. When the body feels resourced, desire follows naturally. That’s how herbal aphrodisiacs have always worked. Not by forcing arousal, but by warming the blood, calming the nerves, and bringing you back into felt sensation. Back into the pelvis. Back into breath. Back into presence. Unlike Viagra or modern synthetic aphrodisiacs, these herbs: Support your body’s natural systems and work without creating dependency. They don’t just “turn you on” instead they restore your capacity to feel, connect, and desire naturally. 🌿 Have you ever heard of aphrodisiac plants? Through the link in my bio you can learn more about these plants and find them in my shop. #bluelotus #damiana #cacaoceremony #herbalmedicine #aphrodisiac

Some of the strongest medicine grows wild. You’ve seen these plants… they grow all around you. Overlooked or disregarded as weeds. When we learn how to identify herbs, healing becomes accessible. In the upcoming courses we learn how to identify wild herbs & how to make your own medicines. Link in Bio. How many of these plants do you recognize? #herbalmedicine#naturalhealing #mushroomhunting #crystalhealing #foraging

I switched to a simple herbal mouthwash made with cloves, fennel, cinnamon, and mint and my mouth has never felt better. Clean doesn’t have to burn. Natural doesn’t have to be complicated. Would you try this… or do you trust store-bought mouthwash more? 👀👇 #NaturalOralCare #HolisticHealth #NonToxicLiving #HerbalRemedies #herbal