Around here, we hear “ Maze Ap-a-who? A lot.
So, we thought we would take a moment to share a little bit about what an apothecary is and what we do.
The word 'apothecary' is derived from apotheca, meaning a place where wine, spices and herbs are stored. During the thirteenth century it came into use in this country to describe a person who kept a stock of these commodities, which they sold from their shop or street stall.
Historically, the term “apothecary” referred to both the person who manufactured and dispensed medicines (lowercase “a”), and the shop in which those medicines were sold (capitalized “A”). Though they remain staples of fantasy worlds, apothecaries were not mystical peddlers, but highly valued and esteemed medical professionals
The modern day chemist or pharmacist has taken over this role. In some languages and regions, the word "apothecary" is still used to refer to a retail pharmacy or a pharmacist who owns one. Apothecaries' investigation of herbal and chemical ingredients was a precursor to the modern sciences of chemistry and pharmacology.
In addition to dispensing herbs and medicine, apothecaries offered general medical advice and a range of services that are now performed by other specialist practitioners, such as surgeons and obstetricians. Apothecary shops sold both the ingredients and the medicines they prepared wholesale to other medical practitioners, as well as dispensed them directly to patients. In 17th-century England, apothecaries also controlled the trade in tobacco which was imported as a medicine at the time.
As a modern Apothecary (in every sense of the word and work), not that much has changed from my ancient predecessors. Thanks to the modern pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens etc...The average American citizen does not utilize my services. And there are still those who appreciate having what herbal and botanical plant compounding makes available or their self-care, and Wellness remedy toolbox.
My own professional background is pretty buried. I did start off however on the path to becoming a traditional doctor. I went to college and studied both biology and psychology with the intention of becoming a pediatric Neuro psychiatrist. I worked in a North Carolina hospital for a little over a year, and realized that my dreams of being a doctor were not meant to be reality. After that, I followed my indigenous roots along the path of Shamanism and Medicine Woman. By blood, and by design, who I am as apothecary, sits at the intersection of two worlds for me. I consider myself an ethnobotanist, as I have a unique and personal relationship with each Herb, flower, person and plant that I work with. I often share that one of the reasons our remedies at Maze Apothecary are so effective so quickly is because I have been able to unlock each persons and plants highest healing capability via this unique and personal relationship.
Along those lines, I’m so excited to share that we have been able to start our own micro farm, Luna y Sol farms, for the production of quality organic herbs and medicinal mushrooms and plants to other foodstuffs. From seed to package, our botanical remedies have been loved and cared for with intentionality and awareness.
That’s one of the biggest differences between our apothecary and a pharmacy, each remedy we craft is done so intentionally and with you in mind. Also everything we offer is organic, sustainable, paraben- fee, phthalate free, petroleum free, gluten free, vegan friendly and handcrafted in small batches with love. So there’s that. 🙂
To Your Health
Brandi
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