Reality Hub Podcast – Episode 81 with Rixt Botello Low Dose Herbal Medicine, Plant Consciousness & Person-Specific Dosing

In this episode we sit down with herbalist, teacher and author Rixt Botello from Rixt’s Herbals to explore her lifelong journey with herbal medicine and her unique low dose / low drop dosage philosophy.

Rixt shares how getting sick as a young horticulturist (bare feet, Roundup, heavy smoking and all) led her to completely change her lifestyle, clean up her body before having children, and eventually train as a medical herbalist. With around 37 years of practice behind her, she talks about why less herbal material can often do more – for people, and for the planet.

We dig into the difference between low dose herbalism and homeopathy, why some traditions moved toward “heroic doses”, and what Rixt calls a “person specific dose” – tailoring the amount to the individual, their life situation, stress, environment and even ethnicity. She also explains how low dose approaches can help protect endangered plant species and save people money, without losing effectiveness. From there, the conversation opens up into the “web of life”: plant consciousness, roots and mycelium as the original internet, Emoto’s water crystal experiments, and how the plants you need often literally grow right outside your window.

Rixt’s Book & Online Course Rixt has poured 23 years of research into her book: Low Dosage Methodology in Herbal Medicine – a story-style herbal text with case studies and academic depth woven through it.

She now teaches this material in an 8-module online course, starting January 11th, where she personally interacts with students.

The course is suitable for: People with a genuine interest in herbs and herbal medicine, Existing practitioners and health professionals wanting to understand low / drop dosage and dosing methodologies (posology) in more depth.

The course is delivered online (via Mighty Networks) with resource materials, glossary and clear explanations so you can revisit and apply the ideas in your own context.

Links from the Episode Rixt’s Herbals

website - https://rixtsherbals.co.nz

Book – Low Dosage Methodology in Herbal Medicine

https://rixtsherbals.co.nz/shop/rixts-books/low-dosage-methodology-in-herbal-medicine-book/

Course – Low/Drop Dosage in Herbal Medicine Certificate Level 1 (Online course, 8 modules, starts January 11 – enrolments open now)

https://rixtsherbals.co.nz/low-drop-dosage-in-herbal-medicine-certificate-level-1/

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, we welcome one of New Zealand's foremost neuromuscular therapists, Leon, whose decades of hands-on healing work have changed lives and surprised even seasoned medical professionals. Born in the US and shaped by a diverse and challenging upbringing, Leon's journey spans growing up in a multicultural but segregated environment, serving as a medic in the US Army, studying advanced bodywork techniques, and teaching across New Zealand.

From confronting racism and bullying to unlocking trauma stored in the body's fascia, Leon shares extraordinary real-life stories—from veterans reliving battlefield moments to mothers releasing long-held post-cesarean pain. We also explore his philosophy on self-healing, mindset, and the innate intelligence of the human body. This is part biography, part masterclass in holistic therapy, and part celebration of a life lived on purpose.

Topics Covered

• Early Life in the US
• • Multicultural upbringing without initial racial divisions
  • Impact of enforced integration and the emergence of racism
  • Growing up Native American–Mexican in a society that encouraged cultural camouflage
  • Early lessons in self-defence and protecting others from bullies
• Military Service
• • Joining the US Army during the Cold War and serving as a medic
  • Specialized skills: medical trauma care, weapons maintenance, vehicle operation
  • Life in Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall
  • Lessons from basic training and camaraderie among soldiers
• Path to Neuromuscular Therapy
• • Personal injury led to the discovery of massage therapy
  • Training in advanced modalities, including trigger point therapy and myofascial release
  • Influence of Dr. Janet Travell & Dr. David Simons' work on referred pain patterns
• Healing Stories & Case Studies
• • Veteran reliving battlefield trauma during fascia release
  • Post-cesarean patients completing "unfinished" birth processes
  • Restoring fertility through fascial unwinding
  • Emotional releases linked to stored trauma in abdominal tissue
  • Supporting athletes to improve performance through iliopsoas work
• Mindset, Healing, and Self-Responsibility
• • The role of belief systems in recovery
  • How cultural programming and language shape health outcomes
  • Importance of diet, hydration, movement, and supportive relationships
  • Advice for questioning authority and seeking multiple opinions
• Life Beyond the Clinic
• • Teaching and travelling extensively in New Zealand
  • Work with high-profile clients, from professional athletes to celebrities
  • Experiences in Hawaii, Houston, and luxury wellness settings
  • Philosophy of living naturally and embracing opportunities

Want to connect with Leon for bodywork sessions or teaching inquiries?

You can reach him at scubaman@hotmail.com

or on his New Zealand mobile +64 21 080 84448.

• Connect with Rob and Steve: Our instagram handle is @realityhub.love
• YouTube is http://www.youtube.com/@realityhub-love
• TikTok is @real8yhub, and naturally enough, our website is www.realityhub.love

In this profound and illuminating episode, Stephen and Rob sit down with intuitive healer and horse whisperer Sue Austen, founder of Bulls Wool Farm Park and practitioner of Contact CARE. What begins with a story of healing injured horses unfolds into a deep exploration of the body's energetic memory, intergenerational trauma, intuitive therapy, and the fine line between ancient wisdom and modern woo.

Sue shares how she transitioned from working with physically broken horses to becoming a deeply attuned therapist for people suffering from physical and emotional pain—especially those carrying the hidden weight of abuse, trauma, and generational wounding.

With a balance of earthy practicality and cosmic insight, Sue reveals how "flinch locks"—surprise impacts stored in the bones—can be gently released, unlocking profound healing. The conversation also explores predator/prey dynamics, energetic imprints, the power of intuitive sensing, and the deeper spiritual purpose behind Sue's work.

Topics Covered:

• What is Contact CARE and what is a flinch lock?

• Healing abused animals and their emotional imprints

• Intuitive sensing of pain and trauma in others

• Intergenerational trauma in both horses and humans

• Energetic memory stored in fascia and bone

• The spiritual and ancestral roots of Sue's abilities

• How Sue perceives clients' injuries—sometimes before they arrive

• How to work with, not against, your body's position of comfort

• Understanding the apex predator sense in humans

• The importance of boundaries, openness, and emotional strength

• Sue's work with vulnerable women and how healing happens

• The connection between nature, pantheism, and intuitive healing

• Guardian rocks, therapy animals, and energy-cleansing rituals

Quote of the Episode:
"I feel like I have a remnant of what hunter-gatherers used to do—like I'm being guided to the stuck, wounded ones... whether it's a sheep in the blackberry bush or a soul in distress." – Sue Austen

Connect with Sue:

• Bulls Wool Farm Park: [Google "Bulls Wool Farm"]

• Contact CARE Practice: www.flinchlockrelease.co.nz

• Connect with Rob and Steve: Our instagram handle is @realityhub.love

• TikTok is @real8yhub, and naturally enough, our website is www.realityhub.love