MARANA, Az. – Virginia Boone and Leonard Marcus are in the fortunate position of living lives in which work, family, social life, health, spirituality, tradition and culture meld together into an integrated, meaningful whole.

Life and business partners for the last 15 years, the couple collects wild herbs and other plants in areas of the southwestern states of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, crafts them into handmade traditional Navajo herbal remedies and sells them at pow wows, Indian markets, conferences and on the Internet at www.motp8.com.

It’s a way of life to which Boone and Marcus are profoundly committed.

“The commitment comes from the understanding that we have a connection with the earth and that is how all Native Americans relate their way of life – by working the earth and being committed to using the spirit of the body and the earth to live, you know?” Boone said. “It keeps the culture alive and it helps people. It’s not just one thing or the other; it’s a whole thing in itself. We’re fortunate that it’s something we can do to help people and share with a lot of people.”

Boone, Navajo, was born near Flagstaff, Ariz., and gained her herbal knowledge from her father, who was raised in the traditional Navajo way, learning the healing crafts from his aunt when he was a child. He later studied under eight other Navajo herbalists gaining knowledge of more than 200 plants and becoming a renowned herbalist himself for 20 years.

“He taught my brothers and sisters and me when we were young, taking us with him to gather plants. We learned to give corn pollen as an offering to the plants and talk to them in a sacred manner. He taught us to be aware of the plant’s energies and that, like people, they each are different and that they possess powerful healing and spiritual qualities.”

Boone continues to learn the healing arts from her 87-year-old aunt, her father’s only living sister.

“She has really helped me a lot the last couple of years to keep moving and learning this medicine directly from her in an oral tradition, and that it’s important for other Native people to be inspired by what we do so they can go back to their grandparents or parents and ask these questions. It’s just another way of keeping the culture alive and keeping people aware that the things that keep happening to our earth can’t keep going on, because we do have to survive and it’s important for people to know that this is not just for Native Americans, and it’s not just a matter of marketing the green thing. It’s our belief, our way of life.”