As soon as you walk into the Mission district's Scarlet Sage Herb Co, you're met with a torrent of aromas, colors, and other curiosities that trigger the senses and provide a pleasant stopover for unsuspecting window shoppers. A veritable mecca of alternative healing, Scarlet Sage is crammed with books, aromatherapy tools, oils, talismans, trinkets, and herbs. It's a treasure trove of holistic knowledge containing everything a homeopathic enthusiast would ever want--without the hollow new age trappings.

But don't be sidetracked by the tarot decks and scented candles-Scarlet Sage is, first and foremost, a retail herb store specializing in medicinal herbs from Native American and Western European traditions of healing. It's a store with a passion for the healing properties of herbs, and a desire to educate people through an impressive array of products and a slew of class offerings.

- Excerpt from Herbs for Healing By Nirmala Nataraj