Alessandra Marazzi
Anima Herbaria Malta
Welcome to Anima Herbaria
I am Alessandra Marazzi, Italian by birth, a Historian of Religions and a researcher in the history of Traditional Mediterranean Medicine. My work explores the medical traditions, uses, practices and folklore of the peoples who have lived around the Mediterranean — our ancient Mare Nostrum.
Bringing this knowledge back into view and opening a new dialogue between the ancient Mediterranean world and contemporary life has become the purpose of my work. Through research, travel and the study of medicinal plants, I seek to understand how this heritage was recorded, practised and transmitted, and how it can help us reflect differently on our lives today.
A Journey Back to the Mediterranean
My interest in plants began in childhood, through flowers, domestic remedies and the simple preparations once found in many Italian homes.
Life later took me from Italy to Kenya and the Netherlands, exposing me to different landscapes, plants and ways of living. My eventual arrival in Gozo marked a return to the Mediterranean and gave a clearer direction to years of study, travel and personal research.
Movement has shaped my life, but so have roots. Anima Herbaria grew from the understanding that the two do not need to contradict one another.
From distant landscapes
to Mediterranean roots.
From Personal Interest to Historical Research
My studies in the history of religions led me to explore the relationship between the divine and ancient medical knowledge, and to examine customs and traditions in order to understand how plants, beliefs and everyday practices intersected.
This path eventually led me to a wellness practitioner specialisation in traditional Mediterranean medicine. Through this training, I encountered the practical framework of Traditional Mediterranean Medicine and medical practices that have long formed part of our herbal heritage.
The works of Luigi Giannelli provided a structured introduction to Traditional Mediterranean Medicine and physiognomy, leading me to the works of Hippocrates, Galen, Dioscorides, Pliny the Elder, Avicenna, Hildegard of Bingen and many other authors who contributed to the transmission of this medical heritage.
My Work Today
Today I bring historical research into dialogue with contemporary life through educational consultations, workshops, courses and cultural experiences.
My purpose is not to recreate ancient medicine or present it as an alternative to modern care, but to make its history understandable and relevant to people today.
I am not a guru, a spiritual guide or the keeper of secret knowledge.
I am a historian and educator.
My work is to study the sources, compare traditions and make this heritage accessible with honesty, context and respect.
Reconnect with Ancient Wisdom
Whether you seek guidance, wish to deepen your understanding of Mediterranean herbal traditions, or feel called to reconnect with nature,
I welcome you to explore this path with me.