Tuesday, 13 October 2015

The Voice of the Earth and Her Plants



The Earth’s wisdom is available to those who listen.  I have had a deep, intimate connection with our Mother Earth ever since I can remember.  My study of herbalism has been an endeavour that I began back when I was a child, although my true passion did not emerge until I was in my teenager years.  It was at this time that I began to learn about the wide diversity of the plant kingdom that existed around me, each and every time I was outdoors.  I found this fascinating, the idea of the wild weeds providing so much food, medicine and comfort in a time of need.  My study of herbalism and the natural world is going into its twentieth year.  I am certainly a naturalist and herbalist by definition, yet only recently has so much about the natural world been revealed to me … as the veil has begun to lift … through the power of my imagination and intuition.

Few books teach the methods to finding the secrets and uses of the plants yourself, yet those who have written the books that carry the herbal wisdom that so many of us rely upon, were originally discovered through study, experience, watching animals and communication with the plants themselves.  My desire to live intimately with nature is one I could never be without.  I awake to the sound of the birds at my windows.  They sing liberally, surrounding my home, nesting in the trees … joining the squirrels, bunnies and deer in the sacredness of my back yard.  I have acres of wild plants and trees, many whose names I am quite familiar with, utilizing there gifts often, trusting them to my beloved family.  The natural world opens itself up to those who choose to see it and the plants come to life … speaking to those who are willing to listen, to those who … believe.  

The shared belief and understanding of traditional cultures, geologically separated and existing all around the globe is that everything in life is sacred.  These cultures have also held the belief that if we respect the sacredness of the Mother Earth and all her creations, we will then live in harmony with our Lady Gaia.  What a beautiful thought, to live in balance with our sacred world.  Quantum physics has proven our oneness with the world, through scientific principles, just as religious leaders have spoken about it for centuries.  Deep in the cells and chakras of our beings, we already know of this oneness … of this connection that we share with all of life.

Each person’s relationship with the earth is unique, just as each person’s relationship with themselves is also.  Practicing herbalism and using the gifts of the plants is one way of connecting with the earth.  Herbs can have a tremendous healing and aligning effect of the wholeness of our body, emotions, mind and spirit.  Nature is a powerful healer and she shares her gifts with us all.  

Herbal remedies have been recorded throughout history, since the beginning of civilization and herbalists have been viewed as having special powers to see into the mysteries of nature.  The plants have stories to tell us, filled with ageless wisdom and delightful life energy.  I have found that simply connecting and appreciating a plant, to be extremely healing.  The vast knowledge that has been collected about plants has been said to come from the spirits or energies of the plants themselves.  So next time you find yourself interested in a certain plant, or drawn toward it in in a seemingly magnetic way … speak to the spirit of the plant.  Try to connect to the plant with your heart.  Then, clear your mind and listen.  

May you open the door to the magical world of herbal wisdom, deepening your relationship with the Earth and all of her bountiful, beautiful and talkative plants.

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