Connecting with Nature's Spirit

To the ancients, the process of going within themselves by meditating was seen as a vital way to connecting with all that is divine and spiritual. Simple forms of meditation enable us to enter the realm of our dreams and in doing so become increasingly sensitive to the spirits and energies around us.

Throughout history, people have discovered and developed various ways to rise above the mundane reality. In many cultures, people regarded certain plants with mind-expanding qualities as sacred because they enchance levels of perception and bring spiritual insights.

In Indonesia, the Menangkabau medicine men seek sacred visions by traveling deep into the jungle or to the top of high mountains where they await visitations from the spirits. In China, the Taoist priests relied on processes such as visualization and breath control to alter states of consciousness.

Among the Native Americans, there is an ancient healing tradition of using the smoke of plants such as tobacco, sage, and wormwood, which is uncommon in other parts of the world. The Australian Aborigines are said to ahve discovered how to capture the healing essence of flowers through their dreamtime. Their ancient practice of sipping the dew drops that settle on the petals is embraced in the present - day form of flower essences and remedies. Down-to-earth ways of preparing medicinal plants and herbs to treat physical symptoms are common in every part of the world. The plants and their remedies were perfectly suited to the needs of the people who were using them.

Connecting with nature on a spiritual level, throughout history people discovered various ways to harness the life force or spirit energy of a plant. The medicines derived from plants take on many different forms. They may be scented droplets of oils from flowers and leaves, liquids infused with flower petals, homeopathic dilutions of medicinal plants, or the smoke of soldering herbs. What makes them special is their ability to heal on different levels ~ spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical.

Some healers in the past may have discovered plants' different abilities by a process of trial and error, but most shamans and medicine men and women claimed to have received their insights into the healing properties of plants through powerful dreams and visions.