Comments on: Plants and Spirits http://www.singingtotheplants.com/2007/12/plants-and-spirits/ A Guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Amazon Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:33:35 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: herbivorous http://www.singingtotheplants.com/2007/12/plants-and-spirits/comment-page-1/#comment-110 herbivorous Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:15:00 +0000 http://www.singingtotheplants.com/2007/12/plants-and-spirits/#comment-110 Excellent blog.<br/><br/>But I would argue that I've never met an herbalist--even a modern, biochemically-based herbalist--that does not acknowledge that the plants speak. From my studies, it's clear to me that there is no tradition on earth that does not acknowledge that there is communication between plant and people. It's a poor scientist that would disregard this fact: Since so many indigenous plant traditions have turned out to be backed up by rigorous science, in my eyes it's a failing of our scientific methods that we haven't found "proof" of plant spirit interaction. Empirical data can be extraordinarily useful, and there's just too much empirical data to support the idea that healers communicate with plants the world over, whether they are shamans or not.<br/><br/>It is my strong feeling that you cannot work with plants for any length of time, especially in the capacity of a healer, without acknowledging the Spirit aspect of things. Or, as one of my hard-nosed science friends put it, the "woo-woo factor". <br/><br/>I'm about as science-based an herbalist as you might find--I'm a huge fan of the placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial--but I also have had many experiences that have taught me that it is equally important to honor and LISTEN to the plants themselves. These were not experiences that I sought out or cultivated, for the most part--it was just repeated experiences, some subtle, some not, that finally made me realize that I was being "talked to". No herbalist I know would argue with this. (I'm not talking about a physician that might occasionally recommend St. Johnswort. I'm talking about practitioners that use herbs as their primary source of healing.)<br/><br/>We may not sing to our plants, but I would argue that many of us are at least somewhat aware of the subtle songs of the plants themselves. It is my goal, as a healer, to use science as a guide (and a useful one it is!), but when push comes to shove, I have learned to listen to the subtle whispers of the plants themselves for final decisions about what plants to use, and I strongly, strongly suspect that most herbalists do the same. <br/><br/>--herbivorous Excellent blog.

But I would argue that I’ve never met an herbalist–even a modern, biochemically-based herbalist–that does not acknowledge that the plants speak. From my studies, it’s clear to me that there is no tradition on earth that does not acknowledge that there is communication between plant and people. It’s a poor scientist that would disregard this fact: Since so many indigenous plant traditions have turned out to be backed up by rigorous science, in my eyes it’s a failing of our scientific methods that we haven’t found “proof” of plant spirit interaction. Empirical data can be extraordinarily useful, and there’s just too much empirical data to support the idea that healers communicate with plants the world over, whether they are shamans or not.

It is my strong feeling that you cannot work with plants for any length of time, especially in the capacity of a healer, without acknowledging the Spirit aspect of things. Or, as one of my hard-nosed science friends put it, the “woo-woo factor”.

I’m about as science-based an herbalist as you might find–I’m a huge fan of the placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial–but I also have had many experiences that have taught me that it is equally important to honor and LISTEN to the plants themselves. These were not experiences that I sought out or cultivated, for the most part–it was just repeated experiences, some subtle, some not, that finally made me realize that I was being “talked to”. No herbalist I know would argue with this. (I’m not talking about a physician that might occasionally recommend St. Johnswort. I’m talking about practitioners that use herbs as their primary source of healing.)

We may not sing to our plants, but I would argue that many of us are at least somewhat aware of the subtle songs of the plants themselves. It is my goal, as a healer, to use science as a guide (and a useful one it is!), but when push comes to shove, I have learned to listen to the subtle whispers of the plants themselves for final decisions about what plants to use, and I strongly, strongly suspect that most herbalists do the same.

–herbivorous

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