Nature is a vast mystery, one we are just now beginning to understand. Within these depths are several factors, energies, forces, biomes and living beings that make up the great flow of our natural world. The greatest of these beings can be found in the landscapes we pass and take for granted daily, the very trees and plants we see. These sacred medicines have been utilized for thousands of years by ancient and tribal cultures around the world.
These tree and plant spirits are not just a fundamental part of nature, they each contain very individual and unique energies. Each spirit has their own level of awareness and corresponding qualities they bring to the greater world. When we work with these natural healers we are not only integrating these attributes for our own benefit, but we are also establishing a strong connection with the spirits themselves. This work is not only tangibly felt and reciprocated, it is a sacred covenant between human beings and nature itself.
The plant medicine path is not something to take lightly. It requires a level of discipline, discernment and preparation to both meet, work with, and integrate these natural forces. These plants range from subtle to powerful in potency. Each connection must be treated with respect and delicacy in order to bring about the ripest fruit of this work. These plant energies are sensitive, requiring us to refine our mental, emotional, physical and energetic diets so we may prepare ourselves for this sacred communion and correspondence. The better we equip ourselves, the more these teachers will connect, reciprocate and bring about deep healing.
These spirits house a vast mystery, intelligence and are made of very high vibrations. When we take these medicines, our lower nature, karma and densities are shaken loose in the light of this potency. All we are not, all that needs let go will come to the surface. They use the faculties of the human body to purge, cleanse, heal and bring about beneficial awareness.
Purging is a nearly synonymous term in the plant medicine space. This is one of the biggest fears I see for newcomers. The act of purging comes in several forms and is evoked by the medicine to extract energies from the human body. It is a physical, energetic and emotional cleanse being performed on deep levels. While not an enjoyable process, it is highly relieving and beneficial for a pathway forward. We cannot create something new while we still cling to the old.
So why plant medicine? If it’s a scary, uncomfortable and messy process, why would anyone choose this? Because these energies are highly efficient healers. They act as the vehicle that penetrates all of our blocks, walls, thoughts and limits to deliver the awareness we need most in the moment. With strong and clear intention, coupled with deep integration, what could take you a lifetime to work through can get resolved in a matter of days. The process is such due to the jarring nature of shaking loose what we absolutely need to let go.
So ask yourself, what’s more painful, brief discomfort or an entire lifetime clinging to things that only hold us back? The choice is yours. You are strong, you are capable and your are worthy of healing.