Sacred Plant Medicine : The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism

The first in-depth examination of the sacred underpinnings of the world of Native American medicinal herbalism • Reveals how shamans and healers “talk” with plants to discover their medicinal properties • Includes the prayers and medicine songs associated with each of the plants examined • By the author of The Secret Teachings of Plants As humans evolved on Earth they used plants for everything imaginable—food, weapons, baskets, clothes, shelter, and medicine. Indigenous peoples the world over have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with plants and honoring the sacred relationship between themselves and the plant world. In Sacred Plant Medicine Stephen Harrod Buhner looks at the long-standing relationship between indigenous peoples and plants and examines the techniques and states of mind these cultures use to communicate with the plant world. He explores the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions and the territory where plants are an expression of Spirit. For each healing plant described in the book, Buhner presents medicinal uses, preparatory guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with its use. As humans evolved on Earth they used plants for food, weapons, baskets, clothes, shelter, and medicine. Indigenous peoples the world over have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with plants and honoring this sacred relationship. Stephen Harrod Buhner examines the techniques and states of mind these cultures use to explore the?dimension of plant and human interactions and the territory where plants are an expression of Spirit. For each healing plant described in the book, Buhner presents medicinal uses, preparatory guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with its use. NATIVE AMERICA / HERBALISM "The first in-depth analysis of the processes used by Native Americans to communicate with the plant world for the purposes of healing human illness. It is a work long overdue by an author who himself 'talks' with plants as Native Americans have always done."?William S Lyon, author of The Encyclopedia of Native American Healing and Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota "Buhner articulates the sacred underpinnings of the herbal world and deep ecology as only a real 'green man' can."?David Hoffmann, author of Medical Herbalism As humans evolved on Earth they used plants for everything imaginable?food, weapons, baskets, clothes, shelter, and medicine. Indigenous peoples the world over have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with plants and honoring the sacred relationship between themselves and the plant world. Because they locate their consciousness in the heart, they are able to use the intelligence of the heart to merge their consciousness with the consciousness of any living organism. In Sacred Plant Medicine Stephen Harrod Buhner looks at the long-standing relationship between indigenous peoples and plants and examines the techniques these cultures use to communicate with the plant world. He explores the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions?a territory where humans experience communications from plants as expressions of Spirit. For each healing plant described in the book, he presents medicinal uses, preparatory guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with the use of the plant. STEPHEN HARROD BUHNER is an Earth Poet and senior researcher for the Foundation for Gaian Studies. He lectures throughout the United States on herbal medicine, the sacredness of plants, and the intelligence of nature. He is the author of nine works of nonfiction and one book of poetry, including The Secret Teachings of Plants and the award-winning The Lost Language of Plants • Explains the synergistic process of communicating with a Plant and how the Plants help us overcome anxiety, grief, fears, and limiting beliefs and teach us to trust, forgive, and embrace self-love • Shares teachings from a variety of Plants such as Yarrow, Mugwort, Maple, Dandelion, Poison Ivy, and Japanese Hops • Presents step-by-step activities and practices that allow you to actualize each Plant's teaching in an immediate way Everyone has the ability to consciously communicate with Plants. Jen Frey shows that if we are willing to listen, we can hear the Plants speak to our Hearts and teach us how to heal. With the support of our Plant allies, we can be our truest selves and remember our intrinsic wholeness. In this step-by-step guide, Frey shows how to awaken your ability to directly receive the unique wisdom and healing gifts of Plants. She describes how communicating with Plants is more like a communion than an exchange of words. The primary language we share with Plants is through the Heart, and Plant communication brings an expansion of Heart intelligence and emotional growth. She explains how the Plants help us overcome anxiety, grief, fears, and limiting beliefs and teach us to trust, forgive, embrace self-Love, and enjoy the sweetness of life. Sharing teachings she has received from a variety of Plants, such as Yarrow, Mugwort, Maple, Dandelion, Poison Ivy, and Japanese Hops, Frey follows each Plant ally's wisdom with a step-by-step activity or practice. She includes both native and invasive Plants because all Plant Spirits have valuable lessons to share. She concludes with Tulsi, showing how this Plant is essential to helping us recover our Sacred nature, especially in a time of great Earth changes. With the wisdom of Plant Spirits, we can have support and guidance whenever we need it and live in co-creative partnership with Nature. In Sacred Plant Medicine Stephen Harrod Buhner looks at the long-standing relationship between indigenous peoples and plants and examines the techniques these cultures use to communicate with the plant world. He explores the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions - a territory where humans experience communications from plants as expressions of Spirit. for each healing plant described in the book, he presents medicinal uses, guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with the use of the plant The sacred and the earth To be healed by the earth Visions of sacred plant medicine The sacred song of a plant Making sacred relationship with plants Healing in a sacred manner Digging for medicine : the wildcrafting of medicinal plants Making plants into medicine : the technology of herbalism Ceremony : making deeper relationship with plants Four sacred plants of the Rocky Mountain region : their sacred qualities and uses as medicine A short compendium of plants and their sacred uses The birth of Gaia. DURING THE 1950S, the time in which I was raised, the extended family was still alive.