What if the plants found throughout nature were each specifically designed to heal every other living being? What if the qualities found within plants were multi-faceted, rich in number, and full of abundance for all of Earth’s creations?

Of course, we know that these questions are, in fact, true statements. When understood as statements, they represent the rich potency that the plants throughout the planet have in healing mankind—despite the Western-minded belief that plants have little value to human beings.

Lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots—all plants that taste wonderful in our salads. Apples, oranges, pears, grapes—other fruits that are served by trees and plants, all delicious, all savory, all part of the lore of many cultures, not to mention the stomachs of millions of Western-minded citizens. These may not be thought of as “healing plants,” but they sure heal something when we are hungry!

There are many herbs and roots that we use as healing plants: lavender, basil, peppermint, thyme, oregano, ginger, rosemary, St. John’s Wort, chamomile; there are flowers and the essences of flowers, and the list goes on and on.

And, then, there are the plants that are off-limits to Western-minded citizens: those plants that carry psychoactive qualities seen as “abnormal” to the human population. These plants are known as entheogens, a term derived from two Ancient Greek words: entheos, meaning “in God,” or “inspired;” and, genesthai, which means “to cause to be.” Thus, according to Wikipedia, an entheogen is “creating divine within.” Such is the result of such plants which we consider to be marijuana, mushrooms, peyote cactus, and a tea made from Amazonian vine and plant known as ayahuasca. We could consider these particular plants as those that are mankind’s connection with the Divine, offered by Mother Earth Herself.

One might consider that the Goddess and Mother Earth is expressed through the sacred plants. In turn, we could consider a connection with these plants of the earth as a return to the Goddess.

I imagine many ancient traditions—those that came well in advance of Christianity—included rituals and what Westerners would call “service-oriented” practices that offered a connection to the Divine. While shamans may have served as healers, oracles, priests, and teachers in those cultures, individuals were more than likely given the opportunity to take part in ceremony that offered them a particular connection to the Divine. Such practices in the Western framework are considered illegal.

The ancient religions knew of the deep and mysterious connection they found with sacred plants and the Goddess knowledge. They treated sacred plants with as much respect and reverence as they had for the Goddess Herself. And, true—many of the sacred plants have the connotation of “Mother.”

The Mother Weed has been passed down through millennia. Its use as a religious and spiritual tool goes back into ancient history. The teachings of the Mother tradition, and that of the Goddess, is part of ancient rituals involving the sacred plant.

Marijuana is a plant that heals the body and heals the Soul--"healing" meaning that it helps the Soul in its travels to the One. (Ram Dass, One Liners)  

Therefore, one might surmise that those using this sacred plant as part of their medicinal needs have within their reach a connection to the Divine. What if those who are legally using this sacred plant as part of their medicinal healing program used the Mother Weed in a sacred, thoughtful way?

I imagine many already engage in such use of their medicinal plants. Using the Mother Weed in this way could offer individuals guidance and direction. Imagine blessing the plant and asking its highest energy to be offered as part of one’s healing program? That would be quite powerful.

When one prays, they are asking the Higher Powers for help. Blessing and praying with, and for, any living thing that is helping an individual heal is paramount to healing—if healing is truly sought. I only imagine that using any living organism for healing requires conscious participation—conscious action—by the individual to foster a healing that is in service to oneself and Mother Earth. That means carefully thanking and blessing that organism, and asking it for healing—as if it were a living, breathing, conscious being!

Whether it is a sacred plant, herbal tea, herbal medicine; special fruits, juices or foods, each living being on this plant offering Herself as a healer should be used in its Highest Potential. This means incorporating conscious use of one’s own divine powers to foster a relationship between the plant and the individual.

What if the plant wanted a relationship with us humans? What if there was already a relationship—only that us Western-minded humans weren’t aware of it?

There is only one active ingredient in plant medicines—friendship. A plant spirit heals a patient as a favor to its friend-in-dreaming, the doctor. The Matses and many other non-European peoples understand that both nature and humankind are endowed with intelligence and spirit. Therefore, humans and nature are of the same family. (Elliot Cowan, Plant Spirit Medicine, p. 20)

We do have an ongoing relationship with the plant community, and they do offer healing powers to all humans, regardless of federal regulations. It is us Western-minded folks that do not realize this in full. One day we will. Meanwhile, it is up to us that do know, and it is up to us to do our part in creating a relationship between plants. I know the plant community would appreciate anything we might do to heal this bridge!