Herbalism and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life
What is the Tree of Life?
The Tree of Life is a symbol present throughout the world, across time, space, cultures, and continents. It consistently appears in some relationship to cosmology, creation story, and mythology, and is nearly ubiquitous in the cosmologies of traditional cultures with indigenous connection to land. Such examples include Crann Bethadh, the Celtic Tree of Life, a symbol of humanity’s irrevocable connection to the Earth, and a conduit between the will of the divine and the earthly world below. In Ancient Egyptian mythology, the Tree of Life births the god Osiris and goddess Isis. In Hinduism, the banyan tree exemplifies the revered Cosmic Dance; the branches of a mature tree eventually droop down toward the Earth and resemble the trunk - revealing that all matter is ultimately the same, originating from the Source and returning to it always. In the cosmologies of much of Mesoamerica, the World Tree is a common motif, often represented as an enormous tree which expands in the four directions, connecting the heavens, terrestrial plane, and underworld.
Here, we will focus on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life of Jewish mysticism. As a symbol, map, and living system, this Tree is distinct from the biblical Tree of Knowledge referenced in Genesis in the Judeo-Christian creation story. There are 3 main texts in Judaism: the Torah (the Old Testament), the Talmud (commentaries on the Torah) and the Kabbalah (the mystical interpretation of the Torah). Kabbalah has also significantly informed and was adapted by Western esoteric traditions. It appears written as (Hermetic) Qabalah and (Christian) Cabbalah, both mystery schools that incorporate the Tree of Life as a representation of the energetic architecture of Life (macrocosm) and how it relates to forms in the seen and unseen worlds.
The Kabbalistic Tree of Life is also referred to as the Sephirot, which roughly translates to “emmanations” (singular form being sephira). Here, we will use the terms more or less interchangeably. The roots of the Sephirot are not fully known. Various elements are found in the mystery traditions of ancient Egypt, Greece, India, and Assyria, and date back many thousands of years. These wisdom teachings were orally transmitted, and thus preserved throughout many centuries despite Roman and Christian governing forces that banned them. Kabbalah emerged in the form of written text during Medieval times (13th century) when Jewish scholars published the Zohar, one of the fundamental Kabbalistic texts. In the 18th century, rabbi Isaac Luria popularized Hassidic Judaism as an interpretation of contemporary Kabbalah.
The Tree of Life is the central mystical symbol used in the Kabbalah. It is a diagram of 10 spheres (with 1 hidden sphere) and 22 pathways between the spheres. These 10 Sephirot are archetypes and spiritual principles that show a path of interconnections between the cosmological self (microcosm) and the enveloping cosmos (macrocosm). They are the attributes through which Ein Sof (the Infinite) reveals itself; the pathway through which Spirit manifests into matter.
Why the Tree of Life and Herbs?
For many years I have been fascinated by the architecture and wisdom living in the Tree of Life. It has informed me in my spiritual practices as well as in the process of investigating and connecting to my paternal Jewish lineage. During this time of inquiry and practice, I was concurrently studying Herbalism, which continues to inform me in my healing and my humanity. The process of studying herbal medicine has also been a force of reconciliation and reconnection with my maternal, Western European lineage - reviving Earth-based traditions and ancestral roots in plant medicine. What began as a curiosity of how these two realms intertwine has unfolded in a weaving together of the two wisdom traditions of my heritage.
As a map, the Sephirot has proven very useful as a systematic guide for embodiment of these 10 aspects of the divine. Each sephira and their interconnections with one another are multi-layered and reveal a depth and complexity that, in my experience, deepens with consistency, practice, and time. Cultivating a relationship with this living system as a whole, as well as the individual parts, bears a growing richness. The sephirot can inform us more deeply of the various aspects of self / Spirit that make up a more vital and healthy Whole. It can support us in gaining more information about where we may be over-expressing, or where we may be deficient. We thus practice coming again and again into a greater state of balance.
Similarly, the most potent forms of herbal medicine ask us to cultivate relationship with the plant world. Here, consistency, practice, and time also yield the most abundant fruit. Just as the Sephirot invites us into inquiry and practice around balance, herbalism is another lens that assesses the well-being of the Whole. We are invited to become curious about where we may be in excess or deficiency in our lives, bodies, and ways of being. Herbal medicine offers an ample toolkit that supports the physical, emotional, and spiritual body to live in a greater state of balance.
Below is a diagram of the Sephirot. Note the “hidden” Mystery sphere of Da’at that is depicted in a different color. The pathways between the Sephirot, indicated in the image with Hebrew letters, are beyond the scope of this inquiry, and will not be discussed here. We will approach the Sephirot in ascending order (from Earth to sky) beginning with Malkut, rather than the traditional descending order, beginning with Keter. This reframe comes from an intention to work with the Tree of Life in relationship to Nature and the plant world: beginning with the roots and growing skyward.
*A word on spelling and Hebrew pronunciation:
The names of the Sephirot are transliterated from Hebrew and the English spelling is often not consistent. Words written with “ch” and “kh” make a kind of a guttural “h” sound. Examples of such pronunciations: “chesed” (heh-sed) “chokmah”(hok-ma), Sephirot (s’fee-rote).
The Sephirot
The 11 Sephirot: “emanations”
The Sephirot and the Physical Body
The Tree of Life bears some similarities to the chakra system in that the Sephirot are energetic centers that correspond to the physical body. These aspects are as follows:
Malkhut: Kindom, Queendom, physical world, Nature, ancestral heritage
Yesod: Foundation, vital life force, lineage, root (perineum, genitals)
Hod: Surrender, receiving, splendor (left hip, kidney, ovary)
Netzach: Evolution, right action, eternity (right hip, kidney, ovary)
Gevurah: Discernment, boundaries, restraint, discipline (left shoulder, breast, lung)
Chesed: Loving Kindness (right shoulder, breast, lung)
Tiferet: Beauty, balance, compassion, Truth (Heart)
Da’at: Door to Conscious Expression- hidden sephira (Throat and Arms)
Binah: Insight, understanding (left brain)
Chokmah: Wisdom, Knowing (right brain)
Keter: Crown of Creation, connection to Source (Top of the head)
HERBS: How do they relate?
The process of weaving the worlds of Herbalism and the Sephirot offers its challenges. They each encompass their own unique language, and merging two languages does not necessarily result in coherence. At times, it seemed too complex to create another system entirely bridging these two worlds. However, with increasing acceptance of the various imperfections and incongruencies, and with time - lo and behold interconnections did sprout. The emerging fruits of this inquiry have taken shape as formulas and preparations corresponding to each sephira, largely informed by my own intuitive process and growing connections with the plants and the Tree of Life.
There could be infinite interpretations of Herbalism and the Sephirot. Here, I will approach herbal formulations on two layers. First, I will introduce the Jewish mystical concept of the Four Worlds and how they relate to the Sephirot. First I’ll discuss how I understand the Four Worlds to be expressed through different dimensions of the plant world, specifically regarding herbal preparations and mesntruums / solvents. Next, I will paint a more full picture of each sephira in the ways that I understand them, offering corresponding aspects, formulations and recipes based on the energetics and herbal actions resonating with each sephira.
The Four Worlds:
The Four Worlds are an overarching Kabbalistic framework of spiritual existence that fills all living beings. The four worlds are garments worn by the Ein Sof (the infinite), in which the divine is more densely cloaked by physical form in “lower” worlds, while “higher” realms hold a more distilled revelation of Spirit. These interpretations of “higher” and “lower” realms are not to be equated with “good” or “bad.” Each layer has its own expression of the divine. And each of the sephirot find their place in one of the Four Worlds. Below, the aspects of the Four Worlds are fleshed out and presented in relationship to medicine preparations and/or solvents corresponding to each realm.
Asiyah: World of Action; material reality, physical form. Encompasses the sephira Malkuth. This is the realm of physical form and matter, embodiment, creation, animal form, instinct, and Nature.
Preparation/Solvent: Asiyah is the place where Spirit is manifest in full physical form. Thus, the medicine preparation that feels most relevant is closest to the physical form of the plant, undergoing the least amount of processing: FOOD.
Yetzirah: World of Formation; feeling, emotion, personality, visceral awareness. This realm encompasses the sephirot of Yesod, Hod, Netzach, Gevurah, Chesed, and Tipheret. Here, the individual navigates the dynamic interplay between internal and external worlds, as well as the emotional spectrum.
Preparation/Solvent: it strikes me as fitting that Yetzirah, being the world of emotion and feeling, corresponds to medicine preparations using WATER as a solvent. The particular preparations for the Sephirot formulas listed below do vary, though each of them are essentially water based.
*Note: The hidden sephira of Da’at (Mystery) is a bridge between the worlds of Yetzirah and Beri’ah; it is the merging of Form and Creation, and is not wholly in one realm or the other.
Beri’ah: World of Creation; sacred understanding, awareness, pure thought, the “throne.” Beri’ah encompasses the sephira of Binah, corresponding to the left brain and linear thought.
Preparation/Solvent: the preparation that calls out to me here is TINCTURE. It is one of the most highly concentrated forms of medicine, and has a certain directness and refinement. In this world/sephira, I am specifying SPIRIT DOSE as the method (3-6 drops) rather than a larger, more clinically oriented dosage. Spirit doses offer both a physiological mechanism as well as the energetic and subtle qualities of the plants.
Atzilut: World of Emanation; oneness, spirit, Source. Includes the sephirot of Chokmah and Kether.
Preparation(s): as Atzilut is the realm where there is no separation from Source, the concept of preparation is somewhat of a paradox. Here, I am including FLOWER ESSENCES as well as what some regard as the ultimate medicine - PLANT SPIRIT MEDICINE
The Sephirot: FORMULATIONS
Malkut
The Kindom / Queendom / we have inherited. Our ancestry, bloodlines, and Roots.
Relationship to Nature, Creation, Land.
The plant world.
Planet - EARTH.
Stone - Smoky Quartz, Amber
Herb focus: food as medicine, nutritives, minerals.
Formulation:
PESTO
Preparation:
This is an invitation to use your intuition, body knowledge, and embrace imperfection as this recipe forgoes precise measurements. Combine 4-5 handfuls of greens; any combination of fresh Nettles, Parsley, Cilantro, Arugula, etc. in a vitamix or food processor. ** If possible, use greens from a local garden (your own?!) Add 1-2 cloves of peeled garlic, 3-4 “glugs” of organic, raw olive oil, and a handful of raw, sprouted pumpkin seeds. Juice half a lemon and add a pinch of salt (Himalayan pink or Atlantic grey). Blend together until smooth, add more salt to taste if desired. Add to grains, spread on toast, combine with protein.
Explanation:
Malkut is the only sephira in the realm of Asiyah, the world of action, material reality, and physical form. Thus, the preparation here is food as medicine - the transference of life force from plants in the ground to our physical bodies. Of relevance in this particular food preparation is mineral nourishment. It is fair to say that most people are some degree of mineral deficient. It is not coincidence that the soil that grows much of our food is also depleted in minerals. It is an intimate relationship, that between our human bodies and the soil / Earth that nourishes us. Fresh greens, especially those grown in soil tended with our own hands, can restore necessary minerals that our bodies cannot manufacture on their own, and are crucial for fluid regulation, energy production, immune function, and so much more. When we are properly nourished we can better tend to and nourish the Earth that sustains us. #reciprocity.
Yesod
Vital life force, physical root. Sexuality, sensuality.
Planet - the moon.
Archetype: Baubo - goddess of mirth, sexual liberation.
Stone - Carnelian.
Body realm - genitals, perineum.
Herb focus - Adaptogens, Roots, Aphrodesiacs
Formulation:
INFUSED MILK
-Ashwaganda (2 pt) Shatavari (1 pt) Licorice (½ pt) Burdock (1 pt), Cinnamon (½ pt) Rose (1 pt)
Preparation:
Measure out the parts of each herb to make a large blend (1 scoop per part) OR use 1 teaspoon per part to infuse 3 cups of organic milk of your choice - I would suggest oat milk or coconut milk for non-dairy options. On low heat, infuse herbs 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain, and add in a teaspoon (or more) of honey or maple syrup for desired sweetness.
Explanation:
These Yesod allies are roots (except cinnamon which is a bark), grounding and nourishing, feeding our vital life force. Ashwaganda, Shatavari, and Licorice are adaptogens that nourish the endocrine system and support the body’s stress response. Burdock root supports pathways of elimination (especially the liver) and contains inulin (a prebiotic - food for probiotics) that feeds a healthy gut microbiome. Cinnamon adds a tasty spiciness and supports circulation. Rose inspires sensuality and Love. Milk is the medium that is comforting, grounding, nourishing and soothing, helping us settle into our place and feel our roots in the ground.
Hod
Surrender, receiving, meeting one’s own needs/articulating our needs; splendor.
Planet - Mercury.
Stone - Amethyst.
Body realm - left hip, kidney, ovary.
Herb focus - nervines and antispasmodics.
Formulation:
HERB BATH
-Skullcap, Chamomile, Rose, Mint
Preparation:
Combine equal parts of the herbs (about 2 Tablespoons each) into a muslin bag. Add to a hot bath. Soak. Receive the medicine through your pores.
Explanation: Hod carries an aspect of vulnerability. These herbal allies invite a softening, surrender, and receptivity. The herb bath preparation is a subtle, gentle, and luxurious way to receive medicine. It is fairly easeful and accessible to prepare (if you have access to a bathtub). After you’ve prepped, you literally do nothing - just soak and receive; melt, decompress, integrate.
Netzach
Right action, eternity, evolution, determination.
Planet - Venus.
Archetype: Artemis.
Stone - Jasper, Lapis Lazuli.
Body realm - right hip, kidney, ovary.
Herb focus - pungents, bitters, cholagogues
Formulation:
FIRE CIDER
- Apple cider vinegar, fresh garlic, fresh horseradish, fresh burdock, fresh ginger, dried Nettle leaf, fresh turmeric root, Jalapeno
Preparation:
Wash and prepare the herbs. Grate the horseradish, ginger, turmeric, and burdock (if fresh). Chop garlic and Jalapeno. Cover herbs completely (3-4 inches) with apple cider vinegar (ACV). If using a mason jar, place a paper towel or piece of muslin cloth around the mouth of the jar before screwing the lid on (to keep the top from corroding). Wherever you have access, find a place to bury the jar in the Earth! Take note of how wide and deep the whole is. When covered, mark the spot with a rock or some other object to remember where to dig it out. Let it infuse for one full moon cycle. When digging, be mindful of the jar and do your best not to hit it with the shovel - dig a wide hole! Once you’ve dug it out, strain the herbs out with a muslin cloth. Warm some honey to liquify, and add to cider to taste (it should be sweet and spicy). Bottle the fire cider and keep in the fridge for best preservation.
Explanation:
Fire cider is a spicy and sweet vinegar infused with pungent and warming herbs. It is useful as a daily tonic as winter approaches, and to boost the immune system as colds and flus go around. The recipe has its roots in very old medicines, like those used by Hippocrates and the “4 thieves” vinegar used to ward off the bubonic plague. The recipe was coined Fire Cider in the student kitchen at the California School of Herbal Studies by Rosemary Gladstar. This formula is a Netzach ally that supports vital fire, liver health, and metabolism. It stimulates circulation, brings warmth, and feeds vitality. In recent years, it has found its way into a political arena, as the name “Fire Cider” has been attempted to be trademarked, thus limiting the rest of the herbal community to make, share, and sell this medicine. The herb community responded in solidarity, and it was ruled that FIRE CIDER IS THE PEOPLES MEDICINE! It belongs to the commons. Making our own medicine can be a form of Right Action (Netzach!), being empowered to claim our birthrights as humans with sovereignty over our bodies and medicine.
Gevurah
Boundaries, discernment, containment, structure, discipline.
Planet - Mars.
Archetype - Kali, Universal Destroyer (and Creatress).
Stone: Labradorite, Tourmaline.
Body realm - left shoulder, breast, lung.
Herb focus - astringents, bitters, heart/cardio tonics, connective tissue tonics.
Formulation:
HEALTHY CONTAINER TEA
- Hawthorn (2 pts), Rose (2 pts), Yarrow (1 pt), Gotu Kola (1 pt)
Preparation:
Mix herbs into large blend for longer term use (1 scoop per part) OR use 1 teaspoon per part to infuse a quart of hot water.
Explanation:
Here, we call upon allies that help us hold, strengthen and maintain structure. Gevurah asks us to fortify boundaries - thus yarrow, a go-to herb that aids us in containment, also acting as a vascular tonic. Gevurah can be a challenging sephira to engage with, and it is absolutely necessary in creating clarity and structure so that the entire system can function and flow with more grace and ease. Yarrow conveys bitterness, which may be resisted initially, and can eventually be accepted as powerful and nourishing medicine. Gotu kola offers support as a connective tissue tonic, strengthening the tissue’s capacity to hold shape and form. Corresponding to the left shoulder, breast, and lung, Gevurah holds the space of the heart. Here, we invite heart allies like Hawthorn and Rose (somewhat ironic as its counterpart Chesed more obviously exemplifies qualities of heart-centered being) both astringent herbs that encourage tone in tissues, as well as being heart and vascular tonics.
Chesed
Unconditional love, generosity, abundance. Kindness, giving.
Planet - Jupiter.
Archetype: Jesus.
Stone: Rose quartz.
Body realm - right shoulder, breast, lung.
Herb focus - thymoleptics (mood lifters), circulatory stimulants, pungents, heart nourishers.
Formulation:
KIND HEART SYRUP
- St. John’s Wort (1 part), Cinnamon (½ part), Ginger (½ part) Rose (2 parts), Lemon balm (1 part), Calendula (2 parts)
Preparation:
Folk preparation - add 1 Tablespoon per part with 4 cups of water. Simmer herbs for 15-20 minutes on LOW heat, be careful not to burn. Strain out the liquid and measure the volume in milliliters. Add the same amount of honey in milliliters back in the saucepan with the original infusion and melt together on LOW heat (for example: if you strain out 120 mLs of infusion, add 120 mLs of honey) - be sure not to cook honey, heat just enough to liquify. Pour into bottles and refrigerate for best preservation.
Explanation:
Chesed allies bring warmth, movement, and aliveness to the physical and emotional body. This honey based preparation invites the medicine of sweetness. St. John’s Wort and Lemon Balm are trusted herbal allies for uplifting the spirit. Cinnamon and Ginger enhance circulation, move the blood, and encourage cohesion from the core to the extremities. Calendula is a generous and gentle plant, offering abundant blossoms that relay the brightness of sunshine, promote tissue repair and healing, and support lymphatic function. Rose is the quintessential medicine of the heart, re-member capacity for unconditional Love.
Tipheret
Beauty, harmony, compassion. Truth.
Planet - Sun.
Archetype: Quan Yin, Mother Mary.
Stone: Citrine.
Body Realm: Solar Plexus & Heart.
Herb focus - Harmonizers, hormone modulators, adaptogens.
Formulation:
HARMONY OXYMEL
- Equal parts Licorice, Schisandra, Shatavari, Rose, Chamomile
Preparation:
Combine herbs into a pint jar, using about ¼ cup of each. Fill the jar with 50% honey and 50% apple cider vinegar (8 ounces of each), and stir well. Let macerate in a cool dark place for at least 2-3 weeks. Press out with a muslin cloth and pour into clean bottles
Explanation:
These Tipheret allies support balance. Licorice is often understood as a harmonizer -both in formulas and in the body. Schisandra and Shatavari are adaptogens that support the endocrine system, the stress response, and hormone regulation. Chamomile brings qualities of bitterness from Gevurah, and integrates with the Chesed quality of unconditional Love exemplified in Rose. The combination of acidity and sweetness is tasty and harmonizing.
Da’at
The hidden sephira, doorway to conscious expression. Mystery.
Planet - Pluto.
Archetype - the High Priestess.
Stone: Turquoise, Obsidian.
Body realm - throat, voice, arms.
Herb focus - lymphatics;
Formulation:
DARKNESS OF MYSTERY INFUSED OIL
- Red Clover and Mugwort
Preparation:
Dry mugwort leaves and Red Clover flowering tops. Fill a jar with the herbs, cover with your choice of oil. Let it sit for 2 weeks in a sunny, warm place, or in a crock-pot at 110 degrees F for a week or two. Press out with a muslin cloth.
Explanation:
The sephira of Da’at is in many ways lies beyond the frameworks discussed here. It is a bridge between the worlds of Formation and Creation,; where the creation of pure thought comes in to conscious expression and leads the way into form. It inhabits the body in the region of the throat, which holds the largest concentration of lymph nodes. The lymphatic system is understood in Ayurvedic medicine as the deepest tissue in the body, known as “the river of life.” Da’at allies support conscious expression and nourish the lymph. Infused oil is a fundamental tool in lymph care, gently moving lymph, hydrating, and soothing tissues. Red clover is a gentle lymph ally.
Da’at is the sephira of Mystery. It is neither here nor there, and in its nature inhabits both poles of duality; light and shadow, grief and praise, life and death, etc. Mugwort aids in the navigation of shadow and the unknown. Mugwort holds us in protection within the depths of the unconscious, dreamtime, and darkness.
Binah
Divine Understanding, insight, categorizing and making sense of the world. Balanced ego - knowing our unique gifts in order to be of service.
Planet - Saturn.
Archetype: Athena.
Stone - Selenite.
Body realm - Left Brain.
Herb focus - nootropics (brain tonics)
Formulation:
ROSEMARY TINCTURE
Preparation:
Folk Method - Find a Rosemary plant (preferably one that you are in relationship with) that is willing to give of itself to be medicine for you. Make an offering. #reciprocity. Harvest a number of branches. Strip the leaves from the twigs and chop. Fill a jar with chopped leaves, packing the Rosemary in to fill the entire jar abundantly without stuffing it forcefully. Cover the herb fully with 100% pure alcohol, or as close as you can get. Let it sit at least 2 weeks. Shake it on occasion, perhaps often. Press out with a muslin cloth.
Dose:
Spirit Dose - 3-6 drops. This method offers a combination of physiological support of a concentrated extract, as well as an invitation of the energetic and subtle qualities of Rosemary to come forward. Binah is in the world of Beri’ah, Creation and pure thought (refer to Four Worlds section above), resonating most with that which is essential, simple, and pure in nature.
Explanation:
Binah is the realm of sacred understanding. In an exalted sense, it is distinct from the incessant chatter of the mind; rather, it is an aspect of the human intellect that is able to conceptualize, to focus, and to understand. Binah allies thus support our clarity and insight. Rosemary is an excellent herbal ally in this realm, with an affinity for the brain and bringing warmth and circulation to the head. Rosemary clarifies our thoughts, memories, and insights.
Chokmah
Divine Wisdom; Knowing that comes from beyond oneself.
Planetary body - the Zodiac, our solar system
Archetype: Shiva, Isis.
Stone - Sapphire.
Body realm - right brain.
Herb focus - Flower essences
Formulation:
FLOWER ESSENCE OF SAGE
Preparation:
Live Essence instructions: Sage sends out beautiful purple flowers in early summer. Find a flowering top and stem that is fairly long and flexible. Fill a small glass bowl with water. Approach the plant with some offering (a song, tobacco, something that you have made) and take some moments to appreciate the plant for its medicine. Find a way to submerge the flowers in the bowl of water without harming the plant (use a stick or a rock to gently weight down the stem and keep it in place). *If it is not possible to maneuver the flower into the water without harming the plant, choose whether you will sever the stem and harvest that part if it feels appropriate. If not, perhaps you decide not to make the essence…
Let the flower infuse in the water for at least an hour in the sunshine. The bowl of water with the flower is called the Mother. Strain out the plant matter and fill a dropper bottle 50% full with the Mother water. Fill the remaining 50% with brandy or apple cider vinegar. This bottle is called the Daughter, or stock bottle. If there is remaining Mother water, offer it back to the plant. To mix a dosage bottle, fill another dropper bottle with 50% water and 50% brandy/ACV. Add 7-10 drops from the stock bottle. Take 1-5 drops of the dosage bottle as needed.
Explanation:
Flower essences are vehicles of the energetic and healing properties of plants, transmitted through perhaps the most essential medicine: water. This form of medicine is subtle and dilute. Some liken it to homeopathic medicine, where the more dilute the dose, the more potent the medicine. This Chokmah ally encourages the Knowing that comes from beyond. Sage flower essence is a remedy that supports wisdom and higher perspective. It aids us in the process of distilling our trials and tribulations, refining and clarifying our Knowing and reaching a state of greater wisdom and peace.
Keter
Crown of Creation; Source; Connection beyond ourselves.
Celestial body - Milky Way Galaxy, the Universe.
Stone - Azeztulite.
Body realm - Crown, top of the head.
Herb focus - PLANT SPIRIT MEDICINE
Discussion:
There is no formula or preparation for this medicine. Plant Spirit medicine does not utilize solvents or extractions. It does not even necessitate access to the physical form of the plant. Plant Spirit medicine is inherent in the plants as sentient beings themselves. The practice of employing the plant spirits as medicine is an ancient modality employed by the medicine lineages and shamans of traditional peoples around the world. Fundamentally, it operates on the understanding that all forms of life are in relationship with one another, responsible to one another, and in constant conversation. The communication between plants and humans is a dimension that has been utilized for most of humanity’s history on this planet. Yet, for the most part, in the post-Industrial, colonially marred society, communicating with plants is regarded as superstitious and primitive at best. Engaging Plant Spirit medicine is an invitation to sift through the layers of conditioning and distraction, getting quiet enough and listening closely enough to hear the voices of the plants, however they speak. They not only have voices, but also have potent healing capacity that can transcend the physical makeup of the plant form. In some understandings, the chemical compounds and physiological mechanisms of a plant are merely the result of the Plant Spirit. One can employ the healing power of a Plant Spirit through cultivating deep relationship with that Plant Spirit.
The sphere of Keter is the connection to Source. Plant Spirit medicine could be understood as the source of all plant medicine. The realm of Plant Spirit medicine can also be understood as the interconnection of all of life; physical form does not separate living creatures. The source of healing lives within every being.
Reflections…
I’d like to acknowledge my teachers who have contributed greatly to my evolution, growth, and inspiration. They are too many to name here. Specifically, I’d like to acknowledge Rachel Ruach and Kari Stettler for their mentorship in the journey of rites of passage and Initiation, and their guidance in deepening relationship to the Sephirot. I express deep thanks to Yael Raff Peskin, for inspiring me through her devotion to Earth based Judaism as an anchor and force of guidance in how to live. I also want to acknowledge my many magnificent teachers at the California School of Herbal Studies, who have facilitated the reconnection of so many people with the plant world and with herbal medicine.
Gratitudes / Acknowledgements:
This investigation and research has brought me into deeper relationship with both the Tree of Life and herbalism. My hunch is that the work in both realms will continue to evolve beyond this paper. My hope is that these curiosities, insights, formulations, etc. are useful in some way: for my own purposes and that of my loved ones and community.
Lastly, I acknowledge the plants, and bow to them in gratitude. We depend on you in so many ways and would be lost without you.
References:
Cech, Richo; Making Plant Medicine. Williams, OR: Herbal Reads, 2016
Eakins, Pamela; Kabalah and Tarot of the Spirit. Half Moon Bay, CA, Pacific Center Library
Hall, Judy; The Crystal Bible. Great Britain: Godsfield Press Ltd, 2003.
Harrod Buhner, Stephen; Sacred Plant Medicine. Boulder, CO: Roberts Rinehart, 1996.
Hoffmann, David; Medical Herbalism
Kaminski, Patricia and Katz, Richard; Flower essence Repertory. Pgs 262, 270. Nevada City, CA: The Flower Essence Society, 1986.
Popham, Sajah; Evolutionary Herbalism. Pages 455-465. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2019.
Waller, Pip & Wells, Lucy; Touched by Nature.
