Because we live in a vibrational universe,
you can find your vibrational equivalent
in just about anything in existence.
In the video that I did on spirit animals,
I explained that you don’t only have spirit animals;
you also have spirit minerals and spirit plants.
These tend to be the special ‘relationships’
that earth-based shamanism finds to be
the most important for a persons’ spiritual path.
The reason is,
is because they represent three distinct elemental kingdoms.
For that reason, having said all that,
today we’re going to dive into the concept of spirit plants.
Spirit Plants
You probably clicked on this episode
imagining that I would talk about plants,
where most people use their medicinal properties
to access spiritual dimensions.
Things like Ayahuasca,
things like peyote...
Things like tobacco.
Now while I will be touching a tiny bit on these types of medicines,
that's not actually what this episode about.
To say that something is a spirit plant,
doesn't necessarily imply that it is being used
for spiritual journey work.
If something is said to be your spirit plant,
it is your plant equivalent.
It is you represented in the plant kingdom.
It's a plant whose vibration is the most identical
to your own unique and authentic essence.
The plant possesses traits, qualities
that mirror your innate inborn traits, qualities,
needs, desires, purposes, strengths and weaknesses etc.
Very rarely,
especially if there is a distinct split
between a person’s physical and non-physical embodiment,
a person can have two spirit equivalents in a category.
Now I have to say this;
Why? Because I actually
have two spirit plants.
The first is Datura Stramonium.
The second is the red climbing rose.
That being said,
because somebody might have two spirit plants
or two spirit minerals or whatever,
even what those spirit minerals are,
does not actually mean that it's any more special
than somebody else's.
Now I know that even saying that,
it's not gonna make sense to the human mind.
But that has to be said.
For example, the fact that one person has an oak tree for a spirit plant
and another has celery for a spirit plant,
doesn’t inherently mean anything less special
about the person whose spirit plant is celery.
But inherent in this example,
you can already see where the shadow,
relative to actually finding your spirit plant, resides.
There are obviously some spirit plants you don't want to have.
And it's not because of the plant itself.
It's actually because of your ignorance about the plant itself
and the stock you've put in human value systems.
Over the course of human history,
just like minerals, just like animals,
humans have had a very special relationship
with the plant kingdom.
The vast majority of our actual medicines
are derived from plants still to this day.
Humans ascribe more value to some plants than others.
For example, we value things like cannabis or roses,
but not as much dyer’s woad, weed or rye grass.
This, on top of a seriously limited knowledge
of the sheer amount of different plants there are on the planet,
make it hard for people to accurately identify
their spirit plant.
People also have totem plants.
Now this totem plant is a friend,
it's a balancer,
it's a protector,
it's a guide.
It's that thing that assists them,
rather than being their representative
in the plant kingdom.
Of all totems on the planet
in every category you can have totems in,
people seem to have the most plant totems.
I have never met a person with just one.
For example,
my principal totem plant is corkscrew willow.
But I have several other,
let's call them, more minor totems:
pennyroyal,
pomegranate,
chamomile,
sumac,
huckleberry,
golden daylily,
milkweed
and fox tail grass.
There is another plant
that is of significance to all people:
it is the shadow plant.
This is not a shadow totem,
but a shadow plant, yet again,
makes it easier.
So, what is your shadow plant?
It is a plant who vibrates
at the frequency of what is the most denied,
disallowed and rejected and disowned within yourself.
Right now, I'm very tempted to make a joke and to tell you all
that my shadow plant
is cilantro 'cause I hate it.
I actually like the consciousness of cilantro
but the physical taste of it could make me
reject an entire plate of food.
But it's not.
My shadow totem plant is bindweed.
As I've said in previous episodes,
in indigenous cultures,
everything in existence is said to possess a certain ‘medicine’.
Now the reason they call it medicine
is because something about it
assists the greater universe or others.
This medicine may or may not
also extend to the physical plane of existence.
And this is something that we see
intensely in the plant world.
Why? Because willow for example,
has a great many characteristics about it
that apply to a more non-physical plane of assistance.
It's medicine towards peace,
towards relief, towards tranquility.
However, the physical properties of willow
is also used for pain relief.
For example, aspirin
is made from willow.
But even plants that don't posses
what a scientist would consider
a "healing" property,
still possess a intensive medicine.
One does not grind up and eat beech trees.
The frequency of beech trees
teaches tolerance
and non-reactivity to criticism.
This is said to be its ‘medicine’.
For this reason,
beech and its medicine is revered as sacred.
If you suffer from narrow perspective,
in terms of the greater universe at large,
if you're limited to the physical dimension,
you may benefit by sálvia medicine.
However, if you are somebody
who possesses this clairvoyance,
shall we call it,
you may be said to be strong in sálvia medicine.
Again, all plants have ‘medicine’.
All plants have a spirit
and that spirit is their strongest medicine.
Many plant spirits, like animal spirits
and mineral spirits
are teachers and healers and leaders.
This medicine they possess can include physical elements
that even scientifically minded people
already recognize as medicinal.
When people, in the spiritual field,
ingest psychoactive plants,
what this is actually enabling them to do
is to break beyond the confines of physical perception.
It is opening them to a plane of existence where they can
actually interact with the spirit and consciousness
of the specific plant that they themselves have just ingested.
This is why it is so common,
once you've taken a psychedelic plant,
to meet and be taught by,
and even led through journeywork
by the specific consciousness of the very specific plant
that you have taken.
It's not that only these plants have medicine and consciousness,
it's not that only these plants are teachers.
What it is, that these specific plants
are particularly concerned with human consciousness.
It is that their medicine,
their life purpose
on the planet of many,
is specifically geared towards human consciousness.
They are teachers.
Most of them are interested in teaching
very specific things to people as well.
But I need to say this,
especially for spiritual people,
because in this non-physical plane
that many of these plants get you to,
it is just as possible to talk to the consciousness of a raspberry
as it is to talk to the consciousness of yagé.
Let's talk about the plant consciousness
as an element in your life.
The plant element of consciousness carries the frequency
of growth, need, desire,
yearning, transformation,
improvement, expansion and change,
learning, attraction, healing,
germination, nourishment, progression,
evolution, new manifestation
and harmonization.
Many aspects of life
test our growth, our capacity to harmonize,
our desires and needs and our transformation.
Your spirit plant can be used in order to master
this level of existence and personal progression.
OK, so yet again, like I've said in the previous episodes,
even though we are in the practice of integration,
that means, that eventually
we want to master all medicines,
that means every plant,
still you have come in as a singular embodiment
for a very specific purpose.
Therefore, integrating your spirit plant
is self-actualization.
Your spirit plant is the expression
of our own consciousness.
It is the expression of your own essence,
it is your plant of authenticity as it were.
It holds the specific medicine
you came here to share with the world.
Inherent in its blueprint is the blueprint for your own life path
as well as how you are meant to help others to grow, expand, heal,
transform, improve, be nourished
and harmonize.
Studying your spirit plant
will help you to know yourself and your life path.
Now we all know,
especially if you've been watching my videos
that a person's personality is not necessarily
an exact reflection of their essence,
in fact it rarely is.
This makes it pretty difficult for people
to identify their own spirit plant.
Also, if you've got patterns of self-hate within you,
you are likely to feel resistant towards your own spirit plant.
And also, you're unlikely to find your own spirit plant
because many people
simply have plants they want it to be
and plants they definitely don't want it to be.
So what are you supposed to do if your spirit plant
is something like poise ivy
or something like... a weed?
Now in the greater universe
that's considered amazing.
That consciousness is valuable.
Just because a human being says it isn't,
doesn't mean it isn't.
However,
you are going to run up against
your own dislike for certain plants
and your own need for your plant to be significant.
Like I've said before,
somebody who has the capacity
to perceive beyond the normal range of senses
can tell you what your spirit plant is.
The same way that a conductor can tell you whether
the pitch and key of one instrument is exactly
the same as another instrument.
That being said,
I don't want you to run out and try to find these people,
including me.
Because, people do not assimilate
information or truths about themselves,
when it is just handed to them.
It has to be uniquely a personal experience.
It is much more powerful to find your spirit plant
in journey work ceremonies, rituals, meditations
and/or dream states.
And, like I keep saying,
it would be very beneficial for you to understand
that you do not choose your spirit plant,
your spirit plant chooses you.
Now obviously, because this plant
is your representative in the plant kingdom,
you're a vibrational match to it, aren't you?
This means it's probably going to show up in your life
whether you notice it or not
and this means it's very important to be in the state of observation.
Now, you do not have to be passive about this process.
Like I said,
anytime you broadcast forth
an asking of the universe,
all people, places, circumstances and events
begin to come to you.
Therefore, I would suggest
you set the intention very strongly
to know what your spirit plant is
and then stay very very open.
What do you do once you have found your spirit plant?
Learn everything you can about it.
What traits do you associate with this plant?
Discover the perspectives of other people and cultures
about the “medicine” this plant possesses.
Spend time around this plant.
See into this plant, feel into it and listen to it.
Come to understand it.
Meditate with this plant in mind.
Take note of this plant’s weaknesses and see them in yourself.
Take note of its strengths and find and express them in yourself.
Surround yourself with things that remind you
of this plant and proudly represent it.
Do the same thing with your shadow plant
and totem plants.
Call the energy of this plant to awaken inside you.
Feel it inside yourself always.
Own this medicine as your medicine
and share it with the world.
The medicine inherent in your spirit plant.
Have a good week.
Subtitles by: Tanya Duarte www.tanyaduarte.com