INTRODUCTION

Plants, the oldest form of medicine, have the power to supply the bodies’ life force with the energies it needs to restore and maintain health. They are able to nourish and heal the bodies’ of all living creatures as well as supplying vital energies directly to the earth by absorbing solar and other cosmic influences. Through the miracle of photosynthesis, they convert life energy from the sun into food for life on earth.

With the widespread belief in the influence of other astrological bodies on plants by herbalists such as the 17th century herbalist, Nicolas Culpepper, and the early 20th century mystic-philosopher-scientist, Rudolf Steiner. They believe that the infinite diversity of plant forms are an expression of their power to attract and transmute the subtle energies of diverse celestial forces into the Earthly lifeforms. Therefore, all forms of life rely on plants for both food and their capacity to heal by reestablishing inner harmony and integration with outer nature.

Separated from the direct cycles of nature with its diversity of ever changing plant forms, people who live in densely populated urban environments may forget their innate interdependence with even the most common healing plants such as chickweed, dandelion and plantain, which we now disdainfully regard as ‘weeds’.

However, among those who live in rural or natural environments, in close association with the earth’s cycles, there is an instinctive interest and curiosity about plants often triggered by their strange forms, colors and intriguing scents. This realizes itself in the diverse ways we have come to use them for food, clothing, shelter and medicine to name only a few uses. It is this natural human curiosity and interdependence with plants that is responsible for the vast accumulation of empirically derived herbal folk knowledge based on trial and error passed down over millennia by traditional human societies.

From this ancient wellspring of primordial plant wisdom, the science and art of herbalism continues to renew itself even today as it has repeatedly throughout the ages, this humanity repeatedly falling victim to its own arrogance as it attempts to dominate and go beyond nature. Only in recent times has industrial mainstream medicine diverged from the predominant use of plants to that of chemically synthesized drugs. The unfortunate reason for this is largely economical. Nevertheless, today 3/4’s of the world’s people still rely on plants as their primary medicine and Western pharmaceutical companies integrate and use them as the basis for about 1/4 of drug medicine.

In our own time the later 20th century herbal renaissance was initiated by the untiring efforts of such great souls as the late Dr. John Raymond Christopher who would lecture in various North American cities nearly each week of the year. Other pioneers were Norma Meyers, a woman with native American heritage living in Vancouver BC. Baba Hari Das, a spiritual mentor and various Chinese practitioners in the San Francisco bay area who specialize in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Michael Moore in the Southwest, Efrem Korngold, James and Mindy Greene of the California School of Herbal studies, Ed Smith, Rosemary Gladstar, Terry Willard of Canada and David Winston to name only a few who are bringing forth the late 20th century herbal renaissance.

The 20th century herbal renaissance began during the late sixties, a period where there was a dynamic exploration of new lifestyles based on living in harmony with nature. It was also a time when there was a lot of active experimentation with hallucinogenic substances such as marijuana, psylocybin and other natural and not so natural mind altering substances.

In considering what spurred the renewed interest in herbs, Cannabis sativa looms large as one of our plant teachers. Since that time, we have learned how important psycho-active plants have, and continue to be in the herbal traditions of native cultures throughout the world and we must not confuse issues of abuse by a few with the complete denigration of their therapeutic value. Even the ancients fostered the right use of one psycho-active substance from the fermentation of the grape.

In fact, people throughout the world have always used plants for their mind altering and intoxicating effects. Sometimes the need is purely for recreation and diversion while at other times they're used in shamanistic rites. Used in this way, plants have the power to stimulate intuitive awareness that can be useful for healing. As one example, shamans in Central America have used a species of sage (Salvia Divinorum),which when taken, seems to assist their ability to diagnose disease in another. Similarly, Amazonian shamans use ayahuasco (Banisteriopsis caapi) not only for diagnosing sickness but also for collective visioning. In these healing rituals because of the unique properties of the herb, all participants have the sense of sharing simultaneously the same thoughts and visions. The ritual use of ayahuasco is used for transmitting and sharing important secrets of survival in the forest as well as helping to diagnose and arrive at an appropriate treatment for the sick.

As with the contemporary use of peyote (P. Williamsii) by members of the Native American Church of North America, many of the positive healing effects of hallucinogenic herbs, is based upon prior preparation through prayer and ritual. Notwithstanding, abused or not, there may be an innate need in human societies, to indulge in the use of mind altering plants and substances, of which the most prevalent in the West has been and continues to be alcohol. It seems that a natural inclination of all people is not only to escape from the mundane pressures of daily routine but to use various substances to explore other realms of consciousness.

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Brief History of the Welsh Faerie Folk	What is the Ogham Alphabet?
What is Welsh Witchcraft?	Are there trees sacred to Witchcraft?
What is the difference between Shamanism and Druidism?	Do Witches perform Human Sacrifice?
What is the Faerie Faith?	What is Wicca?
What God's do Welsh Witches Worship?	What are Druids?
What are the Precepts of Merlin and Taliesin	What is the Difference between Witchcraft and Druidism?
What is Reincarnation?	What were the Sacred animals of Witches and the Druids?
What are the Tylwyth Teg Symbols?	Was Stonehenge built by the Druids?
What are the Welsh Witchcraft Holy Days?	Did the Druids build Glastonbury?
Is there a Welsh Celtic and Druidic Timeline	Did Druids build any of the Sacred Sites?
What is a Seeker?	Are there Modern Druid Organizations?
What is a Neophyte	Are there Modern Witchcraft Organizations?
Is there a List of Witchcraft Words and Terms?	What is a Priest or Priestess
Do Witches worship Nature?	What are the Celtic Nations?
Where are Welsh Resources?

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Author:  Originally by Taliesin einion Vawr, Revised by Celtic Church of Dynion Mwyn, Inc. Copyright © 1977, 1992, 2003 by Celtic Church of Dynion Mwyn, Inc.   All rights reserved. Revised: 26 Jun 2008 14:33:03 -0400

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