Those of you who have been around for a while know that I love herbs. Not only do I love their medicine for physiological components. But what they do for our spirits. Spiritual herbs and meditating with plants is a powerful practice. It allows you to set the space with herbs for spiritual healing and meditation. Giving you something VERY specific to focus on. While opening up your mind to receive messages from sources unknown. I love the whispers from the plants. Spiritual herbs are able to share so much through meditation. Five spiritual herbs for meditation.
In case this is a VERY new realm to you. Understand that messages from spiritual herbs and meditation generally come in a few different forms. Specific visual pictures. Somewhat like a painting that you are watching come to life. It is very dreamland-esque. Simple and straight to the point. I also see visuals of silhouettes and color. They swirl, form, and generally hold a specific message. They are much more subtle than the full visual. But their meanings are just as strong.
Words are the next way we can sense the messages. It could look like your visual is speaking to you. But their mouth isn’t moving. Sort of like they are telepathically communicating. This happens a lot when people are working with their spirit guides. They come to them as a hologram like visual and communicate directly through the mind.
Plants send messages in this way also. Their teachings become clear. You come to be able to read them more precisely. In prepared remedies. Smoke medicine. Or while in the field. The understanding of “NO, don’t harvest me today… But there is a patch just over that hill I think is in need of some pruning.” These understandings of the plants, get louder. The time spent sitting with the plants gets longer. Medicine more potent, and best of all. The connection to nature is strengthened beyond imagination. As you go through these 5 spiritual herbs for meditation, the messages will be louder!
The TOP 5 Spiritual Herbs
As usual. I like to walk a bit differently than the beaten in road. I am not going to suggest Lavender, Rosemary, and the like. (though I freaking love both of those plants…) I want to offer REAL edgy information for you all to soak up. Get comfortable with plants. Don’t let people tell you NOT to work with ANY of them… though, don’t throw away being mindful and having a healthy Ego around ones that can harm… this is legit. My point is. Some plants are straight up not safe to take internally. BUT they make GREAT meditation companions, smoke medicine, or just to sit with them. I know of some herbalists who make flower essences of these sketchy plants. Encouraging the taking in of their medicine in a SAFE way. YES TO THEM!
Let’s dive into the plants we love… here are the 5 spiritual herbs.
Henbane – Hyoscyamus niger – Member of Hecate’s Garden
In Greek mythology Hekate is a prominent figure. She is the representative of night, the moon, death, life, and rebirth. In the sense she is considered a triple goddess because she is all encompassing to the most powerful energies of the universe. In the Myths, Hekate directed Demeter toward her daughter Persephone who is trapped in the Underworld. Persephone found herself captive of the Underworld for 6 months of the year. Hekate became her companion in this dark world. She guided Persephone through the darkness with her torches.
This Myth is responsible for Winter.
Henbane is associated with Hecate’s energy. In most pictures of painted of Hecate, Henbane is the Crown that she wears. The spirits crossing the river Styx in the Underworld have been depicted wearing necklaces of Henbane as well. This captivating flower is useful for many cycles of prayer, contemplation, working with spiritual healing herbs and meditation. Times of unrest. If uneasy feelings of energy surrounding you is present. Apply Henbane. Spirit energy that may be stuck, Henbane can help to clear it. Or, when energies are blocking you. The stories of Hecate illuminates how to work with our Henbane. She lights our path through darkness. Though she is the darkness. All this playing into our feeling safe within it.
Henbane Meditations…
When I have meditated with Henbane, I’ve had many intense encounters with the realm of spiritual herbs. She shows herself to me as a beautiful woman. Dressed in a white robe. However, this beautiful woman has no face. All I see when I look into her face is darkness. But she isn’t scary. There is a sense of peace that comes with her. She carries the essence of beautiful release cloaked in white. Theses whispers that have come to me through the smoke medicine of Henbane, are ones that encourage the understanding that you are whole and beautiful because you are nature. You are perfect because of this. The Henbane energies are the protectors of this understanding of self.
She encourages you to protect this sacred knowing of your power. To protect this from other dark energies that would want to color your cloak black. Learn to repel this negativity with Henbane. She gives you the tools to block these negativeities from even touching your energetic body. Henbane is a powerful spiritual healing herb.
Pulsatilla – Anemone patens – Lessons in Letting Go
This flower does not have the depths of Greek mythology behind it. But she is deep in her roots of the high country. This Ranunculeae is also a member of a toxic family. Though she is safe to take internally in drop doses. She teaches mindfulness, calm and the subtle but powerful act of letting go.
Pulsatilla shows us ways to relax the mind. She is the first flower to pop out of the snow in the high mountain country. She is covered and fuzz soft and sweet to the touch. Her seed head shows me a lot of her medicine. The seeds are stuck at the end of a tassel of her fuzziness. And her head nods to the wind as they release. Showing us how to let go. Saying that sweet release sends our worries to the high mountain winds.
Pulsatilla shows us where our mind is blocked. She shows us how our anxieties are hindering our growth as a human being on this planet. Showing us how to release these fears so that we may walk along the path we were destined to be on. This is the most important aspect of being human on this Earth; following our path. Société pushes and pulls us. Instilling fear that if we don’t feed the machine we are not a thriving member. I challenge those with the fact that the Divine already has a plant in place for each of us.
Ancestral Pact
The universe has a plan and we created this plan as a pact with our ancestors. That pack does not include feeding our societal machine. The ancestors devised a plan with us before we entered this realm. This pact we made with our ancestors was our path in this physical plane.
We come into this life not remembering any of these pacts. But clues happen every single day. Pulsatilla helps to calm our minds from fear and anxiety. This way, our path may be realized fully. She helps us to understand how we can walk strongly on our path. So that our gifts to this Earth are realized. Pulsatilla challenges the mind by intoxicating our dreams.
Arnica cordifolia… Giving Movement to Deep Pain
Those of you who know me understand that I am not afraid of shadow work. I also feel that working with the shadow aspects of self offer more ways to move toward the light. When you address the darkness by facing it head on. You Ignite the light to its full potential. Arnica cordifolia helps us to feel comfortable in these dark nooks and crannies of the subconscious mind. So that we may recognize them. While releasing the grip that they have on our psyche.
Arnica tincture enlightens the darkness of our traumatic histories so they may be released. This sweet little Woodland flower so resinous and yet contains no essential oils. A dichotomy of light and dark. Bright and cheery but can kill your liver. Though we can take her internally in very mindful doses. She helps us to realize these dark pieces of our of our history so we can release them. Allowing us to move past it.
Arnica extract is a deep pain reliever physically and another perfect herbs for spiritual healing. Arnica tincture encourages you to look at these dark aspects of self with the brilliant light of the Sun. Don’t keep hiding them in the dark nooks of your mind. Bring these dark places to the forefront. Use Arnica tincture to light up these darknesses. Lots of our anxieties come from these Dark Places. The ones that we don’t explore. Usually because we’re afraid to look at them. Darkness is uncomfortable after all. But when you get to know it. Or when you light it up. It is not as scary as it once was.
Red Cedar – Thuja plicata – Grandmother Wisdom of the Forest
Thuja… (pronounced Th-ooo-ya) is the grandmother of the forest by Native American Traditions. Standing strong and sturdy. Her roots are grounded deep into the Earth. Thuja has an understanding that is wise beyond any of our years. She shows us this with her buoyancy in her bark. How it is strong and sturdy yet light and lifted. Her decades of growth created this. Her bows dust gracefully through the wind. Allowing movement and fluidity. To remain grounded in strength.
Red Cedar, our Thuja, is the elder that we go to deeply listen. We want to hear her stories of years past. How those who came before us triumphed or perished. This is how we learn of ways in moving forward. Absorbing and utilizing the wisdom of our ancestors. Thuja offers these gifts to us. She is the grandmother of our forests. We go to her for comfort and wisdom. Respecting her teachings. Realizing her knowings are beyond what we have experienced. As we realize this, and move with it. Our lessons are mighty.
Working with Grandmother Cedar is humbling to the ego. Teachings of respect and mindful actions through Elder medicine. Thuja will show you where you are falling short. While encouraging you to keep on going. She holds the ancient wisdom of the forest for us to realize. Thuja is a perfect spiritual healing herbs to Meditate with her often. Comfort. Grounding. Humbling. We all can benefit from these energies.
Yarrow – Achillea millifolium – Strengthening our Energetic Body
Sweet bright Yarrow. One of the most prolific growers of our medicinal plants. She is a classic wildflower. Decorating most all terrains and elevations. This flower is incredibly easy to identify when understanding flower structure and leaves. Making her one I highly recommend getting to know and working with. Her flower head is my first clue as to what she works with energetically. The flowers are tightly knitted together. Medicinally she helps to clot blood and stop Bleeding. Do these actions & appearances give you any clues?
When working with yarrow in meditation and as a spiritual herbs, she teaches us how to protect our hearts while keeping them open. She provides a tightly knitted energetic boundary. This being protective to one’s self in a healthful manner. She teaches that it is healthy to have boundaries while also having an open, light and happy heart.
If you are one who struggles with being an empathetic person. Letting too many people into your inner circle. As most empaths do struggle… Yarrow will be your most prolific teacher. This one is special to me as she has taught me many lessons in weaving my energetic boundaries tighter. Only allowing certain humans into the inner circle. While remaining bright & kind to all who crosses my path. I recommend keeping her with you. Walk with her as you go through your days. This will create a mantra of your medicine pouch. Stuff some of her flowers into it. Feel her presence & teachings. Working with yarrow in this way allows for a constant connection that helps to establish healthy boundaries in your day-to-day life.
Thank you exploring the magic of these 5 herbs to get to know for daily meditation!
Blessings my loves,
