In our back woods there is an old cedar grove. For many years, I would sit within the grove and talk to the cedars and to pray. One day I asked the cedar trees what they would like from me. The answer was immediate and clear: “Please give us pictures of all the other trees that we hear from, but have never seen”.

I made a mental image of twin cedars a half mile or so away and the cedar grove joyfully sent a message directly to its sisters. Whenever my students and I visit the grove, we meditate and send mental pictures of particular trees from around the world to the cedars. They (the cedars) now have a vast communication network that is accessible from my thoughts and prayers.

Now, I am certain that the trees had lines of communication long before I came into their realm and that they “talked” to one another in “tree talk”. The addition of mental images of trees from South America or California or China created a visual pathway for me and helps me to send thoughts and prayers to plants and people many oceans away. Sometimes I need this mental bridge to stay in communication with the awareness that everything physical is embodied spirit. I need bridges to span the illusion of my isolation and separateness. Daily alignment with Source/Self/Other in prayer and meditation leads me inward to the deepest place of knowledge, acceptance, gratitude and grace.

Have you ever wondered how our ancient mothers and their grandmothers knew which plants were used for which ailment? They asked the plants. Shamans in indigenous cultures all over the world communicate with plants, animals, stones, the earth, sky, wind and Spirit, seeking their wisdom and healing. Most of us ordinary folks have forgotten that we, too, can communicate with nature. We have forgotten the blessed oneness that is the matrix for our being. We have gotten lost in the dazzling accomplishments of allopathic medicine thinking that when we have symptomatic relief, we have healing, or that drugs - even drugs that do harm to our bodies - are the answer.

My experience with plant spirits has led me to believe and trust that healing must begin at the level of spirit. Commitment to the divine within us and within all that exists allows our light to expand, our radiance to emerge. Reverence for the spiritual nature of the universe opens the door to true healing. Gradually, our loving relationship with our spirit selves deepens and the spirit is reflected in our body and mind. We begin to radiate health.

I am certain that much of our purpose on this physical plane is to acknowledge and express the pattern of perfection where we are already whole, already healed. Our unconscious body carries this perfect pattern for us to refer to in dreams, visions and enlightened conscious awareness. Our unconscious body also carries our energetic responses to the environment, so we reflect the quality of life that surrounds us physically, emotionally, spiritually. It is manifestly evident that we as a species are losing the soul messages encoded in our bodies.

Plants express the perfect pattern most exquisitely. Their crowns reach towards heaven for the light’ their roots reach directly into the earth, gaining sustenance and connection with all other plants. In stillness and grace, they offer themselves as resources for all animal life: food, shelter, clothing, medicine. Plants know all the mysteries. They are willing to share their ancient wisdom; we need only listen.

It is possible for us to re-learn the skill of communicating with nature in a very simple and safe manner.  The plant spirits - wise and willing - are waiting for us to simply ask for their help.

You might begin by thinking of your body as a container for compassionate divine presence, sort of a walking chalice, a container for the eternal mystery. The light of heaven with all its colors enters your body at the crown and pours itself into your being.  Your crown gives you the experience of Source, of God.  The groundedness of the earth with its ancient wisdom comes into your body through your feet. Your feet give your the experience of substance, of Other. This holy trinity, Source, Self and Other gives you the experience of universal love, wholeness, perfection. Divine design lives within you and through you, forever.

One of our main tasks in this lifetime is to fully embody Spirit. Our friends, the plants, do this exquisitely and are quite willing to teach us about Spirit and Spirit medicine. All we have to do is ask.

Touch the ancient trees. Feel the pulse, the rhythm of the earth and of a thousand million trees pulsing through you. Sense the  millions of plant spirits pulsing through the sacred grove. Allow these spirits to reveal their wisest dreaming to your heart. Feel the merging, the joy with which the plants share their spirits and remember who you are.

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