Welcome to Ixachitlān, “The Great Land.” Before Europeans landed in what is now renamed the Americas, there were abundant names for this continent by different indigenous peoples. Don’t panic, this is not an essay on who does or doesn’t belong here; Earth inhabitants have been migrating, looking for home and resources, since the beginning of time. Home is here, Ixachitlān. She awaits you —the land of gorgeous mountains, diverse plant and animal life, dramatic coastlines, big skies, colorful culture, hidden stories of magic and peril. The rugged history of her western front is wrought with stories that need healing—its descendants carrying the medicinal knowledge of their ancestors to mitigate their wounds. This includes the story of sacred plants, by now, shared to most everyone around the world.
There are vivid memories from my childhood of how our plant medicine was put to use. Uncle José had a mason jar filled with cannabis leaves steeping in wood alcohol for making poultices. The leaves would be lain on afflicted bodily joints then wrapped firmly with cotton bandaging to reduce pain and inflammation. He grew a small batch of plants himself. Sometimes my mother had me tie corn silk with thread, and hang it to dry in the sun. Those with kidney or bladder problems would have to drink a tea of boiled cornsilk until the discomfort subsided. Many plant remedies were commonplace in my home. When a plant has healing power, it becomes a sacred resource. It is not to be squandered or abused.
Later, my parents and grandparents would bring me more knowledge. As I grew older, I would receive training from many experienced plant-medicine healers. “Part of the healing process is to make your own medicine,” said one elder. All the medicine men and women agreed. It was important to respectfully collect, and prepare each plant. We called the plants “the Plant People.” We thanked them when collecting their roots or leaves. Before taking them from the land we gave them an offering of a helper sacred plant, tobacco. Some cultures sing over a boiling pot. Some burn incense and pray. Some meditate for several days. Or all of the above. It is a commitment and a sacred ritual.
Today, people raid wild land to poach sage for commerce. Apparently, people want to smudge their new apartment in London where White Sage, Salvia apiana, is not available. This species is currently under threat. Sage has been a popular smudge plant for spiritual cleansing, prayer, and meditation. Looting this indigenous medicine from wild lands, or purchasing it from people not cultivating it, is not ethical. The best way to encourage a healthy intention is to begin with planting one’s own medicine. There are five White Sage bushes in my garden. They are a favorite among the honeybees. Sage medicine is for the pollinators and occasionally, I will ask for a leaf or two for prayer, to make a calming tea for anxiety, indigestion, diarrhea and or respiratory issues. Consider growing your own medicine instead of supporting unethical commerce.
There are many sacred plants that I will not list, or encourage because herbal experience is necessary. The Western mind enjoys hoarding, of all kinds: knowledge, material things, attention. Not to mention, escapism is an affliction of the modern world. The truth is, the gardener or nature lover tends to be more reverent. If there would be any medicine ways to share with the public, it would be the mindset that ALL living things are sacred. Having a healthy relationship with the natural world will be a source of wisdom. We earn our medicine by playing a part in cultivating it. One must become intimately acquainted with a plant, to know its role. The most powerful medicine in the garden, or in nature, is empathy; humans can empathize with plants. There is no need to use a water meter, soil tester, or other gadget.
We can use our senses to discern a plant’s health so that we get practice at discerning our own. Scanning the environment and scanning our bodies, is the same skill.
These plants of Ixachitlān, of The Great Land, were not meant to be depleted for a profit. They coexist with wildlife and humans for the health of all organisms. In the stories that have brought us to this point in our world ecology, where more than 40% of our insects are declining, any action that is restorative can shift things for the better. The restoration of harmed lands through native plant cultivation is, at least, keeping more harm at bay. There is optimism when the scientific community reports the return of any species. We can be guardians of the vulnerable, and the soon to disappear. In my garden, I do my best. Many thanks to the Plant People.
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