In part 2 of The Elements in People and Plants, we explore some the Elemental patterns as they exist within the botanical kingdom. From the perspective of ancient traditions, everything in the manifest universe contains all of the four Elements of nature: Earth, Water, Air and Fire- that is, the only way something can physically exist is if it contains these Elemental forces. That being said, every living being has a certain Elemental composition, or constitution, with 1 or 2 having the strongest influence and reflection within it.
When observing plants and their Elemental reflections, it is important to consider the wholeness of the plant- not just one singular aspect (like the shape, or taste, or a medicinal action). To truly grasp the depth of how the Elements relate to plants we must look at every facet of an herb- from it’s habitat, it’s morphological characteristics, as well as the various layers of how it influences a person on a physiological, energetic, and spiritual level.
Upon understanding the primary Elemental ruler of a plant, you start to see deeper into the core nature of that plants uniqueness, its essential nature. Suddenly everything about a plant relates to itself and you see the deeper meaning behind why that plant is the way it is. And it is this deeper meaning that leads us into understanding the evolutionary potential of an herbal medicine as it interfaces with our consciousness, as well as simply knowing how to use it holistically with more precision.
