Sacred Plant Medicine: The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism [Paperback]

Stephen Harrod Buhner (Author), Brooke Medicine Eagle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2006

The first in-depth examination of the sacred underpinnings of the world of Native American medicinal herbalism

• Reveals how shamans and healers “talk” with plants to discover their medicinal properties

• Includes the prayers and medicine songs associated with each of the plants examined

• By the author of The Secret Teachings of Plants

As humans evolved on Earth they used plants for everything imaginable--food, weapons, baskets, clothes, shelter, and medicine. Indigenous peoples the world over have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with plants and honoring the sacred relationship between themselves and the plant world.

In Sacred Plant Medicine Stephen Harrod Buhner looks at the long-standing relationship between indigenous peoples and plants and examines the techniques and states of mind these cultures use to communicate with the plant world. He explores the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions and the territory where plants are an expression of Spirit. For each healing plant described in the book, Buhner presents medicinal uses, preparatory guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with its use.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The first in-depth analysis of the processes used by Native Americans to communicate with the plant world for the purposes of healing human illness. It is a work long overdue by an author who himself ‘talks’ with plants as Native Americans have always done.”
(William S. Lyon, author of The Encyclopedia of Native American Healing and Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota
)

“Buhner articulates the sacred underpinnings of the herbal world and deep ecology as only a real ‘green man’ can.”
(David Hoffman, author of Medical Herbalism )

"This is an excellent reference book, as well as a wonderful book for beginners who want a true understanding of how to begin working with plants."
(Bonnie Cehovet, Angelfire.com,?April 2006 )

". . . offers not just another herbal, but the first in-depth analysis of how the Native Americans communicated with the plant world to heal human ailments."
(Diane?Donovan, California Bookwatch, June 2006 )

". . . guides the reader through the practical technology of herbalism--which parts of the plant to use, and how to prepare tinctures, salves, and infusions, never letting us forget the underlying precious and holy exchange that is happening."
(Four Corners, July 2006 )

"Sacred Plant Medicine will guide you into the territory where plants are an expression of the spirit. Through prayer and sacred medicinal songs, Buhner shows how plants reveal their medicinal properties."
(Lotus Guide, July-Aug 2006 )

"A delightful read in all ways and highly recommended."
(The Cauldron Brasil, October 2006 )

". . . the first in-depth study that examines the world of Native American medicinal herbalism."
(Lotus Guide, Feb 2007 )

"Buhner's examination and research brings forth how indigenous peoples are able to communicate with Mother Earth and her properties through spiritual connections.  Through this research Buhner is able to present to us healing plants, medicinal uses of the plant, how to prepare the plants for use, and the associated ceremonial fundamentals. . . . This is a book that connects the body to the plants, an energy that is important if healing ourselves and our plant."
(Irene Watson, Reader Views, August 2010 )

From the Back Cover

NATIVE AMERICA / HERBALISM

“The first in-depth analysis of the processes used by Native Americans to communicate with the plant world for the purposes of healing human illness. It is a work long overdue by an author who himself ‘talks’ with plants as Native Americans have always done.”
--William S Lyon, author of The Encyclopedia of Native American Healing and Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota

“Buhner articulates the sacred underpinnings of the herbal world and deep ecology as only a real ‘green man’ can.”
--David Hoffmann, author of Medical Herbalism

As humans evolved on Earth they used plants for everything imaginable--food, weapons, baskets, clothes, shelter, and medicine. Indigenous peoples the world over have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with plants and honoring the sacred relationship between themselves and the plant world. Because they locate their consciousness in the heart, they are able to use the intelligence of the heart to merge their consciousness with the consciousness of any living organism.

In Sacred Plant Medicine Stephen Harrod Buhner looks at the long-standing relationship between indigenous peoples and plants and examines the techniques these cultures use to communicate with the plant world. He explores the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions--a territory where humans experience communications from plants as expressions of Spirit. For each healing plant described in the book, he presents medicinal uses, preparatory guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with the use of the plant.

STEPHEN HARROD BUHNER is an Earth Poet and senior researcher for the Foundation for Gaian Studies. He lectures throughout the United States on herbal medicine, the sacredness of plants, and the intelligence of nature. He is the author of nine works of nonfiction and one book of poetry, including The Secret Teachings of Plants and the award-winning The Lost Language of Plants.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Bear & Company (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591430585
• ISBN-13: 978-1591430582
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful book!, April 9, 2007

By 

reader (baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sacred Plant Medicine: The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism (Paperback)

In Sacred Plant Medicine, Stephen Buhner explores the processes whereby indigenous peoples throughout the world learned the use of plant medicines. The book is a sensitive and deep look at an uncommon subject, the sacredness of plants within indigenous cosmologies, how those plants interacted with human beings, and how human beings made relationship with them in order to learn their medicinal and spiritual uses. Indigenous peoples were clear, and Buhner's first hand accounts bear this out, they did not learn the uses of plant medicines through trial and error but directly from the plants themselves. This book is an important companion to Buhner's other books: Lost Language of Plants, and The Secret Teachings of Plants. Each of them look at the intelligence of Nature, especially that of plants, in close detail, each from a different perspective. Sacred Plant Medicine develops a map of the territory of plant intelligence and the human interaction with it by focusing on the earliest and most basic human form of that contact between differing intelligences. Lost Language of Plants approaches it from a look at the deep ecological interactions of plant chemicals as one specific language of plant communication, Secret Teachings explores the heart as the specific organ of cognition behind understanding plant and Nature contact and communication. All three books are essential, this one is a delight. Highly recommended.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I was looking for, April 12, 2011

By 

Aaron Ward (Knoxville) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sacred Plant Medicine: The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism (Paperback)

It took me years to start to find the kinds of books and material I have wanted to pursue. If you don't have a personal contact with a medicine man or shaman in a traditional earth based tribe, I think this is you best way to access material that is quickly being lost to humankind. I hope more people will read this kind of material to help safe the Earth and our relationship with it before it is too late.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating and remarkable, January 9, 2010

By 

Stephenie L. Falcone "au natural" (CO, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Sacred Plant Medicine: The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism (Paperback)

My husband is very scientific with a strong interest in native cultures and moral philosophy. Sometimes books disappoint him when they're too generic or fluffy. This book did not dissappoint. It was very informative and interesting. The author knows what he's talking about and stands up for what he believes in. It was especially cool that we live by the Rocky Mountains and there are several specific references to the plants in this region.