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Plant Spirit Medicine: The Healing Power of Plants
Ancient shamanic practice compelled the magician-healer first to make contact with the spirit of the plant to ask for its help before administering the herbal cure. This practice is alive today in Mexico among the traditional Indian shaman healers-principally the elder Huichol Indian shaman and plant spirit healer Don Guadalupe Gonzales Rios. Elliot Cowan reveals these ancient practices and guides the reader in the effective use of the wild herb plants in the area in which he or she lives. the result is a wonderful psychic and spiritual approach to holistic healing
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Eliot Cowan
5 books16 followersEliot Cowan is the author of Plant Spirit Medicine, and a shaman in the Huichol tradition. He is the founder of the Plant Spirit Medicine Seminary and the Blue Deer Center. As a provider at the Blue Deer Center, Eliot offers Plant Spirit Medicine practitioner training courses, continuing education for PSM practitioners, healing camps based on traditional Huichol healing, and animal totem courses.
Eliot Cowan has been teaching, leading healing retreats, and maintaining private practice for many years. He began to study and practice herbalism in 1969, then temporarily set it aside to study acupuncture. He received his Licentiate, Bachelor and Master of Acupuncture degrees from the late J. R. Worsley at the College of Traditional Acupuncture, Leamington Spa, England, and served on the faculty of that institution in 1979-1980.
In the early 1980’s, Eliot once again turned his attention to herbal healing. Following a recommendation by Dr. Worsley, he began seeking the guidance of the plants themselves to support the healing of his clients. In this way, Eliot rediscovered the ancient shamanic practice of plant spirit medicine.
from http://www.bluedeer.org/cowan.html
and
http://www.granitepublishing.us/dox/P...
Eliot Cowan has been teaching, leading healing retreats, and maintaining private practice for many years. He began to study and practice herbalism in 1969, then temporarily set it aside to study acupuncture. He received his Licentiate, Bachelor and Master of Acupuncture degrees from the late J. R. Worsley at the College of Traditional Acupuncture, Leamington Spa, England, and served on the faculty of that institution in 1979-1980.
In the early 1980’s, Eliot once again turned his attention to herbal healing. Following a recommendation by Dr. Worsley, he began seeking the guidance of the plants themselves to support the healing of his clients. In this way, Eliot rediscovered the ancient shamanic practice of plant spirit medicine.
from http://www.bluedeer.org/cowan.html
and
http://www.granitepublishing.us/dox/P...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 2, 2016
This is a fantastic introduction to the world of plant spirits and healing. Elliot's candid and straight forward style is pleasant and informative. His deep sense of reverence, humility and wisdom easily draw the reader into this world of healing and magic without a whole lot of flake or bullshit. This book was recommended through the reading list of a Shaman that I work with. Elliot also says some really important things about contemporary masculinity (and the inherent masculinity within each of us) and a deep need for healing and harmony. There were a number of very sharp and insightful gems of wisdom and insight that I happily carried forward. I would really like to study with him when he winds his way back to Ontario. I give it a hearty two thumbs up!
October 21, 2018
The writing style is like Carlos Castaneda's annoying dialogue rambling between a student and a teacher. It's a mesh mash of the Chinese 5 elements, a bit about the plants, and other irrelevant topics. The last three interview at the end of the book made it enjoyable.
The author should have just written this as an article and moved on. But writes a book on his education from the Amazonians that plants and nature have Spirits and are people! My God...seriously? It makes me wonder where did some white people grow up to believe nature is dead and inert.
The following are quotes from the Amazon people (not the author):
"There is only one active ingredient in planet medicines--friendship." (Friendship between the plant spirit and the patient)
"...plants have spirit, and that spirit is the strongest medicine. Spirits can heal the deepest reaches of the heart and soul"
"as the plantain spirit told me, they [plants] can do nothing unless they are asked"
"He was describing a certain aspect of the human condition. He was emphasizing the eyes, telling me that the eyes of a person are the key to understanding them, as well as a clue to how much protection I need for myself"
" I couldn't understand who he was unless I could see and sense the spirits around him that were affecting him. Unless we know what powers are affecting a man, we can't really know who that man is"
The author should have just written this as an article and moved on. But writes a book on his education from the Amazonians that plants and nature have Spirits and are people! My God...seriously? It makes me wonder where did some white people grow up to believe nature is dead and inert.
The following are quotes from the Amazon people (not the author):
"There is only one active ingredient in planet medicines--friendship." (Friendship between the plant spirit and the patient)
"...plants have spirit, and that spirit is the strongest medicine. Spirits can heal the deepest reaches of the heart and soul"
"as the plantain spirit told me, they [plants] can do nothing unless they are asked"
"He was describing a certain aspect of the human condition. He was emphasizing the eyes, telling me that the eyes of a person are the key to understanding them, as well as a clue to how much protection I need for myself"
" I couldn't understand who he was unless I could see and sense the spirits around him that were affecting him. Unless we know what powers are affecting a man, we can't really know who that man is"
January 20, 2023
I listened to the audiobook version. Most of the stories are captivating and enlightening. I liked the worksheets? Questionnaires? It is inspiring and I will continue to look into plant medicine. I'm very interested in it. I do wish there was more of "how to" in here.
May 15, 2014
This is a must-read for those interested in Indigenous Wisdom. Mr. Cowan tells many stories about his own path to becoming a healer, including his studies with the Huichol shamans of Mexico. Fascinating and heart-opening, it is a great bridge to pursuing one's own healing. I just finished the new edition, and really enjoyed the extra material.
March 16, 2016
Awesome!
I truly enjoyed this book, extremely inspirational and educational. I only hope I too can connect with plant spirits. This book really makes you think about life beyond yourself and to realise ,we make our own life way more difficult than we need too.
I truly enjoyed this book, extremely inspirational and educational. I only hope I too can connect with plant spirits. This book really makes you think about life beyond yourself and to realise ,we make our own life way more difficult than we need too.
July 4, 2021
The guy seems nice and knowledgeable. And the stories he recounts are enjoyable. But you won't find any plants recipes or prescriptions.
November 7, 2015
This was a fantastic read! I've had burning questions in my heart for many of my years of herbal studies and this book essentially answered every single one! I asked for a teacher, and it came in the form of a book. Who knew?!
One of the many things that I am taking away from this book is that when it comes to plant spirit medicine, there are no hard and fast rules about how to go about communicating with the spirits, but rather to just be with the plants and ask them what to do.
Eliot Cowan also addresses the inner conversation that many of us have that could possibly hinder one's growth in our healing practices, where we might have received direction from the spirit, but our inner dialogue wonders how we know, and begin thinking "this will sound crazy"; thinking like that. He says to ask the plant, be ready to receive the answer in any way it may show up, and then test it ourselves. It's what I thought on my own, but just the validation that this idea was good is helpful for me. I really liked the fact that one doesn't need fancy rituals, fancy tools, or even the ability to call the plants by the scientific names we've given them. They have their own names.
The ways each shaman or healer receives his power is different just like the way they may use the plants - even the same plant may be used in many different ways, sometimes in a way that contradicts the scientific understanding of the chemical constituents and what science sees as relevant. And because of this, these healers have tremendous ability to heal in a way that baffles many scientists. The whole subject is contrary to most typical thought, especially western thought.
As a Reiki practictioner for over a decade and a student of herbal studies for most of my life, this book just resonates with me on so many levels of understanding.
I think if you're wanting to learn more about plant spirits, this is a great book. Likewise, if you have a fascination for herbs, plant healing, and other modalities of alternative healing, this could be a fantastic option for you.
One of the many things that I am taking away from this book is that when it comes to plant spirit medicine, there are no hard and fast rules about how to go about communicating with the spirits, but rather to just be with the plants and ask them what to do.
Eliot Cowan also addresses the inner conversation that many of us have that could possibly hinder one's growth in our healing practices, where we might have received direction from the spirit, but our inner dialogue wonders how we know, and begin thinking "this will sound crazy"; thinking like that. He says to ask the plant, be ready to receive the answer in any way it may show up, and then test it ourselves. It's what I thought on my own, but just the validation that this idea was good is helpful for me. I really liked the fact that one doesn't need fancy rituals, fancy tools, or even the ability to call the plants by the scientific names we've given them. They have their own names.
The ways each shaman or healer receives his power is different just like the way they may use the plants - even the same plant may be used in many different ways, sometimes in a way that contradicts the scientific understanding of the chemical constituents and what science sees as relevant. And because of this, these healers have tremendous ability to heal in a way that baffles many scientists. The whole subject is contrary to most typical thought, especially western thought.
As a Reiki practictioner for over a decade and a student of herbal studies for most of my life, this book just resonates with me on so many levels of understanding.
I think if you're wanting to learn more about plant spirits, this is a great book. Likewise, if you have a fascination for herbs, plant healing, and other modalities of alternative healing, this could be a fantastic option for you.
May 11, 2021
Easy to read, engaging, and thought-provoking. He doesn't actually tell you how to do plant spirit medicine, but he tells many stories of people who do.
August 23, 2021
I really wanted to like this, but something about it didn't feel authentic. The message about the power of plants and nature is positive, but halfway through it just wasn't doing it for me.
September 9, 2020
Book Review – Plant Spirit Medicine: A Journey into the Healing Wisdom of Plants by Eliot Cowan, Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 2014.
Plant Spirit Medicine was recommended to me by an herbalist friend, Jennifer Tucker. With my years of practice and teaching hypnosis and ecstatic trance I have been guided by many spirits, ancestral spirits including the spirits of animals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Several years ago, I realized that what was missing from my journeys into the world of the spirits were the spirits of the Earth’s flora. Thus, I began sitting with plants, asking them to become my spirit guides. This direction diverged from the work of many of my herbalist friends, because, like with my animal spirit guides, the plants do not need to be ingested to learn and benefit from them. As with my animal spirit guides the plants were very ready to open themselves to me. I still have so much to learn, and Eliot Cowan’s exceptional book has opened many new doors to me. For him the spirit of the plant is most central in his work as a healer.
In Plant Spirit Medicine Cowan does not address the medicinal powers of specific plants but offers many fascinating stories of calling upon the spirits of the plants and how these spirits bring about the healing of those who come to him. While listening to the plant spirits in an altered-state of dreaming and waking visions, the plants are very ready to offer him direction.
Cowan was raised in the conventional American way of life, but upon graduating from college he realized he knew nothing about the earth. Feeling an urgency to learn he left for a farm in Vermont where he began to take an interest in sustainability and herbal medicine, an interest that led to his interest in the spirits and the restoration of the ancient ways of healing. In this pursuit he has learned from a number of indigenous healers. He evetually became an apprentice to don Guadalupe Gonzalez Rios, a Huichol shaman of Mexico who eventually performed a ritual to make Cowan a guide to other shamanic apprentices in the Huichol tradition.
Though it is most appropriate to identify the indigenous healers by their tribe, e.g. the Huichol, I am attracted to using the broader term of indigenous when appropriate because of the word “dig” imbedded in it, digging in the Earth for our sustainability. The high and unsustainable expense of our high-tech medicine is leading us to return to the effective ways of the traditional and indigenous healers, elders who rely upon the plants, animals, rocks, water, fire, wind and the entire natural world who know and love us as grandchildren.
Cowan tells many powerful and fascinating stories of listening to dreams and other visioning experiences of plants and their spirits, experiences that bring us into a new yet ancient world of healing, of healing the imbalances of life, the causes of illness. Our dualistic lives are centered on that which is us and ours vs. that which is not us and not ours. This dualism isolates us from the interdependency of all that is of the Earth, a separation that brings us to violence and is leading our demise. Though this book was published in 2014, well before the election of Donald Trump, this separation and violence are now so vividly evident. Cowan hangs on to the belief that at least some humans will survive into the new age of sustainability, health, balance, and living in oneness with all that is of the Earth, but there are many who do not hold this vision and will not survive. Cowan beautifully shows us the path for this survival, a path of again listening to, learning from, and valuing the spirits of the Earth’s flora.
Over the last few years I have read about the Chinese five elements: fire, earth, metal, wood, and water, or more commonly the four elements of fire, earth, air and water as they relate to herbal medicine. I have not resonated with this model but now find that Cowan’s spiritual descriptions of these five elements make much sense. The heat of fire, heat coming from the sun, sitting around campfires, and from other sources brings vitality and passion to life. Humanity lives by the fire in many ways, in cooking, eating, laughter, care for children, as well as in listening to the elders. Plants capture heat and light from the sun. Fire controls the activities of body, mind and spirit, producing joy, happiness, pleasure, laughter, relationships and sexuality. The lack of fire brings illness to the heart and mind.
Earth provides nourishment, security, identity, mother’s breasts, and intimacy to relationships. Mothers need strength, and we all need Mother Earth’s nourishment to overcome the stresses of life. The spleen and pancreas provide the transportation of nourishment from the stomach to the cells, bringing sugar to the cells to give us energy and keep us healthy. Earth brings us the nurturing plants upon which we depend.
Metal shows us what is valuable in life. Cowan’s mentor, don Guadalupe, acknowledged that everything of value came from his father. He showed his son the way through the world, the ways of cumulating spiritual wealth, of not hording possessions.
The mysteries of water harbored in the spirit of the kidney are pooled by the bladder spirit. All the juices of life, e.g. adrenaline we call upon in danger, and the digestive fluids for food that we eat, are of the element of water. The streams and rivers, the flowing blood of Mother Earth, bring us life.
Wood seen in the growing tree needs room, sunlight, water, minerals and soil nutrients, the same as our needs as humans. But our current economic system is destroying the forests as well as our lives. Besides the illnesses caused by the imbalances in these five elements Cowan addresses two other imbalances, the imbalance of being possessed by some unhealthy spirit and the imbalance of our male and female aspects, an imbalance that affects the relationship between husband and wife.
Though this book does not focus on the use of specific medicinal herbs, Cowan provides a chapter describing several herbs that he finds useful in bring balance to these imbalances: the warmth of scarlet pimpernel for imbalances of fire, and the soft and nurturing nature of mullein for imbalances of the earth. As a purifier of the soul, Plantain aids in treating imbalances of metal. To treat problems related to the element of water, Cowan uses the stream orchid, Epipactis gigantea, native to western North America. For wood Cowan uses the flexible willow to treat rigidity and uptightness.
Besides these five plants Cowan finds several other herbs indispensable in addressing other issues beyond those of the five elements: mugwort for opening the acupuncture meridians; anemone for a person who is preoccupied by worldly problems; St. Johnwort for binding together wounds including the wound of depression; and the Southwest desert plant filaree as a spiritual messenger when seeking answers to questions.
The final four chapters are of what Cowan has learned from four of his mentors, don Enrique Salmon and don Lucio Campos of Mexico, Siri Gian Singh Khalsa from West Africa, and Grandma Bertha Grove from the Southern Ute Reservation. With each teacher Cowan’s questions pursue his interest in their uses of the spirits of plants as opposed to the prescriptive uses of the plants as used by most contemporary herbalists and high-tech medicine. These valuable interviews were very enlightening. In conclusion Cowan again tells us of the importance of ritual for treating each person individually over and above using the medicinal herbs in a prescriptive manner. He teaches his ways at his Blue Deer Center in Margaretville, NY, only 48 miles from where I live in Ulster County, New York.
In my practice and teaching of ecstatic trance I rely on the shamanic body postures as researched by Felicitas Goodman, postures that give direction to the trance experience, offering a viable alternative to Cowan’s eye-opening ways of journeying with the spirits of plants. I have previously written about these ecstatic postures and find four of the ecstatic postures exceptionally useful in medicinal plant journeying. I am eager to find my way to Cowan’s Blue Deer Center once the social distancing of the COVID virus has subsided to expand my ways of journeying with the spirits.
Plant Spirit Medicine was recommended to me by an herbalist friend, Jennifer Tucker. With my years of practice and teaching hypnosis and ecstatic trance I have been guided by many spirits, ancestral spirits including the spirits of animals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Several years ago, I realized that what was missing from my journeys into the world of the spirits were the spirits of the Earth’s flora. Thus, I began sitting with plants, asking them to become my spirit guides. This direction diverged from the work of many of my herbalist friends, because, like with my animal spirit guides, the plants do not need to be ingested to learn and benefit from them. As with my animal spirit guides the plants were very ready to open themselves to me. I still have so much to learn, and Eliot Cowan’s exceptional book has opened many new doors to me. For him the spirit of the plant is most central in his work as a healer.
In Plant Spirit Medicine Cowan does not address the medicinal powers of specific plants but offers many fascinating stories of calling upon the spirits of the plants and how these spirits bring about the healing of those who come to him. While listening to the plant spirits in an altered-state of dreaming and waking visions, the plants are very ready to offer him direction.
Cowan was raised in the conventional American way of life, but upon graduating from college he realized he knew nothing about the earth. Feeling an urgency to learn he left for a farm in Vermont where he began to take an interest in sustainability and herbal medicine, an interest that led to his interest in the spirits and the restoration of the ancient ways of healing. In this pursuit he has learned from a number of indigenous healers. He evetually became an apprentice to don Guadalupe Gonzalez Rios, a Huichol shaman of Mexico who eventually performed a ritual to make Cowan a guide to other shamanic apprentices in the Huichol tradition.
Though it is most appropriate to identify the indigenous healers by their tribe, e.g. the Huichol, I am attracted to using the broader term of indigenous when appropriate because of the word “dig” imbedded in it, digging in the Earth for our sustainability. The high and unsustainable expense of our high-tech medicine is leading us to return to the effective ways of the traditional and indigenous healers, elders who rely upon the plants, animals, rocks, water, fire, wind and the entire natural world who know and love us as grandchildren.
Cowan tells many powerful and fascinating stories of listening to dreams and other visioning experiences of plants and their spirits, experiences that bring us into a new yet ancient world of healing, of healing the imbalances of life, the causes of illness. Our dualistic lives are centered on that which is us and ours vs. that which is not us and not ours. This dualism isolates us from the interdependency of all that is of the Earth, a separation that brings us to violence and is leading our demise. Though this book was published in 2014, well before the election of Donald Trump, this separation and violence are now so vividly evident. Cowan hangs on to the belief that at least some humans will survive into the new age of sustainability, health, balance, and living in oneness with all that is of the Earth, but there are many who do not hold this vision and will not survive. Cowan beautifully shows us the path for this survival, a path of again listening to, learning from, and valuing the spirits of the Earth’s flora.
Over the last few years I have read about the Chinese five elements: fire, earth, metal, wood, and water, or more commonly the four elements of fire, earth, air and water as they relate to herbal medicine. I have not resonated with this model but now find that Cowan’s spiritual descriptions of these five elements make much sense. The heat of fire, heat coming from the sun, sitting around campfires, and from other sources brings vitality and passion to life. Humanity lives by the fire in many ways, in cooking, eating, laughter, care for children, as well as in listening to the elders. Plants capture heat and light from the sun. Fire controls the activities of body, mind and spirit, producing joy, happiness, pleasure, laughter, relationships and sexuality. The lack of fire brings illness to the heart and mind.
Earth provides nourishment, security, identity, mother’s breasts, and intimacy to relationships. Mothers need strength, and we all need Mother Earth’s nourishment to overcome the stresses of life. The spleen and pancreas provide the transportation of nourishment from the stomach to the cells, bringing sugar to the cells to give us energy and keep us healthy. Earth brings us the nurturing plants upon which we depend.
Metal shows us what is valuable in life. Cowan’s mentor, don Guadalupe, acknowledged that everything of value came from his father. He showed his son the way through the world, the ways of cumulating spiritual wealth, of not hording possessions.
The mysteries of water harbored in the spirit of the kidney are pooled by the bladder spirit. All the juices of life, e.g. adrenaline we call upon in danger, and the digestive fluids for food that we eat, are of the element of water. The streams and rivers, the flowing blood of Mother Earth, bring us life.
Wood seen in the growing tree needs room, sunlight, water, minerals and soil nutrients, the same as our needs as humans. But our current economic system is destroying the forests as well as our lives. Besides the illnesses caused by the imbalances in these five elements Cowan addresses two other imbalances, the imbalance of being possessed by some unhealthy spirit and the imbalance of our male and female aspects, an imbalance that affects the relationship between husband and wife.
Though this book does not focus on the use of specific medicinal herbs, Cowan provides a chapter describing several herbs that he finds useful in bring balance to these imbalances: the warmth of scarlet pimpernel for imbalances of fire, and the soft and nurturing nature of mullein for imbalances of the earth. As a purifier of the soul, Plantain aids in treating imbalances of metal. To treat problems related to the element of water, Cowan uses the stream orchid, Epipactis gigantea, native to western North America. For wood Cowan uses the flexible willow to treat rigidity and uptightness.
Besides these five plants Cowan finds several other herbs indispensable in addressing other issues beyond those of the five elements: mugwort for opening the acupuncture meridians; anemone for a person who is preoccupied by worldly problems; St. Johnwort for binding together wounds including the wound of depression; and the Southwest desert plant filaree as a spiritual messenger when seeking answers to questions.
The final four chapters are of what Cowan has learned from four of his mentors, don Enrique Salmon and don Lucio Campos of Mexico, Siri Gian Singh Khalsa from West Africa, and Grandma Bertha Grove from the Southern Ute Reservation. With each teacher Cowan’s questions pursue his interest in their uses of the spirits of plants as opposed to the prescriptive uses of the plants as used by most contemporary herbalists and high-tech medicine. These valuable interviews were very enlightening. In conclusion Cowan again tells us of the importance of ritual for treating each person individually over and above using the medicinal herbs in a prescriptive manner. He teaches his ways at his Blue Deer Center in Margaretville, NY, only 48 miles from where I live in Ulster County, New York.
In my practice and teaching of ecstatic trance I rely on the shamanic body postures as researched by Felicitas Goodman, postures that give direction to the trance experience, offering a viable alternative to Cowan’s eye-opening ways of journeying with the spirits of plants. I have previously written about these ecstatic postures and find four of the ecstatic postures exceptionally useful in medicinal plant journeying. I am eager to find my way to Cowan’s Blue Deer Center once the social distancing of the COVID virus has subsided to expand my ways of journeying with the spirits.
January 24, 2024
A FANTASTIC read. There is so much incredible knowledge within this book, and I've noticed and felt the shift in how I approach my practice as a pagan and intuitive as a result of Eliot's teachings within here. I've quoted so much from this book over the last few months as I've worked my way through it, and am at a loss for words to truly describe the incredible impact it's had on me. If you're even remotely inclined towards plants, herbalism, and a connection to nature, I urge you to read this book. To quote another of my favorites, Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith PhD, "I urge the reader to suspend disbelief within whatever parameters they find comfortable, jump aboard the mystic bandwagon of personal experience and judge their truths from within. After all, this is little more than what we do in reading a good adventure novel or love story. Consider this book a little of each."
July 24, 2017
Exquisite. Just what I needed to hear at the moment. Beautiful stories and a beautiful connection to the world of plants. Absolutely joyous!
My edition had a different cover, and was apparently a second edition.
My edition had a different cover, and was apparently a second edition.
March 31, 2018
Not for the closeminded. Highly recommend it.
April 27, 2020
This is a well-written, beautiful book full of wisdom and stories.
July 7, 2022
one of my fav books!!!! yes to plant consciousness
October 3, 2022
Waste of eyeballs
August 8, 2023
An interesting view on plants.
March 26, 2024
Wow I really enjoyed this book! Made my life make more sense and u have many new ideas about plants 💗
November 6, 2014
What a fascinating and inspiring read! I was already curious about the plant world, and have had a wee bit of experience connecting to plants myself. This book took that interest and desire even deeper and opened my eyes to an even greater world of the plants than I have seen before. It has sparked a deep desire to know the plants, to communicate with them, to nurture friendship with them. It has also awakened a remembering, a knowing, that this IS who I am, that I am already familiar with the plant world, already friends and connected. I've just forgotten that connection and it's been lying dormant for many lifetimes. This was a beautiful reminder that I already have this knowledge inside me, and I can tap into it by following my intuition, my inner knowing, my imagination. And perhaps the most striking thing this book has shown me is the power of the plant world and the reminder to approach them with love, respect and honor.
October 5, 2019
A fascinating and insightful book destined to open the reader’s eyes to the true healing wisdom and 'magic' of plants. In the weaving of Eliot Cowan’s excellent storytelling, I was reminded of Stevie Wonder's Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants album from 1979. A strange connection to make, perhaps, but then Wonder’s departure from his string of previous melodic albums into creating The Secret Life of Plants was no less courageous an act then as Cowan’s is now in bringing his astonishing findings to print. As Malidoma Somé states (quote) on the rear cover of Cowan’s book,
“Cowan has charted the territory for a medicine of the past and the future and restores one of the vital links for this to happen - the healing power behind our relationship with the plant world."
April 3, 2012
This is a very interesting book in that it goes farther into the consciousness or the SPIRIT of the Plant Kingdom. Where "Secret Life of Plants" explores the level of consciousness of Plants Eliot Cowan goes farther and works with the SPIRIT of the Plants.
The author in his healing work will call upon on Spirit of the Plant to heal his clients. His clients are not to use any physical part of the plant in their healing. I find the author's work as a very important component to understanding that everything in our physical world has a Spirit or Consciousness associated with it, or it would not exist here in the physical.
A very enlightening book!
The author in his healing work will call upon on Spirit of the Plant to heal his clients. His clients are not to use any physical part of the plant in their healing. I find the author's work as a very important component to understanding that everything in our physical world has a Spirit or Consciousness associated with it, or it would not exist here in the physical.
A very enlightening book!
March 13, 2010
One of the best books I've read in a long time. It's not fiction but it reads like a story, and I could hardly put it down. I learned so much about the 5 elements among other things. The author has developed a relationship with plants that is shamanic, and is able to enlist the help of the spirits of plants to help people, and the experiences he has with them and his patients is just incredible. I want to learn. Also, right after reading it I had quite an interesting dream that I felt to be coming from plants.
June 7, 2013
Oddly, I enjoyed this book for it's deep message about the spirit of plants and how they/we understand their help and the possibilities of what their gifts are to us. It's a bit far out there but very, very interesting. When Eliot talks about the different planes in his visions/dreams it reminds me greatly of the Eckankar religion... of many heavens. Quantum physicists are just now exploring different dimensions in a way that makes the concept much more thoughtful and potentially possible... so who knows!
January 2, 2023
An excellent window to peer into working with plant spirit for healing as well as shamanic practices and interviews with shamans of great renoun to drink up even more knowledge and insight. Pulling from his personal experience, acupuncturists and Huichol Native Americans, this book is short and sweet; a perfect tool for the plant medicine advocate, and adds an expanded perspective while read alongside "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, I give this book 5 stars.
July 8, 2008
Eliot is an excellent writer and really opens your mind to a more naturalistic way of being with nature. Nature is always willing to share with us, unfortunately we tend to become so focused on a human level and miss all the wonder and beauty that our spirits need to stay healthy. Excellent for anyone interested in reconnecting, not only for those interested in healing work.
November 15, 2014
This is one of the most basic spiritual books about herbal medicine. Eliot Cowan came to his knowledge of words by the way of Shamanism and each chapter is a part of his journey. He poses questions to explore each element and tells his story. His process of becoming an herbalist through dreaming and discovery. Powerful.
October 10, 2011
Interesting read. Didn't go into the detail of using plant spririt medicine as much as I thought but it was a good read none-the-less. Just another source showing how interconnected we are to everyone and everything on earth.
October 22, 2007
Read this a long time ago it seems. When it was first out in print. know I really was happy to see a book dealing with plants on that level. Think anyone that loves working with the earth, or gardening... any tree hugger would love it!
April 30, 2010
Excellent all around. Cowan is grounded and unassuming, has had interesting experiences, and has interesting things to say about spirit possessions and healing with plant spirits. The book is fairly short and is a quick read.
October 21, 2017
Eliot Cowan's Plant Spirit Medicine book is an easy and enjoyable read that's not only informative but also very eye opening for anyone with an interest in this topic. This is one of the best books on this topic that I've come across.
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