What I have learned the last few years working with plant medicine is that it is very important to connect with the plant before working with it.
Connect with its energy, and really forge a spiritual connection to the plant you are working with. They will keep appearing in your path when it is time to create that connection with them.
Some plants take a few hours and some can take up to years, and I would like to share my story of sitting amongst the devils club.
Now that name could scare people to begin with, but actually its name Oplopanax translates into, “protective heal all”, while horridus means “rough and bristly” (Delleman, 2022). Many people assume Devil’s Club includes the Devil’s name because of its painful thorns, but it actually refers to Devil’s Club ability to protect in the spiritual sense, or “club devils” (Delleman, 2022).
For me this plant holds sacred knowledge, its energy is very different than any other plant I have encountered thus far into my plant journeys.
The first time I seen devils club I was entranced by its bright red berries and huge fan like leaves. I truly do believe plants come to you, you continue to keep seeing them as they are calling out to you to work with them. This one was a different experience for me.
While I did feel very drawn to work with it, but I knew it was going to be a process of connecting with this plants energy. I felt drawn for years, not months or hours, I am talking years to sit with this powerful plant. It’s fascinating appearance had me captivated, it’s fan like leaves covered in spikes hiding underneath. I sat with it whenever it would appear in my adventures in the forest. One thing I have noticed is the calmness and silence that surrounded it as though it was listening to the forest stiring around it.
When I had the call to harvest the medicine it was as if I intuivly just knew it was time. I wasn’t very familiar with the medicinal properties of the plant at that time, but I knew it would tell me and lead me through my inner knowing. I was lead into the forest barefoot and directly into a large older grow patch as I climbed under the huge leaves my toes squished in the mud. I felt very grounded and centred within. (I do know you harvest devils club in the fall when all the nuterients are back down into the rhizomes.) But this time it was spring and I was following what I felt lead by my intuitive knowing.
We harvested not very much being very careful not to harm the plants and only take the rhizomes that wanted to come. It was a beautiful experience and grateful I was there to share with my daughter.
Working with this plant I have learned that it has this adaptogen like ability and I do feel like the connection made is the most important part. As we build this connection and relationship with the plants they teach us how they will help us heal.
After all we are only beginning to understand the potency of the natural world, we once had awareness and only now is it starting to re appear for some of us.
My journey with devils club has led to me make a potent oil infusion which I have now used in my power of three salve and oil roller. Last year I had three plants connect with me to create the power of three, as they wanted to be fused together as well to work their magic.
So watch, witness and really have awareness of the plants around you…. After all they are waiting for you to notice them!
Until next time love and light from the Fayerie garden ✨
Comments