Learning to Talk to Plants

Sunflower Landscape by Dorothea Tanning

Solve et Coagula: Separate and Conjoin

There used to be a time – not that long ago – when humans experienced a oneness with the natural world as a constant, felt, unquestioned reality--a challenging, brutal, paradoxical one-ness with nature, but a oneness none-the-less.

Then a particular event occurred (more on this in later lessons) where human beings experienced a solve of consciousness from the rest of the world. Solve means separation and is an important step in alchemy which leads growth and transformation...in other words, it’s necessary for change.

These days, we tend to think of "the natural world" as a place where other things live or even a backdrop to events. However, the ever-synergizing lifeforms that comprise “nature," would

likely find that assignment to “backdrop” a little demeaning...and it is becoming very clear that this perspective is no longer beneficial to humans either.

There is a coagula, or a coming together, that is needed...one that I myself am working towards on a daily basis...wherein you can begin to interact with the natural world again as a living, breathing, constantly communicating, ever-adapting, deeply intelligent organism...while simultaneously learning to replicate, build upon, and contribute to her efforts in a beneficial...instead of a destructive manner.

This creative relationship with the divine intelligence of the natural world is the ultimate birthright of humanity and the true work of the sages, mages, and spiritual warriors of our time.

Creating Coagula Consciousness

The beginning point for our work is the recognition that our culture has conditioned our consciousness towards objectivity. Meaning that we have a tendency to relate to the world and other beings as "objects" rather than "subjects."

If you don’t assign life and personhood to an entity, it is certainly not going to speak to you, let alone teach you anything at all.

Consider this: children must be trained to not assign personhood to all living things. Humans come into the world with an astounding amount of empathy.
We are, by nature, animists. Humans naturally see and feel oneness with life everywhere, until acculturation or trauma occurs.

Some of us may want to take time to mourn the loss of this part of ourselves that we once felt so clearly and could merge so completely with each other that we came in contact with. However, you must remember, this solve or separation was a necessary step in humanity’s journey...and in your own path as alchemist.

To rejoin (coagula) with this part of ourselves and the rest of the natural world, we must do the dirty work of watching ourselves dissolve the egotistical part of ourselves which has developed layers of shame, entitlement, judgment, etc. which keep us from WANTING to rejoin. THEN we burn those layers as fuel in our alchemical fires...thus rejoining the rest of the world as creators, allies, and fully human magicians.

Plant Allies

The first step of this process requires a great humbling. We must recognize that we are in fact the babies on this planet Earth. The rocks, soil, plants, and animals all have a lot more wisdom about how to live well here...plants for one have been around a few hundred million years longer than we have.

Mythologies abound in cultures around the globe about how plants, out of all of the kingdoms/peoples on the earth, signed up to teach human beings how to live well.

That’s why they are our most ancient medicines. That’s why flowers universally bring joy, comfort, and inspiration. That’s why they make the very air we breathe more robust and pleasant when they adorn our homes. That’s why they in fact breathe with us...offering mirrors for our most essential functions...the color of our blood, the inhale and the exhale. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Plants speak to us and teach us in our dreams, call in spirits from the above and below to assist us in ritual work or our daily tasks, weave through our voice tapestries of pure energetic manifestation...the possibilities are endless and are in fact the foundation of shamanic work around the globe.

In the West, this takes on a different tone...a tone which may just be necessary to save our species from extinction.

The coagula process and shift in consciousness necessary to see a plant as a living being capable of speaking to us gives birth to this tone...and it’s a beautiful one.

Some of us living through the trials of Western civilization find it hard enough to make friends with other human beings. It requires vulnerability. Being comfortable being seen. Confronting internalized shame, judgement, and emotional holding patterns that resulted from trauma and betrayals.

Relationships with plants begin the same way.

Like humans, each plant requires different kinds of treatment and actions to begin building a friendship. Some plants are very eager and generous. Others require courage and sacrifice. Some must be approached with a great deal of reverence and it takes a very long time to develop their friendship.

You must learn to truly see them. And seeing requires a great deal more work than you might think. Because you must love someone, before you can truly see them. And, as most of you already know—as you learn to love anyone else, you are also learning to love yourself.

What is unique about the depth of the process of learning to love a plant is that before you can truly love them, you must begin to crack open the feeling capacity in your heart so that you can understand its language.

Check out my next post to learn more!