Blame it on Harry Potter
My summer reading often combines oddly matched topics that yield some intriguing cross-over of concepts. Working my way through a scientific tome, Bruce Lipton’s “The Biology of Belief,” I find that evidence-based research now shows that the “energy” medicines have been validated. According to Lipton, DNA is activated or suppressed by the input sensed through the cellular membrane of each and every cell in our body. It has been determined that one category of those trans-membrane sensors detects electrical/vibrational energy, turning it into instructions for cell metabolism and function. So, good and bad vibes really do exist and really do affect us.
Probably due to the subliminal suggestion of the latest Harry Potter movie, I ended up picking up a book on magical herbs while rummaging in a used book store. As I scanned the introduction to Scott Cunningham’s “Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs,” the phrase “vibrational energy” fairly jumped off the page to get my attention. On closer inspection, the explanation for the magical properties of herbs was surprisingly close to Lipton’s description of vibrational energy. With modern technology, it is possible to measure the signature vibration of any substance, including plants. By coming into contact with the plant energy, our cell membranes detect the change and use it as information, the same as for nutrients, oxygen and pharmaceuticals.
How the ancient healers sorted out the energetic effects of various plants is a mystery. What is evident is that they had a system for classifying the effects. Some of these effects are physical, some mental or emotional and some could be construed as mystic or spiritual. There is a well-developed body of knowledge that tells you which herbs are “masculine” and cause physical changes to take place in their vicinity, or “feminine” to influence mood and mind. The plants used in magic are divided into the four elements, just as the Greek doctors did for their medical cures, with the fire group for inciting high energy spells, air element for mental powers, earth group to nourish and heal, and water for relationships. The vibration of the plant provides the power while the intention of the one doing the spell directs the specific application.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is considered feminine and in the water category, so its vibration prompts changes in moods and thoughts having to do with relationships. It is a good choice for allaying fear, inspiring love and increasing intuition. It can be called upon to change your internal energy in such a way as to attract new friends. Its energy tends to dispel negative thinking. Making a simple tea and drinking it while meditating on the change you desire constitutes a spell that you put on yourself in order to create change in your environment.
Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) is a masculine, fire herb. As such, it is best used to energize into action, whether it be lust, protection or mental prowess. It is used to purify a body or a place to protect it, to stimulate clear thinking and sharp memory. It lifts the spirits for positive dreams and thoughts. A dried branch can be burned as incense, worn in the hair, used in wash water to cleanse them of negative energy. You could surround yourself with it and ask for a positive outcome to your final exam, or send it as a talisman to a soldier to promote alertness to danger.
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense/hyemale) is a feminine, earth plant whose energy can nourish the body and mind so thoroughly that it becomes fertile and desires to create new life. It is a frequent ingredient in potions asking for pregnancy Holding the herb in your hands, you can repeat an affirmation that you are ready to conceive a child in order to clarify the purpose of contacting the energy of the plant.
Cunningham defines magic as “ …the practice of causing change through the use of powers as yet not defined or accepted by science.” Looks as if science is going to catch up to herbal magic fairly soon to confirm the energy signatures described and used by wizards and wicca. While the herbal concoctions of Harry Potter may be a bit of a whimsical exaggeration, there is no denying that each plant has its unique power to offer. It is up to us to discover the true nature and use of the botanical vibrations. Perhaps science will soon be able to tell us which frequencies can direct to our cells for health and well-being.
Category: Life Style
