The Plant Spirit Medicine course content offered by the Blue Deer Center does not include the use of sacred plant medicine (i.e. psychedelic/ psycho-active) plants, such as ayahuasca, peyote, datura, San Pedro, mushrooms, and other mind-altering substances.
Rituals of engagement with these sacred plant teachers have been given to traditional/ indigenous peoples within the context of their culture and the place of origin for these plant people. There are a set of instructions and agreements in relationship to all of the plant people — an understanding that emerged with the plant when it was initially brought into the world. These ceremonies are usually performed communally at specific times, in alignment with the cycles of life, under the guidance of an initiated elder. The plant people work in direct relationship to the earth, the weather beings, the environment and the culture of the peoples within which they arose.
This view has been carefully honored, protected, and passed down from generation to generation of elders within the traditions, each of whom have their own special relationship with the sacred plant people. Of course, this relationship varies from place to place and from plant to plant.
Right relationship with Sacred Plants, in this way, can produce healing and protection. However, imbalanced relationships with the plant people and the living natural world have the potential to produce danger and illness. It has been stated by Plant Spirit Medicine founder Eliot Cowan, “The plants cannot be asked to do the ‘heavy lifting’.” We, as human people, must be present to do our own healing work in the world, which can and will be supported by the plant people – who give us food, medicine, beauty, oxygen and life!
To see the words of Eliot Cowan on this topic, please see the book, Plant Spirit Medicine, Chapter 9. You can also read Cowan’s article, Sacred Plant Teachers in the Sacred Fire Magazine.
