The Spirit of Plants: Ancestral Memory, Reciprocity, and Healing

Across the African Diaspora, plants have never been simply botanical life. They are archivists. Protectors. Teachers carrying memory across oceans when language, land, and lineage were violently interrupted.

When African people were displaced through enslavement, many arrived without possessions, yet they carried something impossible to confiscate: knowledge of the earth.

For African and melanated people, plants hold sacred wisdom. We believe in the spirit of each plant. We honor their spirit and work hand in hand to heal with the assistance of plant medicine. We do this work in sacredness and through closed spiritual practices.

Most of our culture has been colonized and taken to benefit other communities and individuals. As a result of this wisdom, we are required to maintain the sacredness of our ways and knowledge. Agriculture, herbalism, and spirituality were never separate practices. They formed an ecosystem of liberation.

There's one thing that I'd like to share with you about plants. Plants enter this realm with a selfless responsibility to be self-sacrificing for your wellness and healing. They choose to continuously show up in service to all of our collective healing. It's because of this that we must always honor and acknowledge the spirit of the plants.

If you ever have the opportunity to go foraging with me, you'll witness me asking for permission before I harvest. I don't take anything from the earth without seeking her consent, and I always provide an offering for what I take. There is always a reciprocal exchange between nature and myself; this a non-negotiable principle in my culture. As stewards of the land, it is essential to give back  to the earth as much as we take.

If you are on a healing journey, I recommend purchasing a plant to care for. Nurturing a part of nature allows you to alchemize your energy and connects you to the earth. . There's something immediately grounding about having your hands in a pot of earth.

Don't worry if you don't have a green thumb; this gives you a chance to cultivate a new skill set. For many years, my plants were dying on me. I didn't know what I was doing, but I was struggling to keep every plant alive. On a frustrating day, my snake plant was trying to tip over on me. I got in the car and picked up a cousin for that plant. Soon, what had once looked like the death row of plants was thriving with additional plants and soil adjustments.

Now, occasionally, I have a plant that tries to die on me, and I follow my system of relative plants and the constant talking to the plants. My grandparents and Dads have always had abundant green thumbs, and I was convinced I had a black thumb for plant deaths. One day, I overheard my grandmother telling my plant to "catch life."

This profound moment reminded me to commune with the spirit of the plant. She reminded the plant not only to live but to thrive. Remembering this helps you build a connection with the plants. Our relationship with them is just as vital as the healing properties they possess.

This blog post was written on a snowy day in February. When the warmth of the sun and buzzing of the bees join us, please consider going foraging with Sasha's Whole Earth.