The Secret Teachings of Plants
The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Inner Traditions Bear and Company
Published:27th Oct '04
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This insightful book explores heart-centered perception in understanding nature and medicinal plants, emphasizing a direct connection to the healing properties of the plant world.
In The Secret Teachings of Plants, author Stephen Harrod Buhner delves into the profound relationship between humans and the natural world, particularly focusing on the wisdom that ancient and indigenous cultures have long recognized. These cultures assert that their understanding of medicinal plants arises not from mere experimentation but from a direct connection with the plants themselves. This connection is explored through the lens of two cognitive modes: the brain-based, linear approach, and the heart-centered, holistic perception. Buhner emphasizes the importance of developing the heart's capacity as an organ of perception, which can lead to a deeper understanding of nature and its healing properties.
Throughout the book, Buhner draws on the insights of various remarkable individuals, including Luther Burbank, known for his contributions to agriculture, and the German poet and scientist Goethe, who studied plant metamorphosis. By examining their methodologies, the author reveals a common thread in how these figures learned from the plant kingdom. He outlines specific steps that readers can take to cultivate their own heart-centered perception, enabling them to gather information directly from nature.
Readers of The Secret Teachings of Plants will discover practical tools for understanding the medicinal uses of plants, diagnosing diseases, and engaging in a soul-making process that fosters a deep connection with the world around them. This book invites readers to explore the rich wisdom that lies within nature, encouraging them to trust their own innate perceptions and insights.
“Buhner’s writings are a powerful call for people to work together to restore the sacredness of Earth.” * Brooke Medicine Eagle, author of Buffalo Woman Comes Singing *
". . . Stephen Harrod Buhner reveals the use of direct perception in understanding nature, medicinal plants, and the healing of disease. . . . This book is a must read for any nature lover." * Share Guide, Mar-Apr, 2005 *
"Science and spirituality blend in an intriguing ecological assessment of what the plant world can teach us." * The Midwest Book Review, April, 2005 *
". . . how to achieve heart-based perception, and how to learn the medicinal uses of plants directly from the plants themselves." * The Burlington Free Press, Feb. 27, 2005 *
“I learned more from part one of this magnificent book than from any source in years. Buhner writes of complex discoveries in neuroscience and neurocardiology with clarity and coherence. Encompassing the highest spiritual insights of such giants as Blake, Goethe, and Whitman, part two is worthy poetry in itself, offering readers a unique way to move into transcendent realms. Of the truly great books appearing today, The Secret Teachings of Plants is easily the most rewarding I have had the privilege of reading.” * Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of The Biology of Transcendence *
“In this wonderful book Stephen Buhner shows us that the heart is not a machine but the informed, intelligent core of our emotional, spiritual, and perceptual universe. Through the heart we can perceive the living spirit that diffuses through the green world that is our natural home. Required reading for all owners of a heart.” * Matthew Wood, herbalist and author of The Book of Herbal Wisdom *
“Beautifully written, The Secret Teachings of Plants is a work of art--as much a poetical journey into the essence of plants as it is a guidebook on how to use plant medicine in our healing practices. Stephen Buhner is among the plant geniuses of our time. Like Thoreau and Goethe and Luther Burbank, the master gardeners and “green men” he so liberally quotes throughout, Buhner will be long remembered for his deep and introspective connection with the green world and for his ability to connect us to the heart of the plants through his teachings.” * Rosemary Gladstar, author of Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal and founder of United Plant Sav *
“A ‘must read’ for herbalists, healers, gardeners, nature lovers, and anyone who has ever been moved to tears by the everyday miracles of life.” * Susun S. Weed, author of Healing Wise *
"The Secret Teachings of Plants offers ways to bypass the linear intelligence of the brain and tap into the nonlinear intelligence of the heart. . . . enables people to gather information directly from nature for diagnosing and treating illnesses, as well as for developing connections with the natural world." * Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, New Age Retailer, Holiday 2005 *
"If you work directly with plants, as a gardener or in herbal and alchemical practices, and want to cultivate a more intimate view of them or simply want to better enjoy your time spent outside and among growing and green things, The Secret Teachings of Plants will help you do both. * Mark Stavish, Institute for Hermetic Studies, April 2006 *
"This book is part poetry, part sicence . . . There is an energy that overcomes and refreshes." * Loretta, Widewest blog, Feb 2010 *
“Humanity’s ultimate liberation lies in the realization of the radiant transcendental consciousness in which nature inheres—that ultimate reality to which Buhner’s excellent books always seem to be pointing us.” * DharmaCafe, November 2011 *
"For homeopaths seeking to enhance their sensitivity to nature’s energies, and to complement their understanding of existing proving information, “Secret Teachings” is an enlightening guide." * Hpathy.com, May 2010 *
ISBN: 9781591430353
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 23mm
Weight: 455g
336 pages