Introduction: What Unites Us: The Sacred Teachings of the Plants "Plants are the earthly embodiments of light; they track the sun, the same star that would blind humans, with a meditative tenacity, watching its every movement; they transmute luminosity into fecundity and light's potential into life's kinetic energy. What secrets of light do plants hold, and how to unlock them? How to become an even more direct conduit for refracting the light of the cosmos? " -Lia Chavez "Talking to plants is one way of talking directly to Spirit." -Rosemary Gladstar Chapter 1: Gathering-- Reflections on gathering plants and wildcrafting, along with learning, gathering together, and gathering knowledge "Women for millennia have gathered the healing herbs at first light. Grown grains and vegetables by the river to feed family and clan. Created colorful dyes from berries and leaves. Woven nettle fiber, hemp, yucca and cotton into warm and beautiful clothes for babies, children and men. This marriage of woman and plant has its origins in the primordial womb of time. We honor and heal ourselves as well as the plants by continually strengthening and renewing this bond.

" ~ Kiva Rose " What amazing dinner hosts plants are as they gather the best of folks together and always, a good time is had. Rarely does anyone leave wanting, for these medicines and foods nourish us in places we never knew were hungry" ~ Kathleen Maier Chapter 2: Preserving-- The importance of preserving and conserving plants, llong with preserving our herbal heritage Chapter 3: Sharing-- The value of sharing the bounty of herbs and herbal knowledge "Herbalism is based on relationship -- relationship between plant and human, plant and planet, human and planet. Using herbs in the healing process means taking part in an ecological cycle. This offers us the opportunity consciously to be present in the living, vital world of which we are part; to invite wholeness and our world into our lives through awareness of the remedies being used." --Wendell Berry "We live in a connected world. Not connected by the threads of modern human-to-human telecommunication, but by our interactions with the plants, animals, mushrooms, microbes, soil and stone, water, air, fire and light with whom we share the biosphere." -- Guido Masé Chapter 4: Healing Practices & Health Freedom-- Advocating for the relevancy of herbal healing practices today and for choices in and healing options Chapter 5: On Being an Herbalist-- Celebrating the life work of the herbalist Chapter 6: Reverence for the Earth-- Reflections on our connection to the plant world Chapter 7: On Gardening-- Celebrating and honoring experiences in the garden.