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| The Sustainable Herbalist; The Sustainable Life - Page 2 |
It is our contention that we need to acknowledge and live by a view based on the deeper principles that sustains the connection of heaven and earth (connecting above and below), spirit and matter, and inside and outside. These ideals can be the basis for sustainable herbalism. It teaches us respect and gratitude for all things animate and inanimate, it helps us to understand that "less is more," and that the experiences we have in our lives and the place we occupy on this earth contains the whole workings of the universe.
This view is not some new age thinking but is rooted in our lineage as human beings. It can be seen in the cave paintings and carvings from ancient times, we can read it in the various philosophies expounded by philosophers from around the world, such as Heraclitus of Ephesus around 500BC and Lao Tzi of China for example.
The division/ separatist view that exists today does not have deep roots and in fact seems to be a rather recent occurrence. Some historians/ mythologists have noted that around 2500 BC there was a turning point in our history. The myths begin to change and our ideas about life took on a different hue. (Others historians contend that it occurred at advent of agricultural practices about 10,000 years ago - there are various interpretations of events, but why such a radical change occurred is still a big question that thus far has gone unanswered.)
Listed below are some precepts for sustainable herbalism.
- Humans are an intrinsic part of the whole of existence. We are both dependent upon and responsible for the effects on the vitality and integrity of Life. It must be remembered that we are part of the whole web of life and not separate from nor superior to it. Rejuvenation and revitalization will only happen when we have rediscovered our roots in the earth and our inspiration from heaven.
- Whatever steps or actions each human being takes to heal her/ himself and improve vitality, she/he must acknowledge the effects that those practices have on the whole web of life, which in our estimation is our connection to Heaven and Earth. Here is a simple example; if we need use an herb then we should try to obtain it from a grower who employs ethical agriculture practices.
- The use of herbs as a healing practice must be both sustainable and sensitive to the whole web of life. Indiscriminate use of herbs and disrespect for the plants must be avoided. This would include using herbs that are being hyped up by the media without any rooted understanding or relationship to the plants and their essence. Also, using herbs for profits only will diminish the vital energy of the plant world but all of Nature.
- Using herbology in the context of various Traditional and proven healing systems from around the world helps the human being to reconnect to the web of life and the healing lineage and wisdom that humanity has understood for thousands of years. Using herbs without this type of context will create a rootless system of herbal medicine that will fluctuate excessively with the vicissitudes of life.
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