Language of Nature pt 3: Introduction to the Doctrine of Signatures; Environment & Sensory Experience

The answers we have been looking for have always been in plain sight. Let's explore what is ready to be uncovered.

Introduction to the Doctrine of Signatures;

Environment & Sensory Experience

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If you missed the first part of this series don’t worry, that’s ok, just head to the last post & familiarize yourself a bit once we’re done here.  In that post  I shared what the Doctrine of Signatures is along with some information regarding shape & color.  There is no real order to how these pieces fit together because relly all paths do lead home.  This means all the order isn’t as important as the pieces themselves.  

Basically speaking the Doctrine of Signatures is the belief that Source marked each plant with a signature which is a sign of its purpose.  That which looks like a body part or disease in the plant cures that body part or disease in animals or humans.  It does make me curious since we are not separate from the plant kingdom what signatures have humans been marked with?  Just things that make you start to think.

One last thing before I begin today’s post is a quote from Aristotle that I would like for you to apply in whatever way you are feeling called to do so & just begin to reflect what this means to you. 

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

What does that quote mean to you?  How can it assist you in choosing to see the world in a different way?

Let’s begin by talking about environmental signatures.  There are a few different ways to approach this & I will share a few with you now.  Keep in mind that these are not the only environmental signatures you may come across but they are a few I find to be interesting.  Remember these signatures are both open to your personal interpretation & requires the use of the imagination.  

Plants that grow in water, riverbeds & swamps.

There are a few different signatures we may encounter in this type of environment.  One signature here is that the plants growing in or near water have mastered dampness & therefore are healing to the bodily systems that involve water management. 

What organs or systems relate to water management?  The kidney’s, bladder & lymphatics.  This points to an affinity for these organs & systems.  Which means the part of the body the plant works on or where in the body the medicine is drawn to.

Another signature of plants growing in swampy areas could point to treatments of diseases caused by wetness such as a cough. This means plants growing in damp or wet places would correspond to diseases caused by excess dampness such as respiratory issues.  

Let’s look at some examples & approaches for how we can use some of these plants.  While I am hesitant to say the word USE because the last thing we need is another allopathic approach to plants, it is one way I can share these signatures with you in hopes that you begin to see more than what meets the eye.

Gravelroot grows in swampy areas & has an affinity (where it goes in the body)  for the kidneys.

Hydrangea grow at the sides of streams & has an affinity for the kidneys.

Boneset grows in wet soils & has an affinity for the joints.

Angelica grows in damp, shady & cool valleys.  In the body it treats damp, cold rheumatic & respiratory conditions.  This would point to an affinity for the lungs & respiratory system.

Plants that grow in mucky soil point to a signature for mucus excretions.  Our example is eucalyptus.  One function of eucalyptus in swampy areas is that it sanitizes those areas!  Where it gets interesting is how that translates to the body as eucalyptus cleanses out swampy parts of the body treating inflammation in the urogenital tract.

Another signature held by eucalyptus is the it can dry up swamps & wetlands which is a signature that the plant that can treat a soggy type cough & cold. 

If a plant is growing on the bank of a clear pond or fast moving brook is a signature that plant acts as a diuretic.  Our example is horsetail which grows in low wet sands & has an affinity for the kidneys

Lemongrass grows in mosquito ridden swamps & that is a signature to indicate lemongrass repels mosquitoes.  Remember if a plant has mastered a certain environment it can help us master that same environment.

Sandy or gravelly soil

If you find a plant growing in wet, rocky or gravelly soil it’s the stone & gravel itself that becomes the signature.  This is because plants growing in sandy or gravelly soil can help the body adjust the solid-liquid balance in the body.  What this would do is heal deposits of stone formation or arthritis.  We could turn to parsley.  

One thing I would like to mention about herbs & especially the ones we use in the culinary arts is the amount of the plant material you actually need to feel the effects.  What I mean is if you’re having a hard time with arthritis adding a few sprigs of parsley to your meal isn’t going to do much but add some wonderful flavor.  You would require something like a tea, decoction or even a tincture to get the result.  

It also takes time for these things to work, so don’t be so quick to say that you can't use plants medicinally..  Sometimes it can take time for our illness, diseases & disorders to form & it can take time for them to get resolved.  We live in a society that wants things yesterday.  The plant world reminds us that everything comes in the appropriate cycle & season.

Stonebreakers

These plants do just that in the body as they have the ability to break up stone formations.  Think along the lines of what types of stones we can get in our body, kidney & gall stones comes to mind.  Our prime example here is saxifrage.  

Plants growing in warm, sunny places

Plants that grow in the open sunlight are a signature for their warming & drying properties, as if they store the warmth of the sun in their bodies, sharing that gift when we use or ingest them.  One example is Calendula.

Desert plants

Look at the way that desert plants thrive with a lack of water & this is what they can teach us.  Our example here is Aloe.  One thing you can do, while I’ve never tried it personally, is you can avoid heat stroke by washing with water which contains crushed aloe leaves.  Don’t try this at home but I hear it works wonders in some parts of our world.

That was just a few of the different environmental signatures we may come across.

Introduction to the Doctrine of Signatures;

Environment & Sensory Experience

Let’s talk about the information you could be getting when you apply your senses to looking at signatures, this is what I refer to as the sensory experience

Beginning with smell as this is directly tied to taste.  We know that generally sweet things smell sweet.  So sweet we can almost taste it.  Well on the other side of the coin, have you ever taken a deep breath of something stinky like garbage on a hot day & you swear you can taste it?  This is because when an aroma is hitting our nasal cavity which is located in the back of our throat where it encounters our smell receptors.

What’s happening now is something rather primal.  The scent which is communicated via the element of air & is also tied to the element of ether.  The scent enters our nose where it enters our blood which brings it to the limbic part of our brain.  This then triggers physiological changes which change hormonal responses.  

The realm of aromatherapy teaches us that (among a few other things) smells can change an entire mood.  Ever smell a really nice cologne or perfume on your partner & then suddenly your mood shifts?  That right there is evidence on how this works.

Some plants & flowers have dull or heavy smells & those can dull our senses & make us feel sleepy like the oriental lily which has a narcotic type effect on some people.

Plants & flowers that have a fresh smell quickens, sharpens the senses & wakes us up.  Peppermint is a good example.

Plants & flowers that have strong aromatic qualities point to the presence of essential oils.  The signature here is that many of them have antiseptic qualities & are warming which moves blood & stagnation.  Tea tree comes to mind as it is used in many household cleaning products.

The next signature I would like to talk about is taste.  However, instead of giving you plants that fit the tastes, I'm going to encourage you to go out & taste various herbs, plants & flowers with the intention of seeing what tastes you pick up.  

But don’t worry I am going to share what these tastes point towards, keeping in mind this is just the tip of the iceberg of information the plants are constantly trying to communicate with us.

Taste & Action chart which points to a few actions each taste has

Sweet points to a nourishing & demulcent effect in the body.  Demulcent means it moistens the body.  These herbs have an affinity for the mucus membranes that open to the outside world.  Think about the digestive system.  They also can help support the nervous system as well as the joints, ligaments & cartilage.

To be clear I’m meaning sweet in the terms of sweet like carbs not sweet like sugar.  Think of the sweet flavor of a piece of white bread.  While it is not the same as a piece of candy it does have a certain sweetness.  

Bitter taste is drying as they move fluids through the body as can have an overall drying effect on the constitution if taken long term.  This taste points to liver remedies as they increase the flow of bile.  

Sour is interesting because it depends on the dose.  In small doses it’s cooling & astringent. Too high of a dose can be heating.  This is why when we reach for a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day we feel refreshed.  On the flip side regarding how sour could be heating, think of the body for a moment & the most sour part of the body is the stomach.  Heartburn is a rising of stomach acid.

Salty points to a diuretic action because water follows salt & salt dissolves in water.  This taste relates to the kidneys & bodily fluids.  These plants can soften, they can purge moisture from the tissues from the whole body. Generally when we think of diuretics we think of something that makes you pee, but it is more than that as they can be used to treat cold & damp arthritic pain.

Acrid is best described as the taste of bile in the back of your throat after vomiting.  This taste points to a signature of the plant being spasmolytic or antispasmodic & works on relaxing overly tight muscles.

Pungent tastes are warming as they stimulate, penetrate & warm the tissues.  This is associated with a spicy flavor.  They have been known to clear congestion in the respiratory system as well as enhance circulation & stimulate blood flow.

The last sensory experience or approach I’d like to touch on is touch

Plants that are sticky because of resins or saps points to a signature for sticky mucus.  Our example here is Grindelia which is an herb great for asthma.

Plants that are slippery contain mucus which are healing to the mucosa.  Marshmallow is our ally here.

Plants that retain their moisture after harvesting & are hard to dry are moisturizing signatures.  Artichoke is our example.  Even if you dehydrate artichoke it can rehydrate when it comes into contact with the air.

Join me next week as I begin to explore the disease & organ signatures. Thanks for spending this time with me & until next time may you find Peace wherever you are!

To watch the video & full presentation HERE.