Thank you guys for your opinions. It is definitely helpful with helping me develop some of my own opinions.
So a bit more on the correspondences thing, I have been looking into this a little bit more and came across
this. It looks interesting a bit. This is what it said...
What do you guys think about this? Do any of you do this or something similar?
xo,
Alura
Correspondences: Figuring it Out For Yourself
Many years ago, people had no microscopes or laboratories to tell them what to use a certain plant for. They relied on shamanic practitioners and their own daring to discover the properties and uses of the plant life that grew around them.
Here is an exercise to help you see what it must have been like for early humans learning about our world.
* Choose one culinary herb, your choice, fresh if possible but dried is fine. It will be best if you choose a herb you do not know much about, just head on over the grocery or fresh greens shop and choose a bundle of fresh (or dried) herbs that strikes your fancy.
* You will want your notebook handy. Take a moment to clear your mind and relax. Gently touching the herb, feel free to say any prayer, blessing or charm in gratitude for this gift from the earth. Now take some of the herb in your hands and close your eyes.
*Breathe slowly and deeply until you are relaxed. Try to turn as much of your focus and attention on the herb.
* With respect, ask the herb to share with you its nature, it’s energies, its purpose. Be still and calm and just let any feeling impressions and such drift across your consciousness for a while. Remember to keep your attention focused on the herb. Write down any thoughts, feelings and impressions you have about the herb.
* Put some of the herb in your hand and just look at it for a few minutes. Go ahead and write single words, anything that goes through your mind about the herb. Feel free to draw if your are an artist.
* Spend sometime considering what the lifecycle of this plant must be, where it might like to grow, what sort of soil it would prefer?
* Rub a few leaves against your cheek and through your fingertips. Write down any thoughts, feelings and impressions you have about the herb.
* Now smell the herb a few times, taking slow deep breaths. Pinch some and rub it between your fingertips as you smell. How would you describe the smell? Any feelings associated with the smell, or when breathing in the herb’s scent?
* Put some of the bruised herb on your tongue, and move it around your mouth. Focus on how it tastes. (You can rinse your mouth and spit it out if you want) How would you describe the taste? Any feelings associated with having the herb in your mouth?
* Crush some of the herb and mix it with a small amount or warm water. Mix into a paste. Now rub that paste on the inside of an elbow. Leave there for as long as you like (at least a few minutes), and concentrate on that area with the herbs on it. Then wipe off. Feel your skin there, your energies there. Write down any thoughts, feelings and impressions you have.
* Boil a small amount of water and then add your chosen culinary herb to the water, making a tea. You can use a tea ball or some such thing, or just let a small amount of the herb float in the cup. Once the tea is steeped, drink it. Going through the same observations, as before, how does it taste, would it be better with honey or sugar? Would you ever drink it again? Write anything down.
* Thank the herb for sharing its lore with you as its last act. With the remnants, you may eat them, compost them, give the back to the land in some way, make incense etc…
* Now go and research this herb! Compare what you felt in the exercise with what you discover as you research. Can you find it growing or planted anywhere? From your backyard, to the woodland outside the city, to a planter in a garden store …
Need some ideas of what sort of info to look for? Below is a list of suggestions, you can go as in depth as you’d like. A good place to start is just by putting the chosen food and the info you want such as “Peach parts used” or “Rice Cultivation” into a search engine.
Info Outline
Common Name:
Botanical or Scientific Name:
Other Names:
Genus and Species:
Type (tree, flower, herb etc):
Leaf/Needle:
Form:
Flower:
Fruit:
Twig:
Bark:
Wood:
Climate and Habitat:
Soil Preference:
Places Commonly Found:
Places I have Found In Wild:
Parts Used:
Poisonous Parts:
Safety and Warnings:
Bouquet (aroma):
Flavour:
Magickal Gender:
Elements:
Celestial Bodies/Zodiac:
Special Date or Holidays:
Medicinal Uses:
Medicinal Actions:
Magickal/Ritual Properties:
Aromatherapy and Essential Oil:
Culinary Uses:
Cultivation:
Preparation:
Storage:
Mythology and Folklore:
Constituents:
Other Uses:
Other Notes: