The First Plant that Talked to Me

It was a Saturday afternoon, and I just happened to have the morning off the same the day the annual USF Spring Plant Sale was happening. That seemed serendipitous in itself. I went with my husband to find some plants for us. 

As we shuffled among the plant-lovers, chatting with a few people we knew and others that we didn’t, we found a few plants to bring home. My husband got a few plants for his class to use in their garden at school. My only take-home was a Patchouli plant. I had never seen one before, but I love meeting the plants of the oils I adore. 

But this story isn’t about her. 

I went to work that afternoon and joyfully saw two clients who I love. It was one of those afternoons where I felt blessed to have the job that I have, serving my community through healing touch and an understanding ear. 

I like to think this gratitude did indeed "open a door way". 

When I walked to my car behind our building at the end of the day, I turned to look at our overgrown garden with a new appreciation, thanks to that morning. Feeling a pang of guilt at my apparent under-care of the garden, I thought to myself, "Man, I really need to cut these plants back. They need some love and care." 

Suddenly, I fixated on the Vitex plant in the middle of the garden. 

“Except you, Vitex. You are looking fabulous.” 

And it was. It was standing there, tall among its herbal friends, as if its arms were stretched out, signing to the sun, “Boy, it's good to be alive!”

In that moment, I just had to pause. Did I just hear something?

The voice of Vitex was still echoing in my head. Sure, maybe I just imagined it, having noticed a plant looking so happy, perhaps truly for the first time. I had heard of people experiencing plant communication before, and though my open mind is totally down with that, I had never before had an experience where I could hear a plant so clearly. 

***

Fast forward to a few days later. I was talking with a friend of mine who's a homeopathic doctor, and I casually mentioned that I was experiencing some serious PMS symptoms. Seeing an opportunity to help someone in one of his favorite ways (his specialty is women’s health), he said, “You know, we can work on that if you want.” 

Now, I was not fishing for advice. This was not a consultation. It was just a conversation among friends. He and I have done very little together in terms of client-practitioner work. But he piqued my curiosity. So just to see what he had in mind, I asked, “Okay, what would you recommend?”

“Well, I’d start with some Vitex.” 

Alright then. 

From that moment forward, I’ve felt a kinship to the Vitex. It was like that Vitex castus was trying to tell me something. I felt reassured that the plant was appearing in my life more than once in a short period of time. 

My friend sent me some supplements, and I will say they do seem to help my PMS symptoms. 

Out in front of the Upward Spiral Center.

But even more than that, the Vitex in my garden out front has been blooming for months. I once heard someone say they are supposed to be prolific bloomers. But I’m always amazed to watch a plant bloom for so long. 

Since then, I’ve been working on my plant communication. It’s a practice, as it all is. : )

Have any plants talked to you? Do you have relationships with plants which you also use medicinally? Let me know by commenting below. 

May our love for plants bloom prolifically as well!