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Plants are alive: Unveiling herbal archetypes

Despite their differences, witchcraft, alchemy, shamanism, and modern chemistry share a common foundation. They use plants to unlock the mysteries of life.

Many pharmaceutical products originate from herbal remedies put to the test. However, they lack the nuanced qualities of the actual plant.

Indeed, plants have a personality. That’s why they sometimes “get along” with us and treat a disease. But others may not experience the same effects..

So, how can you understand plants and their character? One way to do so is learning about their hidden archetypes.

The symbolic language of herbal archetypes

Each plant holds a unique symbolic meaning. Besides nurturing and healing, they also contain a type of energy and a lesson to teach. Some of these energies can be linked to tarot cards and their archetypes.

A fascinating example to illustrate the point is hemlock. It is a tall and upright plant with toxic properties. Its form and biological effects show rigidity and protection, just like The Emperor card.

Hemlock protects itself against predators with poisonous chemicals. It has an upright form that does not yield. These features help the plant survive in the wild, but taken to an extreme they won’t let us relate to its virtues. 

Similarly, authoritative and close-minded people may seem challenging to approach. But they are probably highly protective towards their loved ones.

Alfalfa is a completely different plant. It easily thrives in diverse environments. However, it is also adaptable and friendly for animals who want to feed from it and spread its seeds in return.

Alfalfa exemplifies resilience and inner strength in trying times. This aligns to the feeling behind the Ten of Swords, and how it comes across suffering. But after such difficult times when nothing can be worse, the future will shine brighter if we keep at it.

Using herbs for enhanced self-awareness

Throughout history, herbs have been used not only to cure disease but also as means to accessing our subconscious mind. Even now, many use herbal preparations as an introduction to alternate forms of spirituality.

Understanding how herbs relate to archetypes will let us explore different combinations to boost our self-discovery journey. It can also be a wonderful tool to find new herbal remedies through their synergistic energies.

That’s another common trait between herb-crafting and tarot. We can use them for personal growth, and they work even better combined with one another. It’s a beautiful art involving life itself and the hidden meaning behind plants.

Exploring these topics may seem daunting at first. But if you want an accessible entry point, The Herbcrafter’s Tarot is an excellent option. It was developed by Latisha Guthrie with illustrations by Joanna Powell Colbert. The author is a long-time blogger who skillfully explains each plant trait in the accompanying guidebook.