Blackberry Leaf Plant Meditation: Reveal Date 1/23

Blackberry leaf, areas for further experimentation:

Reclaiming life and transforming deep psychological issues (a mental health counselor can be helpful along with the herb). 

Manifesting, getting grounded and bringing ideas into the material world.

Increasing resilience and the ability to manage both the peaks and the valleys.

Blackberry Leaf

This week we meditated on Blackberry leaf, an common remedy from traditional Western herbalism. Blackberry is ubiquitous in many areas of the US, and therefore available for wildcrafting. Make sure it is from a safe zone (free from chemicals, etc) if you are planning to use the herb for medicine. If you are thinking of planting your own bushes, check which species are acceptable to plant in your area. 

Ecology Note: Himalayan blackberry is categorized as an invasive species in many areas of the United States. The seeds of blackberry are controlled at various borders because of its tendency to spread and take over. 

Plant Meditation

Taste/feel: the bottom of a lake (slime/mud), mineral rich, a little sweet, taro boba tea, citrusy, similar to stale chamomile, nettles, or raspberry leaf. Drying/astringent quality.

I loved the taste of this tea, and wanted more. It felt rich, nourishing, and thick energetically. I experienced a deep warmth and heaviness in my lower jiao (perhaps associated with dampness/excess water element). The color of this area was an intense deep purple.

The plant explained some people use a strong base to lift up (having a strong sexual foundation and being grounded to bring the energy up to higher energy centers: third eye and crown). Others set their life intention to be just the umbrella (image from an art piece I am working on, which is light coming in from above to serve and protect). The deep purple slowly spread up my body gradually to my heart, shoulders, and to my nose. At this point my body is all color: purple to my nose, blue from my forehead to nose to the center of my brain, white above. Then the white begins to spread downwards (white, like the flower) til almost my entire body is white, with a small amount of deep purple mixed into the lower jiao. 

I experienced a runny nose, coughing, restlessness, and stiffening neck. Later my lungs began to feel lighter. The taste is similar to nettles and raspberry leaf, and I use both for rhinitis, so it makes sense this would have similar use. It seems like it would be good to use with Black Cohosh for the cough. Research indicates that this herb was used for whooping cough and Black Cohosh would be a good addition to blackberry leaf for that indication.

Art by Plant Meditator Leela:

Another person had visions of darkness/violence in a natural body of water. A happy looking fish was shot, blood poured out from the fish, fish carcasses and blood came out from the mouth of a statue. The person felt depressed. A giant female diety (a similar vibe to one of the three fates) released one drop of ink into the water for every death. There were many deaths going on at this time. Only the wrist and hand were visible. They kept hearing the song “Down by the Water” by PJ Harvey.

 

Synthesis

This plant brought up themes of darkness and light and the second chakra (water element). Energy was felt in the pelvis/womb area as well as respiratory system.

In my herbal practice I use this herb for diarrhea (damp lower jiao) and clearing negative sexual experiences (Sexy Smokes). I appreciated how the herb showed its use for colds and coughs. It had a similar taste and mouth feel to both raspberry leaf and nettles, which I also use for rhinitus (allergies with nettles, and runny noses and post nasal drip sore throats with raspberry leaf), so it makes sense it would have similar uses. It is important to have safe and easily accessible herbs for common ailments such as colds, flus, and digestive upsets. If you live in an area that has abundant blackberry, make a harvest: freeze berries, and dry leaves for colds. The darkness that surfaced for one participant was relieved by black cohosh, which helps with dark brooding energies and people who have had to deal with a lot of negative, controlling people or energies. I feel there is some synergy between black cohosh and blackberry, both dealing with getting stuff out from deep within (spasmodic coughs and deeply penetrating experiences?). In my practice this is the first time these two herbs came together. But, I see they have work to do that overlaps. I see them as two elder sisters in long skirts, bent over a body, doing intense labor to free souls that have been bound.

 

Use in Herbalism

Psychospiritual: Manifestation (out of head, bringing ideas into the physical world), grounding (for dissociation), relief of depression, fear of death, clearing negative sexual experiences, may bring dormant talents from past lives to the surface, more sympathy for animals. It is ethical to do this remedy by itself but recommended that it is done in combination with therapy (Gurudas, Flower Essences and Vibrational Healing, 1989, pg 85, referring to blackberry flower essence).

Physical: diarrhea, venous hemorrhage (uterus, intestines, etc), sore throat, sores in mouth, cough, spasms of whooping cough, hemorrhoids, eczema (wash), anemia (tea, help blood absorb nutrition), tuberulosis, infertility.

 

Now that you know this plant was blackberry leaf, does that connect to other experiences with the plant? I am thinking I may have loved the flavor so much because I need iron and it is helpful for anemia.