Sometimes life can be hard. Things don't go so well. Or you feel less than happy. Everyone knows these moments. People who live close to nature often draw strength from nature in these moments. By being in nature and really connecting with the trees and herbs. By making an amulet from a particular herb and carrying it with you. Or by drinking a tincture or tea of it. Paracelsus, born in 1493, was a famous but controversial physician, philosopher and theologian. Paracelsus looked at the appearance of a plant or tree and gave it meaning and power. This is known as the theory of signatures. In this view, a hollow stem corresponds to the oesophagus and the windpipe. Some more signatures:

Colour of the flower:
Yellow: for liver and digestion
Red: for blood and heart
Blue: cools and acts on the airways
Violet: stimulates and calms the nervous system
Green: calms the internal organs
White: soothing and harmonising

Inflorescence; facing upwards: stimulates life force
Leaf shape: kidney-shaped for the kidneys; heart-shaped for the heart, etc.
Hair: active on skin, hair and mucous membranes
Thorns: increases resistance, stimulates and induces fever
Angular and square stem: the herb provides resistance and firmness.

Roadmap.

1. Study one of the following herbs or trees:

- Marigold

- Dogwort

- Birch

- Daisy

- The Cheese Herb

2. Draw a sketch of the herb/tree you have chosen and describe its external characteristics.
3. Study the plant's way of life.
4. Ask yourself: what can I learn from this herb or tree?
5. Create a story, poem, painting or song based on your experience of the herb.

For example:

 - Dogwort meanders smoothly past whatever it encounters, without suffocating or damaging it. In this way, it shows us how to move past life's 'obstacles'.

- The marigold always points its flower towards the sun. The marigold shows how to always point towards the sun (and what is positive in life)!

6. Share your story, poem, picture or song with others.

7. Find an herb or tree in nature that you really like. Cut off a small piece of the herb or tree. Do this carefully, making sure that the herb/tree is not harmed and can continue to grow.

8. Look up the meaning and benefits of the herb/tree in herb books or on the internet.

9. Make a power amulet from the piece of herb/tree you cut. For example, you could place the cut flower in a small glass tube or bottle filled with glycerine, close the tube and work the top, bottom and back of the tube with air-drying clay to create a beautiful amulet.
   
   

Target

To discover how to draw strength from nature during difficult moments in life.

Learning outcomes

Describe at least one traditional healing method.
You can carry out some natural healing techniques such as making herbal tea.
Name local plants and animals
Have made contact with local plant and animal species.

SDG

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

Necessities

Herbs of marigold, dogwort, birch, daisy or cheese herb (you can order these herbs in an amulet from the Elohim Centre in the Netherlands). Sketching paper, sketching pencils, eraser, writing utensils, possibly paint and paper, clay, small bottle/glass tube, glycerine, iron wire, leather cord.

Assessment

Which herb/tree did you choose to study? What did you find most remarkable about this herb/tree? And what did you like about the stories, poems, pictures and/or songs others wrote about the herb/tree? Which herb did you choose to make an amulet from? What struck you as you researched the benefits of this herb? How appropriate is the herb/tree of your amulet for you in your life? Do you feel that you can draw strength from the stories you now know about the herb/tree of your amulet? And in general, what have you experienced about the power of herbs and trees?