The Secret Teachings of Plants: The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature

From prolific herbalism author Stephen Harrod Buhner, The Secret Teachings of Plants explores the difference between brain-based linear cognition and heart-based holistic cognition. While we typically don't think of the heart as an organ of perception, Indigenous cultures from around the world, as well as certain Western thinkers, have long held that the heart can act as a powerful tool for understanding the world. Buhner ties all of these threads together in this remarkable book, weaving discussion of agricultural science together with Indigenous wisdom, the philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, and the poetry of Goethe in a seamless and natural way. Readers will learn to gather information directly from plants using their hearts, to diagnose disease, to treat disease with plants, and gain the tools to develop a deeper spiritual connection with the natural world.