Category: Issue 2
Greetings from the Editor
Welcome to Spiritual Botany Issue Two - Medicinal Plant Conservation
Praveen K. Saxena /
July 14, 2017
Bodhi Beads in China
Bodhi beads were used by Buddhists as a prayer tool for counting the number of prayers chanted while reciting mantras. Nowadays, buyers in China use Bodhi beads as ornaments, collectibles or high-grade gifts. As a result of the market hype, the price of Bodhi beads has risen quite quickly, especially for beads that have been traditionally collected by people for many years.
Li Fei-fei /
July 14, 2017
We Have Lots of Work to Do!
The herbal industry is growing at a rate much faster than the slow growing forest botanicals. Susan Leopold, executive director for the United Plant Savers, shares her thoughts on medicinal plant conservation.
Susan Leopold /
July 14, 2017
Tulsi: A Strong Candidate for Controlled Environment Cultivation?
Plant tissue culture is a technique used to grow plants under sterile and controlled environmental conditions. Using this technology, sustainable mass production of high quality medicinal plants can be achieved, which in turn can reduce pressures created by wild harvesting.
Mukund Shukla /
July 14, 2017
Construction of the Bruce Trail
Serving as trail director, Philip Gosling was instrumental in building the Bruce Trail (the oldest and longest marked hiking trail in Canada) in the early 1960’s. Here he discusses how one trip into the woods led to a life long commitment to protect the environment.
Philip Gosling /
July 14, 2017
Notes from the Congo (Brazzaville)
Réka Komáromi, a freelance ethnobotanist based in Berlin, Germany recounts her time spent with a traditional practitioner from Sounda Village, Congo (Brazzaville).
Reka Komaromi /
July 14, 2017
Ayahuasca
Over the last 20 odd years, interest towards the medicinal and spiritual properties of ayahuasca has grown immensely outside its area of origin, leading to increased consumption of raw materials which in turn has raised concerns that B. caapi and its admixtures are not being harvested sustainably.
Dalton Smith, Tanja Gaehwiler, Curtis Spoelstra /
July 14, 2017
FernHouse
Jaideep Mathur explores the artistic process behind his fernhouse painting.
Jaideep Mathur /
July 14, 2017
First Snow
Katharine Reszetnik explores the ambiance of a first frost through poetry.
Katharine Reszetnik /
July 14, 2017
Emotion and Plants: A Traditional Healing Potion for Success
Jessie McFadden shares her experience learning about indigenous uses of plants while visiting the Blue Sky Community Healing Centre (Thunder Bay, Ontario).
Jessie McFadden /
July 14, 2017