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In honor of all Natives of the
world
that walked this path before us
those that understood medicinal plant teachers & willingly shared the ancestral wisdom
for they are the very heart & soul of this movement
We owe most of the present ethnobotanical data to an amazing pioneer, the late
Dr. Richard Evans Schultes, fondly referred to as the 'Grandfather Of Ethnobotany'.
He
initiated the tremendous botanical movement we are now experiencing after spending
more than 30 years of his life exploring the Amazon Basin for plant medicine.
Among his prestigious world credits were the collection of over 24,000 specimens,
300 of which were new to science and the largest discovery of psychoactive species
ever documented. Those who knew him will always recall his brilliant mind and
great integrity.
There were many others that studied and documented Native discoveries for centuries
prior to any of the present movement, plus wonderfully gifted artists who have
offered brilliant glimpses of the botanical world through their eyes. We may also
rest a bit easier knowing that dedicated collectors have provided a substantial
future for our archives by depositing plant material in institutions and repositories
worldwide.
Many of us have chosen to pursue the propagation of the species we feel allied
with. Growing the plants ourselves not only helps preserve precious resources
but grants us the empowering opportunity to really know the medicine we choose
to use. Being close to the Earth is not only personally healing, but allows us
a common thread with traditional healers worldwide.
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