God's Pharmacy a.k.a. Doctrine of Signatures

Anyone who has visited a plant nursery or walked through a good-sized garden has probably noticed that certain plants resemble certain parts of the body. In a very simplistic way, that what the Doctrine of Signatures a.k.a. the Law of Similars ascribes to.

It is a long-believed theory that God, in His wonderfully creative wisdom, imprinted each plant with a "sign", a signature, of it's value & the purpose it serves for the body; i.e. the part of the body it helps. For instance: most people who use herbs & herbal teas know that Eyebright does incredible things to improve eye-sight ~ the Eyebright flower looks like eyes. 

Christian folk healers, as far back as the Middle Ages, have believed this idea of "like cures like" & this idea is the forerunner of our modern-day Homeopathics. English botanist, William Cole (1626-1662) wrote, "The mercy of God . . . maketh . . . herbes for the use of men and hath . . . given them particular Signatures whereby men may read . . . the use of them"

So, this Doctrine bases itself on the idea that the color and/or shape of plants, flowers, fruit, leaves, roots & even the places where they grow can tell us about their medicinal qualities. 

Here are a few examples:

Eyebright ~ a little blue flower with a yellow center, looks like the human eye. Used for tired & strained eyes; the French call it "casse lunettes": break glasses.

St. John's Wort ~ the tiny holes in the leaves allow the sun to shine through. We all know how the sun, & the D3 we receive from it, helps to alleviate the symptoms of SAD (Season Affective Disorder) & gives us a more positive attitude. 

Walnuts ~ a walnut looks like our brain. Walnuts are considered the ultimate brain food. They are loaded with Omerga 3's and help with insomnia and depression.

Tomatoes ~ Tomatoes have 4 chambers, as does our heart. Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene which is an antioxidant known to strengthen the heart and may lower the risk of stroke.

Avacado ~ resembles our womb. Avacados are known to be filled with "good" fat. They are full of folic acid (good for the developing baby's nervous system and brain) as well as potassium, B6 and vitamin C (another brain food plus encourages healthy tissue and may even help Mamma with morning sickness).

Kidney Beans ~ Did you guess? Yep, they are good for your kidneys. They are a great source of fiber, they regulate body fluids and help with removing waste.

Milk Thistle ~ Helps maintain liver function and promotes good milk flow in nursing mothers.

Purple Iris ~ Use the purple petals in a poultice for bruising. 

Quaking Aspen/Poplars ~ Said to help with the shakes from palsies and Parkinson's.

Yellow herbs, plants and flowers ~ goldenrod, dandelion, marigold, calendula ~ used to treat jaundice and other ailments of the liver.

Red plants ~ most noted to help with ailments of the heart and blood system.

This is simply an introduction to the Doctrine of Signatures. If this interests you, look further into this and Homeopathics. God's amazing medicines.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><