The domain of consciousness does not apply to human beings alone.  Indeed, all of life is conscious to one extent or another, and all of life has the capacity to learn and grow from experience, even if that learning takes place over thousands of years. 

The rocks that we sit on, the earth that we feel beneath our feet, the trees that grace the landscape, the sand of the desert, the oceans, lakes, and streams, and all of the many varieties of plants that sprout within field and meadow, are conscious within the definition of awareness that involves knowing itself to be alive to some degree.  For this reason, whether we speak of a tree, a rock, or a human being, we can assume that each registers feeling, however diffuse, however primitive.

The world of living beings is a world of essentially live creatures who, while they may not be able to think selectively nor choose with a will of their own, are sensitive to the ways in which they are treated by the human environment.  For them, all of life is one and the human environment is but one stream or aspect of the greater One.  All of life contains within it a predisposition to exist in harmony, and such is the case until the free-will that is exercised by the human element becomes deleterious to the rest through the over-exercise of its wants or needs.  Then, the rest of life becomes treated as an object and is used and often abused to fulfill man's desires.

Plants, like animals and humans, are sensitive to the stimuli that surround them.  Many are also increasing in their awareness as the Earth becomes more illuminated by light.   Plants can be helped to flourish through being treated with love and kindness and through being nourished within a harmonious environment.  Or, they can be treated harshly and negligently, in which case their growth patterns will be affected as will their will-to-grow which, existing in very primitive form, is similar to the human will.  The reason some have found it helpful to play music in the area of plantings is because music creates the vibration of harmony which helps foster the growth pattern and inner sense of harmony of plants, and aids in growth and production.  However, even more important than playing music is the elimination of practices which abuse the life of plants, taking them for granted, pillaging and ruining them on such a level that even an entire species can become endangered.  This is true for plants in the ocean as well as plants upon the land.  It is true for plants on the plains as well as plants in the mountains.  The change in atmospheric conditions due to man's disregard for the physical and spiritual atmosphere of the planet has caused, in many places, a shriveling up of plant life.

The situation in which a plant finds itself when it is apart from its natural home is much like that of an orphan that is in need of special attention in order to feel rooted again.  The treatment of plants needs to consider this, so that efforts that are made at importing plants and creating hybrids, as well as more modest efforts to alter the growth patterns and habitats of plants, are aware of the potentially harmful effect on the native plants in the area to which they are imported, and also the difficulty to the plants themselves which, once orphaned, must struggle more intently in order to live.

The spirit of the plant, representing its being or essence, exists within its energetic form, much like the spirit of trees, rocks, or lakes.  It cannot separate from its physical form but nevertheless can, to a certain degree, communicate its needs.  The observation that certain plants grow with more vibrant life or that they seem radiant is a result of the enhancement of the spiritual life within the plant, and all plants are capable of becoming more radiant and growth-full in this way, especially today as the entire Earth is becoming more vibrant.

The relationship of human nature to the world of plants is meant to be one of harmony and coexistence, based on the principle of respect for a common life that is shared.  This does not mean that plants cannot be harvested by human beings for food or other beneficial purposes, for their purpose on the Earth, in part, is to aid in the sustenance of human beings by providing sources of food, clothing, and shelter.  However, the respect accorded to plant life when interacting with it is not only an emotional quality but an energetic quality.  Its presence will make a great difference in the ways in which plants produce for human consumption and in the ways in which populations can be fed.

Though much has become out-of-balance in the life of the plants of the Earth, all can be restored through careful attention to the needs of living things as if they were partners in the experience of life, rather than objects.  This shift in perception can do more than anything else to help the Earth's natural healing power restore the life of plants, even in places where that life has become stripped or barren.  It is the human consciousness that carries the power of healing within itself, to create a prosperous Earth in which all of life can find a hospitable home, and in which all of life is treated with reverence as part of the One from which it originates.

Article Section -  A New Consciousness