LANDBACK BOTANICAL SERIES: When Healing Grows from the Ground

From the very beginning, God’s creation was designed to sustain and restore life. Long before modern medicine, divine wisdom was revealed through prophets and those who listened closely to God’s voice — showing that the earth itself holds medicine for those who seek the Creator’s guidance.

In Anishinaabemowin, the word for medicine — mashkiki — translates to “the strength of the earth.” This understanding mirrors biblical truth: healing comes through relationship — with God, the land, and the living world around us.

Over time, humanity has shifted toward laboratories and pharmaceuticals — valuable tools, yet often disconnected from the sacred source. Scripture reminds us that the first medicines were not inventions of humankind, but revelations from God.

“He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth.”— Psalm 104:14 (NKJV)

A Question Rooted in Concern

At a recent land-based education gathering, I was invited to share over 3-days about Indigenous plant wisdom. My presentation focused on local plants, their medicinal qualities, ethical harvesting, and what is known in traditional teachings as the Doctrine of Signatures — the idea that creation itself reflects God’s design, with hints of a plant’s purpose inscribed in its form, colour, or habitat.

The little tent I was assigned to teach in was quite busy — people interacting with the plants I brought with me and various examples of how I use them in teas, food, salves, and tinctures. On the beginning of the last day I was setting up my display to repeat the presentation of the previous days and people started finding a place to sit. A man identifying himself as having Navajo descent approached me. “As a Believer,” he said, gesturing toward the plants on the table, “what would you say to Indigenous Christians who feel the use of these medicines is witchcraft or demonic?”

It was a sincere question — and a familiar one.

Paul’s Dilemma and Ours

His question reminded me of the tension Paul described among early Christians who debated whether to eat foods once considered unclean under the Law (Romans 14). Some believers, out of conviction, chose to abstain; others, trusting in Christ’s freedom, partook.

Paul’s response wasn’t to shame either side but to urge humility:

“Let everyone be fully convinced in their own mind… The one who eats, eats in honour of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while the one who abstains, abstains in honour of the Lord and gives thanks to God.” (Romans 14:5–6)

In the same way, I understand when Indigenous Christians feel led to abstain from using plant medicines. Their caution may come from a sincere desire to honour God. Yet, I also believe there are truths within Scripture — and within God’s creation — that reveal how He has chosen to bring healing through the earth He made.

Plants in God’s Original Design

Before humanity ever sinned, before there was disease, God placed Adam and Eve in a garden.

“And the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” (Genesis 2:9)

Later, in Genesis 1:29, He declares,

“Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth… to you it shall be for food.”

The same God who designed these plants for nourishment also wove healing into their design. We now know through science what Scripture and ancient wisdom have long testified: that the Creator encoded medicine in leaves, roots, and flowers.

Even the bread that God commanded Elijah to eat in the wilderness (1 Kings 19:5–8) was divinely chosen. This “cake” (in Hebrew ugah) was a simple flatbread, likely made from barley or wheat flour, baked on hot stones or coals — a plant known to strengthen the body and stabilize blood sugar — was God’s way of restoring the prophet’s strength for the journey ahead. The healing came from God, through something He created.

Similarly, we see divine insight given to the prophet Ezekiel:

“Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of them.” (Ezekiel 4:9)

This recipe combines grains and legumes, which together form a complete plant-based protein — something rarely achieved in ancient diets. It’s a profound reflection of divine wisdom: even in famine, God instructed Ezekiel in a way that would sustain life with balance and healing.

Healing Belongs to God — But His Creation Carries It

It’s true that all healing comes from God. Jesus is called our Great Physician (Mark 2:17), and Scripture records countless miracles of divine healing by His word alone. Yet, throughout the Bible, God also uses physical means as instruments of His healing:

• Hezekiah’s boil was healed when Isaiah applied a poultice of figs (2 Kings 20:7).

• The blind man was healed when Jesus used mud and water (John 9:6–7).

• The Good Samaritan tended to wounds with oil and wine (Luke 10:34).

• Revelation 22:2 describes “the leaves of the tree” as “for the healing of the nations.”

In all these examples, God’s creation is not competing with Christ — it’s cooperating with Him. The power and glory belong to God alone, but His creation participates in His redemptive work.

I find it remarkable that there are countless examples within the Bible where God showed his prophets medicinal interventions to support healing and wellness for His people. I've outlined some in the image below for additional reference:

1. Moses and the Bitter Waters of Marah

“So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.”— Exodus 15:25 (NKJV)

When the Israelites faced undrinkable water, God showed Moses a specific plant that made the water pure. This was divine revelation — God teaching His people that creation itself could heal and restore when guided by faith.

2. Hezekiah and the Fig Poultice

“Then Isaiah said, ‘Take a lump of figs.’ So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.”— 2 Kings 20:7 (NKJV)

Through Isaiah, God revealed the healing property of figs to restore King Hezekiah’s health. Today, we know figs contain enzymes and anti-inflammatory compounds — proof that God’s instructions align with scientific truth, even when revelation came first.

3. Ezekiel’s Vision of Healing Leaves

“Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”— Ezekiel 47:12 (NKJV)

Ezekiel’s prophetic vision describes a time when creation is fully restored — where trees bear fruit for nourishment and leaves for healing. This vision echoes into the final pages of Scripture, in Revelation 22:2:

“The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

The message is timeless: God’s creation is medicine for body, soul, and nation.

4. Daniel’s Plant-Based Wisdom

“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.”— Daniel 1:12 (NKJV)

Daniel’s obedience in following a simple, plant-based diet resulted in strength and clarity beyond his peers. His example reminds us that discernment and faithfulness to God’s guidance lead to vitality — both physical and spiritual.

5. The Balm of Gilead

“Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?”— Jeremiah 8:22 (NKJV)

The balm of Gilead, a resinous healing salve, was famous for its soothing and restorative properties. Jeremiah used it as a symbol of both physical and spiritual healing — pointing to the truth that the Creator has already provided the medicine we need if we only return to it.

When Faith, Fear, and Colonization Intersect

From 1884 to 1951, Indigenous spiritual practices were forbidden under the Indian Act going as far as criminalizing “any Indian festival, dance, or other ceremony” in which gifts were exchanged or property distributed. Amendments in 1895 broadened the scope of Indigenous practice to prohibit any “Indian dances, ceremonies, or festivals” that the government deemed “debauching to morals” or contrary to “civilization.” This included medicine dances, healing rituals, and spiritual gatherings, meaning traditional healers and medicine people were often criminalized.

Some of the confusion that exists today may be rooted in the painful history of our spiritual practices being forced underground. Sadly, intergenerational teachings about plants, the land, and prayerful relationships with creation would also be disrupted through the residential school system.

As a result, some believers today may have inherited fear or suspicion toward Indigenous teachings — sometimes seeing them through the lens of colonial prejudice rather than through prayerful discernment. It is easy to label something “pagan” or “witchcraft” when, in truth, we may have simply lost understanding of how God’s fingerprints remain on His creation.

However, I also see this uncertainty produced by historical interference — it reflects a sincere desire among many Indigenous Christians to be faithful to God but not always knowing what aligns with Him. That is why I rely on a foundation in God’s Word when I listen to Indigenous Elders. If a teaching or practice does not contradict Scripture, I can receive it with gratitude. When something is unfamiliar or unclear, I bring it before God in prayer. I trust that the same Spirit who inspired the Word will also guide me back to truth if I stray.

God is not waiting to abandon me for a mistake made in good faith — He promises to lead me in paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). His correction is not rejection, but relationship.

Where Hypervigilance Begins to Wound

The tension between Indigenous wisdom and Biblical foundations is not isolated to Indigenous believers. Some Christians, often out of fear or misinformation, have come to see Indigenous teachings about plants, the land, and creation as inherently suspicious — or worse, as witchcraft. The most notably being taught by Christian believers that the use of sage, or "smudging", opens doorways to demons. I won't unpack this debate here, but like many Indigenous practices, I feel this is an unfortunate oversimplification of the practice that does not consider many teachings and the science connected to Indigenous uses of sage, cedar, tobacco and sweetgrass.

While it’s true that any spiritual practice can become distorted when separated from God’s authority, the same could be said for any theology that departs from Scripture. Throughout history, even within the Church, Believers have divided and accused one another of heresy over non-salvation issues — from baptism to worship styles to dietary choices. This “hypervigilance” can close the door to discernment and dialogue, preventing us from seeing how God’s truth can be reflected in cultures that honour creation with reverence and gratitude.

As Paul warned,

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1)

If the Spirit of God truly dwells within us, He can help us discern what is good, what aligns with His Word, and what to avoid. Not everything that is Indigenous is anti-Christian, just as not everything that calls itself Christian is automatically of God.

Seeing Healing as Partnership, Not Competition

Healing is not a contest between Jesus and creation. It is a partnership where Christ, through His Spirit, can work in any way He chooses — whether by a doctor’s skill, a plant’s chemistry, or a miracle beyond explanation.

When we use medicine from the earth with prayer and gratitude, we are not replacing Christ; we are honouring Him as the Creator of all good gifts (James 1:17). We are recognizing, as Psalm 24 declares,

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)

A Call to Balance and Discernment

If the early Church could wrestle with whether food sacrificed to idols could be eaten, then surely the modern Church can wrestle — with humility — over how to approach the traditional medicinal use of plants. The solution isn’t to reject all Indigenous teachings as demonic, nor to embrace them without discernment. It’s to walk in prayerful relationship with the Holy Spirit, who teaches us truth (John 16:13).

Let our healing, whatever form it takes, always point back to the Healer.

Closing Reflection

This is a lengthy way to get around to answering a question from one Believer to another, but it outlines the perspective and practice I take when working with plants to support our healing and wellness. God’s creation is a living pharmacy, overflowing with remedies designed to sustain and restore us, and it is working as intended. Every leaf, root, and seed tells a story of divine intention — waiting to be rediscovered through reverence and relationship.

When I look at a willow tree or a patch of yarrow, I don’t see witchcraft. I see the handiwork of a Creator who knew that His children would one day need comfort, healing, and renewal — and placed those gifts right under their feet.

Creator God, Great Healer,

We thank You for the wisdom woven into Your creation — for the medicine in the earth, the strength in the trees, and the life that flows through every leaf and river.

Teach us to see Your fingerprints in all that You have made,
to walk in discernment guided by Your Word and Spirit.

Where there has been fear, bring understanding.

Where there has been division, bring unity.

May Your Church learn again to honour both Your Son and Your creation,
remembering that all healing flows from Your hand.

Lead us back, always, to what is true, pure, and pleasing to You.

In the name of Jesus, the Great Physician and Restorer of all things,
Amen.