In the second installment of this season’s Thanksgiving special, Jack “The Agnostic” Garcia continues to examine the spiritual significance of plants, trees, weeds and flowers. First off, its the mystical plant lore and nature based religion of the Celts, Norse and Germanic peoples. And some of the mysterious rites and rituals linked to trees and plants, ceremonies presided over by the priestly Druids.  Next up, its the Christians who use plants, weeds and wildflowers to help spread the gospels across Europe. Missionaries rechristen and reconsecrate them for use as teaching tools for valuable spiritual lessons that Pagan servants and farmers linked to the soil can understand.  And last but not least…its the continent of North America , where the Indian nations have a vast knowledge of Herbology and plants are considered sanctified and holy. With the arrival of European settlers and kidnapped African slaves an intermingling of plant lore takes place and new American traditions blossom into being. Plants in this program include – oak trees,yew trees,miseltoe,holly,mallow,shamrock,lady’s mantle , angelica,rose, St. John’s Wort, henbane, foxglove, jimsomweed, mushrooms, peyote -etc . 

To ancient peoples , plants were filled with vital cosmic energy and invested with a supernatural power that linked humanity with the Gods. In this season’s Thanksgiving Special – Jack “The Agnostic”Garcia examines the symbolic and religious role of plants throughout the course of Western civilization.  First off, its the land of the fertile crescent where the Mesopotamians magically link the fertility and longevity of their Monarchs to the scared Tree of Life, then its the Egyptians who found evidence of a divine presence just about everywhere they looked.  Next up, its the Holy Land where plant magic and spirituality played a role in the lives of the men and women found within the sacred stories of the Bible. Then its the Greeks who were highly inventive in their lore and plants played an important role in their timeless Mythology. And last but not least …its the Mighty Romans who may have been the uber-patriarchal militaristic champions of the world but also placed a high value on the divine power of Nature Goddesses. Plants in part 1 include – Garlic,Verbena,Onions,Myrrh, Belladonna , Mandrake Root , Lotus, Rose , Narcissuss,Palm Trees, Olive Trees and Pomegranates.