Voices of Light, Voices of Love: Messages from the Plants and Trees

By Audre Gutierrez, Cynthia Olivera de Kapp and Barry Kapp

Has a plant or tree ever spoken to you, or moved you to a deeper place of self-knowing? Voices of Light, Voices of Love shares the transformational experiences of WOTE students as they journeyed with an essential oil of their choice as part of the Level 1 Medicinal Aromatherapy certification process. You will laugh, shed tears and be inspired as you travel with them into the heart of Mother Earth via the essences. These students have been forever changed by their experiencesand our hope is that you will be, too.

What people are saying about Voices of Light, Voices of Love:

Drink from this book. Pick a page or an essence at random, or read it cover to cover. What comes through clearly on each and every page, through different voices sharing personal experiences, is that we are connected to everything and everyone, at every level, all the time, through love. These stories offer insights on how to open to the healing power of that connection, and the strength, peace and freedom available to us in accessing the wisdom and love always offered by the Plants and Trees. Thank you Audre, Barry, and Cynthia for your work in the world, and for making this beautiful book possible. -Robin Kelson, JD, Owner of The Good Seed Company

Voices of Light, Voices of Love may not be everyones cup of tea who is searching for the most abstract and scientific information about essential oils. But for those who wish to retrace the intimate steps by which the authors have explored essential oils and their relation with essential oils, this book is a treasure trove. -Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy, Author of Advanced Aromatherapy

Many gifts await you in this beautiful book, that can be read over and over again. Our inner world always changes from within, and to experience this refreshing alchemy of insight and wisdom from the Plant Kingdom is inspiring. Your heart will be nourished by this unique and loving interpretation of plants and essential oils. -Robbi Zeck, ND,Author of The Blossoming Heart - Aromatherapy for Healing and Transformation, and Founder, Aromatic Kinesiology Seminars

I feel a deep reverence in my heart as I read the inspiring essays describing the healing and alchemical powers of the plant and tree kingdom. Voices of Light offers many examples of the science and mystical aspects of medicinal aromatherapy. -Dr. Sam Berne, Author of I Sense: At Play in the Field of Healing

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Apr 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504354196

Audre Gutierrez

Audre Gutierrez, Barry Kapp and Cynthia Olivera de Kapp of Wisdom of the Earth (WOTE), an essential oils company based near Sedona, AZ, are deeply involved in the use of plant and tree essences for physical, spiritual and emotional well-being. They consult with clients, offer foundational and advanced aromatherapy certification through their educational programs, and are authors and speakers on many topics, including essential oils, ascension, meditation, personal growth and heart-based authenticity. www.wisdomoftheearth.com

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Copyright © 2016 Wisdom of the Earth Natural Plant and Tree Essences LLC.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-5043-5418-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-5419-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016905036

Balboa Press rev. date: 5/9/2016

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VOICES OF

Light,

VOICES OF

Love

A fascinating documentation of the power and healing capabilities of Earth’s flowers, plants, and trees. An attendee of Level 1, I was deeply moved by my body’s response to particular subtle scents of the essences. Some resonated on a profound cellular level. I only had to be open to respect, acknowledge, and receive.

Amy Cordova

Artist, Educator, Author of Abuelita’s Heart.

The Wisdom of the Earth essences are pure and potent. The plants and trees have sincerely given of themselves because the entire WOTE family honors every aspect of each single essence. The love and adoration given in reciprocation creates their preciousness. Healing the whole person with respect and heartfelt wisdom is what the essences offer. It is a privilege to be working with the WOTE family and these very special essences. There is nothing else like them.

Lynn Getz, MSW

AEIOU&Y Founder, Integrative Medicine Institute Partner

WOTE’s teachings and expertise are from the heart. Their reverence for the medicine and consciousness of the Plant Kingdom is a thing of beauty. Since 99% of the pharmaceuticals used to alleviate suffering today are derived from plants, why not go to the source? Wisdom is only developed through experience and WOTE’s Level 1 students, through their papers, share theirs unreservedly in this book. I recommend it highly!

Catherine Tanner, MD

Seeing is believing is a well-known expression. Voices of Light conveys real life stories and testimonies of true communion and healing with the Plant and Tree essences. The stories remind me of a ‘horse whisperer’ and they simply confirm that all of us are ‘plant and tree whisperers’. We just need to open and attune our hearts and listen closely to the millennia-old knowledge of our ancestors and the healing wisdom of Mother Earth, which is spoken in the universal language of pure love.

Josette Pagán

Author of Truquitos Caseros; and WOTE certified medicinal aromatherapist.

This book of earth wisdom gives voice to the love that plant essences will share with humans. It offers the reader a rare taste of how the soul of plants speaks to us via medicinal aromatherapy. These personal testimonials are profound & transporting,

Joseph-Mark Cohen

Kabbalistic Astrology & Earth Mysteries Travel Guide

Voices of Light, Voices of Love is a stunning compendium of spiritual and emotional guidance…verbal and etheric jewels describing life-altering experiences of Wisdom of the Earth Level 1 students. In each case, that particular oil reached out to lovingly reveal and to nurture in times of profound uncertainty…indeed a heart-sourced gift of immense wisdom.

Rev. Patricia Phillips

Author, Sacred Choices, Level II WOTE-certified Aromatherapist

Foreword

At Wisdom of the Earth, first and foremost, we honor the Plants and Trees. In every country on the planet, they stand as guardian’s…wise, silent teachers who observe humanity’s destructive behaviors and lack of respect for the Earth. Yet, even so, they love us, and yearn for our awakening. Their love and wisdom are transmitted to us through their precious essences, which have the capacity to not only heal us physically, but also to delve deeply into the soul…allowing emotional and spiritual relief from the stresses of everyday life.

Years ago, in support of our company value of Education, we created a Foundational Medicinal Aromatherapy Program to share our philosophy, knowledge and experiences with those seeking to use essential oils for health and well-being – spiritually, emotionally and physically. The Plants and Trees guided us to enact a requirement for Wisdom of the Earth Level 1 Certification…a paper of no less than five pages, representing the quest of that student to seek an Essence that spoke to him or her, feel into the energy and spirit of that Essence, take a personal journey with that Essence, and then share it on paper.

We are so glad that we listened to the guidance of the Plants and Trees. We are continually inspired by the certification papers that our students write…little do they know that we often end up reading sections to each other in the office, and that we are moved and brought to tears by the way the Plants and Trees guide people to their own truth…their authenticity.

We also use excerpts from these papers in our Wisdom of the Earth quarterly newsletter. Looking for that special quote, poem or paragraph that we know will inform, touch, encourage or delight our readers makes us feel very close to our students and the transformational experiences they have with the Plant Kingdom via essential oils.

We felt that we had a treasure trove of such experiences in our office files that were longing to be shared more fully and with a wider audience, and so the idea of this book was born. We are excited to bring the wisdom and the love of the Plant Kingdom to YOU via sharings from some of the certification papers of our Level 1 Medicinal Aromatherapy students, who are powerful and heart-centered messengers for the essences they wrote about.

While we have chosen particular excerpts from papers, we made every effort to stay true to the gist of the larger piece; when the excerpt shares a very personal experience, some details have been modified to protect the privacy of the writer. So, please know that these are the strong, clear and moving voices of our students, each speaking about a precious essence that he or she chose to bond with and write about…and which became even more precious as the relationship developed. Life-changing experiences do happen to humans who desire to return to our friends, relatives and family…the Plant and Tree Kingdom. This relationship is so powerful, so fundamental, that, after experiencing it, life is never the same again.

Anointing yourself with an essence and releasing the breath before taking in their words will enhance your reading experience, deeply connecting you to the writers as they share their personal journeys with the Plants and Trees. It is our hope that you will be moved, inspired and guided by these heart-touching stories.

Welcome to the world of Wisdom of the Earth…where we have the privilege and honor to witness these human transformations on an ongoing basis. And, as one of our Japanese students so eloquently learned from the essence she researched, the Plants and Trees are transformed by the experiences as well.

And so it is.

With much love,

Barry Kapp, Founder, Wisdom of the Earth

Audre Gutierrez, Partner and Co-Owner, Wisdom of the Earth

Cynthia Olivera de Kapp, Education Director, Wisdom of the Earth

Acknowledgements

With great respect and love, we thank the Level 1 students of Wisdom of the Earth, who have entrusted this part of their journey with the Plants and Trees to us.

We are blessed with the heartfelt sharings and insights of the Level 1 Students whose papers contributed to the creation of this book. We thank each of you (and you know who you are!) for your permission to include excerpts from your certification paper to allow this wisdom to be shared more widely.

We honor the incredible contributions of our Level 1 Teachers, both in the United States and overseas. You have extended the web of influence and understanding beyond the three of us, while remaining true to the vision, mission and contract of Wisdom of the Earth. You have placed your own beautiful and important imprint upon the teachings that you share, and have contributed to the growth and transformation of so many.

We so appreciate and love those who support Wisdom of the Earth with their personal commitment, energy and wisdom and make our work easier in the process…Donna and Susie, thank you for your daily effort, love and caring.

WOTE Master Distributors and Wholesale Distributors…you are messengers for the Plants and Trees, and your support for them and us touches our hearts. You make the world a better place by your individual and collective efforts. You are loved.

We are greatly appreciative of those who agreed to share their thoughts and reactions to the book for publication. You are people we respect, trust and admire, and who share, with us, a love and honoring of the Plant Kingdom. Some of you are our teachers, some our students, some our colleagues and some our friends. Many thanks for your support of this labor of love.

We are grateful for those who purchase our essential essences…we honor the trust you have placed in us, and your trust in the Plants and Trees for your healing and well-being.

We are grateful, Leonardo (the husband of Audre), for all that you do, from your heart, to support Wisdom of the Earth. Whether it be helping the Level 2 Retreat flow seamlessly, or the beauty you create through your work at the Hopi House, or your standing pledge to do whatever we need to help us fulfill our responsibility to the Plants and Trees, we acknowledge and deeply appreciate your efforts.

We are so appreciative of the love and support we receive from our families…spoken and unspoken, direct and indirect. You bless the work that we do and we are grateful for your presence in our lives.

We are thankful for you, the readers of this special book, who wish to deepen your understanding of the ancient relationship between humans and the Plants and Trees and to personally experience the love and wisdom they so graciously share.

And we conclude with great thanks for the Plants and Trees, who give so generously and untiringly to all of us on Mother Earth. We express our heart-felt gratitude for your guidance, inspiration and love. We feel it every moment of every day, and are honored to have been given a mantle of responsibility for sharing your healing power with humankind.

In Gratitude, Barry, Audre & Cynthia

Prologue

The accounts contained in this book demonstrate that, when it comes to the heart consciousness that pure essential oils can spark in humans, Wisdom of the Earth is still a voice crying in the wilderness.

For WOTE, the foundational truth is that ancient, indigenous peoples were not anthropocentric (i.e., according to Wikipedia, of the belief that human beings are considered to have a moral status or value higher than that of all other organisms), therefore opening the doors wide for humans to communicate with all species, and, per the focus of this book, the Plant and Tree Kingdom. They could communicate with the Lavender family, and vice versa. Lavender imparted the knowledge and wisdom as to how to use Her through the hearts of humans; She simply allowed them to use Her, guided by their thoughts and feelings, experience by experience.

When humans chose to enter the fear paradigm (refer to Barry’s earlier book, Wisdom of the Earth Speaks the Truth about Medicinal Aromatherapy), they separated themselves from all other species, including the Plant and Tree Kingdom. This was a great disaster when it came to the Plant and Tree Kingdom desiring to be the medicine for all species…spiritually, emotionally and physically. Such individuals began a saga that has led down a road to nowhere, whereby they have concocted all forms of distractions in the name of chemistry, etc., to create disharmonized drugs that, at the end of the day, can cause more harm than good. This is fast changing in a wonderful way.

Anthropocentrism as an untruth is fast becoming recognized, world-wide, amongst humans. The numerous inconsistencies in the world of medicine, (and, as far as this book is concerned, the world of aromatherapy in particular), create immense chaos on human attempts to reconnect with the Plant and Tree Kingdom. They cause immense disinformation that can always be traced back to the fear paradigm - that of separation, and paranoia concerning all things non-human or that cannot be explained by anthropocentric science.

Pharmacology, and special interest groups like cosmetology, are players in continuing a barrage of fear-based enunciations that discourage a return to the intimate communion with the Plant and Tree Kingdom that our ancestors enjoyed.

The aromatherapy world is rife with these energies, because many insist on adopting the anthropocentric template because they have forgotten that ancient heart connection. They choose fear that separates us from all other species. The reality of intimate communion with, and trust in the Plant and Tree Kingdom threatens their very foundation. The Plant and Tree Kingdom, however, longs to reunite with all humans from the heart. Therein lies the right science, the right protocols, the right awareness, the return to harmony, the oneness of consciousness.

May the stories in this book empower more and more humans to return to the paradigm of Love via the Plant and Tree Kingdom. We know that single, pure Essences have full consciousness and have the ability to work with people in a profound way. Be not fearful of the road to nowhere that leads away from Divine Love. Choose to remember that Creator has created each and every species as Magnificent Sovereign BEings of Divine Love. In the inner depths of our hearts is where the road to Divine Love is found.

Blessings, Barry

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Cardamom, Black (Amomum subulatum) & Cardamom, Green (Elettaria cardamomum)

Cistus (Cistus landaniferous)

Davana (Artemisia pallens)

Fir, Balsam (Abies balsamea)

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)

Hyssop (Hyssop officinalis)

Jasmine (Jasminum o. grandiflorum & Jasminum o. sambac)

Laurel Leaf (Laurus nobilis)

Lime, Mexican (Citrus aurantifolia)

Mugwort (Artemisia herba alba)

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

Rose (Rosa damascena)

Sandalwood (Santulum album, spicata, yasi)

Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)

Spruce, Blue (Picea pungens)

Tansy, Wild (Tanacetum vulgare)

Vetiver (Vetivera zizanoides)

Violet (viola odorata)

Ylang Ylang - Complete (Cananga odorata)

Cardamom, Black (Amomum subulatum) & Cardamom, Green (Elettaria cardamomum)

cardemon1.jpg

Cardamom is an ancient spice that was part of humanity’s first forays into global trade. Her sensual warmth and enticing flavor and aroma made her a favorite across cultures. In one of the papers in this collection, the author observes that, when wearing the Cardamom, Black essential oil, people were drawn to the smoky scent like people of old drew close to each other around the fire. This is an essence that touches us to our core…literally healing the heart and digestive system, and gently moving our energy. She warms our heart and supports us in that sometimes difficult journey of self-love. ~ Audre

"Enchantment is an ascendancy of the soul, a condition that allows us to connect, for the most part lovingly and intimately, with the world we inhabit and the people who make up our families and communities.

Thomas Moore,

The Enchantment of Everyday Life

24314.png Life Lessons from Cardamom, Black

Cardamom is perhaps best known by the general population for her culinary uses. A staple in Eastern dishes, both black and green cardamoms are important spices in the preparation of many recipes. Cardamom is referred to by many as the Queen of Spices to black pepper’s King. But all too frequently, Black Cardamom is referred to as being of inferior quality to that of green. Alyia Leekong, Chef and Culinary Creative Director at Junoon in New York City, writes:

It drives me mildly insane that people think black cardamom is, a lesser version of green cardamom. The truth is that they have different flavors and applications.

The misconception about the nature, medicine, and power of Black Cardamom) is both sad and unfortunate. But, as human culture has been since time immemorial, we tend to value those things, which are found in great scarcity than those, which are available to us in great abundance.

Black Cardamom seed pods are larger than the pods of Green Cardamom, and therefore yield more seeds. I believe it is precisely because Black Cardamom gives to us with such abundance that her fruits are less valued than that of the smaller, lesser yielding seedpods of Green Cardamom. Supply and demand. The ways of the human. Not the ways of the rest of nature.

Dark, sultry, deep in her wisdom, Black Cardamom calls to us from a lost, primal place. Her smoky fragrance beckons to us with the old familiarity of the original fires around which we would gather for sustenance, community and love. She conjures up the image of the sacred whore, giving freely and abundantly of her deepest fruits, so that we may journey deeply into ourselves, and find our core truths and healing.

Dark, sultry, deep in her wisdom, Black Cardamom calls to us from a lost, primal place. Her smoky fragrance beckons to us with the old familiarity of the original fires around which we would gather for sustenance, community and love.

And, like the whore, she is misunderstood, devalued, judged, and all too often cast aside. But herein we err…because her power is great, ancient, deep and authentic. She doesn’t care that there are those who would judge her. She is beyond caring, or being touched by such as thing as judgment. She simply is, and continues, throughout time, to give in wild abundance. She teaches this lesson: To simply be our authentic selves, and that when we do this, nothing else matters.

People love her. They don’t know why, but they are happy around her. Perhaps it’s that smokiness that takes us back to the first memories of fire and comfort. When I wear her, people chat me up. People linger. People smile, People who don’t usually do these things. It’s like they are instinctively drawn to gather around her for warmth and community.

I find she takes me to the dark spaces where I try not to look, to the feelings and personal attributes I would rather not see.

But on the sub-physical level, she’s working even deeper magic. I find she takes me to the dark spaces where I try not to look, to the feelings and personal attributes I would rather not see. I am working through some painful, fearful places now, places that have been cloaked protectively for decades, places I do not want to acknowledge or own. But when I wear Black Cardamom, they are there with me, smoke cleared, veil pulled back, full on real and out there. She is the revealer of our deepest mysteries. Good and bad. Like it or not Black Cardamom is, above all, authentic. And, in her authenticity, she roots her power, and offers you this gift as well…the pathway to being grounded in your power by way of your purest, most authentic self.

While I’ve only been doing focused work with Her for a couple of weeks, Black Cardamom first spoke to me during the Level 1 class. She was completely unexpected and took me utterly by surprise. I had a hard time passing the bottle, because I didn’t want to let her go. She wound her way into my soul on the undulating waves of a snake charmer’s song. Deep, rich, sultry, she called to me immediately. But, at the time, I was not yet listening. That would soon change.

When I first submitted my order for my starter set of essences, Black Cardamom was not on the list. I could only get so many, and I judiciously reviewed, and assessed, and left-brained my list down to about a third of what it had been to start. And she wasn’t on it. I was on my way out the door to work, dressed, ready to go, computer shut down…when I heard a voice speak inside my head. Oh, no you didn’t. Um, excuse me? "You did not just submit that order without me?" Oh. Errrr. Yeah. It was Black Cardamom, and I knew it. I also knew I had just found my ally and that she had deep wisdom to teach me. I rebooted the computer, amended my order, and, I swear, I felt her smile. We were on our way.

Yes, indeed, the plants will teach us, tell us, guide us and love us, if we only but listen. I am so blessed to finally know how.

24196.png Dream a Little Dream of Me!

The first time that I met Cardamom Seed, Black was at my first essence meditation. What I remember was feeling a sense of being at home – of being in a house where I belonged and where I was taken care of.

After the meditation, I remember asking what essence the facilitator would suggest to improve dreaming. I was especially interested in lucid dreaming, as I had been playing in the dreamscape for a while and analyzing dreams symbolically, but I was beginning to have more experiences that felt different to me and more real. Not surprisingly, he suggested Cardamom Seed, Black for me.

The next time I was able to meet Cardamom Seed, Black was during the Introduction Class to Medicinal Aromatherapy. I remembered Her again with a sense of home, but this was a very different home. It was more of an ancestral connection, tapping into something that had more to do with dreams and memories than actual, conscious connection. Looking at my notes from the class, I had written that I associated her with nighttime and dreaming. If nothing else, it reminded me that I had been given a task of getting to know Her better several months ago that I had neglected. Okay, okay, I was listening now! No more excuses or doubts; it was time to delve in deep past my fears and find out what was behind them.

I remembered Her again with a sense of home, but this was a very different home. It was more of an ancestral connection, tapping into something that had more to do with dreams and memories…

After the class, I decided to do an experiment. For the next few weeks, I would ask Cardamom Seed, Black to help me with my dreaming. I would see and record what came up for me, and then see if I could make connections between the essence and the dream process or content.

What resulted was a reoccurring dream of airports. I was traveling from one place to another, and something always seemed to get in the way of my being on the airplane – I was lost, I had forgotten to go through Security, I was carrying too many bags, I was late. Many different airports and different scenarios, but all had the same theme…I was stuck in transition and unable to move on.

My default thinking brain had decided that I had to get on the airplane. Obviously, I had to find a way to get on with the journey and stop dithering about; however, my intuition and my communication with Cardamom Seed, Black told me something different. What I decided was that the dreams were actually telling me that I was too interested in running from one journey to another. What about the transitions and the metaphorical lay-overs? I was much more interested in finding the seeds (pun intended) of the new and jumping on board with the new growth opportunities than I was in being okay with the place that I was in.

This was mirrored in my own struggles in my everyday life. I was stressed about an ongoing situation that was just not going to be resolved anytime soon. It was not in my power to speed up the timeline or to decide when this work transition would occur. I had to be okay with hanging out in the airport for a while. And, not just spending time there, but what about actually making something of it and learning the lesson? Was it time to reflect? Plan? Take a break? As soon as I decided that I was going to be simply okay with spending some time in transition between journeys, the airport dreams stopped.

So, I was okay