Smoking

[Diana]

Tobacco is very easy to grow, and is a beautiful plant/flower. The difficult, or rather time-consuming, part is curing it.

I think it's funny that we've demonized this plant, but what we think of as a tobacco cigarette is actually a corporate "tobacco product" that has all sorts of nasty additives, some designed to literally make you addicted to their product.

I've always thought that there has to be positive benefits to smoking sacred tobacco. For "them" to take something that was so revered by spiritual societies, and turn it into a nasty, life-destroying habit ... well ... just sets my radar off and tells me there might be something there worth checking out, you know? 8-)  but I guess I'm difficult like that.

Certainly some Native American tribes have used tobacco this way—for sacred purpose. Plants, like all living things, have individual energies and purposes. Think of so many plants that heal various ailments. Perhaps they all heal, and that is a part of their general purpose here, and we aren't aware of it because we as humans are egocentric and "use" things rather than coexist in synergy with them.

Humans have demonized a lot of things including each other. Many animals for instance: snakes and bats to name two. Almost all insects. Some cultures still think of animals—including pet dogs—as "dirty." Humans thoughtlessly kill animals, insects, and plants all the time.

To see the beauty in the tobacco plant is a wonderful thing. Thank you.