In school, souls, we are passionate about traditional medical systems. Among them, several come from the East, including Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. However, some models are indeed from our western tradition. This is the case of the 6 states of the 19th century physiometicalist tissues for example, as well as a much older classification system, that of the 7 planets of the ancient Greeks.

This model is based on the 7 mobile stars which were visible to the naked eye at the time: the sun, the moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. Each planet is associated with a Greek god (or Roman). This classification system allows us to create images (archetypes, characters and stories from Greek mythology) and thus more easily retain the actions of medicinal plants on organs and tissues, because of course, we do not see the Large Zeus in the same way as the beautiful Aphrodite.

Here is a little story of Greek mythology in order to better understand the vision of this particular model, but oh so useful, because it is easy to visualize and memorize.

Everyone knows Zeus well, but do you know how he found himself at the head of the Greek pantheon? According to the writings of Homer* and Hesiod, two poets, here is the story of Zeus and his family.

*The character of Homer, author of the Illiade, history of the Trojan War, and the Odyssey relating the return of the hero Ulysse, remains surrounded by an aura of mystery. Some believe that his writings would be the fruit of many.

The universe was born from chaos which gave shape to Gaïa, the earth, which generated Ouranos, the sky. The latter gives Gaïa several children, including the giants, the cyclops (giants with a single eye), the hecatonchires (giants with 50 heads and 100 arms), then the titans and titanids. The 12 titans represent the first gods and live in Mont Othrys. The youngest, Cronos, God of time, takes power, at the request of his mother, tired of the endless embraces of heaven who suffocates him, after having defeated his father by cutting the Parts genitals. The pain is so large that Ouro is moving away from Gaia at full speed, repelled by his sweet and betrayed by her offspring. Wait that in turn he will be dethroned by one of his children, Cronos decides to eat them from birth. In order to save one, his wife, Rhéa, decides to hide a son and present a stone to her husband who only sees fire and swallows her suddenly. This son is Zeus, raised by a nymph, who returns to his father by pretending to be a servant who serves him a vomit. Thus, Cronos vomits each of his children, including Poseidon, Hades and Hera. The brothers and sisters then went to war against the Titans. It is the titanomachy that will last hundreds of years on a human scale. Those who become the Olympians win the confrontation and settle on Mount Olympe, while the Titans are locked in the Tartare. Cyclops, with the help of Hephaestus, the Forgeron God, forge lightning for Zeus, Supreme God, Trident for Poseidon, God of Seas and Horses, then Kunée, Invisibility helmet, for Hades, God of underground worlds in spite of himself. Zeus generates several children. Arès (March), God of war, is the only one he has with his wife Hera. Hermès (Mercury), Apollo (the sun) and his twin sister Artemis (the moon) are all from off -wedding relationships. Remains Aphrodite (Venus), who according to some would also be Zeus' daughter, but according to the most widespread myth, would rather have been born from the foam caused by the fall of the genitals and the sperm of Ouranos during his fall to the hands of Cronos. She would then be a mother goddess in the same way as Zeus, see higher than him. It is therefore not surprising that several plants, including of course the roses, are associated with it, because it is a great designer, synonymous with female sexuality.

The sun is therefore the god Apollo, the light in its purest form, the ego, but also the heart and the eyes, the fire. The twin sister of Apollo, Artemis or Diane, personifies the moon, star of the night which reflects sunlight, receptacle, brain and water element. Mars, or Arès among the Greeks, is the god of war. It is the red planet, rich in iron, associated with heat and drought. Aphrodite, mistress of Mars, although a woman of Hephaestus, is the goddess of the Planet Venus. It’s beauty in all its forms. Hermès, the winged god, the one who travels between the worlds, reigns on the planet Mercury, associated with the nervous system, mainly with communication, and the lungs linked to the air element. Jupiter is none other than Zeus, we will understand. Jupiter is the largest of the planets. It is associated with the liver and expansion. Then Saturn, the old Cronos Titan, God of time, who sets the limits. It is the most distant, coldest and driest planet, often associated with toxic plants.

Each planet is thus associated with both physical and very specific characteristics. The sun is warm and invigorating (Apollo the radiant) while the moon is cold and calming (artemis the prude hunting). Mercury is associated with the respiratory system and the intellect (Hermès the cunning). Mars is the warrior par excellence (Arès the angry). Venus is the princess (Aphrodite the passionate mistress). Jupiter (Zeus the explosive), a gaseous planet, represents expansion, then Saturn (Cronos the snarling) and its rings, limits and discipline.

In this model where each deity finally represents a facet of each of us, we associate plants and planets to balance certain organs, certain conditions and certain character traits. THE St. John's wort, For example, is a solar plant. Its flowers are rays of sun and its action on melancholy makes it a vitality plant. Nettle is a Martian plant. Her lanceolate leaves and stinging hairs make her a real fighter, not to mention her action on blood and her composition rich in iron. Lavender, with its purple flowers and its action on the nervous system, represents Mercury the air. Carminative plants (gas) are often associated with Jupiter, the gaseous planet, while the sun and March reign over hot plants. With morphology, colors, habitat, actions and energetics of a plant, it becomes easy to create mental images allowing the association with a planet and the character that represents it. It is a simple and fun system that promotes learning, and regardless of your beliefs.

Plants and planets are therefore closer than you might think. Besides for the ancients, the plants were like stars descended on earth to enlighten us. Note that the two words have the same root and that it is enough to remove the planet's e to obtain the word plant. Isn't that fascinating?

For more information on the Plants and Planets of the Schools Flowers school, click on this link: https://www.ecolelesamesfleurs.com/courses/plantes-et-planetes

By Marie-Christine Vallières
Herbalist accredited therapist and bachelor in anthropology

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