Well when I was working with Stephen, he had me sit with several plants but only a part like a root or a branch. He would not tell me what the plant name was or what its affinity was as I was to sit with the plant and find out from it.
That is a good exercise for anyone. It is a deep ceremony where you touch in to the spirit who moves through all things as we are all connected. Actually the more you do it the less you need the physical presence of the plant. And, there are no limitations like space and time to the information you can receive.
So when I begin with a new plant I like to sit with the plant or a part of the plant in my area. Mostly I just touch into the energy or spirit of the plant and begin to talk with it like making a new friend. I like to ask each plant to introduce me to the elder spirit of the plant (just like wildcrafting where you look for the elder plant of the area and begin making relationship there). Many will introduce you to the elder spirit of the plant and you can work with that.
I also like to find out where the plants home is. And, I will ask it to take me to it’s home and get a sense of it’s habitat and where it likes to grow. Sometimes I meet the elder plant that that plant is related to. I do this particularly if working with a plant that is not of this bioregion.
One of my focuses is to find a plant not of this bioregion that is interesting and begin the proving process and sit with the plant. My goal here is to get the sense of the actions and affinities of the plant so that I can find it’s corollary in my own bioregion. I prefer to either work with plants of my bioregion or to be able to grow a plant.
If growing a plant, some annuals know who they are and what they are doing. Many perennials and hybrids need the support of the elder spirit of the plant to really come into themselves as that plant person.
Rosemary is one of my favorites as she is very vocal with me and gives a lot of input.