Meet the plants: sage

“When you see people call themselves revolutionary always talking about destroying, destroying, destroying but never talking about building or creating, they’re not revolutionary. They do not understand the first thing about revolution. It’s creating.”

― Kwame Ture

Salvia officinalis

Let us be clear, we are not referencing or growing the endangered species of white sage and encourage you to learn more about the plight of salvia apiana through your own research.  We are working with Salvia officinalis, whose botanical name is a clue to its just why  it is part of Growing Abolition. Salvia comes from the Latin “salvare” to cure, which echos the medieval saying “why should a man die who grows sage in his garden?” Kind of an awkward saying considering how helpful Salvia officinalis is for improving ovarian activity and balancing hormonal activity during menopause – especially for reducing hot flashes. Salvia officinalis has numerous common names. Some of the best-known are sage, common sage, garden sage, golden sage, kitchen sage, true sage, culinary sage, Dalmatian sage, and broadleaf sage. Cultivated forms include purple sage and red sage. The specific epithet officinalis refers to plants with a well-established medicinal or culinary value.This plant is also a nerve tonic and can help boost a fading memory, its wonderful for reducing your cholesterol and should you find yourself with a sore throat- you got it– sage to the rescue.

Sage has been used for warding off evil (think ethical smudging), increasing fertility, and according to Celtic tradition and was associated with wisdom and immortality. Many traditions and religions will welcome sage to ceremony as an offering or to cleanse stagnant energy and invite new. As the name implies, sage is a magical plant for inviting possibility, or helping us to see what have not yet imagined. 

Salvia officinalis in front of an altar in New Orleans Louisiana.

If we think of abolition as a practice, rather than a destination or achievement– what cleansing practices are necessary in order to make space for a world without prisons, policing or surveillance?

Where in your own micro or macro actions to you participate in practices of punishment or policing?

In order to imagine a landscape with out prisons what limiting beliefs to you need to sage?

You can almost feel the sage clearing your sinus’ and mind in this close up photo.