Plants That Activate Our Voices: Exploring the Connection Between Plant Medicine and Expression
Our voices are sacred instruments of truth, storytelling, and connection. They are not just mechanisms for speech but vessels of energy, carrying the essence of who we are into the world. Yet, there are times when our voices feel stuck, suppressed, or unclear—whether due to emotional wounds, spiritual disconnection, or physical strain.
Nature, in her infinite wisdom, has always provided allies to guide us back to our full expression. Across traditions and cultures, plants have been known as teachers, healers, and activators of the voice. They work not only on the physical throat but also on the energetic pathways that connect our voice to our heart, our spirit, and the unseen realms.
Let’s explore the powerful plants and fungi that support vocal activation, clarity, and alignment, guiding us to speak our truth with reverence and authenticity.
How Plant Medicines Deepen Our Connection to Our Voice
In many indigenous traditions, the voice is not just an individual expression but a bridge to the divine. Sacred songs, chants, and icaros, medicine songs, are woven into ceremonies, calling forth healing, protection, and wisdom. Plants themselves have songs, and when we commune with them, they teach us how to use our voices as instruments of energy and transformation.
Icaros, in particular, are powerful vibrational tools that do more than carry melody—they activate energy, shift consciousness, and open pathways to deeper communion with spirit. These sacred songs are often received directly from the plants, passed down through generations, or intuitively channeled during ceremony. Each plant has their own unique song, a frequency that harmonizes with the energy of those who partake in its medicine. The resonance of these songs not only amplifies the healing effects of the plants but also teaches us to trust and expand our own vocal expression as a sacred offering.
Through icaros, I have learned that our voices are not just for speaking or singing—they are conduits of energy, capable of shifting and healing ourselves and those who listen. When we allow ourselves to be guided by plant wisdom, we remember that our voices are sacred, and through them, we can weave magic, intention, and transformation into the world.
How Ayahuasca and Icaros Helped Me Find My Voice
I have always loved to sing. As a child, music felt like home, like a secret language I could understand deeply, yet I was terrified to share my voice with others. Though I sang in choir throughout my childhood and adolescence, the fear of being seen and heard kept me from truly embracing my voice. It wasn't until I stepped into the world of plant medicine that I began to reclaim my gift and fully embody my voice.
Singing icaros in ceremony with Ayahuasca was a homecoming—a remembrance of the power and depth within me. But it did not come easily. My very first ceremony as an apprentice was a trial by fire. My teacher pushed me to sing an icaro, and I remember that night so vividly because of the sheer terror I felt. In the stillness of the darkened ceremony space, it was my turn to sing. My heart pounded, my ego screamed - I wasn't good enough, I would forget the melody, and my voice would not be good enough. The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity—five, maybe ten minutes—before Ayahuasca herself whispered to me. She reminded me that she was with me, guiding me, that my voice was not just my own but an extension of something greater.
With that reassurance, I took a deep breath, and when I finally opened my mouth, the song flowed out of me with a voice I had never heard before. It was as if Ayahuasca had reached into my throat chakra and activated a power long dormant, revealing notes and resonance I had never been able to access before. In that moment, I understood that my voice was not something to fear or hide—it was a sacred instrument, an offering to the divine. That night remains one of the most profound moments of my apprenticeship, a lesson in surrender, trust, and the limitless nature of expression when we allow ourselves to be fully present with spirit.
Through icaros, I have learned that our voices are not just for speaking or singing—they are conduits of energy, capable of shifting and healing ourselves and those who listen. When we allow ourselves to be guided by plant wisdom, we remember that our voices are sacred, and through them, we can weave magic, intention, and transformation into the world.
Sacred Plant Allies for Vocal Activation
Ayahuasca: The Vine That Sings
Ayahuasca, the great mother vine, is deeply intertwined with the power of song. In Amazonian traditions, curanderos and healers receive icaros, known as sacred songs, directly from the spirit of the plant. These songs are not just melodies; they are frequencies that activate healing, align energy, and connect us with the unseen. Ayahuasca reminds us that our voice is not just for speaking but for creating, for healing, and for weaving reality itself.
She teaches us that when we sing from a place of deep presence, we activate our own medicine. Through her, we remember that our voice is an extension of our power, capable of shifting energies and bridging worlds.
Blue Water Lily (Blue Lotus): The Flower of Truth and Honoring our Boundaries
Blue Water Lily, also known as Blue Lotus, has been revered since ancient Egyptian times as a plant of intuition, dreamwork, and divine communication. This delicate yet potent flower helps us soften into our truth, especially when we struggle to express ourselves clearly or set boundaries.
Energetically, Blue Water Lily works on the throat chakra, opening a pathway for our voices to flow effortlessly from a place of inner knowing. She teaches us that authentic expression is not about force, but about alignment—when we are connected to our truth, our voice follows naturally. She guides us to speak out and speak up, especially when it comes to our boundaries.
Cacao: The Heart’s Expression
Cacao is the gentle yet profound heart medicine that reminds us that true expression begins in the heart. When we speak from the heart, our words carry resonance, depth, and sincerity. Cacao does not just soothe the physical body; she softens the barriers around the heart, allowing us to express ourselves with love, vulnerability, and authenticity.
Drinking cacao before speaking, singing, or sharing in sacred circles can help us feel more connected to our voice and to those around us. Her warmth dissolves fear and invites us to speak from a place of deep truth, free from self-doubt or shame.
Psilocybin Mushrooms: Truth Without Fear
Though not a plant, psilocybin mushrooms hold a crucial place in the realm of vocal activation. They are truth-tellers, dissolving illusions and encouraging us to express ourselves without fear. Under their guidance, we remember that our voice is sacred, that we do not need to shrink or censor ourselves.
Mushrooms illuminate what has been hidden, including the ways we have silenced ourselves. They encourage us to embrace our raw, unfiltered truth, speaking with courage and authenticity, free from the weight of societal expectations.
Other Plant Allies for Vocal Clarity and Expression
Beyond these sacred medicines, many plants offer physical and energetic support for vocal health and expression that we can find through intentional connection via Master Plant Dieta or through the simple act of mindfulness when drinking them as a tea:
Slippery Elm & Licorice Root: These demulcent herbs coat and soothe the throat, making them invaluable for speakers, singers, and those experiencing vocal strain.
Peppermint & Eucalyptus: These cooling plants clear congestion and open the breath, allowing for better vocal projection and clarity.
Blue Vervain: Known for calming the nervous system, Blue Vervain can support those who struggle with anxiety around speaking and public expression.
Sage & Chamomile: Sage clears energetic blockages in the throat, while Chamomile soothes tension and helps words flow with ease.
Inviting Sacred Plant Wisdom into Your Voice
Working with these plants is not just about drinking a tea or taking a tincture - it is about forming a relationship with them, listening to their wisdom, and inviting their presence into our practices. Here are some ways to incorporate these allies into your journey of voice activation:
Master Plant Dieta: Engaging in a master plant dieta is a powerful way to develop an intimate relationship with a plant teacher. By following a period of strict protocols, solitude, and deep listening while consuming a specific plant in a ceremonial setting, one can receive direct transmissions from the plant. Through this sacred portal, the plants can gift you songs—icaros—that carry their healing vibration and activate your voice in profound ways.
Ceremonial Tea Rituals: Sip any Plant Medicine tea with intention, setting the space for authentic expression.
Song and Chanting with Ayahuasca or Cacao: Whether in ceremony or personal practice, allow plant medicines to guide your voice in sacred song.
Breathwork and Steam Rituals: Inhale eucalyptus steam before speaking or singing to open the voice and breath.
Journaling and Spoken Affirmations: Speak your truth aloud while working with these plant allies, reinforcing your intention to express yourself fully.
Reclaim The Power of Your Voice
Our voices are gifts, not just for communication, but for healing, creation, and connection. When we align with the wisdom of the plants, we remember that our voice is not separate from nature but an extension of it. May we honor these plant teachers, listening to their guidance and allowing them to unlock the fullness of our expression. May we speak our truth, not just with words, but with the energy, love, and authenticity that flows through us when we are in harmony with nature.
For those ready to embark on a profound collective experience, join me and the PMP team for our voice-activating retreat with Ayahuasca in July 2025. Together, we will sit with this sacred medicine, engage in workshops, and learn powerful icaros from our indigenous maestro, Don Smiley from Peru. This will be a transformative journey of healing, remembrance, and liberation through song. If you are ready to deepen your connection to your voice and the wisdom of the plants, we welcome you to step into this sacred space with us!
If you’d like to connect more with me and learn about how the plants can support you and your journey to reclaim your voice, I’d love to connect with you here!
About the Author
Natalhie Ruiz is an integration coach and plant medicine guide born in Colorado, and of Peruvian indigenous descent. Her ancestry carries a lineage of curanderas from the Wari/Quechua people of the Peruvian Andes. She has a strong background and personal experience with sacred plant medicines. Her knowledge and expertise in plant medicine have grown over the last 5 years, and she has had the privilege to have studied under the Cocamilla lineage. She has a deep relationship with Grandmother Ayahuasca, Rapéh/Mapacho, and Psilocybin. She has sat in isolated and dieta sauves with Cacao, Bobinsana, Ajo Sacha, and Damiana and has experience with other Medicines like San Pedro and Kambo. She is looking forward to continuing her journey of learning and communing with other master plants. She is a dedicated advocate of plant medicine and protecting indigenous culture and traditions.
