Master plants (plant teachers or plant teachers) are key among the shaman’s tutelary spirits, their main allies and guides to the worlds of health and healing. In ordinary reality, they are also considered the most skilled and important “doctors” in the jungle because of their usefulness and relevance to the healing concerns of most patients. Through knowledge of these plants, the shaman can effectively treat the illnesses of his people.
It can be difficult to find inconspicuous western analogues for some of these jungle plants because the plants grow where they are needed and the healing required by a New York banker will be quite different from that of a Peruvian farmer. The psychological and spiritual benefits granted by such plants, and their ability to restore emotional balance, banish negative energies or open the heart to love, are desirable in any culture, however, it is possible to find plants with equivalent or similar effects if we wish. diet them and understand their qualities for ourselves.
With this in mind, here is a description of some of the most commonly dietary master plants and (either individually or in combination) our own plants that will produce similar effects.
CHIRIC SANANGO: FOR LOVE
The sanango chiric grows mainly in the upper Amazon and in a few restas (highlands that are never flooded). It is good for colds and arthritis and has the effect of warming the body. (Chiric, in Quechua, means ‘tickling’ or ‘itching’, which refers to the itchiness it generates). Plant shamans often prescribe it for fishermen and loggers, for example, because they spend a lot of time in the water and are prone to colds and arthritis. However, the patient should not drink too much at one time because it can lead to numbness in the mouth and a feeling of slight disorientation. It is also used in magical baths to change the energy of the bather and bring good luck to their endeavors.
Used in the West, the plant has a more psychological effect, but it still has to do with “heat.” Here, it allows people to open their hearts to love (it “warms” a cold heart, but it will also “cool” a heart that is too inflamed with jealousy and anger) and to identify with others as if they were brothers and sisters. In essence, it helps people to get in touch with their sensitive and loving part. Another of your gifts is the improvement of self-esteem, which develops from this healthier connection with yourself.
Sanango chiric can be prepared in water, in brandy (weak sugar cane alcohol) or in syrup by adding its juice to honey or molasses. It can also be boiled in water and drunk, or eaten raw and is said to penetrate bones better when taken this way.
For a western diet, peppermint has some of the properties of sanango chiric and is a balancer of the physical and emotional heat of the body. It can cool you off on a summer day, but it will also provide warmth when you drink it by a fireplace in winter, and it has the same effect on emotions, promoting the flow of love, as well as alertness and clarity. For these reasons it has been associated with the planet Venus, which received its name from the Roman goddess of love.
Some good plants to pair with mint are lemon balm and chamomile. Lemon balm was known in the magic of Arabian herbs to bring feelings of love and healing (Pliny commented that its healing powers were so great that, by rubbing a sword that had inflicted a wound, it stopped the flow of blood in the injured person without the need for any physical contact with them), while chamomile is a great relaxant and a perfect aid to meditation and forgiveness exercises. Recent research from the University of Northumbria in the UK has also shown the beneficial effects of lemon balm in increasing feelings of calm and well-being, as well as improving memory.
Chiric sanango also provides relief from arthritic pain, and if this is your concern, western plants that could be added to peppermint include calendula and ginseng.
To make a tea with any of these herbs, simply boil the fresh ingredients (the amounts you use may be to your liking, but three heaping teaspoons of each is fine) in a pint of water or more for a few minutes. minutes and then simmer for about 20 minutes, allowing the smoke, which carries your intention, to reduce and blow into the mixture as it boils. This will awaken the spirit of the plants and tune them to your needs. Add honey if you like, then strain and drink when cool.
For a mix that lasts a little longer, add the fresh ingredients to the alcohol (rum or vodka recommended), with honey if desired, and drink three to five teaspoons a day, morning and evening.
These preparation methods can be used for all plants.
GUAYUSA: FOR CLEAR DREAMS
This is a good plant for people who suffer from excessive acidity, digestive or other stomach and bile problems. It also develops mental strength and is paradoxical in that, just as sanango chiric cools and warms at the same time, guayusa is energizing and relaxing.
Guayusa also has the effect of giving lucid dreams (that is, when you are aware that you are dreaming and can direct your dreams). For this reason it is also known as the ‘night watchman plant’, since even when it sleeps it is aware of its external physical environment. The boundary between sleep and wakefulness becomes more fluid and dreams become more colorful, richer, and more powerful than before. For those interested in dreams or ‘shamanic dreams’, this is the plant to explore.
In the Western world, fern, jasmine, marigold, rose, mugwort, and poplar will produce the same effect as lucid or prophetic dreams. The leaves and buds of the latter were often a key ingredient in the ‘flying ointments’ of European witches, who used it for what we would call astral projection. A mixture of these plants can be used to produce a liquid (either fresh or in alcohol) that can be taken in the same way as in the previous examples. It is also possible to prepare them in a way that Haitian voodoo practitioners use to work with their native ‘dream plants’, making a bila, or dream pillow, taking small handfuls of mugwort and poplar and mixing them together. Sprinkle the mixture with neroli, orange, or patchouli oils (aromatherapy oils are fine) too if desired and, as is done in Haiti, a little rum and water to bind the mixture together. Put your intention in this too, that these herbs will help you dream more lucidly and gather information from the spirit world, then let the mixture dry for a few days. When it’s ready, shred it into a cloth bag and tuck it under your pillow. Keep a dream journal by your bedside, and as soon as you wake up the next morning, immediately write down your dreams and your first sensations upon waking.
SACHA GARLIC: STALKING YOURSELF
This plant is a blood cleanser and helps the body to get rid of toxins (spiritual or physical), as well as to regain strength and balance lost by diseases that affect the blood. More psycho-spiritually, it helps develop mental acuity and can also bring the user out of the salty area (a streak of bad luck, inertia, or a feeling of not living life to the fullest). It is also used to get rid of spells, that is, to undo the work of curses or to remove bad energy that has been sent deliberately or by accident (in a burst of anger, etc.).
In flower baths, it will alleviate states of shock and fear (known as manchiari), which can be particularly debilitating for children, whose souls are not as strong or fixed as those of an adult; therefore, a strong impact can cause soul loss. The same phenomenon, especially with regard to children, is known to shamans in Haiti, where it is called seziman, and those in India, who are very concerned about protecting children from these scares and are often employed by eager parents of newborns to make protective charms for their babies.
Another key to garlic sacha is that in the Amazon it is used to enhance hunting skills, not only covering the human scent with its own garlic smell (the plant also has a strong garlic flavor, although it is in no way related to the Garlic). ), but by amplifying the hunter’s senses of taste, smell, hearing, and sight, all of which are, of course, essential for success and survival. Therefore, it is a stalking plant.
In the Western world, this stalking ability tends to translate psychologically, and the plant becomes a means to help an individual hunt or “stalk” his internal problems. To underline this, Shipibo master Guillermo Arévalo adds that this plant also opens the shamanic path and helps us see beyond conventional reality, if we have the heart of a warrior and are prepared to live under the obligations of shamanism. For this, we will need courage, the ability to face the truth and know our true vocation, and not fear extremes or ‘ugly’ things.
It is fascinating that this plant that is used to aid hunting in the jungle still possesses this same essential quality in an environment like ours, where food is bought in supermarkets and we do not need to track the game, but we often have work. what to do when we stalk ourselves. It is clear that this plant has extraordinary qualities.
Western plants with equivalent therapeutic uses include valerian and verbena. The former has been recorded starting in the 16th century as an aid to a calm mind and, in both world wars, it was used to combat anxiety and depression. Today, it is still used for these purposes. It also relieves panic attacks and tension headaches, which are considered symptoms of an underlying cause arising from an unresolved problem or stress of some kind. By relaxing the mind, the psyche can get to work on the real problem, with the help of the plant itself.
One way to diet with valerian (which will also aid deep, restful sleep) is by adding equal parts of passionflower leaves and hop flowers and topping them with vodka and honey for a few weeks, after which a few teaspoons are taken before lie.
Verbena, meanwhile, was well known to the Druids, who used it to protect themselves against “evil spirits” (nowadays, we could say “internal problems” or “the shadow self”). It is also used to help with nervous exhaustion, paranoia, insomnia, and depression. Again, by relaxing the conscious mind, you empower the unconscious to work (stalk) the most deeply rooted problem.
Another protective plant that also has the effect of purifying and strengthening the blood is garlic. Nicholas Culpepper noted its balancing qualities and described it as a “panacea”. It has long been associated with magical uses, protection against witches, vampires, and evil spells, and is just as effective in exorcisms (that is, psychologically speaking, in ridding us of our inner demons). Roman soldiers ate it to cheer up and overcome their fears before battle. There is also a tradition of placing garlic under children’s pillows to protect them while they sleep and defend them from nightmares.
One way to diet with garlic is in the form of garlic honey, which is not as disgusting as it sounds. To do this, add two peeled garlic cloves to a little honey and crush them in a mortar, then add another 400g or so of honey to the mixture. It can be drunk in hot water or simply eaten, two teaspoons a day, in the morning and in the evening.
Other plants that are good for increasing “wisdom” (inner knowledge) include peach, sage, and sunflower, all of which can also be diet fresh or with a little rum or vodka.
