Plant Rituals

Plant Rituals - Brahmi Thailam and Neem

(Assignment about 2 Plant Rituals for Prof David Presti's, Drugs and the Brain Class at Cal)

My family has been vegetarian for generations and so are deeply rooted in plant traditions.  I was hard pressed as to which ones to pick. I focus on two of these - Brahmi Thailam and Neem.

Many a  weekend, I’m given a hair oil massage with Brahmi Thailam. Thailam means oil in Ayurveda lingo. A head massage with Brahmi Thailam is a most relaxing experience.

Fingers massage oil into the scalp.

Transdermal absorption of Brahmi

Neurotransmitters observe as they flow

Neural Communication, dendrites grow

Brahmi Thailam is a widely used  Ayurveda Oil to improve the functioning of the brain and nervous system. The main ingredients of Brahmi Thailam are Bacopa monnieri and Emblica officinalis (Amla). Bacopa monnieri is a nootropic herb and is thought to directly impact cognition and memory while reducing anxiety. In addition to being an antioxidant it is also thought to promote  dendrite growth and thus neural connections.  It can’t really be ingested orally as it can cause nausea. The other ingredient Alma, is a widely used plant and is used in many forms. I found the fruit is sour and tart to taste. It is widely used in cooking (dried or pickled) and common in most  hair oil preparations sold in India. Amla  is high in Vitamin C and is believed to help in longevity and promoting hair growth as well as neural function.

Ayurveda doshas, underlying physiological energies

Vata  brain, nervous system

Pitha  bile, digestive system and more

Kapha wind, respiratory and circulatory

Balance of doshas is the goal.

I’ve had a personal love affair with Ayurveda oils after my few summers of Ayurveda treatment in in Kerala, South India. Most of my knowledge and love of Ayurveda comes from what I learnt during that time. The Shirodhara (warm Ayurveda oil is slowly dribbled on the forehead for a full hour) and Kizhi (warm bundles of oil soaked herbs are applied on the body) treatments were deeply relaxing for the body, and for that duration at least the mind and thoughts would be in tranquility. That is saying something, for my mind seems to be ever in an excitatory state with my hyperactivity and other autism challenges. I long for the calm meditative state that an Ayurveda treatment brings. Alas, the effect is but temporary for me. The days of intense Ayurveda treatments in the land of coconut trees and elephants maybe in the past but the ritual that has continued on is the hair oil massages. The strong tang of the ayurveda oil wafts all over the room and I feel I am back in Kerala again. I soak in the oil anywhere from 10 mins to half an hour before taking a shower.

Kerala,

Swaying Coconut trees, Elephants, Houseboats

Gentle backwaters meet the Arabian Sea

Ayurveda Central, deemed Danvantri

A specific set of herbs is boiled with either Sesame Oil or Coconut Oil as a base to make Ayurveda oils. The Ayurveda hospital in Kerala where I’d received treatment had its own manufacturing wing. There was one oil there which took 100 days to prepare over a slow wood fire. They believed in  old style preparation- wood instead of gas fires as the latter could destroy the property of the concoction. Coconut oil is thought to be a more effective base by many of the Ayurveda doctors. But Coconut Oil becomes rancid within a few months while Sesame Oil can have a shelf life of upto 10 years so is preferred. Kerala is kind of like the Ayurveda central of India as there is where Ayurveda originated and is most practised, even amongst regular families with the knowledge passed down from generation to generation.

As winter approaches here, my oil massages become less frequent as they cool the body and that is asking to catch a cold in cold weather. I just look forward to them when the weather warms up again.

Another interesting tradition is the use of Neem. (Azadirachta indica, Margosa or Indian Lilac).  It is supposedly the ultimate anti-bacterial. I brush my teeth every night with Neem powder. Actually, I sprinkle a little bit of Neem powder on top of the toothpaste. It tastes slightly bitter but one gets used to the taste. In the olden days, folks did not have toothbrushes or toothpaste so they chewed away at a twig of the neem tree each morning, which basically cleaned their teeth. My grandma mentioned that it has now made a comeback in modern India with local vegetable vendors selling fresh neem twigs. My grandma even got me some but I found it sensorily hard to sustain chewing the twig - it literally is like chewing on the end of a pencil - a woody taste. However, the twigs have to be fresh when they are still soft, which makes bringing them into the US difficult as they dry out. So the substitute  has been a sprinkle of Neem.

Neem Neem, the village Pharmacy

Central gathering place, shade and cool air

Treetop to root, how I use thee

The neem tree was often called the village pharmacy as it had so many beneficial qualities and can be used from treetop to root. The Neem tree was usually found in the central village square. My other grandma (who has a large Neem tree in her front yard) tells me that neem leaves are used to treat chickenpox even today. Neem has been found to have many medicinal  properties -  anti-inflammation, anti-ulcer, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-mutagenic, anti-viral, anti-carcinogen and a powerful immunomodulator. It is thought to be a powerful medicine for the GI tract. I was on Neem supplements a few years back to help with GI inflammation. At my home,  the dried Neem inflorescence is often toasted in sesame oil and sprinkled on food items like our digestive drink called Rasam, which I’ve learnt to make. It lends a lovely flavor though it can be a little bitter.

I could go on about other plant rituals, but alas this assignment only calls for two.