Thank goodness it’s more and more accepted knowledge amongst Herbalists that plants cannot be reduced to their individual phytochemicals– that their brilliance lies in the whole blissful singing together of these parts, to produce the energetic spirit of the plant. In no way does this understanding of plants gain it’s full fleshed reality more than through the senses: sought through a soft gaze, explored between the fingers, sniffed, tasted, or felt through that quiet path of the heart– all information weaving together the felt depth, richness and flavor of a full-bodied being. I not only use my senses in order to trace the clues of how to use a herb, (for example, a sweet taste tells me the herb is nutritive and building), but also as doorways to the characters of herbs. Far from being frivolous and romantic, I know that in my own practice the more of a connection that is established with the character or spirit of a plant though these means, the more effective my medicine is.
And so we are greeted by Shatavari, also known as Asparagus Racemosus, a cousin of the common Asparagus. Shatavari is an Indian herb and so any experience of it growing here on Coastal Vancouver Island will be coloured by its positioning far from its noble and natural seat in the gravely, rocky plains of India, Sri Lanka and the Himalayas. Standing one to two meters tall, Shatavari holds its space with delicate branches fanning outwards– breathy like so many feathers tickling the air. In September Shatavari forms small berries, plump and happy, and as the berries dry up into the seeds that they are, one can, with a dose of modesty and respect, uproot Shatavari to reveal an unlikely abundance of thick, voluptuous and moist roots. When cleaned and dried they can occasionally have the faintest pale pink tone.
Once dried and powdered, I simmer these roots in milk for 30 minutes, or make them into a tincture. Like dense concentrated food, Shatavari tastes of sweet nourishment, and like other nourishing roots, it feeds us deep down in places that don’t always get fed. When wet with water the powdered roots become a mucilaginous porridge that is slippery, cool and lubricating. With this as our guide, one can tell that Shatavari is helpful in dry, hot and irritated conditions of the mucus membranes– whether digestive, reproductive, respiratory or urinary. Heartburn, dry skin, dry throats, vaginal dryness, Urinary Tract Infections, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome are only a few of the imbalances that crave the luscious generosity of Shatavari.
These qualities of Shatavari make it not only a calming force on the physical body but also on the spirit. Unlike other herbs that calm and center the spirit, such as Skullcap or Albizzia, which like beautiful breezes, work on the higher more ethereal levels of emotional wellness, Shatavari’s calming nature brings us down to earth. Shatavari’s blessing is not one of spiritual transcendence, or a blessing from high above, but a kind of embodiedness that brings us into the fat exuberance of being here. Shatavari teaches us that heaven is neither below us or above us but found in the practical joys of everyday life; enjoying earths bounty in food and cloth, laughter and friends around a table, a freshly swept floor, full pots of soups, and a roaring fire.
And so I see the gifts of Shatavari as the gifts of the Empress Tarot card. The Empress is nearly always reclined, her feet bare and on the ground, she is comfortable in her own skin and at home on the earth. There is nothing ephemeral about the Empress. Her gifts are material and she is the great provider; her hands are open and receptive and we feel a sense of well-being in her presence.
Shatavari and the Empress are gifts to those who find their bodies to be on the thin side or frail, as well as flushed or dry. Because both these beauties work on the level of resources and bounty, they are aids for stinginess, depletion from overwork, and for a hot frazzled kind of scarcity– like scattering dust in a desert wind. When this kind of scarcity feels very much embodied, as seen through fragility, thinness, and heat signs, I like to make a rich smooth drink of Shatavari powder simmered in milk, with a dash of vanilla, honey and a heaping spoon-full of unsalted butter; for scarcity that is more emotional I’m currently experimenting with 5-10 drops of the tincture, taken 3 times day, with positive results. Like rains over a dust bowl, these Queens of plant and tarot not only build our resources, but also calm our hot and irritated responses, particularly of the premenstral and menopausal varieties.
My favorite use of Shatavari is for folks, often women, who have become trapped in cycles of feeling that they need to be constantly cleansing themselves; both spiritually and physically. It can seem to make a lot of sense that if something is “wrong with you”, then one must rid one’s self of what is wrong. And so, perhaps cleansing starts because of some irritable eczema, premenstral syndrome, or an irritated gut; often cleansing in such cases can make one initially feel well, but sure enough the nagging issue only becomes worse. This is because often what lies beneath an imbalance is a deficiency, not an excess that needs removal. Thus that dry and irritated eczema doesn’t seek harsh bitter herbs, but the Empress and Shatavari, who lovingly bring arm loads of honeyed flowers in food and nourishment to the hungry imbalance.
Remarkably we haven’t even begun to touch on the most important aspect of these Queen’s powers, which is in reproduction; particularly since the Ayurvedic name ‘Shatavari’ means “She who has 100 husbands.” It seems to be a common practice in India to use Shatavari as a daily tonic for the purpose of reproductive health, and like the Empress, who is represented as the Great Mother: she who is in charge of birth, growth and relationship, Shatavari has a reputation as a fertility-enhancing plant that improves the health of both male and female reproductive tissues along with improving the generally juiciness of the reproductive system. Moreover, the cycles of reproduction that the Empress and Shatavari rule, govern more than simply birth, but all thresholds of life, from a woman’s first period to menopause. They are at ease with the cycles of this life, not seeking to transcend the cycle or race to a finish line that does not exist, the Empress reclines unhurried, knowing her role which is to fuel the next things that are born into this never ending cycle.
Creamed, Spiced and Honeyed Shatavari
DIRECTIONS:
(ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT I NEVER FOLLOW A RECIPE OR MEASURE ANYTHING, SO THESE ARE ALL ESTIMATIONS, AND I EXPECT YOU TO PERFECT THIS RECIPE FAR BETTER THAN I EVER WOULD)
IN A SAUCE PAN SIMMER THE FOLLOWING FOR 15 MINUTES
1.5 CUPS OF WATER
1 TABLESPOON OF SHATAVARI
SMALL HANDFUL OF OAT STRAW
A PINCH OF CINNAMON
VANILLA BEAN (OR SOME KIND OF VANILLA EXTRACT)
ADD A 1 TO 1.5 CUPS OF MILK, AND CONTINUE TO SIMMER FOR 5 MINUTES
STRAIN
ADD:
A PINCH OF ROSE PETALS
BUTTER, AS NEEDED
HONEY, AS NEEDED