Master plants (plant masters or plant masters) are key among the shaman’s tutelary spirits, his main allies and guides in the worlds of health and healing. In ordinary reality, they are also considered the most skilled and important ‘doctors’ in the jungle due to their usefulness and relevance to the healing concerns of most patients. Through the knowledge of these plants, the shaman can effectively deal with the diseases of his people.
It can be difficult to find low-key Western analogues for some of these jungle plants because the plants grow where they are needed and the curation required by a New York banker will be very different from that of a Peruvian farmer. The psychological and spiritual benefits that such plants confer, and their ability to restore emotional balance, banish negative energies, or open the heart to love, are desirable in any culture, however, so it is possible to find plants with equivalent effects or similar if we want to put them on a diet and understand their qualities for ourselves.
With this in mind, here is a description of some of the more commonly dietary master plants and (either individually or in combination) proprietary plants that will produce similar effects.
CHIRIC SANANGO: FOR LOVE
Chiric sanango grows mainly in the upper Amazon and on a few restingas (high ground that never floods). It is good for colds and arthritis and has the effect of warming the body. (Chiric, in Quechua, means ‘tingling’ or ‘itching’, which refers to the itching it generates). Plant shamans often prescribe it to 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 cause numbness in the mouth and a feeling of slight disorientation. It is also used in magical baths to change the bather’s energy and bring good luck to his adventures.
Used in the West, the plant has a more psychological effect, but still has to do with ‘heat’. Here, it allows people to open their hearts to love (it ‘warms’ a cold heart, but it also ‘cools’ a heart too inflamed with jealousy and anger) and to identify with others as brothers and sisters. In essence, it helps people to get in touch with their sensitive and loving part. Another of your gifts is increased self-esteem, which develops from this healthier connection to yourself.
Chiric sanango can be prepared in water, in aguardiente (weak alcohol from sugar cane) 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 the bones better if taken this way.
For a western diet, mint has some of the properties of chiric sanango and is a balancer of the physical and emotional heat of the body. It can cool you down on a summer’s day, but it will also warm you when drunk by an open fire in winter, and it has the same effect on the emotions, promoting the flow of love, as well as alertness and clarity. For these reasons it has been associated with the planet Venus, which was named after the Roman goddess of love.
Good plants to pair with mint include lemon balm and chamomile. Lemon balm was known in Arabian herbal magic to bring feelings of love and healing (Pliny commented that its healing powers were so great that, rubbed on 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 for meditation and forgiveness exercises. Recent research at Northumbria University 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 concerns you, western plants that could be added to mint include calendula and ginseng.
To make a tea from any of these herbs, simply boil the fresh ingredients (the amounts you use can be very much to your liking, but three heaping teaspoons of each is just fine) in a pint of water for a few minutes, then cook to simmer for about 20 minutes, allowing it to reduce and blowing smoke, which carries your intention, 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 alcohol (rum or vodka recommended), with honey if desired, and drink three to five teaspoons daily, morning and night.
These preparation methods can be used for all plants.
GUAYUSA: FOR LUCID 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 chiric sanango cools and warms at the same time, guayusa is both 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’, as even when you are sleeping you are aware of your external physical environment. The boundary between sleep and wakefulness becomes more fluid, and dreams become more colorful, rich, and powerful than before. For those interested in dreams or ‘shamanic dreams’, this is the plant to explore.
In the Western world, the fern, jasmine, marigold, rose, mugwort, and poplar will produce the same effect of lucid or prophetic dreaming. The leaves and buds of the latter used to be a key ingredient in the ‘flying salves’ 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 drunk in the same way as in the previous examples. It is also possible to prepare them the way Haitian voodoo practitioners use to work with their native ‘dream plants’, by making a bila, or dream pillow, by taking small handfuls of mugwort and poplar and mixing them together. Drizzle the mixture with neroli, orange, or patchouli oils (aromatherapy oils are fine, too) if you like, and, as it’s done in Haiti, a little rum and water to bind the mixture together. Set your intention on this as well: have these herbs help you dream more lucidly and gather information from the spirit world, then allow the mixture to dry for a few days. When it’s ready, crumble it into a cloth bag and place it under your pillow. Keep a dream journal by your bed, and as soon as you wake up the next morning, immediately write down your dreams and your first waking sensations.
LAO SACHA: STALKING HIMSELF
This plant is a blood purifier and helps the body get rid of toxins (spiritual or physical) as well as restore strength and balance lost due to diseases that affect the blood. More psychospiritually, it helps develop mental acuity and can also bring out the user from Saladera (a streak of bad luck, inertia, or a feeling of not living life to the fullest). It is also used to cast spells, i.e. undo the work of curses or remove bad energy that has been sent out deliberately or by accident (in a burst of anger, etc.).
In floral 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 adults; therefore, a powerful shock can lead to soul loss. The same phenomenon, especially with regard to children, is known to the shamans of Haiti, where it is called seziman, and those of India, who are very concerned with protecting children from this type of scare and are often employed by anxious parents of newborns. to make protective charms for their babies.
Another key to sacha garlic is that in the Amazon it is used to enhance hunting skills, not just covering the human scent with its own garlic smell (the plant also has a strong garlic flavor even though it has nothing to do with 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. It is therefore a stalking plant.
In the western world, this stalking ability tends to translate psychologically, with the plant becoming a means to help an individual hunt or ‘stalk’ their internal problems. To underline this, the 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 be afraid of extremes or ‘ugly’ things.
It’s fascinating that this plant used to aid hunting in the rainforest still has this same essential quality in an environment like ours, where food is bought in supermarkets and we don’t need to track any game, but often have work to do. . do to 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 since the 16th century as an aid to a calm mind and, in both world wars, 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 passion flower leaves and hops flowers and top with vodka and honey for a few weeks, after which a few teaspoons are taken before lie down.
Vervain, meanwhile, was well known to the druids, who used it to protect themselves against “evil spirits” (today, we might say “internal troubles” or “the shadow self”). It is also used to help with nervous exhaustion, paranoia, insomnia, and depression. Once again, by relaxing the conscious mind, the unconscious is empowered to work (haunt) on the deeper problem.
Another protective plant that also has the effect of purifying and strengthening the blood is garlic. Nicholas Culpepper noted its balancing qualities and wrote of it as a “cure for everything”. It has long been associated with magical uses, protection against witches, vampires, and evil spells, and as effective in exorcisms (ie, psychologically speaking, to rid us of our inner demons). Roman soldiers ate it to give themselves courage 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 garlic is in the form of honey garlic, which isn’t as unpleasant as it sounds. For its preparation, two peeled garlic cloves are added to a little honey and crushed in a mortar, then another 400g or so of honey are added to the mixture. It can be drunk in hot water or simply eaten, two teaspoons a day, morning and night.
Other plants that are good for increasing ‘wisdom’ (inner knowing) include peach, sage and sunflower, all of which can also be consumed fresh or with a little rum or vodka.