Withania Somnifera, what a spellbinding name. This root, this earthy medicine. One you have to dig for. Go deep. Get dirty. Untangle. Pick and scrub and rinse and rinse, and dry and chop and… pulverize. It grows tediously slow, and here at the end of October, perhaps if you are lucky, she is finally, finally ready.
And she reeks. Strongly. So, to pull her up an endure the effort and stench, and all the finicky business, you go deep.
It’s worth it.
This medicine goes deep. Into your achingly deep exhaustion, into your humming, buzzing, your depletion, your tough skin shimmering over your tender insides, your need to keep going and your empty well. Go deep, it’s time to restore.
Withania called back to me as I called out into the universe, and now finally, the seeds I planted, the roots I harvested and scrubbed and dried and ground and tinctured, I have now tasted on my tongue, (whoa, that’s a strong taste)…and just like that, we’re dancing together.
I grew her for the adaptogenic qualities; for nourishing the burn out, for soothing nervous depletion, grounding me when over-exhaustion and restlessness have got me frazzled. For a full-time mom like me who never gets a break, never sits down, and once I do, someone needs something and heave ho, here we go, and the multi-tasking is so completely scattering, and all the candles are all still slowly smouldering on both ends when I open my eyes in the morning, this is it. And what’s more, Withania can even help with under-active thyroid. That’s something I need too. Yes, this root is something I grew just for myself. But the scope of her medicinal properties is broad. Ashwagandha has been used for over 3000 years, and I am just beginning to discover her breadth.
**So, I’ve been taking this tincture now for 2 weeks, and it does take a while to feel its full grounding effects but I can say this: I just read a novel (not herbal text books!!) in the last week, and I am on to the next. I tried to start this book before, but I was too scattered and tired to pick it up, ever, but suddenly, I can sit, I can focus, and I can read — this is not nothing!!
* Please remember to research any new herbal medicine you want to take, and consult with a medical professional, like I said, this stuff is not nothing 😉
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