Brahmi, the Ayurvedic Nervine Tonic

Brahmi has long been revered in Ayurvedic medicine as its most valuable nervine—an herb that benefits the nervous system. It revitalizes the brain cells, removes toxins and blockages within the nervous system, and improves memory and concentration. Indian yogis eat a few fresh Himalayan brahmi leaves daily. This practice optimizes their capacity for meditation by awakening the crown chakra and balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain. 

In addition to nurturing brain power and nervous system health, brahmi contributes to many other aspects of wellness. It calms the heart and helps protect against heart attacks. As an antispasmodic agent as well as a nervine, this multi-functional herb helps ease recovery from every kind of addiction, whether it’s to alcohol, drugs, or sugar. Brahmi also purifies the blood, boosts immunity, and supports liver and kidney health, as well as aiding management of sexually transmitted diseases.

Brahmi is also known for its dosha-balancing qualities. It not only balances and refreshes pitta, but also actively reduces excess kapha. Brahmi can also pacify vata imbalances, especially when combined with other vata-reducing herbs like ashwagandha.

According to Ayurvedic texts, brahmi ghee is an essential medicine for the mind and heart that should be kept in every home. It can be taken in small amounts daily to maintain good health. As a milk decoction, the herb is an excellent brain tonic, particularly when combined with ashwagandha. Brahmi taken with holy basil and a little black pepper is recommended for all kinds of fevers. Many people find that drinking a cup of brahmi tea sweetened with honey before meditation greatly enhances their practice.

Source: Vasant Lad and David Frawley, The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine, Lotus Press (January 25, 1986).

Disclaimer
The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of Ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease.

Ojas, the Pure Essence of all Bodily Tissues

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In yoga and Ayurveda we speak a lot of ojas; most people do not understand this term, nor do they recognize the importance of ojas. In Ayurveda, we believe ojas to be the pure essence of all bodily tissues. Ojas is the essence related to vitality and immunity in an individual. It is like honey. Just as the essence of hundreds of flowers is collected and distributed throughout the honeycomb by honeybees for the survival of the hive, ojas is circulated via the heart throughout all our tissues to maintain the body’s natural resistance to degeneration and illness.

In short, ojas can be described as our immune system. Ojas fights against aging, decay, and disease. It is a superfine biological substance that gives strength to all the body’s tissues. Although it may sound like an abstract concept, ojas is a protoplasmic, biological substance that includes albumin, globulin, and other proteins, as well many hormones. It is formed during biosynthesis of the bodily tissues. Modern medicine talks about ojas in terms of the immune system, which includes the hematopoietic, endocrine, nervous, and digestive systems. The Ayurvedic concept of ojas corresponds to substances recognized by modern medical science, including gamma globulin, which supports the immune function of the liver.

Immunity depends on the quality of the digestion, liver function, and the integrated functioning of all hormones in the endocrine system. It also involves the nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems. All these systems must perform their physiological functions harmoniously to maintain ojas. As the manifestation of this balanced state of health, ojas is our key source of strength and power and natural resistance to illness—in other words, our natural immunity. While we also have acquired immunity, which develops as a result of exposure to pathogens, our natural immunity—ojas—is our first line of defense against infection.  

Ojas has the power to counteract the etiological factors or cause of disease. Ojas is influenced directly by agni, or digestive fire, which determines the quality of assimilation and nutrition. These qualities of ojas also depend on our lifestyle, our exposure to stress and trauma, and the qualities of our relationships. If, for example, our relationships are unhealthy or damaged our ojas will be weak.

So how do we support our ojas? Building ojas is an art. Perhaps one of the best ways to consistently build ojas is to eat a diet of fresh, unprocessed whole foods in the appropriate season. Through the process of healthy digestion, microscopic amounts of the essence of these foods accumulate over time and become ojas. Ghee is an effective ojas-building substance that can be added to your daily diet. 

Ayurveda also prizes certain herbs, including ashwagandha and shatavari, as great ojas builders. Traditionally, a concoction of these herbs was blended with ojas-building foods like dates, almonds, coconut, saffron, ghee, honey, and cardamom in a milk base. This mixture was warmed and taken before bed as a sleep aid and an ojas builder to boot.

Other effective ways of building ojas include healthy lifestyle routines, such as good sleeping habits (early to bed, early to rise and not sleeping excessively), yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, walking in nature, laughing, expressing and showing love and affection, creativity, taking time and not rushing, doing things that make you happy,  giving to others, daily self-massage with oil, and daily self-love.
 

Disclaimer
The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of Ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease.