WOOD BETONY
Betonica officinalis: Labiatae
PART USED: aerial portions, collected before flowers bloom and dried
| PLANET: Jupiter | ELEMENT: Fire |
| TASTE: bitter | VIPAKA: pungent |
| WARMTH: cool | DOSHAS: V+ P- K- |
MERIDIANS: lung, liver, heart
ACTIONS: nervine and nervine tonic, sedative, antispasmodic, bitter tonic, aromatic, astringent, alterative, vulnerary, expectorant, haemostatic.
INDICATIONS: anxiety, hysteria, palpitations, nervous or migraine headache, pain in head and face, neuralgia, seizures, tinnitus, insomnia, nervous debility, high blood pressure, fever, inflamation, asthma, dyspepsia, rheumatism, toxicity of blood, wounds (bites, bruises), spasmodic dysmenorrhea
PRECAUTIONS: contraindicated in pregnancy, uterine stimulant
CONSTITUENTS: alkaloids including BETAINE, BETONICIN, STACHYDRIN, TRIGONELLIN, and TURICIN, tannins (15%), bitters, caffeic acid, glycosides, cholin, traces of essential oil
PREPARATION AND USE: -infusion, often drunk as tea
-can be smoked for headache
-leaves can be crushed as poultice for wounds
-small doses are astringent, so stop diarrhea, larger doses are
laxative, much larger doses are emetic
-take daily with boiled warm milk for chronic headaches
-combines well with skullcap
-a substitute for oriental black tea, similar in taste
-sweet, fleshy root can be eaten raw or cooked like carrots
USE IN MAGIC: Protection, Purification, Love
-protection from bad dreams, ill health, ill fortune
-wear when making love advances or when trying to mend lovers'
quarrels
-purification of body and soul before rituals
-used to combat drunkenness
-purification and protection incenses
USE IN PERSONAL GROWTH:
-use to calm fears and get grounded in fearful situations so that one
can look at all the alternatives
"As I ground my fears, I perceive the life-affirming truths that lie under them."