Herb of the Month

January 2023

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Herb: Ashwagandha

Latin name: Withania somnifera

Alternate name: “Indian Winter cherry” or “Indian Ginseng”

Sanskrit name/meaning: the strength of the horse // the smell of a horse

Actions: Adaptogen, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, nervine, antispasmodic

Energetics: Warm & dry

Taste: Bitter & sweet

Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine practiced in India can be traced back to 6000 BC (Charak Samhita, 1949). For most of these 6000 years Ashwagandha has been used as a Rasayana. The root of Ashwagandha is regarded as tonic, aphrodisiac, narcotic, diuretic, anthelmintic, astringent, thermogenic and stimulant. The root smells like horse (“ashwa”), that is why it is called Ashwagandha (on consuming it gives the power of a horse). It is commonly used in emaciation of children (when given with milk, it is the best tonic for children), debility from old age, rheumatism, vitiated conditions of vata, leucoderma, constipation, insomnia, nervous breakdown, goiter etc. (Sharma, 1999).

Ashwagandha became my herb of the month from what I learned about the benefits of it. It’s an herb that helps protect the body from damaging effects of every day stress, while simultaneously also providing energy. Ashwagandha can help to regulate the stress response system.

In my experience with working with Ashwagandha, it has a more sedative effect to me, it’s beneficial for me to relax and clear my mind as I am someone who is prone to general anxiety and nervousness and as such Ashwagandha became an plant ally for me to work with.

From what I have studied, Ashwagandha works best on a long-term basis as opposed to a one time use for instant effect. I can say that I have noticed a difference after taking it daily for a month, but I am interested to see how it progresses with more time, so more on that might be shared in the future.

There’s various uses for Ashwaganda, as previously noted it is one of most used herbs in Ayurveda. However, as a horse lover, I have to admit that the sanskrit name really drew me in. There’s that connection to the horse with the root ashwa meaning “smells like a horse.” What’s funny is the first time that I opened up a bottle of Ashwagandha capsules my immediate thought was “this smells like a horse” and if you’ve been anywhere near a barn or horses in a stall, there’s the smell of the horses and the smell of hay and alfalfa and that was the general initial whiff that I got from smelling the capsules. The smell alone just transports you to being around horses, or perhaps it was my own mind thinking “I know the meaning of this already” and so that was the first thing I thought. Either way, it’s really fascinating to me. Now, Ashwagandha root itself that I ordered, it wasn’t the same immediate HORSE smell. The herb by itself has a spicy earthy scent to it. To me it almost smells like what ginger tastes like. It’s warm and spicy and feels tingly.

Also lets talk about horses for a minute. In Spiritual Herbalism by Josh Williams, he discusses how in the Indo-European there are instances within mythology surrounding sacred twins and their connection to horses. I’m gonna include that little blurb about it because it’s amazing.

The Vedics have their Ashivins, the Greeks have their Dioskuroi, Lithuanians have their Dievo Sūneliai, the Welsh have Bran and Manawydan, and Germans have the Alcis. There are at least ten more that could be listed; a testament to how these ancient god-forms moved through cultures from India to the Celtic Isles. What does this have to do with Ashwagandha? Maybe nothing, but I reckon it has an important connection if even just poetically. The twins of all these traditions are always, in some way, related to horses.

-Josh Williams, Spiritual Herbalism

This is an interesting thought, the way horses were in some cultures even gods in their own right. For instance, Sleipnir, from Norse mythology. More of a half god? The son of Loki. Loki, who is both the mother of Sleipnir as well as the father to Fenrir (Fenrisúlfr), the wolf, Jörmungand, the serpent that surrounds the world, and Hel, the goddess of death. Perhaps one of these days I will have a whole post about horse gods or horses connected to gods also. However, I think it’s fascinating to learn about the connection of horses to plants, to mythology, to folkore, perhaps the connection of horses to plants itself is amazing on its own.

What’s going to be fun about these posts is that, these words are just coming out as I go. There is no thought, this is essentially a stream of consciousness kind of thing you’re getting. Some of you might love it, and some of you might hate it and honestly that’s okay!

I digress. But, this herb is fascinating to me, I’ve really formed a bit of a connection to it over the past month. I’m looking forward to continue taking it daily because it has provided a noticeable difference for me in being able to relax and not succumb to my anxiety. I personally take it in the morning, and it sticks with me throughout the day, but it’s not a draggy kind of relaxing. It just provides a subtle energy boost while keeping the nervousness and anxiety at bay. It’s lovely.

I will note- THIS SHOULD NOT BE USED IN PREGNANCY UNLESS UNDER THE CARE OF A QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL.

Actually, I will probably note it in all of my posts, but any herb you take, please discuss with a professional. There are so many great resources out there, but if you take prescription meds, you need to discuss that with your healthcare provider. I say this from experience after accidentally taking a “natural supplement” in addition to an SSRI when I was still taking SSRI’s and man… I do not recommend making decisions without discussing with a professional first. I am what can only be referred to as a novice. An absolute newbie in the herbal realm. We are learning TOGETHER my friends.

I will be attempting to post/highlight an herb a month. That doesn’t mean I will limit my posts to only (1) a month, but that my goal for 2023 is to focus on a specific herb for a whole month and learn as much as I can about it. Sit with it. Smell it. Eat it. Find folklore about it. You get the idea.

Anyway, that’s all my little brain can come up with for the moment. Please don’t hesitate to correct me, ask questions, add your thoughts, so on and so forth.