Taoist Esoteric Plant Medicine: Inula Root

My entry in the current Natural Medicine Plant Medicine Challenge looks at the TCM properties of the herb Elecampane, and explains its possible uses from the perspective of the 内丹 Nèidān Inner Alchemy/Esoteric tradition.

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土木香 Tǔ Mù Xiāng

Pharmaceutical name: Inulae radix
Standard species: Inula helenium L.
English name: Inula root — literally “local wood fragrance”
Flavours: pungent/acrid, bitter
Temperature: warm
Channels: Lung, Liver, Spleen
Spirit: 魄 Pò (animal soul), 魂 Hún (immortal soul), 意 Yì (ideation)
Key uses:

• strengthens the Spleen & Stomach,
• promotes the flow of Qì,
• alleviates pain
  Dosage: 3–9g

This herb was a standard herb in the dispensary up until the 19th Century, when it was more commonly replaced by the Aucklandiae radix introduced from India and the Middle East. So it is not one that is used much nowadays in TCM.

In its traditional use, it was used in formulas to treat pain, fullness, and distension of the chest and abdomen accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dystenteric disorders or malarial disorders.

The key characteristic of this is that the presenting pattern must have an element of coldness and Qì stagnation which results in those signs and symptoms.

It is a highly fragrant plant, and the root even more so. It is this aspect which is of importance, containing a number of volatile oils and amino acids.

When the Qì is locked down and stuck, there is no internal flow. This creates stagnation. Imagine a body of water that has no flow; what happens? It becomes stagnant, and begins to fester. This is what happens in the body. The main manifestation is that we would feel a generalised pain within us. We feel stuck.

When it manifests in the Lung, Liver, and Spleen channels, we would feel that we are unable to move forward in life, unable to express ourselves, and a subsequent inability to take on new tasks or ideas. Most likely we would reject any new ideas that are given to us, and we may also feel like we cannot really share how we feel with others. This leads to resentment of sorts, and the attitude of “why should I listen to you if you don’t understand me”.

Pungent/acrid flavoured herbs are useful for awakening the Qì powerfully, kind of like pushing it up and out to ‘explode’ and open up the contraction that’s occurring. Usually when it combines with bitter flavours, it helps expel any stagnation downwards also — sort of like combining the actions of stimulation and detoxification. This is what we usually need in such situations. Not only do we need some flow in our lives (flow also brings change), but we need to expel all that toxic crap we’ve been holding onto inside us... all those negative feelings, and Self-pity.

What ensues is usually the capacity to express all that we are feeling and have held onto unnecessarily. It’s not unusual to see patients begin to weep or even laugh. They literally start to “get things off their chest”.

Then what starts to happen is that they begin to integrate ‘otherness’ into their lives easier. The ‘other’ is anything that is external to the self — so this can be other people’s opinions, advice, ideas, accepting other people into their lives, friendships, lovers, and sometimes even being able to begin to accept help and support. In the previous state, these things were just not possible, and were being rejected. This would have also been exacerbated by the coldness of the condition, the freezing up of the flow and the internal heat of the Heart and the erecting of barriers to keep others out.

Another aspect of this state is that one would be somewhat ‘out of their bodies’, possibly with some level of dissociation. These are people who cannot draw their attention to anything other than the pain and distension they were feeling. For example, they may not be able to tell you about their menstrual patterns, or the frequency of bowel motions, or even how any other part of their body feels. Their sleep would be disrupted, and they probably would have difficulty concentrating on tasks when they awake. These signs would all gradually disappear, and the first thing they’d notice is how much more ‘in their body’ they feel.

In short, they get into a generalised state of ease, able to integrate themselves with the world around them, and able to hold themselves with a greater sense of integrity. They are able to imagine a different way of living their lives, and any healing begins to quicken at this point.

In Herbal Medicine, this herb is never used on its own, and would be incorporated into an herbal decoction with other appropriate herbs in the formula, depending on the condition presenting.

Using this herb for esoteric/Alchemical purposes involves the sense of smell more than anything. It is the fragrance of the herb which awakens the associated aspects of consciousness — the immortal and animal souls, and our ideation. Tasting the herbs by sucking on the root also would be useful, or sipping warm water (at least 36°C) that the root has soaked in overnight. Conversely, growing the plant would also be useful, as the flowers are pretty and give off a subtle aroma. If using the root, the best quality are those roots which are solid, thick, and large with an intense aroma.

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Sources

• Bensky, D., Claves, S., Stöger, E., Gamble, A., 2004, Chinese Herbal Material Medica 3rd Edition, Eastland Press, Seattle WA.
• Jarrett, Lonny S., 2009, Nourishing Destiny: The Inner Tradition of Chinese Medicine, Spirit Path Press, Stockbridge MA.

Information offered in this post is for educational purposes only. This post makes neither medical claim, nor intends to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Links to external sites are for informational purposes only. This post neither endorses them nor is in any way responsible for their content. Readers must do their own research concerning the safety and usage of any herbs or supplements. If you are pregnant or nursing consult a professional before using herbs.

If you would like to speak with me about this herb or any of the things I wrote in the post, feel free to contact me via Telegram https://t.me/PetahRaven I am fully-qualified in Taoist, Shamanic, and Alchemical Medicine and will consult on a pay-as-you-feel basis (in Steem, SBD, BTC)

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