The Super Powers of Super Plants

Jeff Oxford

Anima Mundi is the Latin term for “soul of the universe” or “world soul.” It refers to the idea of a link between spirit and matter, including plants. As regarded by ancient philosophers, it is the divine essence which embraces and energizes all life in the universe. It is also the name herbalist Adriana Ayales, a Costa Rica native turned herbal healer, aptly selected for her business.

Her mission? To preserve the wisdom of ancient botany. And like Anima Mundi, she captures and unleashes the powerful, healing spirit essence of plants, herbs and fungi to create her new line of healing, energizing and soothing tonics. As she tells it, “…I founded Anima Mundi with the purpose of providing an unadulterated medicinal herb line that integrates native traditions and ancient formulations…to create a business that not only provided an actual pure and powerful form of healthcare, I also cared to help preserve indigenous lands and their local economies through organic agriculture and wildcrafted goods.”

Plants with Intelligence

As part of our evolutionary development as humans, we are advancing in our studies of plants, both in the discovery of new plants and identifying uses of ones we are already familiar with. Many believe that since plants don’t have brains, they cannot think or reason.

Some scientists are now saying plants can be intelligent since they can sense, learn, remember and even react in ways that would be familiar to humans. Not only that, plants can, Ayales tells us, “help us with our consciousness and how we perceive life, essentially providing enlightening nutrition that ultimately taps the mind and body to higher frequency.”

Plants Are Stepping Into The Light As Transformers

Many believe these herbs are stepping into the spotlight now to shift our current collective consciousness into a higher evolution. As Ayales’ writes in her blog , “Ancient civilizations regarded these mystical herbs as transformers; agents of change that contributed to the shift of consciousness across different points in time. At this point in our planetary history, there is no point in simply surviving, it’s essential we consciously feed ourselves the nutrition that grants us a passage beyond balance.

Plants as Healers

Ayales’ new line of potent tonics contains many of the fascinating powerhouse botanicals which are fast becoming household words, such as Lion’s Mane, Ashwagandha, Turmeric, and Brahmi, to name of few. If you have not made acquaintance with the potency of these superplants, your quick introduction to a few of these incredible follows:

Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Mighty Mushroom – Lion’s Mane

Lion’s Mane’s (sometimes called Hedgehog Mushroom) use goes back hundreds of years in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic for supporting overall health and longevity. It is frequently found in bone broths and has gained a reputation as brain food, a mental focuser and nerve strengthener. A medicinal mushroom known for its extraordinary capacity to stimulate the synthesis of  nerve growth factor (NGF), this fascinating fungus plays a critical role in the maintenance, health, and regeneration of neurons in brain and body. NGF is the primary protein nutrient responsible for enhancing and repairing neurological disorders and literally rebuilding the nerve network in the brain and the body from the inside out. A lack of NGF is considered one of the major causes of Alzheimer’s and other degenerative brain diseases.

The Strong Stallion – Ashwagandha

According to Dr. Josh Axe, certified doctor of natural medicine, doctor of chiropractic and clinical nutritionist, the root Ashwagandha, or literally, “smell of horse” (because its fresh roots are said to smell like a horse and, when you consume it, you may develop the strength and vitality of a horse too), is used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 2,500 years. It’s actually the most commonly used and extensively researched adaptogen herb. Ashwagandha serves many purposes and benefits many body systems, including the immune, neurological, endocrine and reproductive systems.

Turmeric

Tough Turmeric

Yellow-orange Turmeric, a cousin to ginger, is a potent natural anti-inflammatory compound with a large volume of research behind its use. As the subject of peer reviewed studies, it is regarded as effective in slowing or preventing blood clots, reducing depression symptoms, fighting inflammation, and boosting skin health. It may outperform common arthritis drugs, and some say, could even treat or prevent certain cancers.

Blissful Brahmi

Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), sometimes called Herb of Grace and commonly seen as a decorative and delicate plant waving in aquarium waters, is one of the most revered medicinal plants in Ayurveda, often placed on altars and in temple entryways. For brain health, it has been shown to stimulate synaptic communication and lower inflammation within brain cells. It is legendary for its ability to boost serotonin and dopamine production, providing a powerful mood-boosting, hormone-regulating effect. It is also often used for its blissful qualities, as it significantly lowers anxiety and just makes you feel good.

Tulsi leaves

The Incomparable One – Tulsi

Tulsi (also known as The Queen of Herbs) is revered as an “elixir of life” that is without equal for both its medicinal and spiritual properties. In India, tulsi is incorporated into spiritual rituals and lifestyle practices providing a many health benefits that are just beginning to be acknowledged by modern science. Daily consumption of tulsi is said to prevent disease, promote general health, wellbeing and longevity and assist in dealing with the stresses of daily life. Tulsi is also credited with giving luster to the complexion, sweetness to the voice and fostering beauty, intelligence, stamina and a calm emotional disposition.

Herb of Enlightenment – Gotu Kola

Gotu Kola is found in a master tonic revered in China and India for its spiritual granting abilities. Yogis have used it as a meditation aid and it has been thought to restore balance to the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Long used for its incredible collagen boosting skin regenerative properties, It is also used to treat mental fatigue, anxiety, depression, memory loss, and insomnia. Gotu kola activates the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that acts like fertilizer for your brain encouraging new brain cell formation by encouraging dendrite branching, increasing brain plasticity and communication between brain cells.

Maidenhair Tree – Ginkgo Biloba

In 2014, the International Journal of Phyotherapy and Phytopharmacology, called ginkgo biloba “currently the most investigated and adopted herbal remedy for cognitive disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.” One of the oldest tree species on Earth, Gingko Biloba has been used in China and Asian countries medicinally to heal various health ailments for thousands of years. According to current research, benefits include improved cognitive function, positive mood, increased energy, improved memory and reduced symptoms related to multiple chronic diseases. Dr Axe cites uses as remedies for asthma, ADHD, and dementia treatment.

 

 

Next time you walk by a a luscious garden or a secluded patch of woods, remember all who living there. Pause in wonder and maybe even give thanks. Plants hold the key to much of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. We have yet to unlock all the mysteries that they hold.