Basil: The King of Herbs
- Linda Crider
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
Notice how this sweet, little insect has found a seemingly peaceful refuge on the soft, aromatic leaf of a BASIL plant! Perhaps she's an Italian or French ladybug LOL? Yes, this plant is well known by cooks and chefs as a favorite staple in Mediterranean recipes. And no, this post will not be about cooking, so you can put away your chopping tools!
Before this herb even gets to the cutting board, it is grown by many as a popular garden plant for a lot of reasons. In my last post, I mentioned "companion plants," and as anyone who grows tomatoes discovers, Basil planted nearby any species of tomatoes helps to protect them from the dreaded horn worm and other pests that can ruin your plant or affect an entire crop. I'll let this charming, young Frenchman briefly fill you in on a few details...
I believe he is referring here to Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum), but If you've ever shopped for Basil plants, you'll know that there are many kinds. When I began writing this blog a few years ago, one of the first plants that I highlighted was Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum). I'm so fond of this herb that I even named one of my cats "Tulsi" as this sacred plant is reverentially called in India.
However, Holy Basil is not the only variety that has spiritual significance. When herbalist practitioner John Nash wanted to explore the vibrational properties of Sweet Basil, he came up with the following:
"The other day, I sat down with Sweet Basil and asked for any vibrational medicine properties not previously recorded by me. Basil is well known for its variety of medicinal benefits but I wanted to know more of its spirit, and the gift of energetic medicine it had to offer....When I let the scent of basil enter my space, I immediately sensed a focus and clarity of mind. Something that was new for me is a heart opening and protecting energy. I also sensed a protection or grounding energy around my feet."
So Basil doesn't only protect your tomato plants from garden pests, its grounding energy can also purify and protect your external surroundings and internal heart space.
Such an experience can occur using any variety of Basil and is an almost immediate response to the sharp, stimulating fragrance released when touching or bruising the leaves. If you don't want to handle the plant, you can get this same aromatic experience from the essential oil. In aromatherapy, the oil of Basil can be used topically to help with muscle spasms and headaches. It's also anti-bacterial and supports healthy digestion. When it is included in a diffuser or otherwise taken in by your sense of smell, it increases mental clarity and concentration. Much like its culinary and medicinal colleagues Rosemary and Peppermint, Basil can be energizing and mood elevating.
I experienced this first hand when I learned that you can put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and toss it into a vacuum cleaner
bag with the idea that the scent will disperse in the air as you vacuum. This works with any essential oil, but I chose to work with Basil. Anyone who knows me is aware that cleaning is usually at the bottom of my to do list (if it makes it there at all), but I not only felt an immediate energy boost from the scent of Basil, it also made the necessary task a more pleasant one for this chick.
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From pesto to pizza to purification, it looks like this herb has more to offer than you may have thought. Like many plants, it has a long, rich folk history and medicinal uses that go back centuries, cited by ancients such as Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder. I didn't know that the name translates from the Greek word basilikon, meaning "king,"and so Basil is considered by many to be the revered "King of Herbs"
How about that. Here we are now beginning to recognize plants as our teachers and allies, and this popular elder is also considered to be royalty!
As always, thanks for letting me share my thoughts and journey with you. I welcome your input, so if you want to submit a comment, scroll down to the bottom of this post. If you are interested in booking a personal session, you can do this here:
You can also contact me via email at: my.plant.allies@gmail.com
For now, here's wishing you wellness, wisdom and bloomin' vibes!
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