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Medicxnal Geography
High Mountain, elevation 8,000’-10,000’
Taos, NM
Planetary Correspondence
A conjunction of Mercury, Venus & Mars
Love of Artos
The relationship between humans and bears is the oldest connection to the animal kingdom that we know of. There are many fairy tales and myths revolving around people taking the form of bears, and in some cultures, bears are even considered gods. Artanius, derived from Artos meaning ‘bear’, was another name for the god Mercury during the Romano-Celtic era. The correspondence of bears as messengers of the gods is as old as our relationship to these ancient being themselves.
In the springtime when the bears come out of hibernation, they dig up the Osha, a pungent root, eating it, chewing it up, and spraying it all over their bodies to cleanse themselves of winter's sluggishness and build immunity. It's understood that watching this ritual of the bears is how humans learned to use Osha as a medicine. Osha is one of the most widely used herbs in the Southwest, having practical use as a medicine as well as sacred and magical uses in ritual. It’s said that carrying the root on you will protect one from snakebites, ward off mal energy, and is added to medicine pouches to potentiate the contents.
Clear Communication
It is said that Osha helps you speak your truth, and it’s encouraged to work with it if you have something important to express. Sometimes we do not say what we need to say, and the result can manifest physically as stagnation in the lungs, sore throats, general depression, and a depleted immune system. Working with Osha helps you hit the reset button, move what you have been suppressing, and build you back up to a state of vitality.
Sovereignty
Osha has a very specific symbiotic relationship between the mycorrhizal fungi that inhabit its roots and the landscapes in which it thrives. If the mycology is not present, Osha will not grow there. Hence it does not like to be cultivated and is slow in its longstanding build. Conscious cultivation of Osha is paramount.
EFFECT
Osha is a powerful antiviral, antimicrobial, expectorant, and immune booster. It can alleviate stubborn congestion in the lungs, kills cold and flu viruses, helps open airways, and allows for deeper breathing. Growing high in the mountains, it's also a valuable ally for building endurance and as a remedy for elevation sickness.
FLAVOR PROFILE: Peppery, warm, anise, celery, oily, sweet, strong, sharp
It’s said that it contains oxytocin, or perhaps stimulates a release of this hormone when ingested, a chemical that is important in pair-bonding and is released when we hug each other, kiss, and have sex. Bears have been seen nuzzling each other after chewing on the root, and this love potion effect supports nourishing and the heart and opening one to giving and receiving more affection.