Red Root: Organized Flow
By Deb
It was springtime in the Chiricahua mountains… one of the beautiful and sacred sky islands in south east Arizona. The lilac scent of the white blossoms penetrated the surrounding air. I was immediately attracted not only by her physical beauty but the energy she held. I found myself a comfortable place to sit closely to her. Drinking in the details of her profound beauty, not knowing her name yet, I introduced myself and explained to her why I was there. Simply to connect. I sat cross legged opening myself to the possibilities. The hours passed by quickly in her presence. At one point, a word formed in my mind. Appreciating the humor of this gorgeous plant, laughing I sketched down the word “floganize” into my journal. I knew this would be a powerful teaching and asset to support the growth of our relationship and my understanding of one of the gifts this plant has to share. I wasn’t quite sure what it meant yet. Eventually, I learned the names of this lovely plant : Red Root, Ceanothus spp., New Jersey Tea, Buck Brush, Four Directions plant. Come to find out, this is one of the energetics this plant can create when ingested internally. As Michael Moore stated in his Medicinal Plants of the Mountains West book, “Another way to describe it is having sticky or viscous blood, with adhering constituents or diminished surface tension or charge. Red Root kicks up the charge and helps blood cells and inner vessel linings repel each other better; the blood, while not changing chemistry, changes its osmolality and flows better.” Red Root is well known as a lymphatic and blood remedy used for several imbalances.
Our bodies are not functioning on chaos. The body’s innate intelligence knows what to do. The intellect of the body has in depth organized flow of which can become congested and needs the support of a plant like this on a regular basis. Doug reminds us that, “Red Root keeps life flowing strong and good. We don’t have to wait for a time when the body is noticeably sick. We can use it when we are sick but most importantly we can use it long before that.” When the organized flow is happening within the blood and the lymph, every system in the body is working better including the mind.
I’ve learned that this wonderful plant not only helps us to have organized flow in our physical system but also transfers into the actions of our daily lives. When I am drinking this tea, my life works more efficiently due to the clarity in my mind. Like Doug says, “finer than a frogs hair!”
Doug also has taught me that this plant has the ability to “stop a decline in health or a worsening of an imbalance. It helps to level it off and bring it back up.” Doug also suggests that, “Red Root is an electrical remedy. It helps us to harmonize the electricity in the body.”
So add a little Red Root to some water, hot or room temperature and let it steep. Invite this plant and the organized flow into your body and life. More to be revealed about this plant at a later date….