Herbal dynamics – Rosmarinus officinalis L

To give an example of how we can convert a text into a system dynamic model – in this case, a hologram – we will illustrate this above using a passage from Peter Holmes’s book, which you can find below. This passage appears in Volume 1 on page 342 and contains the excellent remarks that Peter Holmes made by way of summary regarding Rosemarinus officinalis L.

Notes

“A look at Rosemary leaf’s two main tastes, sweet and pungent, will solve the problem of its seemingly divergent energetic qualities. These properties seem to go to the interior and the exterior simultaneously and to the head as well as the genitals. On one hand, Rosemary’s sweet and slightly bitter taste move things downward and inward (as seen in the choleretic, digestive, and mild laxative, diuretic and emmenagogue actions). On the other hand its pungent taste disperses energy upwards and outwards (as seen in the cephalic, nervine, diaphoretic and antirheumatic actions).

Like branches of the Yin / Yang symbol, these two energetic movements spiral in opposite directions. Between them lies Rosemary ’s true epicenter: the rhythmic region of heartbeat, inbreath / outbreath and circulation. Rosemary is a rare heart and lung restorative / stimulant that should be used when both are deficient_when fatigue, palpitations, shallow breathing, mental depression, lack of self-esteem, etc., prevail. Rosemary actually replenishes deficient zong qi, the thorassic Anestral Qi of Chinese medicin.

The popular Renaissance herbalist and writer of Strasburg, Wilhelm Ryff, describes the effects of a Rosemary preparation as follows: “The spirits of the heart and entire body feel joy from this drink, which dispels all despondency and worry.” The more down to earth medic and pastor across the Swiss border in Basel, Otto Brunfells, puts it more succinctly: “It creates pluck and courage.”

Rosemary’s leaf central function is intimately connected in the warmth body and the blood. As an aterial stimulant the remedy permeates the whole organism internally and externally with movement and warmth. In other words, moving outward from the rhithmic center, Rosemary systematically tonifies and dynamically circulates the body’s Yang, the innate warmth housed in the blood. Yang deficient and deficiency cold conditions of the internal organs, channels and collaterals therefore respond best to its use.

Rosemary’s stimulant action on adrenal and sympathetic nervous functions merely reinforces its use for Heart, Lung, Kidney, Spleen and Liver Yang deficiency syndromes. Rosemary brings into manifestation the full impact on the organism of a Mediterranean plant drenched in cosmic warmth and light, producing powerful, active volatile oils.

There is another aspect in this remedy, however. Because of the effect of the essential oil on the endocrine system (notably adrenals, liver and spleen). Rosemary is also a archetypal restoring remedy. Certainly, this sweet-tasting herb was seen to compete with Sage leaf for “slowing down aging, drunk on a daily basis.” (Brunfels).

The botanical’s nervous restorative action, allied to the cardiotonic effect, creates an ideal remedy for that paricullary Chines syndrome known as Heart Blood and Spleen Qy deficiency. This where appetite lost and fatigue mingle with more cerebral deficiency symptoms like memory loss and absent- mindedness.

Clearly Rosemary in the accupuncture idiom is the LI 9 of herbs for mental fatigue, and the botanical P4 for treating amnesia. In addition, like Valerian and Eyebright, it was much used for failing vision_which is probably the combined result of the kidney cleansing and nervine effects. Would it be wrong tot describe Rosemary as an herbal Gb 14?”

With thanks to Peter Holmes for these incisive notes.

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