Evolutionary Herbalism by Sajah Popham;

Author:Sajah Popham;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781623173142
Publisher: Penguin Random House LLC (Publisher Services)
Published: 2019-02-23T16:00:00+00:00

Figure 19. The energetic architecture of the six tastes

Affinities

Our second Key is a plant’s anatomical affinities within the body, or its primary location of influence—what the ancient Greek doctors referred to as “appropriations.” This points toward where in the body a plant will exert its predominant medicinal effect. Traditionally, affinities were commonly determined through the doctrine of signatures, according to which the plant resembles the organ to which it is appropriated. For instance, large leaves are for the lungs (Mullein, Comfrey), rhythmic structures are for the heart (Digitalis, Motherwort), and lobed plants are for the liver (Chelidonium, Artichoke, Dandelion). Another approach is to use the taste of the plant, as bitters generally have an affinity for the gastrointestinal tract, pungents for the circulation and blood, and sweets for the mucosa, for example. And of course, experience plays a role in understanding where plants act in the body, as does tradition.

A helpful way to understand affinities is to break down the different layers of organization within the human organism as we did in chapter 9. The most practical of these levels are the tissues, organs, and systems. Some practitioners may consider these delineations to be too specific, preferring to just look at the affected organs; however, some plants may not have particular organ affinities and instead affect a certain tissue type. Some herbs can influence a specific organ, whereas others may influence the entire organ system.

For example, Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) has a particularly strong affinity for the large intestine but does not influence the stomach as strongly, whereas Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) addresses the entire digestive system—stomach, small and large intestines, liver, and gallbladder. Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) certainly affects the respiratory, urinary, and digestive systems, but it does so because it has a primary tissue affinity in the mucosal membranes. Thus, breaking down a remedy’s affinity for tissues, organs, and systems outlines specifically where in the body it will have its primary influence, and it supports the practitioner in selecting the remedy that is most well suited for the person.

While in biomedical physiology we see various tissue types such as mucosa, blood, and nerves, in the Ayurvedic tradition we see seven primary tissues, or dhatus, which are the basis for the formation of all the organs of the body. The dhatus progress from one to the next, founded upon the proper digestion of food. Thus we see that the digested materials that are absorbed from the gut turn into the rasa dhatu, or plasma, which is then transformed into rakta dhatu, or blood, moving into mamsa dhatu (muscle), meda dhatu (fat), asthi dhatu (bone), majja dhatu (marrow/nerve), and finally shukra and artava dhatus (reproductive).5

Ayurvedic physiology and therapeutics are strongly rooted in these seven tissue types. Practitioners note where there is inadequate transformation from one tissue to the next, and they use herbal medicines and other therapeutic strategies to clear blockages within these tissues and the channels that connect them to generate a seamless flow of vitality from one tissue to the next.

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