Meditation Informs Healing Facilitation

Hello dear readers,

First and foremost, I am neither a doctor, nor a certified herbalist. So before making any changes to your lifestyle or health or supplements, please discuss with an appropriate practitioner.

So why am I writing this?

Because I wanted to put together a newsletter for my clients about alternative options for boosting the immune system, possibly resisting infection and even options for what to do if one contracts Covid 19. Therefore, the research is already done.

Again however, I make no claims about diagnosing, treating, preventing or curing any disease. That is in the purview of a licensed healthcare practitioner – go talk to them first before implementing any of this advice.

What are we dealing with here? (How does Covid 19 make us so sick?)

First of all, I am not a doctor, nor a scientist, or an epidemiologist. So this is based on reading other experts studies, research and experience.

This post is trying to cover a lot in a minimal amount of words, so see below for more extensive resources if you want to do your reading. Obviously, I highly recommend doing your research – take your health in your own hands!

Covid 19, a coronavirus, was originally thought to be a respiratory virus. It turns out in fact to be able to effect many systems in the body – not just the lungs. This particular coronavirus is able to infect and impact the lungs, kidneys, heart, brain, the GI tract, skin, blood cells, eyes, the liver and circulatory system. It is a serious disease with serious consequences for most of those who contract it.

This virus can enter cells through a number of receptors, primarily the ACE2 receptor, which happens to be prevalent on cells in nearly every system of the body. This is a part of why the virus can have such a wide spread array of symptoms and manifestations.

Covid 19 also has immune modulating effects. Meaning it can take down the immune response temporarily while it infects the body, setting us back days in our fight against infection. So how can we combat this insidious pathogen?

What are some herbs which have positive effects on the systems affected by Covid 19?

Again, not a doctor, nor am I a certified herbalist. Do your own research or speak with a licensed practitioner before changing your lifestyle or health routines.

One herb which should be included in every Covid 19 protocol is Salvia miltiorrhiza – red sage. This herb has heart protective functions, it slows clotting and even benefits the lymph system – in particular the spleen and appendix. On top of all this, it has a modulating effect on the enzyme the virus uses to access the ACE2 receptors. Meaning it might have preventative functions!

Salvia Miltiorrhiza is best used when paired with Pueraria Lobata (kudzu root). Pueraria has lung protective functions, along with benefiting the lymph system.

One note: Salvia miltiorrhiza should be used with caution if you are on anti-coagulant medication – blood thinners. Again, talk to your doctor first!

Some of what Covid 19 does to our immune system causes an inflammatory cascade, making the damage much worse – to our circulation, our lungs, liver, lymph system and more. So how can we prevent our body from working against itself as it were?

There are many herbs which help to reduce various steps in this inflammatory cascade, I will just name a few here, including Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese Knotweed), Andrographis paniculata, Glycyrrhiza spp, and Aster tartaricus. Aster also benefits the lung tissue, so consider adding it to any protocol as well. In fact, I would recommend adding all of the above herbs. Japanese Knotweed has many benefits, especially for older people, as it contains very high levels of resveratrol. Andrographis is extremely beneficial for the immune system, along with fighting off certain types of tick-born pathogens (Lyme disease in particular). And Glycyrrhiza has many benefits – including benefiting the brain, the heart and reducing inflammation.

Please note: Andrographis can cause a mild allergic reaction in about 3% of the population. Always start out using a small dose for the first 2 weeks to see if you are allergic. And if you are on hypertension drugs (high blood pressure) or have potassium issues in your body, please speak to your doctor before using any Glycyrrhiza herbal products.

Another herb to consider having on hand is Scutellaria baicalensis. It benefits the lymph system, the immune system as well as reducing harmful inflammation as a result of Covid 19 infection. Remember, by clearing the lymph system faster, the body can move cellular waste out of the body that much faster, allowing better access for the immune system and lymphocytes (immune cells).

All the herbs I have mentioned above are herbs I have purchased in tincture form. Plus the herb Houttuynia which protects the immune response. Last but not least, I also purchased a Rhodiola tincture as this is so protective of the respiratory system. I have a set of tinctures on hand just in case. My partner’s daughter is starting school this coming week, so I figure it is better to be safe than sorry.

Other herbs to consider:

Bidens pilosa – protecting the upper respiratory cells (which are usually infected first, leading to a loss of a sense of smell and taste)

Galium spp – lymph system supplementing

Eleutherococcus senticosus – Siberian Ginseng – I also have this in capsule form, as it is so tonifying for many systems of the body. Personally, I would only take this if I got sick as it can be so boosting to the chi and vitality (meaning I don’t want to become excessive in my subtle energy body)

Pleurisy root – for lymph system drainage and benefiting the lungs

Asclepias asperula – inmortal – also benefiting the lymph system

Sambucus spp – protecting the ACE2 receptors

Crataegus spp – Hawthorn – one of the best heart protectors out there, along with protecting the lungs

Cordyceps spp – protecting against inflammatory damage (among many other benefits)

Isatis spp – used often in Chinese medicine, this herb has many respiratory system benefits (primarily upper) along with benefiting the glands around the face (saliva glands); it is strongly recommended to add this to any Covid 19 infection protocol

See below for links to additional research and reading. Again, please take your health in your own hands, make informed decisions. This is an unprecedented disease with many manifestations. New research is coming out every week.

Other non-herbal recommendations for Covid 19:

Please keep in mind, I am not licensed to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. This information is just out there fore educational or entertainment purposes. Please speak to your appropriate licensed health care practitioner before making changes to your lifestyle or health routines.

lumbrokinase – a powerful anticlotting agent with other benefits

nattokinase – a moderately powerful anticlotting agent

(obviously, with lumbrokinase and nattokinase please note: do not take if you are on blood thinners or other anti-coagulant medication.)

serrapeptase – a moderate anticlotting agent with other benefits including reducing inflammation (more research is required before making claims about these agents)

Quercetin is a beneficial supplement for Covid 19 infections.

L-Malic acid is a required amino acid. It turns out, that people with chronic inflammation have very low levels of Malic acid. Also, people who have had Covid 19 have low levels during infection. This is due to Malic acid being required to repair damage done by inflammation (among other things). It is recommended to supplement this amino acid if you have chronic inflammation or come down with Covid 19.

Note: high doses of Malic acid can cause diarrhea. One way to get around this would be to take 300 mg in the morning and 300 mg in the evening.

Waiver: Speak with your doctor before taking any of the advice above. Making changes to your supplements and diet can have serious side effects and consequences. Please know that herbal / drug interactions are real and should be researched / discussed with an appropriate practitioner before adding new supplements / herbs.

We are in unprecedented waters. We need support, but touch is possibly dangerous (unless with people we live with). We want our kids to go back to school, but as safely as possible. We want restaurants and businesses to re-open, but how can we do so safely? I personally can’t wait to feel safe to hold a friend’s baby! And to mix it up with parties and social gatherings again.

Thankfully many studies have been done on the effects of Covid 19, and many more are on-going.

Good sites / places to get quality herbal tinctures:

Earth Ashram (Etsy)

Reverence Botanicals

Montana Farmacy

Desert Tortoise Botanicals

Woodland Essence

Also to get Mangifera indica tinctures (many benefits – look it up), you might want to consider Green Dragon Botanicals.

Links for additional information:

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/dietary-and-herbal-supplements

Click to access covid-19-2.update.txt.pdf

May we all stay safe. May we all get the support we need. May we all stay as healthy as possible, in spite of everything!

Thank you for reading,

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen

a guest article by Jennfier McGregor of Publichealthlibrary.org

5 Everyday Wellness Tips to Boost Your Health

Living a healthy lifestyle does not require as much effort as you might think. If you already feel like you’re juggling too many responsibilities, you may assume that you just don’t have the time to focus on wellness, but thankfully, incorporating basic healthy habits into your day-to-day life is relatively easy. Here are a few ways you can change your life for the better by focusing on your health from head-to-toe.

Create a Calm Atmosphere at Home

Are you struggling to deal with a negative atmosphere at home? If your family has been highly critical or argumentative lately, changing up your domestic environment might help switch up the mood in your household. A messy, cluttered home can create feelings of bad energy, but you can remedy this by deep cleaning and dusting your home, cracking the windows to get fresh air circulating, and putting items away in their proper storage places. You can even take things a step further by smudging each room to banish bad vibes!

Stick to Supportive Routines

It’s much easier to practice healthy habits day in and day out when you adhere to structured routines. After all, if you start the day off right and end it with a relaxing ritual, you’ll feel energized and motivated! If you’re trying to think of which activities you should include in your morning routine, VeryWellMind recommends going for a brisk walk to get some exercise, eating a filling breakfast, and making an organized to-do list for the rest of your day. To wind down for the night, make it a point to turn off your devices and curl up with a book an hour or two before bed.

Establish a Regular Spiritual Practice

You do not have to be religious to have a spiritual practice! Believe it or not, embracing spirituality can actually help you improve both your physical and mental health. Meditation and yoga are secular activities that bring serious benefits to consistent practitioners.

When it comes to yoga, you can start with a basic sequence that includes poses like downward facing dog, cobra, and seated twists. To really relax, you can follow up your yoga flow with a body-scan meditation session led by Wisdom Healing Arts. Tuning into your physical and spiritual self can be the key to better well-being!

Write In a Journal

Writing in a journal can be highly beneficial for your mental health. If you’ve never written in a journal before, and you’re not quite sure how to get started, Fast Company suggests setting a time limit for writing sessions. For instance, you could block off ten to fifteen minutes every morning to journal. Remember, you don’t need to be an author to enjoy writing in a journal – it’s okay if it feels a little awkward at first!

You can also use your journal as a space to record your diet and workout sessions, or perhaps try your hand at some poetry. It’s your space to express yourself and write about whatever you want!

Choose Helpful Supplements

Eating a nutritious diet is essential for your overall mental and physical health. Aim to cook at home with whole foods and organic ingredients as often as possible. But sometimes, we all need a little help to maintain our health! Choosing the right supplements can fill in any nutritional gaps in your diet. You can find promos and deals like Vitacost coupons for supplements when you shop online – staying healthy doesn’t have to break the bank!

When you concentrate on holistic health and embodied wellness, you can change your entire life. Health isn’t just about what we put in our bodies or how many hours we spend working out. It’s also about your mindset and your environment. If you can make small changes in every area of your life, you will be amazed at how much better you feel.

Photo via Pexels

In this day of pandemics, is there a spiritual practice which is very efficacious for repelling epidemics and plagues? Other than hand washing, hand-sanitizer rubbing, mask wearing behavior? Or Chi-increasing (life-force-energy increasing) activities like Qigong, Tai Chi, yoga, getting out in nature, eating fresh local organic food, etc?

According to my Tibetan Buddhist teachers, there is such a practice! And it can be found in an obscure, less-well-known practice of Deity Yoga called Parnashavari.

Who or what is Parnashavari? She is one of the 21 Taras… and she has a most interesting story.

Here is a link to the 84,000 project’s version of her short Dharani (with accompanying notes and introduction): https://read.84000.co/translation/toh736.html

Parnashavari, which basically translates to “leaf-clad mountain woman” was a Pishatsi, or a semi-divine being (wild woman) who lived in the forests of southern Asia and the Himalayas. Whenever she showed herself, horrible things happened – plagues swept through the lands, epidemics spread throughout the region and she might even take some people with her and devour them. She was basically a demoness (according to the story or myth). But there is a happy ending of sorts…

After she showed herself multiple times and caused widespread fear and terror among any who lived near her forests, they prayed fervently that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas would save them from her wrath and hunger. No one could help them until Bodhisattvas pleaded with Vajrayogini to intercede. She did, converting Parnashavari to the Dharma.

Then Parnashavari practiced the Buddha-Dharma day and night for hundreds and even thousands of years, purifying her negative karma and her mind-stream. Eventually she became fully enlightened, becoming the twentieth of the twenty-one Taras. As a Buddha, she came forth, and people were horrified again, as she still looked like a Pishatsi, a wild demon woman. But at that point, as a fully enlightened being, even if she had wanted to cause harm, she couldn’t because of her vows to benefit beings.

A highly realized teacher saw this in her wisdom eye, and told people that Parnashavari was now able to cure diseases (which she formerly caused) and prevent epidemics. And if the people prayed to her with faith and devotion, Parnashavari would even prevent harm and remove obstacles.

Recently, at least prior to January 2020, very few Buddhist practitioners did Parnashavari practice (deity yoga). But then the Corona Virus took the planet by storm, an epidemic turned pandemic. And suddenly, today most Holiness’ (heads of the Tibetan Buddhist lineages) are recommending that their followers accumulate Parnashavari practice.

It is a beautiful practice. If you are an individual with high acumen, it is worth getting the transmission or empowerment from an appropriate Tibetan Lama or teacher. Then there are several versions of the text available (not hard to find). Parnashavari really can help to remove obstacles – inner or outer and prevent disease.

Of course, keep up the mask wearing, hand washing and hand sanitizer use! We don’t want to create circumstantial karma – don’t give the virus the causes or conditions to take root.

Thank you for reading and may we all stay healthy and safe!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen