Shatavari to Balance our Mind and Body from the Root to the Crown
Shatavari (Asparagus Racemosus)
When I studied this plant through the lens of the moon in a medicinal way in my herbal studies, I was attracted to this herb by pure intuition - it was an immediate calling out from my body to try it.
Led by the simple knowing and sweet feeling of “this will be juicy and really good for me”, working with shatavari has opened me to deeper relationship with the Moon, its affect on my rhythm of extrovert and introvert, the yin qualities of compassion and receptivity, the watery depths of my emotions, and its quality of reflecting and mirroring of the cycles of nature within myself as well as all around me.
I have embraced the feminine aspects of life more fully and as a result, my body is happier, more lubricated, and I overall feel juicier.
As it turns out, this is esoterically what the moon inspires in us to strive for…
Shatavari is known as the “herb of 100 husband”s in Ayurvedic medicine. An interesting description as this herb has a tonifying and moisturizing affect on the endocrine/female reproductive system, the respiratory system, and the mucosa in the body. ( How much moisture and mucus we have in our body fluids, skin, etc.)
It is a woody climbing herb that has a large root system and small white flowers which have spikes ending on a red “dot”/ball on top of the spikes. (Image on the left shows the “spikes” with red dots. with the root system on the right. All images from Strictly Medicinal Seeds)
Having a sweet and slightly bitter taste shatavari has a mild astringent action that can
assist our digestion and helps to soothe and nourish conditions of excess, heat, unbalance or depletion.
This makes sense in our minds as we generally reach for sweet foods when we feel depleted and unbalanced and want to be soothed, but they don’t actually do that for us do they? Try some shatavari mixed in warm tea or milk instead and see what happens…
The sweet taste is also good for Kapha type constitutions. (as they really tend to like the sweet flavor) As it is cooling, it may aggravate cold constitutions, which is interesting because Kapha is considered cold, so this is an antipathetic remedy!
It is considered generally safe with no clinical known reactions.
However, if you have abdominal bloating it may aggravate this.
It is also a bit cooling and may aggravate Kapha constitutions, making them feel more heavy, more dense, in their bodies.
Generally Shatavari is used in tincture or powder form. Personally, after trying both, I feel the powder form is more effective.
The whole plant contains steroidal saponins, glycosides, alkaloids, polysaccharides, mucilage, racemosol, and isoflavones. It helps balance hormones and can support healthy aging by reducing skin damage helping prevent collagen breakdown
.
Shatavari also contains phytoestrogens which account for some of its sweet taste. These compounds can help to regulate the ovarian cycle and help reduce PMS symptoms as well as help to relieve menopausal symptoms; in particular hot flashes and dry vagina.
This plant may also contain zinc and help to raise zinc levels in the body!
The roots and leaves are mainly used on an extract or in powder form. (I really find the powder form to be more effective. ) The root also contains mostly steroidal saponins which may be also be immunomodulatory in their actions.
The roots are considered the best for the medical qualities of this plant which include rejuvenation, moistening the mucosa of the vagina digestive tract (thereby improving digestion and even helping in ulcer symptoms.) It is here, the name “Herb of 100 husbands” makes sense. I can absolutely attest to this moistening of the mucosa, my skin, and particularly the vagina. Overall, my body feels juicier… Juicy, loving, receptive…. and menopausal dryness is down a lot!
Esoteric Significance/ Fun Tidbits about Shatavari (Asparagus Racemosus)
Ruling Planet: Moon
The Moon is Yin/Feminine. She is cooling, moistening, mucilaginous which all increase the water element.
Ruling elements:
Water
When the sun is deficient, it’s as if the fire has dimmed, and water and earth are settling in to have us, and our bodies, slow down and stagnate. (damp stagnation)
Ruling Principle: (What it is here to teach us.)
Esoterically, the moon is about our emotions.
The moon (She) corresponds to the feminine. Through the moon we learn to let go. To let go of our attachments and surrender to trust and flow.
Lessons taught by the moon are the ability to look within, to be alone with the richness and depths of our feelings, our intimate connections to the cycles of our bodies rhythms, but also the cycle of life.
She heals our disconnection to the feminine within and without of ourselves.
By doing this, we heal our relationship to the divine feminine/our feminine/yin qualities, ourselves, and that of our own lineage into the earth itself.
My work with this herb has sunk me deeper into the magical world of plants, my personal rhythm, where my body is as a middle aged woman, and it’s juiciness being restored and rejuvenated along with feeling more connected to natural rhythms and cycles.
With her healing and regenerative constituents, Shatavari is showing me what a powerful ally she is for women in perimenopause, but more so for women in menopause and beyond in particular.
I’ve felt Shatavari bring a gentle balance and integration of my inner and outer worlds, to understand myself even better than before, and to support my hormones and body inside and out as I age.
It’s no wonder she Balances our Mind and Body from the Root to the Crown.