Tulsi Harvest
Came home from a mini-vacation to my Tulsi plants big and blooming. After 2 days of settling back in, I finally got around to harvesting the leaves and flowers of this amazing plant. Tulsi, or Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum), is an annual medicinal and culinary herb that has history which dates back hundreds of years in India (200-400 BC). An Ayurvedic remedy, Tulsi is known as an “elixir of life” for promoting longevity. But that’s not all it does. According to the principles of Ayurveda, Tulsi is classified as a rasayana, or an herb that nourishes the growth of a person to perfect health and longevity. This is one reason Tulsi has been considered one of India’s most powerful plants. It is very sacred, having a purifying influence on everything around it, which explains why Hindus use it in morning prayer to ensure personal health, spiritual purity and well being in the family. The stem of this Holy Basil would make prayer beads for use in meditation to give protection and clarity.
Tulsi has many medicinal benefits that range from being carminative (helping digestion), anti-viral, antibacterial, adaptogen (helps the body adapt to stress and restore balance), antidepressant, and immunomodulating. So, in other words, it’s great for digestion, colds, flu, stress, depression and the immune system. Plus it smells and tastes great! What more could you ask for from this sacred plant?
Not only is it easy to grow, but I find that the taste of a freshly harvested plant is so much sweeter than the store bought tea bags. And so easy to prepare. On the first day of harvest, I usually brew up a couple handfuls in a gallon of water, let stand for an hour and strain. I love the sweet aroma and taste it brings to my mouth, it barely needs any honey or sweetener. It makes a heavenly iced-tea just in time for summer and is what I find I am drinking daily, as it really does calm stress and anxiety. It is my go-to herb for chilling out, hands down. When I travel, if I can’t bring it with me, I have my Tulsi tincture to take by the dropper for a quick fix. It’s never let me down. The Holiest of the Basils. You should try some, it could change your life. It did mine. I am forever grateful to have Tulsi in my life and my garden!
Tags: Ayurveda, harvest tulsi, holy basil, sacred basil, Tulsi