The tulsi plant links to the goddess in Indian and Nepalese culture, its figure is said to represent the goddess Tulasi, they regard this plant as the earthly manifestation of. Texts 5000 years ago in Sanskrit give tulsi the title ‘matchless one’ (1)
In the home this is used to make an altar , a sacred space toggle thanks for the many blessings in our lives, to clean a space and to rid the feeling of dullness. (2)
Chakras, stomach and the heart
So revered that this plant is placed next to the body after death to facilitate a easy crossing to the spirit realm, the herb has the energy of comforting us and guiding us on a journey.
Immune system and the link to feelings of safety.
For the immune system, Holy Basil can aid in increase of natural killer cell activity, t-helper cells, IL-4 and IFN-y. Also, an increase in Th1 and Th2, basically how are immune system is responding to invaders. (3)
This links to the feelings of safety and resilience often noted with holy basil, as a protector to invaders of our ‘energetic’ and physical body, she prepares us for protection. Our immune system is linked to how we relate to the outside world, when the system feels ready and safe in terms of efficient amount of protection then we naturally feel more safe and ready for the day.
Blood Sugar and Diabetes potential
There have been a few studies on holy basil and its ability to affect and regulate blood sugar, for example (4), (5).
On an emotional sense it can be theorised that diabetes and blood sugar irregularity can be seen as a spiritual rooting, where one struggles with emotional isolation and lack of sweetness or an inability to connect with the sweetness in life. Diabetics may have this manifestation as they cannot connect with life’s sweetness, therefore sweetness on a physical level. Experience has shown me personally that diabetics tend to be worriers and struggle to find the sweetness in the simple things (this isn’t a hard-line general trait). Resolving this worrying, stressful cycle and beginning the process of gratitude and appreciation for the small things may bring about positive manifestation from an emotional/symptom level.
So, if someone you think needs to connect with life’s sweetness (diabetic or not) then Holy Basil may be a fantastic choice on a spiritual/emotional level.
The great healer. Bone Healing
Again, Tulsi can heal us from inside out, a study showed that Holy basil also speeds up bone repair and fracture healing, the mechanism here is due to an increase calcium uptake, bone calcification, or enzymes involved in bone remodelling, such as alkaline phosphatase. (6)
Inflammation, relating to the external world
Inflammation on the body can also relate to inflammation from internal sources (see page ….) Holy basil can calm an over inflated ego and an overly aggressive competitive nature. Heat excitability from the deeper level, to the outer manifestation.
As a COX-2 inhibitor which is an enzyme used by the body top produce prostaglandins (chemical messages of inflammation), Tulsi is directly indicated for inflammatory condition and hence the releasing of ego over accentuation. It also contains Eugenol and rosmarinic acid which are both very much indicated for inflammation and could potentially be a good substitute for over-the-counter ibuprofen etc. (8), (9)
Also, as a heart tonic and anti-inflammatory (7) again giving Tulsi an ability to heal the heart, in relation to when we are feeling and acting through ego with the heart centre, without listening truly to the heart and allowing ourselves to express fully. Tulsi is a herb to bring peace of the heart, to reassure and heal from trauma linked to sadness of the heart. And to relieve ego expression of the heart and its selfish desires.
Cognitive function
Our ability to be focussed and in the present moment, these kinds of herbs working on this function are aiding with facing what is present for us right now, help us to remember and recall what we need for growth.
Tulsi can help us face what we need to and reassure us it’s going to be ok.
For memory and attention Tulsi is well indicated (18) and also could help us live longer with a more fine-tuned memory (19), The mechanism seems to be an inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, this gives net more acetylcholine which is an important neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) that increases learning, memory and focus, as well as helping us with sleep, arousal and release of dopamine and serotonin. It has a relaxing soothing quality and can calm the CNS and some studies suggest convulsions also (20), (21)
Stress and Tulsi as the great reassurer
Where Holy Basil really shines is it’s adaptogenic quality, more of a nervous system relaxant, regulator kind of adaptogen than the super resilient power of say a Rhodiola or a Panax. The mechanism seems to be an ability to reduce the excess response linked to corticosterone (cortisol) in a stressful situation. (15). Another factor is a constituent called Ocimarin and Ocimumosides which also seem to bring to baseline blood sugar and cortisol induced spikes (16). and has also shown to be as effective (if not more so ) than prescribed Pharma anti-depressant (without all the side effects! This is due to a CNS stimulant and nervous system regulating effect. (17).
Now if we consider anxiety as the mechanism of which we don’t feel in control of the world around us, or feeling like we don’t have the vital reserves to cope with the tasks at hand or situations we find ourselves in. As the great reassure, Tulsi is helping regulate any excessive loss of control stress responses. Another way this plant gives the emotional quality of strength, safety and stability. It’s all going to be ok, is Tulsi’s message
Invoke the inner goddess of the heart, Construction, repair and clarity, cholesterol.
Looking at heart health and in particular cholesterol, what could this mean from an emotional and spiritual perspective, what is the manifestation of high cholesterol, what does this say about Tulsi’s positive affects here.
Cholesterol can be linked to building, repair and construction. This can be linked to the personality and how we are rebuilding, repairing and constructing our inner ‘self’, in a positive or negative manner. This could be the I am, what we relate to as ‘me’ for the purpose of the world we need a strong ‘ego’ from a point of wise, decisive , action, confident and respectful and mature. A weakness here would indicate a excess of negative ego traits, indecisive, weak maturity, selfish, fearful, unbalanced.
Without a positive structure in life, we can see this manifest within the vessels of a person, maybe through tension or lack of functioning somewhere,
Stress related to having to structure everything in one’s life and not feeling able can lead to habits that cause high cholesterol or from a stress response level adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol. AS adrenaline causes the excess heat and blood pressure response, cortisol causes excess glucose and fatty acids into the muscles and blood for energy. Sometimes the person stays in a stress state for a longer period or a low-level stress ‘guarding’ state and this causes excess cholesterol build up. Higher triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol) and decreased HDL (good)
Excess cortisol increases fat deposits and stress can affect the immune system and also lead to inflammation. The lack of use of the fatty acid and glucose release over time can directly increase cholesterol. More balance in construction of routine, of the way we construct and repair and rebuild our selves day to day will have a positive effect on stress levels and cholesterol in general. Studies on Tulsi’s ability here show antioxidant effects reducing cholesterol of the heart and a significant drop in LDL and increase in HDL (animal models).(12) (13)
Tulsi working on our inner structure may help us in our lives have a sense of clarity and as well as the already mentioned ability of the cognitive function increase, coupled with inflammation and immune health it’s easy to build a picture of Tulsi as a great herb for getting more balance and organisation, more positive affirmation of self within one’s life.
Tulsi directly reduces heart inflammation and plaque accumulation, getting rid of what we no longer need, decongestion of the emotional heart centre. Indicated for Atherosclerosis (10) (11).
The great protector, release what we no longer need.
Tulsi is put in the home as the protector to ward off evil to keep the energy pure. This is also shown in its medicinal action, protecting ourselves from toxins and toxic energies, people and external forces is paramount to strong spiritual as well as physical health.
Tulsi has shown to protect against toxin damage and protect us from radiation via flavonoids vicenin and orienting linked to Luteolin and apigenin, these flavanoids protect our DNA from damage caused by radiation. (14)
Also, the liver takes a beating from external toxins, the organ where we store anger, which rids us of what we no longer need and is vital in assimilation and transport of hormones, we need to ensure less congestion here as this can also congest and inhibit what we hold onto which we no longer need or doesn’t serve us physically, behaviourally, mentally and emotionally (22).
Release what we don’t need, antibacterial, protection from invaders
As mentioned, the great protector, warder off of evil and a cleansing force of many a Nepalese and Indian home, no wonder it is highly antibacterial and anti-viral. If we need to clean and cleanse what we no longer need that has manifested as an invader colony then Tulsi has relevance here, clean the body of invaders and release what we no longer need can also play directly into an emotional link of cleansing and releasing.
Tulsi can inhibit Staph, Enterococcus and other bacteria’s Bacillus Pumilus and S aureus to name just a few (23), (24).
Also relevant for stomach bacteria’s, the seat of anxiety, fix the microbiome everything comes into harmony, E Coli, Proteus and especially Candida (25), (26). This may be due to the high Eugenol content, (27). all these invaders seem to be powerless against the goddess herb (28).
Tulsi is also relevant for viral invasion too, swine flu, Herpes type 2 (genital herpes) (29)
So, there we have it the emotional, medical, spiritual link of Holy Basil, the goddess herb, the protector the warder off of evil, the herb that allows us to feel safe, integrate with our environment, she offers reassurance, guidance and a appreciation for the beauty in life. Tulsi allows us to get rid of what we no longer need and move forward with strength, stability and poise. Allow tulsi to get you in touch with your heart centre and construct a positive self. Relieve tension, inflammation and over ego states. Get in touch with the sweetness of life and bring in balance, harmony and peace.
(Holy Basil behind medical herbalist Kevin Abdale.)
- Tewari, Devesh. “A Review on Phytoconstituents of Ocimum (Tulsi).” Kumaun University, Uttarakhand, India. 2012.
- Marc Maurice Cohen. “Tulsi—Ocimum sanctum, A herb for all reasons.” Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. October-December 2014: 251-259. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Mondal S, Varma S, Bamola VD, Naik SN, Mirdha BR, Padhi MM, Mehta N, Mahapatra SC. Double-blinded randomized controlled trial for immunomodulatory effects of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum Linn.) leaf extract on healthy volunteers. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Jul 14;136(3):452-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.05.012. Epub 2011 May 17. PMID: 21619917.
- Agrawal P, Rai V, Singh RB. Randomized placebo-controlled, single blind trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1996 Sep;34(9):406-9. PMID: 8880292. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8880292
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- Mohammad S, Pal US, Pradhan R, Singh N. Herbal remedies for mandibular fracture healing. Natl J Maxillofac Surg. 2014 Jan;5(1):35-8. doi: 10.4103/0975-5950.140167. PMID: 25298715; PMCID: PMC4178353. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4178353/
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Raenu Yucharoen1, Songyot Anuchapreeda2 and Yingmanee Tragoolpua1