It was a day of celebration when this beautiful tulsi essential oil arrived from India – finally a sacred basil to work with. It is easy to see why this basil plant is considered sacred in India. It is often seen in the entrances or central courtyards of people’s homes. In the same way as tending an altar, people tend the tulsi plant, making sure it has enough water and maybe lighting a lamp or candles around it. The tulsi leaves are also a common ingredient in a sacred sweet milky drink called Charanamrit, used as an offering for devotees of Krishna. Every year there is a festival for Tulsi called Tulsi Vivah, which involves Vishnu marrying the tulsi plant, who is venerated as a Goddess and his wife.
In my own experience with this plant, it helped me to connect with my inner self and accept my individuality. I feel warm and calm within when using this plant. I noticed that it helps me to avoid falling into reactivity when old trauma responses are triggered. This doesn’t mean I wasn’t triggered, but that it helped me to notice the emotions and know where they came from without acting on them. It gives us confidence in ourselves so we stay calm, notice triggers and feel the emotions without being flattened by them.
Tulsi is particularly helpful when someone has a tendency to sacrifice their own truth and sense of self in order to keep the peace and put the needs and emotions of others first. Tulsi reminds us that self-sacrifice is NOT the solution. Staying true to one’s own truth is. When facing conflict or change it helps us to stay in one’s center, loyal to oneself, rather than running away or avoiding these things. When we do this, tulsi really supports the psyche in a healthy way, helping us to get rid of or let go of any parasitic or troublesome energies.
It is this supportive energy that also helps us to move forward, to get going with our creative projects and realize our objectives and true desires. Tulsi helps us to tune into, speak and act upon our integrity no matter what. It’s resonance with the root chakra keeps us grounded when we are learning to speak up for ourselves from a place of truth and self-belief.
Tulsi essential oil helps to relax the whole psyche bringing with it a profound sense of peace and balance. Try inhaling it and notice how much deeper, slower and more expansive your breath becomes. This is a great exercise to do before meditating or studying. Tulsi is not just good for relaxing and de-stressing but also a great ally for intellectual activity, mental creativity and bringing ideas into reality. This is one of the first oils Florian worked with at medical school to help him study.
I use it when I am working on bringing my deeply embodied mother-line energy through me. It helps me perceive and strengthen this vital life force by bringing my attention to the physical energy and liberating the thoughts and beliefs that block and limit me in my life. By allowing myself to gently be pushed into action through the support of this deep, ancient energy from my ancestors, I am able to create and express my authenticity in my life and work. I make decisions based on my truth and my soul’s intentions. Sacred basil definitely supports me in this work.
