Tobacco has been a constant variable of medicine for thousands of years in the cultures of many civilizations. The capitalistic nature of the big tobacco companies have used this to their advantage in using unnecessary additives, in which are also addictive, in the recipe for their produced cigarettes.
Indigenous cultures have developed a personal respect and relationship with the tobacco plant by nurturing the plant from seed to leaf. In Native American culture, the peace pipe ceremony has been traditionally held for generations. In this ceremony it is said that the inhalation of the tobacco, which is typically done in societal norm, is not so common. It is said that the “Spirit of the Tobacco” is trapped within the lungs and becomes restless there.
In Mayan indigenous culture, a medicine known as Hapay, a tobacco snuff that is administered nasally, is crafted from their own tobacco crop and the ash of their sacred trees. This is either nasally administered with the use of a Keripe which is a wooden chute, by a medicine person or administered with a self administered tool known as the Tepi. Usually this is done in a ceremonious setting to give the respect to the medicinal benefits that tobacco brings.
Did you know that there are over 30 smokable herbal plants that possess similar to grounding/ anti anxiety effects? Some of the anti-anxiety herbs are skullcap and damiana. Skullcap is a wonderful calming agent, make sure to drink water while ingesting because does dehydrate the individual. Damiana helps fight coughing, constipation, improves digestion and is also an aphrodisiac providing an uplifting effect. Both skullcap an damiana can also be brewed as a tea!
Damiana (Tunera DIffusa)
To those whom may be struggling with tobacco addiction, there are alternatives to tobacco, that are not chemical based and provide similar calming effects.
Follow this link: sixdifferentways.com
Related posts: