The Tradition of Holy Basil
Holy Basil, known as Ocimum sanctum in Latin, has for thousands of years been revered as “Tulsi” in Ayurvedic medicine. “Tulsi” means “The Incomparable One,” which is the reality of this majestic herb. When in New Delhi, we visited with the leader of India’s Ayurvedic Medical Association. We asked that “vaidya,” or Ayurvedic master, why Holy Basil is considered the Mother Medicine of Nature in his tradition. He replied that Holy Basil is “ anti-mutagenic and anti-inflammatory.” It is, he said, a “rasayana,” or an herb that on its own nourishes a person’s growth to perfect health and enlightenment. We asked why people in the West find that Holy Basil promotes a positive stress response and elevates their spirit, and he replied that “Holy Basil delivers nutrients to the mind necessary for the experience of enlightenment.”
