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| Using the Six Tastes of Herbs to Determine a Formula - Page 2
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Herbal Choices
Once the herbal category has been chosen, for example nervines, anti-rheumatics etc., then the taste and thermal nature of the herb should be determined. This can be done by looking at various books on herbs that give this type of information
( Planetary Herbology, Yoga of Herbs, Bensky/Gamble etc.). If you want to experience this first hand, as I have done numerous times, you can give herb samples to groups of people with a wide range of constitutional characteristics and body types and see what their reactions are to various herbs. Most people will be able to instinctively classify herbs as hot, warm, neutral, cool or cold based on the sensation of the herb in their mouth and later as it enters the stomach. And with some education on the various tastes, they can usually determine if an herb is sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter or astringent as well. I have done this in my classes for years and have received great insight as to the nature of herbs.
The Six Tastes
Once a person understands the various herbal properties, such as carminative, cholagogues, expectorants etc. , the tastes and thermal nature of the plants will give a deeper experience and understanding of the character and therapeutic action of herbs. The tastes of herbs tell us what they will be doing for the person. Thus, we can make a formula that will not aggravate the person's basic constitutional predisposition, balances the situation and brings about a greater ease. Let's take a look at what the six tastes are.
Sweet - The sweet taste is found in sugars, starches as well as fish, meat and milk and is composed of the elements earth and water. Some other examples sweet foods are grains, sweet vegetables, and sweet fruits. The sweet taste is building, strengthening to the body tissue, soothes the mucus membranes, and allays burning sensations. Sweet foods will increase the quality of Kapha (earth/ water components of the body ) and promotes the emotions of calmness, contentment, and harmonizes the mind. The sweet taste will help the Vata (deficient, cold, anxious type) person and the Pitta ( warm, damp, irritated type) person because both these doshas are missing some of the grounding, building, soothing qualities of Kapha. Vata lacks the earth and water elements and pitta lacks the earth element. If a person has a kapha condition of mucus or excess fat then the sweet taste will increase these qualities.
It must be noted, however, that the "Empty" sweets such as cakes and cookies will not be nourishing but will be deranging to all constitutions. Think of Sweet as the Earth mother nourishing us with her love. When nourished, each of our cells feel spasms of delight. Sweetness is needed to be content. Our idea of sweet should go beyond the usually sensation that we may get when we think of something that is sugar laced. Think of Sweet more in terms of "deeply nourishing, building foods."
Salty - The salty taste is found in table salt, rock salt, sea salt and seaweed. It is composed of the elements water and fire. The Salty taste adds warmth and moisture to the body thus it will increase kapha dampness and Pitta heat. In small amounts the salty taste aids digestion, is sedating, and softens the body tissues. The vata person needs these qualities in their body thus the salty taste will help them. The Pittas (hot types/inflammations) and Kaphas (mucous/ phlegmatic ) must stay away from excess salt usage otherwise it will aggravate them.
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