I’m so excited to love on Calamus today because it’s such an incredible root and I feel like it’s either not well known or just more of a fringe-ey herb as not many people that I talk to have heard of it. I hope that a bit of my admiration and reverence for her will come through in my words and spill out into your heart because her song is grand.
Thought to have originated in India, Calamus has a rich history with threads of reference being found in Greek and Roman medicine, Biblical/Old Testament times, and having been used throughout Egyptian civilizations. It was one of the plants found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen. Beyond medicinal applications, its sweet and earthy fragrance was revered for use in perfumery and beverages.
Calamus is an aromatic bitter, and Carminative, similar to Chamomile in this unique action, which makes it especially useful in cold and depressive tissue states where we need some ignition and restoration of the digestive fire, or Agni.
In addition to this core action, Calamus is distinctly nootropic in a truly magical way and helps to reconnect the three seats of our consciousness- instinct (gut), intuition (heart), and intellect (brain). Through this reconnection, Calamus also greatly supports expression through the throat chakra. In fact, the root of Calamus actually resembles the vocal cords! It is in this way that Calamus has a great medicine for humans that are challenged with a foggy mind, an inability to “find the right words” or to translate their thoughts and feelings into words. In addition, this root is beneficial for those who have been suppressed in their voice, perhaps being told that their voice didn’t matter… those who started to doubt their instinct and intuition because others judged or silenced their expression of self. These people may experience an actual constriction in the physical throat or throat chakra energy, may find themselves holding back their words or feeling that they cannot say things “correctly” and might even be someone who clears their throat frequently as a physical manifestation of stagnancy and congestion in the throat.
I absolutely adore Calamus and will sing of her signature to anyone who will listen. I have worked with this medicine personally and have experienced actual miracles with her in my own body, clearing traumas and stagnant energies that I’ve held onto for years in regards to not feeling like I could speak my truth or express from my core self unapologetically.
