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Alchemica

Galangal, refinding the Healthy Masculine

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On this Weekend of Christ-energy Full Moon Sacred Plant Medicine - Today a Sacramental Full Moon 'Spice of Life' w. Galangal Brew

 

Anyone else used this medicinally/spiritually at high doses?

 

It's quite a nice energy. One of a bit of Yang while being integrating after other medicines.

 

My Intention is:

 

To bring the Divine Feminine Energies into Balance in My Life With The Masculine and Christ-Unity Consciousness.

 

"Medieval mystic Hildegard of Bingen recommended the herb as a tonic for the heart, and called it “the spice of life” and said it was a gift from God meant to keep diseases at bay."

 

I've got quite a few of these plants to people now.

 

They're not flavoursome pungent but they have a really nice profile.

 

Galangal which can either be:

 

http://entheology.com/plants/kaempferia-galanga-galanga/

 

Or Alpinia officinarum is used traditional medicine for treatment of different diseases. It is proposed to be useful with it's CNS properties, including strong neuroprotective effects and activity attributed to opioid and benzodiazepine receptors have been implicated [1]. The aerial parts too have at least 12 flavonoids and 4 diarylheptanoids in the leaves.

 

More generally, it exerts neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiobesity, anticancer, enzyme inhibitory/ NO modulating and remarkable antiviral properties.

 

This medicine is nice. I prefer it to store bought A. galanga (this has documented psychostimulant properties: efficacy to enhance mental alertness and the increase in alertness score as compared to placebo. Synergistic and prevents crash from caffeine)

 

A. galanga itself is a nice Yang tonic. I find you need to use the older rhizome for stimulatory effects.

 

Father Sky, The Divine Feminine and the Struggle to Return to a Healthy Masculine

 

As I sit in the Garden on the Spice of Life, nourishing Food for Body, Mind and Spirit...

 

We've been so lost finding Healthy Masculine. There's little in the Culture that reflects what I see as a healthy Masculine, no wonder we're stuck with so many issues. Transgenerationally, through culture etc, we've been literally screwed.

 

"Although there has been a tendency in most cultures to stereotype, classify, and hold the sexes in one predictable type of energy and behavior. Unfortunately, I believe this has kept us immature, unwhole, compulsive and unready for living a life of true love – human or divine."

 

Words cannot explain the distance the mind and the heart can coexist in.

 

I thought I had struggled previously — that I had seen the darkest pits of my soul and had survived long enough to understand how my emotions manifested in the face of fear, depression, and sadness—but until my dog died, I didn’t know grief at all. Through Grief I have been trying to find Faith and Grace. I had to fully get to know each stage, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Climb to the bottom of each stage, and explore it fully before I could gain any refinement in my emotions, poise in my heart. I'm not there yet in finding ultimate emotional refinement but it's a journey, not a destination.

 

I'm a strong proponent of seeing autism as a hypomentalising brain through hyper-masculinised brain energies (imprinted transgenerationally as patriarchal dominator culture, hierarchy, power etc) and psychotic states hypermentalism through imbalances brought often forward through culture, and strengthened between opposing Yin/Yang energies.

 

I don't believe the brain systems are chemically faulty all the time, just that they are in aspects under-developed. Where there's autism, you need to strengthen the receptive, feminine socio-emotional-spiritual and in psychosis address the areas that need strengthening

 

A masculine spirituality would emphasise action over theory, service to the human community, truth etc - Without a complementary masculine, spirituality becomes overly feminine

 

Unless I find some way to awaken and love my own inner feminine. Without it, I am merely self-centered, a would-be creator, a dried-up root.

 

"A man without his feminine will move toward the outer superficial world and his head will be his control tower. He will build, explain, use, fix, manipulate, legislate, order and play with whatever he bothers to touch, but will not really touch it at all. For he does not know the inside of things."

 

Healthy masculine is not dominating others through power, climbing ladders etc.

 

"A masculine spirituality would be one that encourages men to take the journey from their unique beginning point, in their own unique style, with their own unique goals – without doubt or apology or imitation of their sisters (or mothers, for that matter).

 

That of itself takes immense courage and self-possession. Such a man has life for others and knows it. He does not need to push, intimidate, or play the power games common to other men because he possesses his power with surety and calm self-confidence. He is not opinionated or arrogant. He is not needy or bothered by status symbols because he is. He does not need monogrammed briefcases and underwear, his identity is settled and secure – and within. He possesses his soul and does not give it lightly to corporations, armies, nation-states, or the acceptable collective thinking."

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IMG_20180331_104835.thumb.jpg.ba957fdceff8fdfd6505d44f537ca5b1.jpg

Edited by Alchemica
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Thank you for this post.

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Just in case unattributed quotes bother anyone else, here is the paper I think Alchemica is quoting (or at least, an early edition of it):  Masculine Spirituality by Richard Rohr - "Masculine spirituality is not just for men, although it is men who are most likely going to have to rediscover & exemplify it."

 

I think he makes some great points, and all respect to anyone who is questioning this stuff and trying to make themselves a better person*.:worship: 

 

Just maybe keep in mind, especially when quoting his older work on the internet, that it was written 30 years ago and some of the terminology & examples he uses have aged poorly & been co-opted by groups with very different ideas & goals to those of Friar Rohr. I mean, I think Rohr does a pretty good job of clarifying them all in the Q&A at the end, but they could still be taken out-of-context (especially when adding the 3 decades of invisible gender-debate-baggage & connotations) to make some points completely antithetical to the ones he's trying to make.

 

*I'm not just saying that as a counterpoint to my inevitable "but..", I really do want to take a moment out of this specific topic to say @Alchemica  just how much I've been enjoying your posts lately (also just in general, but particularly from the last few months), as you document your journey of healing & self-discovery, including all the research & experiments & course-corrections along the way. I can't properly describe how heartening I find it to see people who will question harmful social structures & values, not only in an external finger-pointing way, but those who are willing to follow through with this even when they find these things within themselves, and questioning them might mean that they have to change their beliefs/behaviours, and admit they'd been wrong... this kind of intellectual honesty is something I aspire to & regularly fail at, and watching someone else do it well... it's a rare pleasure.

 

Hats off @Alchemica, you're an inspiration.

 

 

Edited by Anodyne
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That's the one, I'll try to get better referencing just sometimes when I'm in uplifted spirits, my hyper-reference mode dissolves a bit.

True, it's an older paper, I'm just trying to find bits and pieces that consolidate a healthier view for me. Some of the more new age stuff leads to issues IMO. Good at cherry picking for my needs :P

Appreciate your kind words @Anodyne. I really appreciate the level of knowledge and critical reflection and questioning you bring to the forums. Thank you

 

Edited by Alchemica
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To me lately there has been an opportunity to balance energies. The Galangal affirmed that for me.

 

Just as the plants give unconditionally to us, they remind us to live life as a gift and pay it forward, even when struggling

 

Some plants can take you to new levels of Self and Spirit, it can be an addictive thing self-discovery/development but in the end, what matters? To me, it's always what we've done on Earth from our Hearts for others.

 

I had to temporarily move a bit away from propagating things because my inner resources weren't coping. With a bit of spirit yesterday got back into that, getting through that stagnation vs community generative potential by potting up some nice rooted plants

 

 

29597316_10155748665536596_2740269250383

 

I can't rely on medicines to do the work for me, they can be of assistance but it's an active thing for me to do

 

Today's challenge for me is finding physical-psycho-social-spiritual balance using the "Goldilocks approach".

 

They offer events for mental health but neglect that a day out can be a depleting, challenging time. I can handle a morning in the Community Garden at my pace, going to the Botanic Gardens for a short time, do a walking group, a quick trip to the city. Some time with friends. A bit of community endeavor through propagating plants but more that that, I break down.

 

What's a day that gives me meaning, achievement, purpose etc?

 

Basic Self-care: Today I am going to go for a couple of runs, tidy up my desk, address some simple chores.

 

Psychological care: I've done some psychological reading today. I'll affirm myself throughout the day with encouraging compassion. I'll assert some meaning and purpose by gift giving.

 

Social care: I have time with friends this afternoon, a shortish get together. I've got in touch with people, restored some social connections

 

Spiritual care: I'll take time to connect with myself, the beyond me and love.

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Say Yes, Choose To Make A Difference – The Butterfly Effect

 

Each of us is like that butterfly, The Butterfly Effect. And each tiny move toward a more positive mindset can send ripples of positivity through out to ... our families, and our communities. – Shawn Achor

 

Every action and every non-action matters. Every choice you make or don’t make matters. Will you fully live your life, or just continue to exist? Your time as a caterpillar has ended. Will you take up your life purpose, your wings? If you have said yes in the past, is it time to trade in the smaller wings for a large pair? To expand your comfort zone? To acknowledge and accept your bigger purpose in this world?

 

I had been one of those people who could disappear into a crowd. Now I can’t do it. It is no longer natural. It now feels uncomfortable....

 

How did I go for today's goals:

A level of meaning, achievement, purpose.

Basic Self-care: couple of runs ✓, tidy up my desk ✓, address some simple chores ✓. Cleaned up around the garden ✓

Psychological care: I've done some psychological reading today. I'll affirm myself throughout the day with encouraging compassion ✓. I'll assert some meaning and purpose by gift giving ✓.

 

Social care: I have time with friends this afternoon, a shortish get together. I've got in touch with people ✓, restored some social connections

 

Spiritual care: I'll take time to connect with myself ✓, the beyond me and love ✓

 

Tomorrow something similar but it involves a trip on the bus and train to friends.

 

Transmuting through Fire

 

Each step of Fire towards Compassionate Action

Burning the Ill Passions, The Inaction, The Stagnation

Of the Body, Mind, Heart and Soul

Bringing each into Sacred Alignment, with Spirit

To Heal the Body

To Lift The Heart

To Build the Spirit

 

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"The emotional body has gone haywire and the health of the body is in dire straits. But, we can change this rotten dynamic, this pervading stench that wreaks with me-ism. Don’t let the voice of crazy penetrate too deeply. Block it with the Heart-Fire of Transformation. Think it. Believe it. Love it. Project it. We better start loving our surroundings like never before. Better start loving our neighbor like never before. Better start loving our community like never before. And we better start loving our humanity like never before. The only values that need be honored are the values that sustain civility and harmony. Without these, we are lost." - Stefan Bright

 

Finding our fire [1]

"Traditionally, the subtle inner fire is considered the main agent of inner transformation, the one without which spiritual evolution would not be possible. From here comes the immense importance of the harmonious awakening of this aspect...

Rise up to
the blaze which doesn’t burn

This fire can occur at all levels of being.

By the help of this sublime interior fire we destroy by inner burning all traumas, stress and spiritual wounds. For this kind of fire causes true states of catharsis accompanied at times, especially for women, by a purifying, regenerative weeping, showing the burning and annihilation of toxic subtle energies that lasted for a long time in their inner universe, causing tension, pain, seclusion and even disease. Such a fire, however, destroys and annihilates forever all impurities, all mental misery, and all ills.

The sublime inner fire helps the harmonious functioning

The awakening and harmonious activation of this sublime inner fire brings dozens of benefits and crystallizes spiritual virtues and physical, psychological, mental and spiritual qualities - on one condition: the presence in our lives of that gram of practice. Only intense personal practice will help us discover the wonders produced by the presence of subtle inner fire and all the extraordinary transformations that it makes possible!"


Shamanism and the Imaginal Realms

 

"Shamanic healing is an art form. There are no "right" way to perform a shamanic ritual or ceremony. While there may be similar elements each shaman's direction from their own Spirit Allies ultimately shapes the session."

 

Three-dimensional reality of time and space is not 
the only way of seeing reality; it is not the only perspective. We are locked into an
 ego-state, which sees everything as solid, the universe is real, it’s here, and it’s 
tangible. But when we move out of that three-dimensional view we move into 
another reality.

 

"Due to the age of rationalism and the Cartesian world view, what has happened is
 that all we recognise is the three-dimensional world view of time and space. We
 have lost contact with the imaginal realms, with the enchantment and magic of
 everyday life. If we look around what we see is soul loss at a personal and social
 level because we no longer trust our imagination. It’s seen as something that is 
suspect. It has led to “psychophobia” as I call it, fear of our own psyche and fear 
of going into those realms."

 

The more I move myself (and my ego) out of the way, the more powerful the healing flows through me. In working in such close communion with Spirit, co-creation, manifestation, and true miracles are within grasp. The world around us feels different—magical, even—when we see ourselves as a contributing force within creation.

 

"[we see] in recent times, is the whole area of
 psychoneuro-immunology [allows us] the use of the imaginal realm to influence
 physical healing. We find that the immune system responds to visualisation and 
guided imagery and this is the area where I see the connection between shamanism,
 physical health and psychotherapy.

 

Shamanism, in fact, forms the core of all we do today in terms of medicine and
 psychology, because if you look at what the traditional shamans did and still do,
 they used art therapy, psychodrama, dance, gestalt, visualisation and music to
 promote healing.

 

If you look at the practices of any shaman and you analyse it from a psychoanalytic 
or psychotherapeutic point of view you will find that much of what we think we 
have invented in the twentieth century has always traditionally been done by the 
shaman. Psychotherapy has limited itself to the emotional and psychological realm, 
but I think we need to move into what James Hillman and Thomas Moore term
 soul-work, re-souling the world in community, bringing people together to tell their
 story.

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Edited by Alchemica

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Yeah I find that interesting too, it seems to be a complex of likely flavonoids and other constituents that give rise to effects, complex beyond a simple couple of receptor interactions. I also don't find anxiolyics and many sedatives sedating at appropriate doses, While I have a GABA system that is quite atypical, I tend to get energising liberation from anxiety.

I also find it's the way you use the plant, if you use it as an integration energy, you go from breaking apart to building new connections in yourself, to the universe, to others it becomes an exothermic psychological stimulating process. Sometimes dropping walls with something can encourage that

 

A friend said one of their teachers says Galangal encourages dreams

Edited by Alchemica

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Through Galangal.

 

 

 

 

 

It's given some action and direction when everything was falling apart into the pathologic focal distraction.

 

 

 

 

 

A food and medicine of Heart and Spirit

 

 

 

 

 

I sent the universe a request,

 

 

 

 

 

I asked the plant spirit recently to turn what was mangled

 

 

 

 

 

To give me a Yang of health and goal-directed action, a healthy Yin.

 

 

 

 

 

It took doing that through action, in incremental steps.

 

 

 

 

 

These plants help me break such heavy contraction

 

 

 

 

 

It hasn't been easy but today I pot up lots of baby Galangal

 

 

 

 

 

These Galangal have spread local and interstate

 

 

 

 

 

I'm working on improving better traits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(also lot of polyphenol rich grape vines)

 

 

 

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cool.

 

have you tried Kaempferia galanga? or do you know anyone who has.

 

It has CNS depressant properties so its interesting. says wiki and hallucinogenic properties.

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Interesting, I'm wondering if this one is actually Kaempferia (I was told it was 'Lesser Galangal' but I'm now not 100% sure) that I've been using. I haven't had any flowers yet but it looks somewhat different to A. officinarum with the leaves on the pictures I see.

I bought some ka chai = kra chai = krachai Latin name: Kaempferia galanga today from the Chinese store, I'll give that a go!

Edited by Alchemica

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For identified K. galanga dried rhizome, I got stuck into 50g dry at a time.

 

At 50g dry rhizome, I found this rather uninteresting and calming, one of the milder ones but I didn't ritualise and add layers to the same degree to boost effects.

 

It's got an interesting flavour, be good in a soup etc. Only sampled that a couple of times at 50g doses.


I've now sampled lots of Zingiberaceae. What's your favourite? Got any medicinal ones that you use?

 

Today high dose Alpinia chinensis for lunch.

 

There's turmeric and ginger but so much diversity to grow and get into you... Still have to properly try the native and I'd like to grow some variety.

For me, these are useful as they are medicines and at the same time, can be used somewhat as active placebos to beneficial effect.

You can use them medicinally and amplify a healing response. You can connect with them, cook with them etc. There's such a diversity of polyphenols in foods, one seemingly really healing way to go is to elevate your rhizome levels etc.

 

Modern experimentation with these plants has been clouded by wide-spread confusion of the rhizome material. Some Alpinia species do seem to share some psychotropic effects. Some suggest 6cm/60g fresh rhizome or as little as 1 tsp of dried powdered material. (The Garden of Eden, Voogelbreinder S. 2009)

 

The Alpinia I've grown, propagated and cared for which was said to be Lesser Galangal, waiting for flowers, is the one that I find most resonance to. It's not pungently flavoursome but brewed as a strong brew it seems healingly active and pleasant, something healing to turn to.

 

From Apinia officinarum (volatiles, diarylheptanoids, lignans, flavonoids etc) [1], to Alpinia galangal [2] (volatiles, flavonoids and phenolics) to high dose Kaempheria galanga [3] to today Alpinia chinensis. This one tastes like a nice pleasant not too spicy ginger 1f642.png Haven't tried the Alpinia nutans but that's got a really nice scent but I'm scared off by also potentially containing hepatotoxic constituents.

 

A. chinensis is a perennial herb found in the ravines and shaded woodlands of China. At 5.44g/100g, it has a much higher total polyphenol content than A. galangal and higher polyphenol content than turmeric (which has ~2g/100g) [4]. In Hong Kong, it is used in traditional medicine as an analgesic. A number of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were identified and ten labdane diterpenes detected but most analyses detecting such has been focused on the aerial parts. At 25g dry it seems a nice slightly stimulatory tonic, had it for lunch. Dose a little higher...

 

TCM uses: To warm stomach and dissipate cold, disperse food and relieve pain.

 

[1] Strong antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effects and activity attributed to opioid and benzodiazepine receptors have been implicated.

It contains at least 12 flavonoids and 4 diarylheptanoids in the leaves. More generally, it exerts neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiobesity, anticancer, enzyme inhibitory/ NO modulating and remarkable antiviral properties. It is rich in galangin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavone) and kaempferide (3,5,7-trihydroxy-4′-methoxyflavone) which have beneficial effects.

https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2Fphrev.phrev_55_16

[2] Reported psychostimulant effects of the polyphenol enriched extract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28910196

[3] http://entheology.com/plants/kaempferia-galanga-galanga/

 

The rhizomes of K. galanga are chewed and swallowed, or made into a drink, it is said to be enthogenic, aphrodisiac, euphoric and productive of pleasant prophetic dreams (The Garden of Eden, Voogelbreinder S. 2009)

 

This ranges in the literature from reported stimulant effects, "In Thailand, the dried rhizome has been used as cardiotonic and CNS stimulant, whereas acetone extract is found to have an effect on monoamine oxidase inhibition" to sedative effects - it possesses "central nervous system (CNS) depressant properties which supports its use in traditional medicine where it has been traditionally used to help restlessness, stress, anxiety, depression etc. Some of it's pharmacological effect is due to its total phenolic content and flavonoids including luteolin and apigenin. It has central mechanism involving opioid receptors and peripheral mechanism involving cyclooxygenase pathway

 

[4] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.06.033.

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Hi Alchemica,

 

do you know which of the above species the rhizome I got from you is?

 

I found a nice spot in the garden for it!

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I was told it was Lesser Galangal, that's what it was given to them as at the community garden. So I went on that but then later looking, it doesn't look the same as pictures I see of A. officinarum - I think everyone is as confused when it comes to these. I'm waiting to see flowers to be more certain...

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I used galangal, preparing water kefir, and it seemed to cross my bbb, and mild psychoactivety was noted, at different times!

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Did you use fresh? 

 

what type was it?

 

how many grams were used?

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fresh

don't know (I haven't read the whole thread) the pink tubers, like the have in the supermarket

don't know, 5 slices galangal, and halve a lemon (home grown lemon, no oil no spray)

 

there is a good chance, I could feel other water kefir mixtures (without known psychoactive plants added) as well crossing the bbb!! I only ever made the galagal, with one exception.

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I've been revisiting this, switching caffeine for Alpinia galanga

 

Ended up fermenting a non-alcoholic galangal beer (similar to ginger beer) with 25g/L dry A. galanga (found a nice pungent powder) and some fresh rhizome.

 

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Several attempts have been made to develop another natural product which has similar effects as caffeine without producing adverse cardiovascular and nervous system side effects. Of the galangal extracts, the aqueous extract of A. galanga was found to be the most efficient in enhancing the mental alertness which was further assessed by a well-designed clinical study in the human population: it was "more efficient compared to caffeine to maintain the mental alertness without inducing the caffeine-crash like symptoms"

 

It has actions of inhibiting dopamine reuptake leading to an attention-enhancing effect with additional AChE inhibition and has neuroprotective effects. [1].

 

[1] https://m.scirp.org/papers/86091

I modified the recipe from [2] and did a quick ferment using

(for a 5L batch):
300g grated fresh galangal
125g dry galangal
1tsp cinnamon powder
Tsp of cloves
250g sugar (added a non-fermenting sweetener to taste)
5 L of water
3 lemons

Got a brew I enjoy but my taste buds are fried so be warned - a family member who had never had galangal didn't like it. You'll want to filter the majority of the galangal out after making the tea if you don't want a thick mess

 

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1945680756_IMG_20191018_1243321.thumb.jpg.91f337ca37ea0f04a4fe5eb9bfdaf302.jpg

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