Release anxiety, stress, and integrate through December and Conquer the Holiday Season with a Top Herb for Anxiety and Integration

What do December, Sagittarius, and Integration have in common? 

During December, while working on your reflections and integrating the past year, the planet is in full swing of Sagittarius energy. Each day, we are inching closer to the darkest day of the year on the Winter Solstice, December 21, when there is a switch into Capricorn energy and begin to welcome more light in every day.

This year is a unique winter solstice as Jupiter and Saturn are conjunct in Aquarius’s first degree. The conjunction of these two planets happens every 20 years. We are embarking upon the next journey from 2020 – 2040, which makes it even more critical this year to bring an integrated version of yourself into the upcoming decades. The energy associated with this shift can cause anxiety levels to rise, that on top of the collective experience of 2020,  it’s important to find allies for dealing with anxiety. 

I love to compare Sagittarius fire energy to the end of a large bonfire, where all that remains are the hot coals and embers. A warmth that glows consistently from the burnt wood, showing the passing of time. The fire is beckoning you to reflect and integrate all that has transpired and purified—a time offering an opportunity to unite the heart and mind.

You can add sacred herbs for sending their fragrant smoke into the sky, giving off messages on these coals. Or you can add more logs and begin the fire up again quickly due to the sheer intensity of heat that lives within the coals.

In Medical Astrology, there are herbs associated with the planets, astrological signs, ailments, and body systems integrated into a scientific theory to provide a systematic healing approach. As the months go by, I plan to intersperse knowledge of astrological signs, planets, and body systems.

For Sagittarius, the ruling planet is Jupiter, fire is the element, and mutable is the defining energy. Sagittarius represents fire conditions of inflammation, the circulatory function that travels the entire body, Vata imbalances, and in general has a constitution leaning towards finding peace. Jupiter’s energy focuses on abundance and expansion, integrating the wisdom learned in educational or travel pursuits. Therefore, the herbs concentrate on cleansing the liver from excess food and decadence and bringing peace and integration into the body, mind, and heart. 

Let’s get into one of the top herbs associated with releasing anxiety, stress, finding integration, and associated with Sagittarius.

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

The flower of Vishnu 

There are three types of Holy Basil aka Tulsi, which is a sacred herb to India. Rama is the most common, Vana is often growing wild, and Krishna is more purple and has a more pungent taste and smell. Overall, Holy Basil is a fragrant, aromatic, oily herb that is great for the circulatory system. As an adaptogenic herb, its affinity to the nervous system helps strengthen the nerves, release tension, and lift the spirits. Giving clarity of mind improves concentration and sharpens the mind. This magical herb works wonders on the stress response finding a way to provide calm without depleting energy.

Holy Basil stimulates the immune system and assists with the digestive system. It is excellent for colds, fevers, flu, and an expectorant for coughs as a hot tea. In the Ayurveda system, Holy Basil, known as a Rasayana, an herb that nourishes a person and prolongs health and well-being, brings balance to all the chakras in the body, a sure sign of its ability to be an ally for integration.

My Personal Experience with Holy Basil 

In my personal experience with Holy Basil, I have found that it is an agent for opening my heart in a way I didn’t know was possible with an herb. I remember it flipping my world upside down, redirecting the choices in my mind towards the heart choices I was once afraid to make. I find this herb always brings me back to the center of myself and gently pushes me towards my destined path. No matter how I try to fight it, my heart on Holy Basil moves in the right direction. There is a sense of calm that comes over me, and most of my doubts and fears disappear. My practice with meditation and yoga contains a more substantial purpose provided by source rather than my ego.

Ultimately, this herb is responsible for showing us how we relate to everything in the world as spiritual beings. It connects us to the higher divine nature and allows the body to receive the bounty of spirit through a relaxed, calm, centered, and connected space.