Herb Journal: Angelica Root

Angelica: the name itself is going to inspire curiosity and attention. So, what's the deal? What does it have to do with Angels, right? Well, I'll give that some attention later. First, how does it taste? I just made a tea, and well.. it's okay, kind of soothing. In the beginning, a bit peppery, the color is a golden blonde, and the smell reminds me of the way every hippie's living room smelled throughout my experience. Like some sort of incense that all deadheads shared in common. But the taste and the smell don't really correspond. The aftertaste is a bit nutty. I'd say, this is not a tea that you drink for pleasure. It is grounding, after you sit with it for a few minutes. It is calming. This tea seems to root you quite effectively, bringing a halt to that continuous, roundabout "thinking" we all seem to do. Now that I remember, I think it was talked about in class, the one day that I left my notebook at home, that Angelica is known to quiet one's thoughts and bring a halt to circular thinking, bring you into the moment. That is TOTALLY happening right now. All of a sudden, I am aware of being in this moment, right here, right now. I was in my head, yes in my head, thinking of all of these other things and not being rooted in the now. Until now. Well, Angelica has already made a friend in me. Aside from the psycho-spiritual aspects of Angelica (according to our notes, it is recommended for people who are feeling emotionally empty, hollow, need a little relaxation of the mind, who feel that life no longer makes sense, feel depressed, anguish, fatigue, or nervous excitement). Angelica is said to calm (balance) any sort of excess of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, whether over.. or under.. stimulated. Interesting. Any plant that can bring you into balance is a good one, worth noting, and this one is used quite often, and is worth remembering. It seems Angelica is seen most often in cough formulas, as it is very useful for clearing respiratory congestion, and aids with asthma. Oh, and why is it called Angelica? According to Botannical.com, A Modern Herbal, there are a few ideas about this. One is, according to legend, Angelica was revealed in a dream by an angel to cure the plague. Another explanation is that the plant blooms on the day of Michael the Archangel.(A Modern Herbal, by Mrs. M. Grieve).