A spicy smoothie
I have been experimenting with the incorporation of healthy ingredients used in traditional Indian recipes to combine the health benefits with great tastes in our daily diet. The following ‘Spicy Smoothie Recipe’ is based on our traditional knowledge of spices, their benefits and my personal taste. All ingredients have been commonly used in food preparation for centuries and are considered safe to consume. However, consumers are responsible for the use of these ingredients and are advised to consult their physicians...
Arun Jain /
July 2, 2020
Mankind’s Best Friends
As darkness closes and predators prowl nearby,The Neanderthal seeks shelter underneath a tree,Ripping off one of its limbs and starting a hearty fire.Warmth, light and safety, provided by the ancient giants of the forest. In the dead of the winter, the pioneer wakes up the sleeping giants with his axe,Taking logs to build his cabin, which will protect his family through the freezing cold.The hearty fire now burns in his home all night long,Smoke rising up to meet the sky,...
Devanshi Shukla /
July 2, 2020
Hari Parbat*
Across the lake,it would appear as the crowning jewel.It would appear slowly,from within the fog. With a change of season,the colours and shades would change.Sometimes red, sometimes yellowand sometimes appearing orange.Now, I don’t know,in what state it is in?Although it’s surrounded by water,it appears thirsty. Silently it would keep an eye on the proceedings of the city.But sometimes, in the waves of Dal Lake,it would appear dancing.It would swing to the beat of the ‘shikara’ oars,and sometimes, dance to the...
Pavneesh Madan, Manisha Madan /
July 2, 2020
My Journey with Plants
If you had asked me about my knowledge of plants ten years ago, I would have responded with, “they are green, give us oxygen and make for good decoration”. Fast forwarding to the present day, I am now able to write an essay about my journey with plants. Human evolution with plant life has always made me curious. I would often ask myself; why do we only eat certain plants? Why is it illegal to pick certain plants while others...
Misha Patel /
July 2, 2020
Sage (Salvia Officinalis L.)
Botanical Description Sage (S. officinalis) is a perennial shrub with a woody base. This plant has a rounded shape, (Figure 1), and can grow up to a maximum of 60-70 cm in both height and width (Ghorbani, 2016). The stem fragments of S. officinalis are four sided, as are the branches coming off the base, which itself varies from a wedge-shaped to a rounded shape. The petiole, which connects the leaf to the stem is long, approximately 4.5 cm in...
Hailey Silver /
July 2, 2020
Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera): A potential commercial crop with medicinal advantages
Distribution and Botanical Identifiers Ashwagandha (W. somnifera) grows well in arid environments and is most commonly found in the dry areas of Southeast Asia and Mediterranean regions and is also commonly cultivated outside of its natural habitat (Engels & Brinckmann, 2013a; Aslam et al., 2017). Ashwagandha is a woody shrub that grows up to 1.5 meters tall (Aslam et al., 2017). It has perfect, actinomorphic flowers with five yellow petals, five green sepals, five stamens and one pistil. The...
Andrea J Moreau /
July 2, 2020
Cinchona, Gin, Hydroxychloroquine and COVID 19 – An Interesting journey through time
Reflections on the historical and sacred value of white pine
Dr. Jayasankar Subramanian /
July 2, 2020
Greetings from the Editor
Welcome to Spiritual Botany Issue Three - Plant Neuromodulators
Praveen Saxena /
September 24, 2018
The Spiritual Value of Pine Trees
Reflections on the historical and sacred value of white pine
Verena Kulak /
September 24, 2018
Melatonin in Plants and Human Diet
Despite melatonin's widespread occurrence in plants as well as the foods we consume daily, its role in the human diet is only beginning to be understood.
Lauren Erland /
September 24, 2018
Plants Are All Chemists
“Plants are all chemists, tirelessly assembling the molecules of the world” - Gary Snyder
Christina Turi /
September 24, 2018
Gingko
Ginkgo biloba, also called the maidenhair tree, is branded as a “living fossil”, as it is the only surviving member of the Ginkgo genus. Traditionally, G. biloba was used to treat asthma and senility. More commonly, the nut is used for culinary practices and is often used as an addition to a meal as a side dish or garnish for a dessert
Jacqueline Nguyen, Kyeesha Ocampo, Alicia Rosati /
September 24, 2018
Let Me Be A Tree
Shubham Talwar discusses his connection with nature through poetry
Shubham Talwar /
September 24, 2018
The Mycelium Solution to Health
As a city dweller, taking a walk through the rich biosphere of an old growth forest can feel like being transported to another world. The abundance of life in these ecosystems are evident. The embrace of mother nature seems to cancel out the noise and demands of modern life, recharging us from everyday stressors. Through these experiences it becomes apparent that ecosystems rich in biodiversity are invaluable to not only the health of the planet, but also to our wellbeing....
Sarah Pravato and Monica Lindop /
September 24, 2018
Greetings from the Editor
Welcome to Spiritual Botany Issue Two - Medicinal Plant Conservation
Praveen K. Saxena /
July 14, 2017
Bodhi Beads in China
Bodhi beads were used by Buddhists as a prayer tool for counting the number of prayers chanted while reciting mantras. Nowadays, buyers in China use Bodhi beads as ornaments, collectibles or high-grade gifts. As a result of the market hype, the price of Bodhi beads has risen quite quickly, especially for beads that have been traditionally collected by people for many years.
Li Fei-fei /
July 14, 2017
We Have Lots of Work to Do!
The herbal industry is growing at a rate much faster than the slow growing forest botanicals. Susan Leopold, executive director for the United Plant Savers, shares her thoughts on medicinal plant conservation.
Susan Leopold /
July 14, 2017
Tulsi: A Strong Candidate for Controlled Environment Cultivation?
Plant tissue culture is a technique used to grow plants under sterile and controlled environmental conditions. Using this technology, sustainable mass production of high quality medicinal plants can be achieved, which in turn can reduce pressures created by wild harvesting.
Mukund Shukla /
July 14, 2017
Construction of the Bruce Trail
Serving as trail director, Philip Gosling was instrumental in building the Bruce Trail (the oldest and longest marked hiking trail in Canada) in the early 1960’s. Here he discusses how one trip into the woods led to a life long commitment to protect the environment.
Philip Gosling /
July 14, 2017