This week we meditated on an oat tops, scientific name Avena sativa.
Pre-meditation
The taste is "weird and musky, a little like b.o.". I found it warming, comforting, and taste is a little slippery, a touch of grass flavor.
Meditation 1
My daughter: Basically, Born to Die by Lana Del Rey was stuck in my head. There was this red baseball cap that was spinning around (in nothingness). It landed on Patrick Bateman's head while he was wearing his iconic striped suit. As soon as it got there, it pretty much disappeared. He was raising his ax up to kill someone. He brought the ax down to cut the victim in half. As he chopped through the person they became a green onion, and the ax cut the onion instead. Then the green onion started stitching itself back together with the power of the herb. It became the human again and started attacking Patrick Bateman.
Me: The herb talked about how much work I have done on my chin compared to men, who already have hair there (and are naturally subdued). This is referring to the kirtan kriya which I have been doing for years. The kirtan kriya for women is done laying on your stomach with your chin on the ground. The reasoning behind this is that men already have hair on their chins which calms their emotions. By doing the yogic practice with pressure on the chin, it helps women do this too. I first did this kriya around 20 years ago, it relieved me of intrusive PSTD symptoms from rape after 40 consecutive days of practice. This included resolving severe flashbacks, which have never returned. Because it was such a powerful kriya I decided to try and do it longer (for mastery, 500+ days) to see what would happen. I have found that it gradually eased my deeper PTSD symptoms (fear of men and intimacy due to repeated abuse) and helped me to start seeing how deeply relationships impacted men too, even though our culture encourages them to hide their emotions.
Meditation 2
My daughter: After the thing with the onion Patrick Bateman said "Screw you guys, I'm going home," à la Cartman from South Park. He jaunted off with his ax over one shoulder. Then he bumped into Reese Witherspoon (but Elle Woods in her bunny costume, not Reese of American Psycho). She pulled a Scream mask over her face and stabbed him. I feel satisfied after this herb.
Me: The herb clarifies: the significance of the above being what is it that I give to you as an emotionally mature woman, compared to what you give to me, naturally more calm, but thinking of yourself?
Summary and Traditional Use
Avena is an important tonic for the nervous system, restoring frayed, exhausted nerves from overwork or prolonged stress. It helps with insomnia from mental irritation and/or feeling discouraged. Exhaustion is a primary symptom indicating oat. It strengthens connective tissue, skin, mucosa and the nerves themselves. It is helpful for some PMS symptoms including headache with panic or nausea (M Wood, Earthwise Herbal, Old World Medicinal Plants, 2008, pp124-125).
I have heard many people loving avena, but I have not had much interaction with the plant to form my own opinion. I value other people's experiences so much.
Together they put together of avena as deeply restoring or satisfying on both a physical and emotional level. The images of the man from American Psycho being turned upon by restored and empowered women are amazing. In Chinese medicine the pulse known as scallion, or kǒu mài, can indicate (among other things) extreme loss of blood, such as by ax, and damage of yin (the feminine, receptive principle). The kirtan kriya is another helper for restroring damaged yin (to any degree). I love the resurrection power of this herb, which appears to be very strong. The image of the onion stalk stitching itself together (the plant does have very strong stalks) and rising to retaliate is a strong indication of this herb's power. When the man walks off, without a care, a herione, budding lawyer, Elle Woods (who will not be made less by other's trying to bring her down in her bunny costume, nor submit to being less femme) finishes the job. It tells a story that we do not need to feel tired anymore, we can recover from even near life-ending injury, and we are not alone. Amazing and unexpected!
Invitation
What is your experience with avena sativa as an herb? Have you found it to be calming or restorative? Please share in the comments below.