Rosemary

Morphology

Bushy growth is abundant and thick. I am always surprised how much herb is available from one plant, ie there is a dense abundance. The stem is woody with much branching. The leaves are fine, almost needles. New growth shows little distinction between leaf and stem, but with time the stem grows more woody. The leaves also dry and harden somewhat, but less dramatically. The flowers also are small and in the angles. The many small flowers all bloom together, but they remain only briefly.

It is clear that this plant places most of its emphasis on the vegetative growth process, and it focuses specifically on multiplication of the stem process, as opposed to any watery swelling of the leaf. Also, this is a dense growth, not a sprawling one. It is a steady, patient growth which does not over-extend itself. This principle of growth extends briefly to the leaves, which are abundant, but it does not fully enter into a leaf process. Instead, after forming each leaf, it quickly moves on. On the contrary, we can see the leafy vitality being usurped by stem process, being used there to promote its own growth.

The flowers are in the angles, further showing us that the growth principle does not extend itself far beyond the stem. This form also allows the stem to go on growing indefinitely. The plant does not allow the flower principle to establish itself as the final flowering, to cap the growth, to declare itself as the final cause of the plant.

 Compared to yarrow, which plays in the region between the leaf and flowering processes, rosemary keeps its vital force much closer to its center. This suggests an almost Fuzi-like storage of yang. 

Taste and Experience

I find two or three different tastes in rosemary. One is smooth, sweet, and light while also being deep and woody. There can also be an initial harshly pungent taste (this is especially noticeable in stronger tinctures). This flavor quickly dissipates, leaving the previously mentioned woody sweetness as the general impression. This harsher flavor seems to be doing some kind of cleansing, so that the lighter flavor may float forth. Concentrating on this harsh flavor also seems to pull my awareness deep within, quite as though it uses its cutting quality to sink toward the core. What is this cleasing? My sense is that it works on what we would call immaterial phlegm and turbidity.

 (Can we find this cleansing, opening, turbidity transforming quality in the plant morphology? It is not quite apparent to me. If I were interested in post-hoc mnemonics, I could say that a branch of rosemary together with its many needle-like leaves looks like a bottle brush, therefore it can be used for cleansing fine crannies, but this does not help me understand the language of plant morphology. Still, this might be a clue. Perhaps the watery life of the leaves, condensed by a drying force, have developed an inner intensity which allows them to be cutting in this way. It’s just an idea.)

 When the sweet, woody flavor is dominant, I felt nurturing, as through I wanted to hold that which is gentle through the fall and winter. I also experienced an inner image of a hearth fire. This corresponds well with the morphological theme of a contained yang.

 With time I felt a pleasant warmth in the chest. I also experienced an increased sense of alertness.

Authorities

 Culpeper states that by its “warming and comforting heat” it helps all cold diseases of head, liver, stomach, and belly - including drowsiness, mental dullness, and weak memory, windiness of stomach, bowels, and spleen, those that are “liver-grown by opening the obstructions thereof,” and can cure jaundice if it is followed by physical exercise. He says that it is good for women with leukorrhea, and can be used externally for cold, benumbed joints and limbs.

William Cook merely states that the leaves are stimulating, somewhat emmenagogue, useful in suppression of the menses from exposure, and for painful menstruation.

 Pelikan repeats Steiner’s idea that Rosemary strengthens the ‘I’ and its influence on the rest of the body. This includes both its mental acuity and blood stimulating properties. He says that it promotes digestion by “firing the metabolism,” can be used in the treatment of epilepsy, and used for diabetes.

 David Winston adds that it is a carminative cholagogue useful for flatulence, burping, and borbor. He uses it for “liver headaches and biliousness,” as well as headaches with impaired circulation. Although he also mentions that its circulatory tonic function is mild. He says that it is a powerful antioxidant, useful for preventing arterial sclerosis.

 Mills and Bone mention that, as an emenagogue, it should be avoided during pregnancy. 

 Holmes say that Rosemary is an arterial circulatory stimulant which warms the interior, treating for yang deficiency cold and damp, and says that it is one of the few remedies for HT and KD yang deficiency. Also good for conditions he attributes to zong qi deficiency: mental depression, palps, shallow breathing. Also warming to treat cold stagnation of digestion, liver, and uterus. Finally, he says that it is an adrenal restorative.

 Jeremy Ross defines its action as tonifying and moving HT, SP, and LV qi, calming and regulating intestine qi, and calming hyperactive LV yang.

 Matthew Wood says that it stimulates metabolism, enhances the burning of sugars and fats. He says that it warms and cleans through-out the body, and quotes Dr John Quincy: “[Rosemary leaves] abound with a subtile detergent oil which makes them universally deobstruent and opening.” He uses it for cardiac edema and congestive heart failure, saying that it has all three properties needed in a HT remedy: tonic, cleansing, and nervine. He finds that its influence extends to the extremities - opening capillaries and improving sensation. He also mentions that although classified as warming and drying, it is moistening to the gallbladder and bowels, so it can be used there for dryness and atrophy

Conclusions

 We can summarize these finding by saying that Rosemary: 1) Is a warming tonic to the shaoyin, with its warmth working also on the digestion and uterus. 2) Transforms some kind of turbidity or phlegm, although this sphere of action is underdefined. My sense is that it does not work well on copious or heavy phlegm but on micro-turbidity. Much of its awareness stimulating function can be ascribed to opening of the orifices through this cleansing. It is not clear what other aspects of physiology this might affect. 3) Has some wood affinities, working with jaundice and liver headaches.

Rosemary seems somewhat less activating than guizhi but somewhat more active than fuzi - with its circulatory stimulation and its center more on the HT rather than resting in the KD (although we should remember that Holmes mentions that it is an adrenal restorative and considers it a kidney yang tonic).

 Both rosemary and yarrow have some opening or moving properties, however yarrow seems to emphasize relieving qi constraint and has a significant upward and outward direction, while rosemary moves through warmth and by cleansing turbidity which might impede motion. Both herbs also have significant Wood phase connections. They might make a good combination for situations where we need both warmth and motion, and especially for situations involving chest stagnation.

 In the guizhi family of formulas, Rosemary seems less appropriate to a straight guizhi tang type formula, but well suited to Danggui Sini Tang and Ling Gui Zhu Gan tang type formulas. It seems appropriate to a Lizhong Wan type formula and perhaps even something like a Sini Tang. It will also be useful for any formulas addressing cold gynecological conditions (Wenjing Tang, etc). I have not finished working out its uses in the Wood sphere, and will address that in the future when I make a study of Wood-phase herbs.