In addition to rice and vermillion, Turmeric is one of the three most sacred offerings that can be made in the process of worshipping the Divine. This is because Turmeric is known and highly respected as being the actual physical essence of the Divine Mother.
It is true that every plant under the sun has it’s own presiding spirit or deity. In the healing system of Plant Spirit Medicine any of these spirits can be ritually propitiated or invoked in order mitigate a specific physical disease, mental health condition or emotional imbalance which might be associated with a specific plant. By so honoring that plant according to certain forms of ritual worship and techniques, the malady can be ameliorated to the point of complete healing.The significance of Turmeric within the religious traditions of India and other countries throughout the Orient goes way beyond the spiritual. Within the world’s oldest healing system known as Ayurveda, Turmeric is quite valued for its many healing qualities and curative powers. Turmeric has proven effective in treating an unusually long list of common illnesses, chronic diseases, medical conditions and health complaints.
Here is a list of many of the health conditions which have responded favorably to various types of remedies which incorporate Turmeric:
Turmeric has been utilized with positive effect for these many health issues.
As you can see, the very high place that Turmeric occupies in Mother Earth’s pharmacopeia is now being recognized, even by Western health practitioners. Much recent biomedical research and many scientific studies have demonstrated the extraordinary efficacy that Turmeric has proven to have in a broad array of medical contexts.
Going beyond the physical is where real healing takes place.
On the energetic and etheric levels, when we value Turmeric for representing an essence of life that transcends the physical, we allow for those energies to enter our life, our aura, our being in ways that go much deeper. Through this more profound interaction, we permit a more permanent and deeper healing of that which truly ails us.
Just as garlic is worn around the neck of those who feel that its protective powers are capable of warding off evil spirits, various herbs and spices do possess energies which are far more powerful than the commonly known herbal healing qualities. For instance, in Ayurveda Holy Basil is known for possessing special qualities which go way beyond the basil we use for taste in our pesto recipes. Keeping a vibrant Holy Basil plant in your kitchen is considered to be an excellent way to purify the whole cooking environment.
When we approach our plants and their leaves, roots, and flowers with deep reverence as being different manifestations of the Divine, we essentially go right to the source. Therefore, when we offer sincere respect and gratitude to Turmeric, its presiding spirit is pleased and will bless us accordingly.
Many may dismiss this account of rarefied healing energies and the sublime essences associated with every plant in the Plant Kingdom. Nonetheless, their inherent powers will manifest according to our faith and reverence. Ultimately, the efficacy of any plant remedy is determined by each indiviual’s own level of faith in that remedy. The more faith one has in their prescribed medicine, whether it is a natural remedy or pharmaceutical drug, the greater the likelihood the medicine will work.
Whereas faith does serve to ‘potentize’ all medicine, and every type of medicine comes from the Mother Nature, it might behoove us as a society to acknowledge the true source of healing behind all of nature’s remedies. Having an abiding trust in the Divine Mother to heal all that ails us, is a very good place to start. Just as recognizing Her physical essence in the form of Turmeric brings us one step closer to the greatest source of healing in all of Creation.
“When it becomes human nature to nurture Mother Nature,
Mother Nature will more fully nurture Human Nature.”Turmeric is a spice that is widely used as a spice for cooking in Indian kitchen. It is one of the most basic Indian spices without which food cannot be cooked in Indian households. But turmeric is not just a culinary ingredient. Turmeric has many spiritual uses in India. These spiritual uses of turmeric extend to Hindu religious rituals. Turmeric or haldi as it is called in India also has medicinal powers, Haldi is also the name of a pre-wedding ceremony. In this ceremony (that usually happens just a day before the wedding), the bride and the groom are adorned with turmeric paste and then bathed in milk. Turmeric is associated with purity, fertility and auspicious beginnings in Hindu culture. Haldi
Here are some of spiritual uses of turmeric in Hinduism. On Wedding Cards The wedding cards of a Hindu wedding are first marked with haldi and kumkum and then distributed to the guests. This show that turmeric has many spiritual uses in a wedding ceremony. Adorns The Gods Turmeric paste is used to adorn the statues or murtis of God. For example, Lord Vishnu loves to be decorated with haldi. Three main ingredients are used for adorning the gods, haldi, chandan (sandalwood) and kum kum (vermilion) The Wedding Ceremony Just before the wedding, ubtan or turmeric paste is applied on the groom and bride. This ritual is meant to make their minds and bodies pure before the marriage ceremony. Moreover, turmeric is also a natural ingredient that lightens your skin and cures acne. So it has beauty benefits too. Tilak Indians have a custom of welcoming a person back home or bidding farewell to a person by doing aarti and tilak or tikka. This tilak is a dot or line drawn on the forehead. This is done for the protection of the person who is leaving So, when the women of the house does the tilak and say God be with you, they use haldi and kum kum. Religious Art Haldi is often used along with kum kum to draw religious figures like swastika, om etc. These religious symbols are usually drawn with either turmeric or vermilion. These are the various spiritual uses of turmeric. Do you know any other auspicious uses of turmeric?
- Sri Eswaran
