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Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
Sea buckthorn was one of the pioneer species that re-colonised Britain after the last Ice Age. On poor, gravelly soils buckthorn quickly establishes itself by roots that sucker freely, binding the soil together. Like alder, buckthorn’s roots fix nitrogen into the soil increasing its fertility and thus allowing other plants to grow. Sea buckthorn needs plenty of light and space and is soon crowded out by larger trees. Its natural habitat is now the poor soils of the seashore.
Sea buckthorn is a thorny, low-growing shrub, not usually more than 10ft (3m) in height, except when sheltered from the wind. The leaves are willow-like, though thinner and more convoluted, of a dusty green colour, with hairy undersides. Male and female flowers appear on different plants and are very small, appearing along with the leaf buds in spring. Female plants bear bright orange berries in great numbers that remain all winter on the branches. These berries have traditionally been made into jelly and are rich in vitamins and minerals. Sea buckthorn is known also as “sallow thorn” along the east coast of England. It is no relation to the common buckthorn or to the alder buckthorn, two shrubby trees with strong purgative actions.
The Essence:
Keywords: “Pioneer”; fresh perspectives; watching clearly from a distance;
un-involvement; protection from harmful influences; understanding and dealing with emotions; development of subtle, spiritual perceptions.
The clearing away of confusing clouds of emotion is the key to sea buckthorn’s actions. It brings clarity of mind and a certain detachment. Subtle perceptions become sharper and there is a distancing form the normal turmoil of the mind that gives some space to reconsider preconceived ideas and a willingness to accept new possibilities.
We can learn better to keep at an appropriate distance from others and remain in a calm, balanced state. Emotionally this can help with issues to do with pride, power-hunting or grasping attitudes – where we seek to impose ourselves onto others. Sea buckthorn will also help to balance the opposite tendency to remain haughty or aloof by encouraging the ability to communicate feelings and wishes.
This re-balancing will benefit the Gall Bladder meridian if it is suffering from the effects of pride or haughtiness. Likewise, the Lung meridian is balanced with a more creative way of escaping from the established, unsuccessful, modes of communication with others.
In the subtle bodies it is particularly the Emotional and Spiritual bodies that are affected. With the Emotional body a protective barrier is established that helps to keep the individual separate from the emotional energy of others. There is an ability to understand better the nature of emotional energies so that it is less likely that one will become entangled in them. There is also a quietening of the emotions within the self, which helps to clarify why emotions are arising and to distinguish where they have come from.
With the essence of sea buckthorn spiritual energies have access to the physical levels of the body, especially by way of the solar plexus and sacral charkas. In this way spiritual energies integrate with the physical to make it a real, powerful force. The world and the spirit are more easily experienced as inseparable, (which in truth they are). This allows a powerful, personal energy base for developing skills and achieving goals.
In spiritual practices, sea buckthorn brings a quiet mind. It subdues mental processes or creates a detachment from mental processes – including memories and belief systems. Because calm is experienced it is more possible to receive new information. This process favours listening instead of analysing. The use of mantra might also be enhanced with this essence.
Signature:
A small, defensive, withdrawn appearance, keeping itself to itself yet having bright orange fruit rich in nutrition (concentration of energies into the real world). Does well given room for itself.