Thai herbalists normally collect herbs according to changes in weather and seasons of the year, also in accordance to the dynamics of internal and the external 4 elements. Also considering the strength and scents of herbs.
Basically there are three seasons to collect herbs:
1. Cold season which is around November to February of next year. During cold season, plants store their nutrients in their roots. So, herbs collected during this time is actually harvesting their roots for clinical uses.
2. Hot season which is equivalent to March to June. Thai herbalists believe that since most plants are blooming, so the nutrients are mostly in their leaves, flowers and fruits.
4. Rainy season equivalent to July to October. It is believed that the nutrients of herbs are at their stems. So the whole plants are used.
Herbs are also collected during daytime and week days too.
Herbalists believe that the medicinal effectiveness of a herb increases according to the rising of the sun and diminishes according to the setting of the sun.
So said, the time in between the setting and rising of the sun, the nutrients of the herb is stored in its roots. During the period of sunrise to before noon, the nutrients of the herb is in its stem. Right at noon, the nutrients are stored in the leaves. Then afternoon till sunset, the nutrients are again in the stem.
On Monday morning before sunrise, the nutrients of the herb is in its roots. Between sunrise and before noon, the nutrients are in the stem. Sharp at noon, the nutrients are in the leaves. From afternoon to before the setting of the sun, the nutrients are in the tree bark.
On Tuesday morning before sunrise, the nutrients of a herb is in its leaves. In between sunrise and before noon, the nutrients are in tree bark. Noon sharp, the nutrients are in the roots. From afternoon till before sunset, the nutrients concentrated in the heart of the stem.
On Wednesday morning before sunrise, the nutrients are stored in roots. From sunrise till before noon, nutrients are in branches. Right at noon, the nutrients are in tree bark. Between afternoon and before sunset, the nutrients are in the heart of the stem.
On Thursday morning before sunrise, the nutrients are in the heart of the stem. From sunrise till before noon, the nutrients are in the roots. Right at noon, nutrients are in the leaves. From afternoon till before sunset, the nutrients are stored in the tree bark.
On Friday morning before sunrise, plant nutrients are in the leaves. From sunrise till before noon, nutrients are in the branches. Sharp at noon, nutrients are in the tree bark. From afternoon till before sunset, nutrients are stored in the tree stem.
On Saturday morning before sunrise, plant nutrients are in the roots. From sunrise till before noon, the nutrients are in the branches. At noon time, nutrients are in the tree bark. From afternoon till before sunset, the nutrients are in the leaves.
On Sunday morning before sunrise till before noon, the plant nutrients are in the roots. Right at noon, the nutrients are in the roots. From afternoon till before sunset, nutrients are in tree bark.
Of course, herbal collection according to timing is not specific to Thai medicine alone. In the West, herbalists collect herbs according to cycles of the moon too I believe. Also, it is doubtful that anyone would follow such a timing these days. I listed down the timing of Thai herbal collection for your reading pleasure.
Basically there are three seasons to collect herbs:
1. Cold season which is around November to February of next year. During cold season, plants store their nutrients in their roots. So, herbs collected during this time is actually harvesting their roots for clinical uses.
2. Hot season which is equivalent to March to June. Thai herbalists believe that since most plants are blooming, so the nutrients are mostly in their leaves, flowers and fruits.
4. Rainy season equivalent to July to October. It is believed that the nutrients of herbs are at their stems. So the whole plants are used.
Herbs are also collected during daytime and week days too.
Herbalists believe that the medicinal effectiveness of a herb increases according to the rising of the sun and diminishes according to the setting of the sun.
So said, the time in between the setting and rising of the sun, the nutrients of the herb is stored in its roots. During the period of sunrise to before noon, the nutrients of the herb is in its stem. Right at noon, the nutrients are stored in the leaves. Then afternoon till sunset, the nutrients are again in the stem.
On Monday morning before sunrise, the nutrients of the herb is in its roots. Between sunrise and before noon, the nutrients are in the stem. Sharp at noon, the nutrients are in the leaves. From afternoon to before the setting of the sun, the nutrients are in the tree bark.
On Tuesday morning before sunrise, the nutrients of a herb is in its leaves. In between sunrise and before noon, the nutrients are in tree bark. Noon sharp, the nutrients are in the roots. From afternoon till before sunset, the nutrients concentrated in the heart of the stem.
On Wednesday morning before sunrise, the nutrients are stored in roots. From sunrise till before noon, nutrients are in branches. Right at noon, the nutrients are in tree bark. Between afternoon and before sunset, the nutrients are in the heart of the stem.
On Thursday morning before sunrise, the nutrients are in the heart of the stem. From sunrise till before noon, the nutrients are in the roots. Right at noon, nutrients are in the leaves. From afternoon till before sunset, the nutrients are stored in the tree bark.
On Friday morning before sunrise, plant nutrients are in the leaves. From sunrise till before noon, nutrients are in the branches. Sharp at noon, nutrients are in the tree bark. From afternoon till before sunset, nutrients are stored in the tree stem.
On Saturday morning before sunrise, plant nutrients are in the roots. From sunrise till before noon, the nutrients are in the branches. At noon time, nutrients are in the tree bark. From afternoon till before sunset, the nutrients are in the leaves.
On Sunday morning before sunrise till before noon, the plant nutrients are in the roots. Right at noon, the nutrients are in the roots. From afternoon till before sunset, nutrients are in tree bark.
Of course, herbal collection according to timing is not specific to Thai medicine alone. In the West, herbalists collect herbs according to cycles of the moon too I believe. Also, it is doubtful that anyone would follow such a timing these days. I listed down the timing of Thai herbal collection for your reading pleasure.
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