Ashwagandha Root Tincture.

A dropper of something bitter and dark, stirred into a little water: there is a steadiness to beginning or ending the day this way, a small, deliberate act repeated until it becomes part of you.

This tincture is made from ashwagandha root grown in the sandy soils of Rajasthan, where the plant has long been cultivated in rows rather than gathered wild from the scrub. The root is dense and fibrous, tan to a dull gray-brown when broken open, and it is slowly macerated to make the tincture. In Ayurvedic practice ashwagandha is counted among the rasayana, the rejuvenating tonics traditionally taken through long exertion or a hard season: a preparation, the way a household might bank a fire before a cold spell.

Be ready for the taste, bitter and rooty, closer to wet soil than to the sweeter tonic herbs, and better cut with water than taken neat. Ashwagandha is a traditional herb, not a medicine, and no substitute for medical advice or for rest itself.

Details

• Ashwagandha root, slowly macerated
• Origin: Rajasthan, India; cultivated rather than wild-gathered
• Taste: bitter, rooty, earthy

How to use

Take one dropper, roughly thirty drops, in a little water, up to twice daily, in the morning or the evening. Not for use in pregnancy. If you have a thyroid condition, ask your doctor before use. A small daily ritual, rooted in a very old tradition.