5/28/2018 Plant Medicine of the Amazon - U a de gato (Cat's Claw)

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5/28/2018 Plant Medicine of the Amazon - U a de gato (Cat's Claw)

Cats Claw (Uncaria tomentosa)

Ua de gato a study by Pablo Amaringo

5/28/2018 Plant Medicine of the Amazon - U a de gato (Cat's Claw)

Ua de gato (Cats Claw) is a large tropicalwoody vine indigenous to the Amazon

Rainforest. It derives its name from the smallhook-like appendages that grow along the vine

at the base of the leaves. These hooks resemble

the claws of a cat and enable the vine to wind

around trees, climbing to a height of up to 150

feet. The two closely related species;

Uncariatomentosaand Uncaria guianensis, arehomologous and both are used medicinally.

The inner bark of the vine and the roots has beenused in the Amazon for generations to treat

inflammations, colds, viral infections, arthritis,

and tumours. It also has anti-inflammatory and

blood-cleansing properties. It is used to clean

out the intestinal tract to treat a wide array ofdigestive problems such as gastric ulcers, parasites, and dysentery. It is also

used to heal arthritis, and rheumatism, and to enhance the immune system. It

also strengthens bone marrow. Cat's Claw can be used as tonic to boost the

body's immune system, and is considered by many as a balancer returning thebody's functions to a healthy equilibrium.

Ua de gato has been used for many hundreds of years by traditional curanderos

and shamans, and now the medicinal properties of this plant are officially

recognized by the Peruvian government.

There is a significant worldwide demand for this plant as herbal medicine and

supplements, and it has led the Peruvian authorities to regulate the harvesting to

protect the plant. Now only the vine itself can be harvested and not the roots.This measure allows the vine to re-grow for sustainable harvesting. The plant is

widely available in health food stores in the West, typically in capsules

containing the shredded bark or in powder form.

The 16th century alchemist and philosopher Paracelsus held that the inner

nature of plants may be discovered by their outer forms or signatures. He

applied this principle to food as well as medicine, remarking that it is not in the

quantity of food but in its quality that resides the Spirit of Life. According to

Paracelsus, then, the appearance of a plant is the gateway to its spirit or

consciousness.

5/28/2018 Plant Medicine of the Amazon - U a de gato (Cat's Claw)

Shamans recognise the spiritual powers and qualities of plants in many ways:the colours of the flowers, their perfumes, the shape and form of their leaves,

where they are growing and in what ways, the moods they evoke, and the wider

geographical, cultural, or mythological landscapes they occupy.

Steve Beyer in his book Singing to the Plants; sees the system in the Upper

Amazon as probably more mnemonic than philosophical. Signatures provide a

way to remember the uses of a plant. For example, Ua de gato, cats-claw

(Uncaria guianensis), is a vine whose stems have small hook-like appendages,

so the plant is used to claw out tumours and inflammations.

The doctrine of signatures treatise is not something known by indigenous

shamans, but they understand the principles behind it well enough, that nature

has spirit and can communicate with us. These principles are not regarded asfanciful at all, but so important that they can save lives.

Howard G. Charing, born in London, and has lived in the Netherlands, the USA, and Peru.

He worked in the computer industry from 1970 to 1991. He quit the industry following an

elevator crash in which he suffered serious injuries; a

broken neck and severe spinal damage. In this accident

he had a near-death experience that transformed his life.This accident closed the door to his normal prosaic life,

however new doors leading to exploration and adventure

opened.

Over the last 24 years he has become acknowledged as

an international workshop leader on shamanism, an

author and visionary artist. For over twenty years he has

worked with some of the most respected and

extraordinary shamans and elders in the Andes, the

Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He has run

training and developmental courses on behalf of theprestigious Foundation for Shamanic Studies (USA), and

for many years worked with Eagles Wing Centre for Contemporary Shamanism one of the

foremost training organisations in Europe.

He has co-authored Plant Spirit Shamanism published by Destiny Books (USA), and The

Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo published by Inner Traditions (USA). Visit his

website for articles, art galleries, and information regarding Plant Spirit Shamanism Retreats.

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