Basil and Harmony
Ocimum basilicum
Basil has many varieties, and like fine wines, there are nuances with flavor and fragrance. Dominant flavors may include clove, anise, and lavender, but it is sometimes hard to fully describe the blend of basil’s flavor in any one plant.
There are sizes of basil for every garden and pot. I like large-leafed basil for making pesto and its ease of harvesting. Basil likes hot weather and will produce all summer if you keep clipping the leaves and remove any flowers that pop up. Planting it near a walkway enables you to release its delightful fragrance as you brush by. It grows easily in the garden and on kitchen windowsills, so with some planning, you can have fresh basil year-round.
Basil has been part of Mediterranean cuisine for hundreds of years. It can be dried and frozen, but it is most flavorful when used fresh. It is the key ingredient in pesto, a sauce made by blending fresh basil with garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts. Most of us use food processors for creating pesto, but it was originally made with a mortar and pestle, grinding the ingredients together by hand until they became a harmonious blend.
Basil is a culinary star in other fresh dishes like gazpacho, bruschetta, and salads, but it has also been employed as a healing herb to aid digestion and soothe anxiety. A specific variety called Tulsi, or holy basil, is sacred in India, where it is recognized as an herbal adaptogen.31 Adaptogens create harmony in the body by enhancing the ability of internal organs to work optimally. Holy basil is also credited with harmonizing the chakras, energy centers within our bodies that contribute to our health and well-being, when functioning well.
Harmony is the correspondence for basil, reflecting its role in blending and complementing flavors in the kitchen and as a healing plant that reduces stress. In the musical realm, harmony results from individual sounds coming together to create a new blended sound. The result is greater than the individual parts. Harmony evolves out of diversity.
In bringing intentional awareness to harmony this week, first notice harmony in the green world. What diverse plants come together and contribute to a unique whole, especially in open spaces? When preparing meals, notice how distinct tastes blend to create harmony. Even within the same plant, there may be a blend of flavors.
In your communities, pay attention to how and when harmony is occurring. We sometimes assume that peace can only occur when everyone reaches like-minded agreement about ideas. However, diverse sounds can blend into one harmonious and better whole. Harmony means you can sing your own song and blend it with those around you who are singing their own unique songs. Working toward and recognizing harmony is an intentional process.
There are some kinds of jazz that at first sound disharmonious, but in careful listening, the harmony arises. You may have situations at work or in your families where a more jazzlike harmony is manifesting. Holding harmony in your awareness, step back and listen for the blended sound.
Morning Attunement Questions
• What connections do I have with basil or harmony?
• Where else in the green world or in my life do I observe harmony?
• What does this correspondence feel like?
• How can I describe this energetic attribute of harmony in words or pictures?
• Where does this correspondence of harmony resonate most strongly in or around my body or in my life?
Daily Integration Questions
• In what ways is the world reflecting basil or harmony back to me?
• What nuances and shades of meaning do I notice about basil and harmony?
Evening Reflection Questions
• Where and how did I experience basil or harmony today?
• How did I embrace this attribute of harmony today?
• What wisdom does basil’s correspondence of harmony bring to my life?
31. Winston and Maimes, Adaptogens, 167–71.