Bimala is an herbal formula developed by the 8th century Indian monk and Buddhist Dzogchen (Natural Great Perfection) master Vimalamitra. It is often prescribed in cases of persistent insomnia and night waking, mood swings, agitated and hostile dispositions, restlessness, lack of concentration, and faltering memory. Various states of depression, unshakeable and unexplainable sadness, muddled and confused thought patterns, chronic headache conditions, chest pain, lethargy, and an absence of mental clarity can benefit from this medicine. Bimala is also widely used by those who are engaged in meditative disciplines and by those who are seeking to establish and maintain a balanced and tranquil mind.

Vimalamitra describes the medicine as follows: “A special therapy for vata (wind/rlung) in the heart:when the nine wicked spirit siblings are rampant,no one will be unaffected by this disease.The symptoms are depression, mental instability, disturbed thinking, pain and tightness in front and back of the upper body,lack of mental clarity, poor memory,being sad for no reason, restlessness,hostility, lethargy and agitation, shortness of breath,acute fainting. Because various illnesses arise, the method of healing them with medicine is demonstrated.”

Celandine (Chelidonium majus) is an “herb of the Sun, under the celestial Lion… It is called chelidonium, from the Greek word chelidon, which signifies a swallow, because they say, that if you put out the eyes of young swallows when they are in the nest, the old ones will recover their eyes again with this herb. This I am confident, for I have tried it, that if we mar the very apple of their eyes with a needle, she will recover them again: but whether with this herb, I know not” (Culpepper). Celandine is in the poppy family (papaveraceae) and has the smallest flowers, or the most suppressed flowering process, of said family. It has abundant leaves, another unusual feature of the poppy family. The formative forces, which are typically localized in the flower of most poppies, have moved to other parts of the plant in the case of celandine. Celandine is well known for the fact that it exudes a yellow-orange latex; celandine is allegedly the only plant in the world that does this. This latex is a sign that there is a special principal active in celandine’s fluid organization, and is a well-known signature denoting an affinity for the liver, bile, and gallbladder. One of celandine’s indications is in cases of headache that are due to bile congestion and stagnation. Thick, stuck bile can lead to gallbladder inflammation and a blocked bile duct. Constipation is often part of the picture. Celandine is also highly esteemed for its ability to remove warts and other skin afflictions.