Shilajit in the world then and now
Sometimes the most potent things in the natural or human field, or that of the greatest potential, develop a sort of aura around them. A garment of story, mythos, legend. In the modern wellness world, for example, that garment tends to become something more like a fad, with a lot of wild tales and claims attached to it. In the past, though, the mythos weren’t so much wild tales which are straight up lies, or the exaggeration of desperate marketing conglomerates trying to feed on people’s needs. The mythos, the legends, actually said something deep and true about the thing itself. Expressing more fully what couldn’t be expressed through ‘facts’ alone.
For example, Ashwagandha — the Ayurvedic super adaptogen — is classically linked to Hanuman himself — the monkey god famed for superhuman strength, supreme devotion, courage and boundless energy. Ashwagandha's ability to offer steadfast vitality and resiliency makes it a natural symbol of Lord Hanuman's unbreakable power, resilient determination and courage; often used for fatigue resistance on long journeys, making it the go-to remedy for "exhaustion of the spirit". And that actually says more to us of how it’s working through simple imagery than a statement like ‘increases stress resistance’.
Or Reishi, for example, called the ‘Immortality Mushroom’ and sometimes ‘Food of the Gods’. Or Lion’s Mane and its association with the “nerves of steel and the memory of a lion”.
Take Shilajit. One of the newer kids on the block of modern wellness fads. And let us tell you — it is a fad of high caliber! With claims that Shilajit can do anything from:
- Giving you an instant boost of energy. (So does cocaine or drinking a coffee the size of a cinema popcorn bag by the way. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea! Shilajit can offer that to people sometimes, but it’s more of a longterm sustainable power type of energy. Not the boost and crash we are used to with heavy doses of caffeine.)
- To being a miracle cure all. (Get hit by a car? No problem. Try Shilajit today. Straight from the high Himalayas to your resurrection.)
- To being completely safe no matter what or where you get it from, and no matter how much of it you take. (Nothing in nature, or pharmacon, works like that. More is not always better.)
- And may even make your baby a genius. (Ok we made that up, but it’s sorta like that in the marketing sphere. And if that does become a new Shilajit legend, well, you heard it here first!)
- All with no side effects. (Though, in truth, there are little side effects to consuming well sourced and properly processed Shilajit. The potential side effects are usually around digestive issues if taken in excess.)
Really, it’s to the point where we’re not sure why they don’t outright say Shilajit is what made Clark Kent into Superman. And it’s not usually discussed out there that there is such a thing as different quality grades when it comes to Shilajit. Often, the bigger the fad, the bigger the claims, the bigger discernment is needed when choosing where you buy your product from. Quality variants does effect health. With Shilajit specifically, you want to make sure it is from a pure source with a certain standardized level of fulvic acid across batches. (Just to be clear, our PrimaVie Shilajit — the specific form we use — is patented and standardized to minimum 50% fulvic acid and 10% urolithins; ethically (and traceably) harvested between 2000-5000 meter elevation in the high Himalayas).
Enjoying a Seed of Potent Truth
But in reality, Shilajit is no new kid on the block in the world of health and wellness. It has thousands and thousands of years of recorded use across the Indian subcontinent and even making its way into Persian and Western European medical writings in the Middle Ages. The ancient mythos surrounding Shilajit focused on its divine origins. A gift from Lord Shiva to the human (and monkey) world who clearly needed a boost in longevity and health. Or as Shilajit being a gift of compassion and benevolence from the mountain itself to its inhabitants.
And if humans needed it then, then they need it now.
Shilajit was also used in Ancient Egypt in the process of mummification, which the teachings say had a lot to do with a successful transition into the afterlife; and obviously associated in ‘preserving the body’.)
We cannot promise how long Shilajit will preserve your body or if it will aide your soul in its travels into the great afterlife. But it can slow down aspects of the ageing process (which is a type of preservation).
As an adaptogenic antioxidant, rich in minerals it can remove the damaging effects of stress that increase bodily catabolism and give it a baseline sustenance.
It also offers cognitive benefits that includes overall brain health.
While supporting mitochondrial energy production.
Oh, and it’s an anti-inflammatory.
Not quite Superman level benefits, but pretty good Shilajit. Pretty good.
Within the sometimes, let’s just say, exaggerated modern ‘fad’ around Shilajit, there is still a kernel of truth that points to it being a tremendously potent substance, worthy of generating great legend and lore. There just needs to be a little discernment and grace involved in the whole thing. We want to separate ‘fact from fiction’. Wild ungrounded and unrooted tales from the true mythos and legend that points to the greater reality and experience of Shilajit. Essentially receiving any of the ’nutrients’ of the information that leads towards optimal health and well-being and discarding the rest. Because the truth is in there, and thousands of years of recorded use, legend, and interest speak loud and clear. Receiving the gifts of this ‘elixir’ — be it a gift of divine origin or from the compassion of the mountain itself — can be a serious boon to our health in the modern world. Where Shilajit is achieving legendary status as being such a boon and antidote to many of the modern stressors and ills.
We do our part to make sure what you’re getting is a high-class supplement, easy to take, while honouring its ancient use so you can enjoy this ‘divine-gift’ in your life; and feel invigorated.
Once again, as always, a big thank you to the ancients!
