Soma. Yes, its the name of one of my favourite Ubudian cafes, but thats not what this article is about. The namesake of Bali’s high vibe organic cafe is a plant with a fascinating and ancient story…
The fascination of the soma plant for me begins with the fact that it contains pinoline (6-methoxy-tetra-dydro-beta carboline), a molecule that is also produced in the pineal gland in the brain during sleep and while we are dreaming.
Its mystery and runs deep in Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and many other ancient cultures. The plant has been variously known in english as Assyrian Rue; in latin, Pegunam Harmala; in Arabic and Persian, Esphand; in Egyptian Asna (hence Essenes)
Its properties were legendary:
• It understood that the prophet Mohammed took soma before receiving the Koran from “God”.
• It is the infamous plant of life, given to Zoroaster, founder of the worlds first religion, by the God Masda, enshrined in the text of the Avestra Veda.
• It is the plant Moses encountered as the burning bush.
• Leonardo Da Vinci and Michaelangelo, used it to increase their visionary talents in their work. Da Vinci openly admitted using it as a miracle nutrient.
Even the english word essence comes from its Egyptian name.
The plant was prepared and mixed with gold, meteorite and other special elements to create a medicine, used in Ayurvedic medicine and also known as the bread of light, discovered in Egyptian tombs and prepared by the Zoroaster, otherwise known as Chem the original Alchemist and “chem”ist.
Interesting that it is called the bread of light, as the pineal gland (third eye) is directly linked to the optic nerve and in some organisms is photo-receptive.
Today, an ancient lineage of shamans of the Bedouins indigenous to the Serabit El Khadim area on the Sinai Penninsular, still produce the Bread of Light from the Asena/Haoma bush, Akacia tree, and meteorite. The shape the bread as in ancient times, as the Eucharist of the Egyptians, a circle with a hole in it, known as the eye of Ra.
Unfortunately, science has not yet caught up with what was clearly once a very important medicine. I look forward to hearing more commentary and updating this post as more information comes to me.