The Cat‘s Claw

Costa Rica, December 2023

About three month ago, I had decided to spend the month of december, over christmas, in the jungle. Back then, I was desperately searching for a solution to quit the medication, blaming it of being the source of my discomfort. Suffering from sleeplessness, inner restlessness, drastic mood changes ( suddenly, bursting out in tears!), hairloss, gaining tummy… you name it. I was hoping to find an alternative in the ancient medicine of the rain forest.

Finally, I was told during Menorca Yoga Festival, when being surrounded by lots of women in their end 40ties beginning 50ties, that these symptoms simply mean the bloody Pre-Menopause phase has begun! I had absolutely no clue about it. Puh! So happy not to be worried anymore about finding a solution to replace the medication. It made the discomfort of sudden mood changes disappear straight away! Only sometimes I suddenly cry for two minutes for no reason and stop as if nothing had happened. But at least I had gained back control over myself and could not be more relieved.

So there I was, with the flight tickets to Costa Rica, and a reservation in a jungle residence programm in a Yoga Farm in one of the most remote places called Pavones. Of course I packed my little bag, filled up with loads of pills, powders and drops to do a real intense detox, two pairs of shorts and shirts, laptop and rainboots (to protect from snakes). I was really excited to go back to the place I had been five years ago, when off on a surf trip during raining season.

Although it took two days to get there, I knew it was the right decision when arriving to this lost paradise above the hills in the middle of the jungle. I am trilled by the Yoga Shala’s most spectacular view on the ocean and the forest. Waking up by the sound of the monkeys at 5 am, hiking up and down the very steep hill road to get to the beach and watching the sunset with the sound of the animals surrounding me, brought me back to the roots.

I asked Jesús, a local cowboy working on the Yoga Farm, to please take on a search for a specific thorny vine, that grows in the rain forest. Its roots and bark are very useful in alternative medicine. For instance they work against cancer tumors, strengthen the immune system, or help the brain-nerv-cells to stay away from the notorious alpha-synuclein proteins trying to kill them. Like in my case. But they also fight against virus and contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This very popular natural remedy, was given the name after its thorny lianas, looking like a „Cat‘s Claw“.

Jesús picked me up on his horse and we went on a treck towards the indigenous village up the hill, where he had spottet a vine. With his machete he scraped or cut out very delicately some bark for me and made sure I would not fall down the steep slope we were at. He is actually taking this remedy aswell, only processed in drops but uses this opportunity to start a treatment like I will do: in a tea pot.

On the way back, he tells me all these horrible stories about the local poisonous snakes killing relatives and friends from his community. I listen with mouth and eyes wide open, fully concentrated watching my steps not to slide down the steep and unsteady road towards my temporary home.

The following day, I will spend hours scraping off, layer by layer with an old knife, the goodies from inside the bark. Sitting on the floor of the exotic jungle kitchen at the Yoga Farm is exactly where I wanted to be. And nowhere else.