Description
Uña de Gato — Uncaria tomentosa, cat’s claw (un-ya day gat-o)
The head medicine spirit of this vine is a black jaguar — fearless, focused, and determined. Its energy moves with precision to remove blockages from the energetic body. Connect with Uña de Gato for purification, inner security, and confidence. The energetic colour of this medicine is indigo blue, symbolising the jaguar’s regal power. This colour is intense, electric, and commanding.
Uña de Gato works to release blockages in the energetic system — energy that has stagnated and may lead to illness. The vine takes its name from the curved thorns along its branches, shaped like a cat’s claws. The jaguar spirit tracks the stagnant energy, seizes it, and swallows it, clearing the path for energy to flow freely once more. By connecting with this essence, you align with the jaguar’s self-assurance, meeting life’s challenges head-on, without retreat. Indigo blue — the colour of this essence — carries the same depth, nobility, and intensity as the jaguar itself.
Each essence is prepared with its own medicine song, an icaro. Icaros are a sacred means of communication between the shaman and the spirit world, sung to set the healing intention and call forth the plant’s medicine. Every essence is uniquely created by selecting certain qualities of the plant and invoking its spirit through song.
Other traditional uses
Uña de Gato is a climbing vine that can reach up to 30 metres in height, with stems up to 30 cm in diameter. Its younger branches bear the distinctive claw-like thorns that inspired its name. Traditionally, it is valued for its strong anti-cancerous and anti-inflammatory properties, and is used to treat arthritis, rheumatism, and other inflammatory diseases. Known for stimulating the immune system, it is used to detoxify, support recovery from general illness, and treat conditions including AIDS/HIV, swelling, fever, diabetes, gastric ulcers, asthma, cirrhosis, and immune disorders. It is also used to regulate the menstrual cycle, act as a contraceptive, and — when the bark is macerated in sugarcane alcohol — as an aphrodisiac.
This vine is a sacred teacher plant, used by shamans for its curative and spiritual qualities. It can be part of a shamanic dieta or an admixture to Ayahuasca.
How the essences are made
How to take the essences
Ingredients
Essence made from either the bark, root or seed (see individual descriptions) preserved in water & brandy.
Each essence comes in a 15 ml bottle—enough for approximately five weeks of treatment.
Shipping
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