The Making of ‘Costus 6’ (རུ་རྟ་༦)

Today I made a batch of Costus 6 (རུ་རྟ་༦), a traditional six-ingredient formula based on the root of the incredible Saussurea lappa plant (known as “Ruta” in Tibetan). A relative of our native greater burdock (Arctium lappa), Saussurea lappa is a truly remarkable healing herb. I wish photos could transmit smell because this plant, to me, produces one of the quintessential fragrances of Sowa Rigpa. In Chinese it’s known as yún mù xiāng (wood aroma). Indeed it has a long pedigree of use beyond the Himalayas, appearing in Talmudic sources as a component of “ketoret” incense, Islamic sources as a powerful tonsillitis medicine prescribed by Mohammad, and can be found in Ancient Greece, Rome, and even medieval England as a culinary spice. It’s a prized substance in Chinese and Indian medicine, considered by the latter to be a divine medicine used by the rishis (sages) of old.
While Ruta has many incredible qualities and applications, perhaps its most famous and common use in Tibetan Medicine is for disorders of the large intestine and, in particular, Pekén Mukpo (བད་ཀན་སྨུག་པོ་) disease. But it makes an appearance in countless formulas due to its diverse applications.
In the last photo, you can see my little Saussurea lappa plant growing in our garden. I love this plant, and look forward to producing my own Ruta in the future. Saussurea lappa is sadly threatened in the Himalayas, so careful and ethical sourcing is a necessity while working towards the goal of self-sufficiency.