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The Mountain Oil

• July 2010
• Hi Steph Simple Living Climb Travel

Dear steph,
I have just finished your book and found it inspiring on many levels. Your descriptions on why you climb sum up the experience in a nutshell.
i was hoping for some details and insights gained by your free solo climb on the “pervertical sanctuary” but i guess they will be in your next book !!!!

Just thought i would mention something about the mountain oil that oozes from the himalaya you mentioned while in Pakistan. It is actually called Shilajit and has some really great properties, below is an extract. I have tried it and it is super potent.
Greeting
Glenn

Shilajit is a Sanskrit word meaning “exuding from the rocks.” It is also spelt “Shilajeet,” and is known by various other names, such as Shilajita Mumiyo, mineral pitch, mineral wax or ozokerite in English , black asphaltum, and Asphaltum punjabianum in Latin .

Infosahay says that according to legends famous in India, Shilajit is considered as nectar, or amrit from God, given to mankind to live life youthfully and become immortal. Shilajit is commonly called Shilajitu in Ayurveda, and is a kind of resin that oozes out from Himalayan Mountains due to the heating effect of the sun in summer. It is pale brown to blackish brown in colour. This resin is soft in texture, slimy to touch, pure and heavy. It is soluble in water.

Other names by which Shilajit is famous are asphaltum, mineral pitch, and girij.

Shilajit is an end product of plant matter trapped within mountains which decomposed and then became preserved due to pressure. Shilajit is found in the Himalayan region especially in Gilgit Baltistan (in Pakistan),Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, and the kumaon area in India.

Shilajit is considered ushan virya, i.e., it possesses hot potency, which makes it fight against the ailments caused by Vata disorders. It possesses katu, tickt and kashaya rasa and possesses laghu (light) and ruksh (dry) properties, which helps it in acting. Due to the presence of these properties, Shilajit acts as a Vata and Kapha suppressant, and it also helps in moderating Pitta dosha.

Shilajit is said to contain many biochemicals, mainly fulvic acid, but also humic acid, uronic acids, hippuric acid, benzopyrones, phenolic glycosides and amino acid.

Shilajit should never be taken in raw form; first it is purified and then used.

Shilajit is widely used in preparation of Ayurvedic medicines and is regarded as one of the most important ingredients in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. It is a part of famous Ayurvedic medicines such as chandraprabha vati, arogya vardhani vati, and most important of all, Chawanprash. It works as a powerful anti-oxidant, and thereby delays aging.

Shilajit has been indicated in number of diseases as mentioned below:

* Due to ushan virya in potency, Shilajitu is said to have properties that suppress pain, as it acts directly on Vata. Vata is the cause of initiation of pain.
* A very good remedy in arthritic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout and other joint related problems and back pain.
* Has a very good pain relieving effect in any kind of injury and muscular pain.
* Due to a similar property mentioned above, Shilajit is said to work as an anti-inflammatory substance. It works in a manner very similar to the working of betamethasone, a glucocortocoid.
* Shilajit is considered as an agent which helps in strengthening the nervous system, and so is very helpful in nervous disorders such as paralysis, hemiplegia, etc.
* Shilajit is considered as drug of choice in disorders like depression, mental stress, epilepsy and mental fatigue.
* Shilajit helps in promoting intelligence level and also works in promoting mental concentration thereby enhancing the learning skills.
* Wonderful results have been seen in abdominal disorders, including pain, gastritis, indigestion and constipation.
* Good results have been seen in piles and fistula related problems.
* It helps liver to work normally therefore helps in proper secretion of all the juices and enzymes important for proper metabolism in body.
* It helps in purifying blood due to its anti microbial action.
* Shilajit works against any microorganism and due to this anti-microbial action, helps in relieving the body from any kind of foreign invasion.
* Helps in building body’s natural immunity thereby useful in providing natural strength to the body.
* Very effective in disease related to heart as it a Pitta moderator.
* Shilajit is also effective in controlling blood pressure levels by bringing it to normal levels.
* Works as a Kapha suppressant therefore helps in countering cough and helps in releasing sputum from the respiratory tract. It has also been found effective in asthmatic condition
* Very important herb in Ayurvedic system of medicine, which helps in increasing strength and endurance power in men. It works as an aphrodisiac agent thereby helps in increasing sperm count and also helps in bettering the quality of sperms. It also helps in regulating sex hormones for proper functioning. It has been regarded as Indian viagra as it is very helpful in enhancing sexual powers.
* Shilajit is well used in treating diabetes cases, as it is very helpful in metabolizing glucose in blood stream.
* It is strongly recommended in renal calculi cases, as it is very effecting in crushing calculi due to its tickt rasa property. It is also beneficial in enhancing proper functioning of kidneys.
* Good results have also been seen in infection in urinary tract and helps in relieving from symptoms like dysurea and burning micturation.
* Excellent results have been discovered when Shilajit is applied in medo roga (obesity). It possesses this property because of its laghu (light) and ruksh (dry) properties. It helps in scrapping away of extra fat accumulated in body thus helps in providing slim and healthy looks to the body.
* Shilajit is highly recommended in patients who are weak or have been recovering from prolonged illness or from any surgery.
* Shilajit helps in supplementing the minerals (like phosphorus, calcium and magnesium) and vitamin deficiency in body.
* Shilajit provides strength to the body and has been mentioned as rasayan by Acharya Charak, the great Indian Ayurvedic healer, and has recommended its daily use to maintain physical and mental strength and to maintain youth and to attain long life.

Shilajit is the most important drug of Ayurvedic and folk- medicine systems. In the raw form it is a bituminous substance, which is a compact mass of vegetable organic matter composed of dark red gummy matrix. It is bitter in taste, and its smell resembles cow’s stale urine. The botanical name of Shilajit is Asphaltum (mineral pitch).

In the Ayurvedic texts it is called as silajatu or shilajatu, but is commonly known as Shilajit. Its Sanskrit meaning is “conqueror of mountains and destroyer of weakness.” Several other terms like dhaturas, dhatusara, shiladhatu, etc. also have been used for it in ancient medical texts like Sushruta Samhita, Charak Samhita, Rasarangini, etc.

The term dhau, which was used as synonyms of Shilajit like dhahurasa, dhahusara etc., was simply to emphasise its potentialities as rarayana, which increases the activities of the saptadhatus of the body.

Shilajit usually collected over the ground or is found flowing out from between fissures in the rocks in summer months due to strong heat of the sun. In India, it is found in the romantic surroundings of the Himalayas: from Arunachal Pradesh in the east to Kashmir in the west. It is also found in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet, and Norway, where it is collected in small quantities from steep rock faces at altitudes between 1000 and 5000 m. Shilajit samples from different regions of the world have different physiological properties.

Dear Glenn,
Thank you so much for this incredible information!!! As you know from my book, I was overwhelmed with curiousity about the “mountain oil” the Kondus locals kept talking about. I can see now why they were so eager to know if we could bring some down from Tahir Tower…. Thank you for satisfying my curiosity, so thoroughly!
🙂 Steph