Hamida the Herbalist

Perfect for this Holiday Season

2011-12-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

I made the salsa recipe until fresh cranberries were no longer available. You can buy fresh cranberries and freeze them to use later. I plan to do that this year because I love this salsa so much.

I probably posted this before, but it is so delicious, I thought I'd post it again. Made some for Thanksgiving and have to say...this one is so popular, you have to double or even triple the recipe if you have more than 6. People literally park themselves near this salsa and don't move! Delicious.

I have used lemon and even orange juice when lime was not available. I prefer the lower amount of sugar. I'm making some right now! It's really good with corn chips, especially blue corn chips. Unsalted best.

CRANBERRY SALSA !!!

1 BAG FRESH CRANBERRIES, RINSED & CHOPPED {FOOD PROCESSOR]
1 HALF BUNCH FRESH CILANTRO, CHOPPED
2 SCALLIONS, CHOPPED
2 TEASPOONS FRESH LIME JUICE
1/2 -- 3/4 CUP SUGAR
PINCH OF DRIED HOT PEPPER FLAKES
1/4 TEASPOON GROUND CUMIN

COMBINE THE ABOVE THE DAY BEFORE YOU SERVE TO "MARRY" FLAVORS, AND FEEL FREE TO MODIFY , TO TASTE.

DOUBLES EASILY REFRIGERATE TO MARRY, KEEPS IN REFRIGERATOR VERY WELL!

I haven't tried to make this but as soon as I get my new oven, I will.

CRANBERRY TART

PREP 10 MINUTES BAKE 40-45MINUTES @ 350 COOL 20 MINUTES
CAN BAKE THE DAY BEFORE. COVER WITH PLASTIC WRAP & KEEP AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

12 TABLESPOONS(1 ½ STICKS) BUTTER, MELTED, PLUS MELTED BUTTER FOR BRUSHING THE PIE PAN
2 CUPS CRANBERRIES, RINSED AND DRAINED
1 ½ CUPS SUGAR
½ CUP CHOPPED PECANS
1 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
2 LARGE EGGS, BEATEN
1 TEASPOON PURE ALMOND EXTRACT
CONFECTIONERS’ (POWDERED) SUGAR FOR DUSTING THE TART
SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM FOR SERVING

1.Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Lightly brush a 9 inch glass or ceramic pie pan with melted butter.

2.Scatter the cranberries in an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle ½ cup of the sugar and the pecans over them.

3.Place the butter, flour, eggs, almond extract, and the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to combine well. Pour or spread the butter mixture over the cranberry mixture.

4.Bake the tart until it has risen, is lightly browned, and the center has nearly set-40-45 minutes. Transfer the tart to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then slice and serve warm with the whipped cream. Or, let the tart cool completely, about 1 hour, before serving. Dust with confectioners’(powdered) sugar if desired.

This tart can also be made with 1 cup chopped apple and 1 cup of cranberries.

Gather, Prepare and Eat Acorns

2011-11-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

The other day on my walk, I noticed there were a lot of acorns on the ground. I know they were the staple food source for California Indian people for centuries, so I knew they were edible. In fact, at different times in my life when I was spending time with Native People, I cooked and prepared them myself. I decided to try it again.

I gathered acorns over a couple of days, let them sit for a few days, then cracked them open taking out the nuts inside. I soaked them overnight to loosen the brown skin on the nut, then removed the skins. I ground them in my Vitamix to the size of coffee grounds. I put them in cold water and poured off the water about a dozen times.

Today I am cooking the mush. It is creamy and smooth, with a mild flavor.

Acorn has a high level of protein. It was the staple food for California native people for generations until Europeans came with their animals, which escaped and fed off the acorns making it unavailable to the people. It has been said that is this the main reason the native people were forced to go to the missions...for food after their own food source was taken by the animals.

Acorn is a nut and after the tannins are removed by processing, has a light nut flavor. Tannins create a bitter taste and are not good for our liver, so must be removed, but it is not poisonous. All types of acorn can be eaten. Some have more tannin than others and so take more processing before eating.

Check out this website: Acorn Recipes and Acorn Preparation

A great website, which although it is low tech...has everything you need to know about acorn.

I think it is very useful for us to know about 'wild foods' and how to prepare them. Find out what grows naturally near you or within a short distance, that you can use for food or medicine. Learn how to prepare these items, including seeds, nuts, berries, sea vegetables, leaves, roots, mushrooms, and fruit. This will be beneficial to you in many ways:

1) it will get you out in nature, walking and being observant,
2) you will be learning something new, including the cycles of nature,

3) you will see that you are not at the mercy of the supermarket down the street - which will empower you and help you feel more secure.

Knowing that everything you REALLY need is available and within your reach is a good feeling. It is empowering to collect and prepare wild foods.

Hopefully, we won't need to rely on these things to survive, but will just add them to our diet for variation and fun. Have a wild foods dinner with your friends.

Fall - Time for Spiced Chai

2011-10-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is the season for chai. Hot and spicy, it warms you up and is good for you. It's a good way to strengthen your immune system before the onslaught of winter.

I start my chai by putting fresh ginger, cardamom seeds (taken out of the pods), and cinnamon stick in the crock pot overnight. The next day, after I turn off the crock pot, I add black tea and let that steep for a few minutes. I make a large batch. I make it strong, then put it in the refrigerator for easy use at a later time. When I want some, I use about half a cup or so, add multi-grain milk and honey then heat.

There are hundreds of recipes...find one or make up one. Here is an article from the Herb Companion newsletter with 3 recipes following:

"Sensuous, soothing and simply irresistible, chai is the ideal accompaniment for savory scones … a perfect break on a busy afternoon … a satisfying finish to a holiday dinner with family and friends.

Derived from the Chinese chá, “chai” means tea in much of the world, including Asia, Eastern Europe, parts of Africa and Brazil. Masala chai is an aromatic blend of black or green tea with warming spices. Sugar and milk often are included, as well.

Travel to India, Nepal and Tibet, where masala chai originated, and you’ll likely see vendors peddling the tasty brew on street corners or at train stations. According to Ayurvedic tradition, masala chai boosts the immune system, enhances metabolism, relieves stress, aids digestion and sharpens the mind.

You can find hundreds of chai recipes associated with different locales, restaurants and even families. Preparation methods vary, too—some aficionados insist on boiling the tea, spices and milk together, while others take a gentler approach, briefly steeping the tea leaves and spices in hot water, then adding hot milk and sweetener last.

The following recipes are three twists on this long-loved delight. Experiment by adding fennel seeds, coriander seeds, nutmeg, star anise, and lemon or orange peel to create your own favorite blend."

Basic Black Chai

• 1½ cups cold water
• One 2-inch piece cinnamon stick, broken
• 2 heaping teaspoons black tea
• Seed of 3 cardamom pods
• One ¼-inch-thick slice fresh ginger
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 black peppercorns
• ¼ to ½ cup milk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Bring water to a boil in small saucepan. Add cinnamon, cover, remove from heat; steep 2 minutes. Return pan to heat; bring to a boil. Add tea, spices, milk and sugar; cover, and remove from heat. Steep 3 minutes.

2. Pour mixture through fine wire-mesh strainer into warm teapot, discarding solids. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Gentle Green Chai

This is a yummy variation of kahwah, a Kashmiri green tea.

• 1½ cups cold water
• 2 heaping teaspoons green tea
• Seed of 1 cardamom pod
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 strands saffron (optional)
• 6 blanched almonds, chopped
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon honey

1. Combine water, tea, spices and almonds in small saucepan. Cook over low heat until hot (do not boil). Partially cover; steep over low heat 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in milk and honey.

2. Pour through fine wire-mesh strainer into warm teapot, discarding solids. Serve.

Tulsi Chai

In India, Tulsi Chai, made from holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), is used to treat colds and reduce stress.

• ½ cup holy basil leaves
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 heaping teaspoons green tea
• Seed of 1 cardamom pod
• One 1/4-inch-thick slice fresh ginger
• One 2-inch cinnamon stick, broken
• 2 whole cloves
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Milk, to taste

1. In small saucepan, boil basil and water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in tea, spices and honey: bring almost to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and steep 3 minutes.

2. Pour mixture through fine wire-mesh strainer into warm teapot, discarding solids. Serve with milk. Garnish with skewered crystallized ginger cubes, fresh basil leaves and grated nutmeg.

Read more

Edible Mushrooms Growing in my Living Room!

2011-10-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had a booth at the annual harvest event at Laguna Farms in Sebastopol. I was selling my herbal products and giving flower essence readings.

They offered many classes including one on growing edible mushrooms. I made two 'bags' full of rice hay and mycelium.

Two days ago they sprouted. I was so excited! Mushroom babies! I spent some time trying to find out what kind they were then finally identified them - Pleurotus ostreatus var.columbinus blue oyster mushrooms! I wasn't sure how long to let them grow before harvesting, but after I did a little research, I figured it out.

This picture shows them on the second day after they pop out of the plastic bag. They get as big as cookies and lighten in color when they are ready to eat. Once they start, they grow fast.

I have been eating them for two nights now. Although they are not supposed to do this, I notice my dreams are more vivid and active than they had been before. I am very sensitive to new energies, so it might just be me. But I do feel different. I cut the fresh mushrooms, cook and eat them in minutes. They are so alive, the first time I cut them I apologized.

I am hooked! Growing my own edible mushrooms is so easy! I always heard that, but now that I've done it and eaten the results I am a believer.

Today, the universe said YES, and sent me the latest catalog from Fungi Perfecti. I knew I had one, but couldn't find it. I have been listening for guidance about the direction I am to take next and now I know I will be growing mushrooms.

Since I live in the woods, my place is cool and dark most of the time. I have the right kind of place for growing mushrooms, both indoor and outdoor. You can eat them and it's legal!

The first time I ate them, I wanted to taste their natural flavor, so I did not use any seasoning. They were so delicious,with a mild and delicate flavor. I sauteed them briefly in a little olive oil and butter. Yummm!

Last night I mixed them with roasted eggplant and garlic over linguini sprinkled lightly with fresh grated parmesan. It was a gourmet meal.

Tonight I'm going to cook up a batch and freeze it. They are producing so many mushrooms I can't eat them all. I will cook them up, freeze them, then used them in a sauce over polenta that I will bring to a Halloween party potluck.

Not sure if they grow a second time, but I'll see. My next experiment will be to grow some medicinal mushroom like Reishi and Lion's Mane.

Here are some useful websites I found in my research:
http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/rss/index.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleurotus
http://www.ostrommushrooms.com/varieties/grow-5.asp
http://www.ostrommushrooms.com/varieties/recipes-5.asp

To start "growing your own" I suggest going to the website by Fungi Perfecti, because they are totally reliable and they have been doing this for a long time.
http://www.fungi.com/
Try growing your own. It is so amazing. A great project for kids. You can grow them on your kitchen counter. They don't take up much room and you don't have to do anything. No watering or weeding! ha ha

Astrology and Wellness

2011-03-21T18:03:00.000-07:00

Had a fantastic time at Astrology Day 2011 in SF on this past Saturday. Foe more on that, go to my astrology blog.

One of the speakers, Stephanie Gailing, in addition to being an astrologer, is a wellness consultant. Her presentation, titled: "Uranus in Aries: Taking Charge of Our Well-Being", included suggestions for diet and exercise as well as the herbs and essences. Her book Planetary Apothecary is for sale on my sidebar.

In general, Uranus, the god of rapid change is going into the sign of Aries, ruled by Mars. Impulsive, with child-like energy, naivete and energy, Aries rules the head and is prone to accidents and injuries due to its tendency to act first and think later. Uranus which rules the nervous system, likes to shake things up. Hmmm sounds familiar doesn't it?

So with all that is going on in the world, stress and upset are highly available. We need to focus on calming down, slowing down and acting deliberately. Now after an extremely difficult and long winter, we are all yearning to burst out the door whenever the sun shines. We need to MOVE! True, we do. But let us do so in a manner that will serve our well-being. Stephanie suggests yoga, tai chi, qi gong, ecstatic dance, Sufi dancing - among other ways of moving, so that our energy is channeled in a positive way.

We need to remember to get enough rest and sleep too.

She suggests nutritive herbs, nervines (Skullcap and Valerian) and adaptogens (Ashwaganda and Eleuthro); to help relax, Lavendar and Chamomile essential oils in rubs or bath products; and last but not least, flower essences like Yarrow, Impatiens, and Rescue Remedy. Interestingly, just prior to her mentioning Rescue Remedy, I had just taken a couple of drops of Desert Crisis Formula by Desert Alchemy, which has a similar purpose and is my 'crisis formula of choice.' The energy in the room was challenging to someone who has been sick in bed for nearly two weeks. It helped immediately. I enjoyed the conference immensely, but it was a huge energetic change for me.

Which, by the way, is how we might experience Uranus in Aries. After being in the doldrums for months, even years due to Pluto's ingress into Capricorn and the collapse of the economy, we are going to get a blast of energy that may throw us off kilter for awhile. Our challenge is to not lose our footing while setting our sails so that these winds of change move us forward, not aground.

In addition to the herbs Stephanie mentioned, I suggest Passionflower as a mildly relaxing herb. I make a blend of tinctures called Take It Easy, which is a combination of Nettle, Ashwaganda, Fennel Seed, Motherwort, Vervain, Skullcap, Passionflower, Damiana, Chamomile, Melissa, St.John's Wort, Schizandra, Cleavers, Linden Flower and Red Clover. Honey and Pomegranate Syrup make it taste good. A two ounce bottle is $28.00. For shipping in the U.S.add another 4.95 for a total of $32.95. Pay through the Paypal Keep the Essences Flowing Donation button in the sidebar with the message 'tonic' and send me your shipping address.

Meditation, contemplation and prayer can help settle your mind and give you focus for the energy that will be inside and outside you. I suggested at the conference that sometimes we take flower and gem essences because 'other people' are driving us nuts. We cannot control others, but we CAN take care of ourselves, our emotional states and our responses/reactions. During this time flower essences and especially gem elixirs are useful. Those which address the need to stay grounded, give clarity and help you relax are most helpful.

What Can We Do to Protect Ourselves from Radiation

2011-03-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of talk about what's going on in Japan right now. They are truly going through Hell. I am praying for them. As we are finding out all the time, we are all connected. We all live on the planet Earth and the radiation that is coming from the failing nuclear reactors will move towards the west coast of the U.S. eventually.

Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves from its effects? I listened to a show on KPFA today that spoke about the value of Iodine to help protect the thyroid and other glands. I suggest you investigate the proper sources and amounts so that you don't harm yourself.

I found this blog post very good in regards to food and supplements.

http://www.annlouise.com/blog/2011/03/15/radiation-coming-our-way/

Gary Young of Young Living Essential Oils has created a special kit called

QuadShield (#4559). QuadShield combines four potent Young Living products: Super C, Melrose, Longevity, and Thyromin.

He suggests that you use the following Young Living products to protect your home and environment

Longevity: 1–2 capsules twice daily
Melrose: 6–20 drops per capsule or in yogurt 1–3 times a day
Super C: 1–2 tablets daily
Thyromin: 1 capsule three times a day
ICP: 1 to 2 teaspoons in the morning
JuvaPower: 1–2 teaspoons at night
Endoflex and Digize: 1–2 capsules daily
NingXia Red: 4–6 oz. daily
Detoxyme: 3–5 capsules at night
Allerzyme: 1–2 capsules three times a day
Essentialzyme: 1 capsule three times a day
Drink three liters of water daily

Gary Young suggests that essential oils have the ability to both purify the air (and should be diffused in your home) and can protect DNA from damage caused by radiation. He suggests alternating between Purification, Melrose and Frankincense oils. Also, burning frankincense resin will help purify the air.

You can purchase all the Young Living products via my Young Living website.

The flower essence blend by FES, Yarrow Environmental Solution has been recommended for use in these circumstances. Go to the FES site to purchase or get at your local herb shop or health food store.

More on Horseradish - Herb of the Year

2011-02-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

Most of us know horseradish as a culinary plant used as a seasoning, but it does have medicinal properties.

Horseradish is a source of vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. It is a circulatory and digestive stimulant and has antidepressant, antibacterial, anti-cancer, antioxidant, detoxifying and expectorant qualities.

Avoid horseradish if you have an underactive thyroid.

The stimulating and antibiotic properties are due to the fact that horseradish contains mustard oil, which also makes it effective for lung and urinary tract infections. You may have heard of the old-time remedy for lung infections known as a 'mustard plaster'. Horseradish is also a strong diuretic.

One of the first remedies I learned to make in herb school, introduced by Rosemary Gladstar, was Fire Cider.

Here's a recipe for Fire Cider. It can be used in many ways, including as a salad dressing.

Fire Cider

Ingredients:

1 quart Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Horseradish root grated
1/8 cup of Garlic chopped
1/2 cup of Onion chopped
1/2 cup of Ginger grated
1 tsp Cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a quart jar and cover with Apple Cider Vinegar.

Cover tightly.
Steep for 8 weeks.
Strain into clean jar.

How to Use Your Fire Cider

~ Rub into sore muscles and aching joints.
~ Soak a clean cloth in Fire Cider to place on a congested chest.
~ Drink it straight or diluted in a bit of water or tomato juice.Start out with a tsp or so to test your tolerance level.
~ Mix with a bit of honey to ease a cough.

Culinary Recipe

Mashed Potatoes and Horseradish

Add grated or prepared horseradish to your regular mashed potato recipe. You can also add to garlic mashed potatoes.

Use 3-4 Tablespoons to 3 pounds potatoes. A little goes a long way.

July has been designated as National Horseradish Month and there will be many festivals and events during the year. To learn more about it go to The Horseradish Festival website.
Read more about horseradish and other herbs at The Herb Companion website.

Starting Off the New Year

2010-12-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

Horseradish - 2011 Herb of the Year

Every year the International Herb Association chooses an Herb of the Year. This year it is horseradish. I suggest you go to the following websites to read about horseradish.

A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve

The Herb Society

Wikipedia

Herb of the Year

I love it with roast beef, but I also use mustard/horseradish in toasted cheese sandwiches to spice them up.

At the Master Gardeners Christmas Potluck this year, someone brought the most delicious cranberry salsa and I want to share the recipe with you. I made it for Christmas and it was a hit, even with teenagers! Fresh cranberries and cilantro make it a great source of vitamins and anti-oxidants as well. I used a little fresh orange juice to sweeten instead of sugar. Experiment and Enjoy!

CRANBERRY SALSA

1bag fresh cranberries, rinsed and chopped (best in food processor)

Half bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Scallions, chopped
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 -- 3/4 C sugar
Pinch dried hot pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Combine the above the day before you serve to 'marry' the flavors. Keeps well in the refrigerator.

Herbal Jellies - Yum!

2010-09-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Wondering what to do with the culinary herbs you grow? Here's an idea... make herbal jellies. Great as gifts. Make up a gift basket with jellies, vinegars and flavored olive oils. Who can resist?

Here's a recipe I recently received and have not had a chance to try yet. Go to Lemon Verbena Lady's blog for more...

I think you could use other culinary herbs as well as basils. Experiment with your favorites.
Scented Basil Jellies

Makes four 8-ounce jars

• 1½ cups packed fresh anise, cinnamon, opal or lemon basil
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• Pinch of salt
• 3½ cups sugar
• 3 ounces liquid pectin

1. Wash and dry the basil in paper towels, then coarsely chop it. Put the basil in a large saucepan and crush the leaves, using the bottom of a glass. Add the water, bring slowly to a boil and boil for 10 seconds. Remove the saucepan from the heat; cover and let sit for 15 minutes to steep.

2. Strain 1½ cups of liquid from the saucepan and pour through a fine strainer into another saucepan. Add the vinegar, salt and sugar and bring to a hard boil, stirring. When the boil can't be stirred down, add the pectin. Return the portion that can't be stirred down to a hard boil and boil for exactly 1 minute; remove saucepan from heat.

3. Skim off the foam and pour the hot jelly into four hot, sterilized (sterilized in boiling water for 10 minutes) half-pint jelly jars. Leave ½-inch (or less) headspace and seal at once with sterilized 2-piece lids. I just leave my lids in hot water not boiling until you need them. Can the jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

Recipe from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd & Fran Raboff, Berkeley (Ten Speed Press, 1993).

My Favorite Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils - Young Living

2010-08-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

For therapeutic use, I have been using Young Living essential oils for over 12 years. I especially like their blends which I use all the time as perfumes or to affect my mood.

They also make some incredible personal care products and supplements. I love their deodorant and toothpaste, which I use every day.

Young living oils have a depth and complexity you never find in any other oils. I have been to their farm in Utah and seen how they distill their oils. Their Lavender oil is like a vintage wine, multi-layered and evocative.

Gary Young is the only person in the essential oil industry who personally goes to every location where the plants are grown and where oils are distilled. More and more, they are growing and distilling so as to ensure the supply and the quality.

Essential oils are like other commodities traded in the world. They are subject to political, economic and climate conditions just like food items and other raw materials. By growing their own plants and producting their own oils, Young Living is better able to control how plants are grown and processed, which makes all the difference in the final product.

Check out my personal Young Living website. Sign up for the essential rewards program where you get credits for everything you buy which you can redeem for free products. By becoming a member, you can get in on special promotions.

You can make money selling Young Living products. As a distributor, you get a percentage on all sales by people you sign up.

I also like Young Living for its ongoing training and customer support. They want you to know about their products and how to use them.

To start out, I recommend the Essential Seven kit. These oils are like a first-aid kit with so many uses, you'll wonder what you ever did without them. I have made a mini-set to take with me when I travel.

One summer, I went on a four day camel trip into the Sahara desert in Morocco. Obviously, you can't take much baggage on such a trip. I made a set of a dozen or so mini bottles of oils which I carried in a fanny pack. I passed around the Peppermint when people got headaches or nausea, Lavender for wounds, and stress.

That was the 'trial by fire' - my test as to whether oils work or not. I can truly say they are the first choice in treatment, no matter what the issue. I even use oils for preventing the usual ailment travelers get.... I take a drop of Frankincense oil with every meal. It works for me. I never have to run to the bathroom.

Announcing: New Pluto Through the Houses Essences and Aroma-essence Spray

2010-08-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

Launched at the recent Evolutionary Astrology Conference in Denver, my latest creation: a set of 12 Pluto Through the Houses Essences. Each one is a blend of flower, gem, and environmental essences intuitively selected to work with the issues related to Pluto in a particular house.
You may work with your natal house placement of Pluto, or where Pluto is currently transiting, or both.
A specially formulated Aroma-essence Spray contains essential oils and the Pluto blend.
See my astrology blog for more info. You can order here or there. Remember to specify which house you want.
To make the medicine go down easier, each essence contains Hazelnut and Pomegranate liqueurs. Yum! Transformation never tasted so good!
Each essence is 2 ounces. The aroma-essence spray is 4 ounces.

Salon des Plantes August - Sunflower

2010-08-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 100th post on this blog. I used to post regularly, but life has gotten more complicated. One of my Summer Resolutions is to write on my blogs again on a regular basis.

Went to Annabella's Salon des Plantes yesterday at the Peralta Community Garden in Berkeley. My friend Huck met me there. Annabella makes wonderful essences and perfumes. To see her website click here.

The featured plant was Sunflower! I realized this is a plant that I take for granted. In listening to what Annabella told us about its history and uses, going through the attunement to the plant, and doing the guided visualization, I got a whole new perspective.

Sunflower originally came from Peru. It spread throughout the Americas and was brought to Europe during the Conquest. It nativized in many area and became the signature flower for Louis XIV. It became an integral part of Russian cuisine, where sunflower oil was used extensively. In addition, a cordial was made using Sunflower in vodka. Who knew?

Sunflower oil can be used both in beauty products and in cooking. The seeds of some species are used in baking and cooking. The serve as a healthy snack which contains a high percentage of protein. Sunflower seeds also feed birds and animals.

My guided visualization had me climbing a huge sunflower stalk like Jack and the Beanstalk. When I arrived at the top, I found myself on the central disk of a huge flower. I saw the spiral form of the central flowers (sunflower is a complex flower with each petal and each black/brown section as complete flowers in themselves), as a crop circle. I realized that these recurring patterns to be found in nature are there to remind us of that everything is connected. There is a plan to the Universe. We are not alone, but part of a multi-leveled Creation. The spiral at the center of the Sunflower is a hologram.

I also learned to look beyond the superficial. To deeply see the worlds within worlds. And to listen. I heard the buzzing bees of the Peralta Community Garden and realized they speak a language and that they communicate with the plants and flowers in a parallel universe that exists here and now. We live in a multi-tiered world right here on Earth.

Now when I look at the face of Sunflower I know that I am seeing the mystery hidden in plain sight.

Sunflower flower essence from FES

Positive qualities: Unique individuality, spiritualized ego forces infused into a sun-radiant personality
Patterns of imbalance: Distorted or vacillating sense of Self; inflation or self-effacement, low self-esteem or arrogance; poor relation to father or solar aspects of Self

After the Salon, Huck and I took BART to San Francisco to the Mission where we ate at Gracias Madre, an organic vegan Mexican restaurant. OMG! Incredible! One of the best, if not the best meals I have every eaten. SO GOOD! We ordered way to much food and had to bring our entries home. The first three were the appetizers and they were so good and there was so much of it that we could not even touch the last two which were our entries. Handmade tortillas from non-GMO corn! The prices were good too. We actually had ordered four meals and didn't realize it. I'm having my Enchiladas con Mole Poblano for brunch today.

Guacamole con Tostadas
Mashed avocado with cilantro, onion, chile and lime

Quesadillas de Calabaza
Butternut squash and caramelized onion folded into tortillas with cashew nacho cheese a pumpkin seed salsa

Papas al Horno
Be Love Farm Potatoes roasted with olive oil and garlic topped with cashew nacho cheese

Enchiladas con Mole Poblano
Mole enchiladas topped with mushrooms and cashew cheese, served with sauteed greens and beans

Nopales
Prickly Pear cactus from Rivenrock Farms grilled with garlic and fresh herbs, served with rice, beans, pico de gallo, cashew crema and corn tortillas

Lavender at the Salon des Plantes

2010-07-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at Annabella's Salon des Plantes we worked with one of my favorite plants - Lavender.

After calling in the directions in Italian, Annabella showed us how to make lavender wands. She offered us lavender tea from both fresh and dry plants and lavender madelines....yum!

Lavender is one of those herbs that has many uses. If you lived on a desert island and could only have one herb, lavender should be your choice. It has both medicinal and culinary uses. Of all scents, lavender is the most popular. Most people like it.

Anti-bacterial, anti-spasmodic, slightly sedative, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. I use it almost everyday. It helps with burns, poison oak, and insect bites. This is interesting because bees love the flowers and yet lavender oil can soothe bee stings. I make a spray called 'burns and bites' using lavender oil.

According to Wikipedia, "Lavender was commonly used in Roman baths to scent the water, and it was thought to restore the skin. Its late Latin name was lavandārius, from lavanda (things to be washed), from the verb lavāre (to wash). When the Roman Empire conquered southern Britain, the Romans introduced lavender. The Greeks discovered early on that lavender if crushed and treated correctly would release a relaxing fume when burned."

There are many varieties of lavender which have different properties and they all have a slightly different scent.

The guided visualization we participated in took me to a cave near the ocean. While in the cave, the spirit of lavender spoke to me and reminded me that the most potent lavender plants are those grown in harsh environments with little water. The less water, the better the oil. Lavender is here to remind us that the challenges of life can bring out either the best or the worst within us. Like lavender oil, let us bring out our healing essence!

I have grown lavender both from seed and from cuttings, although growing from seed is very slow.

Here are some recipes using culinary lavender:

Lavender Lemonade

2 ½ cups of water
¼ C culinary lavender

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate

Sugar to taste

Bring water and lavender to boil over medium heat. Turn off heat and let stand for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture. Pour into lemonade. Add sugar to taste.

Lavender Roasted Beets

with Garlic and Lemon

Makes 6 Servings

1 pound medium beets, with 1 inch of stems remaining

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

¼ cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. plus ½ tsp. dried culinary ‘Provence’ lavender buds, finely ground in a spice grinder

¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup Italian parsley leaves chopped

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Place the beets and garlic on a large sheet of foil and sprinkle with ¼ cup of the oil and 1 Tbs. of the lavender; toss to combine. Fold up the foil to make a sealed packet. Place on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender when tested with a sharp knife. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Slip off the skins.

Cut the beets into quarters and place in a large skillet. Squeeze the garlic over the beets. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, and the remaining ½ tsp. lavender. Season with salt and pepper. Warm through over medium heat. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Serve hot or warm.

And here's my recipe for a healing spray:

Burns and Bites Spray

1 oz. aloe vera gel

1 oz. lavender hydrosol

1 oz. roman chamomile hydrosol

30 drops of lavender essential oil

15 drops of ravensara essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a 4 oz. spray bottle.

Shake and spray as needed.

Keep out of eyes.

Alleviates pain.

Promotes skin healing.

Diminishes itching.

The best lavender essential oil comes from Young Living. Visit my new young living website to order some. They have many other products using Lavender. Check them out.

Salon des Plantes with Luna Fina - Elder

2010-06-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

Black Elder Sambucus nigra

The Salon des Plantes with Annabella this past Sunday, June 27, focused on Elder.

We began with Annabella calling in the directions in Italian. The first time I heard her do this, it really struck a chord with me. I grew up in a bi-lingual, bi-cultural home. My maternal grandparents spoke Italian all of their lives. My step-father came from Italy and so Italian was often spoken in my childhood home. Hearing Annabella singing out boldly in Italian warmed my heart. I think one reason I have gotten involved in her monthly Salons is just to hear her sing.

Elder is an herb that has been used for centuries by many cultures. The black berries contain high levels of vitamin C and anti-oxidants known as flavonoids.

David Hoffmann in Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine, says " The elder tree is a medicine chest in its own right." The leaf can be used for bruises, sprains, and wounds. The flower is an ideal treatment for colds and flu. Standardized extracts of black elderberry has antiviral properties.

Tinctures and teas can be made of the flowers. Juice or syrups can be made of flowers and berries. My Cold Season Syrup and Immune System Tonic both include decoctions of elder flower and berries.

Tradition says that Elder has magical properties as well.

Wikipedia says: The Elder Tree was supposed to ward off evil influence and give protection from witches, a popular belief held in some cultures. If an elder tree was cut down, a spirit known as the Elder Mother would be released and take her revenge. The tree could only safely be cut while chanting a rhyme to the Elder Mother.

The most powerful wand in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a wand made of sambucus known as the "Elder Wand".

For in depth information go to A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve here

Every session of Salon des Plantes, we experience the plant on many levels. There are washes, teas, and dry and fresh plant on hand. There is at least one growing plant at the Peralta Community Garden for us to visit and commune with.

We observe the plant, then draw it. We do a guided visualization where we are encouraged to meet the spirit of the plant and find out if it has a message for us.

This time during the journey, I found myself in a Greek temple on a hillside overlooking the sea. Elder told me that she stores ancient wisdom and that I could spend a lifetime learning her secrets. I was inspired to wildcraft the flowers that are abundantly available near my home.

A few years ago I planted an elderberry in my garden. It is quite small and doesn't seem to flourish despite the fact that so many of them grow wild in my area. This year it didn't return, or so I thought. This morning, after the Salon, I found it. I was so thrilled to see that it had survived the wet winter.

Salon des Plantes with Luna Fina - Mugwort

2010-04-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, March 20, my friend Huck and I went to the first Salon des Plantes put on by AnnaBella aka Luna Fina.

Marvelous! It took place at the Peralta Community Garden in Berkeley, the perfect spot.

AnnaBella will offer these salons once a month in different locations around Berkeley and Marin County. In July, she will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

It was a delight to hear her sing in the four directions in Italian! The first time I have heard it in the language of my ancestors and it was truly inspiring.

This first month we focused on Mugwort. We had a guided visualization, drank mugwort tea, had mugwort oil rubbed on our wrists and were smudged with mugwort. Meanwhile, we were surrounded by mugwort growing in the garden.

AnnaBella teaches classes in many locations. She is also the creator of the Rose Chakra Flower Essences which can be purchased from her Website - click here - and many other wondrous products to heal your heart and soul.

She gives sacred footbaths, leads vision quests and showers you with love and joy.

I first met her at the Sonoma County Herb Association Herb Festival on the campus of Santa Rosa Junior College in 1996. Since then she has served as an inspiration to me in many ways.

So what about Mugwort?

This plant grows in the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. There are many species in the genus known as Artemisia (plants named for the goddess Artemis).

The species we worked with in AnnaBella's Salon was douglasiana. It happens to grow wild near my house and is so easy to propagate through cuttings. I just put sticks of it in the ground and they grow. They die back in winter, but come up in early March, even in the woods where I live.

It has both medicinal and spiritual qualities, but should never be used in excess since it contains thujone.

Should be avoided by pregnant and nursing women.

It is an effective digestive and has been used in Europe to flavor drinks.

Moxa is made from pulverized mugwort and used in acupuncture.

It can repel insects.

It is used for lucid dreaming and is often found in 'dream pillows' or potions to bring on dreaming.

It has protective qualities and put with rosemary can be put in a pouch near the door of your house and/or in your car to keep out unwanted visitors or thieves. But as the saying goes: "Pray to Allah and tie your camel" remember to lock your doors too!

I make a dream potion which includes mugwort and it is part of my Lunar Salve (one of the Three Egyptian Sacred Schools Salves).

FES makes a mugwort flower essence - click here

Start your search with this entry from Wikipedia

Dill - Herb of the Year - 2010

2010-03-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

What does the old Chinese proverb say: May you live in interesting times? Well, I guess this is it for me. Last year I had many challenges including breaking my ankle while taking a Plant Spirit Healing class with Pam Montgomery. It was 'the perfect time' to break my ankle since I was surrounded by healers and deeply connecting to the plant beings.

But it meant that I was not able to do any of my shows, work outside in my own garden, or make any products for several months. I was not even able to get outside for months. I looked longingly out the window.

Then one of my beloved cats, Grace, who had a thyroid condition, developed a heart condition which worsened and finally led to her death.

It seemed like there was one thing after another. And I know that others had a tough year too. In fact, many of my friends and associates died or developed grave illnesses.

I felt I was under a black cloud and was not able to write in my blogs because I was so uninspired. Life felt meaningless. There is nothing worse for a person who has devoted their life to spiritual pursuits, seeking truth and light, but it happens. I was in the wasteland, so to speak. Having a dark night of the soul.

I was also financially challenged because I had been unable to work for several months. I felt stuck. Surrounded by herbal remedies, flower essences, essential oils, I forgot to take them. Duh.

But then one day, the cloud lifted. I felt a shift in energy. I knew this year would be a better and so it has been. I had gone through an ordeal and had learned the lessons.

One thing that helped shift the energy was helping someone else. Giving what I had to give, expecting nothing in return.

One of my teachers was going through cancer treatment. I had not been able to go to my astrology class for months - first because I could not drive, then because I had no money to pay for them. I didn't know what was happening to him until one of my classmates called and told me. One night I just had to go. Since so many people and pets had been dying around me, I thought "what if I never see him again?" I scraped up the money and went. After class I asked him about his situation and he told me what was going on. When I got out to my car I suddenly had a 'download' about his condition and its 'energetic' cause. I went back in and offered what I had seen and suggested flower essences, since they are so powerful when dealing with energetic causes - even to physical conditions.

The next day I worked on the formula, made it up and brought it to him. We continued over a period of a couple of months or so, making new remedies as needed. He said he could feel their healing qualities while holding the bottles. He continued to get his treatments - radiation and chemotherapy - and took his flower essences. He told me that they were the only thing that gave him any relief from the side effects of his medical treatments.

He came through the ordeal completely healed and I learned that flower essences 'work'!

I also remembered to take them myself!

Now I am so busy with scheduling my classes, workshops and craft shows, I have been neglecting my blogs again, but this time for a 'positive reason'. I apologize to my readers.

The Herb of the Year for 2010 is Dill.

One of my favorite herbs, I use freeze dried dill in salads such as cole slaw (my version), egg, macaroni/pasta, and of course, in deviled eggs. I also use it on baked fish.

If you are interested my cole slaw recipe: It's really not cole slaw, but this is one of my favorite salads.

Chopped or shredded cabbage green and red if you have it.
Diced red peppers
Diced carrots
Diced celery
Cilantro
Dried Dill
Oriental dressing - with ginger, soy, sesame oil either homemade or store bought.

You can also use it fresh. Click here for an article on dill in the Herb Companion that includes recipes.

Dill seed is sometimes used in bread where it lends a pungent flavor.

Dill essential oil is most used for the digestive system and may help lower glucose levels and normalize insulin levels. If you have these issues, please do not self-medicate, consult a physician first.

It can also be helpful when dealing with constipation or indigestion and headaches related to digestive issues.

It has been used historically to promote milk flow in nursing mothers. It also supports liver and pancreas function.

Dill essential oil is 'generally regarded as safe' (GRAS) for internal consumption by the FDA, but as is the case with all essential oils, it is quite strong and should be diluted when taken orally. Use 1 drop of oil in 1 tsp. of honey or 4 oz. of beverage. When giving to children over 6 dilute further.

Dill essential oil calms the autonomic nervous system and when diffused with Roman chamomile may help calm fidgety children.

Put a drop or two on the wrists to help curb sugar cravings.

NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 6 OR IF THERE IS A HISTORY OF EPILEPSY.

FES has this to say about Dill Flower Essence:

Positive qualities: Ability to experience and absorb a wide variety of sensory experiences, heightened awareness of taste, touch, hearing, sight, smell, etc.

Patterns of imbalance: Overwhelm due to excess stimulation, hypersensitivity to environment or to outer activity, sensory congestion

Go to the FES website here to purchase and learn more.

Showing of 'Numen - The Nature of Plants'

2010-02-13T19:02:00.002-08:00

Thursday night, United Plant Savers hosted a viewing of a new film on our relationship to plants called:

Numen, The Nature of Plants

This is taken from a description of the film by UpS staff:

'The film focuses on the healing power of plants and the natural world. Filmmakers Terrence Youk and Ann Armbrecht traveled the U.S. to speak with doctors and herbalists, ethnobotanists and others about how our disconnection from nature affects human and environmental health, and to discover how healing is made possible by embracing our place in the wider web of life. Numen features stunning footage of medicinal plants and thought-provoking interviews advocating a re-awakening of traditional knowledge about plants and their uses.

The film provides viewers with a sobering view of conventional healthcare and the dangers of environmental insults as well as a new vision of safe, effective and sustainable medicine. In addition, it offers concrete steps to improve individual health and well being while enhancing the health of the earth. Interviewees include herbalists Rosemary Gladstar, former owner of Sebastopol's Rosemary's Garden, Phyllis Light, Dr. Tieraona LowDog, Larry Dossey and Martha Herbert, Kenny Ausubel founder of Bioneers and local herb champions , David Hoffmann, Lynda LeMole, Executive Director of United Plant Savers, Drake Sadler and Josef Brinckmann of Traditional Medicinals Herb Tea.

"Numen is a magnificent depiction of the healing essence of plants. The filmmakers captured the magic, the mystery, the beauty of plants and their importance as herbal medicine in our contemporary health care system. Inspiring and educational, Numen has a place in the library of anyone interested in medicine, plants, gardening and earth ecology.It?s a powerful film that I?ll recommend that everyone see? Rosemary Gladstar'

I was privileged to go on an herbal tour to Morocco with Rosemary in 2007. What a sweet and special person she is. She seems quiet and even shy and yet she has had such an impact on herbalism in America. She started so many businesses, and organizations, that have been huge successes and yet she is so humble and unassuming.

I was proud to be a vendor at the event which was a great success. I really felt like an herbalist! My company Wise Women of the West has been around for 14 years now. Someone asked me how long I have been making things out of plants and I realized I started as a small child. I used to try to make perfume all the time. What I was actually making were flower essences! She said, "Did anyone lead you in that direction?" My answer..."it was a past-life thing," which I truly believe... at least in my case.

They got a much bigger crowd than expected, and the place was packed. The film was a tad bit long and a little redundant, but well worth seeing. It should be on PBS!

Try to see it if you can.

United Plant Savers will host a conference called Planting the Future in Santa Rosa, California May 15. For more info click here.

20 Herbs You Must Have - Part III

2010-01-22T18:17:00.001-08:00

Here is the third and last part of the series that Karyn Sanders did on her show, "The Herbal Highway" on KPFA radio. After the 20 herbs, she talks about some flower essences she uses a lot.

Sweet Leaf also known as bee balm, monarda, or wild bergamot

Used much more in south east and east. It is cooling. You can use the leaves, stems and flowers, fresh or dried. When you use the stems, use them dry.

Good to use when there is shut down energy which tends to 'shoot all over the place' and heat up. It re-organizes and calms down energy. Very good to use when you get burned. Best to use the flowers. Chew it, because your saliva contains enzymes that help. Then apply to burn. Don't leave on more than three to five minutes. It draws out the heat and the pain. After 3-5 minutes remove and discard, put fresh poultice on as needed. If you leave it on too long, it will start burning and thus add to the problem.

Great wash for wounds, keeps them clean and prevents infection. Good for poison oak and poison ivy as a wash to cool off the rash and dry it out. It helps with nerve pain, especially surface pain. She has used it for teeth. Takes the pain away. Short term relief.

Useful with menstrual cramps, nausea, sore throats, gas, intestinal discomfort and coughing. Use as a tea. It is a nice under-utilized plant. A good muscle relaxant if you are really tense or you have overdone it.

With burns, it will prevent scarring and will also soften old scars, so she uses it when people are trying to get rid of old scars. Well known for this.

The leaf or flower good for kidney, bladder, or yeast infections. It mixes well with yerba buena for a hangover. Make an infusion/tea and drink it. An infusion is steeped overnight and is medicinal in strength.

You can make a tincture using fresh or dried plant. You can make capsules out of dried powdered plant.

It enters through the arms, so, spiritually that is where it works. Think about where plants enter the body as to what plant you will use. It calms down agitation.

Spiritual use: It is ghost medicine, so used when there is 'corpse sickness.' She gives it to people who work around death a lot, such as morticians. Also good for PTSD, especially for corpse sickness in soldiers. She has used a lot with veterans. Inhale the flowers, don't need to ingest. Bundles of flowers. Flowers also calm down negative thoughts. It invites internal passion to come through when it is stuck deep inside.

Not used much on this coast, but very popular in the east.

True Solomon's Seal

Becoming endangered, because it likes to grow on the edge of forests and meadows. That land is less available as population increases. When it comes to putting plants (or animals) on the endangered list - you have to do it way in advance, because by the time they truly are endangered, it is too late. If the territory it normally resides in is rapidly diminishing, it is a sure bet that it will soon become endangered or extinct. While plants and animals have known to adapt to new conditions, it takes decades or longer for that to happen. They can't just pick up and leave like humans can.

Also known as "High John the Conqueror". It is wolf medicine and works where there is a lot of fracturing going on and a lot of energy splitting off from the body, way too much heat. When people are too 'edgy' that is often caused by too much heat.

Native to east, mid-west, heading down into the south. It has large leaves, flowers and berries grow in clusters. Good for relaxing joints and muscles. Good for tendon and connective tissue repair. Use when there is any kind of tendon issue, when having surgery. Use for carpal tunnel.

Repairs inflammation and tears, which occur during body building as well, since you are constantly ripping muscle - part of what occurs in the 'building' process. Can be used as a liniment or tincture. Not easy to find. For those whose joints or vertebrae pop out of place, use externally or internally. It helps keep them in place by keeping the fluidity in the area. Bones pop out of place when they are rigid. It dissolves excess cartilage and calcium deposits in the body. Good for people who are not assimilating calcium and start to get bumps on their fingers and other bones.

Works well with rheumatoid arthritis pain. She uses figwort for the disease long term and true solomon seal for the pain. It also works well with osteo-arthritis, because of its effects with bones, calcium density and similar issues.

Use with broken bones, back injuries such as herniated disks.

It can be used for easing the pain of fibromyalgia. Does not remove the illness, just the pain. The plant can be useful when there are back and neck injuries. It is slightly anti-inflammatory... not her first choice however. Since it is becoming endangered, she only uses it when she needs it specifically. Many other better anti-inflammatories, so best not to waste in this way.

Has laxative properties if you take a lot of it. It works for dry cough. It helps with indigestion or sour gut. It is a nice tonic for irritated mucus membranes. It reduces excess mucus. It is a blood balancer to bring the ph back to balance. To remain in good health, the blood should be alkaline, not acidic. Blood acidity can develop due to diet although some people tend that way naturally. Sugar, meat, and junk foods make the blood acidic.

Make a tincture of fresh root. You can also use it dry. You don't need a lot. 10 to 15 drops twice a day.

Spiritual use: This is wolf medicine and conjuring medicine. Good for creating substantial change when you are called to make a big change in who you are and the direction of your life and you don't know how to do that.

This next year is going to be very intense energetically. It is going to be a 'Kali' year, a year of change - what has been in personal structure, work, relationships, self is not going to be there anymore. A good time for True Solomon Seal because you want to go with that kind of change even though it is hard and going to feel intense. Many people are already feeling this. It started in November and will continue for a year. It is "Kali" time. Best to go with the change which is required, rather than resist. I believe, like Karyn that Kali tells us "resistance is futile".

True Solomon Seal provides protection against enemies and it equalizes power in an unbalanced situation such as business deals, banks, landlords. If you have to take an exam, put a little Solomon Seal in your pocket to even the playing field. Put some in your pocket if you are going into a casino.

Not a hard plant to grow. It is a beautiful plant. It has notches on its root to tell its age, like ginseng. It grows at the edge of the trees and likes to have really good drainage. If you keep it in a pot, it must be half gravel otherwise it rots out easily.

Vervain

Another cooling plant. Use the aerial parts, anything above the ground, fresh or dried. It works where energy is splitting off and the light is too intense. Light not diffusing but intensifying in the body and you need to tone it down.

A great tonic for the nervous system. It is mildly sedative, not hugely so, but because it tones the nervous system down and even it out, it feels sedating. When you are ampted up and are then brought down to 'normal' it feels sedating. Hard for people who are used to being overstimulated to get used to a 'normal, healthy' degree of energy.

Vervain a great one for 'mind chatter' especially when grief or depression is present. When you are going over the same story over and over all the time, vervain can stop that.

It works well with OCD Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Here we are talking about small amounts - 1 to 3 drops - spirit doses. Anxiety and paranoia can benefit from vervain.

Use where there is cramping during menses. It helps with hard painful heavy bleeding. Good to give to young girls when they first begin to have their menses 2 to 5 months.

It makes you sweat if you drink a hot cup of it, so use for bringing out a fever and breaking it. Use to sweat out an illness to release toxins. Unless working with babies, where you must be very careful about fevers, but with adults and older children, you want to let them have a fever because fevers are a way for the body to kill viruses and heal itself. But this should not continue too long. You want to break the fever before it gets to a dangerous level. During the early stages of an infection, vervain is anti-viral. At this stage, most people do nothing. They tend to ignore until they are really sick. Because of this, they tend to miss a lot of plants that could be used to stave off the illness at the early stages. By the time you are 'full-blown sick,' vervain won't help.

It cools the liver and stimulates it slightly, so it is a good one for stagnation, especially where it is really hot. People don't realize that stagnation can create heat because you have blocks then you have build-up.

It helps with gall bladder inflammation, especially when the inflammation is associated with jaundice and headache. This type of headache can occur when you have eaten a really greasy meal too late at night or you are not used to it. It might taste great, but an hour later you have a huge headache and your right side hurts. Usually caused by the gall bladder not happy with the meal.

A tincture of the root can be used for irritable bowel syndrome.

It is a great one for animals who have nervous tension and insomnia. For animals that pace and carry nervous tension. use 1 or 2 drops in their drinking water. They really respond to this plant.

It is the antidote for poke poisoning.

You can drink it as a tea. She prefers them that way and prefers to give them that way, but because some plants don't taste good, people have a hard time complying. so she tends to do tincture in her practice. She would love to just use teas.

A good one for mind chatter, especially when it is negative. It helps when mind chatter gets in the way of sexuality and you can't shut the mind up and relax and be present.

Spiritual use: It was used in Europe quite a bit to cleanse an area to make sacred space. it was either burned or put in water and sprinkled. It tends to promote visions and prophetic dreaming. It has been used to conjure love and sexual fulfillment. When you are doing this, be very specific and what you ask for. You will get what you want, but if you leave something important out.... This is a plant for poets, writers, and singers. It also removes unnecessary burdens and emotional pressure. She uses it for type A people a lot - people who push themselves and always feel pressured. She also uses it for people who like to stay on the surface and don't like to go deep. It helps to send people down into deeper realms.

It enhances the effect of gem and flower essences.

It can be found in dry fields and meadows.

DO NOT USE DURING PREGNANCY, OR WHEN THERE IS LIVER DISEASE OR LOW BLOOD PRESSURE!!! Not good for people with sleep apnea.

Easy to grow. Will grow in blazing hot full sun and in partial shade. Vervain is not picky. She thinks people should grow their own plants, developing an association with the plant that they can then use for medicine.

Yarrow Achillia millifolium

She believes every herbalist in the west would have this one one their list, if you had to pick 10 or 20 herbs. It does so much. It grows on every continent except for Antarctica. It is Wolf medicine. Used by Achilles to heal his soldiers' wounds on the battlefield. Millifolium means 'thousand leafed'. It does not have a thousand leaves but it does have delicate, fern-like leaves.

Most people recognize yarrow when they see it. It grows in many conditions. Easy to grow - wet or dry and at all altitudes.

The Druids used the stalks to divine the weather. In China the stalks were used to make the sticks for the I Ching.

It works on fractures and densities, it forms light. It goes in and does what it has to do in the body.

It stimulates the uterus, so good for women who have density and stagnation.

It is extremely anti-bacterial, works on staff. Wash with yarrow then use golden seal and chamomile, or golden seal and marshmallow internally. This is one you think about for any kind of wound. Probably one of the best wound healers there is. Yarrow will start closing a wound within half an hour. She has seen that on deep cuts out in the middle of nowhere - just chewing it and putting it on a wound. Stops bleeding. (In my own herbal medicine kit, I keep a jar of dry powdered yarrow for this use.) It is a great plant to stop bleeding both internally and externally. Put yarrow on a bad cut as quickly as you can.

It is good in the lungs and throat and pulls out mucus. If you have a lot of excess mucus use yarrow. It is an astringent.

Great when there is a fever but no sweating, a hot cup of yarrow tea will bring on sweating.

It helps with the menstrual cycles that are very long with extended blood flow or when there is periodic flooding. Especially during menopause when menses are getting off the usual pattern.

Good for blood vessel elasticity if there is any issue with that. It lowers blood pressure because it dilates the blood vessels in the fingers, toes, and the periphery of the body. It works well on hemorrhoids by tightening them up and toning and elasticity to the blood vessels. Beneficial to the venous system because it keeps it from becoming brittle. Every smoker should be taking because smoking takes away elasticity and creates brittleness.

It is a tonic, promotes bile flow for digestion, and is a good cardio-vascular tonic because it reduces inflammation in the heart area.

It helps with fibroid and uterine prolapses. Can be used with varicose veins externally. It improves the integrity of the blood vessels. Use it for nose bleeds
It moves, removes and breaks up old stagnant blood. Bruising is blood stagnation. Even if the wound was years ago, yarrow will go to that sight and break up and remove remaining stagnant blood. You need to move stagnant blood. That's where injury and illness happens. Cancer cells go to stagnated blood. Cancer starts where there has been bruising or puncturing. If you get hurt or bruised use yarrow with the arnica.

Good for chronic cystitis and urethritis when there is inflammation. Use for bladder, kidney and prostate irritation. Any chronic reproductive congestion where there is dull pain. This is for both male and female.

Use when there is tearing after child birth or post-partum bleeding. Do a sitz bath. Helps with anal fissures, use in a sitz bath.

Yarrow root is good for tooth pain. You can chew it. Mixed with white oak bark. Can store in alcohol and water so they don't dry out as fast.

Use when there is chronic dysentery where there is diarrhea caused from bacteria in the gut - 'traveller's gut.' It helps with intestinal flus because it is anti-inflammatory. Use when there are stomach ulcers.

It can be used with mild joint and muscle pain.

When there is blistering of the skin or skin rashes use yarrow.

The flowers make a yellow dye using alum as a mordant. if you use iron mordant, you will get an olive green color. Yarrow salve is good for joint inflammation. It enters through the arms.

Spiritual use: Used in love spells and wedding bouquets in other countries. A wish made on the first spring blossom you see will come true. Helps remove negativity in a person, place or thing. Use in a negative work environment. Helps with boundaries. No sense of personal boundary. Either spirit drops of tinctures (1 to 3) or as a flower essence. When there are problems with relationship boundaries. Helps you create healthy boundaries.

USE CAUTION DURING PREGNANCY!!!
Some people get a rash from it if they are super sensitive.

Use when you are working with clients and you want to make and maintain good boundaries.

Not that good for animals who cannot deal with some of the constituents - cannot break down the oxalates.

Yerba Santa

Only see in California and dry areas. It is warming. It works on densities and blocks. In Mexico and Central America used for everything. It is a holy herb, it is used for just about any kind of illness.

She uses it for damp, wet lung conditions. Slightly stimulates the lungs so it brings things up. You think about it more when there is a lot of mucus and congestion.

Use for wetness in the lungs: wet pneumonia, bronchitis, lung infections, colds. If not wet, don't use because it could actually harm you by drying you up too much. Use when there is white phlegm and constant coughs. It is an anti-inflammatory in the lungs, sinus, bronchi.

It is good in the urinary tract and the gut. Another plant that likes to go in and 'do its thing.' Use when there is bladder and urinary tract infections.

It's a great wound wash because it is anti-bacterial. It will start the healing process going.

You want to harvest in late summer when shiny because contains a lot of sugars and resins then. Be careful because so sticky. it will clump up and mold before drying. Spread it out. It takes a lot of alcohol when you make a tincture. If you make an infusion, you want to cook it for hours and then let it sit overnight. Not good for kidneys or bladder long term due to the resin.

Not a tonic. Not for long term use.

Spiritual use: As an offering on all altars. It opens a person up to respect the sacred. It needs to grow in hot places, although it will grow in the worst soil and heat. Will grow in clay with no water. Will grow in disturbed soil.

Essences she uses a lot.

Lady's Tresses Alaskan

Spiral back into the self and into the body. For a person who is hig functioning on many levels but has unseen emotional blocks. People who are out of their body, but don't know it.

Peace Beach Hawaiian

For most type A westerners. People afraid to slow down and be in the quiet. Helps the self and the body slow down and really rest. It allows you to recharge and be on healthy energy. For the wired out and crackly people. To let all parts of the body rest.

Oriental Plane Tree Essences of Greece

Allows your emotional self to change to make better decisions. For those who make most of their emotional decisions based on old hurts, traumas, betrayals and pain. It allows you to let go of and break that pattern. Helps you to start living in present time.

Green Rose Luna Fina

Opens the heart. No way you can be in health and balance unless your heart is open. To know what you are feeling. EVERYTHING enters the heart first. Science is finally catching up with what indigenous peoples have always known.

Violet Rose Luna Fina

Lets light and love into the body and the soul. That is what we all are when we are in balance - light and love. The green and violet pair well together to work with softening the heart and bringing love in.

Liard Hot Springs Alaskan

Helps get rid of old patterns that don't work. Releases feelings of negativity. Melts away feelings of guilt or shame. Brings back the feeling of love and innocence to a person.

Glacier River Alaskan

Allows for release of old patterns. Want to change but can't because old beliefs are standing in your way. Creates movement so the energy can move to bring about change. Create new patterns.

Emerald Alaskan

Opens the heart to love. Lets in light and energy into the body and the heart. Love in the heart is the key.

Saguaro Cactus Desert Alchemy

Cacti have intensity because they survive harsh environments. It balances male and female energy. It gives self-empowerment. Use when there are/were difficulties with the father. Provides healthy male imagery. Helps you to father yourself. It restores will to live and heal. Use with wild animals.

Mariposa Lily Desert Alchemy

When you didn't have healthy mothering or didn't have a healthy relationship with you mother. Helps you to mother yourself. Helps when you are feeling alone and isolated.

This is my trascript from the recorded show. They archive the shows for a short time. Go to KPFA.org

20 Herbs You Must Have...Part II

2009-12-24T13:44:00.003-08:00

According to Karyn Sanders...Part II
20 herbs you must have. Based on The Herbal Highway, a show by Karyn Sanders on KPFA. You can tune in and listen online at kpfa.org. The show is on Thursday afternoons at 1 pm PST.

Karyn says she has chosen these particular herbs because they are accessible, not rare and have many uses. They are cheap and grow on the west coast. I think it is very important that we learn which plants we can use that grow locally or that we can grow ourselves so that we can take care of our own health whenever possible.

The law requires that I must say that you should seek the advice of a physician before using any of these plants.

Lion's Mane Mushroom

Found on dead wood that has come down. Looks like a white lion's mane coming down.

A tonic herb for that can be used by everyone. It is an immune system tonic and can be taken all the time. It tones liver, lungs, heart, spleen and kidneys, and regenerates neurons. It can thus regenerate cognitive ability, and can be used with dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, MS, senility, and seizure disorders. When paired with St. John's Wort, it is useful for MS and epilepsy. It can be helpful with stomach cancer and nerves. Feeds and tones the nerves. It is nutritive for the GI tract and is useful when there are ulcers. It and can be eaten fresh - after being cooked. It tastes like oysters or clams. Make chowder and soups with it. You can make a tea of it or made into a powder to be added to food.

Spiritual use: It soothes and brings vitality to the spirit. Use for people who need more vitality.

If wild-crafting, never take whole plant don't harvest unless huge like a pumpkin. It is an old growth plant, so have respect.

Lomatium

Big medicine for Karuk people of northern California and southern Oregon. It is Bear medicine. Use the leaf when it is fresh in spring 3 to 4 inches tall. It can be used like celery leaf for flavoring. When the root is used for medicine, it is best well dried - like for one year. Fresh root is too strong. Can cause hives when it is too strong for the liver. It is used for junctures and fractures - it opens you so light flows through. Much like yerba santa. It makes you sweat. A hot cup of tea made with it will break a fever. It pulls up bronchial secretions and stuck mucus. Effective on Hep C works on liver. Improves lung circulation. Most Bear medicine works on the lungs. Use when you need to get the circulation going for more air. It brings energy and makes the lungs sweat like osha. It is anti microbial and thus is used bronchial tubes when there is infection and inflammation in the respiratory tract.

It also opens the blood vessels and improves circulation in the periphery - in fingers and toes. Can be used for pneumonia, especially walking pneumonia. As an antiviral, it reduces viral loads and thus shorten the time of an illness. Use with different types of flu. It is immune stimulating and mild doses can be used long term. It is effective with Lyme disease, HIV, hepatitis C, Epstein Barr and chronic fatigue.

It can be used with as a sore throat gargle. Some people do not react and others might get hives. It has a cooling energy.

It looks like a fern with umbelliferous yellow flower heads. You will see it in dry environments mixed with oak, pine with ca poppy. and low level gentian. It likes the lower drier elevations.

Spiritual use: for those who can't let go of the past and the old stories no matter how healed they are. Hanging on to the past. Used for grieving, As Bear medicine, it is used for protection. Has a cooling energy.

If someone gets hives from it, use high doses of fresh dandelion root decoction or tincture. This will flood the liver and get rid of hives.

To identify scratch the root and a yellow sap comes out. It has a menthol smell. It does not like to be transplanted. Plant in fall or early spring. It is good luck if it shows up on the land. Deer like young plant only because it is so tasty.

Milk Thistle

It is known for channeling light and opening things up. Collect leaves in summer and seeds in late summer. An amazing plant that helps the liver regenerate and regrow. It regenerates and regrows the liver. It stimulates liver. It literally will keep someone alive while waiting for a transplant. Must use pharmaceutical grade milk thistle then. It is also a tonic. It is a stimulant to liver and gall bladder. Don't use if liver is hot, use dandelion instead. It promotes bile flow, so make sure there are no bile blockages. It is the premiere liver tonic. Helps with recovery from IV drugs use.

It is a heavy metal solvent and and helps with metal toxicity aiding in cleaning the liver. It protects the liver and can be used as a preventive measure. If you have a toxic job use, use it as a preventive measure. Construction jobs or auto mechanics should use it.

Slows down degeneration of liver from fats, and genetic issues. It slows down a fatty liver which stops liver from functioning. Used with all types of hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Specific for amanitas mushroom poisoning. High dosage needed to help with the damage from amanitas. Must use high doses like 40 to 50 drops every 4 hours, the 25 drops every 3 hours for several days.

Can take as a powdered condiment over food daily like pepper or tincture with high alcohol or simmered a long time as a tea.

Spiritual use: Allows forgiveness and self-forgiveness. when things have happened and you can't forgive, the person is stuck in you. It heals broken trust between people. It is emotionally cleansing and eases the loneliness and shame that comes with low self esteem. It brings a greater sense of oneness. Animals respond well to it. Deer leave babies under it while they forage. Astrologically - best made when Venus and Saturn are square or in opposition.

Mugwort (artemisia)

There are many different kinds. Karyn Sanders thinks the one from Siskiyou county is the best. It grows everywhere. All types are cooling. Historically it was used to make beer in Europe. It is believed to have magical properties. It is an antidote to an overdose of opium.

It re channels light and opens the way to let light follow. It brings things back together. People use it against internal parasites. It is an antispasmodic, so it stops cramping. It is a bitter for stimulating stomach acids and digestion.
Taken as hot tea, it makes you sweat and thus breaks a fever. It helps you sweat it out. The heat of fever kills virus then the sweat expels toxicity.

It helps circulate blood through the uterus when there is congestion. If there are irregular menses or the menstrual cycle stops due to stress. It should not be used during pregnancy or nursing since it will make the milk bitter.
As a nervine, it relaxes people and helps with migraine caused by too much intake of sugar. If there is nausea mix with licorice.

It helps with depression if there is nervous tension. Use tiny doses for epilepsy with other plants. Use when there is bloat from water retention accompanying PMS or fibroids. It can be effective with allergies. It stimulates the liver which is associated with allergies and thus aid the immune system. Use during colds, fevers, or bronchial infections. Use it as a wash for rash or acne to dry it out. Use for when there is anxiety and insomnia. It has been used for dreaming and put in dream pillows, some say it calms, while others say it stimulates. It is also a douche for yeast infection. Can be used as a moth repellent when put in with clothing. It calms some people and stimulates others, so not useful in dream pillows for all people.

Spiritual use: The flower essence is used for enhancing receptive quality of the psyche and integrating it with daily life.

Make a salve using lavender and lemon balm to relieve cramps. It can be used in a smudge. Use quartz or moonstone in tincture, but can discolor the gems. It is a deeply female plant which promotes prophetic and vivid dreams. Use a combination of mugwort and rosemary protects while traveling. Associated with the 6th chakra. In Europe it was used in divination and scrying. Connect with fertility. It clears negativity and depression. If it shows up outside the door of a healing room it connects to you to all other healers.

It helps a person experience the fullness of grief. Don't use too long term.Some people have an allergy to it. It can be used with animals. It grows in full sun, with little water and dry bad soil.

Mullein

It takes two years for it to grow. You just get leaves the first year, flowers, seeds and roots in the second year. It rides the surface well and breaks things up. It is a lung and respiratory system tonic. It opens bronchial passages and heals damaged cilia, thus it is good for smokers or fire fighters. Use with chronic lung issues. You can make toning steams for the sinus. Use for a dry cough.

It is also good for irritation of the intestine (a tea) or ulcerations used in tea. It has been used for poulticing broken bones, rashes and cuts. It makes a nice a liniment, using the root for hemorrhoids, tumors and cysts.

Use during the early part of colds if lungs involved. It is very light weight. The infused oil of fresh flowers is used for ear infections. You can eat the flowers in salad. Use the flowers for bladder and kidney infections, tea or tincture; the roots for deeper issues like emphysema, pleurisy, pneumonia and certain types of asthma.

The leaf and root can be used for pri-mature babies born with undeveloped lungs. It is the last part to grow in a baby and often the lungs are not fully developed in primis.

It can also be used in bone repair. Use the stalks in a liniment for sore muscles, cramping, and muscle spasm - for those who work out a lot a mullein stalk liniment. You can also use the dry stalks dry to make torch like candles. Dry well and dip in wax. (A friend of mine, named Shay, used to make the most beautiful mullein stalk candles, decorating them with beads, ribbon and feathers.)
Mix with marshmallow and goldenseal powder, for infections, abscesses and other external wounds.

Spiritual use: Calms people. It helps people let out grief. Most illnesses having to do with lungs are related to grief. It also helps let in the light. One cannot be calm if there is no light running through you.

When you pick the leaves, let them wilt a little to remove some of the water if you want to make an oil. When the plants dry at the end of the season, leave the stalks so that they drop seed. Birds love them. She has seen woodpeckers get on the stalk and peck out seeds.

Poke Root

You have to be very careful with this plant because it is a high dose poison. It is still useful, however, because it is specific for many things in low doses. It has semi heart shaped green leaves with pink stems and later develops a cluster of indigo blue berries. It is a large plant and you use the berries and roots. It opens things up, breaks things up and brings light through. Use at junctures. Anti-viral.No more than 1 to 3 drops once a day for short term use. Don't use if not sure about what you are doing. Make sure you mark it as poison. Keep out of reach of children.

It is a potent anti-viral that cleans the upper lymph system, a strong lymph mover - use when there is something going on from the shoulders and breasts up. It moves things out of the lymph that is really stuck. It clears boils and cirrus and fibrous tissue. It can be used with the upper digestive and respiratory tracts. It helps with laryngitis, chronic swollen glands and tonsillitis. Use a little (1 drop) with echinacea for mastitis and apply a cabbage leaf poultice. It helps with scabies on adults - externally, 1 pt tincture of poke root to 10 pts. water then put on scabies, then internally a few drops once a day. For adults only, use with varicose veins. Use if there is soreness and congestion of sexual parts.

It can help with addictions, not to drugs but other types of addictions. It gets rid of cravings and obsessional thinking. 1 drop once, maybe twice a day. It can also help a person let go of the obsession with obsession. It opens everything up . It tones down negative emotions like jealousy, envy. It helps clear up old resentments and emotional patterns. It helps those stuck in dangerous situations on the job or in relationships. When there is abuse and you need to break free. Don't use with kidney disease or pregnancy or lymphoma, Very toxic and do for short term use only - one week or two at most. Vervain can be used as an antidote. It grows up to 10 ft. tall and 6 ft. wide in creeks, wet conditions. It likes water.

Redroot (ceanothus)

Also known as 'snowplant' or 'California lilac.' There are over 30 species in Ca. Male and female plants. There is one that has light blue flowers and a musky intense scent, which for some is a sexual smell.

It is cooling and we use the roots and root bark. When you dig them up there should be no metal touching the roots. It likes to grow in dense rocky soil, so it can take hours to get one.

It is useful when there is enlarged or damaged liver or spleen. It can be used for the tonsils or lymph nodes when the problem is lower and deep. Use cleavers for the skin and lymph nodes closer to the surface.

It improves assimilation of fatty acids. It helps increase platelet count and aids in chronic slow blood coagulation.

Use after chemotherapy and radiation to bring up platelet counts. When there is a sore throat or tonsillitis, use as a gargle and take internally. It reduces water and increases blood flow - helps interstitial circulation. People with poor fat digestion tend to have allergies. When you don't digest fats well, the stools will appear greasy and you can also have headaches when you eat fatty food. Or when you eat fats, you don't feel good because you are not digesting the fat. Helps with the headaches some people get from eating fatty foods. Use with spleen infections mono, Epstein Barr. Okay with mild hemorrhaging, better to use yarrow, but if not available, use redroot.

It is helpful when there is portal vein congestion and can be used with non fibrous cysts. Mix with blue cohosh for ovarian cysts. Do not use when there is a super acute disease or very low blood pressure because it can bring down blood pressure. Don't use when there are blood clotting issues.

Spiritual use: It eases grief. It brings it up but gently in a wave-like way so that the feelings come and go. This culture has a problem with allowing grief. We have to grieve to be in balance again. Lack of sufficient grieving makes us stuck in old issues and old resentment.

Reishi Mushroom

There are many kinds. It is the fruiting body. It channels light brings things in and breaks thing up, depending on what is needed. It is called the 'fruit of life' in Chinese. It works on allergies, brings down histamines and is a mild anti-inflammatory. We need some inflammation, because it is part of the healing process, but not too much. Reishi regulates inflammation. It is an anti-viral, a bitter and tonic. As an immune modulator, it has the ability to assess what to do.

It won't just stimulate the liver. It serves as a protectant by raising the T cell counts. Good tonic for the elderly because it is an anti-oxidant. It brings up mucus and helps promote oxygen in the blood. It can used with altitude sickness and whenever there a need to increase the oxygen in the blood. It lowers blood pressure lowers hypertension in the heart. It is a heart tonic. It also helps lower HDL cholesterol and helps with adrenal stress. She uses it with chronic fatigue.

It has been used to help with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. It feeds the nerves. Black reishi is a stronger kidney tonic than the others. It can loosen the stools. Red reishi has strong anti-inflammatory effects. There are many ways to take reishi. You can make a tincture or if making a tea, you have to cook for a long time. Put in a crock pot or simmer for 12 hours. A good way to use is in powder form. Not tasty, so you are not going to be eating it.

Spiritual use: boosts life force - chi, the light within you. It builds stamina, promotes long life and calms the spirit and promotes sleep. Some people have insomnia because their spirit is agitated. Helps people who are really sick and need to 'go the distance.' Reishi is high in protein. In the past only available from China, but now some people are growing here but mostly on the East Coast.

Problem with Common Names - Sweet Leaf

2009-12-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

So for those of you who asked about "sweet leaf". I got in touch with Karyn Sanders and she said it is monarda fistula also known as bee balm.

Even the term 'bee balm' is problematic as there are probably hundreds of plants known by the same name depending on where you are.

It is vital that we use scientific terms so that we all know that we are speaking about the same plant.

Thank you for the questions about this.

Basic Herbs for Home Use - Part I

2009-12-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

I haven't written for awhile because I was busy preparing for a pre-Christmas show where I usually do very well. I made some new products (Return of Venus soap, spray and bath salts); made some products that were great sellers in the past (Cocoa Rose Cordial); and made more of some great sellers (Mayan Chocolate Body Butter). I don't have photos of them yet, so they are not in my Etsy store.

Today while listening to Karyn Sanders on The Herbal Highway show on KPFA today, I was inspired to pass on what she talked about. This is even more relevant today where people are losing their health care plans (like me) and as we approach winter. Now, more than ever, we need to be able to take care of our own health. Karyn planned to talk about 20 most important herbs to have on hand. She only got to six and promised to do the rest in the next couple shows. This is actually archived on the website, so you can go there to hear the show.

First of all, before you treat yourself or anyone else with herbs, make sure that there has been a diagnosis from a physician and that physician has approved complementary use of herbs. DO NOT USE HERBS IN LIEU OF MEDICAL TREATMENT. I have to say this because that is the LAW in this country. They make it so that you cannot afford to go to a physician, then they make it a crime to take care of yourself or help anyone else. But, I don't want any liability. These are just suggestions, not prescriptions. Do more research yourself before you use any of these herbs. You are allowed to grow them all yourself and make teas or tinctures.

The following is from Karyn Sanders on KPFA December 3, 2009 show. Listen to it yourself at: www.kpfa.org

Agrimony

A cooling herb that moves and channels energy. It breaks things up and brings down heat. It is considered wolf medicine. It dries up excess fluid. It helps stop bleeding and can be used with bloody colitis. It can be used with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or situations where there are loose stool with or without blood. It can be used with gall bladder issues such as headaches that arise from eating too much fat, known as a gall bladder headache. It can be used with peptic ulcers and bleeding ulcers. When there is damage to the liver due to alcohol or drugs, agrimony may be helpful. Used in combination with sweet leaf, it can help with appendicitis. When there ids dark orange urine due to cystitis or nephritis, or other problems with the urinary tract, agrimony can be useful. It is a diuretic. With external issues like burns, you can make a poultice with honey, then follow with agrimony. For the conditions of the lungs where there are wet coughs, asthma, or sore throat, mix with honey in a tea. When the chest is tight on the inhale or when there is thick yellow mucus, use agrimony. You can use agrimony for kidney pain due to kidney stones. It can also be used to tighten and tone the urinary tract when there is dribbling - like when you laugh and pee a little. It tones. tightens and pulls out moisture and cools. It can be used when there is edema after chemotherapy or with post partem edema. With oily skin and acne due to poor digestion, make a wash. It can be used for the lower back pain due to menstruation It is best to use fresh plant, but dry is okay.

Energetic use: Tension and anger under surface but under control but when anger out it is extreme. It helps remove critical thoughts. Use areal parts.

Astragalus

Use good quality organic roots. Astragalus is long term deep. profound and slow. It is safe for all ages. It moves blocks out of the way of healing. It is an anti-viral anti-microbial. deep immune tonic. It is also a kidney and spleen tonic. It can be used for people who have long term burned out bodies, for those who are weak but don't know why. It restore chi. It is a mild diuretic and helps get rid of pus. It can help regulate sugar. It supports and strengthen tissue and can be used with different types of prolapses. It can be used in situations where there is a need for tissue regeneration, to increase vitality and with wasting syndrome where people can't hold on to fat, especially due to AIDS or chemo therapy. It requires long term cooking, put in a crock pot for a slow cooking process. Can be added to soups and stews.

Energetic use: To open the heart and soul. Good for people who are too much in their heads. For people who have difficulty with intimacy.

Use caution with leukemia or situations where there is white blood cell proliferation.

Blue Cohosh

Often called a shy plant, it needs to be approached quietly and carefully. It is known as deer medicine. It gets rid of things that are not moving. If there is mucus membrane bogginess, reproductive congestion, it gets things moving. It is not astringent, but rather is warming and lightens things up. It can cause bleeding so it should not be used during pregnancy. It stimulates oxytocin. It can bring on after birth. It can be used with spastic colon and small intestine and other types of painful cramping. It can be used with such gut issues as intestinal flatulence. Use with dull frontal headaches. It is helpful with gout, arthritis, lupus, and rheumatism. It cleans out bladder because it moves fluids. Helpful with leg cramping. During menopause when there are hot flashes with rage, blue cohosh calms you down.

Energetic use: A quiet and strong herb that works on density. It opens the heart. Helps with fear that turns to anger and rage. For people who are shut down and their hearts have gotten mean. For people who are full of jealousy because they do not trust that their partner loves them. Those who don't feel love, and don't see love. Plant in a safe quiet place, not along the path. Blue Cohosh wants to hide.

German Chamomile

Can use pineapple weed too. Use when there is snappy and fractured energy and when it is not being well channeled. Can be used with hay fever and asthma. It gets the gut to work better. It is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. Use at the start of an infection. It is anti fungal and can used with candida. Most German chamomile we get grows in Hungary and Turkey and there has been a lot or research done on its anti fungal properties. If you make a strong tea, it is very bitter and thus can be used like other bitter herbs in the digestive process. It soothes inflamed skin. You can use it in steams for the sinuses. An effective eye wash but it must be strained because it has fine hairs. It can help with intestinal tract flu, and for the pain, ache and cramping that go with it. It can also be used to fight against intestinal flu. It rids the intestines of pus and inflammation. It is an effective ingredient in salves for burns or as a wash for burns. A mild tea of blue chamomile can be given to babies when they are teething. Or use the diluted oil on the outside of the cheek for teething. Dilute a little oil in olive oil and put on the outside on the cheek. As an anti-spasmodic, it is helpful against indigestion and gas. It also helps with anxiety, since it is a nervous system tonic. It can help with the fear and anger that may accompany Alzheimer's and dementia. It helps with anxiety that may interfere with sex. To get rid of impacted mucus in sinus, use a neti pot or steam. It can help with vertigo and frailty in elders or babies. In cases of conjunctivitis make a warm infusion strain in coffee filter, and apply with a cotton ball. Make sure you use separate cotton balls so that you do not pass the infection. You can make a creme for burns or salves for dry skin. For those who lose sense of humor because they are too sensitive. Assists with anxiety attack. It also heals the garden itself because it heals the other plants. It helps bring clarity. It helps you focus on present time and gives one a sense of direction if muddled and uncertain. Good quality has a vibrant alive smell like apples. Don't use old plant material. It goes bad fast.

Dandelion

You can use all parts of dandelion, but they are good for different things. Karyn says dandelion is good for junctures. When there is nervous energy with underlying depletion on all levels. It is a bitter root. You can cook the leaves and they are great in stir fry. It is good for stomach and liver. It can have a diuretic. It moves fluid through the urinary tract but rather than depleting potassium and sodium like other diuretics tend to do, it actually adds potassium and sodium. Use the leaves for high blood pressure. In the old days, dandelion root was remedy for the liver. Leaves and flowers keep the urine acidic, which helps prevent infection. Helps with gout and all issues related to the liver including hepatitis, jaundice and liver cancer. It is a good bitter that stimulates digestion. Since it stimulates peristaltic action, it is good for constipation. It reduces inflammation and supports the spleen. Skin conditions that are related to bad diet and stagnant diet are improved.

Energetic use: Moves repressed anger that manifests as depression. People pleasers who cannot express negativity and repress or deny emotions, may have a lot of built up anger. Dandelion releases that.

Not to be used when there is renal failure.

Golden Seal

This is an endangered species, so it should never be wild-crafted. You can purchase high quality organic golden seal leaf now. Don't use any other kind. It is anti-bacterial. In the sinus can dry excess mucus. Not a tonic and you should only use short term. It is anti fungal and can be used with ring worm and candida. When there is inflammation of the stomach and can stimulate stomach acids. It is a bitter that can be used with peptic ulcers, and IBS colitis with bleeding. It stimulates bile in a sluggish liver. Brings blood to spleen. Inhibits tumor growths When conjunctivitis does not respond to chamomile, use golden seal. Can be used with abscesses after cleaning. It tightens boggy uterus, it reduce nonmalignant tumors in breast. It can be used on anal fissures and hemorrhoids. First use yarrow then golden seal. Use as a wound wash. Deep immune response strong stimulant. Mix with marshmallow for tissue damage.

Energetic use: Helps people see past, present, and future to see what to do next. Helps you to open up and access your own power. Helps you sit with your shadow and get into your own power. Not to be use when pregnant. Not for long term use, only short term chronic internal problems or with wounds.

Keep Yourself Healthy with Soup

2009-10-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Let's not assume that we have to get the flu or a cold this season. Instead, let's put some effort into not getting sick. It is not inevitable.

Yes, just like you learned from you mother or grandmother, soup is good for you. Especially homemade. You don't have time to make soup? Do you have a crockpot? You can put all the ingredients in at night before you go to bed. Put it on low and voila in the morning....soup. Or, prepare all the ingredients the night before, then in the morning before you go to work, put them in the crockpot and voila2 ready when you get home from work.

Make sure the crockpot is in a safe place where it can stay on while you sleep or are away at work.

A good blend of ingredients that help with boosting your immune system are:

Burdock root, dry or fresh
Codonopsis root
Ginger root, dry or fresh
Astragalus Root (I like the powder for soups because it works as a thickener)
Medicinal mushrooms
Garlic

Put them in water and cook for hours. I like to eat them, but you can take them out if you wish. I like to make a stock with these items, then add the vegies, including dry seaweed.

Rather than using salt, I use miso which deepens the flavor and is better for you than salt. If you eat meat, you would put the meat in before the vegetables. Chicken soup has been shown to be helpful when recovering from a cold. Yes, they have done research on it! Use the skin in the stock then remove if you wish (it gets kinda weird after a few hours and personally, I can't eat it). The oil that comes from poultry (chicken or turkey) is good for you, but it can be very hot...hotter than the rest of the soup, so be careful!

Culinary herbs such as rosemary, oregano, basil and thyme have healing properties and also add flavor. Best to use fresh herbs or recently dried from your garden. You can also use 1 drop of essential oil from these herbs in your soup. Remember, essential oils are HIGHLY concentrated. DON'T use more than 1 drop or you won't be able to eat it. TOO STRONG! Make sure the essential oils are of high quality and natural, not synthetic.

I like to add barley, beans, rice or 'pastini' (little pasta like orzo) to the soup to give it some bulk.

There are hundreds of recipes for soup. Experiment. Come up with your own recipe. Right now, I've got lentil with fresh chillies, onion, garlic, miso and astragalus powder in the crock pot almost ready to eat.

Soup is comfort food and these days, we need all the comfort we can get.

I buy my herbs locally when I can from The Sonoma County Herb Exchange Otherwise I buy in bulk for Mountain Rose Herbs (see ads and yes, if you click through the Mountain Rose ads and buy something, I do get a small commission. Believe me, these days I can use all the help I can get).
I also buy from Pacific Botanicals (where I do not get a commission) but I still recommend highly, Ha! Ha! Mark Wheeler, who founded the company is a great guy and was on the trip I took to Morocco in '07 with Rosemary Gladstar and a group of herbalists.

For the more ambitious types who want to grow their own, I recommend plants and seeds from Horizon Herbs. Some things can be planted now for next year. They have an incredible selection.

This post is about soup and some immune boosting plants and herbs to put in the crockpot. There are other immune boosting herbs that I will write about next time.
Stay well!

Rejuvenating and Cleansing Facial Mask from Chocolate!

2009-08-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

So time to get back to my blogging. I finished teaching my Mayan Hieroglyph class, my broken ankle is healed, and I feel re-inspired.

Yesterday I gave a friend a footbath and facial. I have to admit, I was trying out a new recipe and it was a success!

Here's the recipe I got from The Herb Companion, January, 2009 issue and modified a bit.

Mocha Facial Mask
the recipe in the magazine:

4 Tbs. finely ground coffee or expresso
4 Tbs. cocoa powder
8 Tbs. whole milk

I changed it in the following ways:

I substituted powdered milk which meant it can be packaged and transported, and I added granulated bladderwrack (seaweed).

When you are ready to use it, you mix enough water to make a thick paste. Let it sit awhile so that the seaweed moistens. You might have to add more water. You want a thick gluey paste to put on as a mask.

The seaweed adds a nourishing and moisturizing element to the mask.

Spread it over a clean face and neck avoiding eyes and mouth area.

Keep on for around 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

My friend loved the way his skin felt afterwards and felt that it had a minor 'face-lifting' effect. (Yes, men care about the effects of aging too.)

Exhibit of Edible Plants in San Francisco

2009-06-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

A Cacao Pod

Many food items that we take for granted today, have a very interesting history. I love studying the origins of such things as chocolate, vanilla, sugar, spices etc. I collect books on the cultural history of plant foods and ingredients.

So this new exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers called Edible Expeditions, running from May 7 to November 1, 2009, is 'right up my alley'. I can't wait to get on my feet again, so I can go see it.

It features all kinds of foods which were originally from Asia or the 'New World' (North and South America) that were brought back to Europe centuries ago. Some became the products of plantation agriculture and thus played a huge role in the decimation of native populations, which led to the importation of slaves. Foods that we commonly eat today were once only available to royalty and the rich.

To see them growing in the 'tropical' climate of a lovely Victorian greenhouse, originally built in 1879, is in many ways a miracle. For most of us, this is the only way we will ever see them growing.

Since I lived in the Congo while in the Peace Corps, I got used to seeing papayas and mangos in the trees outside my window. People would just reach up and pick them, like we would grab an apple off a tree. It was great.

When I lived in Louisiana, I had bananas growing outside, hanging over my swimming pool. As a native Californian, I was thrilled to eat my own homegrown bananas.

At this exhibit, you will see vanilla, chocolate and coffee as well as taro, jackfruit and longan. You will see other edible plants from Africa, China, India and Brazil as well.

The Conservatory of Flowers is in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Click here for more information about this exhibit.

I have developed a new line of products using chocolate, which is very good for your skin when used externally. It is high in anti-oxidants and cocoa butter is lubricating and softening. I have a chocolate walnut sugar scrub, a chocolate lip balm, chocolate mermaid soap (see my Etsy shop) and a chocolate body butter in a tube.

Healing With Flowers Conference Coming in September

2009-06-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful event coming up for those of you who love flowers, energy healing, aromatherapy, and flower essences. The event includes workshops and ceremony.

Healing With Flowers Conference

Rowe Conference Center
Rowe, MA
September 25 - 27, 2009

Steve Johnson, founder of the Alaskan Flower Essence Project, will be our special guest and keynote speaker.

Other presenters include:

Jane Bell, Jane Bell Essences.

David Dalton, Delta Gardens.

Carole Guyett, Derrynagittah Herb Centre.

Kathrin Woodlyn Bateman, Flower Essences of Fox Mountain.

Tony Lemos, Blazing Star Herbal School.

Fearn Lickfield, geomancer and flower essence practitioner.

Jasmine Hurtak, plant spirit healer and flower essence practitioner.

Pam Montgomery, Partner Earth Education Center and Sweetwater Sanctuary Essences.

Mark Carlin, Partner Earth Education Center will lead a sweat lodge ceremony.

For details and registration information visit:

Healing With Flowers Conference

Vanilla Orchid Blooming at the SF Conservatory of Flowers

2009-06-11T10:55:00.001-07:00

In a couple of weeks it will officially be summer. Hopefully I will be out of my cast and able to get outside. (I broke my ankle 6 weeks ago and have not been outside since then).

My garden has been neglected, only getting watered once a week by a friend. I miss my plants so much.

I receive email from the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers. For those of you who can get there and love flowers and exotic plants, it's a must see. Since it is a large greenhouse, they can control the environment and so grow rare and exotic plants from all over the world. It's fantastic.

Right now the vanilla orchid is blooming and what I wouldn't give to see it. To read more about the edible fruit of the vanilla orchids and their culinary uses, click I use vanilla in my B.A.D. cordial. It has a way of softening and relaxing. Vanilla absolute, is quite expensive, but you don't have to use much. A Vanilla 'substitute' that I also use in perfumes and salves is Tonka Bean. It has a similar scent although milder and is affordable. I use this in my new Sacred Substance flower essence spray, part of my new 2012 line of products. I have made a flower essence blend called 2012 and the scented spray Sacred Substance. For more on 2012, go to my 2012 blog.

I feel that one issue that we all must deal with is learning to relax and soften. I know there are so many events going on that are causing us fear and stress, but as Caroline Casey says we need to slow down in order to speed up. For more on astrology, go to my astrology blog.

For culinary recipes using vanilla click

And for recipes from Sunset magazine with a Hawaiian theme, click

Speaking of Hawaii and relaxing, Jane Bell is giving a workshop this Saturday, June 13 featuring her new Hawaiian Flower Essences. Click here to go to her website.

My Victory Garden

2009-06-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

This year I decided that I would put more effort into growing food. I have had more or less success with that over the years for a number of reasons. I live in a redwood forest with only a small area that is cleared. The soil is clay and since I live in a canyon, I don't get much sun.

That being said, I decided to start my plants and seeds early in my small greenhouse. Everything was ready to go into the ground. I went away for a weekend training in Plant Spirit Healing with Pam Montgomery and broke my ankle.

Since then, five weeks ago, I have only been outside once to go to the doctor. I am stuck in the house because I can't get down the stairs of my porch, nor walk with crutches on soil.

My plants are marooned in the greenhouse. I won't be able to plant them for another 3 weeks or so.

Meanwhile, my roses are blooming like never before in the front yard. I feel they are sending me healing energy, calming me down and telling me not to worry. Usually by this time of the year, it is so hot that the gardens need watering twice a day. Right now, at 2:30 pm it is still overcast. It rained yesterday and is generally cold outside. The great thing about this is that my garden is not burning up while I am in here not able to do anything about it. It's as if the weather is cooperating to keep my plants hydrated.

Since I embarked on this journey of Plant Spirit Healing, everything has shifted. I have had to cancel many of the events where I planned to sell my herbal products. I am not sure where this will lead and I am not 'thinking' about it. I am instead listening. Listening for instructions. Eliminating the static whenever possible.

On the Herbal Highway today seaweed was featured, then on the Visionary Activist show, the talk on renewal resources - biofuels etc, featured seaweed. So the message for today is clearly about seaweed. I need to eat more seaweed.

Of the products I make and sell here through Etsy, my Sea Witch Salve includes an infused oil of Fucus I made from seaweed I gathered on the Sonoma Coast near where I live. The Hammam bars (soap) have seaweed in them too. Seaweed has so many uses both externally and internally. It is a wonderful natural fertilizer too. You can pick up all that dried up old 'dead' stuff on the beach and bury it in your yard for fertilizer. Traditional cultures all over the world have done this for centuries.

Going Through Changes

2009-05-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

Dear friends and readers. You will notice a big change in this blog. I have been asked to remove all material from Desert Alchemy and it will take me some time to do it, but I will.

Recently I have had the 'opportunity' to 'practice what I preach.' While attending a Plant Spirit Healing Apprenticeship workshop led by Pam Montgomery in Calistoga, California, I fell and broke my right ankle. I am now on crutches and restricted to my house, since I can't get outside with crutches. I cannot drive for two months. My friends are bringing me food, drinking water, cat food, and other necessities. Others do my laundry and take out the garbage. It's been a real challenge, both to be so helpless and to rely on others to help me.

One of the most difficult aspects of this is that I will be missing several events where I was to have a booth selling my herbal products. Thus, my income is greatly affected. Staying positive and motivated is also challenging. On top of that all my Alaskan Essences and Flower Essence Society essences are downstairs in my consulting room and I can't get to them.

I have been using my essential oils a lot to help maintain my sanity, keep me from spinning out mentally about 'my situation'. Essential oils can change my state almost immediately. I love the oil blends made by Young Living, especially Gentle Baby which contains geranium oil, one of my favorites.

I have been working with oils for over 20 years and I have found Young Living to have the best therapeutic grade oils. They are expensive, compared to the stuff you can buy elsewhere, but that is because they are pure and mostly organic. I use Frankincense on my toes which extend out from my cast. I can feel the healing energy and warmth move through my foot to my broken bone.

Check out their website. If you decide to purchase, please sign up under me. My member number is 124125.

The Issue Became an Issue

2009-04-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Followers...
The Issue of the Week is being discontinued for a number of reasons.

If you have an issue you would like some advice on please ask via the comment section and I will address it as a post without your name.

In the next few months, I will be extremely busy doing shows and preparing to teach my class on Mayan Hieroglyphs through Santa Rosa Junior College, Community Education. I will also be involved with the Plant Spirit Healing Apprenticeship taught by Pam Montgomery over the next year.

I will continue to post on a regular basis, but the content will be varied.

I hope the Issue of the Week was helpful to you. I sure learned a lot by doing it. One thing I learned was that some people are grateful for free advertising and promotion while others feel attacked. One company wanted to give me free essences to try so that I would put them on the blog, another was very displeased.

With transiting Pluto opposing my natal Mercury, I sometimes feel my mind is being wiped clean and re-programmed. I don't need any more stress in my life right now. There are only so many essences you can take. Sometimes you have to DO something different. LOL!

Issue of the Week - April 13 - April 19

2009-04-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

Remembering Who You Are and Your Life Purpose

I was selecting essences for a client the other day and was called to this set of essences from Desert Alchemy.

I have not used the Angelic Awareness essences much in the past, but now I see that they are very much what is needed during these times. Whether or not you 'believe' in angels is not required.

From the Angelic Awareness Kit I suggest:

Fulfilling Your Divine Mission Formula

Remembering Starry Origins Formula

Reuniting Star Fragments Formula

Description:

from Desert Alchemy

Issue of the Week April 6 - April 12

2009-04-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

Renewal

Spring is the time in the northern hemisphere for renewal. Plants that have lain dormant during winter months begin to push their way up towards the Sun. Bulbs bloom, fruit trees go into flower awaiting pollination so that they can produce fruit.

I live in the woods, with half of my property cleared where I have a garden. Over the years, I have discovered which plants survive and flourish in my environment and which ones return in the spring. Each year I watch with anticipation to see which of the perennial herbs will actually return.

All through my youth, I wanted a home with a lilac bush. Twenty years ago, during a very difficult time, I believed I would never have a home of my own. I decided to buy my lilac anyway. I bought one in a huge pot and kept it on my back porch. In bloom when I bought it, it never bloomed again. About five years ago, when I realized that here I was in my own home whilst my lilac was still in the pot, I decided it was time to put her in the ground. Still she never bloomed. Each spring I'd examine her new growth, glad to see she was still alive, but disappointed at no flowers. This year, when the buds began to sprout, I observed her as usual. But I was in for a wonderful surprise. This year, after 20 years, she has bloomed again. A small cluster of purple loveliness at the very top of the bush! Twenty years!

And just as my dear lilac is blooming, so I too, have come full circle in one area of my life. I have returned to my study of the Maya, which I was forced to abandon 20 years ago. While I had taught several courses since then, I really had no enthusiasm to do new research. All this shifted when I got involved with the '2012 movement' see my 2012 blog .

I have got re-inspired and 'renewed'. I will be teaching a course this Summer through Santa Rosa Junior College, Community Education on Mayan hieroglyphs, the calendar and 2012.

Renewal means 'made new again'. It is not necessarily a case my making the same things new again. In my case, renewal is an upward spiral which revisits former activities, but in a new way, with a revised approach.

Currently we are all experiencing Venus, Saturn and Pluto retrograde (see my astrology blog). We are being asked to re-evaluate our priorities, needs, wants and desires. Some are being forced into this and see it as a confrontation. I feel, that if we do not do our inner work willingly, we will be forced to do so by the evolutionary imperative.

This winter has been difficult for many of us. I, too, have experienced financial loss and a 'restructuring' of my personal budget. But, I can still appreciate this time of the year and the promise that it holds. The great mysteries of life are always unfolding for us in Nature. There is a cycle of Nature that includes contraction and expansion. Death and Rebirth. We are in the season of rebirth and renewal. Enjoy it and learn the lesson of it.

This week our essence is from Desert Alchemy.

ReSourcerer of ReCreation Formula

Issue of the Week - March 30 - April 5

2009-03-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been following the 'Issue of the Week' for awhile, you know that I like to frame things in a positive way, although we usually seek 'help' when we don't feel positive. Most of the flower essence repertories list the negative state and so finding the positive is in itself a challenge, which I find interesting.

For this week, the issue is Contentment. I found two essences in the Desert Alchemy repertory (Spineless Prickly Pear Cactus and Crisis-Desert Emergency Formula), then a third that really spoke to me personally. I decided to include it.

This past weekend, I had a booth a small local Wellness Fair. Rather than my usual herbal products, I totally followed my guidance which instructed me to do something related to 2012. Preparations went smoother than usual. I got the table the last minute for less money than others paid. Everything came together fast and well. But I guess people are still not there yet. Those few who knew about 2012 wanted me to give them an answer. Those many who didn't put me through my paces. I was all talked out by the end of the day. But I do feel that many seeds were planted.

These essences really speak to me today.

Purple Aster

Spineless Prickly Pear Cactus

Crisis-Desert Emergency Formula

Issue of the Week - March 23 - March 29

2009-03-23T18:45:00.000-07:00

Venus Retrograde in Aries (a fire sign)

I am pressed for time this week, since I am preparing for an event coming Saturday, March 28 in Sebastopol, CA. The Wellness Fair will be at the Masonic Lodge downtown Sebastopol. I got into the event at the last minute and there are several new products that I am trying to have ready by Saturday. So, rather than be late or post nothing at all, I am posting a short one.

This, actually relates the Venus being retrograde in Aries, because I am busily working on creating some new beautiful and sensuous herbal products made with chocolate. A lip-balm and a massage bar. I also made a flower essence blend for 2012 and tomorrow will make an aromatherapy spray for 2012.

I am featuring two blends from Desert Alchemy one for Venus, one for the element of Fire. Since we are all experiencing this transit somewhere in our charts, it affects us all. Focus on where Aries is in your chart and what (if anything) is aspected by this transit.

Venus Cycles Formula

Fire Element Formula

Issue of the Week - March 16 - March 22

2009-03-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

Trust

Although we had this 'issue' before, I want to approach it again, because it is very important. Now that we have a new president, elected because we all wanted a change, many people are feeling that things should get better instantly. One problem with this is that the conditions that led to the problems did not materialize overnight and cannot be fixed overnight. Our fast-food and instant messaging culture has created the need to see instantanious results. Some things just need to fall apart completely so that new things can be born. There has to be room for the new. Unfortunately, what we often focus on is the loss and the destruction, not remembering that Spring comes every year.

Just look outside your window. Of course, I don't know where you live, but here in Northern California the yellow mustard has been blooming in the vineyards for at least a month already. Fruit trees are flowering, my daffodils are out in full blast. And it is still a miracle.

I realized this year when the first flower popped up that something had occurred this winter that made me feel that there would never be another flower. Somehow I had gotten so deeply into doom and gloom that nothing would or could improve. I had lost my sense of trust in the future.

Mind you, my life is good, but with my Moon in Pisces (see my astrology blog), I tend to feel the pain of the world on my shoulders and in my heart. I feel other people's suffering and sometimes I forget that it is not mine. I know there are things one can do to shield themselves and set up stronger boundaries, but this is one of the things I signed up to do in this life.

This tendency to feel other peoples' pain is one reason I decided to do this Issue series in the first place. I believed that since I felt other people's pain, perhaps I could, just as vicariously, help by taking flower essences on their behalf. I have been doing this with my family, friends and cats for years, so why not with other beings?

The issue that I knew was needed for all of us - again - is trust. There's nothing wrong with that. We need to be reminded that's all.

Just before I started writing this today, but had already selected the topic, I got a phone call that I have been waiting for 'in trust' for a month. I will be teaching my Mayan calendar, 2012 class at the Santa Rosa Junior College this summer! I am preparing a CD for the course that will soon be available for sale on my Maya 2012 blog.

Now on to trust. I felt called to look into the Desert Alchemy repertory for this one and found they have many essences for trust. I selected the following:

Transitions Formula

Agave

Crownbeard (yellow)

Thistle

Issue of the Week - March 9 - March 15

2009-03-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

Appreciation

Last Friday Venus went retrograde (see my astrology blog for a post on that). One of the tasks for the next 45 days is to review what is of value to us. That includes both tangibles and intangibles - people, things, concepts, whatever. All of it. Do we really care about having... doing... going... being with... etc. Is friendship important to us? Honesty? Our spiritual path? Then if we decide that changes are to be made, it is suggested we wait until after Venus goes direct (April 17th or so) before we actually make any changes.

In the course of our re-evaluation, which means giving value again, or seeing if we want to give value again, we will probably discover that, indeed, there are parts of our lives, people in our lives that we really do care about. That we would rather have them in our lives than not.

Modern life 'teaches' us to be dissatisfied. To want more, to want to be more. We are encouraged to keep looking for something better. This can create a miserable life. No matter what we have, we feel something is missing. On top of that, some of us are taught to feel guilt because we have so much when others have nothing. We often end up wondering how we could feel so bad when we have so much and bad because we want more. Just bad all the time.

Instead, I feel we need to cultivate appreciation for what is. This does not mean we don't continue to strive, to try to accomplish. But it does mean that we love what we have (mind you, I am not including an abusive relationship or addictive, destructive behavior). Don't learn to love that. In cases like that, learn to LOVE YOURSELF more!

This actually leads to having more. I feel that the way it works is that if we cannot appreciate what we have, why should we be given more (that we won't appreciate)? Cultivating appreciation is not a magical method to get more, but it does ensure a level of satisfaction right now with what is rather than constant dissatisfaction. See?

Buttercup Ranunculus occidentalis (yellow)

Positive Qualities: Radiant inner light, unattached to outer recognition or fame.

Patterns of Imbalance: Feelings of low self-worth, inability to acknowledge or experience one's inner light and uniqueness.

In the natural evolution of the soul there are phases of life, if not entire lifetimes, which require that one's essential light be contained in a quiet, simple way. Although such humble expressions may not appear remarkable by outer standards, they are enormously important times

in which the soul gathers inward strength and consolidates its essence. It is important that such souls not judge themselves by conventional standards of achievement and success, becoming afflicted with feelings of self-doubt and diminished self-worth. Rather they need to recognize and honor the inner value and worth of what they truly are. In this way, they are able to shine forth with a radiant inner light that blesses and sanctifies even the most simple tasks and
obligations. Buttercup flower essence helps the soul to realize and sustain its beautiful inner light, which becomes a source of great healing and peace for all whom it contacts.

California Wild Rose Rosa californica (pink)

Positive Qualities: Love for the Earth and for human life; enthusiasm for doing and serving.

Patterns of Imbalance: Apathy or resignation inability to catalyze will forces through the heart.

California Wild Rose is among the most beautiful and fundamental of flower remedies,for it helps the soul to incarnate and really take hold of its responsibilities and tasks on Earth. It is often said that hate is not the opposite of love, only a distortion of it. Rather, it is apathy which is the true polarity of love. The ability to really care and to give oneself to life, to others, and to the Earth characterizes a truly loving soul. Many souls hold back or hesitate, not wanting to experience the pain or challenge of life on Earth. They find it hard to take emotional risks in relationships with others, preferring instead to anesthetize themselves from pain or suffering. Such souls can also suffer from deep-seated social alienation, being unable to rouse the inner fire of the heart toward compassionate caring and activity in the world.

California Wild Rose remedy is useful at all stages of life, but is
particularly helpful for adolescent and young adult souls that are longing to find positive ideals and seeking to serve the world through a calling or vocation. California Wild Rose stimulates the love forces in the heart, so that the soul finds enthusiasm for earthly life, worldly tasks and human relationships.

Sage Salvia officinalis (violet)

Positive Qualities: Drawing wisdom from life experiences, reviewing and surveying one's life process from a higher perspective.

Patterns of Imbalance: Seeing life as ill-fated or undeserved, inability to perceive higher purpose and meaning in life events.

Sage flower essence enables the Self to learn and reflect about life experience., particularly enhancing the capacity to experience deep inner peace and wisdom. This remedy addresses a natural distillation process which occurs as the healthy person ages. Throughout the course of life, trials and tribulations are placed in the soul's path so that it an distill impurities and volatile emotions, reaching an ever more clarified and refined state. Through the aging process, the soul should be able to attain increasing inner stability and peaceful acceptance of
its condition. If one is unable to experience this graceful maturation process, life events seem ill-fated and undeserved, without higher purpose or meaning .The Sage remedy can be helpful during various life phases and transitions, when one needs to step back and consider the unfolding events of life. Through Sage, the soul comes more in touch with its own spiritual meaning and purpose, and thus acquires profound wisdom to heal and counsel others.

Photos of flowers are from The Flower Essence Society website.

The commentary on the essences is from the Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz

Issue of the Week

2009-03-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

March 2 - March 8

Animal Care pt. 3

Aggression, Jealousy and Competitiveness

Just as we humans have to learn to get along, so do our pets. Remember that dogs evolved from wolves and our sweet little kitties evolved from large predatory cats like saber-toothed tigers.

Not only are they highly territorial hunters, they were natural enemies in the past, both after the same food sources. Today, dogs and cats may compete for their master's attention, a place on the couch or even for food. Competition my occur between animals of the same species. Remember, animals are naturally territorial.

I look at pictures of groups of cats lying in a heap on other peoples' blogs and I wonder how that happens. I have had cats all my life and I have never had cats sleep together unless they were mother and kittens or sometimes litter mates.

So here are some essences for the jealous, competitive and aggressive pets.

Cosmos - To encourage inter species communication; helpful where different animals are gathered; useful when training animals or establishing psychic bonds in one-on-one relationships; indicated for both animal and caretaker.

Holly - Jealous pets, especially when jealousy involves another pet vying for the attention of the caretaker.

Quaking Grass - Helping animals living together in a group or herd to adjust; especially important when a new animal has been introduced.

Snapdragon - For animals who bite; especially indicated for aggressive tendencies in horses such as biting and sucking.

Tiger Lily - For hostile or aggressive cats or dogs.

Vine - For animals which dominate younger or weaker animals.

Yes, you can use essences on horses. They respond well to them. Besides putting them in the mouth or in drinking water, you can put them in a spray bottle or in bath water. There are numerous ways to administer them.

Friends on the Radio

2009-02-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

Listening to the radio show The Herbal Highway with Karyn Sanders on KPFA today, two of my teachers/friends/colleagues were on the radio! Peggy Schafer and Leslie Gardener.

I have studied under them at California School of Herbal Studies, worked with them when I was a board member for the Sonoma County Herb Association and an intern at the Sonoma County Herb Exchange, and partied with them at herb events.

Leslie spoke about her new book:
Life in the Medicine: A guide to growing and harvesting herbs for medicine making.

You can view it and purchase it at www.lifeinthemedicine.com.

Peg spoke about her Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm
and her Chinese herbal extracts: Fu Tian Herbs

I am fortunate to live in an area where there is a lot happening herbally. Schools, classes, organic farms, medicine makers, herb festivals.....

I have learned a lot from my teachers and friends and it has enriched my life. Thank you Peg and Leslie. Good to hear your voices again!

Issue of the Week - Feb 23 - March 1, 2009

2009-02-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

Animal Care Pt.2

Attachment

Our pets become part of our family. For those who are single, with no children, they may be the only family. Animals form attachments to places and people. How did homing pigeons acquire their name if that were not true? Migrating animals have a circuit they make, always returning to the same place at the same time of year.

Just as we become attached to our lifestyle and where we live, so do our pets. Dogs and cats are especially affected by changes of domicile, because they establish their own habits related to their environment. Moving is hard on pets. Sometimes pets leave the new home trying to return to the old home and we wonder if they love us, or the neighborhood.

On the other hand, over-attachment to human owners can be a problem too. Sometimes, we just have to leave them for a few hours or days. Dogs can cry and whine all day while the master is off at work. This can drive the neighbors crazy. Our pets need to feel happy and safe when we are not there.

So the essences for this week are related to emotional attachment in our pets.

Bleeding Heart - Breaking undue emotional attachment to the caretaker, such as whining cats or moping dogs waiting for the owner to return.

Chicory - Especially indicated for younger animals such as whining puppies or kittens, also indicated when illness may be psychosomatic or to get attention.

Dill - Overwhelm or confusion such as during travel or upset of schedule.

Mariposa Lily - Assisting mother-infant bonding, especially if the animal is being introduced to a surrogate mother; also good for young animals in a new home.

Walnut - Before and after a major move; to help break links to old places of residence; also good for animals giving birth.

This information all comes from the Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz. All the essences are available through the Flower Essence Society.

Issue of the Week - Feb 16 - Feb 22

2009-02-16T13:03:00.000-08:00

Animal Care

Many of us have animals in our lives. Beloved pets who are often part of the family. There are many essences listed in The Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz. Many issues are addressed. I will make this part of a series. This week I will focus on calming animals that have either undergone trauma or are innately high-strung.

Arnica Shock, trauma, illness, injury, surgery

Aspen Unknown fear or terror in an animal; especially indicated when treating wild or nervous animals

Cherry Plum Extreme tension or stress, such as a terrified animal that is trapped

Five Flower Formula For any form of stress or emergency, or when uncertain of which remedy to use (functions like Crisis Formula or Rescue Remedy)

Mimulus Nervous conditions in animals; good for jittery horses or shy animals who hide from people

Penstemon Illness or trauma; gives inner strength during adverse circumstances

Red Clover Calming to hysterical animals, particularly cats; can be used effectively when taking an animal to a veterinarian for treatment

Vervain For hyperactive, overly tense animals

In general, cats do not like alcohol. One way to administer the essences is to put them first in boiling water, so the alcohol evaporates, then cool the water and add to drinking water. I sometimes put the drops on the front paw. The cat will then lick them off instinctively.

Herb of the Month - Oats

2009-02-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

According to Judith Berger in Herbal Rituals, the Herb of the Month for February is Oat Avena sativa. Originating in the near east and Mediterranean, they quickly adapted to the cold and wet sea climates of Northern Europe. They were brought to America by the Puritans.

According to Berger, Oats provide most of the required vitamins and minerals. Although they have seven times the fat as rice, they contain chemical substances that protect the heart, balance cholesterol, and assist circulation. Oats have a direct effect on the nervous and endocrine systems and have a transformative effect on the immune system. Oats build strong bones and teeth, stabilize sugar levels in the blood and improve blood flow by elasticizing veins and arteries. They also act as a powerful nerve tonic. They give us inner fortitude and thus can provide support for those trying to withdraw from caffeine, alcohol or tobacco. Oats are good for the skin and hair and can help with chronic itching.

When I was a teenager, I used to make a paste of oatmeal and use it as a facial mask. I never had acne. I don't know if it was due to my masks or other factors in my genetics or diet. But, it is certainly worth trying. There are many commercial soaps and lotions available based on oats for people with sensitive skin, so... trying an oatmeal mask will not hurt.

I just mixed old-fashioned oats and water. You can get fancy. The following recipe is an elaborate facial mask recipe.

Demeter's Beautifying Oat Grain Scrub

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 ounce to 1 ounce lavender buds or rose petals
2 tsp. of ground almonds
2 tsp. of white or red clay (optional)
a dash of seaweed (optional)
blender or mortal and pestle

The almonds supply natural oils, the oats gently rub away dead skin. If your skin is oily use more clay and fewer almonds. The lavender is astringent and pungent and balances the oil-giving almonds.

Place all ingredients in blender or mortar and blend until ground up. When ready to use, place some in the palm of your hand and add water. Make a paste and put on face. Allow it to dry before gently washing it off.

Issue of the Week - Feb 9 - Feb 15

2009-02-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

Forgiveness

Right now in the woods where I live, Bay is blooming. I was called to select Bay flower for this week, with no idea of what the "issue" would be, but when I checked through all my repertories, I did not find an essence of Bay flower. Perhaps the message is for me to make one and do a proving to see what it's for.

I then received the inspiration to write about Forgiveness

This week we celebrate Valentine's Day. Hearts and flowers. Yes, that is part of love, at least romantic love. Another part of love, the harder part, is forgiveness. Forgiveness of others and of ourselves for not being perfect.

It is true that sometimes the behavior of another is "unforgivable". Abuse, criminal neglect, violence of any kind - can cause extreme and long term harm. Usually those who can forgive this kind of behavior are "saints". It may not be possible for most of us to forgive like this - at least not to the perpetrator. We can, however, and I suggest we try, to forgive them in our own hearts and minds. To not hold on to the hurt, the rage, the pain. For our own good. I believe that holding on to trauma can cause us more damage than the original hurt caused. The abuse may have lasted a few minutes, hours or even days. The memory of it may last years. In fact, we may allow it to become our identity. Caroline Myss speaks of those who introduce themselves as incest survivors and how by doing so they perpetuate their victimization. They let the violence of another become who they are.

The process of forgiveness may not be easy, but it is crucial that we try to go through it.

Beech Fagus sylvatica (red)

Positive qualities: Tolerance, acceptance of others' differences and imperfections, seeing the good within each person and situation.

Patterns of imbalance: Criticalness, judgemental attitudes, intolerance, perfectionist expectations of others, oversensitivity to ones' social and physical environment.

The Beech remedy helps transform the tendency to be critical due to an inner sense of inferiority and hypersensitivity which is projected onto others. Very often such persons grew up in an environment of criticism and harsh expectations, and so they inwardly feel very vulnerable and insecure. They learn to cope by condemning others instead of healing themselves. Beech softens the soul pain such persons feel as they re-establish connection with their Higher Self, they sense the love and unconditional acceptance that radiates from the spiritual world. Through this warmth of soul, they are able to let go of their harsh and blaming ways, to accept others in the same way that they are accepted by the spiritual world.

Pine Pinus sylvestris (red f./yellow m.)

Positive Qualities: Self-acceptance, self-forgiveness; freedom from inappropriate guilt and blame.

Pattern of Imbalance: Guilt, self-blame, self-criticism, inability to accept oneself.

Objective knowledge of one's faults is an important soul virtue; when taken to an extreme, however, one can be wracked with undue guilt and misery Those who need Pine get stuck in self-blame. At times a real circumstance from the past may result in deep feelings or regret and remorse; however, the Pine type often feels guilt which is entirely disproportionate to the actual events . These feelings may arise from childhood, when the person learned to internalize blame for dysfunction in the family system, or they may stem from a religious background which emphasizes sin and error more than salvation and grace. Pine helps the Self to learn true forgiveness by quite literally being for giving: learning to give oneself nourishment rather than withholding love from oneself; learning to release rather than retain energy The individual is encouraged to move forward rather than stay entangled in self-deprecation and emotional paralysis. At it highest level, Pine teaches self-acceptance and inner esteem as a pathway to the soul's realization of its own sacredness and divinity.

Willowv Salix vitellina (green)

Positive qualities: Acceptance, forgiveness, taking responsibility for ones' life situation, flowing with life.

Patterns of imbalance: Feeling resentful, inflexible or bitter, feeling that life is unfair or that one is a victim.

If the physical body does not keep flexible, it becomes stiff and contracted. The good health of the soul also depends on its ability to be yielding, flowing and "forgiving." The Willow flower heals bitterness and resentment, it is for those who tend to "hold on" and become attached to negative emotions. Such persons often feel victimized by the circumstances of life -- they feel that others are to blame for their misfortune; that life has been unfair to them; or they resent those who appear to have more status, prosperity, or felicity than themselves. The aging process is especially difficult for Willow types; At an energetic level, such persons are unable to flow with the streaming of their lives, Negative feelings are dammed up and then become magnified and internalized, congesting the inner being. the physical body also suffers from this stress, tending to manifest such problems as stiff joints, rheumatism, arthritis, and other aches and pains. (Willow bark is the herbal precursor for aspirin, often used for such physical conditions.) Willow restores a more "spring-like" disposition, helping the soul to respond with greater resilience and inward mobility to challenges and problems. In this way the Self takes more responsibility for its condition, and learns to flow more gently and gracious with, rather than against, the flow of life.

Photos from Flower Essence Services

Text from Flower Essence Repertory, by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz

Issue of the Week Feb 2 - Feb 8, 2009

2009-02-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

Healing Past Trauma

In order to live fully in the present and have all of our abilities functioning, we need to be free of fear. All our circuits need to be up and running, so that we can tap into the energy that is available to us.

According to Jeff Wolf Green, the creator of Evolutionary Astrology, most of us are born with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) due to traumas from past lives.

I am currently reading a book by Barbara Hand Clow in which she claims we all have memory of past earth cataclysms that keep us fearful of the future and projecting destruction in to the future.

My observations of myself and others leads me to believe that it is true that somehow we come into this life with some embedded memory of trauma. In addition, many of us experience at least one incidence of trauma in our current life. Sensitive people can feel the trauma of others, so that when they see it on T.V. or even hear about it, they feel it themselves. Some feel trauma on behalf of the earth, plants or animals. I cannot bear to the witness pain in animals. I can hear the cries of trees when they are being cut.

Now that we have a new president, many of us feel that we have witnessed a miracle. We now know miracles are possible (if we didn't already know it). We want to move forward in joy and hope.

After many years of feeling depressed and hopeless, it may be difficult to come out into the light and yet that is what we are being called to do. Just when we had all but given up, we are rescued.

I often wonder how the people that were rescued from Auschwitz and the other camps felt when they were rescued. I've seen those films dozens of times, wondering what they were thinking. (Don't misunderstand, I am not comparing the last 8 years under Shrub to what people went through in concentration camps or POW camps. There is no comparison). What I am saying is that I am amazed that human beings can endure extreme suffering and still go forward into life.

While what we are going through is minor by comparison, I still sense a desperation - people are driving like madmen, shopping like there is no tomorrow.

While Obama's election is indeed marvelous and I am giddy with joy about it, we still have many serious situations to deal with. We cannot expect him to do it all. We have to do our part. Now positive change is possible. We have a national leader who is intelligent, sensitive and competent.

It wasn't until the other one was gone, that I fully realized that being fearful had become second nature to me. I feared my phone was tapped, that any day they could make a law that would send me to jail for something I didn't even know I had done.

Now we can feel the audacity of hope. What will we do with the rest of our lives?

In the Alaskan Repertory there are several essences to deal with healing past trauma.

Flower Essences

Fireweed - Epilobium angustifolium

Indications: shock or trauma; energy stagnation on any level; feeling burned out; weak connection to the earth.

Healing Qualities: strengthens the grounding connection to the earth; helps break up and move out old energy patterns that are being held in the etheric body so that new cycles of revitalization and renewal can be initiated.

White Fireweed - Epilobium angustifolium

Indications: deep emotional shock and trauma; profound alienation from the body after an experience of sexual or emotional abuse.

Healing Qualities: calms the emotional body after a traumatic or shocking experience; helps us release the imprint of painful emotional experiences from the cellular memory so that rejuvenation can begin.

Gem Elixirs

Covellite

Brings strength, clarity and definition to the auric field; acts as a protective filter that encourages us to relax energetically, thereby enhancing our natural ability to receive love and support from the environment.

Fluorite Combo

Synchronizes movement between the etheric and physical bodies; fine tunes our focus so that we can move through an issue or healing process with precision and balance.

Back in the Saddle

2009-02-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

I'm back, sort of. My computer is still not fixed, but I have so much work to do I just will live with it for another few weeks. See the story on my other blog

Friday night Matthew Wood was at Rosemary's Garden in Sebastopol. He spoke mainly about adrenal and thyroid support. He said one of the over all best herbs to use is Melissa, which I have growing wild all over my place. When I first moved in I thought it was a weed and started trying to eradicate it. Well, I have to say it does take over, so if you are planning to plant it, be careful. Then I found out it was good for depression, stomach ache, stress, and many other things. In fact Matthew recommended it for thyroid issues in cats. I plan to make a strong tea and try to get it into Grace. Cats will not take alcohol tinctures.

Meanwhile I have started another blog! This one is on 2012. I am currently devouring every book I can find on the topic.

And I will be back tomorrow with the Issue of the Week.

When I first started blogging, I was putting all my stuff on one blog. When I joined Entrecard, I looked at loads of blogs. I realized it is better to focus on one topic, so I started this one. Then I needed one for astrology and now I need one for Mayan stuff. I did start one on my cats, but they don't do anything but sleep, eat and .... and taking pictures of that is boring, so it does not get many posts. I guess I could show them sleeping on the bed, the chair, in the box... Wow.

Limited Internet for Next Two Weeks - Yikes!

2009-01-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

To all my readers, my computer is in the shop for two weeks and I don't know if I will be able to post during that time since I have to use the Internet in the county library and so I have a short time limit each day. See you all soon! I might actually be forced to clean house....

Issue of the Week - Jan 05 - Jan 11, 2009

2009-01-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

This week I approach this from a different perspective. Since the Herb of the Month (J. Berger, Herbal Rituals) is Sage, I thought I would go from the essence to the 'issue'.

This is what The Complete Floral Healer, by Anne McIntyre, has to say about Sage Flower Essence.

'Sage enhances the capacity for drawing wisdom from experience and is particularly recommended for people who find it hard to find purpose and meaning in life. They may feel resentful about events in their lives, seeing them as ill-fated or undeserved.

Sage is a remedy especially suitable for our later years, for helping to accept what life throws up for us in a calm and detached way. It helps to enhance the wisdom that comes naturally from years of experience. Such wisdom is natural to that end of life, enabling us to be in touch with our spiritual selves, to perceive a higher purpose in life and to experience inner peace. It is a remedy to use during changes and transitions, as it enhance the sage in all of us.'

This essence is available through FES.

I had not read this before I typed it out of the book, but, as usual the wisdom of the plant kingdom chose exactly the essence that I myself need at this time. If you read my post "2009 - New Year - Fresh Start" on one of my other blogs, you will see how this essence is relevant.

For those of you not familiar to the concept of Plant Wisdom, let me say this. Plants made the planet inhabitable for animals. They came first. The Earth's atmosphere was poisonous to animals until plants converted it. At each stage of evolution, plants made the transitions before animals. So... I suggest we look carefully at the plant kingdom for clues about what's coming next.

Plant gods are at the heart of many of the religions that humans have followed for centuries. Osiris was a god of vegetation for the Egyptians, and in ancient Mayan culture, a Maize God was central. Ancient peoples knew that without the gifts of food brought by plants, we would perish. All of the animals that we eat, rely on plants for food. We do not eat predators, unless we are starving. And usually in that case, the predators get us first!

Currently I am not a vegetarian. I was in the past, but circumstances (living in the Congo) made me see that sometimes you are lucky to get anything to eat and thus it is best to be flexible and grateful for whatever you can get. For awhile, I tried not to eat beings that had faces, but then, when I began to see flowers as faces, that precluded most plants as well. So... what could I eat? Now I tune into my body and see what it needs and wants and I go with that. The only thing I never eat is pork, but, if it were a question of survival, I would probably eat it as well.

Hamida Got an Award!

2009-01-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to Jackie at The Vegan Diet for the Lemonade Award given to those who show great Attitude and/or Gratitude.

Jackie has been one of my readers since the beginning and it means a lot to me to get this award from her. Yeah Jackie!

Here are the rules to this award.
• Put the logo on your blog or post.
• Nominate 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
• Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
• Let them know that they have received this award.
• Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

What can I say, I can only choose 10, so here they are.

A Consummate Life
A Grateful Heart
A Second Cup
Daily Blissings
Forced Green
Holy Cuteness
Solitude
The Good Life
Unbalance Libra
Welcome to Mind Body and Soul

Love and Blessings to you all.

And by the way, I have always thought that this is a very powerful concept: If Life gives you lemons, learn to make lemonade. Resourcefulness and Creativity - the foundations of Wisdom.

Issue of the Week - Dec 22 - Dec 28

2008-12-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

Intuition

As many 'institutions' are crumbling around us, we are being called upon to access our inner resources. For those who have cultivated them through prayer, meditation, or other spiritual practices, this may be something familiar. Although, I am observing in the communities to which I belong, that even the leaders and teachers are being pushed beyond their comfort zones. Those who have led thousands are now having major challenges to their lives. No one is exempt.

Finding new, different and creative solutions to our personal and societal problems is possible. One path to our creativity is through our intuition. Creative inspiration speaks to us all of the time and it is through our intuitive faculties, that we can hear it. We need to listen to, trust and act on our intuition at this time. "Reason" and "rational thought" have their place in life. But what is occurring now is outside of the realm of reason; outside the box.

Einstein said: “You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it. You must learn to see the world anew.”

Desert Alchemy has some wonderful essences for Intuition.

A Way to the GodSelf Formula

Creativity Formula

Queen of the Night Cactus

Herb of the Month - Pine

2008-12-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

Finally finished my classes and sent in all the final projects, which were taking so much time I didn't get a chance to say more about Pine until now.
First something about Pine essential oil.

A useful essential oil is distilled from Scotch Pine Pinus silvestris

Extraction method: Steam distillation from needles originating in Austria, Canada and Russia.

Properties: Anti-bacterial, antimicrobial, anti-neuralgic, antiseptic, antiviral, expectorant and stimulant.

This oil may help dilate and open the respiratory system, particularly the bronchial tract. It may also help with colds, coughs, cuts, cystitis, fatigue, feet (excessive sweating) flu, gout, lice, nervous exhaustion, scabies, skin parasites, sores, stress and urinary infection. Pine oil may also help increase blood pressure and stimulate the adrenal glands and circulatory system. Pine is a good recommendation for any First Aid kit. It affects emotional balance and the respiratory system.

Aromatic influence: Helps soothe mental stress, relieve anxiety, freshen and deodorize a room and revitalize the entire body.

Oral use as a dietary supplement: Can be used as a food additive and food flavoring agent. Dilute one drop in teaspoon of honey or in a 4oz. beverage. Not for children under 6, dilute further for children 6 and over.

Historical uses: Pine was used by some American Indian groups to prevent scurvy. They also stuffed mattresses with Pine to repel lice and fleas. It was used to treat pneumonia and lung infections and was added to baths to revitalize people suffering from mental or emotion fatigue and nervous exhaustion.

Folklore: In some cultures, pine branches were placed in coffins to signify immortality. Coffins themselves were often made of Pine for the same reason.

Blends well with: Cedarwood, eucalyptus, juniper, lavender, lemon marjoram, melaleuca, and rosemary.

Caution: Repeated use may cause skin irritation.

For the chefs out there, a marvelous recipe:

Honey and Pine Nut Tart

Issue of the Week - Dec 15 - Dec 21

2008-12-16T12:15:00.000-08:00

Certainty

At times of rapid and constant change, it is important to stay the course of your own life. One must ride the fine line between flexibility and rigidity. How do you hold on and let go at the same time? What should you cling to (if anything)?

If one has certainty about their life's path - hears the voice of their inner calling, then they can ride with the tides of life knowing that no matter what, they are being guided toward their goal. Things may change on the outside (and they probably will), but trusting that the course that has been set is true, then small zigzags will not make any difference.

The desert nomads view the shortest route to be a zigzag and use it in their rug patterns. Crossing the desert cannot be accomplished by traveling in straight lines. Still, they know their destination, and they arrive at it. Sailors must tack to the right and left as they move forward, taking advantage of wind and current, in order to travel anywhere.

So it is that we must recognize the small things that appear as deviations, as insignificant in terms of the larger goal.

Mullein Verbascum thapsus (yellow)

Positive Qualities: Strong sense of inner conscience, truthfulness, uprightness.

Patterns of Imbalance: Inability to her one's inner voice; weakness and confusion, indecisiveness; lying or deceiving oneself or others.

Through Mullein the soul awakens to its inner voice and develops the capacity to listen and respond to its true Self.

Scleranthus Scleranthus annum (green)

Positive Qualities: Decisiveness, inner resolve, acting from the certainty of inner knowing.

Patterns of Imbalance: Hesitation, indecision, confusion, wavering between tow choices.

The experience of living on Earth is one of duality; the soul must constantly learn to establish its own inner balance through the tension of polarity. The individual who needs Scleranthus finds this level of inner activity to be very painful and challenging. Subconsciously, such a person longs for wholeness as a given external condition of life, not realizing that a far greater wholeness is achieved through the ability to choose and define who one is. Scleranthus flower essence helps toward greater decisiveness and clarity of purpose.

Wild Oat Bromus ramosus (green)

Positive Qualities: Work as an expression of inner calling; outward life which expresses one's true goals and values; work experiences motivated by an inner sense of life's purpose.

Patterns of Imbalance: Confusion and indecision about life direction' trying many activities but chronically dissatisfied, lack of commitment or focus.

Soul health and happiness are very much dependent on the ability to realize one's true life purpose and vocation. If the soul does not have the opportunity to evolve and to serve through its basic life work, it will suffer great distress. By these standards, we can appreciate the depth of sickness in our modern, technological world. Many people are unknowingly enslaved to the forces of materialism,for their primary motivation to work is a monetary one (whether they make much or little money). This situation drastically drains the soul's true vitality; evenings, weekends, and holidays are spend simply recuperating or escaping from alienating or exploitative work situations. Dr. Bach recognized this fundamental soul ailment, and considered Wild Oat, along with Holly, to be one of the two basic remedies in his system. Wild Oat helps to transform the basic cultural illness of our age. Wild Oat helps the individual to recognize and respond to his/her true calling, seeking forms of work that give the Self a sense of higher purpose and meaning, and the ability to truly serve and help others.

We might try to see all these downsizings and lay-offs as a chance to re-align our work with our soul's purpose. Do we really need all these things to by happy and fulfilled?

Descriptions of flower essences and their uses from Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz.

Photos from the FES website.

Issue of the Week - Dec 8 - Dec 14

2008-12-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

Receptivity

We are going through a time of rapid change. The alignment of our Sun with the Galactic Center has already begun (the event which will be at its high point on Dec. 21, 2012). We are receiving pulses of energy that will assist us in our next evolutionary step. That is, if you are in a receptive state.

There are many reasons why people are closed or blocked. Sometimes people are shut down to protect themselves from being hurt.

The challenge of now is to open up the heart as wide and as far as possible, despite fear. Fear is a construct of the mind. The mind wants things to remain the same, so that it can have a sense of continuity (security). But living in the Now requires living in a heart space. Trusting Creation means feeling the Unity through the heart.

Flower Essences are uniquely suited to assisting us in coming into resonance with Unity.

For receptivity the following Flower Essences from FES.

Angelica Angelica archangelica (white)

Positive Qualities:

Feeling protection and guidance from spiritual beings, especially at threshold experiences such as birth and death.

Patterns of Imbalance:

Feeling cut off, bereft of spiritual guidance and protection.

The modern human soul suffers in a way which is unique and tragic, for it must face profound spiritual isolation and separation through living in a materialistically dense and technologically abstract world culture. The Angelica flower essence addresses the soul's experience of compression and restriction by quickening the thinking and perception processes. The soul becomes more able to perceive and discriminate its connection to the subtle sheaths surrounding the physical world. Angelica especially encourages the individual to develop a relationship with the spiritual world, transforming an overly abstract or intellectual viewpoint into a genuine feeling for spiritual presence and spiritual beings. This awareness is particularly enhanced for that group of spiritual beings who immediately border the human kingdom: the angels. Through a living relationship with the angelic realm the human soul receives guardianship and guidance in daily affairs, and protection at times of crisis or during threshold experiences. This feeling of being protected and cared for is of enormous importance to the inner life, giving the soul great strength and courage for its work in transforming and healing the world. Angelica is broadly indicated for many flower essence formulas and is particularly important at threshold times such as birth death, festival celebrations, or other major life passages.

Mugwort click the link to go to another post where Mugwort is featured.

Issue of the Week - Dec 1 - Dec 7

2008-12-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

Self-acceptance

Has anyone ever said to you, "You're too hard on yourself" or "You are your own worst enemy" ? What does that mean? Sometimes is means that we expect more of ourselves than other people do (which is okay in a way), or it could mean we expect more of ourselves than is reasonable (which means we might be overdoing it). Either way, we might be causing ourselves undue suffering.

Being motivated, inspired and ambitious are not good or bad in themselves, but if they come with judgement of ourselves or others, they are moving in the wrong direction. Finding the balance is ideal. Staying in a heart felt space is best.

Interesting that for the month of December, The Herbal Rituals book I wrote about last month, has designated Pine to represent the month. Next post I will write about uses for Pine. For now, I will write about the flower essence Pine.

The Flower Essence Repertory has this to say:

Pine Pinus sylvestris

Positive Qualities:

Self-acceptance, self-forgiveness; freedom from inappropriate guilt and blame.

Pattern of Imbalance:

Guilt, self-blame, self-criticism, inability to accept oneself.

Objective knowledge of one's faults is an important soul virtue; when taken to an extreme, however, one can be wracked with undue guilt and misery Those who need Pine get stuck in self-blame. At times a real circumstance from the past may result in deep feelings of regret and remorse; however, the Pine type often feels guilt which is entirely disproportionate to the actual events. These feelings may arise from childhood, when the person learned to internalize blame for dysfunction in the family system, or they may stem from a religious background which emphasizes sin and error more than salvation and grace. Pine helps the Self to learn true forgiveness by quite literally being for giving: learning to give oneself nourishment rather than withholding love from oneself; learning to release rather than retain energy The individual is encouraged to move forward rather than stay entangled in self-deprecation and emotional paralysis. At it highest level, Pine teaches self-acceptance and inner esteem as a pathway to the soul's realization of its own sacredness and divinity.

Pine is one of Bach's original 38 remedies

He said about it, "For those who blame themselves. Even when successful they think they could have done better, and are never satisfied with the decisions they make. Would this remedy help me to stop blaming myself for everything?" - Dr. Edward Bach

To read about and order you can go to this website.

Edward Bach devoted his life to this mode of healing, sacrificing everything because he trusted his intuition despite 'how it looked on the outside'. His story is inspiring and his legacy is profound. Read about Bach.

Bay Laurel - 2009 Herb of the Year

2008-11-30T14:31:00.000-08:00

I know you are all just holding your breath to find out what the Herb of the Year is for 2009. Bay Laurel. Here's a great site I just discovered to find out about it and what you can do with it. It focuses on the Herb of the Year.

The site also has recipes for Calendula - which has been the Herb of the Year for 2008.

They select an herb if it has useful properties in 2 of 3 categories - culinary, medicinal or craft. They say Bay is used in only 2, not including medicinal. Then they proceed to tell you some of the medicinal properties.

As you can see from my Etsy shop, Bay Rum is made from Bay and I use it in my North Bay Rum. I used the California Bay also known as Pepperwood.

It is easy to make although time-consuming. The process takes a few months. I caution you when making anything out of Bay, wear a face mask! It has the amazing property of loosening mucus you didn't know you had. Within a few minutes of grinding it up in my food processor, I had streams coming out of my nose, eyes and mouth. It was very unpleasant. However, I learned that if I ever have intense congestion, I merely have to crumple up a Bay leaf and breathe deeply to be almost instantly cleared up.

Issue of the Week - Nov 24 - Nov 30

2008-11-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

Patience

"To every thing there is a season and a time for every purpose....."

While most of us have heard this phrase at least once in our lives, have we truly thought about it?

In the world we live in today, speed is highly valued. Here where I live in the forest, the only Internet connection available is dial-up. As you can imagine, there are times when this is extremely frustrating. Last year I took a Dreamweaver class online and it would take hours to download files.

The road I live near is a 'state highway', but it is a narrow, winding two-lane road. People often drive too fast and since there is a dangerous curve right near my house, many cars have flown off and ended upside down or up against a tree not too far from my house. I have called the California Highway Patrol so often because of that curve, they know me by name and count on me to update them on the situation and how serious it is. They have thanked me for my 'public service'. Fine, when I am in my house. Not so fine when I am driving along this dangerous stretch myself. At least a dozen times I have come around a corner to face an oncoming car. Someone passing along this narrow road with blind curves and no where to go but off the road to end up upside down. Indeed, I have come upon cars upside down along the road with their lights on in the middle of the night. I wonder where they were going in such a hurry.

What is interesting about all this need for speed, is that on some level, it reflects what is happening energetically around us. The cosmos is speeding up. As we approach the Shift, things will both speed up and become denser.

Many of us experience this as an inner urge to do... what? Something seems to be pushing us or pulling us and yet we cannot figure out what it is or for what purpose. We may find ourselves engaging in frenetic activity or zoning out in one way or another. Shopping, bingeing, over-doing whatever - all are ways of not being present, being still, and listening.

We may fear being alone or not being busy. We may question whether we are 'accomplishing anything'. We must learn to listen and trust the Universe to guide us. And we must have patience. Observe nature, watch the seasons, can you see the growth of a tree? How long does it take for a seed to sprout?

We go to Desert Alchemy for essences this week because the plants in the desert exemplify patience. Some of them appear to be in a dormant state for quite awhile, waiting for rain. They are ready and waiting for the short season for flowering and reproduction, yet they appear silent - even rock-like. All the while they are preparing for their moment. They do not forget their mission.

Many years ago I sought guidance and received the answer: "They also serve, who only stand and wait." But waiting does not mean inactivity because in order to be ready when called on, one must stay prepared at all times. This is not an easy task and gives one plenty to do. Not the least of which is to be paying attention. Another element of Being Present.

So to assist in developing patience the following essences....

Candy Barrel Cactus

Compass Barrel Cactus

Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus

Crisis-Desert Emergency Formula

How it Works

2008-11-21T08:55:00.001-08:00

I received a comment from a reader and thought it might be a good idea to say something about energy healing with plants.

Dis-ease and 'illness' can occur at many levels. As we are realizing more and more each day, manifestation begins at the energetic level, then comes into physical form. So, we can call upon plants as healers on the physical and the energetic levels.

Using herbs via teas or tinctures, for example, works primarily on the physical level.

Flower essences, which are energetic imprints in water, work mostly on the emotional and spiritual levels. It's a matter of frequency. There are those, such as David Dalton, who know how to use flower essences to heal physical ailments. His method, however, has more to do with negotiating with the pathogen.

Generally, I follow a 'like treats like' philosophy. That is, matching the energetic level of the 'problem' to the appropriate level of plant healer. In a type of entrainment process, the 'medicine' which is in a more coherent state than the 'problem', and shifts it into a higher state.

Plants have been the vanguards of each level of our evolution. When the planet was first created, plant-like organisms converted the gases into the atmosphere that enabled animals to exist. They also converted sunlight into food through photosynthesis.

Human beings were able to develop societies, states, governments (for good or ill) only after they 'domesticated' plants and developed agriculture. Before that, hunting and gathering subsistence would only support small bands of people living together. It would have been impossible to have Roman or Greek civilization without the grains that were harvested and made into bread.

At the basis of our life, plants are turning sunlight into food. Despite all our technological achievements, we cannot do this 'simple' thing.

Flower essences work by transforming at the energetic level. The way we feel or think can affect our physical health. Thus by working at the energetic level, we may be able to affect physical outcomes.

Issue of the Week - Nov 17 - Nov 23

2008-11-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

Confidence

Confidence seems to be one of those things that comes and goes, sometimes for no reason. We wake up one day 'on top of the world' whereas another day we are 'down in the dumps'. Often our level of confidence is dependent on external events or other people. Then we are at their mercy. We must learn to derive our confidence from our own inner sense of self-worth. It involves trust. When we feel confident, we can do anything.

It can be useful to take a lesson from events in the world. For example, here in the U.S., who would have ever believed an African-American would ever be president 50 years ago? And now it has occurred. Obama himself, as a Leo whose Sun is in the 6th house of service, and who has Aquarius rising, shines like the Sun. His confidence is affecting us all. His slogan "Yes We Can" has inspired hope in so many hearts around the world. He has set an example of someone whose confidence both serves himself and others. His healthy confidence inspires people.

Buttercup Ranunculus occidentalis (yellow)

Positive Qualities:

Radiant inner light, unattached to outer recognition or fame.

Patterns of Imbalance:

Feelings of low self-worth, inability to acknowledge or experience one's inner light and uniqueness.

In the natural evolution of the soul there are phases of life, if not entire lifetimes, which require that one's essential light be contained in a quiet, simple way. Although such humble expressions may not appear remarkable by out standards, they are enormously important times in which the soul gathers inward strength and consolidates its essence. It is important that such souls not judge themselves by conventional standards of achievement and success, becoming afflicted with feelings of self-doubt and diminished self-worth. Rather they need to recognize and honor the inner value and worth of who they truly are. In this way, they are able to shine forth with a radiant inner light that blesses and sanctifies even the most simple tasks and obligations. Buttercup flower essence helps the soul to realize and sustain its beautiful inner light, which becomes a source of great healing and peace for all whom it contacts.

Cerato Ceratostigma willimottiana (blue)

Positive Qualities:

Trusting ones' inner knowing, intuition, self-confidence, certainty.

Patterns of Imbalance:

Uncertainty or doubt of oneself; invalidating what one knows, over-dependent on advice from others.

There are times when the soul feels cut off from its own inner truth and therefore does not develop enough self-reliance. Cerato flower essence helps such persons to translate their already considerable spiritual abilities into active decision-making. This process requires that other spiritual beings have less influence, prompting the soul to develop independent judgment. At first this comes as a shock and such persons do not feel confident enough to make their own decisions, turning instead to others for advice and counsel. While seeking advice can be beneficial in many instances, it is regressive for those who need to develop a stronger sense of their own spirituality and wisdom. Cerato develops the ability to trust one's inner knowing, facilitating innate spiritual wisdom and strength., In this way, the soul becomes more confident and certain of its true Self.

Saint John's Wort Hypericum perforatum (yellow)

Positive Qualities:

Illumined consciousness, light-filled awareness and strength.

Patterns of Imbalance:

Overly expanded state leading to psychic and physical vulnerability, deep fears, disturbed dreams.

As flowers need sunlight in order to grow, so also the soul needs light -- both physical and spiritual -- to flourish. However, some souls lose themselves in light because they have not developed proper rooting . Saint John's Wort is indicated for those persons who are quite sensitive or over-receptive to the effects of light; they may be fair-skinned, easily sunburned, or find themselves adversely affected by intense heat or light. They are prone to many forms of environmental stress, including allergies. These individuals have a very active psychic life -- the astral body expands greatly during sleep, often distorting its connection with the physical and etheric bodies, or with the ego. This weak association to the other bodies results in a propensity for invasion or attack from negative elemental forces or other entities, especially during sleep; dream disturbances, bed-wetting, or night sweats can be common symptoms. Saint John's Wort flower essence has marvelous restorative powers; it provides protection and strength when the soul is in an overly expanded state. While it is generally indicated for those who are oversensitive to light, it can also be helpful for those deprived of light, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder. At its deepest level of transformation, Saint John's Wort helps the soul to circulate light through the body and into the Earth. Rather than experiencing light as an external and merely physical reality, light works within the Self as a spiritual force which can illumine and anchor the consciousness.

Sunflower Helianthus annuus (yellow)

Positive Qualities:

Balanced sense of individuality, spiritualized ego forces, sun-radiant personality.

Patterns of Imbalance:

Distorted sense of Self; inflation or self-effacement, low self-esteem or arrogance; poor relation to father or masculine aspect of Self.

The healthy Self shines forth from the soul, not unlike the sun which shines in the sky. This benign and wondrous soul quality of radiance at once inspires with its light, and heals with its warmth. All human souls have within them this capacity to shine like the sun, but many are afflicted in their ability to emanate this solar power in a balanced way. Some people mask their true sun-nature with feelings of self-effacement and low self-esteem. This condition darkens the true luster of the Self. In these instances the Sunflower essence brings to the soul the quality of light. Others want their brilliance to shine too strongly, glaring others with the pompous self-glory and ego-aggrandizement. For these people, Sunflower brings out the quality of warmth, or loving compassion. Just as the soul absorbs from the mother the moon-like qualities of receptivity, and nurturing, so does the soul learn from the father the sun-like qualities of the shining, expressive Self. Sunflower heals disturbances or distortions in the soul's relationship to the masculine, often associated with a conflicted or deficient relationship with the father in childhood. This healing of the masculine Self is equally important for both men and women. The message of the Sunflower is so universal and foundational that it is beneficial at nearly every stage in the human life cycle. When the soul learns how to harness this great sun force within its Self, it is truly able to bless and heal other human beings and the Earth.

This is taken from the Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz.

The photos are from the FES website.

More on Chocolate

2008-11-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

Talk about sychronicity. Decided to put my Chocolate Mermaid Soap in my Etsy shop and the next day my January issue of The Herb Companion came with a whole chapter on chocolate products, called: "Chocolate: Eat, Wear and Rub In" by Janice Cox.

The article says that chocolate is good for your skin because it has antioxidants and contains compounds with smooth the skin and decrease its sensitivity to the sun.

The antioxidants prevent free radical damage to your skin and protects its natural elasticity.

Dark chocolate is more effective than milk chocolate. To be considered 'dark' it must contain 35% cocoa.

The scent of chocolate releases serotonin, the hormone which promotes happy feelings and reduces stress. And by using chocolate on the outside, you can get those happy feelings without the calories!

To read more about it, get The Herb Companion, January, 2009.

There are several recipes accompanying the article that can easily be made at home. Here are two of them:

Chocolate Lip Balm

Makes 1/2 ounce

1 1/2 teaspoons grated cocoa butter
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon grated dark or milk chocolate
1-2 drops essential oil* (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler on the stovetop and gently melt until you have a smooth liquid.

Pour into a small jar or lipbalm tube and allow to cool completely.

* You can add peppermint, orange or other essential oil for unique gourmet lip balms.

Chocolate Massage Butter

Makes 4 ounces

1/4 cup grated cocoa butter
1 Tablespoon grated dark chocolate
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon grated beeswax

Place all ingredients in a microwave-safe container or on the stovetop in a double boiler. Melt gently stirring often. Pour the hot liquid into a clean container. For small individual bars pour into an ice cube tray or other mold and let cool completely. Massage into clean skin.

Oooooh... just typing this I can smell the chocolate and feel myself relaxing. Make some to give as gifts. Or get my Chocolate Mermaid Soap and relax in the tub!

Chocolate Mermaids and....

2008-11-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

New items in my Etsy store including Chocolate Mermaid Soap - containing cocoa which is very good for your skin - when used externally. The cocoa absolute and the cocoa create such a yummy smell, I have to remind people it's soap. A great stocking stuffer for Christmas.

Also, my Hammam bars in two sizes, inspired by the Moroccan traditional bath. On my tour, I encourage everyone to have the hammam experience - NOT coed. The soap contains all the elements used in the bath, but blended in a product which is more user-friendly to Americans.

With kelp, argan oil, nigella oil, ghassoul (red clay from the Atlas Mtns.) beldi (a black soap made from olives) and a slight rosemary scent, this soap can be used on your face and hair as well.

Anubis - a solid perfume with a scent inspired by Egypt. One of my perfume creations, in the "oriental" class, in jojoba oil and beeswax.

See my Etsy store in the sidebar.

Issue of the Week - Nov 10 - Nov 16

2008-11-10T12:33:00.002-08:00

Joy

I am ecstatic about the results of the election. Not only for this country, but for the world. The U.S. has so much influence globally. We have regained the respect of the rest of the world by electing Obama. We now demonstrate what we have always stood for - freedom, acceptance, opportunity, progress. I have not felt this happy for quite awhile and it is wonderful. I feel that anything is possible.

Obama's election has had an electrifying effect on people, who are both laughing and crying for joy. I feel it bubbling up in me randomly throughout the day.

Joy is our natural state. As young children, we experienced joy on a regular basis. Our families may have celebrated that or not. As we grow up we are expected to "get serious" and "wipe that stupid grin off your face" or whatever.

So, to celebrate Joy or to help remove the obstacles to Joy:

Crownbeard

Mariola

Mariposa Lily

Strawberry Cactus

November - Visioning, Dreaming, Remembering

2008-11-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

Awhile ago I found a book on the remainder table that I have come to appreciate more over time and I guess others have too, since it now costs more used than it did new.

It's called "Herbal Rituals: " by Judith Berger, who says "The book records, month by month, a year-long journey through the earth's natural cycles."

Each month focuses on one herb and has recipes for teas, salves, lotions and foods, along with ritual to bring you in harmony with the moods of nature.

Since it starts with November, I thought it a good time to start going through the book, a month at a time. Each chapter is long with lots of valuable information. I will just write a synopsis.

November - Visioning, Dreaming, Remembering

Berger says that according to the Celtic calendar, November is the first lunar month and belongs to the Birch tree, the tree of beginnings.

Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris

So-called because it was once used to flavor beer. Its name shows its connection with the lunar goddess Artemis and is thus considered a 'women's herb'. It acts as a powerful ally for women seeking ancient, woman-defined attributes of female power.

Mugwort's renown as a powerful systemic healer for the reproductive, digestive, urinary and respiratory tracts has earned it the nickname - cronewort.

"As the village midwife once nurtured the heart of the community with compassion, knowledge, common sense, and magic, cronewort has soothed the pain of childbirth, eased the tenderness of aching joints, comforted bellies, and instilled vision among human beings for centuries with her knowing medicine."

Mugwort (cronewort) Infused oil

To ease the pain of arthritis.
Make an infused oil using olive oil and dry or at least wilted plant material. This infused oil can then be used as is or in a salve.

Mugwort Dream Pillow

Mugwort leaves
Hops flowers
lavender blossoms
mint leaves (just a pinch)
1-2 cups flax seeds
1 yard of silk or soft fabric such as flannel
a small zipper

You can make the pillow any shape you like, but she suggests you make it so that you can put it over your eyes.

Mugwort Essential Oil

To stimulate dreaming and visioning. Can be an ingredient in a dreaming salve or used alone with a carrier oil. One drop goes a long way. Keep a dream journal.

Issue of the Week - Nov 3 - Nov 9

2008-11-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

LOVE Is All There Is!

In 1969, I had "Love is All You Need" painted on the wall of my tiny apartment. True then and even truer now. In fact, now I know that Love Is All There Is.

I have just returned from the 2012 Conference in San Francisco and had all my paradigms updated. From now on, it's full tilt boogie, folks. What I learned will be unfolding and it might now be time to launch my next blog. But for today, I will stick with the agenda that has been established here for Mondays.

To work with Love in all the Chakras, the Rose Chakra Flower Essences from Luna Fina.

Red Rose: expands and strengthens connection to earth and sky.

Orange Rose: teaches harmony, helps overcome known fears and phobias.

Yellow Rose: is radiant and warmly guides your own sun home.

Green Rose: travels deep into the heart and is the key to knowing what is in your heart.

Pink Rose: brings unconditional love and the gift of ease in expressing love for self and others.

Blue/Mauve Rose: is the messenger of trust in self and in your intuition.

Violet Rose: awakens you to love and light, releasing resentments.

I met Annabella many years ago at the Sonoma County Herb Association Herb Festival, which used to be held on the Santa Rosa Junior College campus. Now they just have mini festivals in Sebastopol.

She was a delightful spirit, a light being. I have learned a lot from her over the years - and she teaches by her example. Please visit her website.

I acquired my set of Rose Chakra Flower Essences as a premium by donating to KPFA. One set was being given for certain-sized donation and I jumped at it. The set itself was brand new and cost nearly as much as the donation so it was a "Two For" (I am having a "two for" over at my Astrology blog through the sign of Scorpio).

The transformation that is now manifesting in the outer world as the collapse of the economy, has been predicted as part of a purification process for planet Earth. The predictions come from many cultures. It is painful, it is scary. The tendency is to constrict.

Simply put, the remedy is Love, Love and more Love. When you feel fear clutching at your belly, take deep breaths and open your heart even wider. Sing, dance, breath, hug your kids, your cats, your dogs, each other. Cling only to Love and let everything else go. Everyone who has ever been through a disaster knows that when everything is gone, Love is the only thing that matters. Why wait? Love Now!

Rose Essential Oil has the highest frequency and can assist with this releasing process. You should only use high quality natural essential oils, so if Rose is outside of your budget, a good quality of Rose Geranium can substitute. The scent we identify as rose is a particular molecular formula and it is present in different quantities in several plants.

When we smell something, the molecules of the scent "dock" at certain places on our olfactory nodes like keys in locks. This interaction - a type of love, causes chemical reactions and changes in our brain. This is the explanation at the physical level - one aspect of reality.

I designed the 7 Rose Heart Chakra Rub - see my Etsy store - as part of the Rose Resonance Work that I channelled via my Egyptian Guides last year after I returned from Morocco. I will be leading a tour of Morocco next May, 2009. See my website.

The lotion bar is designed to be rubbed on the heart chakra, especially during prayer or meditation. It can also be used to help you relax into love.

The things I offer here are to help you facilitate your own process. They will not do the work for you. You have to take responsibility for your own awakening. The plant messengers come in many forms. They are present in flower essences and essential oils. They gently nudge you when you want their help, they don't push or nag.

OmeAkaEhekatl Erick Gonzalez, a Mayan spiritual leader from Guatemala, who spoke at the 2012 Conference, said that Forgiveness is a key element in Love. He said that after all the things that have happened to the Indigenous People in the Americas, they are still open-hearted. If you have ever travelled among them, you know it's true. He said if we could forgive all that, then.....

ANNOUNCEMENT: I DO NOT SUPPORT THAT GOOGLE AD!

2008-11-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Readers
I have been out of town for two days and I see that Google has taken the opportunity to post an ad that I DO NOT SUPPORT. I removed it from this site and must now go to my other sites to see if it is there also. I am so sorry this happened. If any of you have been following me, especially on Wise Women of the West, which is more personal, you know that I accept everyone. We are All One. Where ever there is Love, it is a Holy Union and sanctified.

Please forgive me for not knowing about this sooner, but I was at the 2012 Conference in San Francisco and just had all my paradigms updated.

Issue of the Week - Oct 27 - Nov 2

2008-10-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

Rereading this, I realized I did not specify the "issue" which is Being Present and a manifestation of just what I was referring to - not paying attention, being somewhere else, not being in the Now.

Sorry I'm late with this. I had company from out of town for a week during which time my car was damaged in an accident (not serious and not my fault). But as you know, even though I was hit, I am the one who must make the calls, fill out the paperwork and take the car to the insurance adjuster and the repair shop. Strange. I was talking with another woman in the same situation and said "the person who hits you should pick up your car, get it fixed and deliver it back to you." She agreed.

My 'problem' occurred because another person was so distracted with whatever was on his mind that he was not paying attention.

As we approach the alignment with the Galactic Center in 2012, we will experience an acceleration of time. Our internal clocks and our physical bodies may be out of sync with this acceleration. Our tendency is to try to speed up in order to "do more".

Caroline Casey speaks about this a lot on her radio show "The Visionary Activist" on KPFA 94.1 (you can listen to the shows which are archived at kpfa.org). She recommends that we should actually slow down and that by doing so, we can actually accomplish more. I have found this to be true. For one thing, by slowing down you avoid having to do things over again and lessen the chance of accidents.

Only by slowing down can we concentrate and focus on what we are doing and we can better "be here now." If we are not "here" we will not be "there" when the time comes for that. We need to be present in each moment; to deepen rather than spread ourselves too thin.

We are in a time of rapid change. We must become resilient, learning to go with the flow. Letting go of fear and trusting; giving up control and surrendering to the Wisdom of Nature.

Flower essences are of special value at this time, because they work on the energetic or vibrational level and it is precisely at this level that we are being asked to change. We cannot do this type of transformation with the mind.

From Desert Alchemy

Prickly Pear Cactus yellow

From the Flower Essence Society

California Valerian Valeriana capitata

Positive qualities: Tranquility and inner equilibrium; inner confidence for the future due to the soul’s understanding of prior experiences; peaceful acceptance of life experiences.

Patterns of imbalance: Shallow breathing due to anxiety about the future; nervous agitation or insomnia; worry and unease when facing future live events that are viewed as challenging; addiction to sleeping pills or tranquilizers.

From the Alaskan Flower Essence Project

Moldavite Gem Elixir

Rigid and tightly held in check; toying with giving up something you know is right for you; wanting to control the timing of events and situations.

Issue of the Week - Oct 20 - Oct 26

2008-10-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Integrating Body and Spirit

This week I am featuring Gem Elixirs by the Alaskan Flower Essence Project.

Friday night I went to a talk by Steve Johnson from the Alaskan Flower Essence Project. He was doing a weekend workshop called "Embracing Uncertainty in Times of Change." I was unable to attend the entire weekend, since I had an out of town guest, but the Friday night talk was so useful to me, I felt I had gotten what I needed and was satisfied.

Friday night's talk was on "The Role of Gem Elixirs in Flower Essence Therapy." Here's the description of the evening.

'Find out why it is becoming increasingly important to introduce the mineral kingdom into our healing work with flower essences. Steve will introduce the Alaskan Gem Elixirs, explain how they work, lead a discussion of cases resisting treatment, and a question and answer session.'

What I understood him to say is that when you do a lot of spiritual work your consciousness expands. Your physical body gets more and more out of sync with your aura and your astral body and so you begin to have physical symptoms such as headaches and unexplained body aches. The body is slower to change and it takes awhile for it to re-negotiate a relationship with the subtle bodies as they expand.

He said that he has observed people seriously working on their consciousness while their bodies seemed to be getting sicker and sicker - especially with such things as chronic fatigue and other "new" and difficult to diagnose ailments. This explains the excrutiating pain I have been having lately, which has no physical explanation.

He also spoke about the importance of energy flow. Such things as stress and fear cause constriction to that flow and result in blockages and build up of 'toxins' of all types.

It is useful to combine the gem elixirs with flower essences so as to assist in integrating the body and spirit.

He suggested the following gem elixirs:

Black Tourmaline

Helps us exchange old unwanted energies being held in the body for fresh, clean, neutral energy; a precision tool for the release of toxic energy from the mind, emotions and physical body.

Fluorite

The "break up" elixir; increases the circulation of energy into the physical body by breaking up blockages in the etheric body.

Fluorite Combo

Synchronizes movement between the etheric and physical bodies; fine tunes our focus so that we can move through an issue or healing process with precision and balance.

Malachite

Grounding; helps align and harmonize the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels of being; supports the unity of one's being in all circumstances.

Descriptions of the elixirs are from the Alaskan Flower Essence Project catalog.

For more information please go to Alaskan Flower Essence Project website.

Issue of the Week - Oct 13 - Oct 19

2008-10-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

Courage

We are facing many challenges these days and we all need courage to face changes that we may need to make. I have several friends whose lives are in limbo, waiting for houses to sell, jobs to end, paperwork to go through.

Today, I spent hours trying to apply for jobs on-line and as soon as I finished the application, the website went down and all the work I had done was lost. When I finally got back to the site, it said the job was discontinued. I guess they ran out of funding. I felt let down and disappointed because they were jobs I felt I really had a chance of getting.

I live in a canyon, so I can often hear people in their cars as they go by on the county highway. More and more, I hear them cussing and yelling at each other and those in other cars. The frustration level is growing as people fall into fear.

In order to ride this wave of difficulty, we need flexibility, trust and courage. We need to be able to adapt and change.

Courage is a quality of the heart. It is a French word which comes from 'coeur' - heart.

Aspen Populus tremula (green/gray)

Positive qualities: Trust and confidence to meet the unknown, drawing inner strength from the spiritual world.

Patterns of Imbalance: Fear of the unknown, vague anxiety and apprehension, hidden fears, nightmares.

Aspen flower essence quiets and subdues the astral body so that the spiritual ego can gain greater strength and awareness, This flower is very helpful for children who are oversensitive to unseen and unknown influences, and can also be indicated for those who may have prematurely opened their astral sheaths through drug use or occult ritual. Aspen essence calms and harmonizes the innate psychic capacities of such individuals, by allowing the conscious mind to receive and process more information. In this way, Aspen brings greater strength and confidence, and balanced use of soul forces.

Borage Borago officinalis (blue)

Positive qualities: Ebullient heart forces, buoyant courage and optimism.

Patterns of Imbalance: Heavy-heartedness, lack of confidence in facing difficult circumstances.

Borage is an excellent heart remedy, especially for the feeling of heaviness in the heart, and perhaps throughout the body. The "Borago" plant was originally called "Corago," referring to a state of courage associated with it. It is through the energy center of the heart that one's essence is radiated outward to others. At times when the soul experiences too much grief, sadness, or other adversity, the heart can become contracted and heavy. We call this feeling 'discouraged' or 'disheartened'. In order to counterbalance this, we need to be in contact with that which is light or uplifting. Courage is not only strength, but also buoyancy in the soul which helps it to rise above, rather than sink into the weight of discouragement or depression. Borage helps the heart to experience this lightness, filling the soul with fresh forces of optimism and enthusiasm. It is an excellent all-purpose balm and toner in many formulas when the soul needs upliftment and encouragement.

Mimulus Mimulus guttatus (yellow with red spots)

Positive qualities: Courage and confidence to face life's challenges.

Patterns of imbalances: Known fears of everyday life; shyness.

Mimulus is one of the most basic remedies for fear. Those needing this essence are hypersensitive and live with a great many small fears of ordinary and everyday events. They are especially afflicted in the solar plexus, which churns with fear anxiety and unease. Eventually, if these fears are not met and transformed, the soul becomes quite darkened and introverted as it withdraws more and more from the stresses of daily living., Mimulus brings the light of courage back to such souls. It helps the individual shift its fixation from myriad lesser fears to awareness of more basic, usually unconscious fear. This is a fear of the physical body, or of physical life itself, which can sometimes be traced to actual hesitation at the moment of incarnation. A pattern is thus set deep with the substrata of the soul which must be healed. Mimulus helps the soul to contact the strength and purpose of its Higher Self, and thus sets it free to experience life with greater curiosity, exuberance, and joy.

Penstemon Penstemon davidsonii (violet-blue)

Positive qualities: Great inner fortitude despite outer hardships; perseverance.

Patterns of imbalance: Feeling persecuted or sorry for oneself; inability to bear life's difficult circumstances.

The soul lesson Penstemon is reminiscent of the biblical story of Job, where unusually harsh or severe life circumstances test the soul's uttermost faith and tenacity. Those who need Penstemon seem to have been dealt an unfair blow in life. They may have disabilities or injuries that have impaired them. They may have lost a loved one, home, or possessions through a criminal act of violence or a natural catastrophe. Such souls have good reason to feel victimized; yet, in these moments of sorrow and pain, the soul must have the courage to rebuild itself and the faith to trust in a higher power. Penstemon has enormous strengthening powers, enabling the soul to tap into reservoirs of courage and resilience which are normally inaccessible to human consciousness at it deepest level of transformation, Penstemon essence shows the soul that it has freely chosen even the harshest circumstances for its growth and evolution.

Taken from Flower Essence Repertory, by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz.

De-Tox Diet Too Taxing

2008-10-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

In regard to the 5 day detox diet, I made it through 2 days. I was not hungry, nor did I have gastric distress. What I had was aching bones. The evening of the 2nd day I began to hurt so bad from the waist down that it was almost unbearable. All night I tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position and sleep was impossible. Since I had not eaten much solid food and didn't want to take any chances, I did not want to take anything for pain. I make many tinctures that are for relaxing and sleeping, etc, but felt they would be too strong. I just waited it out. By morning I decided to back off the detox program and just do it a little at a time.

As soon as I ate normally, I was fine.

Part of what is happening is that Saturn is passing through my first house in Virgo and my progressed Moon is squaring my natal Saturn. Saturn rules the bones, so this is where I am feeling stressed. I feel the desire to work on getting healthier, but must not push too hard or there will be reaction. And there was. (See my astrology blog.)

Also, I had an herb festival coming up and I didn't want to be incapacitated for that. The festival, which was a fund-raiser for the Sonoma County Herb Exchange took place at Laguna Farms, a local CSA in Sebastopol. It was fantastic. I sold my tinctures, soaps, cordials, perfumes, salves and sprays. Talked to many people about my upcoming tour to Morocco and saw friends I had not seen in awhile.

Issue of the Week - Oct 6 - Oct 12

2008-10-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

I got a winner of the Monthly Give-away.
Today I started a 5 day cleanse program. I have wanted to do this for a long time, but I wanted to wait til my life was on a even keel. It is right now. Generally, it is best to do this type of thing in the Spring and Fall when the weather is mildest, so that the body is least stressed by temperature. I'll let you know how it went at the end of the week.

So on to the issue of the week which I am taking from the Desert Alchemy website because it is right on target with what I am doing right now myself. That is Physical Self-Care. Cynthia Kemp Scherer has written a great deal about this and I recommend you go there to read it.

No matter what else we are doing in our life, if we are not taking care of our bodies, we will fail. Not only is the body the "temple of the soul", but it is the vehicle we use to accomplish all else on this plane.

It is often the part of our life that we spend the least time taking care of. Oh yes, we eat - but what? Do we take the time to carefully choose and prepare the healthiest meals or do we grab something and eat it in the car?

Sleep is important too. In this modern culture where we are expected to accomplish so much, sleeping is considered a sign of laziness, stupidity, lack of motivation, or lack of ambition. Interestingly enough, many of the greatest minds and inventors, got their inspiration or the answer to a scientific problem while dreaming.

Our mental and psychological states are affected by our physical condition. Lack of exercise, proper diet, lack of sleep etc. can contribute to depression and stress which in turn affect our ability to eat and sleep. It can become a vicious cycle, getting worse and worse until we end up really sick and have to make some changes.

During these very stressful times, it is critical that we take care of our bodies as best as we can. Every one of us is being challenged in one way or another. Eating well is not related to how much money you have. Simple home-made food using traditional ingredients is the healthiest food there is. Most so-called 'ethnic' diets sustained people for hundreds if not thousands of years. Beans and grains, fresh vegetables and fruit supply everything you need. It's not about money. In fact, all the foods associated with wealth are more likely to kill you at a young age.

Exercise is crucial too. Our 'labor saving' devices have made us ill because we don't have to work as hard to do things. My two grandmothers, who washed clothes by hand, tended vegetable gardens, made homemade bread every week, had farm animals etc., etc., etc., both lived to 96 years old with no diseases or dementia. They just wore out I guess. Worked hard every day up to 90+ and didn't want it any other way. Refused to allow the family to install this or that. One grandma had an outhouse and would not let us put indoor plumbing in her house, because she "didn't need it." When the snow got too bad, she used chamber pots in the coal cellar. Oh yes, she shovelled snow off the first floor porch roof by climbing out the second floor window and stoked her own coal stove in the cellar by shovelling coal. And she didn't want it any other way. Neither of my grandmas ever used anti-depressants, alcohol or tobacco. They were too busy to indulge in self-pity and had no time to worry. When they went to bed at night, they fell asleep, because they were physically tired.

I, on the other hand, with my modern ways and my college education, often forget the important lessons I learned at their knees. I tend to be a sedentary person because the things I do most of the time require a lot of sitting - computer, research, writing. I can go all day without going outside the house and yet I live in a beautiful forest that tourists come to see. I have to tell myself to get up and go outside. My house is a mess, because I have 'more important things to do.' Then, I go to bed and my mind begins its mantra of worry. Fortunately, my spiritual practice has given me tools to control the spinning of my mind, but it still tries to go there. I have begun to spend less time on the computer and more time walking, doing housework or working in the garden. Already, I am noticing the effects.

Hedgehog Cactus

Inmortal

Star Leaf

Saguaro Cactus

Evening Star

Crown of Thorns

Harmonizing Addictive Patterns

Hairy Larkspur

Cliff Rose

Prickle Poppy

Integrating Being & Doing Formula

Woven Spine Pineapple Cactus

Desert Jointfir

For a more comprehensive discussion of each of these essences and how they assist with Physical Self-Care, please go to the Desert Alchemy website.

Earth Plane Announcements

2008-10-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

I still don't have a 'winner' for the First of the Month Give-away on my Astrology blog. Not sure why. I promise I will not post your private info and I will not use your email address except to send the report. Someone did respond right away with the relevant info, but she has already gotten that report. So.... I'm hoping to hear from one of you today.

I am collecting recipes using Nigella sativa. If you have one I would love to have it.

Wise Women of the West will have a booth at the upcoming events:

Harvest and Herb Festival
Saturday, October 11, 2 to 11 pm, Laguna Farm 1720 Cooper Road, Sebastopol

Holiday Wellness Fest
Saturday, November 29, 11am to 5pm, Masonic Lodge, 373 N. Main St., Sebastopol

Come see my new products including Love Cordial, Rosy Toner, Moroccan Mud Facial Mask and Foot Tea.

Issue of the Week - Sept 29 - Oct 5

2008-09-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Love

So many ways in which this is the perfect time to consider our relationships - all of them, including, and most especially, our relationship to ourselves and the Divine. For the Astrology of Now go to my astrology blog.

Love is the glue that holds the Universe together. Today with the New Moon in Libra ruled by Venus; Mercury retrograde in Libra; and Libra in Scorpio, the transformational power of relationships available to us all.

No matter how much inner work we do, the only way to see how we are doing is with other people. Right? We can be really good at fooling ourselves, thinking we are 'on the path', making progress etc., then we visit our parents for the weekend and Oh! No! Same old stuff, different day. Or we may isolate ourselves because we are 'so sensitive' and going out in the world find out that what we really are is intolerant, narrow-minded and opinionated. Boo!

Other people don't just show us our blind spots. They can give us the one word that makes all the difference. We may be in a creative process, putting pieces together on a project. Another person may have that one puzzle piece we lost under the table. Ah yes! Perfect now!

Relationships might be our 'undoing'. The area of our lives where we 'fail' more than succeed. Because of this we feel we must avoid them in order to heal. That is fine. There is nothing that says we all have to be partnered. But relationships go way beyond the personal, intimate ones.

For me the primary relationship is between myself and the Divine. As this relationship becomes stronger, all the others fall into place. I learn to know and love God more by loving God's Creation, including human beings (and myself). When I am having trouble with people, I spend more time praying or meditating. When my connection with God is weak, I spend more time with my friends. Each feeds the other.

So I would like to offer this essence from Desert Alchemy:

Unconditional Love and Support Formula

There are many essences that work on Love - in fact, you could say they all do. I chose this one, because of its simplicity. Cynthia Kemp Scherer, in her book, The Alchemy of the Desert (available on this page), writes about the simplicity of this formula. In fact, Love is simple, really.

Taos Lavender Potato Soup

2008-09-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley (available on this page) has lavender recipes for each season. For Fall there are two soups that sound wonderful. Here's the recipe for one of them. The other is Lavender Cream of Mushroom Soup.

Taos Lavender Potato Soup*

Makes 8 to 10 servings

1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 ½ Tbs. dried culinary lavender
¼ pound unsalted butter
6 leeks, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
2 medium carrots diced
1 celery rib with leaves, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
16 cups chicken broth
10 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 fresh medium poblano chile peppers, roasted, peeled, seed, and chopped
2 tsp. minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
2 cups heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
6 green onions, chopped

Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and add the lavender. Pulse until finely ground.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the leeks are soft. Stir in the flour. Add the broth, potatoes, poblano peppers, chipotle pepper and lavender mixture.
Tie up the peppercorns and bay leaves in a small square of cheesecloth. Add to the pot. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove and discard the cheesecloth bundle. Using a handheld blend or a food process (work in batches), blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls and spring with the green onions.

* Taken from The Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley

Issue of the Week - Sept 22 - Sept 28

2008-09-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Balance

This is the time of the Autumnal Equinox where the day and the night are of equal duration. It is a time to seek more balance in our lives. In general, the weather is milder than it has been or will be, so our energy level may be affected. It is harvest time both on the inner and outer planes. Nature is preparing to go dormant. We are pausing before the holiday season with it's round of social activities. I feel the holiday season starts with Halloween, but for others, it starts with Thanksgiving.

Physically, this is a good time to do detoxifying cleanses which should be done when the weather is not extreme, so that there is less stress on the body. I plan to do one starting next week for five days, and we'll see how that goes.

Astrologically, with the equinox, we moved into Libra which is characterized by the scales. This relates to ourselves as social beings. It is important to strive for a balance between our inner and outer lives - a balance between time spent alone and with others - a balance between giving and receiving.

These flower essences from the Flower Essence Society can help with achieving balance. When I recommend these essence each week, I do not mean to imply that all you have to do is take the essences and magically your life will change. Rather they serve as energetic boosters to intentions you may already be working on in other ways. I also do not wish to suggest that any of the issues relate to you at this time or ever. If something is relevant and you feel inclined to explore how essences might support your process, I invite you to try them and see what happens. In most cases, there are other essences that deal with the same issue. The ones I feature are the ones that have been selected. If you are interested in learning more I invite you to read the suggested books or take some classes yourself.

Corn Zea Mays (yellow-white)

Positive qualities: Alignment with Earth, especially through the body and feet; grounded presence.

Patterns of Imbalance: Inability to stay centered in the body; disorientation and stress, particularly in urban environments.

The Corn essence addresses the soul's need for spaciousness -- its desire to live freely within the vast matrix of Nature and Cosmos. It is especially helpful for those ancient souls who find it extremely painful to "contract" into the modern conditions of living. They naturally prefer rural or uncrowded areas where they can feel in harmonious communion with the Earth. But these persons must also grow and evolve, learning how to make the body itself a microcosm of the Earth. The whole body, but especially the hands and feet, must learn to radiate this grounded spirituality. Without this shift in consciousness, the natural healing and teaching capacities which many of these souls harbor within them are never fully realized. Such individuals feel a great deal of pain and discomfort in the congestion and chaos of urban and technological environments or in any restricted living situations; and yet it is often necessary for them to experience just these conditions in order to promote the transition from a macrocosmic to microcosmic soul consciousness. Corn helps to balance and guide the soul in expressing its vast spiritual nature through the limitations of the physical world and physical body.

Morning Glory Ipomoea purpurea (blue)

Positive qualities: Sparkling vital force, feeling awake and refreshed, in touch with Life.

Patterns of Imbalance: Dull, toxic, or "hung over," inability to fully enter the body, especially in the morning; addictive habits.

The soul must be constantly be on guard to align its astral body with its physical/etheric components. The astral (or star) body is naturally akin to the forces of night, and, if left unregulated, will not hesitate to devour the etheric (or life) body. Individuals with this imbalance typically crave late-night activity and have erratic eating and sleeping rhythms. The etheric body is more akin to the forces of day-time, especially early morning, and is greatly abused by such astrality. If such abuse continues over a long period of time, the individual will experience increasing difficulty incarnating in the body, not only in the morning, but throughout the day. Unable to use the natural energy of the etheric body, the person will crave stimulants such as caffeine, and in extreme cases, cocaine or amphetamines. As this astrality continues to predominate, the individual will display increasing erratic patterns, possibly deteriorating into destructive and violent tendencies. Many levels of physical illness may occur, especially compromised immune response, nerve depletion, and disturbances in vital organs such as the liver. Morning Glory helps the soul come to greater awareness and respect for life and the life processes of the body. The individual learns to adjust its rhythm so that it is more in tune with cycles of Nature. Through Morning Glory, the soul learns to experience more natural states of energy, and thus the gift of life itself.

Mugwort Artemisia douglasiana (yellow)

Positive qualities: Integrating psychic and dream experiences with daily life; multi-dimensional consciousness.

Patterns of imbalance: Inability to harmonize psychic forces, tendency to hysteria or emotionality, overactive psychic life out of touch with the physical world.

The soul is only half alive if it does not experience itself when asleep. The body may vegetate during sleep, but the soul has the capacity to awaken to another dimension of life. Mugwort enhances the receptive quality of the psyche, allowing greater awareness of dreams, so that the Self can gain insight about the affairs of daily life and can access guidance and direction from the spiritual world. This essence particularly helps the soul to navigate within the flow of psychic life, so that it is neither lost nor overwhelmed. It helps to balance transitions between day and night consciousness, assisting the individual to remain connected in a healthy way with the practical physical world. This balance is very important, for when the moon forces become too predominant or inappropriately expressed, the soul becomes irrational, hysterical or overly emotional. Mugwort helps to direct the psychic life into its proper sphere, gradually opening the soul to expanded consciousness.

Nicotiana Nicotiana alata (white)
(Flowering Tobacco)

Positive qualities: Peace which is deeply centered in the heart; integration of physical and emotional well-being through harmonious connection with the Earth.

Patterns of Imbalance: Numbing of the emotions accompanied by mechanization or hardening of the body; inability to cope with deep feeling and finer sensibilities.

In the struggle to achieve balance, the soul needs to receive strength and stability from the Earth. However, if the heart is not sufficiently engaged in this process the finer etheric sensibilities and feeling may be stymied.

While the flower essence of Nicotiana is strongly indicated for those who are healing their addiction to tobacco, it also has a much wider application, representing a soul condition which pervades the whole of modern culture. Nicotiana is a very important remedy for the heart, helping it to find true energy and sustenance which is not divorced from the life of feelings. It is very helpful for those who cope by numbing their feelings, hiding behind a tough or "cool" persona, or for those who seek stimulants of any kind that harden or falsify the body's experience of the Earth. The flower essence of Nicotiana re-instills the true spiritual teaching of the Tobacco plant, which is used reverently and judiciously in peace pipe ceremonies by Native Americans. This teaching is that real peace arises from being able to feel deeply with the heart, and that these deep feelings give us our true connection to the Earth and all living beings.

Excerpted from The Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz

Photos from the Flower Essence Society website.

Plant Spirit Healing

2008-09-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

You can see many titles by Stephen Buhner in my Carousel of books on sale at Amazon. If you have never read him, I highly suggest you do. Since I have been focused on herbal medicine in the past 15 years or so, my ideas and attitudes have been radically affected by Buhner. Now, when people ask me if I am a healer, I have to say "No". My role is more like a witness, a conduit, the mediator between the 'patient' and the plant kingdom.

It was at a Bioneers conference several years ago that someone said that plants have an intelligence far greater than we can imagine. This idea blew my mind. Then at a basic plant science class in Santa Rosa Junior College a few years ago, the teacher explained photosynthesis and I got it on a whole different level. I realized I had 'learned' this in the second grade, but somehow the magic of it had evaded me. Imagine, these 'little green men' chloroplasts, in the plant cell, can take sunlight and turn it into food! Talk about advanced spiritual adepts. This food, made from sunlight, makes all other forms of life on this planet possible.

Now I am learning that plants can manipulate their chemistry as needed to create their own anti-biotics and pain killers. Traditional healers have been saying this for years. You ask the plant to heal a particular illness and it modifies itself for the patient. Huh? Now science is proving this to be possible. I got an email from a friend today related to this. Check it out at Livescience.com Plants Make Own Painkillers

My role in this process became clearer to me when I started the flower essence training with Jane Bell last January. More and more I realized that 'I' did not choose flower essences for my clients. The plants chose. I merely went through the motions - the ritual, if you will, of asking for the connection to be made. I had already had this experience when working with essential oils. I would sometimes smell the essential oil that was appropriate for a condition. Then, not trusting my intuition, I would look in the book. Perfect choice!

I find it awkward to say this when I am at a fair selling my products. Most of my formulas come to me by inspiration. I feel something, smell something, get words. I have to hurry and write it down. Sometimes I actually hear a voice telling me to make such and such an item. I ask what it is for and may or may not get an answer. Two of the items for sale in my Etsy store were 'downloaded' in this way. The Solar Salve and the 7 Rose Heart Chakra Rub. Sometimes I get part of the formula and when I ask if it is finished, they say "not yet. Wait for further instructions." When a customer asks what the products are for, I sometimes find it hard to communicate an answer. I know that the 'heart chakra rubs' are to increase 'rose resonance' which is the expression given to me - that means increasing our coherence with the heartbeat of creation. Changing our frequency so that it is more in sync with Nature. Read Buhner to get a handle on what this means. The Solar Salve, first in a trilogy which will include a Lunar Salve and a Stellar Salve, have not been fully communicated yet. They have to do with the three mystery schools of ancient Egypt.

Some people refer to this type of herbalism as plant spirit healing. It is a form of communication I guess. I have a master's degree in Linguistics. I have studied many languages. I had no idea that I would be learning the language of plants, or that there was a language. Interestingly, as I learn more about communication with plants, I find simultaneously that my ability to communicate with animals is increasing too.

So does that mean you can use any herb, flower essence or essential oil? Well...... sort of, but not exactly. A very important part of the process is intention. The intention must be clear. What are you trying to accomplish. Also, there must be an attitude of humility - surrender - acceptance, all words that most of us in the west do not like. What I mean is that to some extent, we must accept both the wisdom of the 'illness' and that we may not know what healing looks like. That there is a power greater than us at work in all this. Amen

Issue of the Week - Sept 15 - Sept 21

2008-09-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Creativity

The creative urge is a natural part of life. Life is inherently creative. When our lives become overly complicated and busy and we feel we have 'no time' for creativity, we can feel our lives have no purpose. When we do not express our creativity, even in simple ways, we will ultimately become depressed and listless. We will feel isolated, cut off and estranged from others. Expressing our creativity increases our life force and can give us a reason for living. To solve the problems that currently face us individually and as a collective, our creativity needs to be available and healthy. We will all need to find new solutions to everyday challenges. The following essences come from Desert Alchemy.

Agave

Cliff Rose

Indian Root

Pomegranate

Purple Aster

Scarlet Morning Glory

Issue of the Week - Sept 8 - Sept 14

2008-09-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Coping with Change

For many people these are times of great change. The changes may be created by outer circumstances that are out of our control. Even then, we do not have to take on the role of passive victim. While it may be extremely difficult to see how we have any control, we always have the possibility of controlling ourselves, our reactions and responses, our way of thinking about the situation. Often referred to as 'attitude adjustment.'

I've read books written by survivors of prison-camps who said that the only thing they had was their inner life. Inside themselves they controlled their thoughts and feelings and so were able to survive the most horrendous things, living on to be caring human beings and having a normal life.

This has always served as a model for me. Nothing I have ever experienced compares to what prison-camp survivors have been through, yet, I can walk around miserable and hopeless. Even while I'm doing it I think "what's up with this? Why am I so depressed, hopeless, unhappy ....." fill in the blanks.

It can be just a habit, like any other and it may be as hard to break as any other habit. We may hang on to our habit of being 'miserable'. Or, we may have some genuine problems.

The changes that are occurring in our lives may be ones we have initiated. They can still be stressful. In fact, it is said that change causes a great deal of stress, even if it a positive change. Getting married, getting a promotion, moving to your dream home - even these things can cause stress. The animal part of us likes its routine, whatever it is.

Before I go to describe the essences, I must take a detour. When I initiated this part of the blog, I assumed that my readers had a familiarity with flower essences and gem elixirs. It has become apparent that there are some misconceptions.

Flower essences, gem elixirs, planetary formulas, or environmental essences are energetic imprints in water, usually preserved with brandy. They do not have a scent. They are not essential oils and so this is not a form of aromatherapy, which is another effective, yet quite different modality.

They represent conditions or states that we are seeking. The underlying belief is that all beings, as part of the cosmos are seeking coherence and resonance. When we feel we are 'out of balance' we can use these substances to help us realign energetically.

An important part of the process is intention, therefore, if someone unknowingingly or unwittingly takes an essence, it will have no effect. It is not a magic potion that you just take and it does all the work. There has to be intention on the part of the one taking the essences and a desire to participate in the transformation process. Essences provide us energetic support for something we already want to accomplish. So we have to have spent some time observing ourselves and how we are behaving. They have no effect otherwise. Now, there are those who say they are merely creating a placebo effect. So? if it works, what is wrong with that? If you are depressed and take a flower essence and stop being depressed, great!

The books by Stephen Buhner featured in the Carousel are among the most amazing books I have read about the reality of energy healing and the relationship between the plant and animal kingdoms.

Here are two formulas from the Desert Alchemy Composite Formulas that can assist with going through change.

Bless the Old-Embrace the New Formula

Transitions Formula

See the Desert Alchemy website.

Nigella sativa

2008-09-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

I am collecting recipes using Nigella sativa. It has many common names such as: black cumin seed, black seed, kalonji. It is often confused with black onion seeds and black sesame seeds. It is used primarily in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. It has a strong, pungent and distinct flavor.

It also has a long history in healing and the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said it would cure everything except death. Some of the healing properties are written about in the book for sale on this page Natural Remedies of Arabia. The oil is used a lot in products for healing the skin. I make a salve and a soap using black cumin seed oil. See my website: Wise Women of the West for these and other products.

If you have any recipes using nigella, and would like to be included in my upcoming recipe book, please send them to me.

Issue of the Week - Sept 1 - 7

2008-09-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Prayer and Support

My prayers go out to all the beings in the path of Gustav, human, animal and plant. The only thing I know to do right now is pray for your safety and protection. I call on God and the angelic realm to be with you every moment. Whatever your belief system, may you find comfort in it right now. May you have all the help you need. May you be at peace, whatever the outcome.

Calling All Angels is a combination formula from the Alaskan Flower Essence Project that contains Angelica, Chalice Well, Chiming Bells, and Kunzite.

It helps you contact the love, guidance and protection of the angelic realm. It brings a very soft, loving and serene energy into your heart, physical body and environment. Use it to:

* Strengthen the knowledge that you are guided, supported and protected by the angels.
* Come into a stronger awareness of your own angelic nature.
* Experience the love of the angelic kingdom in your physical body.
* Bring the essence of joy and peace back into your life.
* Make a stronger connection to the Divine Feminine.
* Create a sacred and protected space for sleeping and dreaming.

Application: Take internally or add to the bath when you want to invoke the energy of the angels. Add to your body lotions and creams when you need some additional pampering, and to your magssage oil for a heavenly bodywork session.

Text related to ingredients, qualities and appications of Calling All Angels from the Alaskan Flower Essence Project catalog.

Join Me on a Tour of Morocco - 2009

2008-08-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know, I love Morocco. I first went there in 2000 and I went again last year with a group of herbalists. I decided I would put together my own tour, which I have named A Feast for the Senses. Click here to see the brochure. If you can't view it, leave a comment with your contact info and I will send it to you via email.

It combines sound, sight, scent and of course, taste and touch. There is so much to see and experience in Morocco and this tour will give you a tantalizing tidbit.

We will start in Casablanca made famous by the movie of the same name. Then go on to the Sacred Music Festival in Fez for a three amazing days and nights in the heart of the medina. Next we go to Marrakesh for a few days exploring the city itself and environs including Nectarome, a magical garden of healing herbs, where we will be pamperered with footbaths. Our next destination is Essaouira, once a Portuguese stronghold, now an artists and artisans colony. The last leg of the journey is a drive along the coast as we return to Casablanca for departure from the magic kingdom.

Everywhere we will experience the generosity and hospitality of this timeless land and its people. We will dine sumptuously and see things we have only dreamed of. Space is limited, sign up before October 15 to reserve your place on the caravan.

Issue of the Week - Aug 25 - Aug 31

2008-08-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Trust

I have been trying to make a decision that entails spending money. The money is available, but I am reluctant to spend it because I am in fear about the future. I have tried every tool I know to reassure myself. This morning I remembered a Sufi saying about the breath which says that every time we breathe in, it is a gift from God and every time we breathe out we surrender to God. We have no idea if it will be our last breath.

Most of us take it for granted that there will be a next breath - unless we are quite ill or close to passing. But if you think about it, how do you know that there will be another breath?

Many spiritual traditions say that we are but the out-breath of God. God's in-breath is our death. On a larger scale, God's out breath is the Creation, his/her/its in-breath the end of the world. From that perspective, what is there to fear?

Many phenomena in Nature repeat this theme: the tides, the seasons, the Moon phases. The wave-like motion that surrounds us. The yin and yang of existence at this level.

Fear blocks this in and out flow. It comes in usually when we are not being present and when we start thinking too much. It constricts the natural process. Trust 'greases the wheels' so to speak. It is following the heart's desire, believing our intuitive knowing.

To assist us in staying in trust are Cerato (from the original Bach repertory) and Crownbeard (from Desert Alchemy)

Cerato Ceratostigma willmottiana (blue)

Positive qualities: Trusting one's inner knowing, intuition, self-confidence, certainty

Patterns of imbalance: Uncertainty or doubt of oneself; invalidating what one knows, over-dependent on advice from others

There are times when the soul feels cut off from its own inner truth and therefore does not develop enough self-reliance. Cerato flower essence helps such persons to translate their already considerable spiritual abilities into active decision-making. This process requires that other spiritual being have less influence prompting the soul to develop independent judgment. At first this comes as a shock and such persons do not feel confident enough to make their own decisions, turning instead to others for advice and counsel. While seeking advice can be beneficial in many instances, it is regressive for those who need to develop a stonger sense of their own spirituality and wisdom. Cerato develops the ability to trust one's inner knowing, facilitating innate spiritual wisdom and strength. In this way, the soul becomes more confident and certain of its true Self.

Taken from the Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz
Photo taken from the website for the flower essence society.

Calendula and Lavender Salve

2008-08-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

A healing salve that can be used for minor burns, scratches, cuts and abrasions.

1 ounce beeswax
1 1/2 ounce calendula infused oil
1 1/2 ounce lavender infused oil
25 drops lavender essential oil
55 drops tea tree essential oil

Melt beeswax in a saucepan which is in a water bath. (I prefer using glass pots when making herbal products). Add the infused oils and stir well. Just before you are going to pour the mixture in your salve jar, add the essential oils.

(I usually cover this jar with a paper towel and allow it to set and cool before I put the lid on, so that any excess moisture can evaporate. This helps it last longer). In the article they say to put the lid on before it cools. This is fine for a small batch that you will be using in your home. Since I make larger batches to sell, I must be more careful about spoilage.

Taken from The Herb Quarterly, Fall 2008.

Issue of the Week - Aug 18 - Aug 24

2008-08-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Soul Support

Many people are going through major changes such as losing jobs, having to move after years in one place, financial difficulties, deaths, illness and separation. At times like these, one's inner sense of stability can become compromised to the extent that they are at risk of accident or disease. With so much of external reality appearing to fall apart, one may feel there is nothing or no one they can count on.

I have been experiencing this as a problem with my balance and by having many small accidents around the house and garden, such as stubbing my toes constantly. When this happens, I know I am disoriented because the energy around me is so unstable.

This is the time for remembering our connection to God/Goddess/Spirit as well as the angelic realm.

In light of this, today I was called to select the blend from Alaskan Flower Essence Project called Soul Support.

It is formulated from Cattail Pollen, Chalice Well, Cottongrass, Fireweed, Labrador Tea, Malachite, River Beauty, Ruby and White Fireweed essences.

Soul Support brings strength and stability during emergencies, stress, trauma and transformation, while providing support to rejuvenate and restore balance on all levels. This formula is known to be helpful in the following situations:

* Accidents involving injury, shock and trauma
* Emotional catharsis and violent outbursts
* Fear of flying
* Motion sickness
* Before, during and after visits to the dentist
* After receiving "bad" news such as a death in the family
* Divorce, job changes and moving to a new place
* Post traumatic stress
* Before and immediately after surgery and during recovery
* For any transition, challenge, or initiation

The description above was taken from the Alaska Flower Essence Project catalog.
For those who cannot take essences directly, they can be placed on the temples and pulse points. Essences can be put in bath water. They can be sprayed in a room or bed.

There is also a Soul Support Spray which includes the scent of Lavender oil from Kashmir, or you can make your own scented spray using the flower essence, pure water, a few drops of your favorite scent and a little brandy or vodka to blend the oils in the water.

Burns and Bites Spray

2008-08-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple spray you can make yourself to help alleviate the pain of sunburn and the itch of insect bites. Ravensara essential oil helps prevent infection as well. Avoid spraying in the eyes. If by accident you do spray it in your eyes, do not use water to wash it out because water will drive the oils further into the eye. Use oil such as almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil.

1 oz. aloe vera gel
1 oz. lavender hydrosol
1 oz. roman chamomile hydrosol
30 drops of lavender essential oil
15 drops of ravensara essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a 4 oz. spray bottle.
Shake and spray as needed.
Keep out of eyes.
Alleviates pain.
Promotes skin healing.
Diminishes itching.

Issue of the Week Aug 11 - Aug 17

2008-08-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Being Grounded

In order to create the life we want, we have to be here, functioning on the Earth. For many people, however, being here is painful and full of unpleasant memories. Negative childhood experiences might make us want to escape reality. Regrets or past failures, might have made us give up hope about the future. We cannot heal, change, or create, unless we are present in the here and now, grounded on the Earth.

Religious or spiritual concepts might make us wish for heaven or transcendance, convincing us that being here is unsatisfactory and we that we should strive to be somewhere else.

It might be difficult to see life on Earth as worthwhile and meaningful. We might seek heaven or higher states of consciousness at the detriment to our present life and relationships.

Often people on a spiritual path, prefer to be in 'higher states' or to escape this world altogether.

We are in a human body for a reason. It might not be clear to us what that reason is, but it is a fact.

Why am I here? What is my purpose in life? We tend to seek the answers elsewhere. In our mind, in our imagination, on other realms. While it is important to seek inspiration and to expand our consciousness, it is here on this earth that we must live our lives and act.

There is a Buddhist saying: before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood, carry water.

Is that all there is? Doesn't sound like any sort of accomplishment. Well, not having achieved enlightenment myself, I can't say. But I can say this. I have had times when just being here, doing mundane things has been totally satisfying and enjoyable. I like to think that I was being present and more conscious at those moments and so the experience of doing everyday activities became deeper. Every time that happened, I was here, grounded and present. Not thinking about tomorrow or rehashing the past. The attempt to be here now can also help us when we are confused, or feel that our life is empty. Attending to everyday tasks with attention and care, can move us out of a negative space and give us peace.

A famous book by Ram Dass, published in 1971 called "Be Here Now" gives information about using Yoga to improve your present life.

A truly spiritual life includes nurturing one's connection to the Divine as well as cultivating the quality of one's current life on Earth.

One of the keys to having a meaningful life, is being grounded, here on Earth, in the present moment. I'd love to hear what you think about this and how to achieve it.

Some flower essences from Desert Alchemy can help us stay grounded.

Camphorweed Flower Essence

Indigo Bush Flower Essence

Palmer Amaranth Flower Essence

Red-Orange Epiphyllum Flower Essence

Issue of the Week Aug 4 - Aug 10

2008-08-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

Acceptance

We are living in challenging times, when we feel we must act, but may be confused about what is right. I am reminded of the Bhagavad-Gita a great epic of Hinduism. The warrior hero Arjuna, in the heat of battle realizes his kinsmen are among those he is fighting against and thus he might even have to kill his own brother. He knows murder is wrong, fratricide even worse, yet what can he do? Events are in motion that he has no control over. God in the form of Khrishna says to him - Your job is to do your duty. Act and leave the fruits to me.

Those of us alive today did not create the whole problem that is before us. We are the inheritors of generations of people who made poor choices. This does not mean we should do nothing - for we should do what we can. I believe we should do our duty toward Nature and humanity. Recycle, cut down our use of resources, change our habits. And then we must leave the rest to God however you envision him/her/it. Nature is much greater than we can imagine. Becoming emotionally or physically ill trying to do too much is not appropriate.

During the time of Transformation and upheaval, The Serenity Prayer used in AA is quite useful for us all:

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Khrisha also says: "You have the right to work, but for the work's sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work. Desire for the fruits of work must never be your motive in working."

"In the purely physical sphere of action, Arjuna is, indeed no longer a free agent. The act of war is upon him; it has evolved out of his previous actions. At any given moment in time, we are what we are; and we have to accept the consequences of being ourselves. Only through this acceptance can we begin to evolve further. We may select the battle-ground. We cannot avoid the battle."

Taken from the Bhagavad-Gita - Song of God translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood.

At first, this might seem to contradict the "Law of Attraction" that is so popular these days. However, what it says to me is that while we may not necessarily be able to control events, we can choose to control ourselves and how we perceive things. Only then, can we hope to change the external world.

Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum morifolium (red brown)

Positive qualities: Shifting the ego identification from one's personality to a higher spiritual identity; feeling oneself as transpersonal and transcendent.

Patterns of imbalance: Fear of aging and mortality, identification with youth and lower personality; mid-life crisis.

The soul-spiritual part of ourselves is immortal; it chooses to continuously grow and evolve by incarnating in a particular body and expression of personality. If the soul loses connection with its true immortality, or if it over-inflates the importance of a particular life, there will be great fear and avoidance of physical death. Such a soul has a psychological need to firmly establish its personality in the world as a defense against death and mortality. He or she seeks fame and fortune and falls too deply into the forces of materialism. The spiritual part of the soul is often obliterated or blocked, although it will attempt to make its presence known through a strong awareness crisis (for instance at mid-life), through a life-threatening illness, or through death itself. The Chrysanthemum flower gives such souls the ability to contact the true spiritual ego, and to contemplate the impermanent nature of earthly affairs in the light of the Higher Self.

Fawn Lily Erythronium purpuranscens (yellow with purple)

Positive qualities: Accepting and becoming involved with the world; sharing one's spiritual gifts with others

Patterns of imbalance: Withdrawal, isolation, self-protection; overly delicate, lacking the inner strength to face the world

Souls in need of Fawn Lily have very highly developed forces of spirituality, so much so that is is difficult for them to cope with the stresses and strains of modern society. Such persons are naturally inclined to states of contemplation, meditation, and prayer. It is easier for them to stay in these modes of spirituality, rather than to be involved with the world. However, the soul can become overripe and overdeveloped in its spirituality. Such persons need to disseminate the great gifts which have accumulated in their beings in order to evolve and progress; otherwise they become too introverted and spiritually cold, lacking the ability to draw strength and vitality from the physical world. Fawn Lily stimulates the natural healing and teaching capacities of such individuals, so that the soul evolves from its archetype of cosmic virgin to world mother, or world-server. (process of Virgo)

Impatiens Impatiens glandulifera (pink/mauve)

Positive qualities: Patience, acceptance; flowing with the pace of life and others

Patterns of imbalance: impatience, irritation, tension, intolerance

The souls who need Impatiens find it difficult to be within the flow of time; their tendency is to rush ahead of experience. In doing so, they deny themselves full immersion in life, even though they may appear very busy and engaged. In particular, these individuals miss the more gentle and subtle exchanges which can occur with others, or with the world around them. Their overabundance of fiery force flares up easily into irritation, impatience, intolerance, and anger. Although quite mentally agile and extremely capable, the great inner tension and excitability of such souls leads to various physical disease states or premature aging due to "burnout." the Impatiens type needs to experience not only the powerful flaming of life, but also its gentle flowering. Through the Impatiens essence, the soul learns to still the attention and deepen the breathing so that the inner Self becomes more receptive to the unfolding moment. The precious flower of life is then experienced in all of its fleeting fragilty and delicate beauty.

Scotch Broom Cysisus scoparius (yellow)

Positive qualities: Positive and optimistic feelings about the world and about future events, sun-like forces of caring, encouragement, and purpose

Patterns of imbalance: Feeling weighted down and depressed; overcome with pessimism and despair, especially regarding one's personal relation to world events

We live in a time of great uncertainty, transformation, and upheaval. These powerful conditions can predispose many souls to feel very anxious and depressed about their lives and the future of the Earth. Such persons may be morbidly attracted to apocalyptic scenarios of the future, or exposure to mass media portrayal of world events may arouse intense feelings of pessimism and despair. These feelings burden the soul with extreme emotional weight so that the soul becomes heavy and "deep-pressed." At the core of such illness is the feeling of "What's the use?" or "Why try?" The depression such persons experience is characterized not only by feelings about their personal lives, but about the world as a whole and their relationship to world events. Thus the soul is paralyzed in the positive use of its forces, unconsciously adding to the darkness of the "world-psyche." Scotch Broom gives tenacity and strength, enabling the individual to move from personal despair to impersonal service and concern for the welfare of the world. This essence helps the soul to meet the challenges of our times as opportunities for self-growth and for helping others. In making this transition, the soul shifts from its unconscious identification with world darkness to the vision of a more hopeful, positive world future.

Taken from the Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz

It is interesting to note that in California in the last couple of decades there has been a proliferation of Scotch Broom to the extent that it is considered a pest that must be controlled and eradicated. Perhaps, instead, it is Nature sending us the medicine we need to help us through time of Transformation.

All images are from The Flower Essence Society website

Hamida Won an Award!

2008-08-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

I am so proud to say that I have been awarded this blog award given to "interesting, happy and sparkling style blogs". It is interesting that it came on a day when I was feeling discouraged, lonely and depressed. It certainly lifted my spirits. Thank you Rebecca from Create the Life of Your Dreams! You must have been reading my mind and knew I needed a 'pick me up'. Go over to see Rebecca who offers so many great articles on healing. She is truly an inspiration! She has ads for healthy organic pet food too!

Here are the rules for the next recipients of the Brillante Weblog Premio 2008 Award, established in 2005:

l. The award may be displayed on a winner’s blog.
2. Add a link to the person who you received the award from.
3. Nominate up to seven other blogs.
4. Then add their links to your blog.
5. Add a message to each person that you have passed the award on to in the comments section of their blog.

And my nominees are:

Herbs 'n Oils
for being a loyal reader, dropper, buyer of ads and supporter. I feel like we have been friends for years.

Mermaids Treasures Musings of an Antique Little Girl
for being one of my first and my most loyal reader, I feel like I know you. When you move, I'm coming to see you.

Stir the Cauldron
for the free tarot readings and the fascinating layout of the blog.

Blooms and Blossoms
for her incredible photographs of flowers.

Robin's Woods
For the photography and being a regular dropper.

Make Every Day Your Lucky Day
for being one of the first to buy an ad from my first blog.

Azure Island Designs
for being another one of the first to buy ads from me on my first blog.
Encouragement is an important thing!