I had my wisdom teeth taken out this morning! I’m down in Kentucky visiting my grandparents, and my summer sister’s father, who happens to be a dentist, was available today to take them out and they’ve been hurting for a while… so Merry Christmas to me! I’ve been sleeping on and off all day, and it hurts a little but overall I’m doing really, really well. I was just put under local anesthetic so I could still feel and hear what was going on, and I am so glad I knew and trusted the person doing it. I think I would have been a lot more anxious had it been a stranger. The first tooth was really stubborn, so for the next three I tried different relaxation and imagining exercises to help my tooth out. It’s not like this was major surgery, but I thought my body deserved some special attention. After the first, I comforted each tooth, “It’s okay, I know you’ve been in my mouth for many years, always ready to help out, but my mouth is not big enough for you. I want to tell you, go, go in peace, but go. I give you permission to let go of my jaw, and leave. Please leave.” (And this continued however long it took for the tooth to come out). I don’t know if it helped, but I like to think that it did. I’ve been taking painkillers and smoothing traumeel on my face to help the inflammation. Traumeel contains calendula, witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), and arnica which all have anti-inflammatory properties along with many other healing ingredients.

Arnica

Witch-hazel

I really want to learn how to grow all different kind of herbs and flowers so that someday I can have a healing garden to treat all my children and friends. Which reminds me, I am SO AMAZED by what I’ve been finding on the internet. There are quite a few people doing exactly what I want to do already. Yes, there are people creating safe homes for abandoned or orphaned children (Katie, Maggie, Bulembu, and SOS villages), but I have so many more dreams. Which are…? You ask.

Well, one of my dreams has been to travel the world to document and share images of hope. The time I’ve spent in different countries, and most recently in Kenya, has taught me that what the news shares with us is rarely the truth, and it is never the whole truth. Most of the news from Africa is negative, but most of what I encountered was greatly uplifting and positive. Yet we almost never hear these stories, instead, we hear the single stories of war, death, and famine. So, one great dream has been to document the amazing things going on around the world in developing countries to share with others. Earlier this week, I stumbled upon the blogs of Jen Lemen and Allesandra de Souza. With a few friends and a grant of $50,000, they are traveling around the world collecting images of hope. This fills my heart with joy, and reminds me that I am not alone.

One of my greatest challenges that I have to overcome on an almost daily basis is this idea that there is so much to do and not enough time to do it all. I am only one person, and there is no way I can accomplish all that I want to do. But the great truth is simple: I am not alone, nor am I the only one who cares. Finding these blogs fills me with so much joy because each one reminds me that there are other people who believe in the power of love, art, creativity, and healing, and the need to strive to live wholly (in this context, I define wholly to mean wholesome and holy) no matter how painful it can get.

I’m simplifying it oh so much, but you should go check them out yourself because everyone’s story is different and every story offers something unique and beautiful.

Before I go, I want to share this with you. I know I’ve posted it in the past, but I think this is the sweetest answer to the question,

Is there a Santa Claus?

Dear Editor,

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says “If you see it in The Sun it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon,
115 West 95th Street,
New York City

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love, and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias’. There would be no childlike faith, then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fill the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, not even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, cold tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view – and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897

So this is Christmas.   December, anyway.   Except for the snow here at WordPress (no, it’s not some funky ailment effecting your vision…), you’d almost never know.  At least it’s been tricky knowing it here on Cape Cod, where we still await our first serious frost at this end of the year.

Last weekend I scanned Facebook (Are we Facebook friends?  Shouldn’t we be?) and saw reports of snowfall in Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia and Alabama (!!!!), and then looked out my own window onto the deck, where it was fifty degrees and – just last week – a bachelor button had opened up to say “blue.”

So feeling like the holiday season is upon us has felt like a bit of a challenge…and for plenty more reasons than just the weather and the continued blooming of summer annuals.

Some years I can barely wait for Halloween to be done before I break out the seasonal music (Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas is sort of a gateway soundtrack, there, actually.) and want to start festooning things with lights of all sizes and colors, winding pretty ribbons around plant hangers and curtain rods and picture frames and generally skipping around flinging Christmas glitter at people.  (Ok.  That’s not entirely true.  I usually don’t leap headlong into decorating until December begins.)

Anyway, I haven’t been feeling so much like the holiday fairy just yet this season.  Instead, I’ve found myself looking entirely too seriously at life and pondering how the year between Christmas and Christmas can bring so many changes, so many moments completely unanticipated to one’s life, some happy, some sad, and so many moments not one or the other, just there and gone.

I find myself musing about how we can arrive at the start of the holiday season with the realization that someone we’ve celebrated with in the past will no longer be there to join us in the annual revels for one reason or another.  And before you know it, I’m awash in memories of grandparents and other family and long-lost friends and Nutcracker princes and fellows under mistletoe and…

Well, fortunately, before I ruminated on all that TOO deeply, I realized at the heart of this sort of  morose line of thinking was my feeling – maybe even mistakenly – like I’m a little bereft of traditions.   I changed much in my life these last two years and in that process, many of the Christmas traditions I’d developed over the last ten years before that have simply gone out the window.

Some of those weren’t great traditions, so change isn’t bad, per se, when we can convince ourselves to embrace it.  But there are plenty of things (and a dog…) which I do miss.  My cat buddy and I are making our own traditions, naturally, at least so far in some of the ways we deck the halls at the Nest, as you’ve seen a glimpse of in my last post.  Of course, I’ve embraced old traditions anew – spending the holidays with the Family, which is always a treat – but even that’s different these days than it ever was.     Years go by.  Things just change.

And new traditions are right around every corner.   I was glad to be able to talk myself out from in front of the computer (and from beneath Monsieur LeChat) and on out into the world to do something recently.

This past weekend was the annual  Holly Folly festivities in Provincetown, one of those festival weekends designed to bring more folks into town.   The schedule is populated with all kinds of fun events and activities and I’ve often thought it’d be fun to spend the whole weekend in town, fan of Christmas that I am.  That’s hardly practical living just a little way up the road, though, and the earlier part of the weekend was full with both work and bad weather.

But Sunday night was crisp and clear,  and at 37 degrees,  the closest we’ve seen to seasonal temperatures.  So I loaded up the camera and tripod, and bundled up for a wintertime visit to Provincetown to soak up some holiday spirit from the decorations and pretty lights.  The Pilgrim Monument is dressed in her finest holiday drag.   And, the last event on the weekend schedule was Classic Disco Night at the Atlantic House, which I figured was the perfect cure for what ailed me.  I wasn’t disappointed.

The lights and decorations were just terrific and I’ll share more of those in another post very soon.  And then, I got on up on the floor and then I boogie-oogie-oogied ’til I just couldn’t boogie no more.   Which actually isn’t exactly true.  I could’ve boogied a few hours longer than they kept the place open, but with half an hour’s drive home awaiting me, it was likely a blessing in disguise that last call is as early as it is (1:00 a.m.)  here in the Commonwealth.

And it’s funny how the old traditions sneak back in when one’s not looking, or perhaps never left.   Somewhere, my Mom has a collage of about twenty or so photos of me taken over the years with Santa, ranging pretty much from birth on through college.   Sunday, I collected one more photo for that display, when I met the lovely (well, holiday spirited, anyway) Chi-chi Claus, who claims to be Santa’s Mistress.

And so I found a bit of the holiday spirit and danced away a few demons.  An evening of timeless tunes helped to bridge the years in my mind and provide some much needed perspective about the way Life just goes on and on, one minute collected after the next, beautiful beside sad, savory next to sweet.   Little enough of it turns out to offer much in the way of real meaning.   So why not spend a few more of those minutes dancing?

Of course, I also spent a few more minutes the following morning lounging about snoozing, which was especially sweet since Sir Purrs-alot is so rarely on-board with the idea of my sleeping in.    Still, that was relatively short-lived, too, since I had some designs on a bit of gardening to continue wrapping things up for the season, especially if the weather is finally going to take a turn for the wintery.

The mums and coneflowers and daisies and such had all finally given up the ghost and died back, so they needed to be cut back.   As you can see, the allyssum is still drifting as though it were standing in for the light snowfall we have often seen by this part of the year.   And the flowering kale has come properly into its own without a frost to slow it.

Seedlings for next year’s honesty (moneyplant) are filling in everywhere, and the snapdragons are growing more steadily close to reblooming with each day.  There’s also a blue primrose blooming, as it remembers the schedule it was forced into for grocery store sales last January.

In addition to that bit of general maintenance, there was also more planting to be done.   With no frost, our ground is still loose and easily planted.  Just before Thanksgiving, I’d stumbled across some inexpensive nursery stock bulbs and bagged up a few golden crocuses and grape hyacinths to fill out the most-recently refurbished garden bed.    I’d also received a few iris roots from the Baltimore area who needed to get situated in some soil (thanks, Lil!).

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Downstairses received an early Christmas gift from some friends, which provided me with a little more to plant, and just when I was thinking about seeking out some more daffodils, too.

I wanted to share this, because – if you know a gardener who lives in an area like ours, where the ground is not yet hardened with frost, this can be a terrific holiday gift.   (I’m not hinting.  Or am I?)   An inexpensive decorative tin bucket is filled with nice-sized daffodil bulbs (you can buy them in pretty large quantities at good nurseries), accompanying the bulbs was a small package of bulb fertilizer/bone meal to be dug in with the bulbs, as well as simple planting instructions.

All of these bulbs will bring some earlier life to a bed which previously wasn’t really doing much of anything until it was time for the iris to begin blooming, so the show there in the spring should be fun.   You can see below how nicely everything’s growing after the recent renovation.

I’m sure I’m not alone in my feelings of uncertainty about the holiday season.   I’m sure a few of you wouldn’t have anything good to say about it.  The whole business can get a little overloaded with sentimentality and trying to hard to make things somehow perfect.   It can all get to be a little much sometimes, especially if you let the commercialism of the season overwhelm the feelings of good will this time of year can also inspire.

I wish you a happy December, full of fond old memories and new surprise pleasures and unexpected treats.  And as always, I wish you peace.

Only a month until Christmas! Would you believe folks are already counting down? I can’t even get into the spirit of the holiday until I need to wear my hat and mittens.  Who would have thought so much would still be blooming in the garden around here?

I guess I’m just trying to squeeze as much our of fall as I can.  So every warmer than normal day always brings me down to the farm just to see what’s hanging in there.  It’s a gorgeous unseasonably warm day here, sunny 68 degrees with high winds.  So after I got off the beach for my walk I headed back down to the farm.  Today I harvested more of the kales, peas, some salad greens, rosemary, tarragon  & parsley.  In the cold frame, the second sowing of beets, shallots, and carrots are doing splendid.  And here I was only hoping to be able to harvest up until Christmas.. but the way things are growing.. perhaps even a bit longer! The lovely calendula continues to drop their seed and re-sow and continue to provide sunshine  in the garden, even if we can’t always see it in the sky this time of year.

December calendula

Secretly, I wish we could jump right back into Spring with the exception of snowfall on Christmas Eve or day.  Time will only tell. But I can hope

My reader from a cold climate will have noticed that winter is fast approaching. Even here in the Loire Valley most of the deciduous plants are naked after, in many cases, treating us to a final, fiery display of autumn leaf colour.

Our St. Catherine’s Day Magnolia planting was partly in preparation for this season. It is a far too valuable and beautiful specimen to lose. I have been getting in the ground as much as I can from my last delivery of plants so that they would not be frozen in their pots over winter. The soil acts as an insulator from the cold and, in the case of tender subjects like perennial Salvia uliginosa and Artemisia Powis Castle, I have planted deeply to make the most of this property of the soil.

Christmas cactus in the conservatory for the winter

Some plants have had to stay in pots for the time being. My little collection of winter flowering Camellias has been placed, in cold weather at least, in our unheated and rather leaky, north facing conservatory.

Here too are a pot of Begonia and another of Geraniums, which used to sit outside the door of the Gîte. It will not be the end of the world if they don’t survive the cold but I hope they do.

When the climate dictates I will also move the Tree Fern under cover joining the huge pot of Christmas Cactus which will soon be in flower. Eventually this conservatory could be something really special to greet clients and other visitors when they arrive at the front door. At the moment however, most of the space is taken up by office furniture and carpets awaiting a final home, so it rather lets us down.

Lemon tree under fleece

Our two lemon trees, brought from our home in England at great trouble and expense, have been treated to a pair of fleece covers with which they have been enveloped for some time now. This allows rain and some light through, but allegedly protects them from the worst of the frost and cold winds. These plants have not had a comfortable life since being turned out of their lovely conservatory in Bedfordshire and dragged, kicking and screaming, to this country. It’s sad to see them suffer but in the fullness of time a home will be found for them in the new office building: when we finally get ‘round to building it.

Other plants are dotted around the garden waiting for me to dig a bed to accommodate them. These will have to deal with the cold as best they can but the wet is equally a factor in winter plant loses. I have ensured that these pots do not sit on the ground in such a way as to become waterlogged. It is for this reason that when filling a tub or other display container you must add gravel, crocks or other materials inside to keep the drainage holes clear. It is also worth considering raising the pot off the ground during winter to create very free drainage of excess water.

Drainage is an important aspect of the soil as well, but harder to modify. Vulnerable plants can be planted in little mounds of soil to improve drainage, or grit can be added. Underground drainage pipes can be installed in particularly difficult sites but if you garden on heavy clay soil you have to accept that your soil will be cold and damp over winter and plant accordingly. We moved to mid Bedfordshire to escape the clay soil in Harpenden and here in France the soil is wonderful.  This will allow us to over-winter plants not dreamed of in our earlier gardens.

We have two enormous Sequoias in our property, as our regular reader will remember. These give us a few problems, but three great benefits: the dappled shade they provide is ideal for woodland plants and we have created an oriental style garden of Camellias, Rhododendrons, Hamamelis, Japanese Maples and other plants here; the soil nearby is dry, supporting plants which need to keep their roots this way and the overhanging branches act as protection from the frost. Consider placing your own frost-tender plants in the shade of a tree over winter.

Calendula as living mulch

We have tried one other trick this year to protect some tender plants from the cold. I sowed seeds of Californian Poppies, collected from plants flowering in the garden, around a clump of Salvia argentea hoping that they would act as a barrier to the cold and keep the soil a little drier. I did the same for newly planted Euphorbia giffithii Fireglow and used Calendula in a similar way elsewhere. It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

In gardens in the village some plants, notably large palms and Oleander, have been wrapped up in bubble plastic, while Arum Lilies have been covered in thick layers of straw mulch. I have noticed a few improvised cloches which shield plants from damp in addition to keeping them warmer -  our silver-leaved Salvia would enjoy that sort of protection.

If you must grow tender plants,- and I must even if you don’t – these sort of protective measures will ensure, as much as you can ensure, that your treasures make it through to the next growing season.

What your skin really needs  - an article from dailymail.co.uk, Liz Earle’s secrets of a fabulous complexion.

My opinion is type written in red

Your face should still be silky smooth, but fair skin that hasn’t been protected from the sun may show the beginnings of sun spots and crow’s-feet.

Those who drink too much or smoke may see the beginnings of broken blood vessels, bags and a dull, spotty complexion.

The core products for your face are a cleanser, an alcohol-free skin tonic, light daily moisturiser, slightly richer night cream, facial oil and mask – plus suncare for face and body.

Whatever your skin type, start exfoliating very gently. In the mornings, buff your face with a soft muslin cloth (or fine towelling flannel) wrung out in warm water.

Gentle but regular exfoliation is the key. I like Clinique 7 days scrub cream ( rinse off formula ).

Follow with a sweep of alcohol-free skin tonic and a light dab of daily moisturiser. Useful ingredients in both skin tonics and moisturisers include antioxidants to protect against free-radical damage and essential fatty acids to help keep skin smooth. I also like echinacea for its skin-toning properties and calendula or camomile for their mildly anti-inflammatory benefits.

Calendula balm is essential for soothing your eyes. I like to mix calendula ointment  with arnica ointment ( check out your local drug store / healthfood supplier ) to get rid of bags & dark circles. The lipids in balm also acts as an excellent lash nourisher.

Oily and combination skins can benefit from the same light daytime moisturiser at night. But normal or dry skins may lap up a slightly richer, more hydrating night cream with ingredients such as avocado, borage seed or evening primrose seed oils.

A secret is to massage in a facial oil last thing at night, as plant oils help balance and regulate the skin. Dry or normal skin responds well to avocado, argan and rosehip oils. Lightweight plant oils such as peach, apricot kernel and rosehip suit oily or combination skin.

Argan oil suits most skin type, while greasy skin is more likely to benefit from grapeseed oil. I loves Amanda Lacey range of face oil. Ila also has an exceptional face oil.

Make-up

For shiny faces, use a water-based foundation and carry shine-absorbing facial blotters. Translucent powder blots shine and also sets foundation, giving it more staying power. I like Laura Mercier’s Translucent Powder, which isn’t cheap but lasts for ages.

My London-based make-up artist and friend Kerry September swears by Guerlain’s Teint de Matte foundation.

MAC also make excellent oil-free bases, including Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 and Select SPF15, plus a water-based tinted moisturiser, Select Tint SPF15.

If you have spots, leave your face bare of make-up for a couple of days so it can heal; draw attention to your eyes and lips instead, with mascara and a little shimmer on the eyelids, plus a gorgeous lip gloss.

When you really must conceal spots or other blemishes – including dark circles – remember, the aim is to make the concealer look like a second skin, not a mask.

Bobbi Brown Foundation Sticks may do everything you need, or try mixing a tiny amount of Yves St Laurent Radiant Touch (Touche Eclat) in your palm – to warm it – with the same quantity of a liquid/cream foundation; Chanel Teint Innocence is a wonderful light fluid base for any skin. Ruby and Millie’s Concealer Duo, which you apply after a base, is brilliant too.

Whatever you choose, dot it on very lightly with your ring finger, building up thin layers to cover.

Chanel Teint Innocence rocks, as it’s sheer enough to let your natural youthfulness radiates through yet; if you need more concealing, Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick has an adjustable, medium to full coverage. YSL Radiant Touch is a must the night before & the day after.

A ‘pop’ or dot of pure colour, blended well into the fleshiest part of cheeks gives an instant lift and glow when you smile. NARS blusher in Desire – a super-bright fuchsia which tones down on the skin – looks amazing.

Orgasms – if you are lucky enough to have the authentic one daily; otherwise NARS  has a powder and a cream version for that oh-so-lovely glow.

MAC Face and Body Make-up is an excellent, lightweight liquid foundation. It comes in an array of shades.

Experiment with colours & falsies, before it’s too late to be rebellious.

Artwork by Shiori Matsumoto, Marion Bolognesi.

La guarigione è da sempre uno dei compiti principali dello sciamano.Per lo sciamano non ci sono differenze tra malattie fisiche, psichiche e spirituali.

Guarda direttamente dentro il profondo mondo indifferenziato della realtà. Quella zona oscura dove forse non ci sono leggi fisiche, biologiche, psichiche, ma solo leggi dell’esistenza. La sua tecnica è così profonda e assoluta da far risultare la guarigione sciamanica  molto potente.

Lo sciamano  cerca  nei suoi viaggi “lo spirito” delle piante, ovvero la loro energia, e  apprende direttamente da loro come meglio debbano essere usate per trarne beneficio e le loro proprietà curative, sia per il corpo che per la mente, così anche per i minerali e tutti gli elementi che ci dona la madre Terra e che di essa fanno parte.

Chiunque può essere uno sciamano, a prescindere dalla propria religione, e non bisogna essere iniziati con riti particolari, come nella maggior parte dei culti. L’unica cosa davvero importante è che chi vuole diventare sciamano deve farlo per il proprio bene e per il bene di chi gli sta accanto e del mondo che lo ospita, anche perché è pressoché impossibile stabilire un contatto con il mondo ultraterreno se non si è in pace, e nessuna entità benevola darà retta a chi va per chiedere vendetta o vuole fare del male.

Sciamanesimo  non è magia o illusionismo, sciamanesimo non è religione, lo sciamanesimo è l’arte di trarre la risposta ad ogni domanda dalle energie che ci circondano, le stesse di cui noi siamo formati, non va confuso con i riti esoterici e il misticismo trascendentale.

È semplicemente l’entrare in contatto con il mondo spirituale che da sempre coabita con noi, quello che va ascoltato con il cuore e non con il corpo, quello che nasconde i più profondi misteri dell’essere stesso, il vero sapere.

Gli sciamani hanno una vocazione, come avviene per alcuni religiosi. Solitamente, si inizia con il chiedersi chi siamo e cosa facciamo qui sulla terra. Cercando delle risposte ci si scosterà dalla realtà che la politica e la storia ci hanno imposto, ed allora la vocazione crescerà nello spirito del nuovo sciamano.

Il nuovo sciamano si sentirà “illuminato”, e a lui sarà concesso vedere la realtà nelle molteplici sue forme, le entità guida gli faranno visita e queste, o il maestro spirituale (possa esso far parte sia del mondo terreno che di quello ultraterreno), gli insegneranno dapprima la gerarchia e l’importanza di ogni entità che incontrerà nei suoi viaggi, poi a ringraziare ed ad entrare in contatto con tutti gli elementi che lo circondano, in seguito gli insegneranno a curare il proprio sé, a guarire la propria anima e a viaggiare e muoversi  in modo conscio nella realtà che ora gli sarà concesso conoscere.

Imparerà che non esiste passato, presente o futuro per lo spirito, ma solo per il corpo.

Imparerà a vivere secondo le leggi della natura, con la consapevolezza che il sole scandisce il tempo e non l’orologio, il vento le stagioni e non il nostro calendario.

Avrà dimestichezza con erbe e minerali, imparerà alcune discipline antiche. Imparerà sopra ogni altra cosa che il rispetto e l’umiltà sono sintomo di forza interiore e di saggezza.

A lui sarà concesso guarirsi e guarire gli altri e la Madre Terra.

La  parola  sciamano  (shamàn)  si  riferisce  ad  una  persona  che  compie  dei  viaggi,  in  uno  stato  alterato  di  coscienza,  nella  realtà   non-ordinaria.  Anche  se  il  termine   è   originario  della  Siberia,  la  pratica  dello  sciamanismo   è   esistita  in  tutti  i  continenti.

Lo  sciamanesimo  non   è   un  sistema  di  credenze.  È  basato    su  di  una  sperimentazione  personale  volta  a  guarire,  ottenere  informazioni  o  altri  risultati.

Lo  sciamanesimo  non  è   un  sistema  di  fede. Lo  sciamanesimo,  inoltre,  non   è   una  pratica  che  esclude  altre.

Nel  suo  approccio  olistico,  lo  sciamano  utilizza  i  mezzi  spirituali  a  lui  propri  in  collaborazione  con  altre  persone  nella  comunità   che  possiedono  delle  tecniche  come  la  medicina  delle  piante.  Lo  scopo  dello  sciamano   è   di  aiutare  il  paziente  a  guarire,  non  di  dimostrare  che  il  suo  sistema   è   l’unico  che  funziona.

Le  persone  che  non  sono ” potenti ”   -  cioè,  spiritualmente  “colme  del  potere”    -  sono  predisposte  alle  malattie,  agli  incidenti  e  alla  sfortuna.  Lo  sciamano ha il compito di ristabilisce  il  legame  della  persona  con  il  proprio  potere  spirituale.   Qualcosa  di  analogo  a  un  sistema  di  difesa  immunitaria  spirituale,  per fare un esempio.  Il  potere  rende  la  persona  resistente  alle  malattie.  Se  qualcuno  si  ammala  spesso,    è   chiaro  che  ha  bisogno  di  essere  ricongiunto con  il  potere  spirituale.  Una  delle  funzioni  dello  sciamano   è   di  aiutare  quelli  che  non  sono  in  condizioni  di  farlo  da  soli.

Noi non  siamo  soli.  Con  ciò   voglio  dire  che  quando  un  essere  umano  lavora  con  forza ed amore  per  alleviare  le  sofferenze  di  un  altro,  gli  spiriti  si  commuovono  e   intervengono.  Quando  qualcuno  per  generosità   e  compassione  aiuta  una  persona  sofferente  o  malata  ,  allora  accadono  i  miracoli.  Funziona  ancora  meglio  quando  due  o  più   sciamani  lavorano  assieme.  Così  la  grande  novità   che  lo  sciamanesimo  offre  è  che  noi  non  siamo  soli.

Il meraviglioso popolo degli Indiani d’America è fonte di conoscenze in numerosi campi della vita materiale e spirituale.
Gli Indiani insegnano che il mondo e’ un regno per uomini, animali e piante, creato affinché ci sia armonia fra i componenti, in un quadro di reciproco ascolto. Tutte le forme di vita sono importanti allo stesso modo e meritano il medesimo rispetto. Da sempre il popolo indiano, indistintamente in ogni tribù, ha creato un rapporto di rispetto e collaborazione con la natura e non di sfruttamento e distruzione.  La tradizione indiana usa le piante, considerandole sacre, per guarire qualsiasi malattia: a seconda delle proprietà e degli usi l’assunzione o l’applicazione delle erbe viene accompagnata da cerimonie e canti sacri. Gli sciamani erano uomini e donne con poteri soprannaturali che facevano da tramite con il mondo degli spiriti e degli uomini, soprattutto per guarire gli ammalati . Poiché lo sciamano conosceva le erbe medicamentose, gli europei lo chiamarono “Uomo di medicina”, ma per uno sciamano e la sua tribù , tutto il potere degli spiriti era “medicina”. Gli sciamani si servivano di cerimonie rituali per aiutare la mente del paziente a liberarsi dalla malattia.

Erbe medicinali

La Calendula è l’ erba purificante del sangue e nello steso tempo ha un ottimo effetto salutare e calmante. Gli antichi Egiziani, le hanno attribuito l’ effetto di ringiovanire.Viene usata nelle mescolanze delle erbe per la cura del cancro e anche per la cura dell’ epatite virale. La pomata della calendula ha un bel colore arancio giallo proprio come i suoi fiori, contiene la canfora, che unita con la calendula ha delle ottime virtù sulla pelle.

L’ACHILLEA è soprattutto l’ erba medicinale per le donne. Tante malattie, potrebbero scomparire se cominciassero a farsi del thè con questa pianta. Gli Indiani d’America della tribù Utahu usavano l’achillea per la guarigione delle ferite. L’achillea è fortemente indicata per “la pancia” della donna e ha buoni effetti per la guarigione dei disturbi ginecologici e del cancro. E’ opportuna durante i dolori mestruali, periodo del climaterio, oppure quando c’è la mancanza di mestruazione. Aiuta a curare le infiammazione dei nervi delle mani e delle gambe, purifica il sangue, incide sul midollo osseo, con le ondate di sangue, contro i dolori degli occhi, perdita di sangue dal naso, emorragia dello stomaco, e forte perdita di sangue dalle emorroidi. Molto efficace è la pomata per la cura delle emorroidi, insieme alla tisana medicinale. La pomata dell’ achillea è di colore verde.L ‘achilleaè anche utilizzata per regolarizare la pressione arteriosa.

L’Iperico guarisce quasi tutto, ma bisogna stare attenti alle dosi. È opportuno per il rafforzamento del sistema immunitario, bronchite, bruciore di stomaco, disturbi nervosi, (emicrania, insonnia, depressione), infiammazioni urinarie, disturbi mestruali, elimina dal corpo focolai infetti. Guarisce gli stati infiammatori .  Può provocare sensazioni di euforia.

La Salvia medicinale, e stata l’’ erba sacra dei Romani,  i quali hanno creduto, nel suo effetto benefico, per la maggior parte delle malattie. Una volta si credeva, che bevendo il thè della Salvia, l’ uomo si assicurasse una lunga vita o addirittura immortalità. Una volta, il thè della Salvia spesso si beveva come oggi si beve il caffè . Le foglie della Salvia, dicono che provochino sogni profetici.La pomata della salvia ha proprietà astringenti, antisettiche . Buoni effetti si ottengono lavando le ferite con acqua calda, asciugando, poi  spalmare la pomata sulla parte lesa. Coprire poi con un pezzo di stoffa in cotone – per tenere la ferita al caldo.

L’Echinacea è originaria del Nord America: è una delle più importanti e più studiate piante medicinali del mondo. Le popolazioni nordamericane usufruivano delle proprietà curative diquesta pianta per medicare molti disturbi della pelle, ma la pianta era utilizzata soprattutto contro le reazioni avverse dovute al morso dei serpenti.

La sua attività fu scoperta da un medico tedesco che visse a lungo con gli Indiani del Nord America.

Le ricerche hanno dimostrato che questa pianta è capace di aumentare la resistenza alle infezioni batteriche e virali.

La composizione della radice d’echinacea è molto complessa.

Sono state identificate numerose sostanze attive come l’echinacoside, glucoside dotato di un marcato effetto antibiotico contro vari batteri, degli oli essenziali formati da più di 20 componenti, ad azione immunostimolante.

Sono presenti inoltre dei poliacetileni i quali esplicano un importante effetto battericida e fungicida.

• Prodotti erboristici: la pianta è disponibile sotto forma di estratto liquido, tintura, capsule ecc…

• Pomate, creme

• Decotto: si preparano 30-50 g di radice tritata in 1 litro d’acqua.

• Impacchi e lozioni: si effettuano con lo stesso decotto preparato per uso interno.

Proprietà salutistiche :

• Immunostimolante: favorisce i meccanismi di difesa attraverso una maggiore produzione d’anticorpi.

• Antinfiammatoria e cicatrizzante: l’echinacea inibisce il progredire delle infezioni e favorisce la formazione delle cellule responsabili della guarigione delle ferite.

• Antitossica: aiuta la stimolazione del fegato e dei reni nei processi di detossificazione, con l’eliminazione delle sostanze di rifiuto e dalle tossine.

• Antibiotica e antivirale: l’echinacea e indicata nei seguenti casi: malattie infettive e influenza, tonsilliti e faringiti (in generale per le malattie respiratorie).

• Punture di insetti: grazie alla sua azione disintossicante, l’echinacea può neutralizzare parzialmente il veleno ed evitarne la diffusione.

You are the Nagual.
You cure yourself, or you die.
No shades of meaning,
no double behavior.”
-Don Juan-

When I set out to learn more about Marigolds, I was surprised to find that the name refers to at least two different groups of annual plants. Though they are both in the family Asteraceae, they each belong to a different genus. The first, Pot Marigold, is of the genus Calendula. The other, which includes several species, is in the genus Tagetes. Both types answer to the same common name, but they are not the same.

Pot Marigolds, or as some call them, Common Marigolds, are officially Calendula Officinalis. They are an edible herb and can apparently be used to cure many different skin and stomach problems, everything from varicose veins to bee stings to diarrhea. Sap from the stem is said to remove warts, calluses and corns. The name Pot Marigold refers to the fact that the petals are edible and have been used in soups and salads, and to give cheese and butter a yellow color. It’s used to make lotions and dyes and was even used as a rinse to brighten hair color. I’ve grown Marigolds many times, but when I saw photos of this plant, I realized that I have never grown this particular type. Originally from Southern Europe, it only appeared in yellow, with single flowers, like a daisy. Over the years, new varieties have appeared, with pastel shades, some bicolors and and double petals. The plants grow about 18 inches tall, and about 2 feet wide. A lot of sources dismiss Pot Marigolds and say they are not “true Marigolds”.

The other Marigold, that of the Tagetes genus, comes in three species: African, French and Triploid. Unlike the Pot Marigolds, these are native to Mexico and Central America.

African is the largest type. It grows up to 3 feet tall and has globe shaped flowers that can be 5 inches across. Also called American Marigold or Crackerjack Marigold, they take longer to bloom than the other types, beginning in late spring and finishing in early fall. African Marigolds come in a range of color from pale cream to bright orange, but not red. Because they are so tall, and the flowers so heavy, they should be staked to protect them from breaking in the wind. Because of their strong odor, they are planted among vegetable plants, to mask the smell from preying insects.

French Marigolds are similar to African, but much smaller, only about 5-18 inches tall, and 12 inches wide, with 2 inch flowers. The blooming season is longer, from spring until fall. They appear in red, yellow and orange, and some bicolor. Being smaller, they work well in mass plantings, edgings and containers.  French Marigolds are often planted along with vegetable plants because they produce a substance which repels nematodes, nasty little worm like things that kill vegetable plants.

Triploid Marigolds are a hybrid, a cross between the African and the French. Plants are similar in size to the French, but the flowers are pompon shaped and larger, 2-3 inches wide. Triploids are sterile, they do not set seed, and as a result, continue to bloom until killed by frost. They also have a low germination rate, many seeds are planted, but few plants result.

All varieties of Marigold have a few things in common. They are propagated from seed, and with the exception of the Triploids, will seed themselves. They will grow in all hardiness zones in the United States. All of them prefer full sun, and well drained, but moist soil. Beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies are attracted to Marigolds, but deer and rabbits are not.

Flores comestíveis… afinal, o assunto não é novo. Certamente você já comeu
flores menos famosas no mundo ornamental. Quer ver? O brócolis, a couve-flor
e a alcachofra são flores comestíveis!.

Mas, se assunto é flores ornamentais, existem aquelas que podem ser saboreadas, além de apenas decorar os pratos.

Só que antes de tudo é importantíssimo lembrar que as flores utilizadas na alimentação não são as mesmas comercializadas em floriculturas ou gardens centers, pois estas são cultivadas com produtos químicos que podem causar sérios problemas para a saúde. As flores comestíveis devem ser adquiridas de produtores especializados, que não utilizam qualquer tipo de agrotóxico ou tratamento químico no seu cultivo. Além disso, é fundamental saber que não são todas as espécies que podem ser ingeridas. Existem flores que apresentam princípios tóxicos e não devem ser usadas na alimentação de forma alguma. Exemplos disso são as violetas africanas, os crisântemos, o copo-de-leite, o lírio, entre outras.

Feito o alerta, vamos lá!. Vejamos algumas flores que podem ser usadas na alimentação:

Capuchinha (Nastúrcio) - Uma das flores mais usadas em restaurantes finos, que geralmente usam suas folhas e flores em saladas. A capuchinha tem um sabor picante, que lembra o do agrião. É rica em vitamina C e, segundo os especialistas, apresenta propriedades digestivas.

Calêndula - Esta flor acrescenta um colorido muito bonito à salada, mas o miolo deve ser retirado na hora de comer. O uso da calêndula na alimentação não é recente: há muitos anos ela já era utilizada por ser um bom corante para caldas e bolos.

Amor-perfeito – Esta flor é bem versátil e bonita. Pode ser usada tanto nas saladas como para decorar as sobremesas. Com a vantagem que podemos comer também a decoração!

Rosa – Além do visual, a rosa acrescenta um suave perfume aos pratos que acompanha. É muito usada para aromatizar e decorar doces com caldas e é irresistível numa salada.

Borago – Também conhecida como borragem. É uma planta medicinal (Borago officinalis) usada como expectorante das vias respiratórias e fornece certa dose de vitamina C. Algumas pessoas acham seu sabor semelhante ao do pepino. As folhas são usadas em compressas para suavizar problemas de pele.

Calendula is truly a God-send. With two active kids and a busy lifestyle I practically use Caledula on a daily basis. Last summer my father tackeled a garbage can on the beach while running for a frisbee and a combination of caledula for the skin abrasions and arinca for the bruising did the trick. Its perfect for diaper rash, cuts, burns…I even have my three year old saying “put some calendula on it mom”. I usually buy the Borion lotion at my local health food store.

Ny Times just ran an article:

The Alternative Medicine Cabinet: Marigolds to Soothe Skin

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR

O Segredo das Plantas Medicinais
Quem nunca ouviu falar sobre produtos naturais? Ou aquela receita caseira que ajuda a passar a dor no estômago e deixar os cabelos macios?