The herb Rosemary has been a symbol of remembrance for ions. In herbal folklore, “Rosemary is for Remembering”. It was often used at times of funerals, anniversaries and when soldiers marched off to war. Its aroma has always been uplifting and stimulating; sharp,...
The Botanica 2016 conference inspired me to find more ways to use my plants every day for health and well-being. There is still time to enjoy the bounty of the garden – even if the temperatures are cooler and the daylight is shorter. If you have access to fresh...
Cypress is a tree associated with graveyards, grief and eternity. In Aroma Genera, the therapeutic system developed by British aromatherapist Valerie Ann Worwood, there is strength found in its fragrance. She describes its characteristics to include wisdom, strength,...
In last month’s newsletter, I referred to the emotional release technique, created by Valerie Ann Worwood, called Aroma-Genera. Since that article, I have received some questions about this technique and how it is done. As a Registered Aroma-Genera Therapist for 15...
The gardens are coming alive with flowers and herbs – at least here on the West Coast. And Lavenders, which usually wait until June to burst forth, are starting to show their colours now. Much is written about Lavender as a herb, flower and essential oil. In Aroma...
Spiritual traditions and practices teach techniques to help seekers transform themselves and their lives. As the darkest days of the year approach, they invite us to be still for a moment and “go within” to discover the answers we seek. Spiritual practices are not...
Those of you who have experienced an aromatherapy massage know firsthand how some aromas make you smile and some make you grimace. There is more to this than meets the nose. In her book, The Fragrant Mind, British Aromatherapist Valerie Ann Worwood describes how...
There are two main waters collected from distillation of aromatic plant materials. Hydrosols are the waters created during steam distillation for essential oil production; they could be seen as a “by-product” of essential oil production. On the other hand, Aromatic...
The Christmas Story tells of the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Most people are familiar with gold, but what about the others? The holy oils? Both Frankincense and Myrrh are the resins – think “sap” – of their respective trees. In their raw state, these resins...
Skin is the largest organ of the body, keeping everything inside that is supposed to be there! It is our first line of defense against infection. It helps control our body temperature. It breathes, sweats and secretes natural oils. And it loves TLC! Here are a few...
Now that summer is here, we are likely to have encounters with little critters that bite. There are some general first-aid measures that can help get over the initial pain and swelling of those bites. Wasp Stings: Wasp venom is alkaline in nature, so the treatment...
Now that the weather is becoming warmer and the daylight hours longer, it’s time to look at the natural approach to “summertime issues”. Insect bites and sunburn combine to make life miserable. So what can we do about these things? Insect Bites: If the bugs will stay...