Why Not Try It?

I'm always puzzled when I mention natural remedies or a change in food choices, and the person responds with a resounding and negative "that won't work." They usually cite reasons like "you'll find studies supporting anything if you look hard enough" or "that doesn't make sense so why bother" etc.

Now, I wouldn't have even mentioned the topic to these people except that he or she is complaining about health issues and the expensive drugs they are taking (drugs that even the doctors admit are only to try to reduce symptoms but have no effect upon reversing or curing the dis-ease itself). My puzzlement around the person's vehement objections then arises from the simple perspective of: "it can't hurt and might help so why not try it?"

Based upon that premise -- it can't hurt and might help so why not try it -- I would urge you to watch the film What The Health and at least consider trying a vegan diet for a month. Or even just a couple weeks. Commit to eating only a WFPB diet (that's Whole-Food Plant-Based) and see how you feel. Isn't the possibility of getting better worth trying something new, especially when it won't cost you a dime? There are people who experience phenomenal results and those who see little to no change, but wouldn't it be exciting to be one of those with the life-changing results? Just imagine!

Here's the link for the film and how you can watch it: What The Health.

For information on a vegan diet as well as free recipes, go to: Forks Over Knives.

And, as always, if you have questions, I'm happy to help -- just contact me!

Listening to Life

One of the aspects I enjoy about an holistic approach to healing and wellness is the sacred mystery embedded within life, how listening to life is of vital importance to seeking true healing.

Taken further, consider, for instance:

"All ancient and indigenous peoples said that they learned the uses of plants as medicines from the plants themselves. They insisted that they did not rely on the analytical capacities of the brain for this nor use the technique of trial and error. Instead, they said that it was from the heart of the world, from the plants themselves, that this knowledge came. For, they insisted, the plants can speak to human beings if only human beings will listen and respond to them in the proper state of mind." ~ Stephen Harrod Buhner in Secret Teachings of Plants 

With this in mind, consider how science can often describe what appears to be happening within life systems, even in its reductionistic approach, but rarely can it fully explain the complexity of life. In a beautiful conversation between Marilynne Robinson and Marcelo Gleiser (called "The Mystery We Are" at OnBeing), Robinson points out the error in how science overuses "explain" when the appropriate word is "describe."

Scientific investigation, however, does provide description for many of the inner workings of bodies and life systems (I am in no way excusing or approving any form of abuse and/or cruelty to animals; we must evolve and abandon those types of atrocities). In his book The Secret Teachings of Plants, Buhner points out that:

"All living organisms--all self-organized systems ... retain an exquisite sensitivity to perturbations of the equilibrium that occurred when they self-organized. They remember that moment of equilibrium; they are attuned to it."

In this way, all living organisms, whether plants or animals, continually seek equilibrium. Our human bodies seek this; when we listen to our bodies and hearts, we have a better chance at healing, and plants (via food, herbs, spices, flower essences, and homeopathic remedies) can help us move in that direction.

When something occurs (a perturbation), whether outside ourselves or within, Buhner says that:

"the form [it takes] is merely one possible language of communication out of myriad possibilities. In the end it is the meaning inside the behavior that is significant, not the behavior itself. It is not the chemical released, nor the movement of the body, nor the electromagnetic field that is important, but the information, the meaning, that it carries."

This meaning is what most holistic practices point to and return to, again and again. The meaning is the Big Picture in our lives and entails deep listening to life.

Borage Flower Essence - Courage

(c) Delta Gardens

I want to share a personal experience with Borage. 

Usually, I make dosing bottles, but one day I felt called to simply add some drops of Borage flower essence to my pitcher of daily drinking water (I often do this with essences, letting intuition guide me in selection). 

The next day, I felt tremendous confidence in my actions and body; I felt hardly any fear, moving throughout the day as if my body had returned to normal.  

The back-story is that 9 months ago, I fell backwards, downhill on our property, shattering my left wrist and fracturing my left tibial plateau in several places. My recovery has been slow and frustrating at times, and I have been using flower essences to help me move past my fear about it happening again (it was just one of those clumsy accidents so it kind of freaked me out) and to regain confidence in my body. 

Well, after only the single day of taking the Borage-imprinted water throughout the day, I woke up and didn’t even hesitate in getting down on the floor to clip my dog’s toenails. It was only in hindsight that I fully realized how at ease and unconcerned I was with getting down on the floor all on my own. This may not sound like much, but it was a huge advance for me — I no longer felt like my body was going to give out on me or “betray” me! I had already felt like I was moving in this direction, but Borage sailed me right over the last hurdle — phenomenal!

Borage flower essence can share many qualities of healing with us; the one that seemed to lift me up the most in my current state was courage ... the courage to trust my body and the healing process. This wasn't a conscious shift, however, but one that simply happened, thanks to the Spirit of Borage.

The Borage flower essence that I took was from Delta Gardens; there are other flower essence lines that carry it, too, such as Green Hope Farm. I'm so grateful to the people who co-create these marvelous healing remedies!

Live Fully

"Healing is not about whether you die. Healing is about how fully you live."

~ Eliot Cowan, Plant Spirit Medicine

The above statement is one that I carry into every healing situation, whether for myself, my family, the animals in my care, or clients. While alleviation of symptoms may indeed occur, the greater perspective is upon quality of life. This is why I give no separation to body, mind and soul within the healing journey.