Health Benefits of Rose Essential Oil
(for the full article go to www.organicfacts.net)

Antidepressant: Rose Oil boosts self esteem, confidence, and mental strength while efficiently fighting depression. They can be very helpful to drive away depression arising for any reason, and it also relieves anxiety. As an antidepressant, patients of acute depression or those undergoing rehabilitation can be given routine and regular doses of this essential oil to bring a positive boost into their lives. This oil is widely used in aromatherapy and invokes positive thoughts, spiritual relaxation and feelings of joy, happiness and hope.

Antiphlogistic: Rose essential oil may calm down a patient of high fever by sedating the inflammation. It can also be beneficial in other cases of inflammation caused by microbial infection, ingestion of poisonous materials, indigestion, and dehydration. This can result in a reduction in associated conditions like rheumatism, arthritis, gout, and fever.

Antiseptic: This is the most fragrant and luxurious way to treat wounds; imagine treating wounds with Oils of Rose instead of those ordinary antiseptic lotions. Topically applying rose oil to wounds helps to protect them from becoming septic and developing infections.

Antispasmodic: Rose essential oil efficiently relieves spasms in the respiratory system and intestines, as well as muscular spasms in various limbs. It also helps to cure convulsions, muscle pulls, cramps and the spasmodic cholera which is caused due to spasms.

Antiviral: Getting protection from viruses or getting yourself vaccinated against all of them is a tough task, since some of them continue to mutate and trick our our immune system, like an old friend who gives you a cold or influenza. The solution to this is to use an antiviral agent that behaves as a shield against any type of virus. Rose essential oil is one such shied, and studies have shown that it protects against many different types of viral infections.

Aphrodisiac: There is almost no need to explain this aspect of rose essential oil.  From Cupid himself to modern day’s high tech lovers, everyone knows how indispensable roses are in the romantic department. The basic element that does that is the essential oil of the flower. The very scent of it can arouse you, and itboosts the libido while invoking romantic feelings which are essential for a successful sex life. This can reduce symptoms of sexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, frigidity, and general disinterest in sexual activity with partners.

Astringent: The astringent property of Rose Oil has many benefits. It strengthens gums and hair roots, while toning and lifting skin, and contracting muscles, intestines and blood vessels. This gives protection against the untimely loss of teeth and hair, wrinkles, the loss of firmness of intestines and muscles of the abdominal area and limbs associated with aging. Above all, rose essential oil helps to stop the flow of blood from wounds and cuts by contracting the blood vessels. This astringent property can also cure certain types of diarrhea.

Bactericidal: It is a good bactericide. It can be used in the treatment of typhoid, diarrhea, cholera, food poisoning and other diseases which are caused by bacteria. Furthermore, it can cure internal bacterial infections like those in the colon, stomach, intestines and urinary tract, as well as external infections on the skin, ears, eyes and wounds.

Cicatrisant: This property of Rose Essential Oil can be of great interest for those who care a lot about their looks. It makes the scars and after marks of boils, acne and pox on the skin fade quickly. This includes the fading of stretch marks, surgery scars, and fat cracks associated with pregnancy and delivery. Much of this is due to the antioxidant activity of rose essential oil, which spurs on the healing processes of the skin.

Depurative: Rose essential oil purifies the blood by helping in the removal and neutralization of toxins. Once your blood is purified and free of toxins, you are protected from nuisances like boils, rashes, ulcers, and skin diseases, as well as more serious conditions that free radicals can cause, like cancer and heart disease.

Emmenagogue: This is yet another beneficial property of Rose Oil. It stimulates the hormone secretions which trigger menstruation. It is particularly effective on those who are suffering from obstructed and irregular menses. It also eases cramps, nausea, and fatigue while reducing the pain associated with menstruation and Post-Menopausal Syndrome.

Hemostatic: This property of the Essential Oil of Rose can be very useful for people who are suffering fromhemorrhaging (bleeding, external or internal) after an injury or surgery. This speeds up clotting and coagulation of blood and stops excessive bleeding; this property can quite literally save your life.

Hepatic: This simply means that rose essential oil is good for the health of the liver. It keeps it strong, properly functioning and protected from infections. It also treats problems like the excess flow of bile, acids, and ulcers.

Laxative: There cannot be a laxative with a better scent than this, which is an ironic benefit for a laxative. It can serve as a harmless and effective laxative with a beautiful smell causing no adverse side effects. It also influences the intestinal and anal muscles to help clear bowels. This helps in losing weight and preventing excess toxicity in the body.

Nervine: Rose essential oil acts as a tonic for the nerves. It gives them strength to bear shock and protects them from disorders resulting from age and injuries. It will keep your hands from trembling and help you overcome your anxiety when saying those three magic words to your dream girl for the first time.  Of course, you should also have a rose in your hand!

Stomachic: Rose Oil is astomachic as well. It soothes the stomach, sedates inflammation, helps it function properly and protects it from infections. It also protects it from ulcers which often develop due to over production of acids and their release into the stomach. Excessive acid can lead to heartburn, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, excess gas, impacted bowels, and bloating.

Cholagogue: It promotes the flow of bile from the gall bladder and helps to regulate the acid levels in the stomach and the blood, thus keeping you safe from problems like acidity and acidosis. This bile also helps in the digestion of food, together with the acids secreted into the stomach. Improved digestion can reduce the chances of constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and even more serious conditions like colorectal cancer.

Uterine: Rose essential oil can take care of many feminine problems such as uterine discharge, tumors, bleeding, and irregular menses. It purifies the uterus as well, and keeps it functioning properly even in advanced age, thereby delaying menopause. By regulating menstruation, it is possible to eliminate the associated symptoms and problems of menstruation, including mood swings, hormonal imbalance, overeating, bloating, cramping, and excessive bleeding.

Other Benefits: It regulates hormone production and helps to balance them throughout the body. It is one of the best oils to give you shining, fresh and youthful skin. Its aroma keeps you charged and feeling happy. It promotes circulation, takes care of the heart, reduces blood pressure and helps to cure headaches, asthma, dehydration, leucorrhea and various other infections.

A Few Words of Caution: It can eliminate headaches if used in mild concentrations, but its strong aroma can do just the opposite if a very high concentration is used. Being an Emenagogue, it should not be used during pregnancy, since there is no definite evidence of whether the effects of rose essential oil can be transferred to the fetus. It could possibly cause a miscarriage if taken in excess, so it is best to generally avoid it.

Blending: This Essential Oil blends well with Geranium, Jasmine, Clove and Palma Rosa essential oils

The 10 essential oils listed below have a number of different benefits that range from health care to home and garden maintenance, and many other uses in between. Many other oils out there also have numerous uses, but if you only plan to have a few in the house at any given time, these may be your best bet.

1. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia,aka Lavandula officinalis)If you only plan to have one essential oil in the house, make it this one.Lavender has been used for medicinal and home care purposes for thousands of years, and is one of the most versatile EOs you can get. When it comes to therapeutic uses, lavender can be applied topically to alleviate:

• Skin rashes
• Acne
• Insect bites
• Minor burns

It’s also an effective disinfectant for cuts and scrapes.
A few drops of lavender oil in a bath can help to soothe frayed nerves and help you get a good night’s sleep, and rubbing the oil into your temples and forehead can relieve headaches. Add a drop or two to a paste of baking soda and water for an effective underarm deodorant, and those same few drops can help to alleviate sinus issues and respiratory infections when added to a steam inhale.
In the home, sachets of dried lavender with some extra oils dribbled in can keep moths away (just tuck the sachets into your closet or chest of drawers), and adding a few drops to your laundry’s rinse cycle can eliminate odors from stinky socks and sweaty gym clothes. Add lavender oil to the water you use to wash the floor to freshen up your living space, and a drop or two placed inside fresh toilet paper rolls will release their scent whenever someone tugs a few sheets free.

2. Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)This is one of the most beneficial and useful essential oils to have on hand, and with good cause: it’s often been called “a medicine cabinet in a bottle,” as it can be used to treat almost any common ailment. Although you’d never consume tea tree oil, you can use it topically to treat the following:

• Athlete’s foot
• Dermatitis/eczema
• Acne
• Cold sores
• Nail fungus
• Warts
• Insect bites

…just to name a few. You can add a few drops of it to unscented shampoo to alleviate dandruff and psoriasis, and a few more drops in that same shampoo will treat head lice as well.
For use around the home, you can add a teaspoon of tea tree oil to the water in a misting bottle to create a disinfectant spray for counter tops, door handles, etc., and a few drops of undiluted oil around your pet’s bed basket will keep fleas at bay.

3. Lemon (Citrus limonum)This is one of the best essential oils for home use, as it has more applications than most other oils will ever dream of. A few drops of lemon EO added to olive oil makes a gorgeous furniture polish, and we add the EO to dish detergent, homemade laundry soap, floor cleaners, and spray cleaners. You can add a drop or two to a mixture of coarse salt and baking soda and then use that as an antibacterial scour for wooden cutting boards and butcher blocks.

Lemon essential oil also has therapeutic uses:

• Add a couple of drops to a glass of water and gargle with it to relieve bad breath.
• A few drops added to shampoo can alleviate dandruff.
• Lemon oil added to a bath or diffuser can alleviate anxiety.
• Blended with aloe gel, it acts as an anti-microbial hand sanitizer.

One thing to keep in mind is that lemon essential oil can make your skin photosensitive, so don’t slather it on and then go sunbathing: wait 12 hours before exposing lemon-daubed skin to sunshine.

4. Peppermint (Mentha piperita)Most people have probably taken a cup of peppermint tea to alleviate nausea or an upset stomach, but you can also massage your abdomen with a carrier oil that has a few drops of peppermint essential oil added to it to relieve stomach cramps and queasiness.

If you or your pet has a tick under your skin, a drop or two of pure, undiluted peppermint EO will draw the insect out so it can be eliminated. Blended with pine and eucalyptus and added to a carrier oil, peppermint is great for applying to the chest and throat to calm coughing fits and help relieve bronchial congestion, and a drop or two added to cool water can make a great foot soak to soothe tired, overheated feet.
Around the home, you can spray diluted peppermint oil into stinky shoes and boots to eliminate odors, and add a teaspoon of the EO to floor-washing water to add fresh scent, as well as antibacterial properties. Placing a few drops of peppermint oil around cracks in walls will also deter rodents and spiders: they can’t stand the scent of it.

5. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)Hailing from Australia, this essential oil can be recognized easily by scent.
As mentioned above, eucalyptus EO is great for alleviating chest congestion (either blended with other oils or alone), and a salve made with it can also ease asthma attacks when spread on the throat and chest. That same salve may help to alleviate the pain of fibromyalgia if rubbed into the affected area a few times a day. A few drops added to a compress and placed on skin affected by shingles can ease the pain associated with that condition, and may speed the healing process.

Eucalyptus’ disinfectant properties make it ideal to use in a spray for your kitchen and bathroom, or diffuse the oil in your bathroom to eliminate germs and odors.

6. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)Clove oil has been used for dental issues for centuries, and is one of the best treatments available for toothaches, gum disease, cold sores, and canker sores. It should always be diluted (as it’s very strong), and shouldn’t be used by those with super-sensitive skin.

You can also use the diluted oil for:

• Athlete’s foot
• Prickly heat rash
• Wounds and cuts
• Fungal infections
• Insect bites or stings
• Bruises
• Ear aches (poured on a cotton swab and tucked just inside the ear canal)

For home use, diffuse the oil in bedrooms to repel mosquitoes, and add a few drops to baking soda to sprinkle over carpets before vacuuming to get rid of fleas. You can also tuck cloves into an orange to make a pomanderand hang that in a closet to repel moths, or in the kitchen to keep flies away.

7. Chamomile (Arthemis nobilis)Gentle and soothing, chamomile has been used as a calming herb since the Roman era, and a cup of chamomile tea can work wonders to quieten frayed nerves. Used topically, chamomile essential oil can be used either diluted or neat (full strength) for:

• Boils
• Dry skin
• Eczema
• Dermatitis
• Acne
• Bee and wasp stings
• Cuts
• Bruises

You can also diffuse it to alleviate insomnia, stress and anxiety, depression, and irritability, especially when associated with PMS or menopause. Around the house, you can diffuse the oil to calm children who may be hyperactive or argumentative, and it can be dribbled near open doorways to repel mites and fleas.

*Just a note: people who are allergic to ragweed may have adverse reactions to chamomile as well.

8. Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)Considering that oil of frankincense was found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb, it’s safe to say that this fabulous substance has been valued for quite a while.
Topically, you can use this EO to improve the following issues:

• Acne
• Warts
• Cuts and scrapes (it’s a great disinfectant)
• Boils
• Scar tissue
• Cysts
• Insect bites

This oil can be diffused to alleviate stress, and some people find that it helps to reduce migraine headache pain as well.
For home use, diffuse the oil to repel mosquitoes and flies. The scent may also help to alleviate stress, anxiety or panic attacks, depression, and insomnia.

9. Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)Bright and cheery, grapefruit essential oil is uplifting and multi-purpose.
You can use it topically for:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Oily skin and hair
• Cellulite
• Acne
• Migraines or tension headaches (massage into temples and forehead)
• Deodorant (add a drop to a mixture of baking soda and water, then apply to underarms with a cotton ball)

*Note: like lemon, grapefruit can make your skin photosensitive, so stay out of the sunshine for 12–24 hours after applying it.

In the home, you can sprinkle a few drops around your dog’s bed to repel fleas (but keep the oil away from cats), and use it in the same way as lemon for anti-bacterial cleaning sprays. You can even sprinkle an old sock or handkerchief with grapefruit EO and then toss it in the dryer with your laundry to give it a fresh citrus scent without the use of any harmful chemicals.

10. Oregano (Origanum vulgare)With its anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-microbial, and antiseptic properties, oregano essential oil is as great to use around the house as it is on the body. It should never be used undiluted, however, and pregnant or nursing women should avoid using it.
Oregano EO can aid with:

• Fungal infections
• Bruises
• Athlete’s foot
• Sprains
• Arthritis pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Tendonitis
• Cysts
• Warts
• Candida
• Shingles
• Herpes

Diluted in water, it makes a fantastic anti-bacterial spray for counter tops and high-traffic areas in your house, and you can use the undiluted oil around your bed to repel bed bugs, mites, lice, and fleas. The undiluted oil can cause skin irritation, so wear gloves if you’re going to use it full strength for home cleaning purposes.

Keep in mind that the quality of oil you get will determine efficacy as well. If you plan to use these oils mostly for health care, first aid and such, it’s worth investing a few extra dollars on high quality, organic essential oils. If you’d prefer to use these in cleaning products and the like, the standard EOs that you can find in pharmacies and health food stores should be just fine.

Before using any essential oils, please do your research on it to educate yourself thoroughly on their uses and possible toxicity (i.e. lemon essential oil should be kept away from cats), and employ common sense when using them.

A lovely natural way to freshen your room

Use a fine mist spray bottle and blend distilled water with a small amount of vodka/pure alcohol which helps the oils to blend.  Let them sit for a day and then give a good shake before each spray

Try one of these combinations - you can even use them as body sprays, but check sensitivity and do not spray on your face.

20 drops lime
14 bergamot
4 ylang ylang
2 rose

or

15 clary sage
9 lavender
9 lemon

or

20 rosemary
4 peppermint
8 grapefruit

Peppermint oil is a fantastic oil to have in your natural medicine cupboard.

This cooling and refreshing essential oil is used to stimulate the mind, increase mental agility and to increase focus, while cooling the skin, reducing redness and calming irritation and itchiness. It can also help to ease migraines, headaches, sinus and chest congestion, boosts the digestive system and helps with indigestion.

In hot weather, put a few drops into distilled water and use a fine mist spray bottle to create a refreshing spritz (keep away from your eyes)

You can add a drop or 2 to a glass of water for a refreshing, cooling drink.

Mix peppermint and lavender in a carrier oil and rub on your forehead, wrist and bottom of your feet for a fresh feeling (this is a great one when you need a lift at your desk too).
 
Peppermint oil is non-toxic and non-irritant in low dilutions, but sensitization may be a problem due to the menthol content.

It can cause irritation to the skin and mucus membranes and should be kept well away from the eyes. It should be avoided during pregnancy and should not be used on children under seven.

              
I have to confess that I am a big fan of ayurvedia soaps and balms so I was really pleased to find a trusted supplier so we could bring some gorgeous soaps and healing balms to the shop (they arrived on Thursday and I have had to be very strict with myself and not buy up all the stock!)

If you have never tried them and wonder what the fuss is all about, here's an article I found on www.livestrong.com which sums it all up nicely.  As with all products, even natural ones, they may not suit everyone, particularly if you have really sensitive skin  and some of the soaps can leave your skin squeaky clean but feeling dry. However,and this is just me speaking for myself here, I feel that the benefits I get from the herbs and oils are worth having to use a little moisturiser or pure oil after use.  - posted by Fi   xx

One of the world’s oldest medical systems, Ayurveda originated thousands of years ago in India. The Sanskrit term Ayurveda comes from the word “ayur,” meaning “life,” and “veda,” meaning “knowledge.” Over the centuries, Ayurveda became the science of life, providing a foundation for a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes natural cures and treatments to restore a person's energy and promote healing. The same principles apply to Ayurvedic products such as Ayurvedic soap.

In accordance with the tenets of Ayurveda, Ayurvedic soap contains only natural ingredients, placing an emphasis on plant products and avoiding man-made ingredients or animal byproducts. One kind of Ayurvedic soap would feature a base of vegetable oils, glycerine and then an assortment of healing oils. The soap never uses harsh chemicals. Coconut oils, ginger extract, orange oil and sandalwood oil are a few of the more common ingredients found in Ayurvedic soap.

Used in the same fashion as traditional soap, Ayurvedic soap cleans and refreshes the skin, with its specific ingredients determining its exact effects. According to Natural Therapy Web, an alternative healing community, Ayurvedic soap uses coconut oil to nourish the skin, ginger extract to relax and firm the skin, lime seed oil for deep cleaning, and orange oil to help reduce pimples, blackheads and other blemishes.

Traditional soaps can often strip the natural oils that serve to moisturize and protect the skin, causing irritation. Because they don’t include harsh chemicals, Ayurvedic soaps are much gentler on the skin, helping prevent rashes and blemishes while still being strong enough to cleanse. Manufacturers may also tailor certain Ayurvedic soaps to possess anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties or to achieve specific sensations such as increased relaxation or improved circulation for a sense of warming.

Because it only uses natural ingredients and avoids cheap chemicals, Ayurvedic soap may be more expensive than traditional soaps. Read the product label to ensure the soap follows the true spirit of Ayurveda and doesn’t include any synthetic ingredients or employ animal testing.

This is a really useful description of Ayurveda, taken from the Chopra Centre website.


Q: What is Ayurveda?
A: Ayurveda is a system of preventive medicine and health care that developed in India more than 5,000 years ago. The word Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit root words: Ayus, or “life,” and Veda, meaning “knowledge” or “science.” Ayurveda is therefore usually translated as “the science of life.” However, a more precise translation would be “the knowledge of the lifespan.” Ayurveda offers practical tools, insights, and information for living in balance and health, without interference from illness.

Q: Is Ayurveda a form of holistic medicine?
A: Yes. Ayurveda is a healing system that treats the whole person – the integration of body, mind, and spirit – rather than simply treating individual symptoms. For instance, we know that ongoing stress damages our immune system, and when the immune system is weakened, we are more vulnerable to disease and illness. We also know that when our mind experiences pleasure, our brain releases healing chemicals to our entire body, creating feelings of happiness and well-being as well as promoting health.

Ayurveda takes holistic medicine a step further, treating people not as isolated individuals but as an inextricable part of the whole universe. In India’s ancient Vedic tradition, there is an underlying intelligence that flows through and connects everyone and everything in the universe. Ayurveda sees life as the exchange of energy and information between individuals and their extended body – the environment. If our environment is nourishing, we thrive; if our environment is toxic; we may become sick. Therefore, learning how to eliminate toxicity and surround ourselves with a healing environment is the key to health.

Q: How is Ayurveda different from conventional Western medicine?
A: In contrast with conventional medicine, which has devoted a lot of effort to isolating the differences among various diseases, Ayurveda focuses on the unique qualities of individuals, pointing out that diseases differ mainly because people are so different.

Ayurveda teaches that all health-related measures — whether an exercise program, dietary plan or herbal supplement — must be based on an understanding of an individual’s unique mind-body constitution or dosha. By knowing a patient’s dosha, an Ayurvedic doctor can tell which diet, physical activities, and medical therapies are most likely to help, and which might do no good or even cause harm.

In addition, while Western medicine has tended to treat the symptoms of disease, Ayurveda seeks to eliminate illness by treating the underlying cause. For example, for a patient suffering from depression, an allopathic physician would likely prescribe a standard course of antidepressants and, perhaps, therapy.

An Ayurvedic doctor, on the other hand, would seek to understand the root imbalances contributing to the depression. The doctor would look at the patient as a whole, taking into consideration his or lifestyle, activities, diet, recent stressful events, beliefs, and mind-body constitution. The Ayurvedic practitioner would then recommend a treatment plan taking all of these factors into account.

Ayurveda doesn’t reject the use of antidepressants and other prescription medications – in fact, Ayurveda’s central principle is that we should make use of whatever healing modalities will restore health and balance to the body, including herbal remedies, dietary changes, pharmaceutical medications, meditation, exercise, psychotherapy, and so on.

Q: What are the doshas?
A: According to Ayurveda there are five master elements or mahabhutas that make up everything within our bodies and everything outside of our bodies: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Space carries all the aspects of pure potentiality – infinite possibilities; air has the qualities of movement and change; fire is hot, direct, and transformational; water is cohesive and protective; and earth is solid, grounded, and stable.

Biological systems weave these five forces into three primary patterns known as doshas. They are most easily thought of as mind-body principles that govern our style of thinking and behaving. Vata dosha, woven from the elements of Space and Air, regulates movement and change in our minds and bodies. Pitta dosha, comprised of Fire and Water, governs digestion and metabolism. Kapha dosha, made from Earth and Water, maintains and protects the integrity and structure of our mind and body.

Biological systems weave these five forces into three primary patterns known as doshas. They are most easily thought of as mind-body principles that govern our style of thinking and behaving. Vata dosha, woven from the elements of Space and Air, regulates movement and change in our minds and bodies. Pitta dosha, comprised of Fire and Water, governs digestion and metabolism. Kapha dosha, made from Earth and Water, maintains and protects the integrity and structure of our mind and body.

All three doshas are present in every cell, tissue, and organ – for movement, metabolism, and protection are essential components of life. What makes life interesting is that although everyone has all three doshas, each of us mixes them together in a unique way, which determines the distinctive qualities of our mind and body.

Knowing what your dosha is provides invaluable information that will help you get in touch with your body’s inner intelligence. You can find out what your dosha is right now by taking the Dosha Quiz here.

Q: What is the Ayurvedic perspective on health and illness?
A: The guiding principle of Ayurveda and the other Eastern healing arts is the interconnection of all things. We aren’t simply an isolated collection of atoms and molecules, but are an inseparable part of the infinite field of intelligence. From this holistic perspective, health isn’t merely the absence of illness or symptoms ― it is a higher state of consciousness that allows vitality, well-being, creativity, and joy to flow into our experience.

In contrast, illness is a disruption ― a blockage in the flow of energy and information that creates a sense of separation or alienation from the field. Symptoms and sickness are the body’s signal that we need to restore balance, eliminate whatever is causing the blockages, and reestablish the healthy flow of energy and information.

Q: What are Ayurveda's guiding principles?
A: Ayurveda teaches that the mind has the greatest influence in directing the body toward sickness and health. Thousands of years before modern medicine "discovered" the mind-body connection, the ancient sages had mastered it. They developed Ayurveda as a system for contacting our own inner intelligence (or mind), bringing it into balance, and then extending that balance to the body.

The Ayurvedic principles for restoring and maintaining mind-body balance are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago:

1) Take time each day to quiet your mind (meditate).
2) Eat a colorful, flavorful diet.
3) Engage in daily exercise that enhances flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular fitness.
4) Sleep soundly at night.
5) Eliminate what is not serving you.
6) Cultivate loving, nurturing relationships.
7) Perform work that awakens your passion.

Q: Can Ayurvedic medicine help with physical injuries?
A: Ayurveda has been used for thousands of years to alleviate every type of health issue, including physical injuries. Ayurveda contrasts with the mechanical allopathic approach to medicine in that it looks at the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—but by including consciousness, it is not excluding the physical body. For virtually every physical ailment or injury, Ayurveda offers a healing protocol.

Amethyst
Amethyst has strong energy and this can be easily felt. Amethyst purifies and transmutes all forms of negativity. It provides protection and balance during transition periods. It carries both healing and enhancing properties. It gives a spiritual perspective on life's circumstances. Associated with heart chakra, amethyst can ease a betrayed heart and heal the sense of loss of life and innocence. It increases wisdom and helps you act and think at your highest level.

Ammonite
Ammonite is believed by feng shui experts to be associated to the scales of Qilin, the Chinese mythical beast, because the patterns and colours on it are the same as scales of Qilin. Therefore the stone brings wisdom, riches and illustrious sons. The 7 colours of the stone also signify the 7 chakras of human body. In recent years, experts of feng shui had discovered the 70 million years old ammonite that is believed to be a powerful wealth stone.

Aventurine
Aventurine brings education luck, abundance and prosperity. It is also a suitable energizer to nurture self-potential in studies, sales, doing business and career advancement. It promotes inner growth, self-initiative and personal development. Good when taking examinations.

Carnelian
Put 9 tumbled carnelian crystals in a bowl and placed it in the Northeast corner of your home. This will help you to approach new situations with an ‘open mind’. To help your child or yourself studying, hold a carnelian crystal or a citrine in your hand or place it on the Northeast sector of your desk. When placed by the front door will invoke protection and invite abundance into the home.

Celestite
A large piece of celestite in a room will heighten vibrations benefitting health and well-being.

Citrine
Citrine is the wealth stone for feng shui pratitioners. Due to the high demand, it became expensive. After displaying or wearing the citrine, many people claim to receive windfall, upsurge in finance and improved income. Citrine helps heal self-esteem issues and encourages a bright outlook and happiness. On health side, it is said to improve stress-related digestive problems.

Place a large piece of citrine in the Southeast corner of the home. You can place them on a cash box or carry the crystal in your purse or wallet. Since citrine has the ability to bring wealth to its owner, it is also known as the Merchant’s stone.

Clear Quartz
Placing clear quarts in the Career area of the home can aid intuition as well as to encourage the making of the right career decisions. A clear quartz pyramid placed in the South will boost up your recognition and fame, it also improves your promotion prospects and reputation.

Fluorite
Placing Fluorite on a computer can help protect you from harmful emissions.

Hematite
Black tourmaline and hematite provide strong protective energies. Hematite possesses magnetic effect. This stone is used to enhance logic thinking, rational thinking, mathematic ability and depth of technical knowledge.

Tumbled hematite is often used for its grounding and centering energy as well as for the protective qualities. If your child get overexcited easily and has trouble concentrating or focusing, several pieces of hematite can be placed in his or her room to help with a grounding quality of energy. To benefit from its protective qualities, you can place several tumbled hematites either inside or outside your front door. For example, if there are big pots with plants on both sides of your main door, place the hematites at the base of the plant pot or on top of the soil.

Jade
Jade is used to reduce negativity and improve love, courage, wisdom, chastity and justice. It also promotes balance, harmony and tranquility. These stones are exellent for recovery after an unpleasant experience such as minor surgery, funerals, loss of job or divorce. Jade provides peacefulness and endurance when worn. On the medical side, jade strengthens the heart, immune system and the kidneys. It helps to purify blood and encourages a long life.

Placing a jade item in the East is said to bestow long life, wealth, health, generosity and wordly wisdom.

Lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli intensifies psychic power among the intuitive. It stimulates mental strength and intellectual precision.

Moonstone
Moonstone placed in the Children area of the home is believed to enhance fertility. Women like this stone because it can rejuvenate the hair and skin and reducing water retention. The stone also provides protection for travellers.

Rose Quartz
Feng shui practitioners use rose quartz crystal to heal a broken heart as well as to improve love and romance. It emanates specific frequencies that promote heart healing.

Selenite
Placing a large piece of selenite in the house will promote a peaceful atmosphere.

Smoky Quartz
Smoky quartz clears and transmutes negative emotions. It stabilizes mood swings and grounds all negative energies. This crystal helps to clarify thought and remove bad dreams. Smoky Quartz also counters burnout, vengeful thoughts and fear of failure, as well as the tendency to over-eat, drink or smoke as a reaction to stress.

Sodalite
Sodalite helps alleviate insomnia caused by overactive mental chatter. The crystal provides mental focus, dispels irrelevant thoughts and maintains logical reasoning with regard to emotional situations. Sodalite also promotes trust and enhances companionship. Its blue color represents the water element.

Turquoise
A beautiful blue turquoise crystal in the Northwest area of the home encourages mentors and universal support.

Where to Place Feng Shui Crystals

• Place a clear crystal ball near the entryway of your home, in its Southeast sector (area that controls wealth and luck in a building) for secure good financial fortune. You also can attract good fortune into your shop by placing a crystal near your cash register.

• In the Northwest sector, put one crystal to promote the most lucrative and productive relationships with business partners and mentors. To optimize the results, you can use 6 crystal balls in accordance with 6 (the number of Northwest). The element of this area is metal and crystals represents earth, earth produces metal in the productive cycle.

• To enhance love and romance, you can place two crystal balls in the Southwest corner of the bedroom or living room. Two is the number of the Southwest. Normally people place two rose quartz hearts or a full bowl of rose quartz crystals in this area.

• Maximize the success, wealth and family harmony by placing between 1 – 6 pieces of crystal in the centre of the home or the corner diagonal to the entrance. Negative energy can be deflected from entering your home by placing a clear crystal ball in entryway or opposite your main door at eye level.

• Sharpen learning energy with the placement of a clear crystal in the educational sector or Northeast of a student’s room or on the desk itself.

• A faceted crystal can be hang from the rear view mirror to clear the flow of energy. A crystal pendant in a window acts to transform hard energy or “sha” coming in from the street into soft energy or “chi” in your car.

• Combining crystals with all the five elements in a bowl and place it at the Eastern sector of your house will help to create a harmonious and calm effect for the whole family. Water element crystal is blue or black in colour, earth crystal is brown or yellow, metal crystal is white in colour, wood will be green and fire is red or pink.

• For those who are having difficulties in their finance, place some crystals with metal coins in a metal bowl. Then place the bowl at the West sector of your home in order to generate some good luck.

• Cleanse your crystals after you bought them or receive them as a gift. This is to reset the crystal’s vibration to be receptive to the new place and owner. Some people may recommend salt water to cleanse it while others use pure water soaking followed by exposure to the sun. There are also some people who recommend flushing crystals with running water. The most effective way recommended by some feng shui masters is to cleanse them using the chi-refreshing “singing bowl”.

 I would like to add a couple of observations following on from the video about meditation posted earlier. It's a good technique. They refer to it as a beginners method, but it seems to be the case with meditation that people start with a basic form, they get really into it, they "progress" onto more "advanced" forms and methods, but at some point they seem to come back to the basics.So beginners methods are ALSO what the masters do.

There are a great many forms of meditation, and they are as varied as food ( imagine trying to compare Angel delight with smoked salmon?). So trying one form and not getting on with it is no basis for dismissing other forms. That would be akin to saying "I don't like blue cheese so I'm not going to take a chance on oranges".

Of course, not wanting to do so is the only reason you need! But whether you realise it or not you have been meditating since the moment of your birth. Meditation is simply the act of focusing your awareness on something, so whatever you re thinking of at a particular time, that's what you are meditating on. 

Most people though, when they talk about meditation, are talking about mindfully, deliberately placing your awareness upon something, even when that something is Nothing. Some meditations are very physical, some involve movement, or making sound ( such as a mantra, or shamanic drumming, or chanting). Some involve silence, stillness, or playfulness, or prayerfulness. Some meditations are thousands of years old, some were invented last week. 

I first tried transcendental meditation back in the late 70s... it was OK, but it didn't get me so mad for it that I carried on. Not for long anyway.

I forgot all about meditation for several years, until I came across paganism in the mid 80s, and particularly shamanism. Shortly after that I meditated under the tutelage of a Vedic master. That, combined with the shamanic experiences profoundly changed my life. And since then I have meditated in many different ways, but those two are my "go to " forms. 

But the form doesn't matter. You really ARE meditating anyway, and the more you meditate on something, the more you bring it into your life... so be mindful in where you place your attention. And if a style doesn't suit you, try a different one because you are the pilot of you own journey. You are steering, so only go where you want to go. But also be aware that sometimes you will find it hard, uncomfortable, and challenging, because we all have unpleasant stuff within us that needs to be released, or we might find that our bodies struggle at first with the rigours of certain disciplines. And some things are simply challenging by their nature. 

Just keep your focus on the highest qualities you can conceive of, and see what happens . 

Neil

I love this really simple guide - it's helpful without being too mysterious!  Listening to music before you get going is a good tip.  We'll review their Binaural Beats and share our thoughts later.  Enjoy!

Here are some crystals which can help with studying or taking exams.  Keep them on your desk, by your computer or wear them in a pendant or bracelet.  We can help make simple pendant wraps or bracelets if there is a stone you would like to work with or we have pendant and keyring cages at the shop.  If you would like a pdf version of this list, contact us and we'll sent one to you!

There are some wonderful  traditions associated with Beltane - many have been "adopted" and cleaned up to take the fertility and sexiness away from them, but we all know what the real intent is when you dance around a maypole!
Here's a great site with details of different Beltane traditions, including what happens at a Handfasting (pagan wedding)

 http://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/beltane

I really like Lourdes and Tara from
 HealingCrystals.com!  They don't take themselves too seriously and are so enthusiastic about crystals but offer some good advice about how to use them.  If you like their style, check out their other videos. 

We are really big on recycling - especially clothes, so I hope you have a bit of fun with this no sew       t-shirt bag.  Imagine this with your old band t-shirts or the ones you can't bear to part with but just don't fit any more!  Have fun and let us see your creations :-)

Fi  xxx

This video shows you a good way to hold the bowl and get different tones from it.

I've always been fascinated by the lovely sound and feel of the Chinese exercise balls but have never really understood what they do or what their benefits are.  
Found some straightforward advice on a website called http://www.about.com/religion/


The use of Chinese exercise balls is based on the theory of jing luo (merdians) and xue (acupuncture points). Two or more balls are placed in the palm and manipulated by the hand and fingers. As the balls are rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise by the finger movements vital acupuncture points in the hand are stimulated.

Exercising with Chinese health balls is intended to restore energy and blood flow to the brain, muscle, and bones, and as a result improve overall health and ultimately prolong life. According to Chinese medicine the ten fingers are connected to the cranial nerve, and the body's vital organs (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, gallbladder, and stomach).

History of Chinese Exercise BallsTraditional Chinese exercise balls date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Original balls were solid. Later the balls were made hollow and were generally made from metal. Sounding plates are housed inside a paired set of metal exercise balls creating chime sounds when they are handled. One sounds high representing "yin" and the other sounds low representing "yang."Today you can find a variety of exercise balls sculpted from different mediums (wood, metal, and stone). Many of them are quite beautiful and have artistic value. Metal balls are the most commonly used for exercise because they are more durable, and the metal health balls are also considered to be the most therapeutic.

Chinese exercise balls typically are sold in pairs. It is recommended that children use the balls measuring 30 millimeters while tall adults can rely on the balls measuring up to 60 millimeters. For an average woman, 35mm to 40mm balls are recommended and 40 to 50 mm balls are suggested for an average man. Smaller balls are recommended if you wish to advance your exercise by manipulating 3, 4, or even 5 balls together in your hand.Other Names for Chinese Exercise Balls

• Baoding balls
• Chinese Therapy Balls
• Chinese Stress Balls
• Chinese Health Balls
• Yin and Yang Balls