Herbs

Mind + Body + Spirit = YOU So another blog about healing…why not! 🙂 I’m captivated about stories of old where spiritual advisers were also physical healers and psychologists – it was all one science, one approach, and one way to be ‘whole and healthy’. In my own meandering way, I have made that idea my life’s work. The definition of ‘Holistic’ according to the Miriam Webster dictionary is: “relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts; holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body”  It’s a word and a concept that is much bandied about these days, however I feel that this definition has been lost in the practice a little.  To me (and to Miriam it seems) addressing the whole is treating mind and body together – rather than simply using an ‘holistic approach’ that is by and large, still reductionist in application, but using something other than pharmaceuticals. So often these days we hear or see of ‘this one thing’ that will fix all that ails us. One exercise, one herb, one oil, one vitamin, one practice. Self compassion is a wonderful tool, but we can’t self-compassion our way out of everything. Sometimes it takes a different strategy. So for me, ‘healing holistically’ speaks to the ability, the potential, the skills and the knowledge to take it all on, and by that I mean, being as the healers of old, and willing to improve the functioning of the mind (through mental alchemy), as well as the body. And going further still – I believe the spiritual self also needs to be activated and part of the process! This may mean working with the energetic body, or it could also mean activating the soul mind and spirit to assist in the healing process. This holistic (or whole-istic) approach is so important. The further we go with the science of brain and body, in addition to mind and vibration – we can truly start to see that we sell ourselves short if we try to look for one cause or one remedy. Give yourself some credit – you are far more complex than this reductionist view. Everything impacts everything else… Mind is the light, the builder, and the bridge between spirit and body… Edgar Cayce To address the physical self we must also approach the mind, as every thought we have causes a cascade of chemistry to be released in the body (yep, you have your own little pharmacy going on up top there). So the mind interfaces with this beautiful world through an organic structure – the brain. This is exciting, as it means that through intention, thought and will, we can use mind to release particular chemistry that can help us to be balanced, strengthened, relaxed and restored! This is how mind can aid in the recovery of the body, as well as in recovery from brain states such as anxiety, depression and other unhelpful psychological experiences. The physical body though, is of the Earth, and so often needs physical remedies (in addition to assistance from our mind). In his over 9,000 psychic readings on physical health conditions, Edgar Cayce would often direct people to passages in the Bible to assist with healing, stating (and I’m paraphrasing) – ‘you have to get your head in the right place first’. These passages often spoke of love, acceptance, forgiveness etc. So, before getting deep into the physiology of the body, he went to mind. In my own practice, I also find this so helpful, because now we are reaching out to the higher parts of ourselves, we are reaching out to our soul – our spiritual self to give us the strength of heart and direction of mind to send the right kind of chemistry flooding through our system. Mind yes, but we working through the brain to impact the physical. And what of the spirit? That which imbues every aspect of our existence… When we truly learn to open up to this energy – it becomes impossible to deny. It goes from being a nice idea, or something we better take account of because we’re just not sure what is coming next – to that which causes us to tingle, takes our breath away, makes us giddy and moves our heart to sing. That universal force or creative energy or vibration – moving through every cell, every colour, every sound, every emotion, every thought…. every experience… every moment. So we employ practices and strategies to heal and attune our whole mind-body-spirit complex. This doesn’t need to be overwhelming or over-complicated. Is it ambitious though? Absolutely. But how can it be otherwise? How can we do it any other way and have real and lasting change. Real and lasting growth. More and more therapists are coming online with multiple modalities in their tool kit, and this is fabulous. For me, my gathering of skills has included (from physical to energetic) nursing, herbalism, psychology, spiritual mentorship and dowsing of energies. I love science and I love mysticism. Even my practice of Psychology is now more openly spiritual or mystical, particularly as I lean more into the study of Hermeticism. I have always had a touch of the Alchemist about me though – which is why I love my herbs. And there again, I have always loved to add the practice of dowsing or divining to the development of my herbal formulas. It is all one science at the end of the day – the science of life, the science of energy. We are spirit, we are mind, and we are body. Let’s embrace that and start acting like ‘it’s a thing’. If you’re interested to learn more about my ‘holistic’ therapeutic’ offerings – here’s a link to my Signature Therapies page. #soulutiontherapy #signitureprograms #integrative therapy

Divining the Vibrations of Life Sacred geometry, vibrations, vibratory patterns and divining energies. What’s this then? In the past, I have discussed the idea of medical dowsing; or using the pendulum to identify what your body might need at any particular time. Or even need to avoid! This is extremely helpful in determining what is right for your body, not the general population, or even the person next door – YOUR BODY… specifically This is why dowsing is a particularly powerful tool to learn and understand. It’s a way in which we can develop our intuition to cut through the overwhelm of information that is out there, and develop a diet that suits us, work out which (if any) supplements we might need, as well as make countless other decisions in regard to our health… even clearing and energising water! We are able to do this as the pendulum is working with the subconscious mind and the subtle energies of the body, your individual vibratory signature, to determine what may be needed. And it also does this in the context of how those vibrations will ‘mingle and tingle’ with your very own vibrations. Energy Matching Over the years I have used the concept of ‘matching energies’ in my work as a Herbalist. Western Herbalists utilise potent liquid plant extracts to develop distinct formulas specific for the person they are working with. I have always envisioned it as bringing together different notes to create a beautiful and powerfully therapeutic piece of music for each individual person. It can become quite complex however! As there are a number of plant remedies specific for any organ, or organ system, and if you ‘re trying to address a multifaceted health condition that involves a number of systems (nervous, gut, immune etc.), there can easily be at least 20 or 30 different herbs indicated. And then there are emotions, nutritional deficiencies, inherited tendencies (damn those genetics), and yes, even previous life experiences to consider. Now, that’s incredibly tricky! To consider all of this is a little too overwhelming for most, so that is where dowsing, as well as the concept of vibrational matching becomes your secret weapon! As a Herbalist though, it means I can start broad and then dowse the remedies into a potent formula of around 6 or 7 herbs – identifying the ones that are absolutely specific for each individual. Is it a science? YES! The science of energetic matching; and when that is added to the understanding of herbs and their uses over the last few thousand years; along with the latest understanding of herbs from a physically based science perspective – you have something very dynamic. Vibratory Signatures We can go even further though, and learn more about vibratory signatures, life seals, and how to use the vibrations of color, music and crystals to enhance our own individual vibration, awaken latent talent through the chakras, and develop our psychic potential. I call these little gems ‘vibratory assists’, and you can read more about this is my blog on how to understand your ‘Soul Essence’.  However, we can also use the pendulum to alter current energetic patterns to match an optimal vibratory energy pattern – this is attunement. And attunement is healing, particularly when this applied to the different areas of the body, such as organs or organ systems. In the next blog I’ll share a very powerful (and personal) healing experience that came about through dowsing the energy around a serious pain point. So, if you were thinking that dowsing was all about finding lost objects or answering questions, think again! 🙂 The potential of what can be achieved when working with vibrations, vibratory codes – and matching energies is extraordinary. And I hope this blog has given you a little taste of the incredible and exciting world of dowsing vibrations – and making your psychic self visible in the process. #Integrative Therapy #So(u)lution Therapy

The genie has the magic right? In this blog I discuss why I prefer to use the whole plant (herbs) remedies vs an isolated synthesised chemical (pharma), usually derived from the herb! This is like pulling apart the radio to see where the music is coming from… Many years ago I studied what is known as Physiomedicalism, which is an understanding of herbal prescribing that has come down through the European tradition over the last 2000 years (at least). This knowledge was then blended with that of the Indigenous Peoples of America. So, for those who don’t know, we have a very strong European tradition of herbal prescribing which is a little different to Chinese Medicine. In the European tradition we develop the formulas based on the specific need of the individual (rather than by condition), building it up herb by herb by herb. Generally, European herbalists utilise what are also known as Galenical Preparations, because they have actions over and above the isolated, or ‘active principle’ of the herb. This is using liquid extracts of the whole herb, that combine together with other herbs, into one big bottle of yucky tasting liquid gold. However, Professor H E Bock makes no distinction between the active principle of a plant and the use of the whole herb when he states… “Herbal medicine, either using the whole plants or isolated principles, is called phytotherapy. It presents itself as a gift of nature…” He emphasis’s the scientific application of herbs. Which is ok, as herbal medicine as it’s practiced today is based upon the latest science based evidence, in addition to the empirical use (verifiable by observation & experience) of plant therapy over thousands of years. It’s a blend of knowledge, which is really quite exciting. And yet, most herbalists would disagree with the above statement as they believe that there are a number of valuable differences between ‘galenical’ preparations and the use of isolated constituents. I know I certainly do! Nature as powerful wisdom keeper With a healthy regard for nature, herbalists know that the whole plant contains within it several other constituents that work to buffer the side effects observed when potent plant chemicals are administered in an isolated state. Like with a drug. This is not only understood, but valued. And this is something that speaks to the wisdom of herbs – they have a brilliantly complicated and potent chemistry that is put together in a way that is supportive and/or protective, when it comes to benefiting from the chemicals that pack the most punch. To see why this matters let’s look at a few examples. Rauwolfia Firstly, lets take the example of Rauwolfia Serpentinia. This is a herb that works mainly through the central nervous system to reduce blood pressure via reduction in the heart rate. It also appears to have a balancing action on the emotions, gently tranquilizing the nervous system. In this respect it has been used in India for several centuries, being mentioned in the ancient Hindu texts as far back as 1000 BC. One of the many people to savor it’s sedative effects was Gandhi, and in its long history of usage in the whole plant state, there have been no reported side effects. According to Dr R Wilkins, previous Director of the Hypertension Clinic at Massachusetts Memorial Hospital “it had a type of sedative action… the patients appear to be relaxed, quiet and tranquil…”, and this effect was noted without any accompanying grogginess or ‘fogginess’ being present. Viewed by Herbalists as a superior plant in the treatment of Hypertension, the main alkaloid of Rauwolfia, Reserpine, was eventually isolated and used as the basis of a pharmaceutical medication known as ‘Serpasil’. A quick search on the internet shows that this medication is still recommended for the treatment of High Blood Pressure. In the isolated form however, Reserpine produces unfortunate side effects, such as melancholia and depression, often severe enough to require hospitalization. Whilst it may be correct that reserpine contributes much toward the therapeutic action of the plant, there are at least 161 alkaloids found in this herb! It is believed that the combined action of all of the alkaloids improve tolerance and reduce risk of sensitive reactions to any one individual alkaloid. Ephedra (Ma Huang) Another example would be Ephedra sinica, or Ma Huang, a powerful bronchodilator used safely by the Chinese in the treatment of Asthma for many thousands of years. Working via the parasympathetic nervous system it is able to subdue bronchial spams, that was until the isolated active Ephedrine was made into a pharmaceutical drug, followed by pseudo-ephedrine. In the whole plant state however, it has a gentle ‘awakening’ activity, and formed part of a tea blend used by Indigenous peoples – known as New Dawn. I often used this tea as a substitute for coffee. Now, sadly, due to the abuse of the pharmaceutical versions, which have a much stronger (and addictive) action – the plant can no longer be used. Meadowsweet We don’t lose them all to pharmaceutical companies however. Take Meadowsweet – this beautifully gentle herb contains salicylic acid (or aspirin), however it also contains tannin and mucilage within its chemistry. These compounds are known to be protective and healing to the gut wall. Aloe Vera is example of a plant that is very high in mucilage, which is a slippery slimy kind of compound that places a barrier over the mucous membranes, so-that when you take Meadowsweet as a whole plant preparation, you get the pain relieving benefit of the salicylic acid, without any damage occurring to the gut wall! Win-Win I hear you say – and I would respond with a resounding Most Definitely! So as you can see…there are numerous constituents found in all plants, which together work synergistically to offer something more in the way of restoring and regulating bodily functions. The myriad of plant chemicals contained within any given remedy contribute their own special bit, and then there is the more metaphysical concept of...

Why you should pick up the pendulum I have used dowsing as part of my practice, and part of my life really, for more than 20 years now. I was first introduced to the art of dowsing when spending time in the gem fields of Nth West Queensland Australia, areas known as Sapphire, Rubyvale and Emerald (what’s not to love there!). It was affectionately known as ‘The Gemmies’ to my parents, who went there every winter for around 10 years, to dig for sapphires. I spent a couple of winters with them the first few years of my son’s life and while I was up there I met some very special people – characters all 🙂 One of whom taught me the art of dowsing. He grabbed a couple of copper rods one day and said simply, ‘lets see how you go’… and, well… I went good 🙂 I left it alone for a few years; then when studying herbal medicine I worked in a wonderful little ‘new age’ book shop. This is where I first came across books on ‘dowsing'(otherwise known as divining). New Age stores were very popular back then and what fabulous places they were – all full of spiritual texts, crystals, essential oils, flower essences and so much more. The first instruction was to find a pendulum (something heavy(ish) that hangs on a string or cord or chain or whatever), and ask it to show you a yes, and then to show you a no. I simply used what was hanging around my neck… and it just kinda took off! This was pretty special to me, as my pendulum of choice was a beautiful sapphire crystal, sometimes called a ‘dogs tooth sapphire’, that my wonderful mother had dug out of the earth herself, and gifted to me many years before. Joy. I still have it. And it’s very powerful. Intention and detached awareness So what have I found out about the art of dowsing since then? A number of things over the years, such as – do not ask it if you are going to meet the man of your dreams this week (or any time soon)! It loves to play games, and intention is everything. I’ve learnt that if I use it to assist with the development of healing protocols, the wisdom and depth of information that is able to be teased out is nothing short of astounding. (You might now be asking – what exactly is this ‘it’ you’re referring to? More on that later). When using the pendulum to assist in dowsing up herbal formulations, it’s important to understand that I use it in combination with 4 years of formal study and many years of experience! If something is contra-indicated, I’ll know about it. Beyond that, it offers true beauty as it’s able to see far beyond my current understanding. You may have heard me say this before, but I’m going to say it again… I see it as drawing together specific notes to create a beautiful piece of music to enhance the health of the individual person (body & mind) that I am working with. I start by choosing indicated remedies according to my training, however for each specific organ system there can be up to 6 or more herbs indicated. So when this is combined with other remedies for other organ systems that may need addressing, there are quite a few combinations on offer! This is the art of herbal prescribing. For me, dowsing first broadens the potential herbs that can be considered (as generally you only want 5-7 herbs in your formulation to maintain potency), before fine tuning the remedy into something that is absolutely specific for the individual I am treating. You can learn more about this on my therapies page. There is much, much more that can be done here, such as working from a diagnostic perspective… but that’s beyond the scope of this blog 🙂 I believe that working from this place of science based learning and intuited understanding, allows me to ‘SEE’ (Science, Energy and Empirical knowledge) so much more… Dowsing basics to get you going I also use various crystals to dowse and cleanse chakras, however there are many simple day-to-day uses as well. A very simple one is to place an item (anything and everything from crystals and jewellery… to food, vitamins and even books!) next to your hand, and then dowse the two. For me, it will look like this (and I say ‘look’ as I bear witness and learn so much about what this is while dowsing)… the pendulum will arc and encircle your hand and the item while it reads it, then it drops for a moment. After that, it will either circle and encompass the two again, indicating that the item is ‘good’ for you to take into your mind-body system, or if there is no value (or if it is detrimental) – then it will divide the two with a straight up and down motion. You can also use it to ‘read’ any ad or piece of information to determine the value of it ‘for you’. And of course, the most obvious one is to use it to answer a question, however this is not my forte when it comes to the pendulum. I’m more a dowser of energies. Start with finding what your ‘yes’ and ‘no’ looks like… to do this just ask it. Always remember though, that the potential for healing and insight offered will be matched by your intention, as well as the depth of your intention. Work with your values and ground yourself in your ideals, and keep your heart and mind pure – or at least working toward that place 🙂 Shhh – secret dowsing business Another very special thing that I have discovered along the way, that I have not found in any of the literature, is that if you place your left hand over your brow chakra while dowsing (divining), it...