No life is seen through the same eyes

 It’s a struggle these days to be sure. Everyone wants you doing what they're doing. People shaming others. People trying to be right, do right, and trying to control the actions and outcome of another, because of course, they’re right. It is incredibly stressful and really unachievable.  I was reminded of a painting class I took. There were twenty five of us, all with different life experiences and backgrounds. All of us received a canvas with the same pencilled in shapes. The canvases varied in sizes. We all got black and white paint, and could choose 3 other colours. All received the same instructions from the same instructor.  Each person was free to create thier own masterpieces using the tools and colours available. At the end of class we took all our paintings and placed them on a wall. Every single painting was different. Even though there were similarities, not one painting looked like the other. Placed together we had turned a rather dull wall into a feast for the eyes. And that’s true for life itself. We are all given a canvas in which to create a life, a work of art. We all come from different backgrounds and that gives us all a different perspective. When we can come together with openness and understanding we create a magnificent mural. Neither right nor wrong, good or bad. Beautiful together. It has never been more important to be understanding and kind to eachother. We all come from a different set of experiences. A different set of eyes in which we view the world, which is why no two people will see things the exact same way. By choosing to have just a little bit of understanding, patience and kindness with one another, we can come together and create the most stunning mural of life. No matter how you operate in this life, no one will ever be you, nor think like you, and that’s a great thing! Murals are boring when everythings the same! We cannot live or paint the exact same picture, because no picture or life is seen through the same set of eyes. 

Oil infusions

 I make most of my own oil infusions for my salves and such. Everything from dandelion and comfrey to rose hip and yarrow. Infusing oils is an excellent way to harness the nutritive and healing value of herbs. I primarily work with food grade ingredients to keep the nourishing value of the oils and herbs. They tend to be stripped away with cosmetic grade products. Doing it this way allows the same infused oil that I’d use for a salve or body oil, to also be used as the base oil for my vinaigrettes, marinades and cooking oils! Health does start from the inside and I do love it when things are multipurpose! A proper infused herb oil requires the oils to be heated and the herbs to be steeped, like you would tea. It is the warming process that allows the nutrients of the herbs to release into the oil. There are several methods of doing this, but the one I like to use takes roughly a week. It's a rather soothing and fascinating process for me to watch the oils slowly take on the colours of the herbs. It is not labour intensive, but it does require a bit of time and patience. You can do this by using a hot water bath, placing your jars in a sunny window, or the quick method, heating your oil infusion on the stove for a couple of hours. When it comes to the oils you can use any of your cooking oils. Avocado, coconut, olive oil, sesame, a blend of a couple of different ones, the choice is yours. When you are done infusing, you strain out the herbs and store in a cool dark place, then you can use it for any of your dressing and marinade recipes. I like to take infused dandelion, bladderwrack or ginger oil as my base for recipes, then I mix in my kitchen herbs and other ingredients and voila!  Now you have a nutrient power house dressing or marinade. You can mix and match your oils and herbs and really play! The combinations are endless and let’s face it, you can’t beat the taste of homemade!

Let the fear slip away

 How do we grasp a little piece of sanity and peace during these times when everywhere you  turn, Covid is seemingly the only thing permeating our sights. Plastered on the news and on our doors. Our emails, and meetings have become an endless stream of ‘Latest updates’. Our social media and conversations, a loop of despair and panic. Infiltration of fear around every corner. The separation from friends and family feels like the return of the dark ages. For a moment I too, had begun to succumb to the outpouring of fear and panic, but in the end that’s not really my style. I took a step back, a deep breath and looked around. I was then reminded of one of my favorite phrases, ‘where your attention goes, it grows’. Ah, yes! I began placing my sights on all the wonderful things I see happening around me. Neighbours, friends, family, businesses stepping up to help and nurture. People allowing themselves to ask and receive help and support. Families and friends heading out for a daily stroll instead of racing to the next activity. People finding new ways to connect. Kids reaching out to each other for help with school work. Teachers popping up online and rising to the occasion. Love and support cropping up all over. Yes, life does go on. Covid is very real, and it feels like a darkness that will never end, but the earth continues her orbit anyway. Wherever we choose to place our attention, is what we will see more of and I see our community coming together and rising to new heights in new and inventive ways. The webbing of love and kindness is astounding! That’s where my attention goes. Now, there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t hear or witness a new act of genuine love, and I would rather Live in joy and appreciation than merely survive in fear. So, turn off the news, the ‘update’ emails and scroll past the social media fear. By all means be aware and do what you need to do to feel safe, but I invite you to breathe in and redirect your attention to all the good happening in our community. You may just find the fear slipping away and the warmth of life within you again.

Oh the Weeds

I love how life will often push you in a direction you never thought you’d go. I was doing yard maintenance years ago in Kelowna when I stumbled upon one of my passions. Herbs. I asked the gentleman I worked for, why he didn’t care what was growing in his lawn. I mean I felt like I was literally mowing weeds, there was little to no actual grass. He had 10 splendid acres located on the road to the main ski resort, and he won’t plant grass? He told me that all plants served a purpose even if we don’t know what that is, including weeds. That has stuck with me. Years later when I took my herbal courses I specifically chose to stay away from eastern herbs and focus on the herbs, or weeds, right in our own backyards. Wouldn’t you know it, we started with what we commonly refer to as weeds! For most avid gardeners, such weeds as dandelion, couch grass and alfalfa can be the bain of our gardening experience. We herbalists and wildcrafters on the other hand, know that these are a goldmine of resources! Most of our pesky weeds have extensive root systems, which means they are great at harnessing the micro nutrients from the soil. If you have ever tried to pull out a clump of alfalfa, burdock or dandelion, you know how deep those roots go. It’s getting to know the ‘weeds’ cropping up in your yard, and learning about what they can do for you. You gain an appreciation for them. Aside from the food aspect of weeds, most are healing in one form or another. Dandelion helps support our livers. Plantain is great for helping draw out poison from bites and stings. Viola’s for lymphatic stimulation. Even that invasive Couch grass is known as an expectorant herb. Ahh, weeds. From Alfalfa to those wee Viola’s that sprout in the grass, these wonderful little plants are truly a wealth of health and nourishment. So, while you're yanking out those dandelions, look up their uses. You just might not send all of them to the garbage pail. The only difference between a weed and a flower is how you look at it.

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For the Joy

Recently, I had the immense honor to watch as a dear friend had her hair cut, professionally, for the first time in years, if not decades, and the result was overwhelming. Something that most of us take for granted, lifted and boosted her confidence up to unimaginable heights! I’m not sure the last time I saw someone shine that bright! That was such a great reminder of how vitally important it is for us to make the effort, to take the time, and invest in our emotional wellbeing. Doing those seemingly small everyday things can have such an impressive impact on us and most of us don’t give it a second thought. I cannot begin to say how good and joyous I feel after taking the time to finally have a massage, get my nails or hair done, even my teeth cleaned (I love that feeling!). I get it, we’re all busy and there is always the ‘to-do’ list. I work, probably too much, have a family, but I make the time to do those little things that bring me joy so that I am in a better emotional space to take care of the ‘to-dos’. Wellness encompasses so much more than our physical bodies. It’s about joy. Thankfully spring is around the corner and next month our community starts the Wellness challenge. I encourage you to set aside the time to do for you. Start doing something to enhance and refill that cup! Health is not only movement and diet, but also, doing those little things that bring you joy. When you enjoy it, whatever that it is, that’s when you reap the benefits. There is a lot to be said for setting aside the time to invest in ourselves. So, go out and join a class, go for a walk, get a massage, try Reiki, or even take those precious 5 minutes and watch the sunrise in the morning. Life’s too short to skimp on joy!

It's better to give than receive

It’s better to give than receive.

It is easy to wrap ourselves up in the holiday stress. What are we going to give, what are we going to get? For as much joy as it can bring, Christmas is stressful for many, and stress wreaks havoc on our entire system. So, how do we try and reduce the never-ending list of to-dos’ this season? I start with service. To be of service teaches us grace, and when we come from grace there is no room for stress. Service costs nothing but our time, and the reward is immeasurable. There are so many ways we can be of service without having us search for extra time in our hectic schedules. One of the ways I partake is simply inviting those, who would otherwise be alone at Christmas, a seat at our table. So many are without family. I grew up with my mum and sister, our extended family was no where close. That get’s pretty lonely. Our neighbours, Marcy and Jake, lived in a small single wide trailer two doors up, and they didn’t have a lot, but they had love and kindness. Each year their 4 children and their families would squeeze into their place to celebrate the season. Each year their home was also host to a few more people. She always opened her home to anyone that would find themselves alone during Christmas. Our family of three and the little retired couple down the street, would often be squeezed in to share in the joy. She always said it’s hard to stress about what you don’t have when others have less, and it cost nothing to be kind. Setting out a few more plates, wasn’t a big deal, but that one simple act meant the world to us and made our holidays that much warmer. I have never forgotten that kindness and it is the one tradition that I keep. We never know the impact of one small kind act, but I certainly know the reward. To me, that is the true meaning of ‘it is better to give than receive.’

Comfrey

Comfrey, also known as ‘knit bone’, is a herb that has been used for 2000 years to help heal everything from bruises, cuts and scrapes, internal injuries, to broken bones. The common name, Comfrey, comes from the Latin word ‘confervere’ (to join together). Fascinating to wonder how the Romans knew of this herb to heal their fractures! It is an incredibly versatile plant that is a staple in any herbalist’s cupboard. Considered a weed from the burdock family, Comfrey contains allantoin which triggers accelerated mitosis (cell division), this speeds up the healing process and is believed to slow the signs of ageing (wouldn’t that be nice!). I love working with this herb. I use it in most of my salves and body oil. Of course, moderation is key. Often with these wondrous herbs, less is more. Trans dermal (topical) application is the safest way to use this herb. It is both an astringent and a demulcent (softens). Infusing oils with Comfrey is prized when used in salves for dermatitis such as eczema, psoriasis, stings, bug bites and rashes. It helps balance PH of the skin so, it helps keep our largest organ stay healthy whether you battle dry, oily or sensitive skin. I especially love to use it in muscle rubs! The healing time of sprained and strained muscles is greatly decreased and visible bruising literally disappears. Since the introduction of modern medication, there is some debate over the safety of Comfrey. It does have some restrictions and contradictions, but it would seem when you use the dried herb, sparingly, it is safe. I say this because there have been problems when individuals have tried prolonged daily consumption of the fresh herb. Unlike dandelion, comfrey should not be added to your daily salad or tea. As always, I encourage doing your own research. Ask questions, and always use moderation!