The Gifts of Gaia for every day life

Though I don't post much, I use herbs all the time. My life is verrrry full of my work, as an energy healing facilitator, natural perfumer, herbalist, aromatherapist, bath & body product maker, writer, meditation recording person, grandma, wife, friend and so many other hats.

BTW, I just joined the Red Hat Society and look forward to making some new  friends.

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I reach out for the Gifts of Gaia during the day. These gifts include herbs, aromatherapy, and natural perfumery.

I take a Hawthorn berry capsule with breakfast and supper to ensure my circulation is good, support my cardio-vascular system, and give me a good boost of anti-oxidants first thing. The latter is also why I put a few tsp. of dried Cranberries on my cereal in the morning.

I make a lip balm that is so creamy and soothing that I use it all day long; it's got Peppermint and Lavender essential oils in it.

I make our own deodorant with help from Patchouli, Cypress, Lemongrass, and Geranium essential oils and in the creme carrier I use for this product, I've added Jasmine, Lemon Balm, and Lavender Hydrosol, Calendula/Olive infused oil, Shea and Cocoa butters, and Rosemary extract.  If you enjoy Aromatherapy, come visit me at

 http://www.lynayre.com/Aromatherapy.htm

If one of us gets a bash, burn, bruise, bug bite, I spray on a formula that contains Helichrysum hydrosol, Lavender hydrosol and a few other things so the 'injury' is not even an issue.

Throughout the day, I enjoy homegrown herbal teas such as Five-Mint Tea, Loopy Lemony Tea, Sage Tea, and many others.

I also use my collection of Medicinal Teas when the need arises ie: sinus headache and/or congestion; agitation; flu or cold symptoms; and I make teas for others for an endless number of reasons. It's warming to the spirit as well as full of nutrients, minerals, and all round support - like a cupful of healthiness.

I make salves by gathering the herb, drying it until it crumbles, then soaking it in an appropriate oil until the goodness of the herb is transfered into the oil. Then it can be hardened with a wax such as beeswax. I make Calendula, Arnica, and other types. I do the same thing when I make alcohol or glycerine tinctures. The glycerine ones are called Glycerites; these are non-alcoholic and great for kids and pets.

I wear the perfumes that I, and other Natural Perfumers, have created as there are no harmful synthetic chemicals in them. They smell amazing and I'm always getting great comments from those who smell and buy my perfumes. If this interests you, hop on over to http://www.scentofnature.net/ and have a boo. I also teach others how to make perfume

We love to eat our herbs in our salads and on our meat. At Superstore, we can purchase what is called 'Free From Meat', which is free from steroids, hormones, and anti-biotics. Perhaps there's such a place near you. It's the same price as other meats.

I hope this will give you a few ideas about how you can invite Mother Nature back into your daily life. Fresh good wholesome foods, herbs, teas, and other nutrients will make a huge difference to your health.

Love Lyn

Headache relief

Headache relief
© 2009 Lyn E. Ayre, Ph.D.

Headaches can be caused by a variety of things…
∞ level of hydration
∞ poor bed pillow
∞ bump on the head
∞ spicy food
∞ too much energy accumulating at the Crown or around the Third Eye Chakra
∞ hunger
∞ over-eating
∞ stuffy room
∞ being in a crowd of party-goes
∞ music and/or sound too loud
∞ physiological reasons ie: brain tumour, aneurysm, stroke, blood clot etc…
∞ dilated blood vessels
∞ PMS

the list could go on…

∞ Perhaps a tall glass of cool water would be enough.
∞ A walk in the park or by a fountain, which gives off negative ions, can be refreshing.
∞ Practising avoidance is, in some instances, all that is needed.

Therapies such as Acupuncture, Acupressure, and Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping on the meridians) are very good at relieving the symptoms of a headache and the underlying emotional factors.

There is much we can do to prevent a headache and there is a lot we can do once we have one. Headaches seem to be the bane of our existence in the stressed-out Western world. Here are a few ideas from the world of Plant Medicine:

Four Roll-On ideas
To a 10 ml roll-on dispenser filled with 10 ml of oil (jojoba, olive, sunflower, almond etc…) add the following essential oil blend: 4 peppermint, 3 ginger, 2 lavender; OR 4 peppermint 3 lavender, 2 basil; OR 4 spearmint, 3 peppermint, 2 eucalyptus; OR 4 eucalyptus, 3 ginger, 2 basil. Apply this to the hairline at the back of your neck. If you do decide to put it on your face (something I do not advocate) keep the blend away from lines and wrinkles lest the formula find its way into your eyes.


Sniffi-Tube
Fill a lip balm tube with cotton baton and add the above roll-on blends to it. With your finger, close one nostril and sniff; then change to sniff from the other nostril.


Diffuser idea
Into 6 oz of hot water mix 3 spearmint, 3 eucalyptus, and two peppermint essential oils and add to the top part of a diffuser. Light the Soya Candle, which burn cooler and longer and don’t produce soot in the air, and allow the remedy to fill the air. Breathe deeply and slowly.

Meditation idea
Sit comfortably and do some deep breathing. Breathe in through your nose for a slow count of four, hold for three, and release the breath through your mouth for a slow count of nine. If you have any issues doing this breath, shorten the counts of it making sure you are breathing out for twice as long as you’re breathing in. This allows the stale air to be released from your lungs.

Herbal idea
The whole herbs of peppermint and ginger are very helpful with issues of digestion. Make an infusion of one, the other, or both together and enjoy a lovely warm drink after a meal. These two are wonderful for clearing a headache, as well. You can add a small floret of Lavender, if you like, to add a unique taste.

A basin/bathroom sink filled with warm water and a few sprigs of rosemary, lavender, sage, basil, peppermint and/or other aromatic herbs can clear sinuses and offer a refreshing mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Lean over and tent you and the basin with a towel. Remember to close your eyes as these oils are all aromatic and you would not want them to get in your eyes. You can use fresh or dried herb as well as essential oils for this. Use an equal number of essential oils with six drops being the top number.

Pot pouri, herbal carry-bag
Go out and collect aromatic twigs, needles, cones, and branches from your neighbourhood; dry them well; cut or crumble into smaller pieces and place some of it in a decorative bowl. Add any of the above blends to the mix and sniff when you feel a headache coming on. This can also be made into very small particles and placed into a muslin bag to take with you in your purse or briefcase.

I hope you've found these ideas helpful. Have a Safe & Joyous Holiday Season.

Love & Light, Lyn