Caregiver Flower Essence

 

Alpine Mint Bush is a flower essence created by Ian White, founder of the Australian Bush Flower Essences and fifth generation herbalist. I have had the great fortune to study with him and to hear first hand the stories behind all of the flowers, their doctrine of signatures and their healing properties. Ian's videos on YouTube are wonderful to watch as he takes you to the location where he will make the Mother Tincture (see photo below) and describes the many aspects of the flower.

This flower grows in exposed rocky sites in the alpine and sub-alpine areas of south eastern Australia. This Essence works on the mental and emotional levels. It is for people who work in healing, health administration and caring situations where there is a great deal of responsibility for other people. They give much of themselves both physically and emotionally, often listening to people in pain and need. These care givers can be in danger of burning out or becoming disillusioned. They can reach a point of tiredness feeling their life has lost its joy. Alpine Mint Bush can revitalize and bring about in these people a renewed enthusiasm and joy in their life for what they do.

I suggest this flower essence for mothers, teachers, adults caring for aging parents and anyone who needs support to continue doing what they want or need to do.

Challenge

• Mental & emotional exhaustion
• lack of joy and weight of responsibility of care givers

Positive Outcome

• Revitalization
• Joy
• Renewal

 If you feel that this is a flower essence for you, contact me: optionstohealth@comcast.net or order a bottle at: www.southernherb.com

Ian White making a Mother Tincture

Calm Your Brain

Have you tried to quiet your racing brain on a day when you need to make a decision or stay focused on many things or simply write in your journal. It happens to everyone. Life is a little crazy these days and time seems to be speeding by.

 I believe it is important to have simple tools for any kind of healing because you are more apt to want to do it. In 2 to 5 minutes, the following mudras (hand gestures) can improve concentration, memory and sharpen your mind.

• Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger and stretch out the other three fingers. Place your hands on your lap if you need to for comfort. Do this using both hands for 2 - 5 minutes, several times a day. You may want to incorporate an affirmation or intention.

 

• You have probably done this mudra without knowing why. It is called Hakini mudra. Touch all of your fingers together and create a triangle. Place your hands on your chest or on your abdomen for comfort. It is thought that this hand gesture integrates the brain hemispheres and allows you to tap into your intuition.

 

Reducing Stress with Triple Warmer Meridian Exercise

 In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) a meridian is described as an energy pathway that runs throughout the body. They are highways for Qi or life force energy. An acupuncturist helps to keep the meridians and associated organs in balance.

There are 12 meridians:

• Heart
• Lungs
• Stomach
• Kidneys
• Large intestine
• Small intestine
• Liver
• Bladder
• Gallbladder
• Spleen
• Pericardium
• Triple-Burner/ Triple Warmer

Triple Warmer is the meridian in charge of survival: fight, flight, freeze response. Donna Eden, author of the book Energy Medicine, suggests that Triple Warmer impacts the immune system and your ability to manage stress.

Smoothing Triple Warmer is an exercise to quickly reduce stress and overwhelm and renew your energy.

• Start with your fingertips at your temples;

• Take a deep breath and release;

• On your next inhale, drag your fingers up and around your ears;

• On your exhale, bring your fingers down your neck to your shoulders;

• Press your fingers into your shoulders and then, when ready, drag your fingers down to the middle of your chest over the heart area.

• Repeat several times.
  

Your Strength IS Your Weakness

 Your strength IS your weakness. You have probably heard that before. For me, showing weakness was always something that  I avoided. It could stem back to childhood and hearing, "what will the neighbors think?" And, Dad would say, "I don't care whose job it is, just do it and get it done." Boy, has that gotten me in trouble over the years. A boss of mine, thought I was trying to get her job. Instead, I was following instructions that I got from Dad and trying to make her job easier.

There is nothing like a physical challenge to force introspection. As I deal with Lyme and various co-infections, I am choosing to listen to my body and do what it tells me. It is a challenge and I realize how much I have been expected to be tough, strong, handle many things at once, put out "fires", help people cope...and the list goes on. Many days I am lucky to get up and shower. Those microbes mean business and the remedies I'm taking leave me exhausted. However, I am learning many lesson that I intend to carry forward even after I have recovered.

So, here are a few of my strengths. Many of them WILL be going away. 

• I am RESPONSIBLE (since birth)

• I am a hard worker

• I can do many things well - at the same time
  

• I am optimistic and trusting

• 
  I am the Nike ad - "Just do it" (Wood elemental personality)

• I can motivate the sluggest of slugs

• I am strong and can single-handily take my JawSaw and clear the woods, making paths for snowshoeing and filling the basement with kindling 

• I can shovel the entire driveway when the plow can't make it. (think football field and my husband was also snow blowing) 

 

Take some time to list your strengths. Many, I'm sure, are still serving you. Others, you may want to consider changing, eliminating or redefining. 

 

For example, I will always be responsible but right now I am only responsible for myself, and my healing. I am finding a greater sense of balance and redefining priorities. My lesson is to let other's learn their lessons on their own. Life is challenging and when we stumble, we get to pick ourselves up and learn. 

 

 

 

 

A Simple Polarity Exercise

The following is a daily energy exercise to help keep you clear, focused and integrated.

• Start with your feet together;

• Place the thumb of each hand on the baby fingernail of each hand (looks like the Boy Scout/Girl Scout salute);

• Place the 3 fingers of each hand on your forehead;

• Bring you feet apart and keep them apart;

• Take your hands off of your forehead and massage below your clavicle (collar) bone, close to the mid-line of the body. This is a Kidney Meridian point that will also energize your eyes.
  
  
  
  

When you take a deep cleansing breath or feel that you are done, bring your feet together.

Doing this exercise will integrate the right and left side of the brain and body, allow for a cross-patterning energy flow, thus making you electrical. This exercise also re-balances the polarity (+ and - ions) in your body. It is like putting in fresh batteries! 

Figure 8 Energy Flow Exercise

 Figure Eight (8) Energy Flow 

Energy travels in, around and from your body. It functions very much like the historic Energizer Bunny ... when you are in a balanced state.

Your energy constantly moves, crossing and recrossing the middle of your body in a figure 8 pattern. The energy flows not only across your shoulders, hips and legs, but also within every joint, including the joints of the fingers and toes. When this energy is blocked or interrupted, you become aware that you don’t feel quite right. You might experience headaches, dizziness, pain in the joints or even a feeling of vulnerability.

The Figure 8 Energy Flow Exercise increases energy circulation throughout the body as well as increasing your protective force field around the body. This is especially helpful for those who are highly sensitive to people and environment. This exercise gives you a protective bubble and support so that negative energy bounces off or goes around you, instead of through you. 

EXERCISE ( 1 - 3 minutes)

• Place two fingers of one hand on your navel and the palm of the other hand on your forehead. Hold this connection for about a minute or until you feel pulsing under your fingertips or hand.

• Focus on taking deep breaths.
  

• Once you feel pulsing or you take a deep cleansing breath, change hands and repeat the exercise.

You will notice that the position you are holding looks very much like a figure 8.  8's are recognized in healing because 8 energy flows throughout your body, around your body and throughout all body systems and circuits. To learn more, read any of Donna Eden's books, watch her video's on YouTube and also explore Prune Harris's YouTube videos. The graphic below is credited to Prune Harris, a wonderful healer and teacher.