Aromatherapy Magic
12 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Healing
Today the sky is overcast and the wind spins me around each time I try to make my morning rounds, catching my wings and sending me spiraling up toward the big pine tree that has dusted the Healing Earth grounds with soft yellow pollen.
What better day to sit on Sarah’s shoulder and dictate a blog?
I have thought a lot about an aromatherapy workshop that Edie and Sarah did a few weeks ago at Emerge: A Child’s Place for a group of occupational therapists who offer speech therapy, sensory development and confidence building exercises for children. The practitioners approach includes stimulating the senses, so they wanted to learn how to incorporate the sense of smell in that process.
I learned wonderful things at the workshop about the magical sense of smell!
The nose is the fastest route to the limbic brain, the oldest part of the brain. Some people call this area the “reptilian brain” because it dictates instinctual processes like regulating the body’s temperature, activating the fight-or-flight response and notifying the body when it is time to eat or sleep.
The limbic brain also stores memories and regulates emotion. Since the olfactory system reaches the limbic brain so quickly, aromatherapy can be quite effective in relieving stress in the emotional and physical bodies.
The sense of smell is closely tied to memories. If you have ever thought of grandma’s kitchen as the smell of freshly baked bread wafted by, then you have experienced this deep connection. The limbic brain catalogues memories with aromas, and the combination of the two affects how we process the world around us.
I have seen healing aromas work time and again at Healing Earth Resources. People arrive looking distraught and pinched by the troubles of human life, drained of their vital energy. They are enveloped by soothing aromas as they walk through the front door and I watch their faces relax as they sit on the couch, awaiting massage.
After visiting with a healer, they emerge glowing and restored. Sometimes as they will buy a bottle of healing essences to help them return to that blissful state on days when they cannot come in for a session.
Nature offers an endless supply of healing opportunities for those open to its power to soothe and replenish one’s vital energy. Healing Earth Resources connects patrons to these opportunities in various ways including aromas, sounds and stones.
Edie creates custom aromatherapy oils or room sprays for massage and body care. Richard provides hot stone massages and makes CDs containing the soothing sounds used during a session. Sarah offers consultations for those who seek to integrate healing aromas in daily life and creates custom aromatherapy blends for use on the pressure points. There are also natural elements used by other therapists. And the smell of the house – divine!
You can email Edie (edie@healingearthresources.net) or Sarah (sarah@kleckanaturals.com) to learn more about the aromatic possibilities!
Yoga Excursion 5: The Throat Chakra
06 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
The fairies around Healing Earth Resources have been so busy tending to the young shoots popping up all over the gardens surrounding the healing house! Sometimes during this hectic time of year, tensions arise and disagreements are inevitable, despite the collaborative nature of fairy folk.
Monday’s yoga class was just what I needed to open up my throat and help me communicate appropriately and effectively through the Spring bustle.
The yogis settled on their mats before Edie as she spritzed the Harmony blend around the room and explained that the Throat Chakra governs not only speaking, an obvious cohort of communication, but also listening, the key to any successful exchange.
As Edie moved to her mat, she said that she had a special treat for us: monks in a box! I giggled at the idea of tiny monks in miniature robes meditating in the boombox. The monks rang out ohms in long soothing tones and soon we would be, too!
We began chanting ohms and continued, at our own pace and with varying tones, for several minutes. We were like an orchestra of crickets in a field, chiming together, yet alone.
Then we began moving through invigorating poses, pausing at each extension to ring out three ohms. Our ohms resonated through the room as we reached toward the sky, flattened our shoulders on our mats and curved our spines in graceful arches.
Edie softly prompted us and the ohms mingled together, flooding the room with a sense of communion among the yogis and unity with everything on the other side of the door.
A final ohm in Savasana ended the session. I can still feel that powerful resonance in my body, and it strengthens my resolve to recognize my connection with others and communicate compassionately.
Yoga Excursion 4: The Heart Chakra
24 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
I anointed myself with the essential oils of Lemon and Bergamot before climbing into Edie’s yoga basket to hitchhike to the Monday evening yoga class. These are heart-opening essences, just right for this week’s exploration of the heart chakra through poses, breathing and meditation.
Edie began with simple poses to wake up our bodies, with each pose being dedicated to enlivening a particular chakra. The two-year-old grounding exercise, a staple in Edie’s classes, always lightens the mood and strengthens the camaraderie of the yogis.It is hard to keep your jaw clenched with tension and pretense while bouncing up and down with loose limbs, vocalizing like a toddler!
We were all smiles after the grounding exercise, ready for the heartening session ahead.
Heart-opening exercises are a funny thing, sometimes evoking a sense of elation and other times leaving one pensive. These poses sometimes break through old emotional blockages, which is sometimes uncomfortable at first, but ultimately cultivates peace of mind and well-being.
Judgment and resentment can become fast friends in the hearts of humans, given the high expectations laid upon them and the pressures of the busy modern world. Planting seeds of love and acceptance allows the heart to blossom fully, like the lotus flower that sprouts underwater in the muddy depths, then stretches toward the warm embrace of the sun to bloom.
After our bodies and hearts were nice and warm, we moved into Fish and then Camel pose. I heard (and felt!) wonderful little pops as my spine curved backwards and my eyes rested on the upside down view of the wall. Righting ourselves, we raised our arms overhead and bowed deeply into Yoga Mudra, sending our noses toward the mat and opening our hearts to the earth that gives us physical and spiritual sustenance.
During Savasana, silent tears slipped from my eyes as the tension of the day flowed down through my mat and back into the earth. Edie always encourages the group to stay in the final meditation as long as needed, and on this occasion I felt compelled to do so. Matters of the heart are always complicated, and I was grateful for the opportunity to expel some of the fear and tension that had built up in my heart.
Spring and the Super Moon!
20 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Musings Tags: dreams, Equinox, inspiration, rebirth, spring
Friends, did you see the moon last night?!? What a special event to carry us into this wonderful Spring Equinox. It took a long time to roll out my leaf this morning because I was up all night dancing with moon shadows!
I have an inkling that this Spring will give birth not only to flowers and nestlings, but to a greater consciousness of our deep connection to each other and the Earth that breathes and bleeds as surely as we do. 
With the Equinox upon us, I can be sure that warm weather approaches and the land will soon be deliciously lush. Fairies adore this time of year, when new life springs out everywhere (yes, that was a pun!) and the harsh bite of the Old Crone takes its leave, freeing the corners of our mouths to rise and awakening our stiff bones.
I will take some time today to think about what I can foster this Spring. It’s a great day to consider your potential to create, manifest and embellish your dreams. Why wait? The present moment is a perfect time to plant and nourish seeds of change in your life. Let’s get those creative juices flowing!
Perhaps this Spring will bring you a renewed commitment to honoring your body with movement, good nutrition and attentiveness. There are opportunities to honor your body every day by slowing down and really feeling what it is like to dwell within your skin. Consciously relax your muscles and bring your mind to stillness. Gently allow your ear to meet your shoulder, and explore all the muscles that activate with this simple movement.
The physical body does so much for us. In return, we can choose to be aware of the nuances of these life vehicles and grateful for the opportunity to travel in them. Maybe it is time to pamper your body with a scented bath, a yoga class or a massage. I pamper my body with the soft, aromatic mist of the Trust in True Nature Inspiration blend on my skin.
This could be the Spring that will bring new visions of your endless potential, and your ability to discover and achieve your dreams. Dreaming is essential because it stretches our hearts to allow space for new ideas and realities. Fairies are never scolded for daydreaming because it is considered to be a progression toward finding our true path in life and establishing purpose and resolve.
Maybe you will find that your daydreams you are not just dreams, but real possibilities, when approached with an open heart and a willingness to let life’s current carry you, instead of fighting it by trying to control your outcomes.
Amazing things happen when we release our fears and let go of the illusion that we must contrive our destinies. When you let go, doors open wide before you. So, dream big and fear not, warrior!
What will this Spring hold for you? Share your goals and inspirations in the comment section. This curious elf wants to know!
Yoga Excursion 3: The Solar Plexus
15 Mar 2011 1 Comment
I was back on my mat at 5:45 on Monday evening, ready to fan my inner fire!
Edie said that the Solar Plexus governs willpower and confidence. Fairies are skittish sorts, so I was particularly excited about this class, hoping that it would build up my confidence and give me the courage to move bravely through life, even when flying home late at night with glimmers of possum teeth in the bushes.
During Edie’s yoga class, I learned that the Solar Plexus is in the center of the body, near the navel. This region is accurately described as the “core” of the body. It supports every move we make, so it is very important to strengthen this area, especially if you are an aspiring yogi like myself.
Class began with slow, gentle movements and natural breathing to still our busy minds and bodies.
The poses gradually increased in difficulty, and about halfway through class I began to feel a strange sensation in my Solar Plexus. As we stepped bravely into Warrior pose we vocalized, ‘Hoo-ah’, like real warriors of old! I stared proudly past my outstretched hand and felt my strong legs beneath me, ready to carry me into battle.
Suddenly, I realized that my core actually felt warmer! As my heartbeat steadily increased, the poses stoked the fire deep in my gut. At one point, I nearly gave myself away by bursting into flight, lost in the surge of energy that pulsed from my core and coursed throughout my body and spirit.
It was finally time to sit down on our mats and stretch our hardworking muscles with some gentle back bends and wonderful spinal twists. My eyes closed as the opposing sides of my body twisted delightfully away from each other, allowing my weight to put just the right pressure on my muscles for a great stretch.
Eventually, we sank into Savasana as Edie went about the room spritzing Inspiration mist, a revitalizing citrus blend, and lovingly covered us with blankets, tucking us in for meditation.
I found myself full of energy upon arriving back at Healing Earth. I cleaned my entire hovel inside and out, then went to ask my neighbors if they needed help with anything. We struck up a lovely conversation and I finally settled down when they invited me in for a warm cup of tea.
I woke up the next morning a new fairy, reconnected with my inner fire. Next week, we will explore the Heart Chakra. Fairies dwell naturally in this chakra, but it will be nice to be among others whose hearts are opening up to emotional healing and acceptance of what is.
Yoga Excursion 2: The Sacral Chakra
12 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Excursions
Monday’s yoga class was so inspiring that I am just now pulling my nose out of the yoga book I found in the Healing Earth Resources library. I hitched a ride in Edie’s basket to the weekly class, and boy was I glad!
When we arrived at the Integrative Medicine Center, where the class takes place, I sank gratefully to my mat as the other yogis centered themselves with slow, measured breaths. Edie greeted everyone and said that the focus of this yoga class would be the Sacral Chakra, which governs motives like creativity and passion.
Before class began, Edie asked if we wanted her to infuse the room with Bliss aromatherapy mist. The class eagerly invited the healing aromas. I recognized the inspiring scent of Ylang Ylang and the ever-delicious Cardamom, detecting a hint of other soothing aromas in the blend.
My breath deepened as my eyelids drooped closed and the aromas carried me into a meditative state. Edie’s melodic voice drifted into my consciousness after a few minutes, beckoning me back to my mat.
Class began with some simple stretching and rhythmic rotations of our hips to warm up the pelvic region. The tone of the class was supportive and low-key, and I didn’t feel the least bit shy, even though I am new to yoga.
The poses had all sorts of wonderful names reminiscent of the movements in nature that inspired the ancient yogis. We extended and inverted with Cat-Cow, mimicking stretching cats and cows. Later, healing energy rushed through my body as we raised our hips into Downward Facing Dog. My imagination carried me deeper into the poses as I breathed with intention and envisioned myself transforming into cats, cows and dogs.
Later, in Dancer’s pose, my legs protested as I reached out my arms and gracefully extended one leg to the back of the room. It wasn’t long before I began wobbling, and my hard-working legs trembled. My wings fluttered to keep me balanced as Edie advised us to find a focal point, steadying the room of wriggling dancers. Feeling less than graceful, I stared at a small speck on the carpet and miraculously found stability. The pose that had originally made me feel weak was now approaching blissful as I bowed deeply into my hamstrings and my wings found stillness.
Toward the end of class, we raised our hips to Bridge pose and my hips sighed relief. After gentle leg stretches, we laid back into Savasana. Edie dimmed the lights, lovingly tucking us into blanket cocoons. After a short meditation, my eyes blinked open and it was as though I had transformed into a new, vibrant creature with fledgling wings. It was magical!
The next installment of the yoga series will strengthen the Solar Plexus Chakra. I can’t wait to fire up my resolve!
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Edie’s Healing Haven
10 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Healing, Uncategorized
This blog is administered by my human friend, Sarah, at Healing Earth Resources. I had to trust Sarah to communicate the blog to the larger world so that my fairy feet wouldn’t become so tired jumping from letter to letter on the keyboard.
Imagine how thrilled I was yesterday when Sarah invited me to witness her session with Edie! I was awake all night in anticipation, and couldn’t wait to dictate a blog on the subject.
Sarah arrived in the morning and sat down in the waiting lounge. She filled out a short form as I looked over her shoulder. The form wasn’t invasive or time consuming, but it covered plenty of ground regarding client goals for the session, the client’s exercise and dietary habits and any past injuries that might be relevant to the session.
Sarah quickly finished the form and in a flash Edie was before her (I was hiding in the folds of Sarah’s skirt.) They ascended the stairs with soft footfalls and Edie graciously offered Sarah some water or tea as the session began. Moments later, Sarah was sipping her water and Edie was asking about any tense areas that needed attention and trying to glean the best approach to her massage. Edie has a background in theater and movement, which helps her to see the body in a different way. When she looks at someone she can often tell where an imbalance is in the body. Her strong intuitive nature helps her to gauge physical and mental blockages in the body so that each session is a unique, holistic experience for the client. Her gentle approach makes her a gifted healer.
After Edie and Sarah talked for a few minutes, Edie asked Sarah to prepare for the massage and lay on the table when she was ready. A soft knock at the door told Sarah and I it was time for the massage. Edie asked which massage oil Sarah needed that day and made a couple of suggestions based on the conversation they had. Sarah chose a delicious custom blend of Pinion Pine, Lavender and Oak Moss. It was so soothing that I nearly nodded off!
As Sarah closed her eyes and settled in, Edie placed towels warmed with hot water on Sarah’s feet. As the time passed, Sarah relaxed more and more deeply. Edie moved gracefully and intentionally over Sarah’s body, breathing deeply as she meditated on her craft. She encouraged Sarah to breathe deeply, too, and reminded her here and there to breathe.
Later, Sarah told me that she could feel the healing energy cascading from Edie’s hands into her body. Sarah keeps herself busy, like me, running around and filling her days with tasks. It was a rare thing to see her fully relaxed and passively observing the things happening around her without feeling a need to react or interfere.
Later, Edie offered to help Sarah create a stretching regimen to alleviate the stiffness in her shoulders and Sarah thanked her for relieving her hard-working muscles, and offering them stillness and relaxation. Edie smiled her embracing, warm smile and said that she was glad she could offer healing to Sarah.
Edie was so pleased to see how Sarah had benefited from the healing session, that I found myself wishing I was big enough to get a massage. Maybe one day I will ask Sarah if Edie could give a fairy a massage. I think Edie might be thrilled to invite a fairy into her room. It simply overflows with magic already!
