Venus Retrograde in Gemini from May 15-June 27, 2012

Venus

Is your relationship a little rocky now?  Perhaps a big ticket item is screaming at you to spend your money?  Read on!

We have a rather unusual Venus Retrograde happening for 2012, and more than enough to report to our loyal readers!  Venus has been very high and brightly visible in the northern skies – and more north than usual.  Since April 2nd, Venus is by declination “out-of-bounds” until the middle of this retrograde cycle, of which a rare astronomical event will occur:

Venus will cross the face of the Sun!

How rare?  This phenomenon happens in pairs once every century (more than a century actually), with approximately 8 years separating each pair.  In part, this is due to the 8-year Venus synodic cycle, consisting of 5 retrograde cycles, making a pentagram shape.  The first of this rare pairing happened in Gemini on June 8, 2004.  Remember what you were doing or starting around that time period and perhaps a conclusion, completion or solution could be at hand now.

On June 5-6, 2012, this will happen in Gemini again – around sunset for those in the Western United States (see map at link).  Even if Venus only appears as a speck on the Sun’s face, I can hardly wait to see NASA’s photos of this, it should be spectacular!  (I will update this blog post with a good photo at a later date for reference, in the meantime – you may see it live at slooh.com – thanks MoonCat! Astrology for the link).

Prior to this 2004-2012 pairing, the last event happened in 1882, and the next one is scheduled for 2117!  Therefore, it is most likely that we will not in our current lifetimes see this syzygy happen again!

I really like Peter Stockinger’s blog post with an excellent Traditional Astrology viewpoint on this, a summary of Venus affliction here:

“Due to her debilitated state during the conjunction to the Sun, Venus will not affect us in a positive, gentle and loving manner but she will rather test some of us to a high degree. We can expect that old relationships may come back to light and old lovers could reappear.  Past events may haunt some people and much resentment may bubble up to the surface. Domestic conflicts should be expected when old structures and patterns are broken up to be rearranged.”

I also feel this is an important and rather symbolic astrological event as well, and have some ideas of how this applies to our lives.  But first, let’s discuss each factor.

What does the Planet, Venus Rule Astrologically?

Signs of Taurus and Libra, Values, Relationships (Business and Personal), Commitment, Negotiation and Peacemaking, Contracts, Money and Material Possessions, Women, Art (especially visual, or even tactile) and Artistic Expression, Romance, Beauty, Fashion, Style, Taste (especially if sweet).

It may be mentioned that in ancient times, Venus in the Western evening sky is the Goddess of love, but while in the Eastern morning sky, she has a more “warrior” type of aspect – perhaps due to the mythological stories of her entrance to the Underworld, purifying herself by passing the 7 gates, and 8 days later (during the inferior cycle), she emerges in a more pure light – she now loves herself first, and truly this is healthy for love.  When our hearts break, they actually in reality break OPEN, and we do not need to stop loving others, but instead we need to love ourselves MORE!  Interestingly, the Mayan and Toltec mythology of Venus also resonates with warrior energy, as Venus is a male god of war (Quetzalcoatl).  When Quetzalcoatl is in the Underworld, there is a sense that one can get away with bad behavior as no one is watching.  So historically, it was thought that robberies, rape and/or other abuses were rampant at these times.  But, by the time Quetzalcoatl appeared in the Eastern sky, he is angrier than a hornets’ nest that was stirred and often exacted revenge on those who thought misbehaving would go unnoticed.  This can apply another layer of understanding on a symbolical level about Venus Retrograde cycles.

More About Venus Retrograde (aka Venus Rx)

Approximately every 1 to 1 1/2 years, Venus goes into a “retrograde” cycle.  From a sky viewpoint from Earth, it means that Venus appears to move backward through the Zodiac.  Venus is not really moving backward, it just looks like it.  Think of when your car is passing someone in the next lane how it appears the other car is moving backward, but in reality the car is moving forward – just not as fast as yours.  It is kind of like that

It should also be noted that the retrograde energies are the strongest on the very days they change direction – in this case, that is May 15th and June 27th.  You can also feel these energies about 5 or more days BEFORE these direction changes.  This may help in your understanding of how the energies will express themselves.

What does this mean in our lives?  When any planet goes retrograde, it is often a time that is not productive for starting new things.  But it is a good time for re-examining existing things in our lives to see if they still work for us, and dumping what doesn’t work.  We may never examine these things as we can get really busy, so it is good that we have a way to know when to reevaluate our lives and our values – and this is what Venus going retrograde can offer all of us.  Even if we are not conscious of this influence, things may happen unexpectedly that make us look at stuff and decide whether we want it or not.   I say it is better to be prepared for this so you are not overwhelmed with trying to start things that feel like a struggle and uphill battle.  Personally, I prefer efficiency when I can do it!  I hope this article enhances your efficiency as well!  (Have I yet revealed how Capricorn I really am?  If not, I promise I will do moreso over time!)

If you happen to have a natal or a birth chart placement of Venus retrograde, you were born with a natural hesitation toward the things that Venus rules.  You may contemplate more than usual when it comes to choosing anything from art to clothing to (yes) relationships, and there can be a carefulness with money (not a bad thing).  While you have the ability to go very deep in appreciation and assessing value to aspects of your life, the fact you hesitate can be viewed by others as a lack of trust, whether it is real or not.  When Venus is also retrograde in a sign where trust can already be difficult (like Scorpio), relationships with romantic partners can be challenging and there may be lessons to learn about others.  Since Venus rules women, this can also be a source of strife, where the Venus Rx person appears to be the “alien” or “outsider.”  Learning how to relate is one of the lessons of having a Venus retrograde – but once learned and embraced consciously, it can be an amazing blessing in relationships as they have become an important focus to do right.

Venus in Gemini

This Venus retrograde cycle is in the sign of Gemini (the Twins), which is ruled by the changeable, adaptable planet Mercury.  Gemini resonates with all forms of communication, in particular with language – speaking, reading, writing, media of many types, networking, getting the word out, wit and charm, entertaining and exchanging ideas and information, and due to the twin nature, it can resonate with duality:  pros and cons, day and night, similarities and differences.  Knowledge of beautiful ideas can be reached and discussed because there is a desire to learn and explore all viewpoints of new territory, thus boredom is not exactly welcome – and if it is done in truth, you can discover so much more about the other person and even about yourself than you knew before – learning can really be fun.  There can be a mental sensitivity finely-tuned so that one knows what one is thinking or what they will say.  You can see that people in about any form of advertising could have a Gemini signature in their chart.  When this energy is used for good, people’s needs get met in ways they may not express as the Gemini senses the nuances and knows that what they might want would likely match other people’s wants, and apply accordingly.

Another application?  A darker one would be arguing for being right, rather than seeking truth, passive-aggressive behavior (and denial of such), rationalizing so that one can do something wrong and feel justified in doing so, manipulation of facts as to not show truth in order to further one’s ego-based desires, projecting the “bad guy” (shadow) on another so that one can feel like the “good guy” – need I go on further?  One of the darkest expressions of this is the proverbial con-artist who is clever enough to say exactly what a person wants to hear so that they can take advantage of them financially or a plethora of other motives (and sex could be one, since Gemini in Tarot resonates with the Lovers Card).  As noted, retrogrades can be a time when the darker expressions happen more often, so it is a good idea to be cautious of these expressions beforehand.

Who will be most affected by this Venus Rx cycle?

While it is fair to say all of us will be affected on one level or another, people with the Sun, Moon or personal planets (Mercury, Venus or Mars), or the Angles (i.e. Ascendant, Midheaven, etc.) between 7 and 24 degrees Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo or Pisces will feel this time period the most.  Also, because of Venus rulership, Tauruses and Libras will also feel more affected and should always be aware of Venus Retrograde cycles.  Those with natal Venus retrograde will also feel the retrogrades a lot, although it can lighten up a bit when Venus goes direct by Secondary Progression. People in professions ruled by Venus will also notice things are a bit wonky (more on this below).

So – What do we do?

If we make conscious decisions with this energy, chances are we will see the positive expressions working in our lives, instead of the undesirable influences.  If we just bumble along la-tee-dah, it is usually the darker energies that find expression and then we can feel picked-on by the Universe.  While we cannot always entirely avoid the undesirable expressions, we can know enough to deal with energies differently and lessen the aftermath.  Let’s look at some life categories and see what we can do!

Relationships

This is a pretty big deal during Venus Retrograde.  If there are things wrong with a relationship and you were ignoring these things for reasons of security, this could be a time when the pressures of the things wrong actually outweigh the need for stability.  It could be your decision to end, but also the partner’s decision, which is more stressful.  As for starting a relationship during this time, just know that the timing demonstrates that it is an old issue to be worked out, rather than a new beginning.  Old problems can sometimes have a new face, and if you decide to enter a relationship during this time, you may discover it ends in the same way it did before.  This also can happen with an old flame coming back, thinking things can be “different” this time.  The timing alone tells me it will not change (if it would, they would come back when Venus is direct, not retrograde).  I will not tell you to say no to a relationship during this time, but just know the likely consequences so you are not as hurt or surprised if things do not work well.  This information can also apply to business relations and contracts – wait if possible.  Chances are if it is a good thing, it WILL wait for Venus to go direct, and if it is not, it will disappear by the time Venus goes direct.  It is all about timing sometimes!  Also – it is not recommended that you get married during a Venus retrograde, or if you do, chances are you need to re-work much in this relationship, or learn how to love, honor and value yourself in balance with the other.

Women

Venus also rules women, so we can keep this in mind when we may be approached with working out issues in this area.  While our mothers are the first women involved in our lives, mothers are usually ruled by the Moon and its sign, Cancer.  However, in our lives we often bring other women to us that have a similar resonation, so we sometimes end up handling our issues with women or female issues during Venus Retrograde times, whether it relates to invalidation, jealousy or other issues, including health problems (more below).

Money

When Venus goes retrograde, a strange thing happens – our vision with value is shaking out the bugs, so we may see things more skewed than usual without knowing it.  So, the best advice with money during this time?  Do NOT spend it on any big-ticket items, new or used, right now (and I wonder with this being in Gemini this time if it will be about computers, cell phones, or cars).  Chances are you will be more than disappointed at what you receive for the money and you may not be able to rectify your purchase, thereby you taking the “hit” or loss.   Even Astrologers are not immune to this, as I have watched over and over again thinking we can control the influences when they are at obvious odds with the natural cycle.  As an example, if your car breaks down and you need another car, do not buy one during this period.  Rent one, borrow one or take other transportation, as inconvenient as it is, until this period is over.  Something that looks like it is a good deal will not be – if it looks like it is, and it is real, it will wait until Venus goes direct, so schedule after June 27th to reexamine it.  If it is not available anymore, know in your heart it was likely not what you think it is.  If it is still available, then check it out further and make sure it is a good deal by then.  Again, contracts fit here, similar to how when Mercury is retrograde.  Since cash flow will slow down during this time, perhaps you won’t be able to buy that bad purchase anyway!

Values

This is actually related to relationships and money, and is the core of them both.  The idea of Value is the ability to assess and measure how important something is to you and if so, what means of exchange you see fit to obtain it.  We can apply this to relationships as well, since it is imperative that we value things similarly to how our partner values things.  We always hear about fights over money in a relationship, or religious strongholds, or other things where we wonder what we were thinking when choosing that partner.  We can be naive enough to choose a relationship because they like the same music as we do, but learn later that everything else they hold dear is a nightmare to us.  So during Venus Retrograde times, we get to learn about ourselves and what we truly value.  Our values can change over time, so it is important to reevaluate our principals.  Sometimes, things actually use more of our energy to own them than if we were free of them.  So it can be a good time to get rid of or sell things no longer valuable to you (although don’t think you can sell for top dollar at this time – the idea is to release and get rid of it, and if you think it is worth more to others, than wait and sell it when Venus is direct and perhaps during a waxing Moon as well).

Health

Undoubtedly, one of the things you can value is your health!  This is important for those with Venus afflictions natally, as well as Tauruses, Libras, and those with Venus, Taurus or Libra on the Ascendant or 6th house cusps (if you do not know your Astrology Charts, see Astrology Resources for free ones, or consider a Consultation).  As an example, Venus rules veins and in general has much to do with the kidney system, and for Tauruses, they also pay attention to the throat.  It can be important to use herbs to strengthen these systems, and knowing which herbs help your situation is ideal.  If you experience swelling of the ankles and dark under-eye circles, some kidney-type herbs can help.  Some are ruled by Venus, like Plantain, Alfalfa, and Goldenrod.  Some have other planetary rulers that can assist or help:  Dandelion (Jupiter), Nettles (Mars), Parsley (Mercury), and Juniper Berries (Sun) are all good examples.  Along with these herbs, veins will do better when eating many berries with as much blue tint in them as you can find:  Blueberries, Elderberries, and even to a degree Blackberries, Thimble-berries, Huckleberries/Bilberries and other similar berries are wonderful for veins – and Turmeric (Jupiter) can help with circulation and inflammation issues as well.  Strong astringents like Oak (Sun) or even Sumac can help tone externally.  Throat stuff can be handled with Cherry Bark (Venus) and other plants in the Rose family (many ruled by Venus).  Yarrow, also ruled by Venus, is wonderful for many things, from stopping bleeding to menstrual discomforts to kidney issues and even throat, lung/respiratory stuff – it is bitter but makes you sweat and wrapping up after drinking hot yarrow tea and taking the hottest bath or shower you can stand, sleeping all night, can create much wellness the next day.  Mix with Goldenrod too – and this can help address allergies!  In many cases, you may wish to cut back on sugar (ruled by Venus) since it can complicate health issues when Venus is retrograde.   More information can be available by working with a knowledgeable herbalist.

Art

Because our values change during Venus Retrograde, so can our tastes (not just our physical taste but our aesthetic tastes as well).  While not usually a good time to make a big purchase of art (see “Money” above), it is a great time to explore alternative tastes that you haven’t gotten a chance to explore fully – especially if it is a style inspired by the past (retrograde is about going BACK sometimes).  Retro-styled art can be appreciated and when Venus goes direct, if you still find you like what you (re)discover, think about updating your art and your home environment to evolve with your refining tastes!

Beauty/Fashion

While the actual service fields of clothing and hair care, etcetera are ruled by Virgo, we can definitely see the Venusian influence of these fields.  Just as in Art above, exploring retro styles could be something that happens quite naturally during Venus Retrograde.  Trying things out now can work, as long as it is in budget and if your tastes change again when Venus goes direct, that you don’t mind trying something out for awhile.  Chances are that you may discover at least a couple things you like – and there ought to be a note with regard to hair and cosmetology.

Venus Retrograde can bring about us wanting to do something absolutely crazy with our hair.  Whether it is a radical change of cut or color, we can really feel sick of our old style where anything would seem like it could look better.  My advice?  Unless it is a hairstyle you had BEFORE and you know for a fact you enjoyed it, I caution to change it in a way that it could be changed back or grow out gracefully if it is Venus Retrograde.  Again, you may decide you utterly hate it after Venus goes direct, and if it is too hard to fix, it could be a real drag, since hair can grow more slowly than our tastes can change!

Some of you may be hairdressers that are reading this blog post.  It seems like all hairdressers need to know this information!  Since you are in a Venusian business, Venus Retrograde will be a natural part of your career, and knowing how to minimize dissatisfaction can be a crucial element to keeping your customers happy.  If people want “the usual” it usually isn’t a problem, but when they want something so different that it would be hard to fix, you may wish to advise a conservative version of what they seek so they can fix it later, and then after the date Venus goes direct (in this case, June 27th), they can go the rest of the way if they like what they already have, or be closer to a fix if they hate it.  Most of the time, unless it is like an old hairstyle they had before, they may not like it after all.  Then, they will think you are SO insightful on how you handled the whole thing and you can fix their hair.  If they insist during the retrograde on not having a fixable version, then do it and they will know it is their own choice and perhaps it is a spiritual lesson for them to deal with the consequences – maybe they will need to think things out further in the future.  This could also work well for Tattoo artists to do art conservatively during these times where it is fixable later.

It appears other Astrologers have similar viewpoints as I do – see LillianStar’s take on this Venus Rx and also Boots Hart’s post on Venus Rx and the Annular Solar Eclipse!

Mark your Calendars (and Charts)

For What Time of Venus Retrograde:  Check Zodiac Arts (set for US Pacific Time) and choose YOUR Time Zone!

April 2, 2012:  Venus is by Declination “Out of Bounds” in the Northern Latitude, adding Venusian “emphasis”

April 16, 2012:  Venus started its pre-retrograde “shadow” period before the retrograde at 7 degrees Gemini, bringing in information about issues that could flare up during the actual retrograde

May 15, 2012:  Venus goes Retrograde at 24 degrees Gemini

May 20, 2012:  Annular Solar Eclipse at 0 degrees Gemini (and found another viewpoint worthy of a look)

June 4, 2012:  Partial Lunar Eclipse at 14 degrees Sagittarius

June 5, 2012:  Rare Syzygy – Venus crosses Face of the Sun at 15 degrees Gemini and is also “back in bounds” by Declination

June 25, 2012:  Saturn goes Direct at 22 degrees Libra 46 minutes (a sign ruled by Venus, which is stationary now)

June 27, 2012:  Venus goes Direct at 7 degrees Gemini

August 1, 2012:  Venus leaves its post-retrograde “shadow” at 24 degrees Gemini, completing issues brought up during the retrograde

Summary

In any case, we ought to all have a pretty eventful Venus Retrograde, particularly when there are 2 eclipses in between!  Eclipses are known for revealing to us what was hidden or not known before – and sometimes that can be pretty shocking!  Knowing how to handle unexpected energies is the best way to lessen the stress.  Why do retrogrades often cause much stress?  Because sometimes we need a catalyst for change in certain areas, and change, despite our comfort levels, can be a very good thing!  May your 2012 Venus Retrograde experience allow you to reexamine what YOU value so your future choices can enrich your lives!

Also, check out some of the comments here – you may find even more information that you seek!

My 6-Step Herbal Contraceptive/Birth Control Program

Queen Anne's Lace (by Faunarain)

(To easily link this article, copy and paste: http://wp.me/pEY6Z-4k)

Thank you Sean Donahue for hosting this awesome Blog Party – Herbs for Sexual Health!

Disclaimer: Even though it is shown that one can use herbs and other natural methods for birth control with success, this post, or any part of it, cannot make any guarantees whatsoever.  My personal plan is merely here for your information, meant to be read in its entirety, and the hope is that you would find the drive to do your own thorough research.  The term “research” can mean not only reading materials on herbology, anatomy, and related topics; but also a deep inner knowing of your body and its needs, an ability to communicate with your body, an ability to focus and will-fully set balanced and proper intention, and an ability to communicate with the plant kingdom.  If you manifest an undesired pregnancy, the blog poster and/or all involved are not responsible, and therefore they are to be held separately and collectively harmless.

So – shall we continue?  I hope my story and the system I personally use inspires you to find and successfully implement your own system of natural and/or herbal birth control!

My story begins with an attempt to take the lowest dose available for birth control pills in the early 1980’s – partly for birth control, but partly due to having serious adult acne, where friends of mine had it clear up when they went on the pill, despite the fact they gained weight.  Since I have a very thin build (and still do), this seemed like a good trade-off.  Little did I know that I would be so sick that after trying it for two months, I had lost so much weight that I would faint at work, but couldn’t eat due to the extreme nausea that never let up.  The doctor was crazy enough to tell me to wait one more month, and then I would be “fine.”  Little did he know that I would likely be dead of starvation before then!  So, I went off.  I later got married, had two kids, and got divorced by the early 1990’s.

Still struggling with adult acne, a friend of mine at my legal secretary job told me I ought to try the pill again, since they make them “better.”  So, I tried again, different types over a period of approximately three years – and I broke out worse, and even became more vulnerable to something I struggled with in the past – yeast infections.  I stopped again.

Ortho Tri Cyclen LO

By 2001, I was again prompted by a different friend, who said (guess!) they made the birth control pill even “better.”  So, I gave it a shot again – the Ortho-Tri-Cyclen types, as they advertised they were the best for skin problems.  I didn’t have nausea, I didn’t get yeast infections, and I could see I was breaking out less.  I thought my problem was solved.  But little did I realize what was really happening.  These new types of birth control pills only buried the symptoms much deeper in the body, so that you wouldn’t notice things – and not for quite awhile later.

As I remember, it was about a year later when I started to have mild headaches at the base of my skull.  I didn’t equate it with the birth control pill at the time because I had already been taking it for about a year with no noticeable problems.  Interestingly, my psychic abilities were growing at the same time, so I attributed the headaches to that instead.  What was really happening was that the chemical hormones present in the pill, which cannot break down and leave your body, were accumulating – and not just to give me headaches, as I was about to learn the hard way!

I got blissfully remarried in 2003, and by early 2004, I landed in the emergency room due to excruciating pain in the right side of my abdomen, where it could not be determined what exactly was wrong with me until the surgery was performed.  A large cyst developed on my right Ovary, and when I had leaned over, the ovary turned and wasn’t able to turn back, twisting my Fallopian Tube and causing pain.  Even the X-rays and CAT scans showed body fluids around that area – but they thought it could be a toxic and ruptured Appendix, of which could be life-threatening.  So, I had to agree for them to take my Appendix out regardless of what they found since they could not risk leaving it in under the circumstances.  It was only after the surgery that I learned that they removed my very healthy Appendix and my right Ovary.  The X-rays and CAT scans also revealed three fibroids inside of my Uterus, as well as a cyst beginning to develop on my left Ovary, and upon asking them what causes these types of things, they provided no answers.  The doctors and the staff told me that when those begin to “bother” me, to just call them to schedule my Hysterectomy!!  This was the beginning of my healing journey and what a wake-up call it was – because I was not going to get a Hysterectomy!

By 2005, I lost lots of my hair, had lots of body pain and was cold all the time (especially my upper body), and had migraine headaches for three days prior to my menstrual cycles.  I did not know these were symptoms of hormonal imbalance until I researched it.   Upon digging deeper, I also learned that all of my symptoms as well as the actual problems were all documents side-effects of (you guessed it) the Birth Control Pill!  By 2006, I was determined to use natural methods of re-balancing my hormones and heal fully.  I also wanted to see what was possible for natural and herbal contraceptive methods.

I manifested an excellent herbal education, and became a Master Herbalist through the School of Natural Healing in Utah.  Through my new knowledge, along with dowsing to read my body’s needs, I figured out the herbs to re-balance my hormonally-wacky body – the main one being Black Cohosh and other herbs that provided cleansing of my system (especially my liver), and nourishing herbs that helped me get back to normal.  On an energetic level, I decided to intend creating an energetic right ovary and appendix, so I could function well again.   After a couple months, no more migraines!  My body pain continues to lessen with each cycle too!  I shaped up my diet and while I don’t always follow the Mucusless diet recommended by the school, I know how to make food choices so I do not perpetuate bad health.  Foods that are a close to nature as possible is the best yardstick for this process – and making sure you have excellent drinking water.  We have a distiller, and then aerate through a charcoal-filter afterward, which I recently learned will slightly alkalize the acidic distilled water.  Add Reiki to energize the healing qualities, and you are good to go!

All the while that I was clearing toxins from my system and turning toward herbs for everything (I can’t remember the last time I even looked at an Advil, as Wild Lettuce works safely and wonderfully for pain or insomnia), I was beginning to become very aware and feel signals in my body that I never felt before.  For instance, I began to actually feel ovulation (from my left side, of course).  I also realized that the family that headed the herb school was Mormon, and therefore did not promote the ideas of birth control using herbs – and I can respect this.

So, I needed to search elsewhere – and luckily I found an excellent website to work with, Sister Zeus! This is the one-stop website to learn about all of your options, with historical use of herbs being my main area of study.  Little did I know that over time, much of this knowledge was lost.  There are arguments to be made that natural methods were not reliable, but I believe much of the knowledge was more likely (through political and religious means) deliberately wiped away.  The mere fact that Giant Fennel aka Silphium was so effective in Roman times to make it extinct was enough of a reason for me to keep exploring this option.

It is also hard for me to believe that only one plant available in one part of the world only would be effective.  It makes more sense naturally that each region would have its own plants and methods.  Also, in other areas of the world that were not interrupted in this way still use traditional herbal methods of contraception with success (one that comes to mind is the use of Neem for Men in India).

Unfortunately, despite thousands of years of use (as compared to about 50 years of birth control medications), there are not enough official “studies” on these topics to verify results.  However, I also realize that historical implications can be enough to start with.  For my personal use, my ability to communicate with my body and with plants, my dowsing ability and my pendulum could fill in those spaces of doubt and do the rest.

Being a careful person, and after doing diligent research, I decided to combine six steps, the first being preparation, and the last two of which are back-ups for just-in-case.

**Best results come from being grounded and stable ourselves, as free of man-made chemicals as is doable, and involved in stable relationships.**

1.  Prepare Your Body

When transitioning to go off the birth control pill, in the meantime have a barrier method to work with (condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, etcetera) because your cycle and chemical balance may really be out of whack.  Go off at the completion of one of your packs, rather than mid-way.

Then, start drinking Red Raspberry Tea at least once a day, while you are also doing an herbal liver detoxification (which will be explained).  Depending on how long you are on chemical medications (whether they are over the counter like Advil, Alleve, or Tylenol) or prescriptions (birth control, antibiotics, all prescription pain relievers, high blood pressure medicines, etcetera) – these do not break down and eliminate from your system, but rather accumulate (and when your liver has had enough, sometimes these are deposited in your muscles, which can cause fibromyalgic-type disorders).  This also counts hormones and antibiotics that are residue in meats and dairy products, so please cut back or eliminate these, or at least purchase organic.  The average time to do a liver detox is around 3-4 months, and if you find you must stay on medications (i.e. high blood pressure is a good example, those are more difficult to get off of, though it is possible), do a liver detox at least once a year, and it is most ideal in the early Spring (i.e. February-April for the Northern Hemisphere).

The liver detox formula I like to use:  1 part Turmeric, 1 part Burdock Root, 1 part Yellow Dock Root, 1 part Milk Thistle Seeds, 1 part Dandelion Root, and 1 part Cardamon Seeds (or Fennel).  Mix this powder in raw unprocessed honey until it is thicker than peanut butter consistency (if you are diabetic, try organic butter or olive oil).  Take ½-1 teaspoon twice a day – you can roll this into one or two soft “capsule(s)” and make it easy to swallow, and chase with water, herbal tea or fruit juice.  Take a break one day a week, making it the same day of the week as much as you can.  I found this eliminated my acne problem, but I first broke out worse – but I do not have the extremes of acne anymore!

Along with the Red Raspberry Tea, keep this as a daily habit from now on, since these teas are food!  Other types of tea that are very nutritive and recommended are Red Clover, Oatstraw, Nettle, Alfalfa, Dandelion, and Comfrey (which the FDA has shown to be “harmful” but they never actually tested Comfrey – they tested chemical constituents of Comfrey, isolated from the plant – a moderate amount is very helpful for many people, but use your best judgment).  Yarrow tea is very helpful around your menstrual cycle.  Get to know these teas – they will be your friends for life and even help you through menopause, which you can then add Black Cohosh, Wild Yam and/or Dong Quai (aka Angelica) to your herbal intake – find what works.

2. Focus Intention on What You Want

Being a rather “magical” person who knows how to direct intention, I decided to take the advice of The Secret or the Law of Attraction where it talks about putting energy into what you wish for, rather than for what you do not wish for.  What is the lesson?  Upon orgasm, of which the energy has amazing creative potential, immediately think of things you WANT, whether that is a new car, a big house, a new business, an abundant bank account – whatever you desire and wish to manifest.  How many times can we think of people who know that they are practicing “bad timing” with no protection, and yet immediately afterward, their first thought is, “Oh NO, I don’t want to get pregnant!”  Guess what happens?  The energy goes where energy flows, whether you qualify it with a “yes” or a “no.”  This takes some discipline, but pretty soon it becomes a habit.  It works even better if your partner is involved in the energy direction process, but it is not necessary.  I am peripherally aware of a Christian Pastor and his wife using ONLY this first method, and it worked every time for them, over a span of many years.  When they wanted a larger church building, they envisioned it, and it happened.  When they wanted children, they concentrated on pregnancy, and it happened right away.  They have all they want, including the exact amount of children they wished for, and spaced the way they wanted.  Don’t underestimate the power of intention!

Menstrual Cycle-Tracking Bracelet by Obsidian Star

3.  Find your Natural Monthly Cycle

A very helpful book to start with is Tony Weschler’s “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” which is a system of fertility or birth control that is even OK to use if you are Catholic – so I imagine these methods can work for nearly everyone – and it is NOT the rhythm method!  However, because of the herbs (especially Red Raspberry Leaf), my cycle is very regular, and is nearly always between 25 and 28 days (unless I am around other females for a large amount of time, which can disrupt this greatly, and I know this ahead of time).  I recently found online this article, and I enjoyed the method here of getting to know your body!  You may also wish to look into menstrual cycle-tracking jewelry like Cycle Beads, or these very pretty alternatives from Obsidian Star (who also amongst other sites runs www.ClothPads.org)

The key: There is only roughly a 24-hour period of time when you can achieve pregnancy, and that is Ovulation – when the Egg leaves the Ovary, travels through the Fallopian Tube and into the Uterus.  At that point, the uterine lining builds with blood to nourish the fertile egg, when it would implant in the lining and grow into a baby.  If the egg was not fertilized, the lining sheds, providing our menstrual cycle.  The beginning of the Menstrual Cycle is nearly always exactly 14 days after Ovulation.  So if your menstrual cycles are regular, you can count 14 days prior – and arrive at the Ovulation times.  The reason pregnancy happens?  It is because Sperm can live so long – and that there are so many!  Studies vary, but it is said Sperm can live from 5 to even 9 days!  They can even “hover” and wait for the Egg, which has sort of a “magnetic pull” to attract the Sperm while the Egg is travelling toward the Uterus.

Lesson: Pregnancy occurs when sex is BEFORE the Ovulation date, not AFTER the Ovulation date!   So basically, between the completion of the Ovulation date and the first date of the Menstrual Cycle, pregnancy does not occur, and no other methods are necessary.  The “beware” part is between the start of the Menstrual Cycle and the Ovulation Cycle!  If sex is occurring in the “beware” period, then follow the next steps.

Queen Annes Lace aka Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

4. Queen Anne’s Lace aka Wild Carrot

This is the first place where the use of an herb is mentioned for herbal contraception, and it is none other than Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota), which is also called Wild Carrot. In this article as well as others I have seen on the internet, it is also abbreviated at QAL, and (like some other umbels) is ruled by the planet Mercury.  It is the seeds that are most often used, but it can be the flower itself if that is what is available.  When used properly, this herb has shown effectiveness as well as safety, so it was a natural for me to implement.  The seeds can be chewed but that is harsh-tasting (not to mention the texture is super-creepy).  For me, it is much easier to tincture the ground seeds in a mixture of half Vodka and half Everclear for at least a month (I prefer longer if possible).  Vodka alone (100 proof) could be used alone but would need much longer tincturing time (at least six to eight months), since the seeds have a rather resinous quality, making it hard for water content to extract the medicinal value of the seeds.  For those whose religious or spiritual values do not allow for killing the fertilized egg, you may wish to only use the first two steps, with a barrier method during the “beware” time, since QAL’s action is to not allow the (likely) fertilized egg to implant.  More information can be located from Sister Zeus, Herbalisl, and of course Robin Rose Bennett.

It is clear that you do not use QAL in the same way you would use birth control pills.  In fact if you do, you are asking for trouble!  While I have learned dowsing so that I can test myself individually to see if I need a dose, how much of a dose, how often, and when to stop – the usual program for me follows:  I would take 1 dropperful (about 20 drops) between 8 and 24 hours after the last day of the pre-ovulation cycle sex, then schedule two more doses of the same amount, 24 hours later, then the final 24 hours later.  Then, I stop.  And as you will read, this is a very important step!  I have used these three steps for the last 4 years, with great success.  However, I am in my 40’s and had an ovary removed, but I am still menstruating monthly (or more than monthly currently, but that is a different issue I will blog about later).  I have the last two steps in place as my back-up plan, and I just feel safer that way!  For finding seeds, it might be best to purchase a few seeds and plant them yourself, or to wildcraft – but make sure you do not mistake for the very poisonous Water Hemlock or Poison Hemlock!  Please review these websites thoroughly before implementing use.

**NEWSFLASH**  Robin Rose Bennett and Mischa Schuler have finally posted their eagerly-awaited 2011 Wild Carrot Study!  In case this link doesn’t work, please view the PDF here.

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)

5. Tansy

In the four years I have been using my herbal contraceptive plan, I have only had to use this step once – and I think it was provoked by stress more than it was a potential pregnancy, since it didn’t “feel” like a pregnancy to me (remember, I had two kids and I remember how it felt to be pregnant).  This is also nice (if you are like me) when you around other menstruating females for enough time that your cycle will change to their schedule.

Every time I have a new menstrual cycle start, I immediately go ahead 28 days (which is 4 weeks, so that is easy) and mark that day to be expecting my next menstrual cycle.  It nearly every time arrives before it, so when it does, I erase the marker and move it 28 days from my newest menstrual cycle date.  I then continue to keep my cycle on track.  If I do not begin my menstrual cycle at the 28^th day, it is time for emmenogogue or abortificant herbs.

Tansy - Tanecetum vulgare

After a deep review of the list on Sister Zeus, as well as knowing my body and my herbal availability (in my case, in my own yard), I opted to use the distinctively-flowered, aromatic weed, Tansy (Tanecetum vulgare), sometimes called Yellow Buttons, which along with its de-worming quality, is highly abortificant and if used too much, can even be considered harmful.  It has been reported that some women will even feel pains in their abdomen if they are pregnant just being NEAR this herb, so be very careful.  Ruled by the planet Venus, it is also reported that some women use only this fifth step as their only form of birth control for many years, and have had good success and no side effects when used properly.

The upper plant parts are used and dried, and when needed, made into a strong cup of tea (as an example, two teaspoons of dried herb to 8-10 ounces of boiling distilled or spring water, steeped for 20 minutes).  It is bitter, and can be sweetened with raw honey or stevia if needed.  The maximum you ought to need in this day is two cups to have your menstrual cycle start – and in my one-time use in four years, I only needed one cup for my period to start in a matter of 2-3 hours.  I use my pendulum to dowse this, as I want to be sure this works.  One large reason is that Tansy is known to cause birth defects if the fetus lives – and I would not be able to live with that, so I make sure I have enough, without being harmful to my body.  This is also why I would take this on the 28^th day exactly, because the longer you wait, the more difficult the process would be.  This is a very personal decision, as well as a personal relationship and connection with the collective consciousness, or spirit, of Tansy.  I find it helpful to be very pure with your intention and very loving.  There are alternative herbs to use at this stage, find out about them on Sister Zeus or at Susun Weed’s Forum.  Here is another learning source to study thoroughly!  Do what is right for you.

6.  Acupuncture to Stimulate the “Forbidden Points”

This last step I have never had to use and I hope I never have to use it.  But having it available gives me peace of mind that I maybe wouldn’t have had in order to pursue this program.  It is a big “curve” not only in learning, but in trust – trust in yourself, trust in the plants and your relationships, and trust in Spirit.  The FDA and even other orthodox medical doctors will not be able to isolate these relationships and study them, because they want things to work even if the person is not “aligned” – thus, the tests would never be able to happen in a measurable way for them.

The sixth and last step in my program is not herbal, but instead involves acupuncture.  I am not an Acupuncturist, so I found one whom I like, trust, and mentioned to her that if I ever needed it, I would ask her to stimulate the so-called “Forbidden Points” to bring about my menstruation.  This method has been used successfully in China for quite some time now.  Again, this choice is not for everyone.  In relevant part:

“If a woman in China is pregnant with a second child, or in numerous cases, if the couple knows the first pregnancy is a girl, the couple will go to the medical clinic for an abortion. One common method of abortion is simply to use strong acupuncture point stimulation of San Yin Chiao (SP6) in conjunction with He Gu (LI4). The abortion is generally realized within 24 hours.”

From another point of view:

Acupuncture Points to Avoid During Pregnancy

• Points on the sacrum – can cause contractions
• Point on the lower abdomen – there is a risk of needling too deep
• Point on the low back – avoid deep needling.
• Sanyinjiao (Sp6) – located three fingers above the medial malleolus (inner ankle bone). Can cause contractions.
• Hegu (LI4) – located on top of hand in the fleshy area between the thumb and index finger. Can cause contractions.

Here is two sources each for the two Forbidden Acupuncture Points for Pregnancy:

Large Intestine 4:

http://www.acupuncture.com/education/points/largeintestine/li4.htm

http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/Acupressure/li-4.aspx

Spleen 6:

http://www.acupuncture.com/education/points/spleen/sp6.htm

http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupressure/sp-6.aspx

Also consider:  Point “BL60″ – on the outside of the ankle, between the ankle and Achilles tendon

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***NEWSFLASH!  I recently have been reading Marie-France Mulller, MD, ND, PhD’s book, Facial Reflexology and am learning about a Vietnamese-based system of Facial Acupressure or Reflexology, called “Dien’ Cham’” – on pages 95-96, it speaks of an alternative female contraceptive use of this technique!  I am attempting to find some helpful images online to update this post, with more detailed instructions.  Please visit back soon!

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So – in Review:

1. Prepare your body, and learn all you can during this stage.  Do Liver Detox and implement Daily Herbs that help you to balance hormones, regulate your menstrual cycle, and provide nutrition you need.  Also – learn the Dien’ Chan’ female contraceptive facial acupressure/reflexology technique, described above in the updated Acupuncture portion of this post!
2. Set Positive Intention of what you desire during orgasm and direct energy toward that.
3. Once your menstrual cycle is regular, distinguish your safe time (between the end of the Ovulation Cycle and the start of the Menstrual Cycle) and your “beware” time (between the start of the Menstrual Cycle and especially as it gets closer to the beginning of the 24-hour Ovulation Cycle).
4. Use Queen Anne’s Lace if you do not use a barrier during the “beware” time of your cycle, as directed (and dowsing dosages and times for the dosages helps immensely).  The most important thing is knowing when to stop QAL dosages, or pregnancy is likely.
5. Use Tansy or other emmenogogue or abortificant herbs if on the 28^th day after your last start of your Menstrual Cycle that you haven’t started yet – one cup usually works within minutes or hours, and two cups maximum (unless you dowse for yourself and the reading tells you it is safe and that you need more).  Do not use this method much past the 28^th day, due to undesirable complications.
6. As a last resort, see an Acupuncturist who will stimulate the “Forbidden Points” of San Yin Jiao (SP6) and He Gu (LI4) for you – it is ideal to create a relationship with one before you would ever need this.

For learning Dowsing techniques, please visit my Dowsing Resource Links page at my blog.  While I will do my best here to answer questions on this method, you may wish to check into other resources.  One is the “Herbal Contra” Yahoogroup, ran by Sister Zeus.  Posting your questions there can inspire a response of many knowledgeable women on the subject.  You may also wish to post to the Wise Woman’s Birth Control section of Susun Weed’s Forum.

For instance, women who are not interested in children at all can consider researching the sterilizing properties of Stoneseed aka Gromwell or Puccoon (Lithospermum ruderale), Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisema triphyllum), and Thistles (Carduus or Cirsium genii), as well as how to find to wildcraft, the plant parts used, and safe dosages for you.  Working closely with a skilled Herbalist or other healthcare provider familiar with plant medicine is of course ideal.

I am also made aware of at least one natural method that does not work, and that is Homeopathy.  The reason is that Homeopathy is a vitalistic and life-supporting medicine, and therefore cannot be directed toward this purpose.  However, if someone is experiencing fertility problems and wishes to have a child, this is an excellent therapy to consider.

Thank you for reading my very personal herbal contraceptive program – it is my hope that my story inspires you to find your own natural system of birth control that is right for you!

9 Flower Essences for Using Saturn in Libra Effectively

Saturn

I wish to thank Astrologer Donna Cunningham of Flower Essence Magazine for asking me, along with at least 50 other amazing Astrologers, to participate in the 2010 International Astrology Day (IAD) Blog Carnival! This article will be one of 17 articles that emphasize the amazing combination of using Astrology and Flower Essences together – pass the word along, and of course ENJOY!

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Saturn entered Libra, the sign of its exaltation, on October 29, 2009, and will remain until April 7, 2010 (when it briefly retrogrades back to Virgo), then reenters Libra again from July 21, 2010 to October 5, 2012.

Saturn is the planet of commitment and hard work, and sometimes heaviness and limitations, but brings material reward when we do the right thing.  To better explain exaltation: what is a better application of commitment and hard work than in the area of relationships and partnerships, the domain of the Venus-ruled Libra?

During this time, Saturn will also be making two long-term hard aspects.  The first is a closing square with Pluto in Capricorn (the cycle itself beginning in late Libra in 1983, a more in-depth blog post will follow and be linked here when complete).  The second is an opposition when Uranus arrives in Aries, together called a “T-square” which will cause an excess of tension and stress.

The following consists of 9 scenarios with suggestions of flower essences to use during these times to help cope and even overcome these events more quickly and comfortably than would otherwise be the case.  The long-term effect is that we become healed, more loving and all-around better people in the process.

Bleeding Heart

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa) – Alleviate Broken Heart, Emotional Freedom

While the influences of Saturn in Libra can encourage commitment in relationships, some of us are choosing relationships that do not match our higher good, due to fear rather than love.  Because of these unhealthy entanglements, break-ups and divorce are rampant, leaving many feeling emotionally co-dependent, overly-needy, vulnerable, and unloved, where the broken-hearted sadness can literally be overwhelming.  Bleeding Heart has come to the rescue in many of these cases, bringing about feelings of stability and security – the feeling of “I will be all right and get through this transition, and be better for it.”  Because it encourages true, unconditional self-love, it can also empower wiser choices of relationships in the future.

Buttercups

Buttercup (Ranunculus acris) – Radiant Confidence

The influences of Saturn in Libra can unfortunately diminish our inner flame, and therefore emphasize the need for recognition and acceptance from others of who we are, rather than ourselves.  Buttercup can correct this, gently kindling and bringing our inherent and radiant light forth from the inside and shining it outward, building self-worth and healthy confidence in the process, and eliminating self-doubt.  It is excellent for depression (including Seasonal Affective Disorder), as it helps us look instead at what makes us happy, and then we rejoice in it.  Buttercup is particularly good for Sun Sign Libras during this time, but it is excellent for anyone (including children) feeling under-confident in themselves and their abilities.  You can use this at the time of your job performance reviews to feel surer of yourself during these times.

Comfrey

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) – Building Foundation on Truth

Ruled by Saturn, Comfrey’s ability to encourage physical healing cannot be overlooked.  It is particularly well-aligned with the Root Chakra, and has an amazing ability to organize energy that manifests into a firmly-built foundation for health, and corrects any “holes” in that energy.  It helps support a diverse range of health conditions, especially if they relate to bones, tissue, nerves and the endocrine system, by reminding our body of our true and original energetic “blueprint.”  It then encourages the body’s ability to rebuild accordingly – excellent for anyone in an accident or a chronic condition that turns acute that wishes to regain their health as quickly yet sustainably as possible.

With firmer foundations being in place, Comfrey can also encourage us to speak our truth.  So, it helps with communications: within ourselves by balancing left-right energies that bring better body coordination – and with others, overcoming shyness.

It is a very earthy, grounding essence and helpful for building practical energetic structures that eventually materialize to allow us to overcome poverty consciousness.  If we are feeling lack, Comfrey helps us to realize the true abundance all around us, and properly aligns us to tap into and fully embrace it.  This can be especially helpful if we experience sudden job loss or other conditions that bring material security to the forefront, and to get back on track while knowingly and courageously following our heart – the best “calling card” for finding and reconnecting to prosperity.

Cramp Bark

Cramp Bark (Viburnum trilobum) – Feeling Fully Appreciated

For those Saturnian types that feel pressured to give more than they receive, Cramp Bark is ideal.  It inspires contentment and deep feelings of appreciation, and reduces feelings of being invisible and taken for granted.  Cramp Bark helps us find healthy boundaries so we do not give too much, which can in turn cause complaining or criticizing behavior to others as well as ourselves.  It also inspires us to learn how to receive properly.  Cramp Bark is especially beneficial when taken during a woman’s monthly cycle – a time when the tendency to give too much due to expectation of others is high.

Dandelions

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) – Release Tension, Relax

For all of you obsessive doers, intense perfectionists and constant on-the-go overachievers who tend to not know when to stop – and neglect your stiff, tense bodies in the process – Dandelion is for you, and doesn’t this describe nearly everyone!  A Dandelion person is usually enthusiastic and self-driven.  The best thing about Dandelion is its ability to educate the body to release tension that is knotted deep in the muscles, so it can be helpful for those with conditions like Fibromyalgia.  It can also show you where you are overdoing it – it helps you to relax, and listen to the song of the Universe, and get back in sync with it, as well as learn healthier outer expressions of inner emotion that don’t tax the muscles.  Massage Therapists who add a few drops of Dandelion to their massage oil will often have an easier time massaging the recipient.  Dandelion teaches us strength not in resistance, but instead in resilience.  It is OK to bend and just be in the flow, and like a Dandelion, we can spring back up!

Ruled by Jupiter, which also rules the Liver system in Western Astrology, Dandelion can also provide energy for the body to correct liver issues, which can outwardly affect everything from skin ailments to inefficient toxin elimination (and that includes allergies), so anyone who drinks much coffee or is on liver-affecting medications may benefit from the use of Dandelion.

Olive

Olive (Olea europaea) – Finding Solution for Exhaustion

Saturn can often bring us long-term mental and physical work that needs to be done, whether we ask for it or not.  Ruled by the Sun (according to Scott Cunningham), Olive helps those of us who are weary, run-down, tired and utterly exhausted.  It is a feeling like we are at the end of our rope and we can’t take it anymore, even if there is still so much to do.

This can happen when we limit ourselves to our personal energy reserves only, because we do not know how to tap into spiritual reservoirs of energy available to us for replenishing our soul, and may not have realized we can do this.  Olive connects us to the All-That-Is and allows us to use the ever-present restorative astral “waters” so we can keep going until our tasks are accomplished.

Pine

Pine (Pinus sylvestris) – Leave Behind Feelings of Guilt

Saturn in Libra can heighten our sensitivities toward feelings of guilt, remorse, despair, self-blame or wrongdoing.  Sometimes it can be difficult to release an event from the past, believing that we could have done something “better” about it.  Ruled by Mars, which we can view as cutting through to the truth, Pine can help us see the sacredness in our respective paths, and help us arrive at a more balanced view of the situations that brought about the feelings of guilt in the first place.  In turn, this allows forgiveness of the self, forgiveness of others, and eventually self-acceptance – and even a higher self-esteem.

Self-Heal

Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris) – Restore Ability to Physically Heal

Some of us during this Saturn transit will experience the breakdown of structure literally in the body – whether it is from injury, or a latent issue that became major.  Because our society doesn’t nurture our connection to the space where all healing comes from, some of us have lost faith in our innate ability to heal.

Self-Heal is ruled by Venus (the ruler of Libra), which automatically improves inner communications and cooperation between the physical body systems, as well as with the spiritual, mental, and emotional areas.  The very best thing Self-Heal does is bring about and intensify strong belief in our inherent healing abilities, which in turn allows the healing forces of the individual and the Universe to flow in uninhibited, bringing about a balanced state of wholeness in all areas.  This is an essence I tend to add to any others in order to enhance healing on every level, since we need to believe in ourselves and reclaim our power of achieving wellness.  Miraculous recovery after a surgery is one way to experience the power and beauty of this amazing essence.  Children, animals, the elderly, and the weak all particularly benefit from this essence.

Walnut

Walnut (Juglans regia) – Complete Transition toward True Path

When facing big changes in our lives, the Sun-ruled Walnut can help make the best transition possible.  Be it divorce, a move, a job or career change – and even transitions in our lives, ranging from children teething or first day of school, through becoming a parent, or even menopause – Walnut provides support that creates the least amount of interference, which makes these transitions faster and easier, helping break the links to the past, and encourages independence and healthy self-reliance.  This is especially useful when others inflict their negativity onto us and attempt to hold us back, because they do not want us to change – and in reality they don’t want to change.  A Walnut tree produces a chemical that will not allow other trees to grow close to it.  Therefore, the essence provides a psychic shield to thwart outside influences that would keep us away from our intentions and our true calling.  Walnuts themselves are said to be brain food, and even look like miniature brains – so the essence allows us to free our minds, which is useful if leaving behind old restrictive belief systems, as well as those who still buy into them.  Move into your new life with confidence and ease with Walnut.

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Flower Essences Featured Available through the Following:

Alaskan Essences (Bleeding Heart, Comfrey, Dandelion, Self-Heal)

MK Projects International (Comfrey, Cramp Bark, Dandelion, Olive, Self-Heal)

Dr. Terry Willard’s Wild Rose College (Bleeding Heart, Buttercup, Dandelion, Self-Heal)

Flower Essence Society/Healing Herbs (Bleeding Heart, Buttercup, Dandelion, Olive, Pine, Self-Heal, Walnut)

(If you are one of my clients, I have Buttercup, Cramp Bark, Dandelion, and Self-Heal – and other essences as well.  These may be available for online retail purchase at a later date).

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This article is featured in A Collection of Articles about How to Combine Astrology with Flower Essences published by Vibration Magazine as Part of the 2010 International Astrology Day Blogathon. The purpose of this web-based event is to create a permanent library of articles about how to deal with the stresses of the Cardinal T-Square of Pluto, Saturn and Uranus. The main page for the Blogathon collections is at The Cardinal T-Square of 2010: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto.

BIOGRAPHY:

AarTiana (also known as Calantirniel) has been published in over a dozen Llewellyn annuals and has practiced many forms of natural spirituality since the early 1990’s.  She is a professional astrologer, tarot card reader, dowser, flower essence creator and practitioner, Usui Reiki Master, and became a ULC Reverend and a certified Master Herbalist in 2007.  She has an organic garden, crochets professionally and is co-creating Tië eldaliéva, meaning the Elven Path, a spiritual practice based upon the Elves’ viewpoint in Professor JRR Tolkien’s Middle-Earth stories, particularly The Silmarillion.  Please visit her About Page for more information.

Flower Essences for Passing Reiki Attunements

Fluorite Reiki Symbols by Lisa Gauvain

Just a note that I did not forget to post Part Two of the Healing Flowers Cards post – I will get back to that.  Part Two will also be announced in various places, including Twitter – please add me if you tweet!  Thanks!

I have been involved with Reiki when I got my first Usui Attunement from Healer, Reiki Master and lifelong-Empath Staysee Yod in March of 2000 when we lived in North Carolina (see my Reiki/Dowsing Page for resources and more understanding if needed).  My path quickened recently, and after getting my Usui/Tibetan-Enhanced Reiki II, Staysee stopped by for a week on his way to moving to Portland, and thus I was able to finally become an Usui Reiki Master this autumn.  Perhaps this is one of the reasons I have many latent health issues surfacing now, so they can clear (and wouldn’t you know – the astrology transits match too).

I recently had the opportunity to attune two of my clients, and being rather new at this process, I was a little bit nervous.  Although I know Usui Reiki has built-in protections in its symbols, I wanted to make sure that I was in as pure of a spiritual, mental and emotional and even physical space as possible when passing on Reiki Attunements.  I immediately thought of using Flower Essences, since they have helped me get through times of shaky confidence in the past – and they may even help the recipients of the symbols too!

After refreshing myself of the procedures, I grabbed my pendulum and asked my personal Flower Essence and Vibrational Remedy collection to allow me to easily choose the Essences that wanted to participate with me when I was in the process of passing Reiki Attunements to others.  Three of them seemed to “jump” at me, and my pendulum confirmed these three as being the best choices.

Fireweed

All three come from a wonderful company, Alaskan Essences and here is my list:

1. Fireweed Combination (Epilobium angustifolium, E. adenocaulon, E. latifolium )

This is Alaska’s excellent combination of Deep Pink Fireweed (shown above), White Fireweed, Dwarf Fireweed and River Beauty.  They also sell these essences individually.  All are excellent for purification and “burning away” all that is no longer needed, and helps to transform us while at the same time feeling strong and grounded during transitions – it has similar qualities to Walnut in the Bach Flower line, but seems to work more quickly.  I am sure it is because this plant, aptly named, is the first to show up after a forest fire to help replenish the land and bring it back to life.  It is easy to see why my pendulum chose this!  I would imagine that if you already had an individual Epilobium species that any would work well.

Self-Heal (aka Heal-All - Prunella vulgaris)

2. Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris, also called Heal-All)

I must admit, this Flower Essence I add to nearly every blend I make – why?  Because it is so good at inspiring physical healing, and for encouraging us to remember and again believe in our innate ability to heal ourselves within due to our connection to the All That Is.  It is purple, resonating with the Crown Chakra and to me, the color of Reiki healing energy (if you see other colors, that is perfectly fine).  Herbally, this much-used Celtic medicine is an excellent healer of many physical conditions.

Lilac - Syringa vulgaris

3. Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

Oh, how wonderful that the pendulum chose this, as it is one of my favorite flowers ever!  I love the Greek legend of Lilacs as well!  We have bright purple ones and white ones, and my neighbors have light purple – and the smell in the late Spring is utterly otherworldly, and I adore making lilac flower sun-tea!  Too bad they only stay in bloom for a week or so, but it is worth it.  As a Flower Essence, Alaskan says it is excellent at alignment of the 7 Main Chakras, and I agree.  I can see why the pendulum would choose this, since the attunements will likely “take” better when the Chakras are in proper alignment!  I have also noticed that this effect, when taken over time, is helpful for spinal alignment too (and perhaps I found another clue as to why).  If this is your issue, work with a professional (be it massage, acupuncturist, chiropractor, herbalist, etc.) and integrate Lilac Essence into your therapy.

So – there you have it!  I made a small stock bottle by combining a squirt of each stock essence – and shaking it, tapping the bottom of the bottle on my palm 49 times (7×7) to “set” and thoroughly mix the floral healing vibrations, and I also placed Reiki symbols into this sacred mix.   I then made a small dosage bottle by placing 7 drops of this mixture, and then mixing with 1/4 brandy, 3/4 reiki-energized distilled water.  Again, I shook the dosage bottle, while tapping on my palm 49 times to disburse the vibration fully and before giving an attunement (you guessed it), 7 drops in a large glass of water about 20 minutes prior.

Until the end of November of 2009, Alaskan Essences is having an amazing sale on a package deal of all 69 of their Research Essences! You will notice that (if you decide to use Dwarf Fireweed for the first listed) that all three of these are included in that package.  While I have been making my own line of essences (for my clients only, not yet available wholesale/retail), Alaskan is one of my favorite retail lines.  I find they vibrate very high, and that has also been said by others even more skilled than me in Flower Essence and Vibrational Therapy work.

Looking for more ideas?  Synchronicity would have it that the most excellent Vibrations Flower Essence Magazine would feature an article by Kate McManus on this topic before I could get time to organize my thoughts (and everything else) to write about it today!  I think Purple Monkeyflower would be a wonderful choice, and I may have to try that sometime!

Thanks all!  Now – onto Part Two of the Healing Flower Cards this weekend…

New Deck – The Healing Flower Color Cards – Part 1

The Healing Flower Color Cards by Ingrid Kraaz

I recently got my hands on this 1989 deck of cards that were printed in Switzerland.  It is like having two decks in one, and both combine Color Healing with Bach Flower Therapy.  I usually use a pendulum and dowse essences with a chart, or the essences themselves, with great success.  However, I am always excited to find a new healing tool!

The first deck is the 38 Bach Flower Remedies themselves – an illustration of the plant itself, in bloom, with the description of emotional imbalances that particular essence addresses.  The reverse side is a solid color, as shown in the picture above.  These colors are different for each essence:  Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Turquoise, Dark Blue, and Purple.  They were determined by the author, as she (amongst other things) is a color therapist and vibrational/energetic healer.  These are the colors she saw of these essences’ auras, if you will.

The second deck is the 38 Bach Flower Remedies – the same illustration of the plants are used, but rather than the description of the essence – it is instead a meditation phrase that assists healing while using that essence.  While not shown in the picture above, the reverse side has three arranged colors, having two circles (one inside the other) in the center of the card, and are also intended for meditation use.  The smaller and most central, inner circle color is the spiritual healing color that essence imparts.  The second circle color, surrounding the smaller circle, is meant to address the mental plane, and the most outer color (which included the rest of the card to its border) is intended for meditation on the physical healing vibration of the plant.  All of the cards are different, though some are pretty similar in the way they provide healing.  There is one additional card that has a combined picture of the five flowers used to create Bach’s Rescue Remedy, again, with a meditation phrase at the bottom, and the reverse has its three-level healing color pattern as discussed with the single cards.

I read the insert of how to use these, and there are a couple methods – I thought the color method was more appealing, of which you can use one or two colors (more were not recommended at first).  I decided to separate the cards into those color groups, and then once I am “pulled” to a color, to narrow it down to the card that had the strongest “feel” or “touch” – and I was trying not to use my pendulum because I wanted to see the healing abilities of this tool alone.

I was drawn to the Dark Blue color the most, and didn’t feel a draw to any other color, so I narrowed the cards, and the one on the far left really felt strong.  When I turned it over, it was Walnut (33), of which was placed in the 5th Bach grouping of Being Overly Sensitive, and further described as the “Lack of Will to Succeed.”  While I think this is an excellent application of wording – I have always viewed Walnut as a transitional essence, and I recommended it for many clients trying to leave behind one thing, and embrace another.  This can apply to leaving a relationship so that there are no unhealthy attachments, or when a person decides to change their occupation.  Because Walnut trees tend to grow with nothing else around them, there is an energy of independence which allows anyone taking its essence to cut away old ties, whether we know the existence of these ties or not – and, if we do not know, we will know in the process!

From an Astrological viewpoint, Walnut is ruled by the Sun according to Culpeper, which again emphasizes its ability to “burn away” what is not in the highest good and build a sense of independence, health and vitality.  Walnut essence helps us to “shine.”  In the past, I have recommended my clients to use Walnut if they were experiencing Scorpio or Pluto transits, which tend to emphasize fear when attempting to release old patterns (and thereby things and people who for whatever reasons no longer apply in the new energy patterns).  The process is much easier when Walnut essence is taken – and most people consistently need this essence for 6-9 months, when the planetary transits (or secondary progressions) have passed.

This is also an excellent essence to transition and accept our internal timetable of physical changes, and in my case – Menopause.  In fact, I may go as far as to say Walnut is a must-have essence for transitioning this phase of life with more ease than would have otherwise been available.  Astrologically, I embody the usual Plutonian signature, as I am a Sun sign  Capricorn – Pluto entered my sign recently, and we have all experienced Capricorn’s ruling planet, Saturn in a tight closing square with Pluto, which culminated at maximum this week.  I noticed from Eileen Nauman’s Medical Astrology Blog that many were having health issues passing gall stones and kidney stones with these transits, and in hindsight, I ought to be happy my releases are through hormonal change via Menopause – OH, and the recent UTI I processed at the end of October.

This entry, of course, does not address the menopausal nutritional and herbal needs which are also a must.  That will be a topic for another day (and for those who need answers now, please check the “Herbalism” page for excellent resources).

Walnut - Juglans regia

So, I go find my bottle of Bach Walnut essence and begin taking the essence under my tongue, and my pendulum tells me I need it for about three weeks.  Thanks for reading Part 1 of the Healing Flower Color Cards.  Part 2 is forthcoming, and will be even more informative – and fun!

November Blog Party! Morning Beverages

Celestial Coffee Mug by WV Etsy Crafter "DancingPigPots"

Thank you, Dancing in a Field of Tansy, for hosting this awesome Blog Party!

No matter how disconnected from ourselves (and our planet) our modern Western culture seems to be; the one thing that seems to bring us into a connected space, even if only briefly, is the ritual of our waking beverage for the day – and I often think the ritual of preparation is just as important as the beverage itself!

I eagerly read with interest the participants’ posts from this Blog Party, since many have varying degrees of herbal expertise, and are therefore more aware of, and connected to, the Earth energies.  This connection is a wonderful place to find our own sanctuary and healing that can help us get through the day, and also to be a nutritional building block toward long-term health.

I am reminded of the days when I was the on-staff Astrologer/Tarot Reader for a place that provided many different modalities of Massage, as well as Acupuncture and Chiropractic – and they had a wonderful stock of bulk Chinese Herbs.  Since I hadn’t yet become an Herbalist, I was intrigued by comments made by these practitioners when they were observing energetic patterns of their clients – most of which were high-powered executive types.  The one I will not forget:  “You sure can tell which people drink a lot of coffee.”  When I asked them why, they told me that their liver meridians were utterly aggravated from over-stimulation, and that they were often dehydrated, and the energy was therefore stagnant and very difficult to move out of the body – and often their skin was toxic in one way or another (acne, eczema, etc.).  They told me over time, this can be very aging.

Coffee astrologically can be ruled by Neptune, due to the fact it acts as a “drug” but classically, it aligns with Mars, the Planet of Physical Action (which also rules Blood, Muscles and Anger), and I would also give it a Co-Ruler of Saturn, due to not only other plants in the same family sharing this ruler (i.e. Cleavers), but also its application of being able to block out everything in order to accomplish a task (and as an interesting side note, Tobacco is ruled by Mars as well).  The Liver in Western Medical Astrology is ruled by Jupiter.

This got me to think about how when I lived in North Carolina (interestingly, near my Mars and Jupiter line), I literally craved espresso-strength coffee every day, sometimes several times a day.  I was a single mother at the time with no family nearby, working many jobs while creating situations that didn’t require paid day care for my elementary-aged children.  I had more skin flare-ups, and  lost weight (compared to when I lived in Southern California, and I was already thin), and in hindsight, I have no idea how I did it all, coffee or otherwise.  I looked back at pictures of myself right before I left and I could see what they were talking about – the rather gaunt, aging energy.  I actually looked younger when I had moved back to my Venus and Saturn lines in California – and in doing so, I didn’t crave coffee.  I do like the taste every now and again, and I only drink it when it is the “good” stuff, and skip it entirely if it is the run-of-the-mill American style coffee.

Over time, I did learn that my coffee threshold is lower than I thought it was.  If I drink coffee at the same time of day for three days in a row (no matter how small or large the amount), by the fourth day, my body expects some coffee, and I have withdrawals.  This is perhaps a good thing, because I have learned I also like other hot beverages in the morning – like P&G Tips British Tea.  I do not experience withdrawals of any sort when drinking tea, no matter how much or how long I drink it.  I also like Green Tea, but only in the summer (and I just drink that plain).

What can happen though, is mineral loss.  I didn’t realize how prevalent this is, until I studied Herbalism.  I also realized the tannins in both coffee and tea can interfere with nutritional absorption.  While dairy milk can cut this, the mucus-building properties also interfere.  The use of table sugar actually decreases a body’s nutrition, and you can be better off not eating anything.  To alleviate these problems, I do not consume food with my coffee or tea beverage, and eat at least an hour later.  Since I would be a “cream and sugar” type, I have replaced these tendencies with organic non-dairy milks (I tend to switch around so I don’t get too much of one thing, particularly soy, and I now want to try Stephany’s recipe), and use raw local honey, organic agave juice, or stevia as a sweetener (the last two being good choices for diabetics, and the last one being a good choice for anyone dealing with urinary or candida/yeast issues).

If you must use dairy sourced milk, try raw goat’s milk right from a goat farmer.  If you have no access to this, purchase pasteurized organic milk or cream – and as recommended by Doctor of Ayurveda, Vasant Lad, heat the milk to be used carefully to boiling, and use immediately.  Pasteurization does not fully break down proteins and sugars that can be hard on our digestive systems, and while we do not get the enzymes this way, this is still a better alternative.

So in light of all of the above – what DO I drink in the morning?  Most often, it is this wonderful mineral-building herbal tea blend (which is technically an infusion).  It is better than any multi-vitamin and mineral supplement I ever tried, due I am sure to the greater nutritional absorption that occurs because it is food-based!  In a large tupperware-type container, I mix roughly equal parts of the following herbs:

Red Raspberry Leaves, Oatstraw, Nettle, Red Clover, and Comfrey Leaves (for some, Comfrey could cause a problem due to liver-affecting constituents, do your research)

I use Distilled Water, as it pulls the most nutrition from the herbs – use the best water you can get.  Then, I occasionally add a pinch or so of these, depending on what I feel like, or what I need:

Yarrow, Rosemary, Sage, and Alfalfa (for Winter)

I allow to steep for 15 minutes, and I often have this in the morning AND the evening before bed, no sweetener.  Its “green” taste is so grounding and gently empowering, which can allow me to get stuff done.

However, there are days when I want British Tea, and I do indulge!  Although I love black tea blends (i.e. Earl Grey with agave and squeezed lemon is a good example), I often find myself just liking these types of tea on their own, with a bit of sweetener and non-dairy milk.

When I want coffee – I have it.  Because of coffee’s strong taste, there are a wide range of herbs that can mix well with it, to bring about health benefits that may not be available otherwise:

1/2 to 2/3 freshly ground organic shade-grown dark-roasted coffee

1/3 a changing combination of roasted chicory root, roasted dandelion root, or even burdock root or yellow dock root (all good liver herbs)

Then – finish off with one of my favorites, Turmeric (be careful-it stains) and spice it up with a small amount freshly-ground Cardamom – its uplifting qualities can be compared to Chocolate!  After brewing, use agave juice with boiled cream or thick non-dairy vanilla-flavored milk – DELICIOUS!!

As a matter of fact – I tend to like approximately 1/2 tsp. Turmeric on its own in a cup of boiled milk and raw honey – too bad it doesn’t “suspend” very well, so stirring constantly while drinking is often needed (and it is worth the hassle).  A touch of Cardamon is a nice addition, as would warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg!  Later, I hope to experiment with a vegan version, wherein I would whip part of a banana into the warmed nut/grain milk along with these spices (and I may alleviate the suspension issue at the same time)!

Turmeric, also called Yellow Ginger, is one amazing versatile herb!  Medicinally, it helps clear lungs, decreases arthritic joint inflammation, and is wonderful for the liver and pancreas (and I know diabetics who love it).  It is the ingredient in curry powder and regular mustard that makes these yellow and (as mentioned) has been used for a yellow dye.  Along with a non-tap water choice (distilled or spring), a daily dose of Turmeric (approximately 1/2 tsp.) has helped conditions of Gout nearly disappear.

Thank you, Kiva Rose, for letting me know about this Blog Party – it was fun!  More importantly, thank YOU to my readers – I hope you learned some things today.  I know I have!

Herbs for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Cleavers - Galium aparine

I want to first take an opportunity to tell all of you who have signed up for my new Blog here at WordPress:  Thank you!  It is an honor to share my experiences and wealth of accumulated information with you – and today is no exception.

This week has been difficult for our family due to the passing of my teenage daughter’s close friend who had accidentally drowned (not knowing how to swim and being alone in a pool).  Seeing how this is indeed the “death” time of year, we didn’t expect someone so young to go beyond the veil way before his time – or so it seemed from our naive mundane viewpoint.  Only he knew his soul contract, and whether he accomplished things in that contract – and it isn’t for us to know.  We do know the one thing that we take in death is love, and that we will indeed see him again when the time is right.

During this releasing process, my body apparently took an opportunity to release a very old energy pattern that apparently I had subconsciously and automatically locked inside of it for quite some time – likely for what was at the time survival reasons that were not even in my awareness.

Whether our belief systems include reincarnation and past lives, or whether we tend to carry these patterns ancestrally through genetics (be they strengths or weaknesses), I find it doesn’t matter much, because it often is played out in our mundane lives at one point or another.  I have consciously been on a healing journey since 1993, and have corrected many patterns of behavior and thought that relate to fear, and particularly anger, and how to process it.  Many people believe that once you have mastered your behaviors that all prior problems with that pattern just disappear.

Maybe for them, but speaking as a quadruple earthy Capricorn, ruled by Saturn (the planet of physical matter), I have noticed that even when a new pattern is mastered, that it can take years to fully process the old patterns, and in my case, that is almost always through the vehicle of a physical illness.  Consciously, this is not the most comfortable way to deal with releasing – I would much rather do it like others, through dreams or visions,  or even through one day of just crying in the bathtub.  However, when the pattern is stored in your body on a physical level (and I am sure the body “walls” it off as to not disturb the rest of my body), I suppose when that “wall” is dissolved through new thoughts, behaviors, energy work and even nutritional changes, it makes perfect sense for the releases of old energetic imprints to be released physically, through ailment.

In the current case, the expression of the old pattern release is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), which is the second one I have had in a year’s time, but never having one before in my life of well over 40 years.  According to Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life, this is about anger (“pissed-off”) and often at the opposite sex, especially a partner.  Is this my issue now?  No, and not for years.  Was it an issue?  OH yes!  It is also a family patterning, in that my mother tends toward UTI’s often, and we had discussed the differences between the way we handle our emotions – and she definitely suppressed her anger more than I did.

So, I receive even more confirmation from Spirit that herbal training was an excellent conjunct to my astrological and other training – if for nothing else than to assist the physical issues to process as quickly as possible.  This does not deny the use of energetic healing methods like Reiki or Flower Essences – in fact, it may have been these things that are helping remove these energy patterns too.  However, it is nice to know there is action to take physically, through the amazing plant kingdom, to bring that process of physical wellness more quickly than with energy work alone.

Any healer that has decided to heal themselves will tell you it is much more difficult than providing healing energy for others.  The reason is that the healer is not responsible for the recipient’s healing, but when the recipient is oneself, you are the healing instrument AND you are responsible – it can be tricky to coordinate these two tasks, but a healer than can do it is usually a fantastic healer for another.  Maybe because what we really are is healing teachers and healing facilitators – we actually heal ourselves with this help.

Being ever grateful for my herbal training, along with raw Garlic and unsweetened Cranberry Juice, I used herbs similar to Dr. Christopher’s for the first UTI occurrence at the 2008 Winter Solstice, and they worked in 3 1/2 days!  This summer, I had been inspired by Herbalist Kiva Rose to more fully explore the herbs that grow in my yard (commonly known as weeds), as it is much better to really have a relationship with the few herbs that decide to grow here, and not only know all of their possible applications, but to really have a relationship with the plants themselves, to understand their energy patterns, their astrological alignments (if known), and the extent of that herb to meet my intentions of healing at that particular time with particular situations.  While gathering many, I noticed many had qualities of healing the kidney and bladder areas, even if they worked differently to do so, and I thought that was interesting.  Now I know why!

While in great pain on Saturday early afternoon, I brought my pendulum with me to dowse which dried herbs, as well as herbal vinegars and herbal tinctures, would be the best energetic match for me, as well as the release of the UTI condition.  I did not have Cranberry Juice this time, and I wanted to see the effectiveness of these herbs on their own (along with avoiding all sugars, coffee, and non-herbal tea – and drinking at least 1/2 gallon of reiki-energized distilled water per day).  Here is what came up, and I did all the following:

Dried Herbs for Tea (also called an Infusion):

These herbs I had kept onhand in jars, and most were obtained from my local herb store:

Parsley, Nettle, Yarrow, Oatstraw, and Comfrey (small amount, due to constituents that could affect liver – usually not a worry, do your research)

1 tsp. combined herbs per 8 oz nearly-boiling water to steep 15 minutes per cup – 3 or 4 cups per day

I didn’t sweeten at all, but if you need it, you can use stevia – or if you prefer a salty, soup-broth taste, try a hexane-free tamari sauce instead.

Herbal Vinegar:

Goldenrod (if you want to know how to make it, Susun Weed has a nice tutorial, and I like the dill-like taste)

1 tablespoon prepared vinegar – 3 times per day, chase with water

Herbal Tincture:

Usnea (in Everclear) – 4 drops*

Dandelion (in Brandy/Vodka) – 10 drops

Cleavers (in Brandy/Vodka) – 10 drops

All three, 3 times per day, chase with water

* the Usnea Lichen grew in woods near where I live, not in my yard.

Additionally:

On the first day, I decided to smash a pretty large clove of Garlic and spread it on my over-medium farm-fresh eggs that we get from a friend.  Raw Garlic can be harsh to eat on an empty stomach – I am especially sensitive to this, as I have difficult nausea-type pain, and sometimes gas, which says that it is working – eating with food usually alleviates that for me.  And, it tasted wonderful!

Self-Reiki was also implemented – I used the Sei He Ki symbol visually on my Kidney, Bladder and Urinary Tract area.  I also decided to rest, since that helped alleviate the pain (I guess gravity makes it worse sometimes).

For those interested in Planetary Rulers – of those I could find:

Cleavers (Galium aparine):  Saturn

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale): Saturn

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): Jupiter

Goldenrod (Solidago Canadensis): Venus

Nettle (Urtica dioica): Mars

Oatstraw (Avena sativa): Venus

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): Mercury

Usnea (Usnea spp.):  (Unknown at this time, but I would give it to Saturn)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): Venus

Results?  How about gone in 2 1/2 days? I couldn’t be happier!  I also cannot stress enough to learn even a layperson’s knowledge of herbs if at all possible.  Not only will it help you and your family achieve wellness more quickly and to not just mask symptoms, it gives a great sense of self-empowerment to know that many (unsprayed) plants we find in our yards can heal us – and your bank account stays happy too!  If you haven’t already, please explore my Herbalism links page on my blog to delve into a few resources.  Thanks for reading today!

How to Make Dandelion Flower Essence!

Dandelions!

(Originally Written June 18, 2008 – Enjoy!)

Now that the weather is warm, I try to get outside as much as possible. Living in Montana USA makes me appreciate the seasons more than ever. Although I was born here (so I have ancestral connection), I was raised in California, and mostly in San Diego!

I have been called by the plants here in my yard to begin making my own line of flower essences. You see, I had always purchased them in the past. I have used flower essences for healing me, my family, and my astrological clients for at least ten years. I “dowse” the right essences most of the time. To explain how flower essences work for our healing, the simplest way is to tell you that nearly all sickness happens in the emotional realm before manifesting physically. The flower kingdom (as well as other kingdoms) provides different re-educational “messages” that go directly to the emotional body of a person, “flood” the vibration of that person with the particular flower(s) that is needed for healing, and the emotional body responds by “matching” the new vibration – however, when this happens, we often get some wake-up calls about what was wrong in the first place. You can tell someone until you are blue in the face what is happening, but until they are in that “space” nothing will happen. This is why flower essences work, and often counseling is just too darned slow! Along with physical treatment if needed, healing occurs and because the emotional plane has been cleared of the imprint that attracted the issue to begin with, it will likely not reoccur.

So, my first essence was Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), since they bloom first. If only we can ALL be as utterly RESILIENT as the Dandelion!! Astrologically, it is ruled by Jupiter (which in medical astrology rules the Liver, and it seems appropriate since one of Dandelion’s best physical qualities is detoxing the Liver). Because of its yellow color, I also knew it would help the solar plexus chakra, which coincides with the Liver area. However, when preparing, I “felt” for no apparent reason that I needed to provide a healthy and strong Saturn influence, so I made the essence on a Saturday (ruled by Saturn) and at first, I wanted to use the Jupiter hour – and interestingly, Jupiter and the Moon were both together in Capricorn (ruled by Saturn), making a wonderful aspect with Saturn, in Virgo, the sign of health! However, to wait for the Jupiter hour would have too late in the day, so I decided to instead use the Moon hour since it was with Jupiter anyway!

When the Moon hour came in the afternoon, I was prepared with my Reiki-energized distilled water and instead of using a round glass bowl, I was “directed” to instead use a square one. Odd, I thought – and then I realized the “square” shape is again emphasizing the Saturn influence. Apparently, this essence will have a strong physical signature rather than just an emotional one. In reading about another company who manufactures Dandelion flower essence, there is a mention of helping an over-driven personality type to not only calm down, but to understand, and then release, their constant muscular tension. Perfect! I learned that many massage therapists who work with the essences add Dandelion (amongst others) for their treatments by either adding a few drops to the massage oil, or spraying the room with Dandelion-infused aromatherapy waters.

I dowsed which patch of Dandelions wished to participate in my healing essence making. I was then careful to place the square glass bowl in the sun with no shadows, poured in the prepared water, and sat with the Dandelions. As a modified way of creating a spiritual area via the Elven Path, I called upon the golden light and the silver light that would be as if they were “mists” in my area, and I toned this area in Elvish. I then asked for help from the Valar, the Elven Pantheon, especially Vana the Ever-Young as she has dominion over flowers. I also asked for help from the couple Lorien and Este, since they possess healing qualities, particularly when we sleep – Lorien through dreams and uplifting inspiration, and Este through physical regeneration through sleep. Also, Nienna, she-who-cries is a very powerful healer. Then, I hand-picked all of the Dandelion flowers that wished to participate in the essence making, and asked that the “devas” or plant spirits would enter the water to serve other life in need of their vibrational healing qualities. I then sat with the Dandelions for a time while their flowers were in the bowl of water and just allow myself to bathe in these vibrations. I noticed I was indeed feeling physically better, with more energy. Upon using the rest-room when I came in the house, I then knew my body was listening to the “release” message! Success!

I dowsed that the bowl needed to be outside for two hours for the completion of the essence process, but I left it outside for about three. I brought the bowl into the house, of where I already had a jar waiting that was half filled with Christian Brothers Brandy, which has 40% alcohol, which helps preserve the vibration in the water (and keeps germs out). This brand was recommended by a rather well-known and excellent quality flower essence company (Alaskan Essences) and was what they used until they obtained an exclusive organic brandy for their use.

After pulling out the flower heads with my hands, I then poured the water through an unbleached coffee filter that I energized to allow all of the “essence” to come through and to just block out miscellaneous petals, bugs, and the like. I had some of the Dandelion water left over after I filled the jar with the brandy, so I just decided to drink the water. I could REALLY “taste” the Dandelion – WOW! Never thought of that before!

I then mixed up this “Mother Tincture” of Dandelion, and decided to make a “dosage bottle” for myself to take. I got an empty one-ounce dropper bottle, and I was directed to put 4 “squirts” of the Dandelion mother tincture into it. Then, I filled it a quarter of the way with more brandy, and then filled it up to the top with distilled water I energized (you could also use spring water to make everything).

To take an essence, you usually need 2-3 drops 3-4 times a day. I add mine to my distilled drinking water all at one time and drink it throughout the day (and I usually drink between 1 and 2 quarts of water a day, which I guess would be about 1.5 liters). If a person has alcohol sensitivity, they can apply the essence to their wrists, or place a few drops in an aromatherapy mister and spray externally, which is a wonderful way to experience essences!

I have been taking this essence in my drinking water for about two months now. I have noticed some progress, but I am no where near done – my pendulum tells me I need to take the essence for eight full months to achieve healing! In other words, the “message” of Dandelion for me needs to be repeated to my emotional body’s vibration constantly for eight months until my body’s vibration “matches” the vibration in the Dandelion flower essence. So, I look forward to learning how, and why, I hold body tension in my muscles.

I also recently had somewhat of a “reflexology” for my feet from a friend of mine, and I had her place some Dandelion essence from my dropper bottle on her hands first before doing so. Not only could I feel it, but she could! She is very empathic and thought she should keep some on-hand, so she later brought over one of her own bottles and I mixed her some for her work!

I look forward to making more vibrational healing essences from the Flower Kingdom. I didn’t know I could have so much fun and that it was this easy (and over time, it will be much less expensive, and I can share with others much easier!)

More on Flower Essences HERE – Thanks for reading!

Add Google Plus Logo/Profile to your WordPress.com Sidebar!

So I know what you are thinking – why in the world would little me write a blog post on something that is sort of “techy” and about social networking, with Google Plus (Google+) of all things?  Well, it started (not surprisingly) with trouble I have had with Facebook recently, of which I will not bore you here with the details, unless I convince Facebook to do my fixes, and I am so not holding my breath, nor should you.

Out of frustration (and I understand I am not the only one by a long shot), I realized the only alternative social networking that works for business reasons is Google+.  A handful of my friends tried to change over approximately 6 months ago, but there were still problems, so they unhappily came back to Facebook.  While Twitter works really well, lots of people are still uncomfortable with it, or “don’t get it.”  LinkedIn is not really a social network so much as it is a guarded safe-haven used mostly for employment purposes, and (understandably) it is ideal to keep work and private lives separate.  So again, Facebook seemed the answer.

Recently however, it appears that not only is Facebook getting worse (without a hope of remedy, as their so-called help is anything but), but that Google+ has really fixed many things that were not working well.  Isn’t that good news?

Not only that, Google will not be forcing that god-awful “Timeline” format, which frankly I not only find to be a visual nightmare, but takes twice as long to load – not good.  In my experience, people will not wish to go backward in speed and while some people may like surfing Facebook all day, most of us wish to get our stuff done and go live a life!  It is clear Facebook makes this stuff up as they go, and while they tend to act arrogant about their decisions as to what you can do with your pages, I think it is a cover-up for their sheer inability to continue to sail their proverbial Titanic after it hit the iceberg.

How do YOU feel about this?

Yes, I am finally sensing Facebook’s “exodus” is starting to happen now, just like the Myspace exodus that no one ever thought would happen a few years back.  I didn’t feel it the other times people told me everyone would leave – but something feels “different” this time, and I have decided to already be in the proverbial lifeboat, rather than drown.  So of course, I want to let everyone know, and immediately wished to add my Google+ profile to my sidebar in a visible, prominent place – and to do this, I needed a Google+ logo, and a way to link it.

I discovered there are already a few good plugins to add Google+ Badges to WordPress.org pages.

But, when I went to the “Widgets” section of WordPress.com to see if I could add Google Plus, their awesome developers have not yet made one that will work.  Because of my lack of skill, attempting to modify the WordPress.org ones did not work either.

On Google’s pages, I managed to find this Google+ Badge Configuration link but it didn’t have an option of the look I wanted, and more importantly, the coding with placing part at the “header” compared to the coding to place where the badge would go was too confusing for this non-techy  (but this could still be a good way for those who want to use it – look into this option first!)

I knew I at least needed the Google+ Logo image to catch people’s eye and let them immediately know I am now on Google+.  When I made my profile page not even 24 hours ago, well over 100 people were already right there, without any real effort to find them – so it appears many others are starting to switch too.  I hope these directions help others like me, at least until the WordPress.com version of the Google+ badge becomes available!  If you leave a comment and sign up for updates on this thread, I will happily keep this thread up to date as more resources become available.

Directions:

1. Get your Google+ account, and you will notice in the URL for your profile, there is a very long, many-digit number – keep this handy.

2. Log into your WordPress.com account to your Dashboard.

3. In the left-hand column almost toward the bottom, you will see “Appearance” – when you wave the mouse over this, you will see a drop-down menu.  Click on “Widgets.”

4. You likely know how widgets work, but just in case, the “Available” widgets take up most of the center portion of the page.  The right-hand column is where you put the widgets you wish to use.  Using the click-and-drag function of the mouse, click on the widget that says “Text” and drag it to the part of the sidebar yo want it to appear.  Consider the order of appearance of the widgets you already use when choosing.

5. At that point, the new text widget will open a pop-up window.  The title can be something like “Me on Google+” or whatever you wish, so type that in the title area.

6. In the actual “text” part of this pop-up window, you will type (or copy/paste) the following, but replace the ####### with your Google-assigned number (see #1 above); this will allow it to link your profile, specifically to your “about” page.  I have used the larger, first example, and thought I would include a smaller logo as the second example just in case that would look better on your page:

<a href=”http://plus.google.com/u/0/#######/about”> <img src=”http://aartiana.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/googleplus.png”>Google Plus</a>

<a href=”http://plus.google.com/u/0/#######/about”> <img src=”http://aartiana.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/googleplus32px.png”>Google Plus</a>

7. Before saving this, make sure that the box that asks if paragraphs are automatic should be check-marked.  Then, save the content, and close the text widget.

8. View your usual WordPress.com URL to see if it worked!  Then, to get a shorter, more sensible URL for your Google Plus page:
http://gplus.to/ – mine is http://gplus.to/astroherbalist

Please see mine as a different example (I have other functions in that particular text box).   It is too bad WordPress.com does not allow the text-widget function to open a new window, or else that would also be in the coding, but overall, I am not complaining.  You can actually do it by right-clicking the link and choosing to open a new window (or tab) from your computer.  Thanks for tuning into my “Techy Tips for the Non-Tech” blog post today!

P.S. I must confess I am also VERY much enjoying for business and personal reasons Pinterest!  Love this place – add me!

New Deck – The Healing Flower Color Cards – Part 2

The Healing Flower Color Cards by Ingrid Kraaz

In Part 1, I introduced this deck and how it helped me through Walnut Flower Essence and my current life transitions (including Menopause).  Soon thereafter, I wondered how well it would work for others, and I would get my wish even before I could think about it.  My teenage daughter came home with a friend who has an interest in energy work, and asked me what was new.  I showed him the cards that are actually two decks and how they worked, and he immediately picked two cards that were colors that initially attracted him (orange and green), and then without hesitation chose the individual cards calling to him.  His choices were Pine (ruled by Mars) and Water Violet (ruled by Venus).

Water Violets - Hottonia palustris

When discussing that Pine usually referred to Grief and even alleviation of Guilt, he could see that to some degree, both of those applied to his personal situation.  I also mentioned Water Violet is the one that usually appears when shyness (either real or perceived) is an issue – and he very much agreed with that one.  I happened to have a partially-used bottle of Water Violet Essence around, but no Pine on hand.  So I was attempting to find a great substitute, particularly if it is one I made myself.

In reviewing the book, The New Encyclopedia of Flower Remedies by Clare G. Harvey, I looked at the tables in the back that were sorted by description of the issues, to see if I could find something.  Under Grief, I saw Pine listed, and also Borage, which I know builds Courage and Confidence.  I then flipped to Confidence, and the first to catch my eye was of all things, Buttercup – one of the ones I made.  Confidence also matched astrologically, since he is a Libra with a Capricorn Moon, so then it was time to grab my pendulum and dowse if Buttercup was the right essence.  Indeed, not only was it right-on, the pendulum read better for Buttercup than it did for Pine!  So the cards, in a roundabout way helped me to find what DID work, since Dr. Bach never made Buttercup!  Perfect!  I do not know the planetary ruler, but I would think it would be the Sun.

Buttercups - Ranunculus acris

In any event, I still felt that the color choices he chose were correct, so I shared with him the healing sayings for meditation, as well as the healing colors and how they work.

To enhance this process, I also dug out another favorite book, Floral Acupuncture by Deborah Craydon, CFEP and Warren Bellows, Lic.Ac. which additionally chooses acupuncture (or accupressure if you so choose) Meridian Points in which to apply the Essence itself to receive even more healing, and more quickly.  Both Pine and Water Violet emphasized Lung Meridian points, which even tells us more that he needed to more fully embrace his being, and breathing deeply is one of the best ways to do this.  I mixed his dosage bottle of essence, and he is working with the colors, meditations and even the Lung Meridian points.  The colors were Pink and White for Spiritual Healing, Turquoise Blue and Light Grass Green for Mental Healing, and Pink and Emerald Green for Physical Healing.  He recently told me that he feels much better, more confident, and liking the direction his life is currently going.  He feels better about his future than he did prior to taking these Essences – Success so far!

Now of course this whole process was witnessed by my daughter, a busy Taurus with Capricorn Moon.  She was intrigued, and wanted her own personalized Flower Essence Blend and Program.  When the first deck was showing, she chose the Turquoise Blue and Green, and after some figuring – she ultimately chose Olive, ruled by the Sun (according to Scott Cunningham) and Vervain, ruled by Venus.  Olive completely made sense to both of us immediately, because her school, work and extra-curricular activity schedule this year is rather insane.

Olive - Olea Europaea

Olive Flower Essence is helpful for those who are suffering exhaustion through overwork, and with use brings about a sense of vitality, calm and well-being, as well as much-needed energy.  Funny enough, I happen to have needed Olive in the past myself, so I had Olive on hand.  I did not have Vervain, and felt that maybe again, the research through the New Encyclopedia of Flower Remedies may reveal a more appropriate essence choice.

Vervain research speaks of over-assertiveness, i.e. a hard-driving person who pushes their will upon others and can be unrelenting and adamant.  The hard-driving made sense to us, but inflicting her will on others did not make sense.  I just so happened to find Vervain listed as an essence that is helpful for Tension, and in the same category – there was Dandelion – of COURSE!  Muscular Tension.  She has had a lot of that, especially in her shoulders (representing responsibility and burdens).  Again, Bach did not create a Dandelion essence – so it appears the cards help discover the alternate essence(s) if that is what is to be used.  And, of course, the Jupiter-ruled Dandelion was the very first essence I made.  I had been using that and already familiar with how it works, and could tell THIS was the choice, along with Olive, that would help her.  I then got a “hit” to add the Venus-ruled Self-Heal to her blend.  The pendulum was confirming – so I grabbed the Olive I had left over, placed some Dandelion and Self-Heal in it, and created her dosage bottle.  Her meditation colors were Gold and White for both Spiritual and Mental healing, and Turquoise and Emerald Green for Physical healing.  As a side note, Turquoise is an excellent Immune System Builder since the Thymus Gland is located between the Heart (Green Chakra) and the Throat (Blue Chakra).

More clarification came when exploring the Floral Acupuncture book for the applicable Meridian Points: the Olive points were Bladder points (relating to the Kidney/Bladder system, which Venus rules, and she is a Taurus).  Even more interesting, they were centered in the exact areas she was experiencing muscle pain, between her shoulder blades!  Upon reviewing the Vervain points, we came to the conclusion these didn’t really apply, and the reason is that she technically didn’t need anything for inflicting her will on others, which is a dis-trust of the Universe.  This was not her issue.  She, too, is experiencing a level of success, though not as dramatic since it resides more in the physical plane, rather than the emotional plane, and that can take more time to correct.

Not all readings are led away from the Bach Essences of course.  Today, another young man chose a Dark Blue one, and then felt compelled to also choose one of his favorite color, Yellow.  The first choice, very appropriate for his current situation of pulling away from people who are enmeshed in negative patterns, was what I call the “Just Say No” Essence – Centaury, ruled by the Sun.

Centaury - Centaurium erythraea

Although the Centaury card says “exaggerated kind-heartedness” – I have found that this essence is the one to choose when you have trouble saying “no” to people.  I used to have this problem years ago myself.  I felt I had to justify why I couldn’t do something for someone.  Truthfully, it was great news to me to learn that you indeed do not need to justify or explain your reasons of needed (or wanted) refusal to anyone.  It is enough to realize for yourself that you do not have the resources to offer assistance when asked.

Wild Rose - Rosa canina

The second card he chose was the Venus-ruled Wild Rose. I am familiar with using Rose Oil in Aromatherapy for opening the Heart Chakra and allowing love, and the Flower Essence is definitely along those lines.  It speaks of a person who isn’t fully engaged in the present, and who is not interested in experiencing life’s gifts now – “uncomplaining apathy.”  This describes his current situation very well.  He can hardly wait for graduation and to get on with his life – and doing his best to not live in the future and to live in the present.  This essence will definitely help him live fully now while he prepares for his future.  His meditation colors related to the Crown and Heart Chakras:  Gold and White for Spiritual Healing, Gold and Purple for Mental Healing, and Pink and Emerald Green for Physical Healing.

We decided to look up the Meridian Points for him as well.  The Centaury Essence, being a bitter, is assigned to the Stomach/Spleen Meridian joining point on the lower leg, which integrates a “digestion” of experience, and is related to Earth energy.  I can see this as helping to being grounded and standing up for yourself.  The assigned points for Wild Rose Essence were aligned with the Governing Vessel, which oversees all the other systems – and indeed we can see how opening up to life’s experiences can be related to this.  Not coincidentally, these points are on the back, right where the Heart Chakra would be located.  The fact the points are located in the back, rather than the front/chest area, tells me it is for helping to release something from the past that may have been the cause of that person not wishing to live in the present in the first place.  He will be getting his essences and reporting to me in the near future as to his progress.

Thank you for following along in my journey featuring my learning and implementation of these cards.  I believe they have already demonstrated their usefulness as a healing tool to me.  I look forward to more use – and education!