Nightingale

Eve has been cleansing for just over a week now, thus the inactivity her at the illuminated journal. First she had a fever which turned into a cough which progressed into a sore throat. The fever disppeared but the throat infection raged on accompanied first with an ear infection on one side followed by the other side with pink eye manifesting in one eye and then the other.

Kidding! Talk about going through a gauntlet for both mommy and daughter. She is just about out of it now and I am happy to report the healing has transpired with no visits to the doctor or any big pharma drugs. The medicines were all plant and mineral based and some of them smelled and tasted really nice.

The regimen included herbal teas, baths, steam inhalations, garlic oil ear drops, lavender hydrosol compresses for the eyes and ear,neck and foot massages with aromatherapy blends. Garlic and onion has been our friends in soups along with ginger and lemon in tea.

My training in aromatherapy as well as classes I've taken in herbalism and anthropological medicine really come in handy during these incidents. Last time Eve had this intense of an illness was when she was three. We survived without any synthetic antibiotics then and did it this time once again.

Before Florence Nightingale set up a standard for nursing and the care of illness stems way back to midwife and what some called witches. Regrettably much of this wisdom was lost during the burning times as men and western medicine took over.

For more information on home remedies check out this post here at the journal titled Good food = Good medicine.

I've got lots to share with you all, more in the morrow peeps.

A Nest of Myrrh

"Corn and grain, corn and grain,
All that falls shall rise again."
~ Wiccan Harvest Chant

The deep and dark gnarled roots of Halloween, All Hallows Eve, go back to the Samhain celebrations of the Druids. Samhain is one of the Celtic fire festival where much chaos, mischief and celebration take place. It is the end of the harvest and a time to prepare for the new year. Sacred bonfires are lit to celebrate the darkness of the yet to be born new year. Since the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest, it is an auspicious time to communicate with the spirits of those who have passed over.

Beginning at sunset on October 31st fires are kindled anew for the coming of the dark. Rituals of purification abound, in order to clear away what no longer serves and make room for what is to come.

I've created a room/body spray to celebrate Samhain and greet the New year. Like the fire holiday the fragrance is warm, spicy and tinged with smoky, golden embers. I call this new creation the Phoenix Myster.

When the time of transformation arrives for the mythical phoenix he builds his next of twigs of myrrh and then lights up in flame. Burning away all that no longer serves, from the dark ashes an egg manifests which will birth the newly reborn Phoenix. Purged of the old, a spirit is born, fresh and ready for the new phase.


The essences contained in the Phoenix Myster include Vanilla, Benzoin, Myrrh for the nest, a spice accord I created termed Garam Masala, Orange and the embers of smoldering ashes. I also included the Dragons Blood resin I picked up at the indigenous native village while in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The formulation also contains tinctured egg shells from last Samhain. Warming like a cup of spice tea, the Phoenix Myster, is exhilarating and uplifting.

The muse for this fragrance is Tom of the perfume blog Perfume Smellin' Things. Years ago I was contacted by e-mail and asked if I created room sprays. I answered saying that one was in development but was not yet ready. The e-mail was from Tom and the fragrance in development was the Phoenix Myster. Thank you Tom for your wit, your way with words and the support you give to the niche perfumers of the world.

Here is an interesting link for creating an alchemical egg tincture:
The Egg and It's Uses by Sue House


Phoenix Myster comes in a one ounce amber glass bottle with fine mist sprayer with waterproof label available at my Etsy shop. Here are the details from the listing, some of it is repetitive.

A natural perfume aromatic spray for the home and body.
The Phoenix Myster is a fine spray mister for your home and or body.
We use ours to naturally scent the room, our sheets, pillows, curtains and our selves.

Ring in the Celtic new year with the Phoenix Myster
created specifically for All Hallow Eve, also known as Samhain.

The warm, spicy, invigorating aroma has been weaved like a complex perfume.
The botanical perfume synergy contains:

• Vanilla: warm and inviting
• Benzoin: purification, when combined with spice acts an an attractor
• Myrrh:enhances contemplation
• Dragons Blood Resin from a small indigenous village in the Amazon.
• Spices: invigorating, energizing, spell enhancing and uplifting
• Orange: uplifting

I use pure, vital plant essences: essential oils, absolutes, C02 extracts
and oleoresins in my aromatic preparations as well as properties of magic.
I also create my own accords, infusions and tinctures.

Samhain, the Celtic New Year Fire festival, abounds with celebrations of purification
and renewel. Like the phoenix, we build our nest of myrrh and consciously step into transformation to be birthed anew.

Phoenix Image from the Abeerdeen Bestiary, Phoenix Myster photo by Roxana Villa

EGG hunt for Bath & Beauty!

When I became a seller on Etsy I read that joining an Etsy team was a good way to network within the community. After looking through the vast listings of teams I choose the Etsy Green and Clean Guild.

"The Etsy Green and Clean Guild was formed in 2006 (?) and is the only Etsy street team for sellers specializing in soapmaking, perfume, cosmetics, herbal products who have also committed to serve as advocates for Truth in Advertising and full ingredient disclosure for bath and beauty products. We also have as our goal to educate the public about the merits of well-crafted products from small businesses who care about their customers, as well as to promote Etsy in general."

We are currently doing an easter egg hunt giveaway for three large bags of Bath and Body products from our team members. If you love handmade beauty then head on over to our team blog and forum thread and get your basket out. Time to go a huntin'.

Easter Egg Hunt link
Egg Hunt link at the Etsy Forums

Coming up Roses

As we continue walking along our rose strewn path today a new report titled “NO More Toxic Tub” warns about the unmentioned ingredients in many of our bath products including a host of cancer causing ingredients like formaldehyde, commonly found in main stream perfume.
Here is a ink to the article.

Good food = Good medicine

2000 B.C. "Here, eat this root."
A.D. 1000 "That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer."
A.D. 1850 "That prayer is superstition. Here, Drink this potion."
A.D. 1940 "That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill."
A.D. 1985 "That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic."
A.D. 2000 "That antibiotic doesn't work. Here, eat this root."

A few weeks ago I came down with some sort of flu bug that knocked me out. After a few days I finally decided that I was DONE and cracked open The Green Pharmacy book by James Duke. In the "Cold & Flu"section he gives several recommendations including sautéed onions and garlic, due to the naturally occurring antiviral chemicals in each. Thus, I sliced up some onion and garlic, sautéing over low heat in olive oil with oregano, another powerful anti viral.

Afterwards I had a hot bath with an essential oil synergy of Rosemary, Marjoram, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemon and Tea Tree, while sipping some Lemon Ginger tea with honey.

Next day I was 70% better and completely over it the following day. This made me remember a class taught by Wiep, a registered nurse and massage therapist. Wiep taught simple techniques on how to use the kitchen as your farmacy. The information is very much aligned with the items James mentions in The Green Pharmacy.

The history of medicine is prolific with the use of plants as healing remedies, yet in our modern day culture we have forgotten many of it's secrets. Secrets as simple as eating sautéed onions and garlic.

Aromatic plants play a prominent role in this historical look back beginning with the burning of plant material, which eventually turned into smudging or the burning of incense. It was Hippocrates who said to the ancient people of Greece to burn aromatic plants in the street during a plague. The reason for this is that many of the aromatic plants we find in the Mediterranean have anti-microbial properties. Hippocrates also said "the way to health is to have an aromatic bath and a scented massage everyday." That was back in 300 to 400 BC! In todays fast paced modern culture and aromatic bath could be as simple as a foot soak with peppermint essential oil or an essential oil rich salt scrub in the shower. Massage gets a little more tricky, although at many health food stores you will find massage therapists offering a five minute massage for five dollars.

I'll leave you with this nursery rhyme:

The best six doctors anywhere And no one can deny it Are sunshine, water, rest, and air Exercise and diet. These six will gladly you attend If only you are willing Your mind they'll ease Your will they'll mend And charge you not a shilling.
~Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990

My next aromatherapy class is on May 13th at the Massage School of Santa Monica. I go into the history of medicine and aromatherapy along with essential oil profiles and their use. For those interested in botanical natural perfume this is a good introductory class.

Wiep de Vries, founder of the LAAC (Los Angeles Alliance for Childhood), is a registered nurse, massage therapist and health educator from the Netherlands. She trained in Family Constellation Work and has been teaching home health care workshops for parents and health professionals throughout Southern California since 1993.
Los Angeles Alliance for Childhood

The Breath of Life

"The simple act of nurturing the senses
might well do far more for healing of the world
than all our programs and inventions."
~ Cheryl Sanders

In the past I published a short newsletter focusing on aromatherapy. Here is one from November 2001 focused on respiration.


THE BREATH OF LIFE - RESPIRATION

In clinical trials essential oils have proven to be highly effective in prevention of dis-ease in the body as well as combating infection. All essential oils to a higher or lesser degree are antibacterial. Some are natural antibiotics, some are anti-fungal agents and others exhibit immuno stimulating properties. The essential oils which work most effectively on the respiratory system often stem from the leaf of a plant. Interesting to note that if you place two leaves side by side they look very much like the lungs! Essential oils produced from woods and resins are generally used for more chronic conditions. For the purpose of this newsletter we focus on the following essential oils: Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Peppermint, and Sandalwood. When these oils are combined with other anti-infectious oils such as Lavender, Tea Tree and/or Lemon, one can anticipate a powerful affect. These substances are strong medicines and should be used with extreme mindfulness and care, especially with children, the elderly, and pregnant women. During the cold & flu season these precious substances can be utilized to disinfect a room, enhance our immune system and uplift the spirit. I have found this to be especially true of Lemon. The most effective and therapeutic way of diffusing oils into the air is by using a glass neubulizer. A 4 oz spray bottle with 15 drops of essential oil and water is an easy and effective alternative. Make sure you shake and spray at the same time. I also suggest using essential oils in the bath. For an adult use 8 to 10 drops and for a child 4 to 5. A combination of different essential oils will always give you a much more powerful affect than using one single note on its own.
This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe. For serious medical conditions consult your health practitioner.

* Cedarwood (Juiperous virginiana) or (Cedrus atlantica) Helpful for asthma, bronchitis, and coughs, used by Native Americans for respiratory conditions.
* Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) Effective for respiratory catarrhal and congestion.
* Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) The green leaves of the Eucalyptus tree are prized as strong antiseptics aiding with asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, and all types of colds.
* Peppermint (Mentha piperita) These green leaves are rich in "menthol" often used in chest
balms and inhalants. Excellent for clearing colds, particularly within the head or sinuses, flu
and laryngitis.
* Sandalwood (Santalum album) The moisturizing properties of this oil make it useful in treating
dry and irritated conditions such as laryngitis, chest, throat and lung infections and dry coughs.
* Other oils which support the respiratory system include: Cajeput, Cypress, Ginger, Niaouli, Pine, and Thyme. I recommend contacting a qualified Aromatherapy practitioner for a specific blend or synergy.

Be mindful that not all essential oils are created equal. Many of the amber bottles found on store shelves may be a synthetic product labeled as an essential oil, have chemical adulterants mixed in or have been lab created to produce a "Nature Identical". Some store bought oils may or may not contain the therapeutic constituents mentioned in this article. For the best results I recommend purchasing from a professional Aromatherapy practitioner.

Below are a few tips on incorporating essential oils into a daily routine and further creating an aromatic lifestyle.

Steam Inhalations
- Inhalations help clear congestion in the lungs & sinuses as well as cleanse
the skin simultaneously. Add 2-3 drops of an essential oil or an essential oil synergy to a bowl
with 1 pint of hot steaming purified water. Drape a towel over your head and with eyes closed
inhale steam for 2-3 minutes. Jan Kusmirek suggests breathing through the nose for nasal
congestion and through the mouth for sore throats.

Localized massage to chest & back
- Add 8 drops of an essential oil or an essential oil synergy to a carrier, such as almond oil
and massage into chest and or upper back. If possible repeat, for a total of three applications.
- This can be taken a step further by adding an infused oil of ginger, or making a healing
chest balm.

Compresses
- A hot or warm compress to the chest and back can help loosen congestion. Add 6 drops essential oil or essential oil synergy to a small bowl of hot water. Place a wash cloth on the surface of the water, wring out and place on the chest or upper back.

Diffusers
- Neubulizers are the top choice by professionals for the most effective and therapeutic affect. Add drops of an essential oil or an essential oil synergy to the glass neubulizer and diffuse.
- Mix 2-10 drops an essential oil or an essential oil synergy with 1 ounce of water in a plastic mister bottle, shake well and spray.
- Add a drop or two of an essential oil or an essential oil synergy. to a hot light bulb.

Resources:
Tips and information in this article have been researched from a variety of books, publications and personal experiences. Aromatherapy by Jan Kusmirek and Salvatore Battaglia's The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy are excellent resources.

Roxana Illuminated Perfume™
Roxana Illuminated Perfume™ at Etsy

Image at top ©Greg Spalenka, spalenka.com

Roxana Illuminated Perfume: REVIEW

Ms Bella, Kimbery Ayers, has posted a review of our perfumes and other ephemera on the Bath and Body portion of The Craft Gossip Blog Network.

I especially appreciated reading about Lyra and the odyssey the little sampler was taken on. So appropriate for that perfume! Kim's favorite perfume is Vespertina. I’ve been finding that this fragrance is quickly becoming the iconic favorite. Read more about Vespertina on our journal here.

Bath and Body is a terrific resource for those who do not know of it. Kim reviews quite a number of hand crafted products as well as providing recipes and tips.

Thank you Bella!

Bath and Body news @ CraftGossip: Roxana Illuminated Perfume

Perfume bottle image with logo at left ©Roxana Villa