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"Joy goes against the foundations of mathematics: it multiplies when we divide"

Paulo Coelho  

 

 

"That thing that you do, after your day job, in your free time, too early in the morning, too late at night. That thing you read about, write about, think about, in fact fantasize about. That thing you do when you're all alone and there's no one to impress, nothing to prove, no money to be made, simply a passion to pursue. That's it. That's your thing. That's your heart, your guide. That's the thing you must do."

Jes Allen

 

Find out what you're missing! 

 

For those of you who haven't yet checked us out on Facebook, here are some great reasons to: 

  1. We often post advance notice of sales and specials
  2. We share aromatherapy ideas, news and articles of interest 
  3. We share discussions on aromatherapy.

Some of the topics in

June 2015 were:  

  • Using Sandalwood for skin treatments
  • How to find a natural deodorant 
  • A natural remedy for depression

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Green Valley Aromatherapy  

 

August 2015

Greetings!

Hi everybody, I hope your summer is going well where ever you are in the world. Here on Vancouver Island we have only had 1 day of rain since April up to starting this newsletter, which is great for us and the tourists, but not good for the forests and the farms. 

The forests are at the mercy of people enjoying walks in the cool leafy glades who then carelessly throw lit cigarettes, matches and other combustibles starting forest fires. As of today British Columbia has 184 forest fires burning, trees and vegetation destroyed, wild life hurt and killed and people being evacuated. It's dreadful. All the fire fighters in BC are working flat out and Ontario has sent us 70 more. It is really scary. Even though we do not have any in Courtenay, where we are, there is a thick haze hanging over the town.

July 3rd was our Green Valley staff and helpers day out. We went to Happy Valley Lavender Farm. I can't find the words to describe how wonderful it was to see the lanes of Lavender swaying in the sunshine. It was lovely to see the different types of Lavender, multi colored flower gardens and exotic trees. The aroma lifted the soul until you felt you could fly. Lynda Dowling, the owner of Happy Valley Lavender Farm has been a friend for many years, though we have never been to her farm before. Due to a severe injury Lynda and her husband have to sell their home of 33 years. It has been a labor of love. They have created an oasis of peace and tranquility in the middle of a city.

We started with a tour of the gardens, getting more energized as we wandered around in the hot sun. We then stopped under some mature shady trees for a break and some delicious Lavender lemonade. After  more exploring we stopped for Lavender ice cream. Eventually, regretfully, we had to leave as we had a long drive ahead. We left this little piece of heaven feeling relaxed, happy and energized.

On our way home we stopped at another farm that used to grow Lavender and has somehow metamorphosed into a beautiful farm setting for any events (usually weddings). What bride wouldn't want to get married at a traditional working farm? With chickens following you around looking for tidbits, long haired highland cattle gazing curiously over the fence, and all shapes
 and colors of pigs. 

With good home cooked food and wonderful views of the ocean, you feel to have stepped back in time with all the mod cons of today.


 

All the best, 

 

 

Barb  

 

Recipe
 
This blend is for keeping away the insects that bite.
Lavender - 6 Drops
Lemongrass - 6 Drops
Thyme - 4 Drops
Peppermint - 4 Drops

This is the basic recipe. You can make it up in large amounts or small, whatever works for you. For bedtime add 2 drops to a cotton ball and put it in your pillow case. If you are eating outside, cut some lengths of ribbon and put 2 drops on each, if you have an umbrella up tie the ribbon on the the ribs or trees that are near you.

To spray on your body put 5 drops of the blend into a spray bottle with 1 tablespoon of Witch Hazel  then dilute with 4 tablespoons of water.

 
Product Profiles


Juniper Essential Oil (Juniperus communis)
 
Juniper is a middle note. The essential oil is steam distilled from the leaf twigs and berries.

Juniper essential oil is well known for helping with fluid retention and cellulite, but did you know it has started making a name for itself in helping to prevent hair loss. Juniper essential oil is also a good tonic, as it improves the circulation, which in itself improves the skin, your energy, and your healing time if you have had surgery, wounds or have caught a disease. It also has the properties to help with rheumatic aches and pains and depression. 

To me Juniper does not have the best aroma, but more importantly it has great properties to help you feel well in body, mind, and soul. It is a good all round essential oil. If you can only afford a few oils, Juniper should be some of them.



This very light oil is extracted from the bark, leaves and seeds. Evening Primrose oil is high in gamma linoleic acid, (which is said to rejuvenate skin cells) vitamins and minerals. This oil has good penetrative abilities which make it good for eczema and other skin condition. Evening Primrose also contains hormone like compounds which can aid PMS symptoms.

Your skin is the biggest gateway to your bloodstream and readily absorbs a wide variety of elements, some good and some not so good, so be aware of the harmful ingredients in our cosmetics and shampoos and stay away from them. Go natural.

Transitions blend

 

Black PepperVasodilatorAphrodisiacAnalgestic
GeraniumAnti-DepressantBalancingDiuretic
LemonImmune Stimulant
Lymph Stimulant
Anti-Depressant
RosemaryCytophylacticCephalicAnalgestic

 

 

Changes! Some people like them and some don't, depending on what is causing the change.   The Transitions blend can be a big part of your support team. Made up from Black Pepper, Geranium, Lemon and Rosemary essential oils, they cover a multitude of concerns, whether they are physical, mental, or emotional you need to get above your concern and let go.

 



Spearmint, Juniper, and Evening Primrose Oil are all 15% off in August.  
 
 
 

 

 

Did you Know?

 

That certain foods we eat can interfere with medication that has been prescribed for us. For example: certain cholesterol lowering drugs and some blood pressure lowering medication don't do well with grapefruit. The flavonoids and furanocoumarins in grapefruit interfere with the breakdown of medications by allowing more of the medication than usual to remain in the body.

What kids say:
In a class of 9 to 10 year old boys a visiting minister asked what they would like to have most in the future, 70% said girlfriends.

Have you heard?
BC has organized a wolf cull, shooting them from helicopters, to supposedly save the endangered Caribou. We heard it was the oil and gas companies, through laying gas lines across their natural habitat, the caribou do not like to cross them, so it disrupts their migration and they are sort of corralled out.


 
 

 

 

 Shea Butter Stories

 

Culinary Confusion or Artisan Artistry? 

If you have experience of farming you probably know the phrase 'churning butter and whipping cream'. It's actually incorrect; it's the cream that gets churned to make the butter, although whipped cream is, well, whipped cream - and I bet it would taste good on ripe Shea Fruit! To make it even more puzzling, the next stage in making shea butter is the whipping, but it's not cream that's used; it's the gooey substance we revealed last time, the result of the second grinding. Confused? 

 

 

The whipping is vital for separating out the buttery oils that give our Shea Butter its fantastic properties. By now you won't be surprised to hear that this is yet another back-breaking job. The women work bent right over; I used to wonder why they didn't put the basin on a raised platform, but they have worked this way for centuries and know exactly what they're doing. Visitors who have tried the whipping technique say it is incredibly difficult but really gratifying, and leaves their hands incredibly soft. 

 

 

It is magical to watch. The women first add some water to the reground shea nut mixture and start whipping with both hands, round and round like a paddlewheel. They keep doing this, adding more water until suddenly the essence of the Shea Butter coagulates into a whitish, foamy substance, and a brown liquid residue. Meanwhile, all around them a contagious festive atmosphere breaks out. Having seen each step in this incredibly tough process, it's not surprising, but I can't help wondering if just a little bit of the Shea Butter's magic comes from this amazing community joy and pride!


Next month, Whipped into Shape?