Healing Through Smell

When asked which sense could be dispensed with if needs be, most people would initially opt for their sense of smell, but our sense of smell is invaluable to our safety, our appetite and our emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Without smell we would not be able to detect food that is off, smoke from a house fire, or gas from a leaking pipe. Without smell our appetite would be less regulated and we would only be able to distinguish between salt, bitter, sweet, sour and savoury, we would not have the added benefit of flavour.

Perhaps most importantly however is the fact that inhaling specific aromas, especially those which come from good quality essential oils can have a profound effect on the way we feel. Let's take lavender oil for example.

When we inhale lavender oil (two drops on a tissue or six on an incense burner with water is all you need) the Raphe Nucleus gland in the brain becomes stimulated which then releases the neuro chemical Serotonin into the blood stream which brings about feelings of relaxation, alleviates anger and aids restful sleep.

For more information on the healing powers of smell read 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Healing Wisdom'

Healing through Hearing

The sense of hearing is the 4th sense to develop in the womb at around 16 weeks and is responsible for the sounds we hear at that time becoming deeply embedded in our subconscious. These include the sound of water, a heart beat and the human voice and, thereafter throughout our lives we respond either positively or negatively to these sounds according to our experience in the womb.

Sound therapists have discovered that although when these primordial sounds are either slowed down or speeded up, the conscious mind fails to recognise them, they are still recognised by the subconscious mind. When recordings of people speaking are doubled in speed and raised by 3 octaves they sound like birds and when raisedby 8 octaves they sound like crickets. Conversely when the voice is slowed down to twice normal speed and reduced by 3 octaves it sounds like dolphins, whilst at a reduction of 8 octaves it sounds like the ocean. Perhaps this answers the question of why we are soothed or ruffled by the sounds of nature according to our pre birth experiences.

'Every night I come to hear painted words fall from your lips upon the canvas of my imagination......' (The Troubadour)

All extracts from the brand new 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Healing Wisdom'

Mrs Darley's Pagan Healing Wisdom - New Book Release

When we become ill, we search for a cure, but a cure only supresses the disorder; it fails to address the underlying cause. When we search for healing we are encouraged to look beyond the symptom, in oredr to explore the emotional, psychological and spiritual imbalances, which underpin the illness.

Following several periods of less than robust health, whilst living on the wild and remote Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, my enigmatic next door neighbour, the wise Mrs Darley, invited me to embark on a journey of healing through the five senses of touch, smell, taste, hearing and sight. It was a journey that not only made me view life and death in a different way, but also altered the way in which I intereacted with my body. It ultimately became a magical journey that changed my life and touched my soul.

'Mrs Darley's Pagan Healing Wisdom' is due for release on 21st June 2011 and can be pre ordered from Amazon using the following link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/mrs-darleys-pagan-healing-wisdom/dp/1902578767/ref=sr_1_4?ie=utf8&qid=1306345143&sr=8-4

Or go to http://www.arcanus.co.uk/ and click on the Amazon link

Holy Wells

The Bronze and Iron Age people saw water as having supernatural powers, whilst its mysterious, dark depths were seen as the entrance to the underworld. People felt compelled to make offerings to the Deities, which they believed inhabited these sacred places, a fact that has been evidenced by many archaeological finds. Items such as jewellery, plaques, coins and animal and human remains have all been discovered in these watery places where springs mysteriously burst forth from the land and were no doubt the wishing wells of early man.

Springs and wells were also seen as places of healing, of communing with the Gods, of worship, of purification and divination. There was however, a darker side to some requests thrown into the waters as findings from the Celtic/Roman shrine of Sulis Minerva in Bath show, for here lay plaques that not only had for healing but many were inscribed with curses and hexes.

Perhaps little changes within the human psyche over millennia after all?

Perseids Meteors & Harvest Moon

Today sees the birth of the new Moon in Leo, often referred to by the ancients as the 'harvest moon' so called because this was the time of the harvesting of the first fruits and the gathering of the grain.

It was also a time for practising magic, especially that which would protect throughout the dark months to come. Coupled with this was the gaining of wisdom and knowledge usually by some means of divination. Healing too was practised in order that the tribe and their animals would journey into the dark time in as healthy state as possible.

The new moon however is not the only event taking place in the heavens this week, for between the 12th and 14th August the Perseids Meteor Shower peaks and on a clear night we can expect to see approximately 60 meteors per hour shooting across the sky as long as there is little light pollution. It might be worth driving into the countryside for.

Enjoy the show!

The Reiki Path

Reiki is a safe, gentle, non-invasive healing technique for use on both the self and others. It utilises universal life force energy to bring about healing on the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual levels of being. It is however much more than just a healing tool and can be used to encourage and can be used to encourage both personal and spiritual awareness and growth. In the words of Frank Arjava Petter from his book, 'Reiki: The Legacy of Dr Usui':

'Reiki is a method of self realisation, a path to the light, to God or to one's self and this is probably the most attractive thing about the reiki path. Reiki fulfills the longing for a non-dogmatic method of further developing ourselves which is compatable with our personal philosophy of life or religion. Reiki requires no previous knowledge of philosophy, religion, medicine or the like and can be used by any person of any age'

For details of courses in all levels of Reiki please see http://www.arcanus.co.uk/

Natural Healing for Sciatica

This week I've been asked for help regarding sciatic nerve pain. Sciatica can be both excrutiating and, rather annoyingly, take many forms. These include:

• Pain radiating out from the lower back
• Pain in the buttocks especially when sitting or rising
• Pain or numbness down the legs
• Pain or numbness in the feet and toes

There are of course many pathways you can take to ease the pain, although sciatica is often one of those things that often rights itself albeit after 6-8 weeks. Manipulative complementary and orthodox approaches include:

• Physiotherapy
• Osteopathy
• Chiropractic
• Bowen Technique
• Acupuncture

Mrs Darley however was always an advocate for vinegar and often recommended it for all kinds of ailments (it had to be the right kind though!) and for both sciatica and arthritis she recommended the use of cider vinigar in either of the following ways:

As a preventative:

1 teaspoon cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon honey in 1/2 cup hot water to drink first thing in the morning.

To ease the pain:

2 teaspoon cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey in a sitz (very shallow) bath to which a handful of dried nettle leaves are added.

My own remedies would include the use of essential oils, although care must be taken NOT to massage the area only to stroke the oils in gently twice a day in the following dilution:

2 drops lavender, 2 drops German Chamomile (Roman will suffice if you can't get German), 1 drop Basil blended into 2 teaspoon of carrier oil such as sweet almond or grapeseed.

Do NOT use the essential oils if you are pregnant and please do NOT exceed the suggested dose.

For those who prefer less hands on and a more esoteric approach carrying a piece of malachite may help.

Take care and hope this helps.