Q = Phineas Quimby

Phineas Quimby described himself as a mind-healer. He also has been called a spiritualist, mesmerist and philosopher. His work led to the establishment of the New Thought Movement.

Quimby was mesmerized by Charles Poyen, a French mesmerist who toured America in the 1830s. He felt that he could become a mesmerist himself and followed Poyen until he had learned how to hypnotize.

Partnering with Lucius Burkmar, who was easily hypnotized, the pair set out on a demonstration tour. Quimby was disappointed when mobs formed to chase him from towns because the townspeople thought his show was too much like witchcraft.

Mesmerism was known as a form of faith healing. Quimby was featured as a healer in several scientific papers on the subject. One of his students, Mary Baker Eddy used Quimby’s philosophy that disease was rooted in a mental cause. This thought was instrumental in the founding of Christian Science.

Interested in more about Phineas Quimby? http://www.nndb.com/people/269/000203657/

Ye Olde Tree Tradition

The tradition of an evergreen entering the house for the blessings and celebration of the season predates the common era. The scent of the pine tree fills the senses with an uplifting feeling that brings smiles and anticipation of the holiday times.

While my family of origin had holiday traditions, when I started my own family I took the time to analyze the good and the not-so-good of holiday traditions. I kept what I liked, what worked & brought happy thoughts to mind. Then I built new traditions with my spouse and children as they've grown.

Times have been tough so this year is the first in several that we've had a tree in our house. It was so delightful to bring this lovely little tree into the house and devise a way to include the best of the best memories and wishes for the coming year.

We support the tree farmer, the tree yard and young delivery man wishing only that we could have offered them more than what they asked, for the joy their work has given us already far exceeds the price & tips we gave. After the holiday, we will donate the tree to be recycled into mulch for common areas.

What traditions have you incorporated into your holiday celebrations?

What to do with a broken heart

When you’re broken, you pick up the pieces you can find and move on. There really isn’t anything else that can be done. Putting things back together doesn’t work out, it’s never really fixed. With time, a scar grows where your heart broke and you do the best you can with what you’re given, but the heart is never really whole again.

I discovered my heart was truly broken in the emergency room of a hospital. I was eighteen and beside myself with grief. Within minutes of devastating news, my symptoms included shortness of breath, dizziness, heart racing and chest pain. Of course, I panicked, which is another symptom.

The doctors were entirely nonchalant while the nurses hooked up monitors and discovered my heart was broken, I had a mitral value prolapse. They were a bit concerned because while the condition often has no symptoms, I seemed to be having them all.

On the home front, I had just discovered a) I was pregnant and b) my new husband of about four months was having an affair. I suppose I was a bit stressed out.

After several days they released me from the hospital. They were unable to determine physically why the symptoms appeared. I was instructed to modify my activity and life based on the severity of the symptoms.

Since that day I've followed the doctor's advice modifying life to manage unexpected situations. Now, doctors and nurses just love to listen to this classic mitral value prolapse which requires no treatment.

Yummy, Sun Butter!

Sun Butter

Sunflowers like other weeds that yield food have a history of bring esthetic value to an otherwise dreary area. The sunflower has the habit of turning up in unusual places, sometimes unwanted but often to the delight of children and Nature’s admirers.

The Sunflower is native to the Americas, there is archeological evidence of Sunflower use dating to 2600B.C. It did not traveling to Europe until the 16th Century where it became immensely popular in the 18th Century.

As an annual, the sunflower grows best in moist fertile soil with heavy mulch. It grows best in full sun. Traditional gardens grow sunflowers within the combination of beans, corn , squash and sunflowers.

As a food, the sunflower seed is processed, roasted and salted. A favorite food in Germany, sunflower seeds are made into Sun Butter, similar to peanut butter. The seeds are a good source of protein.

Notes about Sunflowers:
In the US, Kansas is the sunflower state.
One of Van Gogh’s most recognizable paintings is Sunflowers.

Have you eaten your Roses today?

Not only are roses beautiful but they contain significant amounts of vitamin C.

In the 19th century, small town doctors prescribe roses as a regular remedy. The apothecary rose was a frequent suggestion for home treatment of common ailments such as stomach disorder, diarrhea, constipation, gallbladder & kidney problems, gout, fever and exhaustion.

Long standing philosophical traditions find Rose garlands strewn around altars of Gods and Goddesses. The rose was one of the flowers which had cross culturally represented love and health throughout the World. Many are the brides who held roses in their bouquet as they entered into marriage with the well-wishes of life-long health and love.

It stands to reason that the ancients understood the relationship between the beautiful flower and its health giving properties. The flowers’ fragrance provides for a method of relaxation. The beauty and cultivation of the flower offers tranquility for all to behold. The internal properties of the flower, in the rose hip, offer to the health practitioner a potent and reliable source of immunity boosting properties.

The following is a brief review of the versatility of the Rose.

Rose petals make a light and fragrant tea which settles stomach upset and provides a soothing aroma.

Rose hips in vitamin form offers an extra boost for people needing to fend off colds and fevers.

Rose jams and jellies offer sweetness and vitamin C to boost children’s immunity to the everyday ails found in most daycare and school institutions.

Rose water is added to ice cream and cookies in the Middle East to give added flavor.

Rose water also adds moisture to skin preparations, Middle Eastern and European traditions.

French chefs add Rose syrup made from rose petal extract to pastries.

Chinese apothecaries are among the few practitioners who still use this remedy for stomach ailments.

As all things go full circle, scientists harkened back to a more intuitive time and are testing rose and rose hips in the treatment of some cancers.

Horseradish: Herb of 2011

Horseradish, known is scientific circles as Armoracia rusticana is a close relative to broccoli, cabbage and mustard. It grows as high as 5 feet (1.5 meters) with large leaves and beautiful white flowers.

Best When Used: The Horseradish root is best use when freshly broken providing the most pungent of tastes and unique aroma.

Myth: Ancient Greek myth states the horseradish root is worth its weight in gold for the myriad of medicinal uses. These medicinal applications were commonly used through the Renaissance period.

Good Health: Horseradish contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin C.

Medicinal Use: Known to herbalists through the ages as a diuretic, Horseradish is used in treatment of minor health problems such as urinary tract bronchitis, coughs, infections, and sinus infection. Recent biochemical research reports Horseradish kills harmful bacteria and has an immuno boosting constituent.

Growing: The root grows better in a sunny area. Plant the root immediately in a moist hole twice as large as the root itself. Keep the area moist but not soggy wet. Add compost two or three time per growing season. Horseradish grows into zone 5. Harvest in the autumn after the first frost for the most pungent flavors.

Landscape: Horseradish is used as a border accent flowering plant.

Recipe:

Granny’s Horseradish Sauce

1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup horseradish
1/8 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp mustard
1 bunch chopped chives.

Blend together. Pour over steak or seafood.

Food Uses:

Breakfast: Scramble 1-tsp in with scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Add ½ tsp to mayonnaise on a sandwich.
Dinner: Use Granny’s Sauce with abandon

Rebellion

Revolt, uprising, insurgence, upheaval, mutiny, revolution, by any other name it’s still rebellion. For the most part, it doesn’t exist within my home. My spouse, my children and I pretty much get along, with disagreements, sure, but rebellion, no.

We, the parents haven’t created the environment from which our children wish to rebel. The dynamic has created an ever changing and interesting experiment in human development.

Old thoughts: As a youth growing up in a difficult household, I rebelled. While everyone said they were surprised, no one was surprised, there would have been something wrong if I hadn’t rebelled. The dynamics created in that house were of conflict, argument/debate, picking on and putting down. Rebellion was mentally healthy. How it all rolled out, maybe not so healthy. But I've done the work to put it in perspective and correct my errors.

New thoughts: When our three were little. I remember looking at each of them and thinking, I don’t want my children to have all that conflict in their lives that I had growing up. Then I had a thought: wouldn’t it be nice if we had a house where we got along, where we have love and mutual respect.

Matching my actions with my desired goal has provided a space for our kids to be kids without conflict. As young adults, they have a home that is not a battleground, so there is no reason to rebel.