Pretty in Pink

Pretty in Pink: Rose Harvest 2018 in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria

I recently attended a rose retreat in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria near the town of Kazanlak.  Silvia of Rose Overdose (https://www.roseoverdose.com) invited me and she was the most gracious host I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Her family has been harvesting roses and producing rose oil, and other rose infused products for generations. It was a rose jam packed week of rose picking, rose yoga, rose workshops, and rose dinners. I would like to give a shout out to my friend, Nicole Santos of Gallery Rosa in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur who trusted me and said "YES", to join as a travel buddy for the adventure.

We visited a rose distillery, a rose museum, and the tombs of great Thoracian kings. Bulgaria was a culturally infused place with influence from Slovic, Russian, Arabian, Turkish, and Grecian civilizations. Driving through the romantic rose valley there was nothing but rose gardens for miles. What I liked about these gardens is many were unattended, growing wild, free, engrossed in their natural state and the flowers covered the land what seemed to go on for an eternity.  The constant rose aroma opened my gypsy heart to a portal of another realm. Those that know the power of one sniff of rose can only image what it felt like to be amidst the aroma for week. it was constant. Rose notes even began to show up in my under arm odor. My essence infused with e rose essence. 

Botanical Name: Rosa damascena

Plant Part Used: Rose Petals

Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Note: Base and Middle

Aroma: Floral, Exotic, sometimes Citrusy or Smoky

Blends Well With: Bergamot, cardamom, geranium, ginger, jasmine, lemon, neroli, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, and frankincense

Rose Yoga

We kicked off our stay in the valley of roses with a once in a lifetime chance to practice in a studio that was filled with over 3000 roses. There was even an unexpected photographer there from national geographic to capture some images of our group doing "rose yoga". This was never really done before Silvia designed the concept and just so happened to take a day's harvest of here 40 acre farm to let us play in roses. My favorite was making "rose angels" (like when you lay back in the snow and make snow angels but with roses)

There is a reason why the rose has been used for centuries by lovers as a symbol of the heart. The oil is a gentle tonic for the heart w/ the highest measured frequency of all oils at 320 MHz. The rose garden itself is a living meditation w/ an endless sea of blossoms where the opening of petals never seemed to end.. Rose helps us to find the softness underneath it all, while helping to open our hearts a little more and experience a deep sense of peace, love, and joy. The many layers of this scent reminds of our “journey” not just the destination. This aroma is a gift of the earth bringing wisdom to those who have built walls around the heart. Breathe in this heavenly scent and get ready to receive.

Beauty Ritual, Goddesses, and Roses

 These three themes go hand in hand as rose elixir’s have been recorded in written history dating back 5000 years. Rose is also known as  “THE QUEEN of FLOWERS” Both in India, Egypt, Roman and Arabic writings deities, queens, and goddess are associated with the rose. The greek poet, Anacreon wrote that the white rose (Alba species) first sprang forth during the birth of  Aphrodite, the goddess of love.Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt was known for her beauty and one of her most famous recipes was her bath consisting of honey, milk, and roses. She even had her living quarters filled with petals so that when Marc Anthony met her he would long remember her every time he smelled a rose.

Whether dealing with libido, mood, or post natal issues working with rose oils can support healthy sexual and female challenges. Try taking Cleopatra’s lead and soak in a milk, honey and rose oil bath to support healthy hormonal function and uplift the mood.Rose has therapeutic compounds that are specifically regenerating to mature skin. The oil also benefits dry, hormonal, and problematic skin issues.

Recipes:

Night Serum - Take 1 drop rose oil to ¼ cup of Avocado oil. Apply a small amount to the face and neck each night before bed.

Moisturizer -Take 1 ounce coconut oil and mix 6 drops of rose oil and 6 drops of geranium. Massage into the skin, including legs, arms, elbows, hands and feet.

Love Potion - 7 drops rose oil, 4 drops ylang ylang, 1 drop neroli. Add oils to a cup of witch hazel in a glass mister. Eo’s float on top so shake the bottle to activate the ingredients

Rose Maks - 1 ounce of bentonite clay powder, 3 tbs of rose water, 3 drops of Myrrh oil, 4 drops rose oil. Apply to a clean moist face. Let dry for 15 mins and rinse.

Here is our "Caravan Girl", botanical perfume inspired by our trip and infused with rose essence.

Rose Oil Production

About 60,000 roses are used to produce 1 ounce of Rose Oil. This is about 7000-9000 kilos of petals in 1 liter of rose oil, or 30 kilos in just 1 gram! I recently had the pleasure to visit a 10 acre rose garden in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria. My friend, Silvie who invited me is carrying on the art of rose growing as did her family for generations. The entire rose harvest lasts around 3 weeks and begins mid May. Each morning the rose pickers, which many whom are “gypsies” wake up before the Sun to start picks by 5 AM- 10AM. When it begins to warm up the roses with begin to ferment so the day’s harvest goes right to the distillery which is nearby to be steam distilled into oil. 10 pickers will pick around 300 kilos of blossoms in a morning. One picker is needed per acre.

After rose picking one morning our group visited the Rose distillery. The exotic aroma that filled the air was one like no other. My nose captured rich notes of sultry smoke, earthy tobacco, tart fruit, fresh green, hint of citrus, and heavy floral aromatics. Yes, it was intoxicating and I finally understood the meaning of Silvia’s brand, Rose Overdosed! It was almost like being drunk on roses but that was another night of the retreat!

Rose Museum & Dinner

So far I have shared Aromatic and Topical ways to use the essence of the rose  but there are also internal uses through culinary delights. My favorite evening in Bulgaria was a Rose dinner hosted in Silvia’s family home. Her family had been making Rose Champagne, Rose Wine, and Rose Liqueurs for generations. Each sip was savored like a drop of love straight to the soul. The dinner also included a salad with edible roses, Bulgarian Cheeses with Rose Jam, Rose Risotto, and Rose Sorbet. In between each coarse we sipped on the beverages and got to smell different rose oils produced by different seasons or growers which of coarse effect the notes. Rose water, rose petal infusions and rose oil were all bases to the culinary delights. Earlier in the day we also got a surprise treat of sipping rose champagne on pink carpet in the gardens of the rose museum of Kazanlak.

Recipe: Rose Petal Jam

3 1/2 cups of water

3 cups of rose petals

2 1/2 cups of sugar

½ cup of fresh lemon juice

1 cup rose water

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and stir in the rose water. Remove from heat.

Add petals, cover,  and steep for 30 mins. Strain liquid. Discard petals.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer into a hot mason jar to seal the lid.  Let cool. And store in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate after opening.

Thracian Tombs

The Thracian people were from the Odrysian kingdom an ancient, mysterious tribe with elaborate burial rituals who drank wine from gold cups, built structures to withstand the test of time, treasured their horses, and didn't bother to write anything down living in the moment.  I chanted in the Golyama Kosmatka Tomb of King Seuth to checkout the acoustical value 9while making a prayer wish and sending it out there in the universe somewhere. and thought Droko of the  known Dothraki (nomadic horse-mounted warriors from Game of thrones) was going to rise from the grave in which we were sitting. I instantly felt a weird , creepy, but powerful vibe and fled out of there quickly.  I will tell you within a few weeks my wish that I had made in the tomb came true but maybe that also had to do with the power of the roses. 

Rose Picking

Last but not least, my favorite activity was being out in the gardens picking the roses. A divine process it was! The scent though! Nirvana accessed right from the nose.  Silvia likes to call it "A living meditation".  The roses had the company of many bees, and wild flowers growing under the rose bushes including flowers springing up from two very precious essential oils Helichrysum and Tansy.  We also learned how to make mega flower crowns. Here is a magical moment in the garden while I was picking a local girl sang a beautiful song. I could not hold back the tears and forever more I will be looking at the world with as pair of rose colored lenses. 

Please contact me if you may be interested in attending one of Silvia's retreat or would like to inquire about purchasing some of her wonderful rose oil or rose water. 

INDIGO CHILD

Sneek Peek.. We will be featuring some of our new unreleased scents at an upcoming Pop-up event in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur. See the flyer below for more details. 

JASMINE GRANDIFLORUM: WHERE THE ANGELS TREAD

Known as the “King of Flowers,” Jasmine is prized for its delicate white flowers, which emit a highly fragrant aroma for up to 36 hours after being hand-picked.

Jasmine is one of the most precious essential oils because extracting it is extremely labor-intensive.  The extraction process must be done at daybreak when the flowers are most fragrant and have the highest percentage of aromatic components intact. Due to the large amount of flowers needed to produce a small amount of oil, Jasmine is highly sought after in both the perfume industry and in aromatherapy.

 I got to experience this oil's heavenly scent after smelling a certain EO company's Jasmine . No other Jasmine that I could source no matter how expensive could compare. I tried "organic". I tried different species like the sambac, and from different regions like "Eygpt" and "France". I tried organic CO2 extracted. None of these compared to the Jasmine grandiflorum sourced from southern India which has of value of $200 plus dollars for a small 5ml bottle. The problem was the company didn't even have a way to buy the jasmine because there simply was not enough to go around. This company is about purity over profit so I appreciated their integrity. I would have bought a thousand bottles but I never had the chance as it was not for sale! (And realistically I don't think I had 20 G's in the first place, but you get my point.)

I especially remember my first "whiff" was during a time when I lost a family pet. Within 24 hours of my dog's passing I had to get on a plane and attend a large, high energy annual event with 30,000 thousand people including my beloved team mates who I wanted to be really present for to cheer them on and celebrate their successes.  My emotional state, though was grief and sadness. There happened to be an oil bar out for anyone to try any oil throughout the day. There before my eyes  unveiled Jasmine! I  remember taking off the lid of the tiny bottle w/ a bit of white labelling. The bottle reached my nose and after a deep inhale the aroma filled my lungs.

“It was a euphoric heavenly scent and it felt like I was dancing or having a tea party with angels”

This scent soothed my sadness, uplifted my spirit, and brought peace and even joy to my heart. As you can imagine I was running back to that oil bar every hour, every day of the 4 day event. Then I parted ways with this sweetness.

So now, years later the the long-awaited Jasmine essential oil is a permanent product as of Oct 2, 2017. Co-impact Sourcing efforts and years of building sustainable partnerships with growers and distillers.

Known for its warm and floral fragrance, Jasmine also provides a myriad of benefits both aromatically and topically. Benefits include:

• Evokes feelings of joy, peace, and self-confidence

• Helps balance mood throughout the month

• Promotes a healthy-looking, glowing complexion

• Nourishes and protects the skin and scalp

• Reduces the appearance of blemishe

NOW FOR SOME FUN! 

JASMINE GRANDIFLORUM

SCENT: EXOTIC, FLORAL, SWEET

MOOD: JOY, PEACE

CRYSTAL: AURA QUARTZ

CHAKRA: HEART

ELEMENT: AIR

STAR SIGN: AQUARIUS W/ A CANCER MOON

SPIRIT ANIMAL: UNICORN

MUSE: ZOË KRAVITZ

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE USES:

• Apply on your wrists and neck as a personal fragrance.  Jasmine’s aroma is intensely floral, warm, musky, and exotic—the perfect scent for a fun perfume. (Not to mention its scent is also uplifting!)
   

• Jasmine is known to reduce the appearance of skin imperfections and promote healthy-looking, radiant skin. Because of its convenient application in a roll-on bottle and its combination with Fractionated Coconut Oil, you can apply Jasmine Touch directly on skin imperfections in the morning and night.  Not only will it help reduce the appearance of skin imperfections but it will also leave your skin with a beautiful glowing complexion.
   

• Because Jasmine has such an uplifting scent, using Jasmine Touch on our pulse points is the perfect way to uplift mood. Emotionally, Jasmine promotes feelings of joy, peace, and self-confidence. Applying Jasmine in the morning will help provide a positive outlook on the day and leave you feeling uplifted and confident.

• Jasmine also has a spiritual profile and the ability to call the angelic realms close. Jasmine has been known to encourage openness, inspiration and joy! Jasmine's purpose is to provide us w/ our own personal haven where we can find a greater conscious resonation with our higher-self.

Jasmine blends well with rose, neroli, sandalwood, petitgrain, ylang ylang,, grapefruit, ginger, and patchouli. 

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: AVOCADO OIL

While in Mexico we have been exploring indigenous ingredients of the region and have a new love for Avocado Oil both for external and internal use. Avocado oil is derived from the flesh of the fruit that grows in tropical and subtropical zones of Central America and California. In skin care it is commonly used as a base or carrier. (A CARRIER OIL IS A BASE OIL OR VEGETABLE OIL USED TO DILUTE ESSENTIAL OILS BEFORE THEY ARE APPLIED TO THE SKIN FOR SAFETY AND EFFICACY SINCE THE CARRIER OIL CAN ASSIST TO DRIVE THE ESSENTIAL OILS DEEPER INTO THE SKIN.)

Now that I hit forty years of age I like using a dynamic duo of both essential oils w/ a carrier for multiple benefits. Dry, aging skin for one is always thirsty for moisture and I spend a lot of time in the Sun currently residing in Mexico. I like to SLATHER carrier oils on. Plus this helps me extend the quantity of my precious and more expensive essential oils. fruit that grows in tropical and subtropical zones of Central America and California. We have used Avocado oil as a base in a few of our products from the "DESERT QUEEN" collection. Here are some of the unique properties of avocado oil:

OLEIC ACID 

Avocado Oil is a great carrier oil because it is highly moisturizing due to the omega fatty acids, antioxidants, and has a longer shelf life than most carriers so it doest go rancid as quickly. The fatty acids found in avocado oil are monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid is known to  lower risk of some cancers, prevent flare-ups of certain auto-immune diseases, speed cell regeneration,  aiding the body in repelling microbial infections, and reducing inflammation inside and out.

DIGESTIVE HEALTH

The high concentration of oleic acid in avocado oil can help you lose weight – especially when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Avocado oil is thick and full of powerful nutrients, meaning that it will make you feel fuller faster and keep your appetite satisfied longer. Also, because the vitamins and EFAs in avocado oil improve digestion. Avocado oil has an unusually high concentration of beta-sitosterol, a type of cholesterol which our bodies can use to convert less healthy fats into forms which are more usable and less damaging to cells.

VITAMIN E

Avocado oil is among the top five foods highest in vitamin E. This fat-soluble vitamin is known for improving skin and eye health, bolstering the immune system, providing defense against oxidative damage to cells caused by free-radicals, improving memory and mental acuity, as well as increasing the overall efficiency of the digestive tract.

DETOX

Avocado oil is loaded with chlorophyll – a natural source of super-healthy magnesium and one of the best-known natural substances for removing heavy metals like mercury and lead from the liver, kidneys, brain, and other organs.

CELL REGENERATION

The vitamin E, potassium, and lecithin which are the primary skin-feeding nutrients in the oil are all easily absorbed through the epidermis – the outermost layer of the skin – and into the dermis. Due to its high concentration of anti-inflammatory oleic acid, avocado oil can be applied topically to ease discomfort caused by all manner of skin conditions and help w/ wound healing. In fact, this oil increases cell proliferation and during would healing this leads to an increase of the numbers of fibroblasts which lead to smooth, unwrinkled skin. It may reduce scars, soothe eczema and is even a light UV filer for Sun protection. Avocado oil is also nourishing for your hair and can help w/ a dry, itchy scalp.

I remember running into one of the most beautiful women at a grocery store when I was younger. I was so in awe of her beauty in fact that I complimented her. She was at that moment unloading a basket full of avocados. She responded, "Thank you but it's all due to these avocados".

Introducing Our New "Desert Queen" Collection

After the life changing experience of desert dwelling and studying plant medicine in Baja California Sur we are excited to announce the arrival of our latest desert sourced collection, "Desert Queen". 

The various therapeutic benefits of the carefully crafted ingredients include protecting, nourishing, repairing, and hydrating properties. So far the line includes:

"Baja Blooms": A Sun Spritzer/Tonic/Toner to quench thirsty, skin w/ Aloe Leaf, Lavender, White Sage, Dill, and Vit E

"Vision Quest": A concentrated Wild Rose and Clary Sage eye cream to repair and smooth fine lines w/ organic CO2 extracted Chia Seed Oil which is a natural form of CoQ10. CoQ10 is not only necessary for producing cellular energy, but also for defending cells from damage caused by harmful free radicals. 

"Earth Ship: A potent face oil w/ organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil and other fibroblast stimulating ingredients to encourage the production of elastin,  and smooth skin, like Vit E, Dill Seed oil, and Yarrow. 

"Arroyo Magic": A medicinal indigenous clay (barro) sourced from Baja that cleans impurities from the pores thanks to its antibacterial properties, as well as its incredible ability to bind to the debris in your skin and pull it out like a sponge. It can also contain minerals like silica (delays aging), alumina (absorbs impurities), iron and calcium (promote cell renewal). Therapeutic Juniper Berry essential oil in Jojoba is included in the kit which has cleansing, calming, and grounding properties.

Featured Artist: Teresa Flowers Photography

FEATURED ARTIST:

TERESA FLOWERS PHOTOGRAPHY

Various Elegant Savage Inspired Designs

5 x7 in stock (Others Sizes Available Upon Request)

We are honored to partner w/ this incredible visionary artist, Teresa Flowers who is an internationally recognized photographer/artist based in Los Angeles, California. Her artwork has been published in Nakid Magazine, Shots Fine Art Photography Magazine, Photo District News, and Black and White Magazine. She was presented the prestigious Fine Art Photographer of the Year Award at The International Photo Awards, as well as the People's Choice Award. She also received the Mayor's Award in Visual Art, and Teresa's work is exhibited internationally.

Teresa hand makes the world's largest albumen prints in a dark room after she sets up strange psycho-spiritual scenarios in beautiful landscape's from all over the world. She delicately paints and draws in her signature style over the top of her one of a kind prints.  Learn more about her work at http://www.teresaflowers.com

Sweet Dreams and Goodnight Irene

Western medicine is finally catching up to prove ancient, 5000+ year old Ayurvedic practices! In a long 5000+ year old story short we need sleep and dreams to find balance in our physical, mental, and emotional health. As a child my parents would sing the "Goodnight Irene" lullaby when it was time to "Hit the hay". I would cry and throw fits as I resisted, not wanting to miss out on any of the action. Now, bedtime is my favorite part of the day and I look forward to blissful sleep while dreaming fantastical escapades. Plus tomorrow is always a new day!

Modern Science

What inspired this wellness post on the subject of sleep was an invite from my friend, Anna to attend an intriguing lecture last night hosted by OHSU's Brain Institute as part of a series for “Brain Awareness Week”. Dr. Robert Stickgold, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Director, Center for Sleep and Cognition Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center ) presented his current work which looks at the nature and function of sleep and dreams from a cognitive neuroscience perspective, with an emphasis on the role of sleep and dreams in memory consolidation and integration, and how defects in these processes contribute to psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and schizophrenia. In other words, prior to this research modern medicine has looked at insomnia as a side effect of these disorders. Dr. Stickgold studies suggests the opposite.  Lack of sleep and dreaming could be a contributing factor to the cause of these disorders.Some other points of interest included findings from one of Dr. Stickgold studies where groups of people played the game Tetris. Some of the subjects had severe amnesia w/ zero function of memory recollection yet several reported elements of the tetris game showing up in their sleep/dream state when interviewed right after waking. This helped to give “sense” to what possible action had occurred the day before because certain subjects felt they must have been playing the game.

Lastly, the main highlight from many varies studies all pointed to our performance, recollection, and other skills shooting off the charts after a good night dream and sleep. When regular healthy subjects were time tested on mazes, puzzles and other challenges over and over the results were about the same with a tiny percentage of improvement after having the opportunity to take the test multiple times. Given a nights sleep the same subjects performance had improved up to 50%.

Sadly, as it goes the overall performance of certain cognitive and motor skills are greatly reduced after subjects do not get a night of sleep and dream. This research is especially helpful advocating for better shifts in the workforce like, ER doctors and nurses who are on 24 hour shifts at times. 

Cortisol is called the "stress hormone" (often called, "the death hormone.") because it is secreted during times of fear or stress, whenever the body goes into the fight or flight response. It is is made in the adrenals. The general hustle and bustle of society today and the required ass busting it takes just to stay above water taxes the adrenals, producing stress and cortisol levels to skyrocket. In the morning we want cortisol levels to be high, waking us up and giving us the energy to get through the day. Cortisol production should gradually decrease through the day, until it reaches its lowest levels late in the evening ideal for bedtime. However, if cortisol levels do not decrease in the evening, because the stress response is triggered and doesn’t shut off cortisol production, it can affect a peaceful rest, inducing sleep disorders. In addition Cortisol creates chronic to severe inflammation that eventually causes premature aging. Cortisol suppresses another important, DHEA, the "youthing" hormone. 

Ancient Ayurvedic Solutions to Promote Sleep

 Living a natural lifestyle, with plenty of self-care can greatly support wellness of body and mind. Ancient ayurvedic practices can help reduce stress, support adrenals, regulate cortisol levels and and promote a healthy sleep/dream state. These wellness lifestyle practices include healthy diet (no caffeine/sugar, breathwork (alternate nostril breathing), exercise (yoga practice), meditation, oil massage (Abhyanga), and using adaptogenic herbs as supplements.  Russian researcher Professor Israel Brekman established the definition of Adaptogens. They are harmless plants with no side effects. They increase the general capacity of the human body to adapt to stress and they increase resistance to disease. They are not localized to a specific body organ but have a "normalizing" effect (restorative rather than curative) on the imbalances caused by physical or emotional stress.

I personally, sleep soundly at night and have never had an issue w/ insomnia. I also apply these Ayurvedic practices in my life on a daily basis. There are many adaptogens to explore but my main go to source has been using essential oils. There are 98 published medical studies on the subject of essential oils and sleep. Essential Oils are adaptogenic and can be used aromatically, topically, and sometimes internally to bring balance to the body and support a myriad of systems. Find a trusted source to buy EOs because they are not all created equal. I choose a company w/ the highest quality, pure therapeutic grade essential oils. They use rigorous testing criteria, ethical sourcing through a “Co-impact Sourcing initiative”, and are on a bold mission to further the advancement of essential oil useage around the world from hospitals to our own homes through science and education.  

Essential Oils

Calming Essential oils like Lavender and Bergamot are rich in linalool and linalyl acetate, compounds that have well-known relaxing properties.Use: Diffuse aromatically in the bedroom to create a peaceful environment, perfect for getting a good night’s sleep. They can also be used topically and to calm the nervous system, promote relaxation, and lead to a restful sleep. Try placing two to four drops of Lavender or Bergamot essential oil in a warm, herbal foot bath and have a nice soak about 30 minutes before going to bed.

Alpha Pinene, a major constituent of coniferous tree essential oils support Rapid Eye Movement (REM) state during sleep. This is helpful considering nightmares and other night terrors occur during this sleep phase.Use:  White Fir, Black Pepper, or Spruce can be used topically on the back of the neck or massage on the bottom of the feet to promote relaxation. Aromatically usage includes placing a few drops on the pillow to support, a deep restful sleep.

Marjoram oil has been associated alleviating panic and may help against snoring.

In conclusion, we are happier, healthier, and maybe even a better version of ourselves from the previous day if we can get a good night’s sleep. There are many natural tools at our fingertips to support us in this process.. Please do not turn to big Pharma which have a plethora of terrible side effects and can cause more harm than good.

Reference:

Forsch Komplementmed. 2015;22(1):43-9. doi: 10.1159/000380989. Epub 2015 Feb 19:  Effects of bergamot ( Citrus bergamia (Risso) Wright & Arn.) essential oil aromatherapy on mood states, parasympathetic nervous system activity, and salivary cortisol levels in 41 healthy females. Watanabe E1, Kuchta K, Kimura M, Rauwald HW, Kamei T, Imanishi J. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25824404

α-Pinene, a Major Constituent of Pine Tree Oils, Enhances Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep in Mice through GABAA-benzodiazepine Receptors. Yang H, Woo J, Pae AN, Um MY, Cho NC, Park KD, Yoon M, Kim J, Lee CJ, Cho S. Mol Pharmacol. 2016 Nov;90(5):530-539. Epub 2016 Aug 29. PMID: 27573669

Nurses experience of aromatherapy use with dementia patients experiencing disturbed sleep patterns. An action research project. Johannessen B. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2013 Nov;19(4):209-13. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2013.01.003. Epub 2013 Aug 17. PMID:24199975 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24199975

98 other published research articles on sleep and essential oils: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=sleep+essential+oils&cmd=DetailsSearch

OHSU Lecture Series for Brain Awareness 2017 /Dr. Robert Stickgold PhD https://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/brain/in-community/brain-awareness/lectures-events/sleep-memory.cfm

Just sleeping like a log. Don't even mind a husky on my head after an essential oil treatment to promote blissful sleep.

Pink Moon Women's Wellness Workshop

Shout out to all the sister's of the Pacific Northwest: Please join us! Details here: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pink-moon-womens-wellness-workshop-tickets-33196557798

"Dadme La Muerte Que me Falta"

This place. Oh this wild abandon of a place of the misfits, mermaids, and the medicine. Baja just wouldn’t let me go. From bones in the desert to the skeleton woman which is me in the bottom of the sea I found..“dadme la muerte que me falta”.

Mystic Mexican poet, Rosario Castellanos is quoted “dadme la muerte que me falta” which translates to “Give me the death I need”.

Remember my bat post..and how they signify “death”. I was already in that mode of letting go and surrendering of the old, the fear, the ego, but I had more rites of passage to go here.Three months living off grid outside of Todos Santos I had enjoyed the sun, plant life, and sea but also faced many challenges like water/ power struggles, Land Rover issues and worst of all the loss of my beloved husky soul mate.

I was done w/ the desert!  It’s funny how removed from death we are back in the states, unless maybe caring for a loved one who is sick. I was shocked when after seeing the vet when I was left w/ the corpse of my dead dog to bury. My local friend Felipe, said “We have to bury him when the Sun rises in the AM and I will help you.” I was in shock. Thanks to this friend. I could not have managed the task alone.  There was something special about laying his body to rest w/ my own blood, sweat, and tears. Then I collected desert plants, flowers and my favorite seashells to offer his spirit while it was passing through the cosmos. I spent many more nights here and my bedroom faced the desert space where he was buried. It was also tucked in by the sea. I cried. And cried and wished I could somehow meet him in another realm again. It was a bit of a coincidence that I was re-reading “Women Who Run With Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkerton-Estes.

I really resonated with the quote, "We all begin as a bundle of bones somewhere in the desert."

I was so done that I packed up my car to head back to Oregon not even sure if I had the gas or money to make it. I was also, scared to drive the Baja peninsula stretch of 1000 miles alone in an unreliable car. I justed wanted to get back to Oregon and started my journey on Jan. 31, 2017.

I blazed through the desert as I drove listening to good tunes. Tom Freund was a musician passing through Todos Santos and gave me his CD in trade for an essential oil book. I blasted his tracks “Queen of the Desert and “Copper Moon” as I embraced the beauty of the landscape one last time while crying over missing my wild, soft husky friend.

I knew better to drive at night but got a bit stuck in the mountains after dark while thinking I could make it from Loreto to Mulege. The moon was a silver crescent in the sky and Venus, Mars, and Jupiter were conjunct like the beauty mark’s of the Moon.

When I finally pulled into Mulege I was enchanted by the vintage charm of the town. There was a certain vibe of romance which I can’t describe besides a bit of magic. I circled around looking for a motel and a decent place for food. My vegetarianism is a challenge here. I was instantly lured by a small archway that seemed to be filled w/ botanicals and tropical plants, called Las Casitas. I parked the vehicle, and decided this was the place for the night. After writing a farewell post to Baja on social media which was also a heads up to my friends and people back north that I was making my way back I grabbed a bite of food in the lobby.

There are little steps that add up to be a certain turning point where our coarse completely changes. A compass gone wild, and the sails shift. I had wondered why I was going back to the freezing, cold and rain in Portland. I had wondered why I was so eager to reunite w/ my daughter who was so cruel on the phone every time I tried to speak w/ her. The prices of rent in Portland are insane. Then there is all the turmoil w/ Trump and an angry nation. I had been fed up for so long..I didn’t really know what the fuck I was doing at all besides besides eating a quesadilla, but I was about to find “La luz de la vida”.

This translates to “the light of life”. This is when a  beautiful man walked up to me and we chatted for a moment. He asked me to meet him in the AM to watch the sunrise..and he looked for a napkin to write his phone number. He said he liked to be old school and actually write it down. My phone didn’t work and What's app failed so even though I thought I might do something out of the ordinary I knew I should hit the road and catch the first light of day for my next day 2 of 5 of driving. Oh well. Maybe in another life.

The next morning even before my alarm went off I rushed up to get my little dog Hooj outside to pee. I was tired, half asleep, and unknowingly had started bleeding in the middle of the night. I was a bit of a hot mess.. To my surprise I opened my motel room door there was my new friend waiting for me to awake for our sunrise date.

Long story short I am now on day 11 of this place so our meeting went well. Losing my ATM card (a little nudge from the universe also came into play). The Sea of Cortez may as well be called the Sea of Love. It is full of life. Mermaids are not myth here. There are seashells that I have only dreamed about that fill the shore. The colors of the sky are those of the softest pastels. I am living on a houseboat w/ my new friend and the circle windows are my favorite feature of the boat. The morning light glows pink. There is a lighthouse in the distance. The locals are lost angels. We make fires each night and write songs together on the guitar. There is also the bio luminesce of the phytoplankton that light up the water at night glowing blue from a chemical reaction that is unlike anything I have seen and I may as well be a character in my most favorite film, “The Life Aquatic”. I needed this. Love is a gift. My light was out and it is now lit again.

Another story comes to mind from the book I mentioned before, Women Who Run with Wolves. It is the tale of “The Skeleton Women”, a creature so scary. This girl was pushed off a cliff by her father long ago and her bones laid at the bottom of the sea. Well a fisherman comes by one day thinking he caught the catch of the day and instead pulls the "skeleton woman" up in his net. He runs home to get far away from her but Skeleton Women is there at the fisherman’s door. Though he is scared he lets her in. He begins to untangle her. He begins to cry. The tears fall on her lips and as she drinks his salty tears which return her to to life again.

It feels good to be untangled. I am in love w/ this place and the subtle medicine here for those who are open to receiving it. I don’t know where I am going but I know I am not lost. Following the heart always pays off.

The Magic Wand of the Yucca

As I was driving for the first time through the most magnificent desert terrain I was in awe w/ the cacti and plant life which went on for infinity. The Saguaros were the most profound in quantity and size,  “king of the desert plants”. There were also these whimsical, furry, (* furry as in covered in spiky needles that you would not want to touch) Dr. Seuss looking cacti creatures which were tall talks posed bending and bowing like playful children. Lastly, in the distance, and up on the ridges were these gigantic vertical rods that stood up so mighty like they were the “guardians” of the desert realm or of the Knights of the Sun....

The imagery reminded me of the “Wands” suit in the Tarot also called “Rods” which represent:

• Spirit

• Creativity

• Divine Spark

• New Beginnings

• Ruler of Aries, Sag, and Leo

• Channeled Focus

• Energy that drives us and fuels our passions

Maybe this is why I felt the most connection w/ these mystery plants as I was on an adventure, driven by a spirit essence to make a new beginning/home/life in a warm, sunny place outside of the US. I had no clue what kind of desert flowers these were, but I really felt like a character from my favorite Tarot deck, a vintage one called the “Aquarian Tarot” w/ dreamy illustrations by David Mario Palladini. I was either the “Queen of Wands” or I was driving to that place in the Four of Wands card which embodies:

“When you act upon a vision it will have far reaching effects”

    I eventually found out these stalky, tall rods belonged to the Yucca plant. Yucca elata to be exact though there are many species of yucca which look very similar.  I didn’t even have to look it up, but just simply arrive at my destination/new home in the southern part of Baja which was surrounded by the Yuccas. Of course I knew these plants! They were planted around our home as a kid. That might be an understatement. The yuccas lined the boulevard near the street of this childhood home and wrapped around the entire property which was on a corner lot. In the summer the stalks of the yucca would shoot up tall and blossom w/ these cream colored flowers. They were only 2-3ft here as Central Illinois was not there ideal climate compared to the 20ft monster rods of the desert.. The yucca was out of place in this childhood home of mine in a concrete jungle, suburbia in the midwest which made them that much more interesting to me as a kid. Not desert climate at all. I had not recognized this from the car, on my recent desert drive in the distance because I could not see the botanical bases which the fatherly, stalks sprung. I could only see these amazing towering silhouettes which took up strong black negative space contrasting the light.

    Speaking of “fatherly” I have a fond memory of my own father and the Yucca plant. In the summers he would camp outside w/ a baseball bat to guard the yucca’s blossoms. They were a target for the teenage boys riding by in cars who waited all year to play baseball w/ the plants as they drove by. My dad was successful many a year of chasing off the boys and keeping the yucca’s in tact. This is even more interesting to think about now because my dad is not a plant person at all.

Soaptree Yucca as a flower essence activates our assertiveness in the expression of our own will or intention, especially if we tend to allow the will of another to dominate us. It helps us to keep sight of our long-term goals with faith, perseverance and endurance. Just the medicine I need as I have always had an issue w/ being assertive as well as speaking up - throat chakra kind of stuff.

Currently, I am taking Art Journaling class w/ Zoe Dearborn http://zoedearborn.net exploring any possible shadow shelves that split away into my subconscious for fear of being unloved (usually happens as a young kid) in order to heal, grow, know more of myself, and have more authentic relationships.  We worked on our "Inner Child" this week.  I am sure I have hidden away my super chatty, assertive, dominant side somewhere!. My dad used to always say.. “Girls are meant to be seen and not heard”, because he came from a conservative, “old-fashioned” upbringing himself where he was taught this. I was so strong willed though and was excellent at pushing this boundry of his authoritive, dominant dad self. I lost part of my wild when my ass became to know "the belt". I continued  to push and question authority, and I continued to receive the punishment of a few lashings from "the belt". My sweet innocent child soul became wounded on the inside though I always had a poker face, fuck you attitude on the outside. Though still wild heart, somewhere I lost my "voice". So as I work on myself, as well as generational healing and issues in particular w/ my father I find this connection w/ the yucca, which has just come back into my life to be auspiciously perfect in timing.!

Here is some general information about the Yucca:  The yucca has at least 40 species, and Yucca plants are tree-like succulents of the lily family (Liliaceae) with stemless stiff, pointed leaves that end in a sharp needle. Native American Indians also used yucca plants for a variety of uses including making sandals, belts, cloth, baskets, cords, and mats. Such uses can still be found today among Papago, Hopi, and Ute Indians. The Zuni used a mixture of soap made from yucca sap and ground aster to wash newborn babies to stimulate hair growth. The primary medical use of yucca is to treat arthritis and joint pain and inflammation. Native Americans used sap from the leaves in poultices or baths to treat skin lesions, sprains, inflammation, and bleeding. Teas made from yucca mixed together with other herbs are still brewed by folk healers to treat asthma and headaches.

This plant seems to be planted out in every view of my current home. When I am trying to take a photo of the sea or sky, the yucca stalk is there in the photo as well. So besides working on issues around generational healing, and upgrading my assertiveness by making a personal flower essence from the Yucca when the blossoms are at the ready I am also receiving the healing energy of this plant simply from just having them planted outside my door. Obviously, I was meant to have them in my life early on since they also surrounded my childhood home. The magical desert drive I described above was also some of the most potent plant medicine I have experienced and I highly recommend the drive through Baja to All.