Over a week now I’ve had a strong desire to make dandelion wine again.  I sat down & drafted my little Dandelion Wine Incident memoir piece & will post it once it is revised and typed up.  Today I read about dandelion flower essence.  Wow!  That is just what I need to come back to balance. 

By Jordan Lite Mar 22nd 2010 12:53PM

Categories: Healthy Living, 30 Days to a Better You

Think your genes have sealed your fate? Not so fast: While heredity holds some sway over how long you live, there is plenty you can do to improve your chances, says Walter M. Bortz II, M.D., co-author of “The Roadmap to 100: the Breakthrough Science of Living a Long and Healthy Life.” Here are 10 questions to ask your doctor about how to live longer.

1. Do I have any control over my longevity? Absolutely. Most of what people think of as aging is really inactivity. The important differentiation is that you can do something about disuse, but you can’t do anything about aging.

Aging is not a disease. You can’t cure it, so you need a whole different way of thinking about it. I don’t think doctors have much to do with it. They want to fix things. Aging is not something to be fixed. It’s an energy issue, not a fix-it issue.

2. What are the proven strategies for a longer life? Long-living populations certainly do not have high-tech medicine. The recent Blue Zones series by National Geographic found commonalities between populations with high numbers of people over 90: exercising, relaxing, having spirituality or a belief system, having a purpose in life, prioritizing family, belonging to a community, drinking red wine in moderation, eating plant-based foods and stopping eating when 80 percent full.

It’s much more of a lifestyle issue. A recent study by Harvard University doctors found that smoking, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure were all associated with men dying before the age of 90, while exercising regularly — enough to break a sweat — was linked to living to 90 or older. Diabetes and obesity are largely linked to eating habits. And those men were in better physical and emotional shape than the ones who lived fewer years.

3. How big a role does genetics play in my lifespan? A number of us have done studies with twins. If genes were the master determinant, twins would die on the same day of the same disease. Genetics determine about 15 percent of the difference in longevity between people. So genes matter a little bit but not very much. It ain’t the cards you’re dealt; it’s how you play the hand.

4. What eating habits are associated with long life? It’s the standard high plant food, low animal fat emphasis. Mediterranean diets that are high in fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil have been shown to be better for lifespan than, say, meat-heavy diets. The National Cancer Institute found that people who eat lots of red and processed meat have a higher risk of death, especially from heart disease and cancer, than those who eat little meat.

5. Are there drugs or supplements I can take to live longer? There’s no way you can go down to Walgreens and buy a “don’t get old” miracle pill. Nobody has yet shown that antioxidants and vitamins do any good at all.

6. How can exercise help me live longer? Exercising turns on the good genes and turns off the bad ones. Research at the University of South Carolina found that men could reduce their risk of dying by an estimated 37 percent and women by 50 percent over an eight-year period just by becoming physically active.

The President’s Council of Physical Fitness recommends at least two and a half hours a week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or gardening. The most important step is the first step. Every successive step after that further helps.

7. Does too much stress shave years off my lifespan? Of course. The Greeks taught, “Everything in moderation.” When you’re stressed, you’re overexpressing your anxiety. Not only has research linked stress to worse immunity, but studies have found that people who experience prolonged stress die sooner than those who aren’t chronically anxious.

8. Will having sex help me live longer? Sex is good for longevity, too. A study in Wales showed that people who had good sex lived longer. Middle-aged men who had two or more orgasms a week were less than half as likely to die over the 10 years they were followed than other men. And a study at Duke University showed that more sex for men and better sex for women were associated with longer lives. Why would that be? It’s part of the quality of life.

9. What do relationships have to do with longevity? Obviously, people live longer if they’re in a social environment. A study that followed people 65 and up for 13 years found that those who volunteered, got together with friends and even ran errands saw just as much benefit to their lifespan as those who exercised. Other research has found that people who are socially isolated are less able to fight infection. When you stop being engaged, you withdraw from work, you withdraw from sex, you withdraw from reading magazines, and when you do that, your body goes into an inactive, boredom mode and you don’t do well.

10. Even if I manage to live a long time, am I doomed to lose my memory as I get older? There have been studies on supercentenarians, people over 110. Madame Jeanne Calment — the oldest living woman on record, who lived to 122 — didn’t have dementia. So if people over 110 don’t have dementia, does that mean it’s not an inevitable consequence? Certainly the incidence goes up: More than 5 million Americans 65 and older have Alzheimer’s, and by 2050, anywhere from 11 to 16 million Americans will, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. However, it’s not necessarily inevitable.

Your brain is a muscle, and it behaves just like one when used appropriately. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, and a study published last year by Columbia University doctors who followed around 2,000 elderly people for 14 years found that those who were physically active had a 29 to 50 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who didn’t move around, depending on how active they were. Some scientists believe having more education lowers your risk, and reading the newspaper regularly has been associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. Writing letters to the editor, running for public office, having a pet and reading good magazines all are ways of exercising your brain.

The saying “The teacher appears when the student is ready…” is oh so true.  The other month I ordered this book titled A Practical Guide To Vibrational Medicine Energy Healing and Spiritual Transformation by Richard Gerber, M.D..  It has a great chapter on light and colored light therapy which has interested me for years.  I am a practioner of tonations or colored light therapy. 

The other day we had a lunch guest and she started talking about energy healing, which she is now doing for a living.  She’s just recently added that to her other modalities.  We were talking about how all foods and drinks have vibrational properties that are transferred to the human body at consumption of these foods and drinks. 

She said “coffee” brings down a person’s vibration substantially.  You want your vibration to be as high as possible.  She went on to say every food has an effect on our vibrational auras and some foods increase our vibration.  When she left, I got into my book here looking for food information.  It does not contain that so I’ll ask her what title she’s reading and order that book.  I did find this great excerpt from the above mentioned book to share with you:

“…But our cells are fed also by a continuous stream of life-force energy.  We posses a variety of specialized energy-distributing systems that also support the cells and organs of our bodies.  These energy systems are affected by different factors that can enhance or inhibit the flow of life-force energy to the cells and organs of our bodies.  Among those critical factors are such things as our emotions, our relationships to others, our ability to give and to receive love, and even our relationship with God….” 

If you are on a quest for good health, great energy and the will to accomplish much, this is a great book.  ~ R

The Messages of the Flowers - Re-post
Current mood:absolute
Category: Life

While cleaning through some paper mountains, I came across a paper that has the name of about 5 book titles.  So I checked out amazon.com for the one below.  Found this at some website and thought it is good information.  I’ve made flower essences in the past and believe that plants can heal, even the flowers of plants.  I also use color healing and have given my children tonations as well as myself.  Shining colored light on the body also makes changes at the cellular level.  So here’s what Partricia has to say about flowers.   

Affirmations: The Messages of the Flowers in Transformative Words for the Soul

Pages:
1: What are Affirmations?
2: Self Heal Affirmation
3: Flower Essence Society

What are Affirmations?The word affirmation contains the core meaning of “firm,” suggesting that which is strong and secure. Significantly, this word connotes two simultaneous directions - downward to the terra firma of the earth on which we stand, and upwards to the vault of heaven, the enveloping firmament of the universe. Affirmations bridge heaven and earth by engaging the soul in a creative process through which the archetypal “Word becomes flesh.”

Affirmations are a specialized activity within the larger field of soul processes such as meditation, contemplation and prayer. They are elegant and evocative words which enable the soul to initiate positive goals of inner development. It is a tenet of all spiritual teachings, as well as business and professional training programs, that the ordering of thought and the harmonizing of feeling has powerful impact on our ability to manifest change, both within ourselves and within the world.

The unique value of the affirmations written for this project of the Flower Essence Society, is that they are correlated to specific flowers. Throughout human culture, many poets and mystics have attempted to express a language of flowers. Even the most hardened among us can recognize that the flowers embody an exquisite language of the soul. This is why we use flowers to express our inmost feelings in all forms of human celebration and commemoration - from birth, to marriage, to death.

Flowers are Spiritual Messengers

If flowers are capable of rousing refined feelings within the soul life, perhaps it is because the soul itself is akin to a blossom. Many spiritual teachers have likened the chakras or energy centers of the spiritual human being to “lotus blossoms” or “petals” which unfold and become activated through earnest moral development.

Flowers are spiritual messengers, or living archetypes of divine creation able to reveal themselves within human consciousness. The pathway toward understanding a flower is much more than the accumulation of “information.” To appreciate the spiritual dimension of Nature, one must be prepared to change one’s heart, one’s method of perception.

Human souls who sojourn in the spiritual world cannot behold a flower as we do here on earth; rather the soul must be able to inwardly realize the virtue which a flower radiates. Here on earth we take the living beauty of Nature for granted through our innate physical perception. But the spiritual dimensions of Nature can only be revealed if we are committed to a path of moral development through inner seeing, hearing, and knowing.
 
Working with Affirmations in a Living Way

In our age, we are inundated with many “positive thought” programs which may appear to be similar but can have markedly different results. The affirmations written in this series are of spiritual intent. They are not materialistic means for health, wealth, or fame. To wish for a specific thing or condition in the physical world is ultimately fruitless if it is not in harmony with the valid needs of the soul. True fortune is that which brings wealth to the spiritual life, enabling the soul to acquire the priceless jewels of virtue and moral strength. Therefore the right use of an affirmation is to precipitate inner changes that are in harmony with soul destiny. In this manner, the soul will attract what it needs in the material world for its welfare.

Furthermore, affirmations must work in such a way that they reflect our conscious choice and inner willingness to change. Many forms of hypnosis and subliminal programming bypass awake willing and comprehension. These programs may achieve limited success in modifying outer behavior, but only mindful inner work which strengthens and deepens soul consciousness can bring enduring transformation. There is an old proverb which states:

Sow a thought, reap an action;
Sow an action, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny.

Viewed from this vantage point, affirmations are an important beginning step along the pathway of genuine character development and life manifestation.

Working consciously with affirmations can be a challenging process. Taking self responsibility for inner change quickly brings the recognition that there are no panaceas which can instantly cure. True healing is an organic step-by-step process which gradually leads to inner mastery. At the first stage of engaging an affirmation, we typically need to open to the pain of our predicament. For example, an affirmation may champion courage and clarity, yet inside we may feel confused and afraid. Rather than avoid the affirmation or suppress one’s conflicted feelings, the opportunity is there to live with the sting and tension of the contradiction.
 

The “interval” between one’s spiritual potential and the present situation is an enormously fruitful area for healing. As the soul registers and acknowledges this dissonance, it strives to find a harmonic concordance. Through this creative process, the words of the affirmation work incrementally to become true and firm. As the plant grows and blossoms in its dance between light and dark, so also do the creative forces of the human soul emerge.

Therefore, the affirmations are intended to lead the individual from an honest recognition of a state of mind or feeling, toward a process of soul alchemy. They suggest past, present and future potentials of consciousness. The soul is called to acknowledge the present pain or conflict and work toward resolution and integration. Ultimately, the soul radiates the awakened virtue.

The affirmations call upon the “I AM” awareness of the Self. This is not the lower personality or the ego, but the voice of the Higher Self which has divine awareness of the spiritual world. Regardless of one’s religious or spiritual affiliation, this awareness of the I AM is a sacred and eternal truth.

Practical Techniques for Anchoring the AffirmationAffirmations are best utilized in a gradual, incremental way. It is ideal to select a single affirmation which is central to one’s developmental journey. If several affirmations are used, they should be applied in rhythmic intervals—such as consecutive days, with every third or fourth day beginning a new sequence. Rather than cluttering or overwhelming the mind, it is best use the affirmations in a spacious and graceful manner, so that the words move from the surface intellect to the deep space of the heart-mind.

It is not necessary to repeat the affirmations constantly, in fact this can deplete their inherent strength. Choose a time in daily life when there is a space for dedicated inner work and meditation. In this tranquil atmosphere, you need say the affirmation so that you breathe your entire being and focus of attention into the words until they ignite as a living fire within the soul.
 

It can be helpful to write the affirmations and keep them in a sacred place in your bedroom or office. You may also want to carry the affirmations with you, and call upon their power at a point in the day when you most need to be reminded or fortified. Most importantly, make a steadfast intention to return to the affirmations on a regular basis, much as you would plant a seed and water it conscientiously.

The length of time during which you use an affirmation can vary. Be mindful of building a rhythm—weekly or monthly intervals are excellent ones to consider. You may want to come back to a core affirmation again and again over a series of months or years so that its inner reality anchors into deeper strata of the soul.

It can be very beneficial to explore and expand the meaning of an affirmation through artistic means. Mandalas can help to integrate the various aspects of an affirmation or the tensions and polarities which emerge while working with it. Simple washes of color which evoke the mood and feeling of the affirmation can help the soul to imagine its activity in the aura. Journal writing can be an especially illumining way to explore the nuances of feeling and the inner dialogue which may accompany the transformative process. As one encounters the affirmation, additional words naturally emerge, and the core affirmation can be re-crafted with personal emphasis. However, keep in mind that the entire structure should be as direct and clear as possible.

Integrating Affirmations with Flower Essence Therapy

Many practitioners report on the profound impact which the affirmations have in their therapeutic programs with clients. For example, just holding the flower essence and saying the indicated affirmation during a healing session can initiate remarkable insight and emotional awakening.

Using flower essences and saying affirmations are two synergistic modalities with complementary points of origin. The affirmations begin in the conscious thought life, and gradually penetrate many levels of body-soul reality. The liquid “nature words” of the flower essences are directly absorbed into the body-soul and then work to illumine the thoughts and feelings.

Most choose to work with the affirmations in tandem with the flower essences, while others may prefer to continue with the affirmations even after the essences have been discontinued. Some clients may feel that the affirmations require too much conscious focus and prefer instead to experience the direct action of the flower essences. In some instance, practitioners may need to modify the affirmation to make it accessible to the particular needs of a client. In cases with children or where there is mental impairment, the affirmations will need special adaptation.

Even when the affirmations are not used by the client, they can generate a great deal of insight for the practitioner regarding the subtle properties and transformational capacities of a given remedy.

Concluding Thoughts: Affirmations as Seed Words

However they are used, the affirmations are offered as a way of experiencing a deeper communion with the subtle realm of flowers.

It is with real joy, but also angst, that one attempts to script living archetypes of Nature within the frail and fragile limits of human language. Therefore, please consider the affirmations as only a starting point for your inner process. Let them be approached as seed-words and place them in the soul-soil of your own heart. Your garden will bloom with its own unique blossoms.

Copyright notice: © 2004 by Patricia Kaminski and the Flower Essence Society.