DEAR LAVENDER: HEALER, TEACHER AND FRIEND

Ageless, fragrant, powerful.

Little did I know when I first met you that you would become so important in my life. My grandmother had a sachet of your dried petals in a drawer to ward off the moths from the woolens in her drawer. I didn’t particularly like your smell at the time, and associated you with ‘old’ women. Either Grand-maman didn’t have the words to explain how valuable you are or I didn’t have the ears to listen.

No formal introduction

A few decades later, Bhuvaneswari introduced a group of us to shamanism and herbology. Did she summon the spirit of lavender?  I don’t remember a formal introduction, only her recommendation to get five or six essential oils for our herbal pharmacy among lavender,  lemon or lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree or any we liked. Within the first season of making moisturizing creams, I bought a liter of lavender essential oil, a huge quantity by any standard.

Such a gift!

Miraculous gift of nature, you healed my mind and emotions, lifting me out of a severe burn-out. Over time, you gave me inspiration and pleasure beyond measure as I read about you and started working with your essential oil, your hydrosol and your dried flower petals. Few of the products and treatments I gave since then were made without at least one of them.

Far reaching uses and properties

Lavender can grace the skin and palate of any queen.

Queens, priestesses, nuns, monks, alchemists, healers, perfumers, mothers, maidens, lovers and scientists have called upon your powers through the generations to grace their gardens, altars, skin and hair, their tables, bath water and closets, but mostly their pharmacies. I can easily dream of annual harvest rituals, of children and women weaving your flowers in their hair as crowns. It's easy for me to conjure up the image of royalty getting ready for celebrations where communities would feast on fresh lavender tea, breads, honey, jellies and honey wine. Wise women would dry your petals with great care for sachets, poultices, skin care and other family recipes and keep them as treasures. Some even knew how to make distillations and perfumes.

Lavender fumigation clears the sinuses and the aura.

I can also see the shamans, druids and other seekers of  health and truth preparing holy smoke for inhalation, journeying, warding off evil spirits, creating rituals to thank gods and goddesses for your blessings, or to accompany the dead back to the Divine Source. They would ask your smoke to show the path to recover parts of souls lost to sicknesss.

Today's aromatherapy

Scientists of the 20^th century, like René-Maurice Gattefossé who coined the word 'aromatherapy,' studied the various members of your family, your many properties, proving with new tools and new words what peoples of the old world knew all along: that you are perfect to heal body, mind and soul. I know from personal experience that you:

•   heal insect bites, eczema, acne, and severe burns
•   clean skin and hair
•   tone and rejuvenate the skin of women and men in massage oils, moisturizers and after-shave
•  help those who are restless and can’t sleep
•  alleviate indigestion and headaches
•  purify putrid air and water
•  restore cellular balance
•  fight bacteria and other microbes that cause infections
•  help people stay grounded
•  calm the over-stimulated mind or overflowing emotions
•  reduce stress and depression
• reduce Pitta and Kapha and are neutral to Vata
•  clean the aura
•  disintegrate crystallized thought and emotional patterns lodged in the chakras
•  help people discover new realms of understanding of self and others.

The most important thing to know about lavender and other essential oils is that they need to be diluted in a carrier oil. Frequent use over time may bring hyper-sensitivity or allergic reactions, extending to the dried plant and hydrosol, even when found in minute quantities.

Level-headed and generous guide

Such healing power.

Over time, I have recognized you as an ally and as an ambassador of health and well-being, as a fierce yet neutral servant, guide and mentor. You are always willing to serve and never hesitate to call on friends who will join your efforts to pacify and beautify the world.

You accept to merge with kindred spirits when they serve with respect, innocence and humility the wonderful vibration you bring to humanity. I am grateful for the work we have done and keep doing together. My aura is now permeated by  your colour; in my hands the essence of your power flows unassisted. It is a privilege to use that gift which so deserves to be shared through service or teaching.

If you are interested in meeting with Lavender, book a treatment and I'll be glad to introduce you! Some products are also available.