BOOOO, BOOOO: WHAT HAUNTS YOU?

On Hollowe’en, children play at being ghosts, pirates, witches, ghouls, clowns to play out all kinds of fearful to ridiculous aspects of the human psyche.

Some adults love to dress up too on that occasion, most often than not, expressing repressed aspects of themselves in some way or other to experience them and laugh at them. Others won’t even consider wearing a costume, so tight in their repression, fear or disdain. The dynamic of Hollowe’en is great to reveal aspects of what haunts us, what we judge, what we fear.

THYME AND THYME AGAIN

Sylvianne Latus, left, learned from her mother,
who learned from her mother, to use thyme
for herself and her family when they get colds.

Five years ago, all I knew about thyme was that it grows in Europe and here in Ottawa's gardens to spice up salad dressings and other dishes. That was until a colleague recommended it for coughs and colds. Since then, I keep finding more about its benefits. Healers of the past have counted daily on this mult-purpose herb and today’s researchers keep adding to the body of knowledge.

Thymus vulgaris

Like oregano, wild thyme is a member of the

FASHION, FOODS AND FLAIR FOR VATA SEASON

Nothing like a colourful
turtle neck sweater
to stay warm and cozy.

A former colleague and fashion aficionado, Madeleine, used to say that she prefers fall and winter because the colours and textures of clothes are richer and more cozy. I suspect that her preference was guided by her dosha. However, it is true that colors and textures contribute greatly to balance the body, mind and spirit.

According to ayurveda, everything in the universe is energetic and gives off a vibration, including colors, animals,

A BASKET FULL OF POSSIBILITIES THIS FALL-WINTER

Life, Love, Health, Beauty, Joy, Gratefulness, Peace. Those are qualities or vibrations that make us who we are, maintain us and bind us. We sometimes feel that our basket is so full that we want to share its content with everyone around us. Isn't  that when everyone tells you how beautiful and radiant you are? 

ELEGANT QUEEN ANN'S LACE GIFTS FOR A WEDDING

My friends Rémi and Rebecca got married this past weekend. They rallied the help of their friends to create a true community event. Some prepared food for 60 people. Some sang and played music instruments, recited poems, and our teacher lead the spiritual ceremony and hosted the event in her beautiful garden. The mother of the bride, a consummate potter, made candle holders. Children--young and old--were asked to blow soap bubbles. I was asked to take charge of making bouquets for the banquet tables while another friend used her ikebana skills to make arrangements for the buffet table.

SOAP MAKING: DELICATE - HANDLE WITH GLOVES

Cranberry harvest in B.C. by Paul Woodcock. What a
gorgeous colour for soap! 

Making soap can be done anytime, but I prefer summer and fall as this is when all things fresh are available to fuel creativity and productivity.

It can be very simple or quite complex depending on what type of soap you want to make,

SWEET FACIALS OF SUMMER

Whether home is in Papete, Mexico City,
Gatineau or Sydney, a facial picnic
with friends will always be fun.

How delicious it is to reach summer! You can almost feel the taste of the sun on your tongue and its sent on your skin. Skin is such a fascinating organ, the largest of your body, sensitive to what is going on inside the body as well as outside, and a great communicator between the two. This summer give it a facial it will remember for a long time.

Ayurveda and aromatherapy for beauty

Taking care of the skin with ayurveda and aromatherapy is a delight, especially

ONLINE BIOVEDIC FACIALS AND TREATMENTS: SO MUCH FUN, SO PRACTICAL

No time is the best time. A great illustration
by my friend Hughes Chassé.

One of the great pleasures and mysteries of energy work is that is knows not the boundaries of time and place. As a practitioner I can give facials and treatments from home or while traveling and you can be at home, at the cottage or anywhere else to receive it. The precision and quality of the facial, treatment as well as the sense of intimacy are the same whether we are geographically in the same room or 35,000 km apart.

CACAO, EGGS AND EASTER

Yesterday evening I meditated with cacao absolute*. It was an experience that illustrated the paradoxes of life and its kapha* aspects: heavy, humid, slow, patient, motherly and loving nature. It also showed sluggishness, muddiness, pain and depression as well as the importance of acceptance, dreamtime,  sacrifice, infinity and the process of birth, death and rebirth. In the process, it provided a glimpse of

INDIA: PANCHA KARMA, YEAR 3

Students at the Chinmaya Mission College for girls

I come back from this fourth trip to India more relaxed than last year. The memory of amazing smiles, scents and sights in my eyes fill my senses… 

Kilos lost and gained
… and many kilos of ayurvedic pastes, oils, tablets and medicinal ghees filled up my suitcase on the way back to follow up properly with my 3rd annual pancha karma

RECIPES: QUICK FIRST AID TIPS FOR PIMPLES AND ECZEMA

Cinnamon has great disinfecting properties.

Pimples can go quickly when you apply a paste of honey and cinnamon directly on it to dry it before you go to bed. A bit sticky but fragrant and efficient. Mix a good pinch of cinnamon powder in 1/4 tsp of honey. You'll likely have some left over and it can be kept for a week or more. You have pimples every month with you moon cycle? You may wish to macerate broken pieces of

SCENTS AND RELATIONSHIPS

Your nose knows.

A flash thought about Valentine's Day took me by surprise this morning. A bit early in the season I thought… But whatever triggered that idea inspired me to dedicate this blog to the topic of relationships and scents. It also inspired me to use essential oils associated with love since Antiquity for the next Meditations on Beauty.

Curiosity led me to search for recent information. The findings led me to