The Secret Healer Writes

I'm researching Melissa and am deep in early Persian medicine. One of the first things you learn in aromatherapy is that Avicenna wrote about medicinal plants a thousand years ago in his work "The Canon of Medicine" and shows the first recorded descriptions of the process of distillation. I thought you might enjoy looking at some of his beautiful work. https://www.researchgate.net/…/A-page-o f-Kitab-al-Adviyat-o…

I had to cut the marjoram today before it bolted. I always find it such a painful split being a phytotherapist, cook and a gardener. The gardener, (the woman and guardian of bees) delights in the flowers, but the therapist knows I shouldn't really allow them to come.
Flowers change and soften the chemistry. Tinctures should be made from new growth, but the flowers all covered insects make my heart sing.
Such a quandary! Still, beautiful in salads and teas none the less. This ...one's for tomato salad then the rest will flavour tomorrow's risotto stock.
What are your favourite herbs to grow and use?
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After many years of being asked...
Your opportunity to book a personal consultation with me: https://www.thesecrethealer.co.uk/book-on line

Have you ever thought about having one of my mum's books? Link to signed copies here: https://www.thesecrethealer.co.uk/shop

How many of my paperbacks do you have? It's now possible to buy signed copies directly from me. https://www.thesecrethealer.co.uk/shop

Goodness me, eclipse season definitely did a number on me!
Lunar eclipses bring about endings and change and thanks to the incredible work being done by Noël Lambert my business is starting to become unrecognisable to me...in a good way.
Over the next few days we'll have some exciting announcements about new services we are implementing, and I'll be able to show you some changes she has made for me.
... However, for now...I need your help with some reviews please, if you don't mind?
Today's request is, if you have not already reviewed me, my books or services here on facebook, could you do me a massive favour and pop over and put a quick one here for me please? Click this link to post a review: https://www.facebook.com/TheSecretHealerW rites/reviews/
Massive thanks as usual xxx
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How is your crochet? How is your Anatomy and Phys? Thanks to Wolf and Flow for this fab post...also...I do have to tell you...if there is anyone out there who is interested in aromatherapy....this may be my favourite page right now. You might want to pop over and see what she's doing. Love it.

Two things I must do today.
1. Quit laughing and smiling at all the lovely facebook responses to yesterday's posts....
2. Stop snapping my pencil lead (no that's not a euphamism Annie Day) when I put my pencil on the paper so hard to resolutely tell myself to get back to work.
... I'll be back later but I really must finish this lecture on pain perception.
Funny...all this distraction my hand hasnt hurt once today!
You lot are great. So many giggles today. Love ya's
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Lavender and helichrysum harvested by the light of the waxing thunderstorm moon. Now it sits, steeping in olive oil, charging 'neath the moon, surrounded by venus charged geranium candles by the pond, ready to be macerated, with frankincense serenata during the eclipse tomorrow. All this to get arzanol' s anti-inflammatory medicine from the leaves, ursolic acid from the flowers and boswellic acid from the frankincense to make the wonder balm that healed my poorly hand. I'll be putting videos of how to make these things up for sale soon.

For couples so eager to call it quits after the infatuation wears off, to throw in the towel on your relationship because everything isn't ‘perfect'... here is some food for thought.
Lifelong commitment is not what most people think it is. It's not waking up every morning to make breakfast and eat together. It's not cuddling in bed until both of you fall asleep. It's not a clean home, filled with laughter and love making every day. It's someone who steals all the covers, and... snores, it's slammed doors and a few harsh words at times. It's stubbornly disagreeing and giving each other the silent treatment until your hearts heal, and then offering forgiveness. It's coming home to the same person every day that you know loves and cares about you in spite of, and because of, who you are. It's laughing about the one time you accidentally did something stupid. It's about dirty laundry and unmade beds. It's about helping each other with the hard work of life. It's about swallowing the nagging words instead of saying them out loud. It's about eating the easiest meal you can make and sitting down together at a late hour because you both had a crazy day. It's when you have an emotional breakdown and your love lays down with you and holds you, and tells you everything is going to be okay. And you believe them. It's about still loving someone even though sometimes they make you absolutely insane. Loving someone isn't always easy, sometimes it's hard. But it is amazing and comforting and one of the best things you will ever experience.
If you are blessed to have a wonderful partner in your life, then copy and paste the above, attach a picture of the two of you, and post it! I want to see couples pictures of all my friends!
Thanks Lora Cantele for the prompt to take the first picture of us together for years. Very rare piece of history!
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A big shout out to Tanya Wolf and Shirley Verstrate who, Facebook tells me are the top fans on the page this week. Thanks ladies!A big shout out to Tanya Wolf and Shirley Verstrate who, Facebook tells me are the top fans on the page this week. Thanks ladies!

Lovely day at Ludlow Green Festival visiting a rare open day at Wigleys Field where dad used to be chairman of the allotment committee. Felt very proud and moved to see the bridge they dedicated to him when he died. The allotments looked spectacular and the person who has taken over his plot was very lucky that I didn't feast on his raspberries. He'd have been very thrilled with how great everything looked and how many smiles were there on visitors faces.

The Strong Silent One and I have been married for eight years today. He might be the grumpiest man on the planet but he's also the kindest, funniest, cleverest and the one that smells the absolute best in the world. Love every cell of him, and I've smiled pretty much ever moment since he first held my hand sixteen years ago.
Gorgeous pictures of my great kids too (thanks Aimee!) who may all have grown a massive amount since that day but always make me so proud with their hard work, their brilliant minds but most of all how kind they are to other people and animals.
I love my husband, my family, my friends and my job. I might be the luckiest person, I know. Hopefully 50 years from now, I'll still be holding his hand. Looking good so far, gorgeous one.

Lovely to do some cooking with the herbs from the garden today. Poached salmon with lemon verbena sauce, topped with every herbal flower I could find! Purple sage, borage, camomile, pink and blue hyssops.
It struck me how much of a shame it is that lemon verbena oil has become associated with for being a" baddie" as a Melissa adulterant when it smells so sensational.
I wondered... Yes, no, or never tried it... Do you like lemon verbena oil?