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3 More Books which I found interesting

A bit of history in the first couple:

OF PEOPLE & PLANTS The Autobiography of Europes Most Celebrated Herbal Healer by Maurice Messegue - (born 1921)In a remote French village in the province of Gascony, the young Messegue learned from his father the plant lore handed down by generations of his forebears the special healing properties of everyday plants and flowers such as linden blossoms, corn poppies, garlic, milfoil, and dozens of others that were to make up his pharmacopoeia. At first regarded as a simple peasant, and sometimes a charleton, Messegue gradually earned the respect of physicians and the praise of innumerable patients among them international celebrities such as Winston Churchill, President Herriot of France and the Cardinal who become Pope John XX111.

Of people and Plants is a combination of colourful anecdotes from Messegues life and detailed information about the use of specific plants in treating a wide variety of ailments. Its comprehensive appendices describe Messegues preparations for the principal chronic diseases and provide recommendations for the seasonal and nutritional use of plants for optimal health. Instructions are also given for growing beneficial herbs and vegetables and for gathering wild medicinal plants. This autobiography, flavoured both by Messegues rich French heritage and by the depth of his knowledge of native plant medicine, will be a fascinating addition to any herbal library.

So what does he say about Chronic Fatigue?Appendix I My Basic Preparations for the Principal Chronic Diseases this is really helpful & quite detailed on preparation of simple herbal remedies, including contraindications.
Appendix II Your Health in Your Garden what herbs to grow, how/when/where to cultivate them.

Theres no index in the back looks like youll have to read the book to find out what he prescribes for chronic fatigue. Since ME/CFS & FM are relatively recent terms, I wonder if he just prescribes herbs that are good for reversing fatigue ie stimulating or, he prescribes herbs that are calming and sedating allowing you to get a good nights sleep? It must be about 18 years since I read the book. At a guess, I would say calming & sedating like essential oils used in Aromatherapy.

GREEN PHARMACY The History and Evolution of Western Herbal Medicine by Barbara Griggs.

This is the book that greatly inspired my choice of subject matter when writing a thesis for my first formal studies in Herbal Medicine Certificate in Herbology. I summarised the History of Herbal Medicine since early man (from Neanderthal Burial sites, as did Barbara Griggs) to the early twentieth century herbalists. Turned out to be great fun & very interesting - delving into such things as protection against the Black Plague, to an amusing little story about the Chinese herbal medicine nicknamed Horny Goat Weed. The remedy for the Black Plague is safely stored in my thesis (in case of this old plague resurfacing and crossing the seas to Oz. Joke of course! A few herbs & spices how incredibly simple, but obviously a great protection against this deadly plague for the corpse robbers & grave attendants. And Horny Goat Weed - this remedy was discovered by observation of the amorous play of goats eating this weed in the fields, and I believe it is still used in herbal medicine up to the current day for sexual disfunction.

TALES FROM THE MEDICINE TRAIL (Tracking down the health secrets of shamans, herbalists, mystics, yogis, and other healers) by Chris Kilham, Medicine Hunter In Tales from the Medicine Trail, you are invited to join author Chris Kilham on a quest for the best natural healing remedies, both new and ancient, from the forgotten corners of the Earth. A gifted storyteller and herbal expert, Kilham skilfully combines adventure, history, and anthropology with the latest discoveries in natural medicine. Along the way, he teaches you how to put these discoveries to use right now - in your personal health program. Kilhams ability to communicate with, earn the trust of, and interpret the healing practices of indigenous people has earned him honour and respect throughout the world. Now, with the Medicine Hunter as your guide through the worlds most remote areas, you can harvest todays most potent healing information.

WHY: I enjoyed this book immensely. Nothing like an exhilarating travel adventure filled with fascinating facts about indigenous medicine & the indigenous cultures who use them.

Chris Kilham mentions essential oils in his first adventure.
Jungle Unguent Having to deal with various scrapes, cuts, and bites in the Amazon, I settled on an unguent formula that I found to be highly effective. First, any area to be treated should be cleaned. Then put a dollop of a good herbal salve into your hand. I prefer Herbal Eds Healing Salve by Herb Phar, but other salves can be used. Add a few drops each of tea tree, sandalwood, clary sage, and chamomile essential oils. If there is an infection, add some bacitracin or triple antibiotic ointment. Apply this gooey but wonderful concoction liberally. I found it helps to heal most topical problems including unifentifiable creeping tropical fungal crud remarkably quickly


When you read my article on Aromatherapy you will see that Ti Tree (as we spell it in Australia) is effective against all 3 categories of infectious organisms bacteria, fungi & viruses.And then

The inner bark of the jatoba tree, which grows from Brazil up through Central America, is used in the Amazon Rainforest as a folk remedy for cystitis, bladder infections, cough, fever, and much else. But jatoba is also reputedly an energy enhancer, and its sold in the US for that purpose, usually as a tea.

Catuaba and Muirapuama the most respected healer in Manaus, claims you will have the sexual vitality of a much younger person using these 2 plants.

An Amazon Super Sex Drink (see p78 of the book) youll have to read the book, as all I will say is that it has guarana seed powder in the recipe. In Australia, it seems every fizzy power drink has guarana in it now, as well as in chocolate. No wonder our teenagers are constantly reprimanded for bullying in schools theyre supercharged with guarana!

Ashwagandha the star of Ayurveda and Indias most widely used medicinal plant.

Having tried a bottle of this tincture myself (I think it has liquorice & something else in the tincture), I can attest to its amazing surge of energy. I only took the one 10 day course of the tincture as I thought it a bit expensive this was at a time when I was looking for a wonder remedy for my lack of energy (at minimal price).

Aromatic herbs and spices in an Indian masala or curry. In particular curcumin extracted from the tumeric root.

I tried a months supply of curcumin before ever reading this book, having read of its anti-inflammatory action. Inflammation is one of my greatest challenges to cure with alternative remedies (not synthetic drugs). Sometimes my application of essential oils helps, other times not. I didnt notice any difference with curcumin, but maybe I didnt take it for long enough. I notice there is fresh tumeric root in my organic fruit/veg stall at the local food market havent bought any yet, but fresh tumeric root is on my list of things to try.

I was a great fan of Indian curries for over 25 years, but IBS eventually pushed them into the corner & my favourite Indian recipes are gathering dust. Shame about that, as my Indian curries (mainly vegetarian) were reknown as being better than in an Indian restaurant. I gave away the recipes, but the patience & challenges of dry roasting the separate spices first, seemed to be beyond most of the highly regarded cooks I knew.

And Maca, another sex-enhancing remedy. (Im skimming through the book to find the herbs/spices Chris hunts for it seems indigenous people are happy to share their sexual disfunction remedies with the Medicine Hunter).
And for Cort (if hes read this far in the post), theres Kava natures valium without the side effects. I believe this is quite popular in the US. Have tried it myself (using my favourite NZ brand Thompsons), but didnt notice any appreciable effect on my disturbed sleep habits or insomnia. The Thompson brand has only 60 grm of kavalactones in each tablet, and have read that a dose should be at least 70 grm of kavalactones extract in powder or liquid form to deliver the Kava effect. I tried two tablets for a few days, but didnt seem to notice much difference. Chris Kilham says that you cannot eat enough ground-up Kava root to get any benefit, so I wonder if I should try another brand in powder or liquid form?

Chris Kilham recommends taking it with a friend its a social substance. Apparently, you put a full teaspoon of it in a few ounces of water. Slug it down, immediately. Your tongue will be numb for a few minutes & then youll feel the wave of Kava effect.

Wait about 25 minutes before having a second cup.

Medi-herb (an Australian herbal medicine supplier) whose newsletter I used to subscribe to when studying herbal medicine 18 or so years ago, says:
Kava (Piper methysticum) A safe, effective herbal treatment for anxiety and insomnia. At the recommended dose it will not cause tolerance and is not habit-forming. Kava is analgesic, a local anaesthetic and relaxes skeletal muscle. It was traditionally used for urinary tract infections.

If you've got this far in my post, you must be nearly asleep.......

Victoria

Comments

Great information and suggestions Victoria thanks.

I could not be without my teetree oil. I use it as an anti- biotic on benches and the sink, on wounds and on my gums. It has saved me many a time.

Brenda
 
You have such a wealth of knowledge Victoria and I think the world really lost someone who would have been an excellent healer when you didn't turn that way.

I probably would have been a botanist if I could have been anything; plant adventure stories are at the top of my list.

These books remind me of how many thing I haven't tried and how many opportunities there are out there - thanks!

(I'd really like to try that Catauba and Maca! (and the Kava) :))
 
Cort;bt159 said:
You have such a wealth of knowledge Victoria and I think the world really lost someone who would have been an excellent healer when you didn't turn that way.

I probably would have been a botanist if I could have been anything; plant adventure stories are at the top of my list.

These books remind me of how many thing I haven't tried and how many opportunities there are out there - thanks!

(I'd really like to try that Catauba and Maca! (and the Kava) :))

Thankyou for your kind words, Cort.

I hope some of the members of this forum are enjoying BOOKS ON MY SHELF. I know many of you have little or no income (apart from being either mainly housebound or restricted to bed most of the day). If wasn't till I started looking through my books that I realised how many different kinds of healing & alternative therapies I had read about over the last 25 years or so. Some of the books are not just factual non-fiction or reference books - they are incredibly interesting stories in themselves.

Itry & include a little personal experience in the posts if I can. I assume most people would not be able to get out & about (let alone have the funds to purchase new books).

I wrote several over the weekend (despite having busy days AND a burglary! Overnight on Saturday, someone stole all my pot plants off my balcony which is about 5' off the ground. This included the new ones I had potted 2 weeks ago. I am still feeling sad about this loss. I know it was only a few pots, but that is one of the few hobbies I can manage with lower back pain & limited energy after working in an office all day.

Victoria
 
These books remind me of how many thing I haven't tried and how many opportunities there are out there - thanks!

Well, here's another one, Cort,
as usual, I can't work out how to post this properly so I'll attach it to your post.

Make sure you read part 2 of this - I'm sure you & any of the members who are open to something a little different in alternative therapies will be intrigued by my experience.

Sunday 27th Sept 2009 – BOOKS ON MY SHELF (I keep forgetting which books I’ve reviewed, so I’ll have to start numbering them I think. This post was also too long so see part 2 on my personal experience which goes with this book).

The Healing Power of Mind by Tulku Thondup (publ 1998)

In this book (which seemed to take forever to read), I found some great truths & insights which helped me on my spiritual journey.

One of the more profound accomplishments of modern science has been the discovery that mind and body are not separate and independent, but rather the same entity seen from two different angles.

I believe that traditional Western Medicine is wrong in discounting the significance of patients’ mental states for their physical condition.

Science has discovered that people who are chronically distressed – whether anxious and worried, depressed and pessimistic, or angry & hostile – have double the average risk of getting a major disease in the ensuring years. In fact while smoking increases the risk of serious disease by 60 percent, chronic emotional distress increase it by 100 percent.

Gosh, this sounds like half my life, no wonder I have chronic ill health. First comes the genetic disposition with grandparents & relatives dying prematurely of heart attack, stroke, cancer & diabetes, but also the stress in my life.

Researchers in the new scientific field of psychoneuroimunology, which studies the biological links between mind, brain, and the immune system, are rapidly filling in the missing mechanisms that connect mind & body.

The emotional centres of the brain, they are discovering, are tightly linked not just to the immune system, but also to the cardiovascular system. When we are chronically stressed – when the body is continually catapulted into the “fight or flight” response, with its surging stress hormones – it weakens the immune system’s ability to fight off viruses and nip budding cancers, even as it primes the heart to escalate blood pressure and pump more frantically to prepare the body for emergency.

By contrast, a mind at peace with itself protects the body’s health. That principle is fundamental in traditional Tibetan medicine, an ancient system that has never lost sight of the crucial link between mind and body.”

There are too many chapters to list but this book looks at:

1. Foundation of Healing
2. The Healing Power of Mind
3. Getting Started
4. Developing Confidence
5. How to Deal with Problems
6. How to Deal with Physical Ailments
7. Healing Engergies
8. Healing Meditations
Clearing energy blocks
Healing our Emotions
Healing through Sound (see post no 2 of my experience):confused:


And back to Tulku Thondup’s book contents…………………..by the way, the forward is by Daniel Goleman, a good enough reference for any book. I purchased Daniel Goleman’s book Ecological Intelligence –Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy earlier this year, but haven’t had a chance to start that one.

9. Healing Physical Disharmoney
10. Healing with nature’s Energy
11. Daily Living as Healing
12. The Meditations of Tranquillity and Insight
13. The Healing Meditation of Devotion
14. Awakening the Infinite Inner Energies of Healing
15. The Healing Meditation of Compassion

Victoria:)
 
Good grief, I'm going nuts here. I keep double posting. Please excuse my FM moment & put it down to Brain Fog
Victoria
 
These books remind me of how many thing I haven't tried and how many opportunities there are out there - thanks!

And here is part 2 - for that personal experience

The Healing Power of Mind by Tulku Thondup (publ 1998) Part 2 my experience with Healing through Sound (see below)

Id like to tell you about my Singing Bowl. Am I nuts? No. Can bowls really sing? Yes, I have one. Have any of you heard of these bowls? Originally made in Tibet, Nepal & Japan. And the antique ones are very expensive & traditionally made of several metals gold, silver, bronze & other metals which I cannot recall at the moment usually about 5 metals together. They are made by highly skilled craftsmen & take several weeks to make. They are hammered out by hand & are perfectly shaped. No wonder they are not cheap to buy.

Today, I think they are only made of Bronze, often inlaid with lovely stylised designs on the outside, just below the rim or knot style crosses in the centre sort of like some of the designs on Roman togas worn by the wealthy Romans BC. I believe they are only made in a few villages in Nepal these days.

I had heard their sound on some of my Buddhist DVDs a clear resounding boing that vibrates & echos for several minutes before dying out to a faint whisper, and then perfect, still, silence. Sort of like, the enormous drums struck at the entrance of Japanese Zen Buddhist temples. I had seen & hit a few bowls in Asian shops & become rather fascinated by the sound. They are used in meditation (to focus & still the mind) & in healing (I think you lay them on the person & then hit them with the small wooden mallet & they form some kind of vibrational healing).

I love the sound. I wanted one. But how to find a good one? I looked on the internet & saw several which looked beautiful, but knew by experience that they can sound quite different in reality. The modern ones seemed to range from about A$70 to several hundred dollars (& of course, antique ones were even more expensive). I ummmmd & ahhhhhhd. I found a video on the internet which showing one being made.

I definitely wanted one. In my subconscious, there was this inner voice that was goading me & pushing me.

I was in the City (of Melbourne) & did my usual circle of window shopping. I hate window shopping, never liked it in the past & dont really like it now. Its boring, besides I never seemed to have play money. I spend my salary on rent, bills, good food, supplements & other medical stuff. To the xyz department store, through the arcade opposite which included the small, but always interesting Oxfam Shop (then through another arcade & either taxi or tram home about 1-2 hours at very most is about my limit due either sore feet or fatigue, or both).

I entered the Oxfam shop in the arcade with the usual search for some inexpensive item (which might be beautiful in design or practical in use). I like making small purchases in the Oxfam shop, not just the pleasure of buying some amusing trinket or ornament, but knowing that somewhere is some third world country I was making a difference to someones life of poverty or disability. I might buy a card for $3-4 dollars or something a little more costly. In fact, after searching for months for a mirror (hundreds of dollars which I could not afford), I found the perfect carved frame mirror for $79 dollars about 3 years ago made in India. Hopefully, some more revenue for a community workshop in India.

On a shelf about a foot above my head I spied a beautiful, pale, terracotta coloured, handmade paper/cardboard box with a handmade knob & string (about 6 square in size). I asked the assistant to get it down from the back of the shelf for me, as I am rather clumsy & prone to breaking or knocking things over. On top was a beautiful piece of calligraphy (sort of Japanese looking) but actually a Tibetan knot or something (I think).

I unwound the handmade, plaited cord from around the knob & opened the lid. Inside was a carved wooden mallet resting on a perfectly shaped bronze bowl about 5 in diameter. It had a gold coloured design inlaid on the base of the bowl & a geometric design in gold around the bowl just below the rim. I took this out & the cushion it was resting on. A very beautiful embroidered piece of silk (or satin) fabric made into a cushion with a fabric covered button studded in the centre & a gold tassel at each corner. The cushion & handmade box were lovely in themselves & obviously a visual feast to sit on a table or sideboard.

But the bowl was a bronze singing bowl.

After placing it on my flattened palm, I hit the edge of the rim with the mallet & the most exquisite boing rung out. I asked the assistant how you were supposed to make it sing. He said you very slowly run the wooden mallet around the rim & keep doing this until the sound starts. He demonstrated & initially the sound was so faint, it was barely audible. But as he slowly circled the rim many times with the mallet the sound increased to the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. I was immediately transfixed by the object. I felt like I was hearing something from a distant past that reminded me of a home I had not seen in hundreds of years.

I was broke that month, but that little plastic credit card jumped out & landed on the counter. When I got home, I played & practiced the different tones & sounds like a new toy. I practiced tapping the rim with slow, even strokes & then hit it strongly with one stroke to see how long the vibrating sound would last.

I practiced stirring the rim. Magic. The sound from the bowl increased to such an intense song that I was sure all the neighbours near me could hear the sound (ringing from the confines of my lounge room). I played it every night for some weeks. It was both a source of relaxation & a source of intense pleasure & peace (that comes from a talented pianist or guitarist strumming the strings for the sheer pleasure of making music that only his ears could hear).

It was a pure, finely tuned instrument.

In the second week of my possession, I arrived home from work with the usual tight & rather sore spine & neck from too much typing & too little water consumption. I was dehydrated & guzzled a couple of glasses of water in quick succession to nourish the tight dehydrated tissues.

Then I sat down with my singing bowl.

This time I clenched my fist & turned my fist on its side & place the bowl on the flat top of my clenched forefinger and thumb, and started to stir the rim. The singing increased in volume and all of a sudden I felt the top of my spine vibrate & sing. I kid you not! The top of my spine was vibrating. When the sound died down so did the vibrating sensation at the top on my spine. My whole back was completely pain free & each muscle was totally relaxed and I felt totally at ease and in a state of bliss.

The experience happened a second time some weeks later. But not since then. I havent played it so much in the last 3 weeks since acquiring a home computer, I seem to end up typing most nights, sharing my books or thoughts on healing with Phoenix Forum members.

To this day, I cannot explain it. I find it very hard to understand the singing sound but I have heard it on Buddhist films & heard it myself. If you touch the rim while the bowl is singing, the sound (& I suppose the vibration) stops instantly.Victoria
 
I love M. Messegue, one of my all-time favorite herb books. I'll have to check out the others.

Sound is a powerful healing tool. Have you read Jonathan Goldman or Jill Purce? You might want to check them out.

What a great score finding that singing bowl in the thrift store! I lust after one too, but the price holds me back, no point in a cheap one. I do have a pair of healing tuning forks from J. Goldman, though, you're reminding me (for the second time today) it would be good to try them.
 
Sunday;bt669 said:
I love M. Messegue, one of my all-time favorite herb books. I'll have to check out the others.

Sound is a powerful healing tool. Have you read Jonathan Goldman or Jill Purce? You might want to check them out.

What a great score finding that singing bowl in the thrift store! I lust after one too, but the price holds me back, no point in a cheap one. I do have a pair of healing tuning forks from J. Goldman, though, you're reminding me (for the second time today) it would be good to try them.

Sundayl, here's my Singing Bowl, it's beautiful tasselled cushion, & the handmade box with the calligraphy on the lid which they came in.

It's definitely the most beautifully made singing bowl I've seen & has the best sound of the ones I have played also.

Hard to see in this photo perhaps, but it IS a perfect circle & hand made. I believe they take weeks to make.
 

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