Many native cultures have in common the view that everything in the world is filled with spiritual energy drawn from a universal power. It follows that everything is connected on an energetic level – air, earth, water, rocks, trees, animals, humans – in the great cycle of life. So we are faced with a choice: we can either distance ourselves from this natural state and try to control or dominate it, or we can embrace it, and try to embody the spirit or essence in ourselves. One Native American tradition for restoring energetic balance is smudging – or burning – of special herbs, usually sage.
Buy a smudge stick from your health-food store. Light it as you would an incense stick and walk through your home, allowing the sweet-smelling smoke to fill the rooms. As you do so, say ‘With this smoke, I will clear away negative energy.’ Welcome the spirit and scent of nature into your home, and be grateful for the spirit forces all around you. If a smudge stick doesn’t appeal, note that decorating with freshly cut greenery does more than just add a touch of colour to your home. In pagan times, villagers cut branches of evergreen trees, such as pine and juniper, and brought them indoors during the cold months because they believed they were home to powerful spirits.
The scent, shape and texture of many everyday trees and shrubs such as eucalyptus, ferns, ivy and cypress work wonders on your mind and body. The scent of eucalyptus, for instance, is a mood lifter and a relaxant, while cypress is a nerve tonic and can help you feel more tranquil. No flowers in your garden to pick? Just snip a few lengths of graceful greenery, then sit back and admire their calming presence.
There is an Taoist proverb which says that if you lose all your worldly goods except for two coins, you should use one to buy bread to feed your body, and the other to buy hyacinths to feed your soul. Hyacinths have the most exquisitely sweet, cool and delicate perfume. Keep a pot on your desk or dining table, and you will feel your spirits lift every time you look at them. Other bulbs suitable for growing indoors are crocus, freesia, galanthus, narcissus, dwarf iris and tulips. All are easy to grow and may be persuaded to flower in midwinter, their bright colours reminding you that spring will return.
The best way to obtain gorgeous, long-lasting flowers from potted bulbs is to follow the old-timers’ trick and start them off in the dark. Follow the directions below and then place the pot inside a dark cupboard, or cover it with a few sheets of newspaper, or upend another pot of a similar size and put it on top.
Put a layer of compost or special bulb fibre in the bottom of a bowl. Set the bulbs in the bowl as close together as you can. It does not matter if they touch each other. Carefully fill up the spaces between the bulbs with potting mix and compost, pressing down firmly between them until the container is almost full. Moisten the compost slightly, but do not soak. The neck of big bulbs like hyacinths or daffodils can be left sticking out the top; smaller ones should be covered. Put the bowls in a cool, dark room for six weeks. Keep moist but not soggy at all times. When the leaf shoots reach about 10 cm, bring the bowl into a room that gets natural light or place on a windowsill.
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1. Dress for comfort and enjoy natural scents to relax and feel good
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