This page will be updating you on all kinds of alternative medicine that you may have an interest in. If you are using an alternative that is working well for you, please send us a short story to share with others.
Ways to Relieve Stress submitted by Lydia M.
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Virtual Therapy for the Soul submitted by Gail
You will be redirected to another website for this wonderful experience.
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My husband and I live at 2200' on the Big Island of Hawaii. Our couple of acres of forest have been overrun by invasive (non-native) species: strawberry guava, Christmas berry, climbing ferns. In the last few months, I find myself going to the forest a couple of times a week to cut down the invasives and free up the native ohia trees. Probably many of you don't know the ohia tree. It is one of the first plants to grow on a new lava flow, and it grows slowly, in a beautifully twisted manner. Its bark is thick and rugged, its leaves small, gray-green ovals. When it blooms, it creates a brilliant red blossom called lehua, like a three-inch scarlet crown, an explosion of spikes. The Hawaiian legend is that ohia and lehua were lovers who, after a long separation, were reunited by the gods in this plant. If you go online and search for lehua photos, you'll see what this precious tree looks like, and will perhaps understand why I love it so, why it catches my breath with its beauty. Of a bright morning, I head up into the forest with my long stick and gloves and handsaw and spend a few hours pulling tough climbing ferns off the ohia. Down they come, old and new, tough and tenacious, showering dirt and debris over me, leaving me panting with the effort. But then comes the payoff. I may spot an apparently dead ohia through the thick ferns; and when I finally free it from its living tomb I'll spy a tender new ohia shoot bursting forth at the base of the tree. The tree is alive! And I have given it another chance to find the light and air it needs to come back.
Isn't that new, striving shoot truly a candle in the darkness? To me, the tree is in recovery: coming back to light and life after a dead, dark time. Gone are the strangling ferns. Now there is hope. As Janet says, I am 'freeing myself by freeing the ohia.' And each saved tree fills my heart with joy and gratitude. This I can do, for myself and for the Earth. - Sally
BACH Flowers Essences
I have spent years using the Bach flowers both for myself and others to heal emotional pain of many different sorts. They are safe, inexpensive, gentle and do core healing work. They are versatile and can fit anyone. They address the needs of the spirit, they are a gift to the human soul. They do not have side effects and may be safely combined with anything else. No overdose potential.
I recommend them to anyone for children and pets also. The one exception might be people who are very sensitive to alcohol, as alcohol is used as a preservative.
The Bach flowers have healed my anger and resentments, my fears and worries and my sense of "not good enough". I think I have used all 38 of the flowers at different times over the last 15 years. A particular favorite of mine is the Rescue remedy which has 5 different flower essences in it. I use it to build courage and relieve anxiety. I take it before and after stressful situations. I never leave home without it! I hope others can discover their beautiful, wonderful healing touch.
Here is a website for looking at Bach Flowers Essences - www.bachflowers.com.
Elizabeth Keller