COVER ARTIST: Jeanette Sellwood
Title: INTO-ME-YOU-SEE
MEDIUM: Acrylic painting
CONTACT: www.jeanettesellwoodartist.com
Feature Article
“Trust in me”. She heard the voice again, it seemed louder. “Trust in me”. She turned her head from side to side, to see if anyone was close but of course there wasn’t, and she knew really that no one had spoken those words. She had imagined them.
It was a tiring journey. The waves were relentless of course. For the umpteenth time she questioned why she was even attempting to sail solo over the Pacific. It had been done before so there were no accolades for first. But she loved the sea and its vastness and she loved the adventure of adapting to nature’s whim. Sailing kept her busy. You couldn’t just set your course and sit there, you had to steer and tack and check your position. It was constant.
Her mind wandered to her old friend around the campfire. She had gone to see him feeling lost and empty. Her direction seemed unclear and her thoughts were scattered. She needed some guidance.
They were sitting quietly mesmerised by the flames. “What do you want?” he had asked suddenly.
“I want to talk to you,” she said, taken aback.
“No, no,” he gestured with his hand, “what do you really want?”
“Oh, I want to sail to New Zealand,” she said staring into the fire as if she could see her journey laid out before her.
“Then why aren’t you?” he replied.
“When I speak to people about it they ask me questions I can’t answer and I start to doubt myself. I feel great about the journey. I am excited and exhilarated when I think about the crossing but when people ask me what I am doing and I tell them, they don’t share my excitement.”
“Why do you care?” he asked gently, sensing her turmoil.
“Because these are people I care about. I know they have my best interests at heart and it hurts me that they are not supportive of this project. They tell me I am too young and I should wait a few years. But if I do that, I won’t go at all.” She looked at him as though she had just understood. “That’s what they are really saying isn’t it? Don’t go at all.” He said nothing. “But why would they say that?” she added.
He stirred the embers with a stick and they sprang to life, sparks dancing above the renewed glow. “This fire,” he said, “is very much a metaphor for life. You have let your fire settle by listening to those around you, but the flames are just quelled. They are not out. All you need do is remember what you want and why you want it, and the flames will spring to life. Although it is wonderful to have the support of friends and family, they do not have your best interests at heart as you and they think; they have their interests at heart. They are afraid that something will happen to you and how it will affect them. This is fear and it will not serve you as guidance and is certainly not supportive. However, they are only echoing the fears that lie within you. If you felt confident, eager and trusted the guidance of your inner wisdom, you would not even be looking for others to be enthusiastic.
It is common for people to look outside of themselves for support but all they will ever find will be a reflection of how they are feeling themselves. For you, this was the fear and uncertainty that lie within you.”
“So do you mean that they aren’t afraid at all? It is just me.”
“No, you have that in common. However, were you to feel comfortable in trusting your inner wisdom to guide you on your journey and indeed all aspects of your life, and you were to focus on the excitement of the thoughts you create, then that would become your reflection. Your inner wisdom will guide you to those who will genuinely support you. Prepare to be surprised my friend, because they are not usually those who you would expect. You will need to practise trusting your inner wisdom because it is something you need to feel sure about. That is what trust means. Feeling sure, being secure in the knowledge that it will be there for you at any time.
Besides,” he smiled cheekily, “it is not your inner wisdom you need to practise listening to, it is your interpretations you need to become more adept in.”
“Do not despair my young friend,” he laughed at the daunting look on her face, “as all reflections serve as guidance too. This is your inner wisdom communicating. It is you showing you what is lying within. If you do not like it, change it!” And that was it. She knew the understanding would unravel itself in time, it always did.
“Now,” he smiled, settling back comfortably, “tell me about your trip, it sounds very exciting.”
That was over a year ago now and she thought about all the events that had taken place since then. She had started centring herself many times throughout each day. Not quite a meditation, more of a stop, breath, refocus, feel good and keep going. The more often she did that, the more she was able to stay feeling excited about the proceedings. If she came across those with doubt and fear, it would no longer knock her for a six. She would smile to herself, remembering that it was just her fears being reflected and it was OK. This was her inner guidance at work, she could feel it.
Things flowed better. She was introduced to sponsors who believed in her because they felt her excitement and commitment. That was the last piece of her puzzle and it was putting the pieces together now that gave her a lot of opportunities to trust. The few months leading up to her departure were a bit of a whirlwind with media, well wishers and her family still very emotional. The latter were proud but fearful. But it was different now, she trusted her inner wisdom to guide her in staying focussed on what she wanted rather than to buy into the emotions of what she didn’t.
And then it was all over. The crowds, the sounds, the people, all gone. It was exchanged for the ebb and flow of the waves, the sound of the breaks around her and the constant movement. She was sure that by the time she docked in New Zealand she would not be able to walk on land without feeling it move.
On the darkest nights, with no one around, the moon would shine its guiding light. She took that opportunity to feel grateful. That was her interpretation of her inner wisdom. On days when she was feeling overwhelmed by her insignificance in the vast ocean, a school of dolphins would swim by and she took that opportunity to feel good. Another interpretation of her inner wisdom. Then there was that little voice inside of her, “Trust in me, Trust in me,” and she would take a deep breath, refocus, feel good and spend time getting excited about her next project.
Gayle Maree
Stewart Natural Health Clinic
Yungaburra 07 40953600
Regular Article
As Autumn approaches, sage is a great aromatic herb to add flavour to stuffings and enhance more fatty meats like lamb, pork, goose and maybe sausages. The generic name for sage, Salvia, comes from the Latin word to ‘heal’. A bitter, pungent, cool and drying herb, it contains volatile oils, tannins, diterpene bitters, resin, flavinoids, oestrogenic substances and saponins. The leaves are used fresh or dried – remember the dried is stronger in flavour than fresh.
Through the ages…
Long before you or I used this herb for imparting its rich aroma into turkey stuffing, the healing powers of sage were celebrated. The ancient Greeks and Romans used sage as a meat preservative. They also believed it could enhance memory similar to that of Rosemary. The Greek physician Dioscorides considered it to be a diuretic and menstrual promoter and recommended its leaves as bandages for wounds.
Around the 10th century Arab physicians believed sage extended life to a point of immortality. After the Crusades, this notion showed up in Europe where students of the medieval prestigious medical school in Salerno, Italy said: “Why should a man die who grows Sage in his garden?” The same thoughts evolved into the English proverb: ‘He that would live foraye (forever) must eat Sage in May’. The French called the herb ‘toute bonne’ meaning ‘all’s well’ and had their own citing: ‘Sage helps the nerves and by its powerful might, Palsy is cured and fever is put to flight’.
In the year 1000, an Icelandic herbal recommended it for bladder infections and kidney stones. German herbalist Hildegard of Bingen prescribed sage for headache and gastrointestinal and respiratory ailments from the common cold to tuberculosis. Dutch explorers introduced it to the Chinese, who prized it so highly they traded two cases of tea for one of English sage. They used it to treat insomnia, depression, mental illness, menstrual complaints and mastitis for nursing mothers.
In Ayurvedic tradition it is prescribed for haemorrhoids, gonorrheae, vaginitis and eye disorders. Herbalist John Gerard called sage, “Good for the head and brain. It quickens the senses and memory and strengthens the sinews and restoreth health and taketh away shaky trembling of the members”, he said. Culpeper recommended it “boiled in water or wine to wash sore mouths and throats, cankers, or secret parts of man or woman.”
Medicinal Uses:
Sage contains volatile oils that soothe the mucous membranes and can be used internally or externally for treatment as a mouthwash or gargle. Useful for inflammation of the mouth, gum, tongue, throat and tonsils. It can assist with laryngitis and tonsillitis. It is a valuable carminative and reduces sweating when taken internally and may be used to reduce the production of breast milk. As a compress it promotes the healing of wounds. It is said to act as an antibiotic, reduces blood sugar levels and promotes bile flow. Fresh leaves make a bitter digestive stimulant.
· Infused Tea: Place 1-2 teaspoons of the leaves in a cup of boiling water and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. It may be drunk 3 times a day.
· As a mouthwash: Place 2 teaspoons of leaves in 500 ml of water, bring to the boil and stand covered for 15 mins. Gargle the hot tea for 5-10 minutes several times a day.
Cautions and Warnings! Avoid during pregnancy. Small amounts in cooking are considered safe. Sage contains thujone, which can trigger fits in epileptics who need to avoid this herb. Consult your medical or health practitioner for dose amounts and assistance.
Karen Green makes her own flower essences and is studying naturopathy.
Bach of Edn | Cert IV Train | NLP Pract and classes in Chef Hats Cooking School.
For more info email: kazgreen@dodo.com.au or call 0400 836254.