Dear Yogis,

Right now we are living in a land of plenty.  I hope you are doing more than visiting Coles.  My garden is so full to bursting it is hard to keep up with all the wonderful plants wanting to be picked, dried, frozen and eaten.  Especially the mushrooms.  I have picked and given away plums and apples.  Now the dandelions are growing lush and lettuce like.   Yesterday I planted out my garlic, and after Church today will be visiting the nursery to get more garlic bulbs to start and then plant.

The most popular herbal packets that I prepare are the SMOKING HERBS.  I initially made these for a favourite client who wanted to give up smoking but could not.  I put together a relaxing mix,  that at worst if they kept using it,  contained no added chemicals or nicotine.   The stated aim of the client was to relax and sleep better.  They slept on the first nite, 10 hours straight.

Here is my painting of the herbs I use, together with the pipe which I make out of a non-toxic home made clay mix.  They are small and very functional.  They give a lovely smoke.   When I have completed the painting I will put it on www.myyogabooks.etsy.com All of my paintings and products are available on this site.

The downloaded page could be used as part of your journal as part of your HERBAL WORKSHOP notes (Zoom Tuesday 7.30) for future use in your herbal work, or for your own interest.

THE HERB OF THE WEEK IS DANDELION: Always a favourite.  Lush and lettuce like.  Most people mow it,  or use weed killer to get rid of it.  Not me.  I save the seed and plant it.  At the present I have it coming up in the wild garlic bed. This English type dandelion is not to be confused with the other Australian native one.  They sometimes grow together.  The “wild” one has a furry, prickly leaf and a tall solid stem.  It is edible, but why would you?  In the photo it is green bundle in the front, in further son a pic of the dandelion in full growth.  It even looks luscious!.

As a garden weed, the dandelion like the nettle, absorbs about three times as much iron from the soil as is extracted by any other plant.  It grabs onto copper and any other worthwhile soil nutrients it can absorb.  The flowers (apart from being the basis of a flavoured vinegar or fermented honey) provide a rich pollen food and creamy nectar to honeybees and wild bees for pollinating crops.  The whole plant can be made into an excellent liquid fertiliser into which it realises all the nutrients it has been hoarding.

Dandelion is non-poisonous and therefore is harmless and beneficial to humans.  Tea made from dandelion roots or leaves is of great assistance in settling the gut, it is also a mild laxative.  Further, it aids weak digestions and helps to combat anaemia.  It is also reputed to cure chronic eczema when a regime of drinking the tea is faithfully  followed.

SALADE DE PISSENLIT, a little salad or side salad can be made from dandelion with a light dressing of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice – nothing could be easier.  If you are a meat eater, sprinkle this little salad with crisp, dry fried bacon pieces.

LET’S GET YOUNGER TOGETHER. IN ORDER TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE WONDER OF HERBS,  I can do a consult on zoom, make you up some special herbal teas, or a BACH Flower Remedy and send them to you for $85 for the consult including Herb Tea or Bach remedy and postage.   This HEALTH PACKAGE will be available on zoom or in the studio until the end of April.  To get your zoom ID and make an appointment, please email me at yogafirst2@bigpond.com

This appointment may also be used to talk about your favourite animal.  Bach remedies rather than teas will be prescribed for animals (including birds).

My FIVE REMEDIES FOR ANIMALS ($85 for the full set of essences including postage)  with an explanatory leaflet on their uses   The five conditions the remedies  help with are…..  * FEAR *  SOCIALISATION * SEPARATION ANXIETY * GRIEF * TRANSITION

WEKLY STUDIO/ZOOM SCHEDULE
ZOOM: Mon. 6.30 Gita, Tues. Herb workshop7.30, Friday 6.45 Tarot
STUDIO: Mon.1pm (full), Wed. 1pm Restorative, Friday 1pm Hatha
MONTHLY LUNCHEON:  Thursday 31st March at the Victoria Hotel in Woodend at 12noon (If you are running a bit late, relax, we will still be here – drop in for dessert).

See you on your scooter (I am still contemplating getting one!!)

NAMASTE – JAHNE

Dear Yogis,

Mushroom time!  Students all over the shire are out collecting the first mushrooms of the season – I have loads in my garden.  Be careful that they are mushrooms.  When we were kids we looked for the dark brown gills, able to be peeled, not staining yellow.  We followed those rules and I am still alive, so all good thus far. – however, take care.  The responsibility for picking and eating is yours, unless you have a chemist or plant grower who knows what they are looking at as is quite normal in Europe. Don’t forget mushrooms are perfect to dry and keep for the winter.  You can do this in your oven, in the sun, or in a dehydrator.

GATHERING HERBS
Best known as the weed in your lawns, dandelion grows wild in most parts of the world and is cultivated as a herb in China, Japan France and Germany.  Young leaves are picked for tonic salads, and for making medicinal teas and tinctures.  I do each of these.

Uses of Dandelion
Dandelion clears those energies derived from pent-up emotions associated with the liver.  Dandelion clears liver energy channel also soothing red and swollen eyes, and breaks up “lumps” of energy which manifest as lumps and nodules at other points on the liver channel, especially the breasts.  Dandelion is well known for promoting urination and stimulates lactation.

Dandelion is reputed to reduce muscle spasms and nighttime leg cramps.  It contains more potassium than any other herb, more iron and vitamins, more carotenoids and more vitamin A than carrots.  Due to its high nutritive content it has been used for generations to treat anemia due to deficiencies of folic acid, iron and vitamin B12.

European herbalists frequently prescribe dandelion tea as a weight loss aid.  Dandelion is particularly effective in removing weight through its diuretic effect. It also regulates blood sugars in a way that reduces appetite without causing hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).

HERB TEAS $53.50 a pack  of 6 including postage. (These are a medicinal herbs, not just fancy tea)  A pack will last about 10 days to 2 weeks depending on how often you dip them into your own teas, or water bottle. You can add honey or lemon to taste as you want to.  I grow, dry and pack the herbs.  They are not like regular teas, you don’t jiggle them to make the water dark – these are herbal teas to have you feel better… one tea bag will last at least one day, with me two, jiggled into any tea or water you are drinking.  After they are finished, I drop them into my drinking water jug…I might have a few in the jug at any one time.  No chemicals are water or lost.  I just hate throwing them in the compost.

I will put them all on my web site this afternoon www.jhwilliams.online.  and ETSY.   If you want special service, or a consult we can chat on zoom and then I will send you the herbs especially tweaked for you – this consult including herbs is a gift at $85.  Email yogafirst2@bigpond.com for more details and to make your ZOOM appointment.

SCHEDULE
ZOOM: Mon. 6.30 Gita, Tues. Herb workshop7.30, Friday 6.45 Tarot
STUDIO: Mon.1pm (full), Wed. 1pm Restorative, Friday 1pm Hatha
MONTHLY LUNCHEON:  Thursday 31st March at the Victoria Hotel in Woodend.  12noon (If you are running a bit late, relax, we will still be here – drop in for dessert).

I HOPE TO SEE YOU ON ZOOM.

NAMASTE – JAHNE