Whenever I go into the whare rongoa to mix another batch of ointment I am conscious that I’m repeating a simple act that has been played out over the millennia by people in all cultures. It is a simple, time honoured process of putting the healing essences of everyday plants cultivated in my garden or gathered from our regenerating native bush into a readily usable form. Tinctures, unguents, tisanes were all ways to transfer the vital forces of plants to our bodies.
I am fascinated by the fact that everything we need for tending everyday ailments once grew naturally around our homes. The very commonness of these plants was their downfall. Somehow we lost our connection with plants and our knowledge of their powers to heal.
Growing plants became a fashionable, aesthetic hobby. The kitchen garden, once the source of food and medicine, was gone. Suddenly the plants welcomed for centuries at our doorstep, the daisy, dandelion, buttercup, even the thistle were declared weeds and we waged war on them with fork and spray. We had relinquished the herbal lore that was our birthright. My balms have been first-aid standbys for my friends and family for over twenty years. They came about as a natural pairing of my twin obsessions – growing old-fashioned plants organically on my Puhoi farmlet and homoeopathy.
When I began my homoeopathic studies I was astonished to find many of the remedies were already well-established members of my garden. I have added to my garden as my knowledge has grown, and continue to develop new products. These now include creams and real soap. For me it is irresistible to use the gifts of Papatuanuku and to share their healing virtues. Creating healing products out of a love and respect for the earth and it’s inhabitants, sharing information through my web-blog and experiencing the joy of healing through my natural health clinics are my great passions.
Blessings