Summer Solstice Yarden Walk

Summer Solstice Yarden Walk

Are you out there enjoying the slowness of summer? Summer is a really slow time for us here in Florida because it’s just so hot outside!

Learning to live more in sync with the natural world means learning to honor the cycles that surround us. Nature is teaching this lesson all the time. In the Spring of 2018, we began filming Yarden Walks—where I follow Mom around her yarden as she talks about the plants she’s got growing there.

True to the season, we went fallow for the winter and haven’t filmed another one since. Okay, in all honesty, we did film one in the spring, but it was never edited, so we weren’t able to release it on time. Read more to find out how you can view that Yarden Walk!

Summer Solstice is about bringing everything out into the light, so we thought this would be a great way to reintroduce a series that many of you have been asking for.

Paying attention to the Wheel of the Year helps us notice the ways in which we’ve grown. We’ve been reflecting on all that we’ve learned since last year. You can read more about the Summer Solstice and what was happening for us last year at this time here, but you’ll have to watch the video below to hear about what’s happening now!

In this Yarden Walk, you’ll discover:

  • How Sylla’s Vetiver Experiment is going.
  • Two simple summer infusions you can do at home.
  • How you can begin learning plant identification.
  • What to do when your rock pile falls over.

 

QUIZ TIME: While editing this video, we realized Sylla said something that was not quite right. Did you hear what it was? We decided to use it as a quiz to test your knowledge. Scroll to the very bottom to find out what it was.

You can also read about our first Vetiver harvest here and learn more about Marc Williams here

Now we want to know: What are you doing with your summer garden/yarden? What’s getting you outside during these long, hot days? Leave us a comment below!

Remember, everything has a season and this one will pass before we know it. At least, that’s one of the ways we survive the long, hot days here. : ) 

If you’d like to see all of our Yarden Walks, join the Atlantic Aromatic Library. You’ll be able to see the Spring 2019 Yarden Walk. Plus you’ll receive hours of lessons on aromatherapy, plant medicine, and holistic healing.

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Quiz Answer: Remember when Sylla was describing the Summer Solstice  … Well, she was actually describing the Spring and Fall Equinoxes. That’s when we have equal amounts of light and dark each day. At Summer Solstice, the day is the longest it will be all year, while the night is the shortest it will be.

Do you ever say one thing when you mean another?

I did it when I said, “It’s Spring Equinox!” to the students in the Fill Your Cup class that Sunday. Wonder where I get it from … ? 🤔

How to Befriend Your Pain

How to Befriend Your Pain

So you’ve heard that essential oils might be able to help you with your pain. The good news is, they can!

As aromatherapists and massage therapists, Sylla and I have used aromatherapy for pain relief for years—both in the treatment room and at home.

A while back, we covered aromatherapy and pain in the Atlantic Aromatic Library. We were talking the next day when Sylla said to me, “Hey, you know what? I forgot something.”

She proceeded to tell me exactly what I needed to hear.

The thing is that while we can use aromatherapy for pain relief, and while it can help us tremendously, it is only one small part of the healing experience. What my mom shared with me is something that she has learned through her own ongoing healing journey. It really helped me shift my thoughts on my own injury—which is a relatively new part of my experience.

Below this video, you’ll find a list of essential oils that you can use for pain relief. If you don’t have any of these oils, consider the ones you do have with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, or rubefacient properties. Be sure to learn the safety of the oils you are using. We recommend always using them diluted (about 15 drops per ounce of carrier oil)—especially since carrier oils have healing benefits, too!

 

A few oils that may help reduce pain:

  • Anti-inflammatory oils to reduce swelling and inflammation: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Ginger, Lavender, and Patchouli
  • Analgesic oils to reduce pain: Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Sweet Marjoram
  • Rubefacient oils to increase circulation: Black Pepper, Eucalyptus, Ginger, and Peppermint

Now your task is to make yourself a pain blend.

Get a sample from the Atlantic Aromatic Library of a recipe Sylla uses for her pain here.

Let us know what you used, how you used it, and how it worked for you. Did this video help you reframe your pain in a new light? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Want to learn more? Join us in the Atlantic Aromatic Library and get started on your healing journey today.

Trevor Stokes on Aromatherapy and Behavioral Disorders

Trevor Stokes on Aromatherapy and Behavioral Disorders

Essential oils can be great allies when working with children who have ADD, ADHD, and other disorders. However, this isn’t always as straightforward as many Pinterest boards will lead you to believe. Sylla learned this firsthand when she helped design and carry out a study on the subject.

In 1997, Sylla teamed up with Trevor Stokes,  Ph.D., a psychologist who was also a massage client of hers. At the time, Trevor was a professor at the University of Florida. He also worked with children who had behavioral and emotional disorders. Together, the two of them produced a study that examined aromatherapy’s effects on children with behavioral and emotional disorders.

A few years ago, we interviewed Trevor Stokes about this study and working with Sylla.

In this video, you’ll learn:

  • How Sylla and Trevor began to work on this project (and the outcomes!).
  • How they used essential oils to help kids do their homework and stay in bed throughout the night.
  • Why there isn’t always one right oil.

Just so you know, this video was shot a few years ago, but the information is still valuable! You can also read their research paper in full below.

DOWNLOAD the paper Trevor and Sylla co-wrote called Psychosensory Aromatherapy Research Project.

 

Want on-demand aromatherapy instruction?

There are hours of lessons, interviews, and more in the Atlantic Aromatic Library.

How to Make Spruce Syrup

How to Make Spruce Syrup

Ah, the smell of Evergreens … This is a scent that can transport you to a winter landscape. Even if you live in a tropical place like us, there are ways you can feel like you’re on a mountain overlooking snow-covered trees.

My latest favorite is crystallized Spruce needles and with those, Spruce Syrup!

As part of the Spruce Exploration Deep Dive in the Atlantic Aromatic Library, I crystallized some real Spruce tips and made a simple syrup with them. (If you don’t have any Spruce trees near you, you can order them from a beer supplier here.) I imagined I was a homesteader or wilderness person, wishing to preserve the feeling of Spruce, the smell of winter into a simple syrup—since I don’t have maple trees to tap. It’s been the best addition to my water.

DIRECTIONS:

A simple syrup is just sugar and water together in a 1:1 ratio. So, I boiled water and added the sugar till it dissolved, as I did for the crystallization project. I immersed the remaining Spruce sprigs, wood, and needles, along with the rest of the sugar mix I had used. Simmering on the stove, I kept it on low so I wouldn’t lose the essential oils. I must say it smelled like something delicious was cooking! After a few hours, I had to add more water as it thickened! So I added more water and left it overnight in the fridge. Then I simmered it again the next day till it smelled perfect and was the right consistency.

Once it cooled, I strained out the spent needles and let it cool further before decanting it into my bottle.

I now use it to flavor and sweeten my daily water glasses.

Watch Sylla share why she loves her Spruce syrup so much.

First, I add some warm water in the bottom of a large tumbler. Then I add about a tablespoon of syrup, mixing it and adding ice. Finally, I top it off with room-temperature distilled water (my choice).

There are many ways to use this simple syrup! It could be used in hot tea. It could also be caramelized till it’s thick and brown—to be drizzled over desserts … The uses are endless.

I already know I should have made more …

Have you ever crystallized an Evergreen? How do you like to use it? Tell us all about it below!