Something else we can agree on, Bush! I saw a news clip on television where you said, straight out: "I believe that justice should be fair." No quarrel with you there, Bush! Your comment says it all.
Seriously, though, I received a response yesterday from a correspondent who was perplexed by a couple of lines in the poem I wrote you on Thursday. I had written about "those moments when the fear/shines through from beyond/the bravado", and he wrote back to say this: "I fear that I never saw 'when the fear shines through', as you put it. All I ever saw was arrogance, dogma and ignorance. Are we seeing the same Bush? You can't experience much fear with the above qualities even during microseconds."
Not a kind appraisal, Bush, but he does have a point. I thought about what he said and wrote back as follows: "My thinking is that behind every bully lies a fearful man. By the same token, I believe that dogma and ignorance are both born of the fear that drives us to protect ourselves from unpleasant truths. With Bush, I see the fear in the body language, the evident armoring: his "strength" seems to me quite brittle. But maybe that's just me."
We men try to fool each other with our strength--and often succeed. I was talking, also yesterday, to a Viet Nam vet who is suffering terribly from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The situation in Iraq is ringing all kinds of bells for him, and he is trapped in a burning internal rage about those men and women who are being dispatched to face death and debilitating injury on the basis of what he perceives to be lies and deception. He sees in them, I believe, a mirror image of himself, and knows that the wounds they return with--if they have the good fortune to return--are deeper and darker than the physical ones. This man wanted me to know that he has recently reloaded his shotgun--not to harm himself, he insists, but as a kind of symbolic gesture to give expression to his anger and his inner turmoil.
Often, when we try hardest to project the image of tough masculinity, we are hiding something like this man's inner turmoil, Bush. Perhaps less intense than his, at the present moment, but all the more powerful for the fact that it is hidden. You need to project your image of American strength in the world, but it is a brittle image. And no one else believes it. We are posturing, strutting across the face of the globe. If we can't believe in who we are without having to prove it with force of arms and remaking everyone else in our image, what are we, Bush, but a bunch of bullies? But maybe that's just me.
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Essential oils, roots and herbs can be used in a variety of ways to promote healthy living and social anxiety disorder. They are used to create natural remedies for treating ailments common to both people and animals, to add flavor to food, to make perfumes and to create environmentally friendly cleaning products.
You do not have to own a garden to tap into the benefits of plants, roots and herbs. A few herb pots located by a sunny window are enough to get you started. Then, all you need are some essential oils and you are ready to go.
For therapeutic purposes, only the purest oils will do. It is possible to be fooled into thinking that you are purchasing a pure oil. Often, a lesser quality blend of several oils is used to mimic the properties of the pure oil. Blended oils are acceptable for fragrance purposes such as for perfuming a room, but pure oils are a "must" for medicinal purposes.
A reasonable guide to the purity of an essential oil is its price. Pure essential oils are generally more expensive. Common oils such as lavender and geranium are much cheaper than frankincense and carnation oil. It is advisable to become familiar with essential oil prices and then rely on this knowledge when purchasing oils from unfamiliar sources. Keep in-mind that you will generally get what you pay for. A price list from a reputable dealer is a valuable resource when purchasing essentials oils.
Usually, pure essential oils cannot be applied directly to the skin and must be mixed in a base oil to reduce their strength. Base oils such as almond oil or wheatgerm oil are commonly used for this purpose. Base oils are generally derived from seeds, nuts or vegetables and allow you to create essential oil remedies that can be massaged into the skin.
So, what do you need to get started with essential oils and natural remedies?
Without a doubt, Lavender is one of the most useful and desirable oils. Not only does it work wonders on cuts, bruises and burns, it also aids sleep and helps with relaxation.
The Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils are useful for treating a variety of respiratory ailments. These are excellent for the treatment of colds and coughs. They can be massaged into the chest or burned in an oil burner to help clear the airways and prevent congestion. Tea Tree oil is a natural antiseptic and can be dabbed on cuts, bites and stings. It is often used to treat spots and pimples and when diluted with water, acts as a mouth gargle (keep in-mind it should never be swallowed).
Another basic antiseptic is Geranium oil. With its distinctive perfume and pain relieving properties, it is a necessary inclusion when starting out.
Peppermint oil should also be purchased as it treats digestive complaints and may be used in preparations for freshening breath.
For fragrant perfumes and establishing ambience in a room, buy some Patchouli and Ylang-ylang oils. Often combined in scented candles and air fresheners, a few drops of each in an oil burner creates a wonderfully perfumed home. Orange oil mixed with Cinnamon oil is a lovely winter alternative that evokes seasonal, holiday smells. Besides their perfume qualities, all four of these oils have other properties. Patchouli treats eczema and dandruff. Ylang-ylang is reputed to relieve stress, palpitations and high blood pressure. Orange is used in natural remedies for depression and nervous tension and Cinnamon is excellent for warts and viral infections.
The herbs, Thyme and Rosemary can be grown in pots and used when needed. To create essential oils from herbs, stew some large amounts in pure water, collect the steam and cool it. The oil will rise to the top of the drained water and can be collected with an eyedropper. Alternatively, a "flower still" can be purchased to make the job easier. Thyme and Rosemary are both antiseptics and can be used in skin care preparations. They are also delicious when used in cooking.
Lemon oil and fresh lemons will purify water and, when mixed with honey, are effective remedies for colds and flu. Lemon and white vinegar are highly efficient cleaning agents that can be used for domestic cleaning tasks without damaging the environment. Use white vinegar as a natural disinfectant or mix it with water to clean windows and wooden floors. It is also handy to keep a bottle of white vinegar in your car if you swim in the ocean. It will bring instant relief from jellyfish stings.
Citronella oil is perfect in summer to keep the insects at bay. Another natural repellent is Garlic. Fleas will not bite a dog that has been eating garlic, so a few garlic capsules in the dog food are a cheap solution to your pet's flea problem. A soft collar soaked in Citronella will also do the job.
Garlic also helps to promote a healthy immune system when the weather turns cold and viruses begin to circulate. In fact, most of the oils and herbs listed above are effective in helping to prevent many common winter illnesses.
Whether you are looking for remedies or nature friendly products to use around the house, the oils and herbs suggested above should help get you started. You will be ready to make some healthy changes in your way of life!
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