Where the Lilies Bloom

Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera Cleaver


How did I miss reading this book when it came out around 1970? A wonderful "young-adult" novel about a family of wildcrafters in the mountains of western North Carolina.


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A Short Guide to Base Oils

I use quite a few different oils in making various herbal products & have been meaning to put together a list of their individual properties for easy reference. I've put it on my web site & thought I'd post it here as well. Hopefully, you'll find it helpful, too!

Apricot Kernal Oil – Medium weight oil, easily absorbed by the skin.  Good for sensitive or prematurely-aged skin.

Avocado Oil – thick, heavy, easily absorbed.  Soothes and softens dehydrated skin.  Revitalizes and regenerates mature skin.

Castor Oil – Very thick, shiny oil.  Acts as a barrier.  Protects skin from harsh environmental conditions.  Very soothing.

Coconut Oil – Solid below 76 degrees F.  Emollient.  Soothes sensitive or irritated skin.

Grapeseed Oil – very light and non-greasy, easily absorbed.  Slightly astringent.

Hazelnut Oil – light, easily absorbed.  Slightly astringent.

Jojoba Oil – thick, light, easily absorbed.  Richly moisturizing for all skin types.  Thickens and beautifies hair.  Technically a liquid wax, not an oil.

Olive Oil – thick, slightly sticky, easily absorbed.    Soothes and moisturizes dry, dehydrated skin.  Thickens and beautifies hair.

Sweet Almond Oil – Easily absorbed, has a good “slip”.  Softens and soothes the skin.  Heals rough skin, strengthens nails.

Let's Make Soap!

Sisters Maryanne Schwartz and Tina Sams have been making vegetable-based cold process soap together for nearly 20 years. Join them at Radiance to learn all you need to know to go home and make it yourself, including tips and some of the things that have tripped them up along the way. Leave with a bar of soap & an instructional handout. All-inclusive kits are available for purchase in the shop at Radiance.

Saturday, August 8, from 2 – 3:30pm
Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St (across from Central Market).
Stop in, or call 290-1517 to register.
$35 for the class.

Cool it, Hot Mama!

Sometimes putting together a new tea blend is a serious and deeply meditative matter. Sometimes a new tea almost seems to blend itself. This tea was something of a combination of those two processes. I spent a couple of days thinking about it, and then when I finally put pen to paper, it rushed out & felt perfect immediately!

Cool it, Hot Mama! tea is formulated to help deal with hot flashes and night sweats, one of the most common complaints of menopausal women. And a few men, actually. Contains Motherwort, Raspberry, Sage, Violet leaf, Blue Vervain and Elder flower.

Look for it on my web site! (And we made a hydrosol Mist, too!)

Introduction to Shamanism with Adhi Moonien Two Owls

Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 2 to 6pm, at Radiance in Lancaster

The purpose of the class is to give participants an overview of the tradition called "Shamanism". This class will be the introduction to a longer series of deeper study for those who may wish to further their interest in Shamanism.

Shamanism is found all over the world and takes on many cultural/social forms relating to its function within these communities. A Shaman in it most basic definition is some who has mastery of communication with spirits. The first spirit they work with is their own and this requires training and guidance from a teacher and the commitment of the student to be guided and supported by the unseen or spirit world. This ability to navigate the seen and unseen worlds gives the Shaman the tools to bring about balance in the world around them.

Each culture has its own spin on how this works with in their social structures, and there are many different types of Shamans. They are usually divided into three groups:

1. Mundane/Lower world Shamans - or those who work primarily in this world, with the ancestors, and nature spirits as healers and spiritual guides.

2. Middle world Shamans - who work with the Elementals and higher beings as diplomats to negotiate things such as the weather, balancing the elements of a region, and fighting evil forces. These types of work to keep the "Matrix" of this reality whole.

3. Upper world Shamans - are rare and they communicate only to the very upper beings. They are in a constant state of ecstatic trance.

And, of course, there are crossovers and combinations among the three.

In this class participants will have the opportunity to see a traditional "Mesa" or sacred bundle, experience the use of the frame drum and rattle for trance meditation, as well as learning the traditional and contemporary place of the shaman in society.

Bring a journal to class.

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA, across the cobblestones from Central Market. Stop in or phone 717-290-1517 to register. Cost is $45.00 in advance.