Remembrance Day 2011

Once again Remembrance Day (November 11) is fast approaching and here in Canada many people are wearing their Red Poppies to honour and remember the many men and women who have given their lives for their country and its people.  Each year around this time I blog about Remembrance Day.  A lot of what I have blogged about around this day can be used for other times of grief at losing someone as well so you might like to look back and read some of these blogs in full. 

In 2008 I blogged about how the wearing of the poppies started:

It was after the First World War that a French woman, Madame E. Guérin, made the suggestion to British Field-Marshall Earl Haig that women and children in devastated areas of France could produce poppies for sale to support wounded Veterans and it was in November 1921 that the first of these poppies were distributed in Canada. Each year in Early November until after the 11th, these bright Red Poppies are worn as a symbol of our remembrance.

In 2009 I shared the poem and the synergy I had created for this day.

Essential oils I've chosen for my Remembrance Day Synergy.
Rosemary for sure. Rosemary is for remembrance just ask Shakespeare.
Cypress so often associated with death and transition.
Yarrow often called the Military Herb.
Neroli for gentle easing of grief.

In 2010 I looked at Grief and how we could support ourselves with essential oils at this time.

Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen. Pliny the Elder
Happiness is beneficial for the body, but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind. Marcel Proust

I looked at Grief and discussed essential oils (In particular Marjoram) that could support one through times of Grief.  I also shared some information on crystals that could be helpful at this time.

This year I thought that I would address the element of Forgiveness.  Often part of what keeps one stuck in the grief stage is the fact that one cannot forgive, either one's self or another, so I thought that I would share the Hawaiian Forgiveness Practice - Ho'oponopono ("to make things right")

1. Sit comfortable and close your eyes. Bring to mind the person or situation and feel yourself connect. It doesn't matter whether the person is alive or passed on, whether the situation is in the present or in the past, energetically everything is connected and this is an opportunity to clear any negativity attached.
2. Put your hand on your heart and repeat these four phrases internally in your heart. It's about releasing the anger in your heart no matter who is to blame.  I'm sorry.  Please forgive me.  Thank you.  I love you.
3. The amount of times you need to repeat the phrases varies from one person to the next and one situation to another, but you will find that as you say them over and over the energy starts to shift and you feel the clearing of old emotions and healing of pain that has been held on to.  You might find yourself becoming emotional while doing this exercise and that is often a sign of the clearing that is taking place.

You might like to support yourself by diffusing a special essential oil synergy while you do this.  Essential oil you could consider to help with forgiving include: bitter orange peel; frankincense; grapefruit; jasmine; lavender; myrrh; neroli; patchouli; pine and sandalwood.

Upcoming Events

November 3.  Free Introduction to Spiritual PhytoEssencing at Natural Comfort Wellness Centre in Tsawwassen at 7.30 pm.

November 27.  Last scheduled Reiki Level 1 class for 2011.  In 2012 the Reiki classes will be offered the same way as all the other workshops, by arrangement.

Contact me if you are interested in attending either of these.