Category Archives: Did You Know

Juniper Berry-Did You Know?

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Juniper BerryDid you know juniper berry essential oil is the oil of the night? Juniper berry aids those who fear darkness or a particular feature about themselves. Juniper berry gives support to people, to learn the lesson, and face their fear. Juniper berry helps bring back the balance between light and darkness. It acts as a guide on the road toward being whole.

Juniper Berries are native to the northern part of the world and Europe. Juniper Berries were found in ancient Egyptian tombs, like in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Many believed that these berries might have migrated into Egypt from Greece. The Greek records have shown that Juniper Berries were used in medicine before it was discovered to be used in food. The berries were widely used in Olympic events because the Greeks believed that the berries could increase physical strength among athletes.

The Western American Native Tribes have used these berries to suppress appetite in times of famine and hunger. On the other hand, Juniper Berries were initially intended for medications because of them being a diuretic and good remedy for arthritis and rheumatism. The Native Americans also have used the seeds of the berries for decoration and jewelry. The Swedes used the extracts from Juniper Berries as a topical medicine for the treatment of inflamed joints and wounds.

Juniper Berry essential oil has a rich history of traditional uses and therapeutic benefits. Juniper Berry acts as a natural cleansing agent, both internally and externally. Juniper Berry supports healthy kidney and urinary function, and is very beneficial to the skin. Its woody, spicy, yet fresh aroma, has a calming effect that helps relieve tension and stress. When diffused, Juniper Berry helps to cleanse and purify the air.

Learn to Appreciate

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IMG_20151016_161510297Once upon a time, there was a man who was very helpful, kindhearted, and generous. He was a man who will help someone without asking anything to pay him back. He will help someone because he wants to and he loves to. One day while walking on a dusty road, this man saw a purse, so he picked it up, and noticed that the purse was empty. Suddenly a woman with a policeman shows up, and gets him arrested.

The woman kept on asking where did he hide her money but the man replied, “It was empty when I found it, Ma’am.” The woman yelled at him, “Please give it back, It’s for my son’s school fees.” The man noticed that the woman really felt sad, so he handed her all his money. He could see that the woman was a single mother. The man said, “Take these, sorry for the inconvenience.” The woman left, and the policeman held the man for further questioning.

The woman was very happy but when she counted her money later on, it was doubled, she was shocked. One day while the woman was going to pay her son’s school fees, she noticed that some skinny man was walking behind her. She thought that he may rob her, so she approached a policeman standing nearby. He was the same policeman, who she took along to inquire about her purse. The woman told him about the man following her, but suddenly they saw that the man collapse. They ran towards  him, and saw that he was the same man whom they arrested few days back for stealing a purse.

He looked very weak and woman was confused. The policeman said to the woman, “He didn’t return your money, he gave you his money that day. He wasn’t the thief but hearing about you son’s school fees, he felt sad and gave you his money.” Later, they helped man stand up, and man told the woman, “Please go ahead and pay your son’s school fees, I saw you, and followed you to be sure that no one steals your son’s school fees.” The woman was speechless.

Moral: Life gives you strange experiences, sometime it shocks you and sometimes it may surprise you. We end up making wrong judgments or mistakes in our anger, desperation and frustration. However, when you get a second chance, correct your mistakes, and return the favor. Be Kind and Generous. Learn to Appreciate what you are given.

Submitted By: Ida, United States

Petitgrain-Did You Know?

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petitgrain-orange-leafDid you know petitgrain is the oil of ancestry? Petitgrain brightens patterns and inclinations of unconsciously repeating family mistakes. The person in need of petitgrain is lacking the skills or unwilling to remove themselves from their families way of thinking. Instead they follow in the footsteps of their ancestral traditions.

When I first opened the bottle of petitgrain I couldn’t put my finger on the smell, then it occurred to me that it smells a little bit like fried green tomatoes that I ate a lot of as a child. There are three essential oils that come from the bitter orange tree. Petitgrain is distilled from the leaves and twigs of the tree. Neroli essential oil is distilled from the blossoms and bitter orange oil is produced by cold pressing the rinds of the fruit.

Originally the oil was produced in distilleries from the unripe oranges when they were the size of grapes. This explains why it is named Petitgrain, which in French means little grains. Nevertheless, this proved to be uneconomical and so the oil began being extracted from the leaves and twigs of the orange tree instead.

Historically, petitgrain essential oil has been used for cleaning purposes and it has been used internally to support healthy immune system and nervous system function. Emerging scientific evidence provides support for these tradition and other uses. Adding one or two drops to water or juice may help support the health of cardiovascular, immune, nervous and digestive systems.

Teachers Touch Lives

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Henry Van Dyke QuoteEvery one of us has talents that will reach out to others. Never discount the effect you will have on another person. I have many people that I feel have touched my life in huge ways by sharing their talents I have benefitted from them in positive ways.

One of those people is Mr. Wolfinden. he was a new teacher full of enthusiasm. All the students loved him. One thing that sticks out in my mind is how he let everyone express themselves freely. I remember his love for math one of my weakest subjects. One assignment was when he had everyone in the class make up math problems for the rest of the class to do. When it was my turn a few girls in the class complained to our teacher that my math sheet was difficult to fill out because I had put a little box around each problem.

Without missing a beat he said there will be no complaining about how each person does their worksheet for the class. I found the assignment I made for the class years later. I would have to agree with the girls I did a terrible job on the worksheet, yet my teacher Mr. Wolfinden gave me confidence in our classroom.

Another assignment that sticks out in my mind with this wonderful teacher was when he wanted to help us understand the idea of how much a million is. He had everyone in their free time put four lines down with another line going across so we could count to a million by fives. When we would fill up a piece of paper using tally marks we would staple the paper on the bulletin board. It took us weeks to count to one million using this method of counting. When we finished we had one million tally marks. When you teach with creativity and passion your students will learn volumes.

Spikenard-Did You Know?

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SpikenardDid you know Spikenard is the oil of gratitude? Spikenard encourages true appreciation for life. It addresses repeated patterns of ingratitude, where a person sees themselves as a person whom criticism or abuse may be directed, or a victim of their life circumstances. It encourages individuals to let go and find appreciation for all of life’s experiences.

Spikenard is grown in Nepal, China, and India. For centuries the oil has been used as a perfume, as a medicine, and in religious ceremonies from Europe to India. In the bible It was offered on the specialized incense altar in the time when the Tabernacle was located in the First and Second Jerusalem Temples. Several references to Spikenard, were made in both the Old and the New Testament.

Spikenard was one of the early aromatics used by the Egyptians and is mentioned frequently throughout the bible. The powdered root of Spikenard is also mentioned in some Islamic traditions as the fruit which Adam ate in Paradise, which God had forbidden him to eat. It was traditionally used to anoint people of high honor due to its healing properties, and is considered to have spiritual applications for blessing and protection.

Spikenard has a long list of therapeutic uses in clinical aromatherapy and is considered non-toxic, non-irritant, and non-sensitizing. It is also used to season foods in Medieval European cuisine.The health benefits of Spikenard Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties as a deodorant, laxative, and a sedative in nature.

Essential Oils in the Bible

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Bible

And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
Nehemiah 13: 5