Keep Your Back Side Covered
Chapter Four
“Nothing renews the soul as thoroughly as snowshoeing deep into the heart of the forest after a heavy blanket of snow has fallen. The pine branches are burdened with piled, heavy, white snow helping to create the over powering symphony of silence. Your ever present essence melds into all of creation. You are one with the universe.” J.L. Noakes
Chapter Four
Everything stops momentarily at this time of year. There is the transition of the first part of the season where all outdoor activity ceases just after freeze up here in the Upper Peninsula. Then the lake effect machine gets fired up and all snow breaks loose. Some people think we are insane from living here. Only a true Yooper knows the why of living here.
The spirit of winter is of course, that of the north. White in color, it has the power of renewal and the quickening of the spirit. In winter nothing grows on the surface, however, the earth is gathering her energies for the birth of new life that is to come. Winter has the power to turn water into ice, it is represented by physical dormancy. Be mindful, however, that the spirit is active and gives totally of itself in order to sustain all that is in existence. Winter is symbolized by a white buffalo woman reputed to have brought the red man the sacred pipe. White is the sum of all colors regarded as the color of perfection. So the north is the time of quiet endeavors to gain clarity in one’s intentions.
Its element is that of water. Go figure, eh?
This is a good season to:
Keep your back covered! In traditional Chinese medicine, it’s important to keep your kidneys warm in winter. Look into the ancient practice of wearing a kidney scarf or wrap.
Protect the kidneys with kidney wraps when outdoors. Haramakis (translating literally as ‘belly wrap’) have been used for centuries in Japan.
Eat warming foods such as hearty soups, whole grains and roasted nuts, or steaming cups of ginger or cinnamon tea.
Practice fluid exercises like Tai Chi, qigong or yoga
Pay attention to your dreams. Winter is a perfect time to journal and keep track of your dreams.
Winter Wind Blows
Winter is associated with *The Provider* and White Woman Moon. Its planet is Jupiter or Quaa-qu and the winter's manifestation is that of philosophy, religion and science.
The quality of the north is one of knowledge and wisdom.
Influence on human personality
Time for sharing and elders gather. Time of recounting and preserving the sacred knowledge of the ancestors. This time intensifies the desire for knowledge and to speak of such things.
The influence on human physiology
Common are the complaints of hip-joint and liver ailments, as well as sciatica and pituitary gland. Guard against cold. Shorten time outdoors. Communicable illnesses are now quickening. Depression due to lack of light and isolation become prominent in late winter especially in older people.
“The characteristic of the North is that of Renewal. Winter is the time when the earth is dormant and apparently asleep. But that dormancy is only external, for in the period of apparent rest, the deepest energies of the earth are going into preparation for the rapid growth that is soon to come. It is paradoxical. Rapid growth is cloaked in rest, just as life is hidden in death. Another lesson here, that things are not what they appear.” Kenneth Meadows
Immune Soup
From Stephen Harrod Buhner's book, “Herbal Antibiotics.
8 cups non-chlorinated, non- fluoride treated water
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 good sized onion, chopped
At least 10 cloves of fresh garlic, diced
1 ½ inch piece of fresh or dried ginger root, grated
5 pieces sliced astragalus root (Huang-Qi)
2 cups shiitake mushrooms
1 large reishi mushroom
Cayenne powder- optional
Heat oil in a pan and saute onions, garlic and ginger until tender. Add vegetable broth to a large pot of boiling water, then add the contents of the skillet. Simmer covered for 2 hours. Remove from the heat and let it stand for another 2 hours. Remove astragalus root and the reishi mushroom. Reheat and serve.
Maple-baked Winter Squash
4 squash or 4 quarters of a large squash
2 tbsp. Butter or 2 tbsp. Apple cider
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 tea. Ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 375*F. Wash and cut squash into wedges. Remove seeds and place the squash in a baking dish.
Mix the apple cider and syrup together and heat slightly.
Pour over the squash and then sprinkle with cinnamon
Bake 45 to 60 min, basting the squash with the syrup from the bottom of the baking dish every 15 or 20 min., until tender.
From the book *Power Foods* by Stephanie Beling M.D.
A Healthful Brew for Cold or Flu
2 cups fresh or dried elderberries
2 quarts of distilled water
½ cup each of marshmallow root and licorice root, elder flowers, optional
1 stick cinnamon
1 tea. powdered ginger
½ cup raw, local honey per cup of juice
Wash and sort berries, place in a saucepan on the stove. Pour the water on to the berries and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, mash and juice the berries. Strain the berries through a jelly bag or cheesecloth, squeeze until the berries are about dry.
Return the juice to the stove, add the ginger and cinnamon stick and simmer the juice down to about half, usually takes about 35 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat, remove the cinnamon stick. Measure the juice in a measuring cup and add the correct amount of honey while the juice is still hot. Mix well, may need to put it back on the stove and heat it up until the honey is dissolved.
Pour hot juice into bottles and cap and label. Store in the refrigerator for up to a year. At the first signs of a cold or flu, take 4 tablespoons a day. 2 tablespoons for kids under 12.
Take 1 or 2 tablespoons all winter for a maintenance dose.
This syrup makes an excellent elderberry cordial. Just add some syrup to a little vodka or brandy.
To Avoid the plague
This essential oil blend was created from a group of 15th century thieves and grave robbers who rubbed oils on themselves to avoid contracting the plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying. When these nasty men were apprehended the thieves disclosed the formula of herbs, spices and oils they used to protect themselves in exchange for a more lenient punishment.
This blend of therapeutic-grade essential oils was tested at Weber State University for its potent antimicrobial properties. Thieves oil was found to have a 99.96% kill rate against airborne bacteria. The oils are highly antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, anti infectious and help to protect the body against such illnesses as the flu, colds, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, sore throats and more!
All the thieves did was apply a few drops to the bottom of their feet or their stomach and rubbed it in. They also used it as a hand sanitizer.
Clove essential oil--- 200 drops (½ ounce or 1 tablespoon)
Lemon essential oil--- 175 drops
Cinnamon bark essential oil--- 100 drops
Eucalyptus essential oil--- 75 drops
Rosemary essential oil--- 50 drops
Mix all oils together in a dark glass bottle and keep away from light and heat.
Works great on diffuser jewelry such as a necklace or bracelet.
I put a drop or two on the button of my blouse or jacket before heading out to do shopping in the winter months.
Never leave home without thieves' oil!
Thieves oil all purpose spray
1 or 2 drops of full strength thieves oil blend in a dark glass bottle with a spray top. Fill the rest of the way with distilled water or witch hazel.
Use this as an all purpose spray solution for cleaning, disinfecting or room deodorizer around the home.
Homemade hand sanitizer
Ingredients
1 TBSP rubbing alcohol
1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin (optional)
1/4 cup aloe Vera gel
10 drops cinnamon essential oil or thieves essential oil
10 drops tea tree essential oil or grapefruit seed essential oil
distilled water
Instructions
To make, mix aloe Vera gel, optional glycerin, and rubbing alcohol in a small bowl.
Add cinnamon essential oil and tea tree oil or grapefruit seed essential oil along with a drop or two of any other oils you want to add for scent. Lemongrass, orange, lavender, and peppermint are good choices.
Mix well and add distilled water (or colloidal/ionic silver) to thin to desired consistency.
Use a small funnel or medicine dropper to transfer hand sanitizer into spray or pump type bottles.
Use as you would any other type of hand sanitizer.
Winter Solstice
"The winter solstice celebrates the longest hours of darkness or the rebirth of the sun and is believed to hold a powerful energy for regeneration, renewal and self-reflection. In Pagan times the winter solstice was referred to as Yule and was a celebration of the Goddess (Moon) energy. It was believed that on this day, the moon would give birth to the sun." That certainly puts a slightly more magical spin on things!
The winter solstice can be about looking inward and getting rid of the past you don't need to hold onto. Try making a fire (outside or in a fireplace.), and gathering with loved ones (you can obviously do this alone, too). Grab a piece of paper, write down the things you want to let go of, then toss the paper into the fire as a symbol of release.
Probably the most important spiritual meaning of the winter solstice is that this is a time meant to reflect and recreate yourself. You should spend at least an hour doing that on Dec. 21. Light a candle, keep the lights off, and embrace the darkness. Turn your phone off, and don't even think about using a laptop or your TV — not even your smart watch! Take some time to think deeply about yourself, your past, and what you want for your future. This is a time where you aren't harsh about your decisions, and you really let things go. Could there be a more perfect way to enter the new year?”
Jessica Booth
When the flu happens to a household
Mom as the caregiver
Isolate the sick family member in their room to keep everyone from getting it as much as possible. Isolation is important with almost all communicable illnesses. In close quarters it is easy to spread, especially small children sharing toys.
Be sure that the sick loved one does not share towels, drinking glass, clothes, toys or anything that would transfer germs around the house.
Keep your sick person warm but open a window slightly when possible to let out stale air and let in fresh air. Fresh air alone will improve the spirit or mood.
Use plastic bags to dispose of used tissue or to transfer soiled laundry to the washer. Here again isolation of bacteria and viruses are important. Bleach or Lysol bed frames, toilets, and door knobs as needed to keep down germs.
How to keep yourself and others
healthy during flu season
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you
cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after
you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap
and water are not available, use an alcohol-based
hand rub.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs
spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them
(Children under 10 should not take Tamiflu)
Sleeping When the Wind Blows (A passage from my book, : How to Survive and Thrive When the Power is Out.
One of the most irritating and dangerous things about being without power is shivering and cold feet that just won’t warm up when trying to go to sleep.
Imagine this if you will; one really cold March in Upper Michigan our antique oi furnace quit working at 1 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Of course, it is the weekend that’s when this stuff always happens. To make matters worse, it happened to be the coldest March in the history of our area.
The air temperature dropped to 30 below zero during the night with a screaming wind that rattled the windows. The kids were asleep in their beds and were unaware of the impending disaster of a frozen house. We were caught totally off guard with no electric heater, no woodstove at that time, and just no way to keep the house warm.
As I was standing in front of the furnace praying for a miracle, I noticed the thermostat read 28 degrees. Even the dogs water dish was showing signs of icing over. We were lucky however, we had an old propane kitchen stove.
Suddenly, a light bulb came on in my head! O scrounged around in the kitchen until I found some old canning jars with lids while water was heating on the stove. Once the water was good and hot I poured it into the jars and sealed them up tight with the lids. Next I wrapped a kitchen towel around the hot jar and tucked one at the foot of each kids bed under the blankets. My precious babies stayed toasty warm until they woke up about mid-morning complaining that it was cold.
We couldn’t get a repairman out to our place until Tuesday, all part of living n the U.P. back then. It turned out to e nothing more than a plugged filter that had cause us to go without heat in the coldest year ever. But what we learned that couple of days has been invaluable to say the least. Each member of our family got their own rubber hot water bottle, a pair of woolly snuggies for their feet and a stocking cap.
Chapter Five— Grandmothers Supply Cupboard
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