Maya is amazing..we have lost someone so great. We are fortunate to have her poems as her legacy. This is a poem my sweet mother gave to me in a beautiful book called Phenomenal Woman. Let’s all think of ourselves in a new light after we read this.

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Maya Angelou

This article is from
http://www.herbs-info.com/blog/scientists-find-sniffing-rosemary-can-increase-memory-by-75/
Rosemary is a wonderful herb with a tradition of use spanning millennia. It has innumerable uses in both the kitchen and in herbal medicine.

Did you know that rosemary has been associated with memory enhancement since ancient times? It is true – and it has even been referred to from the latter part of the Elizabethan Era to the Early Romantic period as the herb of remembrance. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, iv. 5.) It has also long been used as a symbol for remembrance during weddings, war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia. [1] Mourners in old times would wear it as a buttonhole, burn it as incense or throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead.

It seems that this tradition of Rosemary may actually far more ancient and have its origins in the Arabic world of medieval times, which was greatly advanced in science: In Henry Lyte’s 1578 “Niewe Herball“, an English version of Rembert Dodoens’ French treatise, it is written “The Arrabians and their successors Physitions, do say that Rosemarie comforteth the brayne, the memory and the inward senses, and that it restoreth speech, especially the conserve made of the flowers, thereof with Sugar, to be received daily.” [2]

Because of this seemingly esoteric association, rosemary has at times been made into a sort of herbal-amulet, where it was placed beneath pillowcases, or simply smelt as a bouquet, and it was believed that using rosemary in these ways could protect the sleeper from nightmares, as well as increase their memory.

What’s fascinating is that several scientific studies have now found remarkable results for rosemary’s effects on memory:

Rosemary essential oil’s role in aromatherapy as an agent that promotes mental clarity was validated by the study of Moss, Cook, Wesnes, and Duckett (2003) in which the inhalation of rosemary essential oil significantly enhanced the performance for overall quality of memory and secondary memory factors of study participants. [3]

More recently, in 2012 a study on 28 older people (average 75 years old) found statistically significant dose-dependent improvements in cognitive performance with doses of dried rosemary leaf powder. [4]

Another study by Mark Moss and Lorraine Oliver at Northumbria University, Newcastle has identified 1,8-cineole (a compound in rosemary) as an agent potentially responsible for cognitive and mood performance. [5]

Further studies by Mark Moss and team have found memory enhancements of up to an amazing 75% from diffusion of rosemary essential oil. [6]

Now if you are asking “How is it even possible that an aroma can enhance memory?” – well, that’s a great question. Here’s a fascinating quote from one of the scientific papers referenced: “Volatile compounds (e.g. terpenes) may enter the blood stream by way of the nasal or lung mucosa. Terpenes are small organic molecules which can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore may have direct effects in the brain by acting on receptor sites or enzyme systems.” [5]

Terpenes are primary components of essential oils and are often strong smelling, responsible for a diverse array of natural aromas. It’s also been found that 1,8-cineole enters the bloodstream of mammals after inhalation or ingestion. [7]



I’m interested to know if anyone uses rosemary as a memory enhancer. Maybe you could take some with you next time you have an examination and see if it helps with recall? One last tidbit to inspire you further: Lavender. In a 1998 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, rosemary was found to increase alertness but lavender was found not only to increase alertness but also to increase accuracy in math tests! [8] The way this is going, I can sense the possibility of a magical custom oil blend for total recall!

Rosemary is very easy to grow in many gardens and will provide an abundant supply – almost too abundant! Just the other day when paying a Christmas visit to my family, I cut a few sprigs from my Dad’s organic rosemary bush (rosemary is an evergreen!), left them on a radiator to dry for a few days and then put the needle-like leaves in a jar, ready for use in the kitchen whenever required. So aromatic… and much better than the store-bought stuff I had before!

Another thought that springs to mind from this – here we have yet another example of an ancient herbal lore that has been validated by modern experiments. This happens again and again – and yet still the remarkable herbals, lost treasures of the ancient world are considered spurious by modern medicine. If an herb has been in use for a thousand years for a condition, it should be considered probable that there is something to it. When are we going to catch up with ancient knowledge? Let’s hope soon – while there is still some untarnished, un-GMO-ed nature left…

This scientific discovery was brought to our attention by the remarkable Robert Tisserand, whose work on essential oils is considered by many to be among the very finest. Check out his original pages reporting on the memory effects of Rosemary here http://roberttisserand.com/2013/04/new-rosemary-memory-research/ – and here http://roberttisserand.com/2012/03/rosemary-boosts-brain-power/

References:

[1] Henry Lyte “Niewe Herball”, 1578, p.264 http://books.google.com/books?id=ifxNAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA264

[2] http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/customs/rosemary.asp

[3] Moss M., Cook J., Wesnes K., & Duckett P. (2003). Aromas of rosemary and lavender essential oils differentially affect cognition and mood in healthy adults. International Journal of Neuroscience, 113(1): 15-38. Retrieved 24 March 2013 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12690999

[4] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21877951

[5] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736918/

[6] http://roberttisserand.com/2013/04/new-rosemary-memory-research

[7] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3671550

[8] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10069621/

My favorite Spanish BEE saying…como la miel de abeja…quien me preuba, no me deja.

English translation: Like the honey of the bee, whoever tastes me will never leave me!!!

And another poem from on of my favorite poets…

For bees, the flower is the fountain of life…for flowers the bee is the messenger of love.

Kahil Gibrain

To get these amazing organic and non-sprayed high quality essential oils to make these sensual recipes the oils are available here on our  site www.kismetpotions.com

Here is a sample of the stupendously yummy essential oil based recipes:

Kris’s Chilled Ginger Melon Soup

This is an excellent cold summer soup to use as an appetizer or as a nice light lunch. It is very low calorie and also very satisfying. Serve with a nice sweet cheese or a fruit embedded cheese and crisp crackers. This is also a perfect flavor combination with prosciutto, Parma ham, sliced heirloom tomatoes and candied nuts. Easy to make and ready to serve.

1 large honeydew or cantaloupe melon, I also like the new Hamme melon

1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves or 1 drop mint essential oil

1/8 cup honey or agave nectar

3 tsp. fresh lime juice

4 cups plain non fat yogurt or coconut milk yogurt for a vegan version

6 drops ginger essential oil

5 drops lime essential oil or a few teaspoons of lime zest

Mix the essential oils in with the honey or agave and stir. Put mint, melon, yogurt, lime and ginger in a blender or food processor. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Chill and serve. Garnish with some mint or basil leaves or grated lemon rind. Serves 8 to 10.

To get these amazing organic and non-sprayed high quality essential oils to make these sensual recipes go to our sister site www.kismetpotions.com

Have you ever wondered where your ingredients come from? Mused on the provenance of your oils? Here is some wonderful information on where we get our oils at http://www.kismetpotions.com/

We specialize in love potions here at kismetpotions.com. We thought it would be nice if you knew where the beautiful essentials and absolutes come from. Here is a wonderful article from the coop in South Africa that we get many of our oils from. We know you will enjoy! And, as always, we welcome any comments and questions!

Andrew is a typical supplier of organic essential oils to the coop. On a small farm, near the Southern tip of Africa, Andrew grows Roses, Rose Geraniums and Tea Tree, for the essential oil market. Five years ago, on 740 ha of beautiful undeveloped land set against mountain slopes with a view out over the plains to the Indian Ocean, Andrew and his wife set up a makeshift cabin – where they are living while they build a home of their own – and started from nothing.

It was thanks to a guarantee from the coop that they would buy, at a fixed price, any organic essential oils that he could produce, that Andrew was able to raise funding to buy his farm. So far, with the help of only a few permanent assistants and occasionally bringing in a team of seasonal workers, Andrew and his family have planted on 10 ha of land. With the harvests finally bringing in an income, the family will be planting another 20 ha over the next two years.

With ongoing support from the coop such as advisory services and the supply of equipment, Andrew has weathered a major setback, when a fungal infection (one of the risks of organic farming) wiped out their first Buchu crop. Replacing the Buchu with Tea Tree has brought success, along with a thriving yield of Roses and Rose Geraniums. Andrew produces his own certified organic oils, using distilling equipment supplied by the coop. Their oil is delivered in bulk, from where it is distributed to the export market.

The oil stills on Andrew’s farm are wood-fired, relying on a plentiful of supply of non-indigenous Black Wattle trees that grow on the farm. Harvesting the Black Wattle trees for firewood fortunately complies with local environmental measures to eradicate this water-hungry parasite plant from the natural habitat of the Western Cape.

The undeveloped agricultural land in Africa has a vast potential to bring economic benefits to the communities that live there. It is thanks to market demands for essential oils, and the facilitation by the coop, that an enterprise like Andrew’s can be established, providing jobs to several workers, who in turn support extended families. Andrew says that farmers in the area have a responsibility to become involved in the social upliftment of the surrounding communities, starting with decent wages and fringe benefits, a responsibility to which Andrew is fully committed. Andrew also has staff retention policies such as paying for the education of their employees' children.

The full credit for the success of this venture has to go to the vision and tenacity of Andrew, along with the technical and market support from the coop. In an environment where government incentives for new farming initiatives are still underdeveloped and restricted to certain target groups, it is the pioneering spirit of small farmers like Andrew that is contributing to the economic empowerment of Africa.