My experiences with Da Wild and Wicked Witches of Sensory Solutions by Sarah Arkle

I have had three encounters with Da Wild and Wicked Witches who are Sensory Solutions: Karen and Fiona. I found them through a random web search for a herbal “tonic”, a day’s workshop and a personal consultation. This was before I knew they were beneficiaries of the Earth Pathways Seed Fund. Suzi Goose from Earth Pathways asked me to write a few words on my experiences to give anyone who is interested a bit of detail on what to expect from these Wicked wicked gals!!

Random web search:
http://www.sensorysolutions.co.uk/catalog/

I was feeling a bit post winterish, a bit out of sorts, not ill – just not right, so hit the internet. Various things came up in my Google search, as they do, not least a company based in Hertfordshire, which is fairly local to me.  That “company” was Sensory Solutions”. I scanned their website. Going through their product list I wanted EVERYTHING. I selected a few things and ordered them. I decided I needed a personal consultation. The products arrived two days after I ordered them with e-mails from Karen and Fiona to say they were on their way . I really like high levels of service and the personal touch is always reassuring.  I started making arrangements for a consultation.

Meanwhile…

Day workshop
http://www.sensorysolutions.co.uk/events.html

The Clophill Centre (up the road from me) was having a herbal walk on their land focusing on Hypericum  Perforatum and guess what? It was being run by the Da Wild and Wicked Witches! I thought this would be a great chance to meet them before the consultation. We had an amazing day, walking the land finding out how to identify Hypericum Perforatum (I am just showing off – its St John’s Wort). Its quite tricky matching verbal descriptions and even photos in a “Spotters Guide”, to what there is in a field of grasses! We found out: what properties the plant has and what are their potential applications. We drank St John’s Wort tea and “met” the spirit of the plant through meditation and story. It was a restful insightful day. Holsitic in its fullest sense. I was really looking forward to my consultation

 Personal Consultation
http://www.sensorysolutions.co.uk/getintouch.html

My consultation was with Karen and for a variety of reasons it was at Karen’s own house. Being in a herbalist’s native habitat was quite a gift. Karen tends a garden burgeoning with herbs, vegetables, flowers and fruit. Barns for drying, brewing and mixing were evidence for me of a lifestyle heart felt choice. This is reflected in the quality and purity of the remedies and the intent in which they are mixed. Herbs that Karen and Fiona cannot grow themselves come from a carefully sourced, organic producer who sews and picks according to the moon.
The consultation was an hour and half of talking about me. No not my usual ramble. And not that daunting, well what can I tell you flibble flabble. Karen gave me 100% of her attention and led me through the information she needed to put together some beneficial herbs for me. Her opening question – for instance – was “What do you hope to change as a result of this process?” Karen made copious notes and oiled the process by pouring a couple of cups of herbal tea. It was friendly, professional and felt safe.
At the end of the consultation Karen said she would write up her notes and make up what she thought was appropriate and send it to me. She would  email me some links and the bill for the herbs.
The consultation cost £45
My herbs cost £31.50

My herbs: a tea mix, a bottle of oil and a bottle of drops arrived on the second day after my consultation. My package included a VERY long letter describing what herbs Karen had sent me and what I should do to maximize their benefit.
Karen’s recommendations for me included 2 rituals and a regime of herbal tea  to replace at least half my usual black tea and occasional coffee intake. I had some abdominal massage oil. And some drops. Karen warned me that they were bitter and oh boy was she right!
The tea is delicious. The oil (plus massage) seems to be having some small effect already but I think the drops had the most immediate impact. I won’t go into details but I am monitoring how this course of action progresses.
In her letter Karen suggested that we have a telephone review in August with possible a second consultation in September. I felt the level of care and well thought out process made me confident to follow her recommendations and to see what happens.
If you get an opportunity to go on one of Sensory Solutions herbal walks I think you’ll have fun and reconnect with the land in a specific and helpful way.  Buying products from well trained herbalists who eat, sleep and live their craft is inspiring. I think they are very worthy beneficiaries of the Earth Pathway SeedFund. Blessed Be

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soule Mama at www.soulemama.com 

new life will come…….the greening will return…..planting new seeds of ideas into the still and fertile earth…blessings on all the waters of the world…..love to fire…and the light that is growing

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soule Mama at www.soulemama.com 

Unfolding, tiny leaf fingers uncurling…..while winter still sleeps deeply…..this first yellow….a small Witchazel shout of joy….

my heart leaps also

We are delighted to be able to announce a rather exciting and snazzy little  musical venture between ourselves and Rivenstone – (a festival on Dartmoor, at the home of Carolyn Hillyer and Nigel Shaw). And so here it is – the long awaited CD of perfection:

From Tiny Seeds!

Featuring tracks from Rivenstone 2010 – it has an eclectic and rather wonderful array of artists: Brian Boothby, Pat Orchard, Carolyn Hillyer & Nigel Shaw, Seize the Day, Dragonsfly, Tegwyn Hyndman, Heretix, Tina Bridgman and Nick Marshall to tickle your ears. They have all very generously shared their musical creativity, free of charge, and we are THRILLED to tell you this -

100% of profits from the sale of this CD will go into our Seed Fund!!!! (more…)

Calling all Seed Fund Members!

We are pleased to announce that we have arrived at that happy time of year when we put forward our nominations for the 2011 awards. These need to reach me by the 14th October at the latest.
Nominations should be for people or projects that are working with, and for the good of, this land; who share a deep love and vision of a sustainable future for this beautiful Earth.
We would  like to hear about anyone, especially the young, who want to start a new venture and need financial help. We can Seedfund some publicity or enable them to buy basic materials. (more…)

Hello to all you lovely people in the Earth Pathways Diary community. I haven’t checked in for a while so I thought I’d take five minutes to update you on my latest adventures since the tall people are busy working on their different projects and haven’t shared any eco-news here for a while (actually, I don’t really know what my Mummy does all day – I think she must sit reading her book and filing her nails. Her pace is S..L..O..W.. and there’s a lot of wafting and sighing going on, but absolutely nothing to compare with my 100-mile-an-hour crawling/climbing/’hanging on to the furniture to navigate around the room’ antics). Anyway, Mummy’s semi-catatonic state has given me the opportunity to hack in to her computer (apparently everyone’s at it) and negotiate my way round a couple of blogs – this one included – to post my own perspectives of the world for everyone to see! (more…)

Today we are pleased to welcome another guest blogger to this space! Jess Bundy very kindly put in the highest bid for the last copy of our 2011 Earth Pathways Diary in the auction that we held recently. She was thrilled to win it, and donated the money raised in memory of her grandmothers Muriel Ward and Una Bundy. Over to you Jess……

In memory of Muriel Ward and Una Bundy

I was very inspired when I saw my teacher thumbing through her copy of the Earth Pathways Diary 2011. It looked like an expensive gleaming jewel enticing me to look inside. To anyone who was the slightest bit arty, creative or perhaps someone with just a mere whiff of earth connection would be immediately captivated by its pages. I managed to catch a glimpse of the title and web address and from that point I was smitten!I heard that someone somewhere had found the last ever copy of the Earth Pathways Diary for 2011. It was being auctioned and I wanted it. So I put in a bid. Of course I wanted to look inside and feast on the art work and words that adorned its pages. I also saw this as an opportunity to support a fantastic charity in memory of my grandmother Muriel Ward. Muriel passed away in November 2010 very sadly with dementia. She was 94 years old. (more…)