The entire month of March is focused on the Digestive System. The third month brings Jupiter into the spotlight, and Jupiter rules over our intake of food and our ability to digest our life experiences, This week, we are studying IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and what essences support its healing. Three of our favorites are Cornmint, Green Cardamom Seed, and Prickly Pear Cactus.
IBS is created from diet and/or stress, and causes abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas, and changes in bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea, or both). Eating homemade, fresh, clean foods, while avoiding triggers like dairy, meat, wheat, sugar, beans, cabbage, citrus fruits, or carbonated drinks, is important to start the healing process. Rest, relaxation, exercise, and grounding one's energy helps to support a healthy atmosphere for self-healing. IBS comes from the energetics of having fear of letting go of what is no longer needed, or releasing waste. When we are able to let go, then the pain that eats us up inside from attachment is released.
Three essences that support healing IBS are Cornmint, Green Cardamom Seed, and Prickly Pear Cactus. Cornmint, otherwise known as Japanese Mint, is the coldest of all of the mints. IBS is excess heat in the body, and this mint can help to harmonize and balance that energy. She specifically addresses IBS along with cramping, gas, diarrhea, colic, vomiting, and toning the kidneys, gallbladder, and liver. Energetically, she helps to let go of inferiority, pride, negative perceptions, and the negative ego in order to feel calm, happy, and at peace. Green Cardamom Seed is known as the "Queen of Spices", and has most of the same properties as Ginger, but she is more soothing and less activating. Green Cardamom Seed works on the heart energy, while helping the digestive track, stomach, cramping, gas, nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, dysentery, colic, heartburn, and pain. Energetically, she helps one to let go of emotional trauma, transition through change, and release mental pain and strain. Prickly Pear Cactus Seed Oil comes from the vegetable nopales. With vitamin C, among many other vitamins and minerals, she is known for having the highest Vitamin E found in any plant oil. The B vitamins are particularly important for IBS sufferers, who often have depression, as they help brain function. Vitamin E is an antioxidant with a lubricating oil which is thought to prevent constipation, while also having a soothing and calming effect on the bowels, and helping to reduce inflammation. She is great for IBS, colitis, and the kidneys. Energetically, Prickly Pear Cactus Seed Oil helps to uplift, protect, transform, and face life with the most grace we can.
It is best to use essences for one month for every year you have had the symptoms that are being treated. For IBS, it is best to anoint three times a day. Remember that homeopathy requires consistency. Cornmint can be anointed onto the bottoms of the feet and put into water to drink. Start with one or two drops, and you can always add more. Green Cardamom Seed can be anointed onto the belly, the neck or wrists, or on the bottoms of the feet for best results. Finally, ingest the Prickly Pear Cactus Seed Oil, starting with 10 drops twice a day, either in a spoon alone or in hot water.
In general, for the average adult weight and height, five to ten drops "neat" on the skin is enough to start anointing each essence 2-3 times a day. Always do a test patch on the inner arm to make sure that the essences are not too powerful to anoint "neat" on your skin. If they bring up a healing response, then use the bottoms of the feet to anoint, and meditate on what is coming up and out emotionally for healing.