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aromatherapy & herbalism by rochelle moore

Customer Rating:
This is a fantastic introduction to the ancient art of Aromatherapy & Herbalism:

Essential oils are so powerful and the author shows (with great ease) how to treat everyday illness from dandruff, flu - to anxiety, insomnia and panic attacks.

The alphabetical listing is excellent and user-friendly.

Herbs: Not many people are comfortable using herbs as they are not sure on how to use them to ulitize their power. Once again, Rochelle Moore shows how to use herbs to treat physical and mental illness with great ease.

I am a herbalist and have practiced since birth as both my parents lived an alternative lifestyle. I do not often buy books and must say, this book is so easy for even the discerning.

In this introduction to the ancient ways Rochelle can and DOES teach her readers how to tap into our ancient knowledge and achieve success.

Not only A HANDY GUIDE (Aromatherapy & Herbalism) is a breakthrough for those who want to start to help themselves during everyday illnesses.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and, even as a herb user on a regular basis, I learned so much about essential oils and their strength.

I really enjoyed and actively partook in these ancient remedies and had a great time using them. it is a book that will use over and over and I cant quite place it (its unique) in the sense that it is a great step for beginners AND for those who have only tried one or the other (essential oils or herbs) - recommended

Strictly for Wiccans - undemanding ones at that !

Customer Rating:
Due to the amazing reviews (49 positive ones mainly at 5 starts) I thought this might be an interesting and useful work. What I didn't spot from the reviews is that this book is really aimed at the New Age market and not at healers. Despite the small size of the book, not all of the pages have text on both sides and a number of pages only have one or two paragraphs on each. Yet it still makes space for charms, divination and wands.

I knew it wasn't going to be what I had hoped for, when I opened it at random and discovered that there was an entry for baldness for which the recommended herb was Don (sic) Quai. The author then noted you could get this mix of herbs (ingredients unspecified) at an internet site. Whether this is just a commercial mixture that has taken it's name as a play on the name of the herb Dong/Dang quai, I have no idea. One listed herbal strategy, to stop anxiety or fear, was to "carry" a mixture of nettle and yarrow! She talks of gumplant and I have no idea which plant she might mean - I suspect you won't be surprised at this point that there are no latin binomials used. There weren't even any usage notes on any of the plants (except relating to pregnancy) - such as hops being contraindicated for people with depressive tendencies or that St. John's Wort (author: please note it is not "worth" but "wort" which is an Anglo-Saxon word for plant I believe) is likely to interact with many of the pharmaceutical medications which people may take. Hypericum is a fantastic herb but you need to know when it's OK to take it.

The most disturbing page for me was one on 'flying ointment'. The author notes it should only be used by the experienced herbalists/witches and was for external use but people may consider themselves experienced witches and have no idea about the ingredients. The two ingredients in this receipe that concerned me were the foxglove and aconite. Aconite (or Monkshood/Wolfsbane) is a restricted herb in the UK and can only be used externally. Even then I was taught that this herb, Aconitum napellus, should only be used in a 1:10 strength tincture and only comprise a maximum 1.3% of any final ointment. It is well absorbed and should not be used on unbroken skin. But that page lists no quantities, proportions, strengths or caveats (apart from the one about experience) for this mixture. Aconite was even listed first! One of the active alkaloids in this plant is known to first stimulate then paralyse the central nervous system. Medicinally it was used for neuralgia. Other physiological effects include tachycardia and hypertension. I was taught that just 3mg of the active alkaloid, found within this plant, was enough to kill a horse. Even if digitalis does act as an antidote to aconite poisoning, I have no idea what the absorption rate through the skin is as foxglove is banned in the UK (not even a Schedule III herb) so there's not a lot of modern information available for herbalist's use. That receipe left me absolutely speechless.

I would suggest for interested witches that they ensure they get a better primary reference to work from if they love herbs. I would personally suggest, as user-friendly, accessible and reliable works though not restricted to just these, are works like the Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman, anything by Jekka McVicar (good for growing tips), Rosemary Gladstar, Michael or Lesley Tierra or Susun Weed. The last author may well have a sympathetic world view with the pagan community too. Mrs Grieve is good but is almost a hundred years old and is missing modern research (her style suggests she would have included such information if it had been available to her at the time).

I can't comment on the wiccan or essential oil aspects but, purely from the material on herbs, I think this is awful. Don't get caught like I did!

a handy guide

Customer Rating:
This is a "meaning of" and "how to" book for those who have questions concerning essential oils & herbs and their folklore, secrets, meanings, and effects . There are precise directions and warnings concerning specific oils and herbs. This wouldn't necessarily be the best starter book for someone who is new to oils and herbs, but it certainly is a good addition to any herbalist library. It is easy to read and makes a great reference book.

aromatherapy & herbalism

Customer Rating:
I am learning so much about how essential oils and herbs can help to alleviate everyday aches and pains and also how to use them for headaches, stress, anxiety and so much more.
Very easy to use book and I am enjoying trying out the different recipies

aromatherapy & herbalism

Customer Rating:
Rochelle Moore's work is so different and so exact. I found this book great to work with and use it regularly. It is the type of book that you can refer back to over and over again. Wonderful author and so original