by Elizabeth Cairns on February 2, 2012
They say never to move house with a baby. Well we have, twice in fact within a month. Well if you’re going to do something you might as well go the whole hog and 2012 is definately a year for going the whole hog!
Now happily ensconsed in Rose Cottage in the heart of the Chilterns the impact of ones’ immediate environment strikes me once again.
Opening my curtains to this view over hills and farmland and knowing that I can step out of our door and onto a bridleway lifts my spirits and gives me a sense of possibility that reminds me my heart is truly at home in the country.
Are you living and working in an environment that inspires you, gives you hope and feeds your soul? If not we’ve got a few spare packing boxes 
by Elizabeth Cairns on May 4, 2011
From time to time each of us may be blighted by worries, unresolved thoughts that seem to linger in the recesses of the mind, making themselves more known in the quiet times when the activities of the day aren’t enough to occupy us.
At this time of year there is a remedy at hand that can help to bring a little calm and settle a hectic mind.
You’ve probably seen it in abundance, especially if you live in and around West London as many of our streets are lined with it. I am of course referring to the horse chestnut trees which at this time of year are showing off their shining candles of flowers for any who pass by.
It is from the horse chestnut tree that Edward Bach brings us the white chestnut flower remedy, a powerful aid to peace and calm.
The white chestnut remedy can aid anyone caught in a cycle of circling, unwanted thoughts that seem to invade the mind. We may find these thoughts interrupt sleep, pull us off track in our daily lives and are a constant form of unrelenting anxiety turned inwards.
We can see the nature of the confusion, anxiety and twisted thinking in the gesture of the plant. From a little way off the flowers appear indistinct from each other, confused in themselves, the edges of the flowers ragged, the stamens curled and circling with wanton abandon. There is lots going on with this plant although no formality, order or set pattern. Even the bark is less than smooth showing an unsettled force beneath the surface.
With the Bach remedies white often symbolises peace and if we look at a horse chestnut tree in full bloom from a distance, we can clearly see the pillars of white candles as a beacon of light and peace, showing us the way to inner tranquility.
So if you are troubled with a barrage of unrelenting worries that prevent you from experiencing the inner stillness and tranquility that you desire, a few drops of white chestnut essence in water may help. If you don’t have any of the remedy to hand, just simply spending time with this magnificent tree can work wonders – that’s right folks it’s tree hugging time – enjoy!
