The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. Harper paperback $17.00.
I reread parts of this book several times a year. It is a fascinating account of the physical, emotional, and spiritual relations between plants and people.
It is mind boggling to consider that plants have feelings and that I can send good feelings to a plant hundreds of miles away and that plant will register a “feeling.” Knowing this has given me a much greater respect for plants. I’ve always loved gardening. I notice my plants are healthier
when I talk to them, tell them they are wonderful, beautiful, etc.
There are other astonishing stories related to Kirlian Photography, Nikola Tesla, dowsing to determine the health of plants, study of auras, etc. This was written over 40 years ago but is still quite interesting. There’s so much more to this book! I highly recommend it.
The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke, Ph.D. Rodale Press, ISBN 0-87596-316-1 New Discoveries in Herbal Remedies for Common Diseases and Conditions from the World’s Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs.
This is a good read, written in a friendly style. Duke makes comments throughout regarding what he would do for his own health.
This is a good reference book about the healing properties of herbs, what to use, how to use it, how to prepare it, what to be aware of. The book is arranged in alphabetical order of health conditions, with a good index to look up the herbs you want to research.
Duke has been called America’s Herbal Laureate. His extensive knowledge gained from traveling the world with the USDA gave him amazing resources from which he developed much of this book.
Although this is a reference book, it’s written in such an easy style that I want to thumb through and keep reading. Highly recommended. You can check it out at the Miami-Dade Public Library but I have it right now!
Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs and Spices by John Heinerman Prentice Hall, Paramus, NJ ISBN 0-13-310210-6 $13.95
According to recent information, the American medical system is the third leading cause of death in the US. This gives good cause to consider the remedies our grandmothers used before pharmaceutical companies came along. We need to learn to take care of ourselves. What better way than to
investigate what our grandparents used before chemicals came along!
There are many good resource books on natural healing available. Aromatherapy, Bach Flower remedies, herbs, and spices. Google.com is an excellent resource. One of my favorite websites is www.mountainroseherbs.com
Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs and Spices is by John Heinerman, a medical anthropologist who has spent a lifetime researching in over 33 countries, and has written over two dozen books. He presents information in an easy to read, ordinary language, no medical jargon. A list of
common symptoms makes it easy to look up a remedy.
I find that John Heinerman's work is well written and full of useful information.