THE BEST FIRST-AID RESCUE REMEDY

2013-09  Dr Edward Bach:  The Best First-Aid  Rescue Remedy

The Rescue Remedy is the most well known part of the Bach Original Flower Remedies which is a system of 38 wild flower remedies developed by Dr Edward Bach [1886-1936].  

It was first made by Dr Edward Bach in England in the 1930s and is still made in accordance with the traditional methods he developed many decades ago. 

The Rescue Remedy has been used by generations and is trusted as a safe, gentle and effective remedy to help restore inner calm and control. It’s relied upon for a wide range of everyday stressful situations as it can be taken by anyone, anywhere.

The Rescue Remedy [RR] is a blend of five wild flower essences:

1 Star of Bethlehem for shock, trauma

2 Rock Rose for terror, panic

3 Clematis for dreamy, semiconscious state

4 Cherry Plum for fear of reason giving way and

5 Impatiens for inner tension and irritability.

RR is the best first aid for all emergencies and trauma. It will help a person who is injured, en route to hospital. It promotes calmness and restores mental balance in diverse situations of stress, emergency and trauma. But it is not a substitute for professional medical care. 

One can get RR in any Homeo Pharmacy as 10 ml bottle [globule] or 30 ml bottle [tincture] for a very nominal price. Many people keep RR in their purse, at the office, in the car or in the diaper bag. You never know when you need it.  One globule or one drop of tincture in a tablespoon of water may serve as one dose. Doses may be repeated if necessary once in an hour or part thereof depending on the emergency.

Here are a few situations in every day life where RR will prove very useful: When we are in mental turmoil such as after a family row or on witnessing a family calamity.  An impending event such as an operation or a critical interview.  Childbirth, Abortion, trauma after an accident, etc.  If a patient is unconscious, smear RR tincture on the lips, temples, back of neck and wrists.

The possible uses of RR are practically unlimited.  I conclude with an illustration from my personal life.   It happened in May 1980. Our new-born male child  was in ICU. We were informed that the chances of its survival was only 50:50.  I was preparing myself and my wife for any eventuality by taking a dose of RR each, every 30 minutes. After 3 hours when it was pronounced dead, we were the only two, who did not shed tears.

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For more information on the Rescue Remedy, the readers are referred to the original writings of Dr. Edward Bach:  Twelve Healers and Other Remedies [1933] [Click Here].

LITTLE DROPS OF WATER

2013-08  Julia - Little Drops Of Water

[While attending a class for teachers in the summer of 1845 in Boston, Julia and her classmates were given ten minutes to complete a writing assignment. 

She had written an article the night before entitled ''A Letter to Sabbath School Children,'' in which she had mentioned the importance of little things.

In the article, she had written the initial four lines of the now often quoted section of the poem. For the ten minute writing assignment, she picked up these first four lines and extended the poem to its final form. 

The editor of the publication that was going to publish her ''Letter to Sabbath School Children'' sought additional material at the last minute and she gave him the full poem, which was ready at hand. Such was a little decision that was to have a big effect on her life. The little poem and its author became world famous.]


Little drops of water,

Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.

So the little moments,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of Eternity.

So the little errors
Lead the soul away
From the paths of virtue
Far in sin to stray.

Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Help to make earth happy,
Like the Heaven above.          Julia A.F.Carney [1845] 

THE SONG OF THE CRICKET

2013-07  Anonymous - The Song of the Cricket

[This small anonymous poem is a gem.  It teaches us a great lesson of life --"The world is so big that it needs us all, not only the highest and greatest. And the world wants melody even from the small.  We have nothing to do but to begin it!"]

Yes, the world is big; but I’ll do my best,

Since I happen to find myself in it, --

And I’ll sing my loudest along with the rest,

Though I‘m neither a lark nor a linnet,

And strive for the goal with as tireless zest,

Though I know that I never may win it.

For shall no bird sing but the nightingale?

No flower bloom but the rose?

Shall little stars quench their torches pale,

When Mars through the mignight glows?

Shall only the highest and greatest prevail?

May nothing seem white but the snows?

Nay, the world is so big that it needs us all

To make enough music in it;

And the world wants melody even from the small

We have nothing to do but to begin it.

So I’ll chirp my merriest out with them all,

Though I’m neither a lark nor a linnet.    [Author unknown]

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YouTube Video: Song of the Linnet: [Click Here]

YouTube Video: Song of the Cricket: [Click Here]

LEO TOLSTOY - THREE QUESTIONS

2013-06   Leo Tolstoy - Three Questions

[After reading Leo Tolstoy's illuminating story, WHERE LOVE IS, GOD IS, we shall take one more worthy illustration of the basic virtues of being good, doing good, loving, giving and forgiving from his TWENTY THREE TALES, namely, the last piece, THREE QUESTIONS. I give below a summary. The full story can be read from Twenty Three Tales pp. 238-242.]  

It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.

And learned men came to the King, but they all answered his questions differently. The King agreed with none of them, and decided to consult a hermit, widely renowned for his wisdom. The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted, and he received none but common folk. So the King put on simple clothes, and leaving his body-guard behind, went on alone.

When the King approached, the hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut. The King went up to him and requested answers  for his three questions.

The hermit listened to the King, but answered nothing. "You are tired," said the King, "let me take the spade and work awhile for you." "Thanks!" said the hermit, and, giving the spade to the King, he sat down on the ground.

The King repeated his questions. The hermit again gave no answer, but rose, stretched out his hand for the spade. But the King continued to dig.  The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the King at last stuck the spade into the ground, and said: "I came to you, wise man, for an answer to my questions. If you can give me none, tell me so, and I will return home."

"Here comes some one running," said the hermit, "let us see who it is." The King turned round, and saw a wounded man come running out of the wood. When he reached the King, he fell fainting on the ground. The King washed wound and bandaged it.  With the hermit's help, he carried the wounded man into the hut and laid him on the bed. 

The King was so tired that he crouched down on the threshold, and also fell asleep. When he awoke in the morning, "Forgive me!" said the bearded man in a weak voice. "I am that enemy of yours who swore to revenge myself on you, but your bodyguards recognized me and wounded me. I should have bled to death but you have saved my life. Now, I will serve you as your most faithful slave!" The King was very glad to have made peace with his enemy and to have gained him for a friend. 

The King looked around for the hermit. The hermit was outside, on his knees, sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before. The King approached him, and said: "For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions, wise man." "You have already been answered!" said the hermit.

"If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday, and had not dug those beds for me, but had gone your way, that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not having stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds; and I was the most important man; and to do me good was your most important business. 

Afterwards when that man ran to us, the most important time was when you were attending to him, for if you had not bound up his wounds he would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for him was your most important business. 

Remember then: there is only one time that is important--Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary man is he with whom you are,for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with any one else: and the most important affair is, to do him good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!"

YouTube Audio of Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy [Click Here] 7:51 min

LEO TOLSTOY - WHERE LOVE IS, GOD IS

2013-05  Leo Tolstoy - Where Love Is, God Is

[Count Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910) was a great literary artist, moral thinker and social reformer. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, had a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centered on the Sermon on the Mount, has benefited millions of children as well as adults. 

We shall see here one of his most popular stories, "Where Love Is, God Is". It epitomizes the central teaching of the Holy Bible. It also exemplifies the theme of "Learning-Living" namely being good, doing good, loving, giving and forgiving. To save space, I present below only excerpts from the story and direct interested readers to read the full story from THE 23 TALES pp.109-121]       

In a certain town, there lived a cobbler, Martin by name. He was well known and never short of work, for he worked well, used good material, did not charge too much, and could be relied on. Martin had always been a good man; but in his old age he began to think more about his soul and to draw nearer to God. 

His wife had died; and when his only surviving son also died, Martin gave way to despair. He reproached God for having taken the son he loved and stopped going to church. One day a holy man called on Martin and advised him thus: 'God gives you life, and you must live for Him. Study the Gospels; you have it all there. When you have learnt to live for Him, you will grieve no more, and all will seem easy to you.' 

These words sank deep into Martin's heart, and that same day he went and bought himself a Testament in large print, and began to read.  At first he meant only to read on holidays, but having once begun he found it made his heart so light that he read every day. And the more he read the more clearly he understood what God required of him, and how he might live for God. 

It happened once that Martin sat up late, absorbed in his book. He was reading Luke's Gospel; and in the sixth chapter he came upon the verses: 'To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloke withhold not thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.'

He also read the verses where our Lord says: 'And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth, against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.'

When Martin read these words his soul was glad within him. He pondered over what he had read. He tried his own life by the standard of those words, asking himself: 'Is my house built on the rock, or on sand? If it stands on the rock, it is well. It brings such joy. Help me, O Lord!' He thought of all this, and he fell asleep.  'Martin!' he suddenly heard a voice, as if some one had breathed the word above his ear. 'Martin, Martin! Look out into the street to-morrow, for I shall come.'

Next morning he rose before daylight, and after saying his prayers and sat down by the window to his work, looking out into the street more than he worked, and whenever any one passed in unfamiliar boots he would stoop and look up. 

Presently an old man named Stepanitch came near the window spade in hand.  The man was old and broken down, and had evidently not enough strength even to clear away the snow. 'What if I called him in and gave him some tea?' thought Martin. 'Come in,' he said, 'and warm yourself a bit. I'm sure you must be cold.'  'May God bless you!' said Stepánitch after the tea. 'Thank you, Martin, he said, 'you have given me food and comfort both for soul and body.' Stepánitch went away; and Martin sat down to his work. And as he stitched he kept looking out of the window, waiting for Christ, and thinking about him and his doings. 

Then a woman came up. Martin glanced up at her through the window, and saw that she was a stranger, poorly dressed, and with a baby in her arms. Martin rose and called to her.'Why do you stand out there with the baby in the cold? Come inside. You can wrap him up better in a warm place. Come this way!'  'Sit down and eat, my dear, and I'll mind the baby. The woman began to eat, while Martin put the baby on the bed and sat down by it. The baby grew quiet and then began to laugh. And Martin felt quite pleased.

Then the woman came and took the child, and Martin got up. 'The Lord bless you, friend. Surely Christ must have sent me to your window, else the child would have frozen. Surely it must have been Christ who made you look out of your window and take pity on me, poor wretch!' And he told the woman his dream, and how he had heard the Lord's voice promising to visit him that day. 'Who knows? All things are possible,' said the woman. 

After a while Martin saw an apple-woman stop just in front of his window. She had a large basket, but there did not seem to be many apples left in it. Just then, a ragged boy ran up, snatched an apple out of the basket, and tried to slip away.  But the old woman caught the boy by his sleeve. The boy screamed and the old woman scolded. Martin rushed out of the door and separated them. He took the boy by the hand and said, 'Let him go, Granny. Forgive him for Christ's sake.'

The old woman let go, and the boy wished to run away, but Martin stopped him. 'Ask the Granny's forgiveness!' said he. 'And don't do it another time. I saw you take the apple.' The boy began to cry and to beg pardon.' As the old woman was about to hoist her sack on her back, the lad sprang forward to her, saying, 'Let me carry it for you, Granny. I'm going that way.' Martin stood and watched them as they went along talking to each other.

Presently Martin noticed the lamplighter passing on his way to light the street lamps.

'Seems it's time to light up,' thought he. So he trimmed his lamp. Then he gathered his tools together, swept up the cuttings, put away the bristles and the thread and the awls, and, taking down the lamp, placed it on the table. Then he took the Gospel from the shelf. As Martin opened it, he seemed to hear footsteps, as though some one were moving behind him. Martin turned round, and a voice whispered in his ear: 'Martin, Martin, don't you know me?'

'Who is it?' muttered Martin. 'It is I,' said the voice. And out of the dark corner stepped Stepánitch, who smiled and vanishing like a cloud was seen no more. 'It is I,' said the voice again. And out of the darkness stepped the woman with the baby in her arms and the woman smiled and the baby laughed, and they too vanished. 'It is I,' said the voice once more. And the old woman and the boy with the apple stepped out and both smiled, and then they too vanished.

And Martin's soul grew glad. He crossed himself, put on his spectacles, and began reading the Gospel just where it had opened; and at the top of the page he read: 'I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.'  And at the bottom of the page he read: 'Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren even these least, ye did it unto me'(Matt. xxv). And Martin understood that his dream had come true; and that the Saviour had really come to him that day, and he had welcomed him.

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YouTube Video: "Where Love is, There God is Also" [Click Here] 18:46 min