My favourite Buddha statue.....

This Buddha statue is about 5 inches high, smooth, quite heavy and with a jewel at the forehead. I have no idea what it is made of, maybe some kind of resin I think. If anyone has any idea what this is made of and what country it may be in the style of, please let me know.

A few things from our journey at OpeningSpace

Here are 4 things which we have acquired on our travels whilst being in France. Left to right: a metal storage container to keep the delightful insects away from our cheese; a small ridged honey spoon bought at our nearest chateau of Valencay; a delightful water jug bought at a vide-grenier or 'clear out your attic' market at Poulaines, something much better than our clear glass one and a delightful metal and glass oil lamp rescued from a nearby ruined house and given to us by a grateful owner.

The Cheese Protector

Oil Lamp

Pottery water jug

What wouldn't you give for a vista like this?

This is view from our back garden newly re-emerged from the field of Oil Seed Rape which was harvested only yesterday. It was quite nice in a way to feel enclosed by the crop for a time, but the energy that a freshly reaped field brings to the garden of our retreat is incalculable.

As you look at our great firepit it is now possible to see beyond the oak trees which border the land we use. The firepit is such a vital part of what happens here, a place where people can reflect and open up, where plans are dreamt up and resolve is strengthened. So sit back enjoy the view all around, the vista straight ahead and oh yes let's not forget the view above, the star filled and moon sky, but that is for another blog.......

Rose hip jelly.....

We have a single wild rose in our garden and after flowering the rose hips or haws have appeared. Being ever resourceful I have decided that I will pick them and make rose hip jelly. In looking for a recipe I have also found information about their nutritional and medicinal attributes.

Rose hips contain Vitamins C, A & B, some essential fatty acids and Lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant. Rose hips can be used to prevent colds and influenza and as a treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis as they also have anti-inflammatory properties. Rose hips in fact have one of the largest contents of Vitamin C amongst fruit and vegetables.

It is possible to make a herbal tea from rose hips and also to create rose hip jelly. As is mentioned in the recipe, watch out for the seeds and hairs in the fruit, they are irritants used in itching powder.

The importance of silver birches.....

We have five silver birches (Beith, in Gaelic) in our garden at the Opening Space Retreat, all of them of the weeping variety. We even have three planted in a triangular formation, an ancient custom, the reasons for which are now shrouded in mystery. Silver Birches are known as 'Lady of the Woods' in ancient Irish folklore and also as a result of a poem written about them by Samuel Colerdge. Silver Birches are said to have a protective influence and to be symbolic of new birth and fertility. They have a strong connection to the celebration of Beltane or May Day.

Artist: C. Present

And hark, the noise of a near waterfall!
I pass forth into light--I find myself
Beneath a weeping birch 
(most beautifulOf forest trees, the Lady of the Woods).


Samuel Coleridge

French water!

This is the sea off the West coast of France just south of the Ile d'Oleron, where we spent our first wedding anniversary weekend in 2011. France has a great coastline, which goes on forever, or so it seems. This beach is a three hour drive away from the Opening Space Retreat.

Here is the Loire, the great river itself which flows into the sea at St Nazaire, in the Bay of Biscay, close by the Ile mentioned above. This great majestic river is north of us here at Valencay but within easy reach along with the many chateaux which lie along its length.

This is the lake at Rouvres Les Bois our nearest village. The lake is surrounded by farmland and forests and has a small purpose built enclosed picnic area.

Ivor Sexton, Artist

This is Banquo's Ghost, one of a series of works by Ivor Sexton, an artist based in Scotland who trained at the Portsmouth College of Art and Design. The rich colours, the symbolic composition of vistas, shapes and textures and the hovering ravens, all add to the magic and mystery of this painting. For me the unashamed stare of the main character forces us to deal with his and I think our own vulnerability, it speaks to us of the human condition and of the bravery we must summon up in order to deal with our own ghosts and demons.

This artist is forthright, unapologetic and bold, he is unafraid of an intensity of colour so lacking in others' work. He faces his own demons with nerve and fortitude and in this way he enables us to confront in some small way those issues which we face ourselves. His current subject matter echoing as it does the work of one of the Masters of English Literature is a a perfect visual reminder of our humanity.

Below can be seen a few more of Ivor's works and if you wish to see more you can contact him through his website or his facebook page.

What kind of history do you like?

Agnes Sorel's tomb in the church of St Ours in Loches

The kind of history I like is that of those on the margins of society and I have a particualr fascination for Royal Mistresses, such as Agnes Sorel mentioned above. This woman, mistress of Charles VII of France is in fact a major ancestress of most royal houses of today through her three daughters by the king, Maris, Charlotte and Jeanne. Charlotte's son Louis de Brézé married Diane de Poitiers, another famous royal mistress, seen below.

Diane de Poitiers, wife of Louis de Brézé, grandson of Agnes Sorel, she was mistress to Henri II of France

Agnes Sorel was the model for this Virgin and Child surrounded by angels by Jean Fouquet 1450

Agnes was the first woman to carry the official title Royal Mistress and to be openly acknowledged as such. Charles VII built a tower, especially for her, seen here on the left of the picture in his chateau at Loches, which can still be seen today. 

Chateau de Loches

Agnes was poisoned with mercury at the age of 28 in 1450. Tests undertaken on her body in 2005 proved mercury poisoning but it cannot be definitively claimed that she was murdered as mercury was used in cosmetics or as a treatment for worms. it is a pity that she did not have coriander to hand, this may have saved her life. She was succeeded by her cousin Antoinette de Maignelais as  throughout history Royal Mistresses have come from a few families which have,  in succeeding generations fed the desires of subsequent rulers. 

Loches is a 40 minute drive from Opening Space Retreat and is well worth a visit for its chateau, its food and antique markets and its culture.

What do you know about Salt lines?

France is covered with a network of salt lines, so called because of the way in which those towns that are on the lines have mineral salt spas close by. The Opening Space retreat, is a couple of kilometres away from one such place, that of Aize.

Aize is a small hamlet which is immaculately kept, witness this is in the state of the church. The settlement dates back to pre-Roman times and is perhaps a link to the Roman involvement in salt lines or navigation lines for 'Hal' Greek for Salt.

How does it feel to be in a different country?

We once had a visitor who, being afraid of flying, persuaded us to drive to Paris to pick him up from the Eurotunnel. This proved to be a very stressful job for us, but what was interesting was his response as we left Paris and drove the 200+ miles to the Opening Space Retreat.

He was struck by the similarities between Paris and London but the further south we ventured the more he was amazed at how different his environment was becoming. As he said " the roads got steadily smaller and quieter, the villages more and more apparently deserted until we turned into the small lane which leads to the retreat."

Then his conversion to our way of life and this different country he found himself in, was complete. "There are no streetlights" he said " I can see all the stars and the silence is deafening". He took a couple of days to settle into this way of life but after that he admitted that the struggle with a different environment was well worth it.

In what ways are sunflowers good for you?

The beauty of a field of sunflowers or Helianthus Annuus, which we at the Opening Space Retreat are surrounded by, sends my Solar Plexus Chakra into a whirl. This chakra is situated just below the base of the sternum or breast bone and governs our Joie de Vivre or Get up and Go. 

Also sunflowers have dietary and medicinal components including: Vitamin D, Phosphorous and Potassium. The seeds also contain essential Fatty Acids, Zinc, Iron, Calcium and a high level of B-Complex vitamins such as B5. Sunflowers are excellent bowel-toners, these seeds are often used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. In our fight against radiation in our homes and our environments sunflowers are an invaluable weapon as they contain pectin which binds residues and clears the body of toxins.

In the oil taken from the seeds is Vitamin E which is useful in dermatological conditions. 

What do you know about Dulse Powder?

Dulse is a red seaweed harvested from the coast of Canada, Ireland and Norway. This seaweed grows on rocks, shells and even on larger brown seaweed. In several herbal medicine traditions Dulse was used to eliminate parasites, relieve constipation and as a treatment for scurvy. It contains large quantities of Iodine which is used in making thyroid hormones. These hormones affect weight and the rate that a person's body metabolises food. As with all food supplements use sparingly as an overdose of Iodine can lead to imbalances in the thyroid. If you have hyperthyroidism then avoid Dulse.

In addition, Dulse contains Vitamin's B12 and A and Iron. It is also an ingredient in the coriander pesto which featured in yesterday's blog which we at Opening Space Retreat will be making in the next few weeks for the use of our visitors.

What kind of books do you like?

This is our library at the Opening Space Retreat, a restful place between the kitchen and the living room. This is also where we give Reiki to our guests and where they can chill out or read. We have books from all sorts of genres including
New Age, Spiritual and Personal Development, Nature, History, Biography, Fantasy, Children, Comedy, Music, Theatre, Fashion to name but a few.

So before you arrive for your retreat think about the kind of books you like and we'll hopefully be able to satisfy your requirements.

Coriander. How many uses does it have?

Here it is, one of the tastiest plants I know. Coriander, Coriandrum Sativum or Cilantro. It is a member of the Apiaceae family of annual herbs.

I have written about this mouth-watering plant before but some new information came to light today about the effect that eating coriander leaves can have on stripping the body of toxic metal deposits such as mercury which is found in tooth fillings.

The best way of course to rid yourself of this particular metal is to have such fillings removed. This though is not as easy as it may sound. The removal of mercury fillings must be done very carefully to avoid an overdose being transmitted to the body through mercury vapour, especially as dental work can be extremely invasive.

So back to coriander, it is recommended that you eat a handful of coriander once a day for ten days. Alternatively, you can make a Coriander pesto which you can eat a small amount of every day for three weeks. The recipe for this pesto is set out below, I for one who still has some mercury fillings will be trying this.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Brazil nuts (selenium)
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds (cysteine)
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (zinc, magnesium)
• 2 cups packed fresh coriander (cilantro, Chinese parsley) (vitamin A)
• 2/3 cup flaxseed oil
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice (vitamin C)
• 2 tsp dulse powder
• Sea salt to taste

Process the coriander and flaxseed oil in a blender until the coriander is chopped. Add the nuts and seeds, dulse and lemon juice and mix until the mixture is finely blended into a paste. Add a pinch of sea salt to taste and blend again. Store in dark glass jars if possible. It freezes well, so purchase coriander in season and fill enough jars to last through the year.

Which of our local chateaux do you like best?

Chateau Nohant, home of George Sand and Frederick Chopin

Chateau d'Amboise, the last place that Leonardo da Vinci worked

Chateau Valencay, home of Tallyrand, Napoleon's Foreign Minister

Do you love apricots? Here is why

Apricots or Prunus Armeniaca are the slightly fuzzy and deeply orange fruit, in the group which also has plums as a member. Laetrile is talked of as a possible cancer cure and is extracted from the seed shown above. These seeds are edible but a word of caution, they do have a trace of cyanide so should be consumed with caution and moderation. The Italian liqeur Amaretto is flavoured with the extract from these kernels despite it tasting like almonds. Apricots also contain anti-oxidants and in Chinese medicine the apricot is regarded as being beneficial in regenerating body fluids, detoxifying the system and quenching thirst.

Their colour may be fundamental in aiding balance in the Sacral chakra which has orange as its sacred colour.

How can you clean your house without dangerous commercial chemicals?

Commercial chemical cleaning agents purport to kill 'bad' bacteria but in doing so also kill the good bacteria in our own systems and those of the micro-systems in which we live. These commercial cleaners also can leave a residue or emit dangerous fumes and in fact studies show that these mass produced products which clutter our supermarket shelves are highly toxic and can lead to asthma, skin diseases and cancer. Below are three items which no household should be without:

Vinegar can be used in any part of the house and unlike the chemical products mentioned above does not leave a lingering smell. Vinegar can also be used as a fabric conditioner.

Baking Soda or Bicarbonate of Soda is a naturally occurring mineral and a perfect deoderiser, it can also be used in conjunction with vinegar in cleaning of drains.

Finally lemon juice is great for cleaning tarnished silver and for clearing hard water deposits in the kitchen or bathroom. Mix lemon with olive oil for a great alternative to furniture polish.

Not only do these items support our immune systems, clean our houses but they are remarkably inexpensive.

How would you feel if you could walk out of the Opening Space Retreat and see this?

This is just one of the many views which greet our visitors here at Opening Space Retreat when they choose to go for a walk in our ever-changing local environment. This photograph was taken in deepest Winter, in the mid-afternoon when the temperature was a cool crisp minus 8 degrees Celsius. We went for a walk and recharged our batteries with mid-Winter sun, slashed as it was by stark un-leafed trees.

This is the view in the height of Summer, the same sun, indeed the same forest, but a markedly different vista, this time warm and luscious. This time I took a very gentle stroll as the sun reached + 38 degrees Celsius.

These two images show but a fraction of the views available throughout any given year at Le Berceau, Couffy, home of the Opening Space Retreat. Why not come here and take in a view or two for yourself.

How can you use Calendula?

Calendula, Calendula Officilanis or pot marigold is one of a group of herbaceous plants in the daisy family or Asteraceae. 

Calendula has anti-viral, anti-genotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties.

An extract of flower heads can be an effective treatment for skin ulcers, infected wounds, nappy rash, eczema, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, periodontitis and conjunctivitis