After being forced to take a sabbatical from work because of her chronic breathing troubles, Jhelum Biswas Bose turned to flowers for solace and healing. Her blossoming connection with flowers deepened her understanding of herself and the world around her. Over the years, she has learnt to recognize and respect the soft energies of blooms with the help of healing therapies such as Bach flower remedies and aromatherapy.
Phoolproof is a complimentary bouquet to flowers, especially Indian flowers, and brings to our plain sight their subtle power and meaning. From the book’s various whorls, Jhelum teaches us how to gainfully use flowers in living spaces, foods, and beauty and healing treatments.
Here are some ways you can incorporate flowers into your daily lifestyle:
Flower essences are flower infusions/concoctions/tinctures that are consumed for healing the mind, body and soul. It is believed that flowers hold the essence or the life force of the plant, and when water is infused with flowers, the imprint of that particular floral energy is taken up by the water crystals and then preserved when diluted with highgrade alcohol.
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If you had to pick just one essential oil for your life, then lavender would surely qualify for the spot. The most versatile of all essential oils, lavender has clean, fresh, floral top notes and subtle, herbaceous undertones. It is antiseptic, analgesic, anti-allergic and an excellent healer. Plus, it has a warm soothing aroma that makes it an ideal single-note perfume for daily wear.
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While eating flowers may seem somewhat exotic, in reality we have been eating quite a few flowers in our meals. The humble cauliflower and broccoli, and the pineapple (a combination of several flowerets), and some spices like clove/ laung, saffron/kesar, star anise and mace/javitri are all flowers used extensively in flavouring dishes.
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Rose essential oil has also been used widely in skin and beauty care. The best way to reap its antiseptic benefits is to add a few drops of the oil into any DIY creams or oil blend.
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A gentle massage of rose oil works wonders to reduce menopausal symptoms. Very effective for the immune system, the oil protects our body from various viruses and reduces chances of catching viral infections. Try a blend of 30 ml olive oil with two drops of desi gulab oil and four drops of khus oil.
Get your copy of Phoolproof today!
