The sun was just coming up through the trees as I bustled about putting together my medieval medicine booth at the Abbey Medieval Festival this past weekend.
I hung herbs and amulets, medieval mittens and coin purses, and assembled the various medicines and concoctions I’d made. Somehow the woodsy location right next to a Viking encampment was the perfect setting.
I’ve studied natural medicine for many years in an effort to help myself get through health issues doctors were unable to help me with. I’ve learned so much and found numerous things that have helped tremendously in bringing about healing and renewing my strength and energy.
Over the past couple of years I’ve focused on medieval medicine, curious to learn how they took care of themselves in an age when doctors were only available to the rich and wonky religious beliefs hampered even the most basic medical advancements.
I had so much fun studying that the head of our medieval group volunteered me to give two lectures on medieval medicine at the festival.
Oh boy.
It sounded like a good idea at the time until it hit me that I’d actually have to stand up in front of strangers (yipes!) and talk! I hoped to high heaven that my mind wouldn’t go completely blank at first glimpse of their expectant faces.
I tried not to think about it as I set up bottles of medieval anesthetic and a rather delicious treatment for digestive disorders, rolls of linen bandages, and a great block of beeswax used to make healing salves and ointments.
Bit by bit my jitters calmed as I brewed pine needle tea (the vapors are brilliant for easing congestion), carefully assembled quail eggs (the whites are perfect for smearing over open wounds to seal them from bacteria), and arranged some rather lethal looking surgical instruments like a bone saw, tooth-puller, and scalpel.
At last everything came together and I settled myself in to await my first customer.
Much to my delight, my fears fled once we got talking. All the lovely bits of information I’ve been treasuring and using all these years flooded back as I was peppered with questions.
I met the most wonderful people – folks from Switzerland and Germany who shared medieval recipes passed down through generations, lovely Aussies who introduced me to native Australian berries, roots, bark, and herbs that I’d never even heard of, herbalists from all over who were fascinated by the medieval treatments and how they were similar, if not identical, to ones being used today.
When it came time for my talk I was prepared for maybe 5-10 people who would find medieval medicine interesting. I was stunned when over the two days over 100 people showed up to learn, clustering around the booth afterwards to ask questions, share information and experiences, and give me great ideas of things they want to learn about next year. I also got to meet the President of the Queensland Herbal Society and I will be speaking at their monthly meeting very soon.
So fun! 🙂
It was such a great experience and I am so glad I faced my fears of failure and forgetfulness and stumbling over my words. It was worth every jitter.
My far the most popular medieval concoction was the medieval deodorant I made. It really is quite divine, looks so pretty in a clear, glass jar, and smells fresh and clean and absolutely wonderful.
If you don’t fancy mixing up your own deodorant but still want to choose a natural remedy, try rubbing chlorophyll-rich leaves such as spinach, Swiss chard, or parsley under your arms, or slice a lemon in half and do the same thing. They all work brilliantly. Or use a combination of patchouli and cypress essential oils. Patchouli takes care of any odor while cypress whisks away wetness.
Have you faced any fears lately? I’d love to hear about it. 🙂
Medieval Deodorant Recipe
Ingredients:
1 part white wine vinegar
1 part water
fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, peppermint, bergamot, and lavender
essential oils – add one-two drops each of the essential oil that corresponds to the fresh herbs you use
1 clean glass bottle
Directions:
- Pour everything into clean, glass bottle, seal then shake vigorously. Store in cool, dark place until ready to use.
- Apply with cotton ball or decant into a spray bottle and apply that way.
Fun! Looks so interesting. Wish I could’ve heard your presentation. 🙂
I’m glad you find it interesting too, Summer. 🙂 If you’re at Abbey next year I’ll be there again giving another talk with more samples of medicines. 🙂 I’d love to see you!
I am sure that your knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject made you a wonderful speaker on the day. Good on you for facing your fears. I faced my fears of exercise in public and joined a gym last week. I have been to three classes and am enjoying it. 🙂
You are amazing, @budgetjan:disqus !! That is very, very brave and I’m hugely proud of you. 🙂
Sorry to see you were only accepting gold for payment. It might have been fun to trade a slave for a few quail eggs and a pint of deodorant.
You wouldn’t believe how many parents I had offering their children in exchange for deodorant, @ken_powell:disqus 🙂 I’d be like the old woman who lived in a shoe if I’d accepted them all. 🙂
🙂
I’m really interested in natural remedies, Krista, as I also have health issues that require cleaner living than I’ve been engaged in. Chemical deodorants are so harmful…it’s so great that you are learning about all of this!
what a fun post and great useful ideas for “natural freshness”! you are too cute in your lace-up shoes and red wimple!
http://mlleparadis.blogspot.com
Krista, I am not sure if the photos you take share the beauty you see or the beauty that really exists. It seems to me that you can take mundane photos and make them as beautiful as gorgeous scenery.
Firstly, congratulations on such a beautiful and successful stall! You should never have had any doubts, dearest! Secondly, you know my love of all things medieval and oh, how I want to jump right into those pictures and be there! Thirdly, I will be facing my fears in two weeks’ time when I become jobless – a thought which scares me half to death but also makes me very happy!
Love you, dearie!!! So fun to see your musings. Haven’t tried natural deodorant, but about to try your recipe. ~Paula
OMG this is amaaaaazing! You’re so incredible darling!!! Congrats on your success.
I’m convinced that speaking in front of people is only difficult if you don’t know more than your audience does. You knew way more and were comfortable sharing your knowledge and experience. I wish I’d been there!
How fascinating. And well done you!
All the pictures are magnificent! I can almost feel like I’m there. I bet your presentation was fantastic, too! Way to go! Cheering you on!
Way to go! So proud of you on so many levels. . .keep up the good work. And loved your display, I know I would have loved the presentations you did as well!
You know, even though I spent ten years as an actor, making my living out of standing up in front of a crowd and talking to them, I still get nervous before having to give presentations. (And yes, that includes teaching English lessons!) I think it’s harder when it’s just you, rather than being able to hide behind a character. The thing that always makes it wonderful, though, is when you realise just how much you know and – even better – when the people you’re talking to are interested and want to learn, like these lovely folk clearly did. And how lovely that they were happy to share ideas so that you could extend your knowledge, too. It sounds like a brilliant day all round. 🙂
Interesting post 🙂
Fantastic. And easy. I’m incredibly proud of you dear – you’re inspiring in the wealth of things you do! Thanks for sharing and the festival looks wonderful
wow, what a great presentation!
Everything looks great!