Category: Applications

Meridian Institute News
Vol. 4 No. 1 January, 2000

In the last issue we reported on a letter to the editor of the Journal of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Girard, M.D., of Houston, Texas, describing the use of a well-known Cayce remedy - castor oil. Dr. Girard had been using sterile castor oil for the treatment of corneal dry spots and mild keratitis sicca for 40 years. Since we cited this report, we have received the following letter describing the use of castor oil for eye problems:

"I just read the most recent issue of Meridian Institute News and it was great as always. I read with interest your article on Castor Oil for the eyes and I would like to tell you of my experience here.

"About 12 years ago I began to get lots of irritation in my eyes which felt like I had sand in them. My eyes were red, they burned and they teared often. I left the problem alone in hopes that it would return the favor but this was not to happen. After some months I developed 4 cysts in one eye lid and 3 cysts in the other. My doctor wanted to perform surgery to remove the cysts but the prospect was certainly not an appealing one. I began a castor oil regimen. I placed heated (cold pressed) castor oil packs (wool flannel) on my eyes for half an hour in the morning and for half an hour before bed in the evening. I also put one drop of castor oil in each eye before I went to sleep for the night. I did this for 4 days on followed by 3 days off each week. Within 2 weeks the irritation began to subside and in a month it was gone. In about 6 to 7 months the cysts were completely dissolved and have never returned. One more thing. For 7 months I drank 10 ounces of carrot juice a day with a whole green pepper chopped in to it.
"I wanted to tell you about it because now, whenever I get an eye irritation I put a drop of castor oil in my eyes before bed time.

Category: Applications

Day after day, skin is exposed to exhaust, dry air, increased UV radiation, and stress. A man's skin contains more collagen than a woman's and therefore ages later. However, once skin aging has set in, the process is accelerated.

Compound the above with daily shaving, which is an aggravating factor, and you've got a problem in need of an answer. Not only does shaving destroy the hydrolipidic film (which leads to a loss of natural protection) but it also causes nicks and irritations leaving an uncomfortable feeling.

For men also, it is important to treat their skin with moisture to combat premature aging and increase the skins' resiliency to withstand daily assaults.

Palm'Hydra Face is a nourishing cream that will deliver the hydration required (the scents from essential oils specific to the skin dissipate in +/- 15 minutes). The skin-calming properties address both environmental stresses as well as those incurred from shaving.

If the skin is a tad on the oily or dry side then Palm'Hydra Mask with French green clay would be the recommended treatment (used as a day and/or night cream - it is transparent).

With very sensitive skin there is even more interested in protecting it. Consider Palm'Hydra Base with all the nourishing and moisturizing properties in the other creams but without the essential oils than risk being unsuitable for ultra-sensitive skin.


Palm'Hydra Product Info

Category: Natural Wonders

The botanical sources of healing are infinite and truly natural wonders.

Fomentations are either infusions or decoctions (depending upon which part of the plant is being used) in which a cloth is soaked into (to absorb liquid) and then applied to the ailing body part. A fomentation’s uses are varied and will provide relief from congestion, will stimulate circulation, and help to heal and soothe irritated tissues.

Typically, bitter herbs are used and steeped in water or apple cider vinegar; adding cayenne powder to the mixture will encourage more circulation and warmth to the area.

How to prepare a Fomentation:

1. Steep the selected herbs in liquid (1 part herb to 3 parts liquid) until the tea is quite strong. Strain the tea.

2. Submerse a thick cloth into the hot tea (cotton, wool, linen, towel, gauze or even a diaper, being imaginative, will work).

3. Wring the cloth out (just enough to keep the liquid from running off the body) and test the heat before placing on the body. The cloth should be as hot as possible, without causing blistering.

4. Once placed on the body, keep the fomentation moist and warm by covering. Towels or saran wrap work fine.

5. When the cloth has cooled, remove from the body, soak it again and reapply.

Rules of thumb: Wet enough that no liquid runs off the body, large enough that the cloth covers the entire affected area, keep damp and warm and change periodically.

I will be adding additional selections to be used as Formentations.

Source Article

Category: Natural Wonders

What is Ghassoul Clay?

Ghassoul (pronounced rassool) clay is an ancient clay which was formed under the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The clay deposits are deeply buried which makes them very difficult to obtain.

Ghassoul clay has very long history of use in beauty care. It was used in ancient Rome and Egypt by the nobility. Even today it remains a favorite with upscale spas and resorts worldwide.



Ghassoul clay is a smectic or swelling clay. Smectites are three-layer clay minerals. They consist of two layers of interconnected silica-tetrahedrons which enclose a central Metal hydroxide -octahedron layer (M=Al, Fe, Mg and others). A water layer is sandwiched between the layers. The silicate layers have a slightly negative charge. This weak charge absorbs cations such as sodium, calcium and others in the natural state.

Ghassoul clay is very rich in trace minerals. These minerals detoxify the skin using by exchanging themselves for a variety of compounds including toxic metals and polar organic (oily) compounds.

The top structure in the illustration is repeated throughout the clay in layers. An essential characteristic of all smectite minerals is their ability to absorb tremendous amounts of water and other liquids into their sheet structures. This gives ghassoul clay extraordinary swelling properties. This combination of liquid and cation absorption and exchange is responsible for the unique properties of ghassoul clay. We recommend increasing the amount of liquids (water, etc) when using ghassoul in cold process soap. We suggest using no more than 2% ghassoul clay in most soap applications.

Source Article
Get Ghassoul