©2005 Deborah Bier, Ph.D.
Conferences and conventions are a deluge of travel and meal
logistics, information, early mornings and late nights. They also
represent an opportunity to catch up with old friends and colleagues
-- and to meet and befriend new ones. All this non-stop activity --
both mental and inter-personal -- make essences the perfect
conference buddy.
As someone who can be overly sensitive to being in crowds of people,
I will often start my pre-conference preparations 7-10 days ahead. I
will make myself a mixture of essences to start at that time, and to
take during -- and even following -- the conference. I include in it
some combination of the essences below plus the particular
essence-of-the-moment I'd be taking even if I weren't going to the
conference. As a staple, I always bring along a bottle of Five Flower
(Rescue Remedy), and often find myself introducing it and passing it
around to others. Often before I head home, I give the bottle away to
someone who has fallen in love with it.
I also have other preparations to make my conference experience more
enjoyable and healthy -- after all, it's absolutely NO fun coming
down sick while away from home, especially when you want to play with friends you only see at conferences! Preparing to travel is an
occasion to reaffirm my good, daily self-care, especially in the
areas that easily fall apart for me. To wit: down-time. In an effort
to clear my desk before I leave, I often overdo and leave for the
airport already tired. Therefore, in addition to starting my essence
blend, I've developed a habit of making sure I have more waking rest
and sleep, eating really sensibly, and getting outside more often
before leaving for a convention.
If I have a long flight, I will also start taking an herb (tincture
or capsules) for immune strength, continuing it during the
conference. So many people seem to pick up a cold on an airplane.
As
we gather together from all over the world, we also get to share our
germs with our conference friends... as well as take them with us to
share with our loved ones at home. There are several herbs which can
help in this way, including but not limited to pao d'arco, echinacea,
sage, ginseng, etc.
Last year, I forgot to start my herbal routine before I left. While
away, several of my best conference pals and I started coming down
with a cold within the same 24 hour-span. Several of us stayed in
bed watching TV instead of going out to dinner because we were too
sick. It ended up being fun because it turned out to be a bit of a
pajama party, but we felt pretty miserable all the same. A gift that
kept on giving, I brought this bug home to share with my husband who had
his own day in bed sick.
While away, I do make sure I play a little hookey from the conference
to take a nap or a walk, spend time by myself, or to do a little
unrelated reading. Even just gazing out of a window can refresh if done
mindfully. Then I feel much more ready to socialize, catch up, share
professional information, and play with my conference buddies.
Otherwise, I can be a bit of a party pooper.
Think about where your Achilles heel is when you go to a conference,
and then mix your essence blend accordingly. Here are some suggestions:
Pale Yellow Lily -- (Whole Energy Essences) helps us pace ourselves and broker our strength wisely.
Petunia -- (WEE) aids in keeping us mentally sharp to take in the information presented.
Walnut -- (Bach/Healing Herbs) for changes and upset to daily routine due to travel.
Dill -- (FES and others) for mental overwhelm and fatigue from information, tight
schedules, no down-time.
Shasta Daisy -- (FES and others) helps with integrating all the new information you'll
gather at the conference.
Yarrow -- (FES and others) for those who feel energetically or emotionally crowded by
others... to keep one's boundaries clear of foreign energies.
West Australian Smokebush -- (Living Essences of Australia) helps with jet lag and the wear and tear
of changes in timezone.
Honeysuckle -- (Bach/Healing Herbs) soothes the nostalgia that may arise when seeing old
friends you only meet at conferences because they live so far away,
or are so busy. It also helps homesickness, when you're going away for a longer
stretch.
While you're packing, don't forget to add your own personal remedy -- an old essence
friend, most likely. It's the one you would be taking even if you
weren't going away, because you're bound to need it even more due to
the stress of a busy conference schedule. Use your conference blend
2-4 times daily before and after the conference, 4 times daily while
there. See if you find it a smoother and more enjoyable jaunt.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Deborah Bier, Ph.D. is the maker of Whole Energy Essences
and co-editor of Vibration Magazine. For more of her articles in Vibration Magazine, see here.
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The World Wide Essence Society does not mean to imply any recommendation of nor give certification to any individuals or companies above. This article is provided purely for informational purposes. We ask consumers to make their own determination as to quality of the services and products offered above. This article is not meant to be advice, and the information is not meant to replace medical or psychological treatment.
