About a year ago I went to the Pyrenees with my husband for a walk to try and digest the bad ‘cancer’ news. On our journey we passed a stand at the side of the road selling bee products. We always try and find good quality honey, but this man had lots of other bee products, including Royal Jelly and fresh bee pollen. He was a lovely man, who was passionate about all things bee-related, and was clearly a bit of a star in the bee world as there were several media cuttings around the stand. My lasting impression was someone very kind, and other worldly, happy in his bee world. I duly took the pollen each morning, for energy and for my digestion, a large tablespoon taken with a teaspoon of honey. I also took a tiny amount of Royal Jelly on the tip of my tongue, to keep me strong for the impending treatment.
Bee products appeared in my life again, after my exorcism (see previous blog), Madame Dargelos told me to go and see Mr Pont for some Propolis, another bee product, to complete the treatment. I kept the small handwritten note, and decided to make the trip when I was in the area. Months passed by, and then after an invitation to a book club, I remembered Madame Dargelos’s recommendation. I dug out the crumpled piece of paper which had been tidied away, and then called Monsieur Pont for an appointment. He seemed quite irritable, and I had to repeat myself several times to make myself understood.
The day arrived, and I was slightly apprehensive, partly because I wasn’t sure I would be able to follow his directions I’d hastily scribbled down. Miraculously I arrived, on time, to a typical French house in the middle of a small hamlet. I knocked at the door and was invited into the front room of his house, with a roaring fire, and a motionless dog in its basket. Monsieur Pont was an elderly sprightly man with twinkling eyes. He explained that he gave everyone a half hour appointment so he could explain what the product is and its benefits. He also had a list of tariffs pinned to his wall, with old franc equivalents alongside the euro amount. I explained my situation and he asked me how many chemotherapy sessions I’d had. Apparently 12 is relatively low, so I should only take the Propolis (a by product of the hive with bee saliva mixed with alcohol) for two months only. It would help to bring my red blood count up, and strengthen my immune system. He then began to show me a large book of letters received from his clients over the years, with miracle results for various maladies, including cancer.
Before I left he asked whether Madame Dargelos had told me his age. I said ‘no’, so he asked me to guess…..always tricky – I said ‘definitely over 80′ – his eyes sparkled and he replied ’94’. I asked what his secret was, he said it was the Propolis. Over 80 years old, your body needs more strength, so he’s taken it morning and night for 14 years. I wondered who he was passing his knowledge onto, as I feared it would be lost for future generations. It also reminded me about the importance of bees in the world, not only are they pollinators, but apparently healers too.
Monsieur Pont gave me a warm handshake, after asking me to write my name, village and phone number down. ‘It’s so I know who is calling’ – the phone had rung at least four times whilst I was there, people wanting his advice and appointments, some of whom included local doctors, another apparent norm in this corner of France. I left with my bag of bee products with a warm feeling – this really is a magical part of the world.
Healing Paths 