“What Was Julia Roberts Like?”

The most famous man in Bali right now is Ketut Leyir. He’s the healer who became famous because he was in the book and movie Eat, Pray, Love.
The star of the movie was Julia Roberts, one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood these days, and probably the most famous.
I asked him about her. What she was like, and what is was like to know her. He laughed and said, “She very, very nice. Has great smile.”
Julia stayed there while they were filming Eat, Pray, Love, at a place close to Ketut’s home.

Jolt of Strength From Jamaica

I just got back from spending more time with my good friend and colleague, Ivey Harris, at her home in Cornwall Barracks, high up in the John Crow Mountains of Jamaica. I’ve written about Ivey before… she’s the last of the traditional herbal healers in Jamaica’s Maroon culture.
Dr. Sears and Ivey Harris in Jamaica
In fact, Ivey is the seventh generation of her family to practice this nearly lost art. She’s a direct descendant of Princess Nanny, the first leader of the Windward Maroons. Princess Nanny was a renowned herbal healer, and is Jamaica’s only national heroine.
At just five feet tall, Ivey’s a tiny bundle of pure energy. She’s vivacious but has this calm way about her. And she always welcomes me with open arms every time I make the trek up the treacherous mountain roads leading to her remote home.

Native Herb Holds Magical Healing Properties

My guide hacked a narrow path for me through the underbrush. It was the second day of our journey, deep into the jungles of the Amazon.
I was on my way to speak to a curandero, a native healer, about a plant the locals believe has magical healing properties. They use this herb in many rituals.
When we finally arrived at the small village, the curandero prepared a bath infused with the herb. It smelled a little like garlic, and he said it would protect me from witchcraft…