Audio Interview with Gemma Stone
The shen spirit is related to:
- Element: fire
- Organ: heart
- Emotion: joy
- Psychological function: awareness, inspiration, insight
- Psychospiritual issue: knowing true self
- Cosmological associations: starlight, lightning
- Chakra: seventh - Thousand Petal Lotus: Enlightened Mind
- Alchemical virtues: compassion and love
Signs and Symptoms of Shen Disturbance
Common Signs:
Insomnia; dream disturbed sleep; anxiety; palpitations; inability to concentrate; timidity, being easily startled; being overly talkative; forms of schizoprenic mania; incoherence; hyperactivity; restlessness
Spirit Level Signs:
- lack of coherence to life; the person’s personality does not fit the life they are living
- lack of inspiration and insight; deadness; no heart and soul to life
- no sense of unique person with a unique path; ambivalence
- much activity but no center, so activity turns to anxiety, restlessness, and eventually, fatigue
- no ability to discern what is truly right for me
- no self-reflection
- inability to distinguish true from false, real from unreal
- constitutional or “karmic” issues that are part of person’s work in this lifetime
- narcissistic injuries: parents who couldn't see the child and consistently inhibited the expression of true nature
Anything that upsets the heart upsets the shen. Emotional trauma, shock, and abuse can cause a shen disturbance, as can recreational drugs such as cocaine, nicotine, and amphetamines.
What to Expect as You Heal and Cultivate the Shen:
As you become familiar with your shen, learn to recognize their voices, and understand their messages, you will notice changes in your life, such as:
- better sleep and a sense of ease as you live in alignment with your true nature and cultivate your own authenticity,
- more integrity and honesty in your relationships as you know and express who you really are and what you really want,
- less time doing things that really don’t matter to you or being with people who really aren’t part of your Tao,
- increased sense of your Tao or path so you are less easily distracted by extraneous events or tempted by dead end streets and convoluted alleyways,
- a light or glow infusing your life with the magic of the heart,
- an increase in illumination, intuition, and insight in your everyday life, guiding your decisions, and a greater ease in loving as you can more clearly discern “I” from “thou” and appreciate the differences.
Checking in with the Shen: A Practice for Healing
“Checking in with your shen” is simple and yet easily forgotten, especially in the midst of emotional upset or the excitement of a new project. However, it is a good idea, any time you are beginning something important, entering a new relationship, or just starting out the day to take a moment to notice how the shen feel about what you are up to.
This is actually not as mysterious as it may seem. Even without learning to meditate or to do inner visualizations, you can make it a practice to note how you feel when you think about a particular person or project. Are you relaxed, infused with steady, gentle warmth? Or are you jumpy and agitated? Is your excitement like the quick flash of a match (that will soon burn itself out), or is it a flame that glows steadily and grows as you continue to move along this path?
You know your shen are disturbed if you experience anxiety or palpitations when you think of a particular person, project, or idea. If upsetting dreams disturb your sleep or if you can’t sleep, your shen are probably trying to tell you something. If you feel muddled and confused when you think about this issue . . . oops, you know the birds of clear awareness have flown the coop! Take some time out. Don’t move forward until you have clarity. Walk. Breathe. Get calm and wait until the shen have settled down before making any important decisions.
Pay attention to the voices in your head. After a while, you may recognize one that is like a clear bell, not loud but somehow brighter than the others. This is the voice of the shen, the voice that organizes the others into a pattern that makes sense. This voice may come as a flash of intuitive knowing (“I don’t know how I knew to stop at the post office at just that moment!”) or of sudden insight (“I get it! That’s what I need to do to pull this party together.”), or as a gradually gathering clarification of an unclear situation.
Avoid repeatedly returning to situations or relationships that you know disturb your emotions or your mental clarity.
If you have had life experiences or used substances that have damaged or upset the shen, seek the help of a licensed, well-trained acupuncturist to help you clear the heart so your spirit birds can return to the nest.
If you are taking prescription medication that makes you feel muddled, unclear, or lacking joy or a zest for life, you know that this medicine is affecting your heart spirit. Seek the assistance of a skilled acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist. With help, the shen can return to their original luminosity. If your practitioner suggests it, speak with your medical doctor to see if another medication is available or if it might be possible to lower the dosage of one you are on.
Find a contemplative practice such as meditation, prayer, drawing, journal writing, or mindful walking in nature that will clear a space for the shen. In this tranquil quiet, you will be able to hear their voices. Take time to look in your own heart and your true identity will be illuminated by the light of your awareness. This is the practice of cultivating shen.
(source)
Location: On the wrist, at the ulnar end of the transverse crease of the writs, in the depression on the radial side of the tendon m. flexor carpi ulnaris.
Classification: Yuan-Source point of the Heart Meridian Shu-Stream point of the Heart Meridian
Indications:
- Insomnia, amnesia
- Cardiac pain, palpitations due to fright, irritability, chest pain
- Mania, epilepsy, stupor
Functions: Calms the Shen, tonifies and regulates the Heart Blood
Notes: HT 7 is the point for emotional issues, especially excessive Anxiety and worry. Clinically, Yuan-Source points are of great significance in treating diseases of the internal organs. Yuan-Source points are the sites where the Yuan (Primary) qi of the Zang-Fu organs passes and stays. Puncturing the Yuan-Source points stimulates the vital energy of the regular meridians, regulates the functional activities of the internal organs, reinforces antipathogenic factors and eliminates pathogenic factors. This method of treating diseases deals principally with the root causes. The Yuan (source) point from the affected meridian is often combined with the Luo (Connecting) point of the internally-externally related meridians in use. Shu-Stream points are where the qi starts to pour down the meridian. They are known to alleviate heaviness and pain in the joints. On Yin Meridians, Shu-Stream points are identical to the actions of Yuan-Source points. (source)
Aromatherapy history in brief:
The history of aromatherapy dates back centuries even though the term aromatherapy was coined in the twentieth century. The use of aromatics is as old as civilization. The ancient Egyptians used aromatics in their worship, when paying homage to the rulers of their day and in embalming. Though not the same species as the Frankincense and Myrrh of the tale relating the visit of three kings to the Christ child, great quantities were sourced from present day Somalia. Grecians and Romans furthered the study. Separately the Chinese and Ayurvedic texts championed the use of aromatics including the exquisite Jasmine and Sandalwood. In the Middle East Arab traders established trading colonies in India and refined many of the skills and techniques used today. It is in fact the Persians who are credited with perfecting the art of distillation. The treasured Attar of Rose is said to have been Mohammad's personal favorite.
The use of aromatics declined drastically in the Middle Ages. The personal use of fragrances was considered immoral behavior by early Christians. The re-emergence of the use of aromatics can be attributed to the cursed time of death and disease. The great plagues of medieval Europe were thought to be carried in the foul odors. People generally preferred the very strong aromatic herbs to mask the foul smell believed to be the cause of most diseases. A common Christmas decoration stems from this time. The pomander, an orange stuck full of clove buds were commonly hung in homes. Physicians often prescribed herbs at the window, aromatic woods in the fireplace, and rosewater sprinkled on the floor. Doctors often wore a nose-bag filled with cinnamon, cloves and other aromatic herbs. The use of these devices has merit since we now know of the germicidal properties of the essential oils.
Modern medicine became more interested in the individual constituents rather than the whole plant. It was not until an accident in his laboratory that Rene-Maurice Gattefosse discovered the healing properties of Lavender essential oil. After a severe burn from an explosion he submerged his hands in it and was said to have healed without scaring. He coined the term aromatherapie in 1937.
What’s in a name?
Is it True Lavender or Spike Lavender? Are you buying True Sandalwood or West Indian Sandalwood? If an essential oil is being used for a therapeutic purpose don't you think you should know? True Lavender Lavandula angustifolia or Lavendula officinalis from distilleries in higher altitudes is said to be the best because of the lower temperature used to produce the essential oil. It has a higher content of linalyl acetate content making it sedative. Spike Lavender Lavendula spica or Lavendula latifolia is much more inexpensive to produce because there is a higher yield from the plant material than of true Lavender. It also has a higher content of camphor making it a stimulant better for muscular aches and pains and respiratory infections. The interesting fact is the demand is much lower than of true Lavender so it is actually more expensive. True Sandalwood, Santalum album, is extremely soft, sweet-woody and remains uniformly the same in its scent over time. West Indian Sandalwood, Amyris balsamifera, is not even from the same species of plant.
Constituents and what they are
As mentioned the ester, linalyl acetate is what gives Lavendula angustifolia its sedative properties. To explore a complete treatise on the chemical properties of essential oils we would need much more instruction and text than this introduction can offer. Suffice it to say that while it is important for the British and French Pharmacopoeia and the constituent content is being studied at length by the pharmaceutical industry, from a holistic aromatherapy viewpoint it is recognized that the synergistic action of all of the constituents in an essential oil is much more effective than a redistilled oil to extract only specific properties or to remove specific constituents such as bergaptene (done to reduce the photo-toxicity of Bergamot Citrus bergamia).
Safety
As mentioned some oils carry specific warnings such as for photo-toxicity. Photo-toxic essential oils should not be used in an area exposed to sunlight for 24 hours because UV rays can cause much more damage. Essential oils can interact with drugs including blood thinners. It is always pertinent to be cautious when essential oils are use for the elderly, the seriously ill, the very young and those with compromised liver or kidney function.
As a rule essential oils should always be diluted when used on the skin. They should be kept out of the reach of children. Essential oils must be stored in bottles that are fitted with drop dispensers and they should not be taken internally without recommendation, thorough history and careful selection by a qualified aromatherapist who has studied the chemistry of aromatherapeutic oils.
Skin Patch Testing
A skin patch test is a method used to determine if a specific substance causes allergic reaction of the skin. Whenever you use a new essential oil you should perform a skin patch test. The following instructions come from AromaWeb (source).
Place 1-2 drops of a diluted essential oil on the inside of your elbow. Apply a bandage. Do not get this area wet during the test.
If you feel the onset of any irritation or if any reaction occurs, immediately remove the bandage and carefully wash the area with mild soap and water.
If no irritation occurs after 24 hours, the essential oil, in its diluted form, is safe for you to use on your skin.
Even if a particular essential oil does not irritate you, it still can irritate someone else. Always keep that in mind.
Also keep in mind that if you are allergic to a particular plant, you are more likely to be allergic to that botanical's essential oil.
Dilutions
As a general rule of thumb a 2% dilution is considered a safe guideline for topical application for adults. For children (above 6 months of age) and the elderly use 1%. This is just 12 drops of essential oil per fluid ounce of carrier oil (or 6 drops if using the 1% guideline). For a complete explanation of dosage when it comes to essential oils see Robert Tisserand's book Essential Oil Safety; A guide for healthcare professionals.
Blending
"The art of combining a number of oils to create an appealing and interesting fragrance can be challenging if not overwhelming prospect for the beginner" says Kathi Keville and Mindy Green in their book Aromatherapy: A complete guide to the healing art. The best advice is to
develop your sense of smell through practice. The Chinese say, "Every perfume is medicine."
Organoleptic Testing
The scents of essential oils are classified in various ways. Aromatherapists describe them in the following categories:
Odor Types - Describing what an essential oil smells like can be quite tricky. If you try to explain the smell of a particular essential oil to someone that has never smelled that odor before, your description can be very difficult to relate. Most oils can be described by some common terms that compare them to something already familiar such as floral, woody, citrus, herbal, spicy, minty, camphor, pine, or vanilla-like. If you cannot decide on one make up your own.
Odor Characteristics - Terms that describe the Odor Type. Examples include soft, strong, mellow, sharp, smooth, harsh, bitter, sweet, sour, full, flat, and obviously all the ones in between.
Odor Notes - The simplest explanation of the terms "top", "middle" and "base" notes is directly how tenaciously its scent lingers.
Odor Intensity - Used to describe the difference in intensity between oils and is usually a comparative term or a number used to compare the intensity of oils. When blending more will be needed of the oils that are less intense in a blend to produce a balanced synergy.
Our sense of smell is the only sense that affects our brain directly! So it will also be important to ask ourselves what do I feel when smelling this oil?
First thing – never ever smell a ‘new to you’ essential oil directly from a bottle. Why? Because you will usually only get the top note. These are the light and volatile constituents that are at the top of the bottle. The true essences will be in the rest of the bottle. Of course you missed that part when you sniffed a whiff from the newly opened bottle. The proper way is to gently rotate the bottle then place a drop or two onto a perfume Testing Strips made for smelling scents. Or at the very least use a clean paper towel (not the best but better than a tissue). Now, don’t stick you nose right into that drop. Gently wave the scent strip under you nose or move the strip to your waist level in front of your body. Take a little whiff. What does is smell like? You can also close one nostril at a time to test the scent and see which side of the brain is activated most clearly. Don’t spend all afternoon sniffing and whiffing your new oils. If you do pretty soon you won’t be able to smell anything. Luckily this is a temporary situation. But sensory overload can occur after as few as 5-6 different oils or blends. So don’t open up every bottle of oil in your new sampler kit or in your box of essential oils. Spend only about 10-15 minutes on your new oils and study only a few. Alternatively coffee beans can "cleanse the palate." Each essential oil can be described with at least one of the "Odor Types", but some may need to be described using two or three of the "Odor Types" and one or two of the "Odor Characteristics".
Therapeutic Blending
As previously mention blending essential oils is quite and art. It requires a balance of practice skills and intuition. When blending for therapeutic effect blending also requires knowledge. In some circumstances knowledge of the chemical constituents can be quite helpful in creating a blend. Another useful tool is "Herbal Medicine Terminology". Understanding terms or words commonly used in herbal literature provides a basic foundation for those new to using herbs as medicine. When describing therapeutic actions terms such as analeptic (restorative or stimulating effect on central nervous system), analgesic (relieve pain) and anaphrodisiac (reduces capacity for sexual arousal) are used. For a fairly thorough list of the definitions of these and other terms visit this source.
Methods of administration
Percutaneous techniques that involve the application of the essential oil to the skin (remember never undiluted). Massage bath, compress and topical applications by the use of ointments, gels and creams. Inhalations are a very common way to administer the emotional and psychological treatments of aromatherapy. Direct inhalation whether from an aromatherapy inhaler or by applying essential oils to a handkerchief, vaporizers and steam inhalation are examples of this method. Internal use of aromatherapy is beyond the scope of this training.
How to buy oils
When buying essential oils you should consider several things. The following information should be readily available:
The botanical name
The part of the plant use for this preparation
The country of origin
The extraction process
Who has the best essential oils?
Is there only one company that sells pure essential oils? Let me make this perfectly clear: "No governmental agency or generally accepted organization "grades" or "certifies" essential oils as "therapeutic grade," "medicinal grade," or "aromatherapy grade" in the U.S. There is no formally approved grading standard used consistently throughout the essential oil industry." (source)
Essential oil quality
Essential oils are produced for many industries. Not all essential oils are useful for aromatherapy. They are standardized for the use of these industries. In other words they are adulterated. Something has been removed or added. The quality of essential oils are determined by the soil conditions, seed quality, climate, altitude, growing conditions, harvesting, the care during distillation, bottling and storage conditions.
Organic or wildcrafted
There is no doubt that organically grown plants will produce essential oils of excellent therapeutic activity and high quality. Not all plants can be certified as organic. Another industry standard is "wildcrafted". Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting plants from their natural, or "wild" habitat, for food or medicinal purposes.
Methods of extraction
Distilled, expressed or solvent extracted? While distillation is the most common method of extraction some essential oils will require more advanced equipment. Citrus essential oils are processed by expression.
The advantage is that the essential oils are not subjected to heat. Distillation involved heating a liquid or material to sufficiently high temperature to create a vapor and then cooling it to condense it. The essential oil is then separated from the hydrosol (another product useful to aromatherpists). Solvent extraction is applied to plants whose essential oils would be degraded by distillation.
Where to study in depth
Essential oils are a subject that many choose to make a course of study for the rest of their lives. A single course is not sufficient to cover all aspects of aromatherapy. If a more in-depth study is desired there are many reliable resources. Sales organizations are not a resource with the best training in essential oil use. There are programs of study which qualify for the Aromatherapy Registration Council Registration Examination. Successful candidates are entitled to use the RATM and Registered AromatherapistTM Trademarks. For a complete list of the qualified schools see here and here.
Disclaimer:
This information is for educational purposes only, it is not intended to treat, cure, prevent or, diagnose any disease or condition. Nor is it intended to prescribe in any way. This information is for educational purposes only and may not be complete, nor may its data be accurate. As with all essential oils, never use them undiluted. Do not take internally unless working with a qualified and expert practitioner. Keep away from children. If applying an essential oil to your skin always perform a small patch test to an insensitive part of the body (after you have properly diluted the oil in an appropriate carrier).
Audio Interview with Stephanie Dawn
Audio Interview with Jessica Arsenault + Jessica Booth
Audio Interview with Keith LaValley
Healing as a process takes on many forms – spiritual, emotional, psychological, physical – you name it, and the mind/body has needs and avenues of healing on all levels. Trying to attempt access to this multifaceted system simultaneously cannot be met or accomplished in a medical model – no drug, no procedure can achieve this. Likewise, trying to find the perfect herb, or the perfect setting for healing, or the perfect anything, is a fruitless effort – it does not exist in the physical realm. However, there is an answer to the complexity of healing – something that can nourish and flood all levels, deeply and permanently – and that is the call of Sisterhood.
Sisterhood is the only singular form of healing that reacts upon this multi-level process, and individualizes itself to the wounds of the person needing healing. When a commune or tribe of women are brought together to hold space and light for a fellow woman, there is a subtle, immediate chain reaction – a unified front of compassion, caring, and shared experience in which this group of women will embrace one another and share the tears, laughter, and physical contact needed for healing.
This is not to say or suggest that healing only takes place on soft, gentle planes – this includes the idea that sometimes, healing is a deep, bleeding need that needs a transformative and harsh event to trigger the rebuilding and regenerative process. Healing can be in the soft stroke of a hand across the hand, the deep, aching cry of grief and loss through shared tears, the fury of a shared outrage over injustice, or the laughter of the absurd splendor that can be life’s little twists and turns. It can come as sarcasm, as jokes, as tears and fears, as an embrace, and in the quiet stillness of just being in close proximity. But when this healing comes in the form of a large group, there is a loss of aloneness in the process. Even if no words are spoken, the healing process, on any level, is bolstered by the presence of others – this is strongest in a sisterhood of women, who use the collective intuition that grows with commune to sense the needs of their hurting sister.
An amazing thing happens when a group of women gathers together towards a common theme, goal, or activity. As the routine of the task sets in, sharing and opening up towards one another is not only inevitable, but an essential and nature part of the female psyche. On a subconscious level, we all yearn to be understood, loved, and honored – so see ourselves as unique and individual, while being in the presence of others to act as witness to life’s many challenges and blessing. On the conscious level, given enough time, women in need of healing and presented with an opportunity for sisterhood get the chance to lay their personal wound bare – it never ceases to amaze me the open and honest way in which women will interact, and ask for help, when only given the chance.
Healing can be on so many fronts that it staggers the mind – from the
physical wound of injury, to the physical healing of woman post childbirth. It extends from the mental healing needed post trauma and abuse to the healing of a broken heart, death, or grief. It can be a miscarriage, a broken relationship, a broken bone, a fractured soul. Healing transcends love and death, and at times, units the two as the “bookends” of life. The tools needed to heal are highly personal, and often hard to find – be it medical, medicinal, psychological, and more. But when these individual tools are combined with sisterhood, the effects on positive outcomes know no limits. Think of an herbal remedy used to ease the female moon cycle – taken alone, it has its purpose. Now think of this same remedy, combined with another woman to listen to worries, warm a cup of tea, and perhaps offer advice – this is invaluable. The combination of healing with holding space for each other offers all parties the opportunity to share knowledge, share support, and most of all, share love and energy.
Finding sisterhood is a journey, one to open the self up to, and ask the universe to grant. It takes an open mind, willingness towards honest and sincere communication, and a love for the individuality of others. When this is applied to the journey of healing, the two can become intertwined in a passionate, soulful embrace that is life changing. By finding other women to hold space for our healing process, or who are going through a similar one to our own – we are not alone. We are united in strength and unity, love and spirit, hope and the future. We become loved, honored, understood, and cherished – but most of all, we become sisters.
You are unique. There is something so special about you! And it happens to belong to you alone. Do you know what that jewel is? Dig deep and realize your authentic nature. You are a rare and beautiful gemstone.
As a healer it can be hard to appreciate your own worth. We are so used to seeing the beauty and exceptional qualities in others that sometimes we forget to see those out of the ordinary qualities within ourselves. When we are able to fully connect and know our heart-center, our eyes are opened to the perfect exquisiteness that we are. Embracing the Sacred Medicine Woman of your heart will allow you to open and blossom into the fullest capacity. Knowing the greatness of your Spirit and Soul will grant you the openness, integrity and genuineness needed to facilitate healing for others.
At the live Sacred Medicine Woman retreats when each woman decorates her physical body to look like the authentic medicine woman that she is, it is transformational. We use non-toxic body paints, lots of jewelry and hairpieces, body glitter, favorite clothing articles, and nature items like flowers and leaves. We decorate ourselves and we allow the other participants to take turns adding to the body décor. There is something so magical about transforming your physical body to match the internal vision of our magnificence.
Please scroll through the images provided here of other women dressed as the Sacred Medicine Woman of their heart. Use the images as an inspiration, and feel completely free to find your own authentic medicine woman within.
As a healer it can be hard to appreciate your own worth. We are so used to seeing the beauty and exceptional qualities in others that sometimes we forget to see those out of the ordinary qualities within ourselves. When we are able to fully connect and know our heart-center, our eyes are opened to the perfect exquisiteness that we are. Embracing the Sacred Medicine Woman of your heart will allow you to open and blossom into the fullest capacity. Knowing the greatness of your Spirit and Soul will grant you the openness, integrity and genuineness needed to facilitate healing for others.
At the live Sacred Medicine Woman retreats when each woman decorates her physical body to look like the authentic medicine woman that she is, it is transformational. We use non-toxic body paints, lots of jewelry and hairpieces, body glitter, favorite clothing articles, and nature items like flowers and leaves. We decorate ourselves and we allow the other participants to take turns adding to the body décor. There is something so magical about transforming your physical body to match the internal vision of our magnificence.
Please scroll through the images provided here of other women dressed as the Sacred Medicine Woman of their heart. Use the images as an inspiration, and feel completely free to find your own authentic medicine woman within.
Visioning exercise: Turn on some healing music. Grab your journal and a pen. Lay down in a comfortable space. Close your eyes. Take a deep cleansing breath. Clear your mind of worries about the day. Let go of anything that isn’t about the present moment. Open your heart. Allow your heart to send you a message about the Authentic Medicine Woman that you are. In your mind’s eye, allow a vision to develop. What do you look like? How are you dressed? Pay attention to the specific details of how everything about you looks. And when you are ready, open your eyes and journal what you saw.
Once you have the vision of the Authentic Medicine Woman that you are, please replicate it in real life as best as you can. Take a photo of yourself and share it with the group.
Once you have the vision of the Authentic Medicine Woman that you are, please replicate it in real life as best as you can. Take a photo of yourself and share it with the group.
Going to the bowl is a Sacred Practice that we do in all Sacred Sister programs. It's where we bring our purest intentions and envision our future.
We CRY. We LAUGH. We POUR. We TRUST. We BELIEVE.
We LOVE. We DREAM. We GIVE. We SUPPORT.
We are SISTERS.
Anni and I have seen so many things go into the Sacred Bowl: oils from India, crystals, TEARS, sticky gooey honey, goddess charms, juicy limes, a MOUNTAIN of rose powder and petals, dried lavender galore, beach sand, four leaf clovers, many HERBS, rose water, fresh flowers, TURMERIC and more of all of this. And EVERY WOMAN has always put in her LOVE. Go into the world and do this SACRED MEDICINE WOMAN healing work with love ladies! May your journey be greatly blessed!
Create your own Pure Intentions Salt Bowl. Use fine sea salt and add in all the goodies that feel good to your Spirit. Fill the bowl with your purest intentions for the SMW group and for yourself. Fill the bowl with the highest vibration of healing energy. Meditate with the Pure Intentions Salt Bowl.
You will be sending out a small bag of your Pure Intentions Salt Bowl mix to some of the women in the SMW Facebook group. Look under the Files tab. Click on the Contact Info file. There you will see a number ranging between 1-5 next to your name. Please send a small bag of the Pure Intentions Salt Bowl mix to everyone who has the same number as yours next to their name.
We CRY. We LAUGH. We POUR. We TRUST. We BELIEVE.
We LOVE. We DREAM. We GIVE. We SUPPORT.
We are SISTERS.
Anni and I have seen so many things go into the Sacred Bowl: oils from India, crystals, TEARS, sticky gooey honey, goddess charms, juicy limes, a MOUNTAIN of rose powder and petals, dried lavender galore, beach sand, four leaf clovers, many HERBS, rose water, fresh flowers, TURMERIC and more of all of this. And EVERY WOMAN has always put in her LOVE. Go into the world and do this SACRED MEDICINE WOMAN healing work with love ladies! May your journey be greatly blessed!
You will be sending out a small bag of your Pure Intentions Salt Bowl mix to some of the women in the SMW Facebook group. Look under the Files tab. Click on the Contact Info file. There you will see a number ranging between 1-5 next to your name. Please send a small bag of the Pure Intentions Salt Bowl mix to everyone who has the same number as yours next to their name.
My tribe had come to the bowl at a grassy clearing next to the gorgeous Delaware River on a brilliant spring afternoon. I remember looking intently at each woman seated at our sacred circle, trying hard to etch this memory. I thought about how much I loved my circle sisters, how much they have come to mean to me, and just how much I am going to miss them.
Going to the bowl was one of the last group activities we did at the Catskills Sacred Pregnancy Retreat. We came to the retreat as strangers, each answering a deep call to be there, to join a movement that will bring a much needed change to pregnancy and birth. Quickly and very organically we created a safe and beautiful environment in which we were able to face and release profound hurts and fears, release them and replace them with pure love. Our days and nights were filled with belly laughter, tears, dancing, hugs, and raw emotions. Back at the grassy clearing next to the river, I was feeling immense gratitude for this life changing experience and for each of these wonderful women that I now truly loved.
I was the second one to receive the bright red bowl. I placed pieces of fresh lavender from my home garden and a four-leaved clover I have found, I spoke out my good intentions and dug my hands into the salt that was still very fine and brilliantly white. The bowl circled around, wonderful intentions were released into the universe, and more elements were added to our communal bowl: fragrant oils, herbs, honey from backyard bee boxes, sea sands, and coffee beans. Each woman dug her hands into the bowl mixing the salts, changing their consistency and texture much like she has changed the dynamics of our tribe to create a beautiful, earthy, aromatic mixture. Together we all dug our hands in the salts one last time and released our collective intentions and love out to the universe.
Then… seemingly all of the sudden, our time together ended and I found myself at home, alone, away from my sisters, reflecting back on the profound experiences I had in those woods and how much my life has changed in this short time. Intuitively I picked up my amber jar and took a long whiff of the earthy sweet salts I gathered from the bowl. Just like the smell of baking bread can take an adult back to a childhood afternoon spent at their grandma’s kitchen, I felt that I was again at that grassy clearing by the river among my tribe sisters.
These salts are magical. They represent in the most luscious and aromatic way all the good work we’ve done together, all the meaningful moments, all the love and deep connections we had for one another.
Our tribe keeps in close contact with one another. Whenever one of us needs her cup filled, we set a time to bathe in our salts, sending our sister our deepest love. I know that my circle sisters will honor me the same way when I start birthing my baby in just a few weeks. I can almost feel the love showering down on me, guiding me and supporting me each careful step I take through this journey.
Rose Quartz is one of my all-time favorite crystals. It is the crystal of the heart and crown chakras. My personal growth experiences with rose quartz have always been gentle, soft, and heart-opening. This crystal vibrates with the energy of pure LOVE. It is used for the spiritual attunement to the energy of love. It brings calmness and clarity to all situations because rose quartz provides balance to each chakra. And allows for the proper frequency of energy vibration in the chakras. Use this crystal for any emotional issue. It will rejuvenate the physical and emotional bodies. Rose quartz is the best crystal to use to heal emotional wounds. For someone with physical heart problems, placing a piece of rose quartz on their chest can aid in the healing process.
