flag man

My Uncle Ray Mielzynski (Mallow) aka flag man.  We brought our boys to visit him in Pahrump, Nevada early April 2003 to see our land. 

Our journey began at the Venetian Suites in Las Vegas.  What a gorgeous way to enjoy this part of the country.  We spent our time visiting just about every hotel on the strip and in the surrounding area, eating hot dogs at Nathan's in New York and watching the shark exhibit in Monterey Bay.  We walked and walked all over.  The only places we did not see were those not already built such as the Wynn Hotel which could be our next destination so we can see Garth Brooks perform.  I heard his show is awesome.  The entertainment in Vegas is spectacular, with Cirque de Soleil, burlesque, wax museums, tons of restaurants and gorgeous pools.  Wayne and I frequented two strip joints recommended by a friend of ours, Jaguar and Sapphire.  I got my first lap dance there, but enjoyed Jaguar so much more.  Classy.  These places love when women visit and make sure they let you know same.  Believe it or not, we did not gamble once while in this gambling mecca.  My goal was to learn to shoot craps but upon our arrival I had absolutely no desire to throw the dice.  It was probably due to the fact we wanted to spend every moment with our boys touring.  Our senses were so overwhelmed by the slots and colors and lights, it was not necessary.  I could still hear the sound of the locals flipping the stripper cards on the street while we walked the area.  Besides, our goal was to visit our uncle. 

Steve and I spent down time watching an oriental channel, pretending we knew exactly what they were saying. 

Once we hit Pahrump, my boys were in heaven.  Uncle Ray relocated about 40 years ago and pursued his passion of buying and selling land.  Sometimes he would barter land for cars or gold.  Such a cowboy!  He found his niche with his patriotism and walks a mile everyday with a flag promoting justice to all.  He is a frequent visitor of the courtrooms and oftentimes brings coffee for the prisoners.  His random acts of kindness have the locals dubbing him flagman and he expresses his views on the local news station and has articles printed about him.  He lives simply and loves his life.  The hardest part of living in the area is the duststorms.  They can be treacherous, but worth living the life he does.  Uncle Richie lived with him for a few years but passed away from cancer.  The four brothers, Ronnie, Bob, Ray and Richie were tight-knit and always defending each other.  I remember visiting Grandma Mielzynski on a Sunday and the brothers would entertain us in the basement.  They had a band called Apollo's Apaches and even cut a few records, one of which I still have labeled Cry Me A Lie.  Good times, let me tell you. 

We sat for three hours and my boys were just amazed at his life history.  Uncle Ray showed them his instruments and they were hesitant to visit his bomb shelter, fearful of the snakes.  When Dan went to sit on his sofa at the trailor home, something was bulky so I lifted the pillow and there was a gun, used for shooting the snakes.  Yikes!  Rattlers are everywhere in this part of the country.  He has about 9 doggies to make a path wherever he goes.  Uncle Ray made his own water pond on his land.  Pussy willows grow there.  Who can do that?  Water is valuable in the desert.  Dirt is the best investment so we purchased a few acres with my sisters Marilyn and Karen.  It is still out there waiting to be sold at the right time.  Now is not.  Someday my boys can retire on the sale. 

My dad phones his brother every Saturday and they chat about whatever is up.  Their bond is deep and we need to get Dad back out to visit him very soon.  Perhaps we should just make arrangements with Aunt Diane and Uncle Bill and take a trip. 

We don't like to gamble, but we love the warm area.  There is so much stimulation; we could never be bored.  We have so many destinations on our list of places to see this year, San Antonio, the East coast to see the whales in October, and Punta Canta in the Caribbean, but Pahrump is like a second home and it feels so good when you have a relative to connect with in a different land. 

Until we meet again, flag man.  Be well. We love you. xo

reflections

The Earth is crammed with Heaven. Elizabeth Barrett Browning

We are wide-eyed in contemplating the possibility that life may exist elsewhere in the universe, but we wear blinders when contemplating the possibilities of life on earth. Norman Cousins

There are men and women who make the world better just by being the kind of people they are.  They have the gift of kindness or courage or loyalty or integrity.  It really matters very little whether they are behind the wheel of a truck or running a business or bringing up a family.  They teach the truth by living it. James A. Garfield

Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Malcolm Forbes

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence. Robert Frost

I believe that order is better than chaos, creation better than destruction.  I prefer gentleness to violence, forgiveness to vendetta... I think knowledge is preferable to ignorance and I am sure human sympathy is more valuable than ideology.. And I think we should remember we are part of a great whole, for which convenience we call nature.  All living things are our brothers and sisters.  Kenneth Clark

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the source of all true art and science.  He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: His eyes are closed.  Albert Einstein

Be open.  Don't close off the possibility of a new truth because you have been comfortable with an old one.  Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.  Neale Donald Walsh

Everything has a crack in it - that's how the light gets in. Leonard Cohen

Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect.  Chief Seattle

As long as habit and routine dictate the pattern of living, new dimensions of the soul will not emerge. Henry Van Dyke

There is more to life than increasing its speed.  Mahatma Ghandi

In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary everyday life. Plato

Your life work is a state of Who You Are.  If it is not, then why are you doing it? Neale Donald Walsh

It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. Ursula Leguin

Many today feel a sadness we cannot name.  Though we accomplish much of what we set out to do, we sense that something is missing in our lives and -- fruitlessly -- search 'out there' for the answers.  What's often wrong is that we are disconnected from an authentic sense of self. Emily Hancock

Work is not always required.... There is such a thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected. George McDonald

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.  Reinhold Neibuhr

I am a doer; constantly pursuing things to accomplish.  Today I am.  Just am.  My mind is racing with thoughts of how to improve my life and how to enhance my existence; I know I am an optimist by nature.  I pray today.  I have arrived in this new frame of mind and will just be.  I am still.  I focus on each breath and exhale my love to everyone and everything.  Life has been good to me.  My experiences and blessings have been plentiful.  I am aware of the love given to me, and withheld.  I will persevere no matter how great the challenge - and endure -  no matter how many losses I incur.  I accept the path chosen for me to follow.  I am confident life will grant me the tools to be an instrument of peace, following the prayer of St. Francis, my guide.  I pray that My God permits me to continue to illuminate those who need it most and instill in me the wisdom and perseverence to continue my quest for perfection as He sees appropriate.  My life is in His hands. My arms are open to embrace.  I offer this day and this moment for inspiration and enlightenment and encourage you to join me in this quest for oneness.  I hold you in the light with love. 
                       Thy will be done.   - robbie xo



 thanks to Lauren Trater, author of Life, for the quotations

blooms

Oh happy days!  My amarillys bloomed again.  We have tried to keep something consistently blooming in our home since the first frost.  I didn't expect this one and am pleasantly surprised. 

Now instead of planting our solitude with our dream blossoms, we choke the space with continuous music, chatter and companionship to which we do not even listen.  It is simply there to fill the vacuum.  When the noise stops there is no inner music to take its place.  We must re-learn to be alone.

I was without internet service yesterday and felt quite uncomfortable not being able to visit my clicker in between daily chores.  I did have time for reflection, however.  I am trying to accept the recent deaths of loved ones, and despite this challenging task, I have pursued my reconnection with significant persons from my past.  Mercury being retrograde has this affect on people.  We can't help ourselves when the planets dictate, and that is a good thing.  Time can be greedy if we let him deny us the moments we deserve. We stay in touch with those who have been witness to our accomplishments and shared triumphs and offered solace in times of need.  We are all connected and touching base reminds us to stay that way. 

I ran across Helen's recipes that I typed for her 30 years ago and decided to honor her by making this dish which includes homemade dumplings and porcupines.  It includes rice which is why I think she named this dish so.  My boys mentioned it brings back fond memories when she made this dish for us.  Funny how food can trigger things. 

Gramzie's Porcupines

3 lbs. ground chuck

1 cup rice

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1 large can tomato puree

2 eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

Spices

Mix all ingredients and form into balls.  Save some tomato puree for topping prior to baking. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for an hour.  I slice potatoes and bake with the meatballs.  You can add peppers but my boys are not too fond of them. 

My youngest son, Steven, finalizes his days at Downers Grove South today.  He has taken accelerated classes and managed to secure 20 credits at the community college already, so he is way ahead of his game.  Good planning, for now Steve pursues a teaching degree in Fine Arts.  He anticipates his new journey armed with the knowledge that life is what we make it, taking one step at a time.  Our choices can serve us well if we do the right thing.  Winter is tough for us for we so love the warm sunny weather but he spends his time writing a book, painting, playing piano and looking at all the seeds we will plant in a few months, mentally embellishing our outdoor garden.

I am tickled that he is able to share this new endeavor with his brother, Mike, for they are taking a speech class together in the evening. Mike only has two more classes and he will obtain his degree in Criminal Justice.  He has quite a few accomplishments under his belt with having a dream job at the State's Attorney's office, his own condo, a side hobby flipping cars, playing guitar in a band and has a great gal to share his stories with. 

Dan is busy being bartender at Gold Class Cinema, is mastering his passion for drumming, enjoys the company of his friends and continues his education at DePaul University. This quarter he takes the Metra train to their Loop location and discovers it is not as bad as he thought.  I still can't get used to not being his alarm clock.  Whenever I forget and try to awaken him he reminds me he has an alarm and diligently gets up when his alarm tells him to, showers and is out the door.  They are blossoming as fine young men and I have to remember to let them go a little more often than not.  Note to self.  Perhaps I'll let the amaryllis be my reminder.

Here are a few snapple real facts for your enlightenment:

honeybees have hair on their eyes and navigate by using the sun as a compass; they are the only insects that create food for humans

the only jointless bone in the body is in your throat

if you shake a can of mixed nuts, the larger nuts will rise to the top

no word in the English language rhymes with month

relative to size, the tongue is the strongest muscle in the human body

children have more taste buds than adults

a baby caribou can outrun its mother at 3 days old

like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different and is the fastest healing part of the body

your skull is made up of 29 different bones

it is not possible to tickle yourself

I encourage you to find time to give a shout out to someone you have not seen in awhile.  Befriend them on facebook, give them a call, write them a letter or just drop in for a friendly visit.  It soothes the soul to share warm words or give and receive a big hug. 

It has been scientifically proven that hugs boost our immune system.  xo

ildiko helena

Happy birthday, Helena, my female soulmate!  You are one of my favorite blessings this life has provided me.  Our journey together began in August of 1998 when we met at the Chicago School of Massage Therapy on Lincoln Avenue.  Weren't we surprised to find out this education was so much more challenging than anticipated.  We thought they would teach us how to give rub downs and were we in for a rude awakening as we learned so much anatomy, physiology and kinesiology, not to mention the ethics, acupressure and business classes.  Our mornings entailed lecture, followed by memorable lunches and a whole afternoon of hands-on massage practice on whatever muscle groups learned earlier that day. That was the fun part. Thursday evenings covered everything else.  I remember how you took such detailed, colorful and beautiful notes and mine were all sloppy and scribbled everywhere.  Even I could not read my own writing. With each other's support, we both earned high grades.  Those tests were killers.   Remember how nervous we were before each one?  And we rushed over the next week to see how well we did. 

My fondest memory was the lunches we shared at Pockets and the Chinese joint for hot and sour soup.  We browsed the new Healing Earth Resources for ideas on my business and you always offered your expertise.  Having interior design background, you were a natural when it came to decorating and helped make The Goddess Touch come alive. As our educational days came to an end we celebrated by purchasing the garden of eden carpet for the spa.  I loved how you came by every Tuesday from downtown just to be with me and offer your support.  You never left without moving things around so they were positioned and displayed perfectly, using our feng shui knowledge as our guide..  You have the touch, my darling. 

Your heart is so full of wondrous ideas on how to improve ourselves and encourage pampering not only to clients but to ourselves as well. You always give me the encouragement to raise the bar on everything and best of all, you tell me when it's just right.  I so enjoy visiting you at your highrise, for it is filled with lovely artifacts of your journeys and each corner leaves my senses delighted.  I miss having lunch at the thai and sushi place near you and browsing down the Magnificent Mile together.  Remember how I would meet you at the train station in Hinsdale and we walked up the street, arm in arm, as if we could not let go; we were so happy to be together again.  How about the tamale run on your way back in Westmont?  We shared so many trials and tribulations and we are each others' sunshine. 

I was so happy to reciprocate to you by offering respite at our home in Delavan.  It pleased me to be able to share the joy we had while being up there and I know you and Jeffrey always enjoyed it immensely.  Givers must learn to receive and we both had to learn to relax as well, and we did.  You always give me the best massage and your sweet Hungarian voice soothes me like no other.  How did I get so lucky to have you in my life? Our mutual love of music tops the cake. I cherish your love and affection and look forward to making many more memories together in the near future.  Both of our lives have been in turmoil these past few years and when it gets too tough, we reach out to each other to get us through crisis mode. 

Let's plan to get pampered together again as we did at Exhale and Oasis.  There is a new spa in Burr Ridge that is quite exclusive and deserving of our patronism.  We can celebrate our birthdays together.

You are beautiful, darling Helena, and my true inspiration.  God has blessed me with you in my life.  As always, I remain....

                                              Your lovergirl xo xo xo

accouterments of the bath

I adore simple pleasures.  They are the last refuge of the complex. Oscar Wilde

For a truly indulgent bath and body experience, the options are limitless.  You don't need to go to a spa for beauty treatments as many ingredients are probably in your home already.  Items needed for a simple scrub used for exfoliating are probably in your cabinet.  Take a tablespoon of sea salt and mix it with a small amount of baby oil then add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.  Blend together and use to exfoliate hands, face and body.  Once you rub this on a portion of yourself, rinse with warm water.  Trader Joe's has a grapefruit scrub that I use quite often in my bath.  It leaves the skin feeling clean, soft and smells great.  The oil helps moisturize and I exit my bath feeling so warm and refreshed.

Six Steps to Complexion Care

There is not a better time to treat your face with tender care than before, during and after a bath.  Here are six simple steps and some all-natural, homemade recipes.  Each mixture includes essential oils or herbs, which restore balance and harmony and promote the health of your body and mind.  If this sensible regimen is followed consistently, a peaches and cream complexion will be yours.  As always, this is a mere guideline, options for your indulgence.

Step 1

Cleansing

Skin is one of the larger and more versatile organs of the body, for it is vital in maintainig homeostasis (internal stability.)  Skin is a protective covering, helps regulate body temperature, retards water loss from the deeper tissues, houses sensory receptors, synthesizes various biochemicals and excretes small quantities of wastes.

Cleansers remove impurites from the skin.  Cleanse once in the morning and again before bedtime. Most mornings I just splash my face with a little water  as I wake up.  Cleansing and moisturizing are most important steps, but I refrain from using too much soap all the time.

Step 2

Exfoliation

Skin includes two distinct tissue layers; the outer layer, epidermis, and inner layer, dermis, which is thicker than the epidermis and contains fibrous connective tissue, epithelial tissue, smooth muscle tissue, nervous tissue and blood.  Beneath the dermis are masses of loose connective and adipose tissues that bind the skin to the underlying organs, which form the subcurtaneous layer, hypodermis.

A facial scrub, when gently applied, will slough off dead surface skin, expose fresh skin, boost circulation and give you a healthy glow.  Exfoliate 1-3 times a week.  Not for sensitive skin.

Greenhouse Savory Scrub

Geranium oil is considered the first-aid kit of essential oils, with its antiseptic and regenerative qualities.  Lavendar oil boosts the immune system and stimulates new cell growth. This scrub will give your skin a youthful freshness and vitality.

Botanicals

1 teaspoon almond meal or blue cornmeal

1 teaspoon honey

1 drop geranium essential oil

1 drop lavendar essential oil

Place all ingredients in blender.  Make a paste in your palm.  Massage over skin for one minute.  Rinse thoroughly.

Step 3

Toning

Toners remove residues left on the skin by a cleanser, mask or scrub.  Toners improve the general health and appearance of the skin and prepare your face to absorb a moisturizer.  Tone twice a day. 

Sacred Grove Soothing Toner

The Assyrians believed that the secret names of the gods were written on the sacred cedar.  Cedarwood is a calming oil that stabilizes energy imbalances and normalizes the skin.  Ylang-ylang oil was used in the Victorian era as part of a hair growth preparation. It inspires creativity and wards off premature aging by releasing tension in the face. 

Botanicals

2 ounces witch hazel

1 tablespoon aloe vera

5 drops cedarwood essential oil

3 drops lemon essential oil

1 drop ylang-ylang essential oil

Combine ingredients.  Shake well before using.

Step 4

Moisturizing

Moisturizers create a protective barrier between your skin and the atmosphere, plump up surface skin, prevent moisture loss and give a soft, smooth appearance.  Apply after cleaning and toning, twice a day.  Moisuturizing is extremely important to our skin but make sure it's not too heavy as to clog pores.

Step 5

Steaming

Steaming with essential oils will deeply clean your pores, moisturize your skin and improve circulation to your face.  Steam once or twice a week.  I steam once in a blue moon.

Herbs du Jour Garden Steam

Eucalyptus restores balance, improves concentration and is believed to increase intellectual capacity. It also relieves stress and encourages alertness.  This herbal mini-sauna's strong anti-bacterial action will promote the regeneration of skin tissue and will heop eliminate excess oil.

Botanicals

3 cups spring water

1 drop eucalyptus essential oil

1 drop lavendar essential oil

1 drop rosemary essential oil

Boil water and wait until it cools to about 100 degrees F.  Pour it into a bowl, add essential oils and set bowl in a place where you are comfortable.  Cover the back of your head with a towel, tucking the ends around your head so that the towel encloses both your head and the bowl.  Hold your head one foot away from water.  Make sure steam is not so hot as to be uncomfortable.  Keep your eyes closed and stay in steam for a few minutes; then come out to cool your face.  Repeat. I also use eucalyptus oil in massage for those with sinus issues - just dab a little on on each sinus and under the nose for better breathing. 

Step 6

Masks

A moisturizing mask replenishes moisture, nourishes the skin and calms the skin's surface.  It will leave your face with a healthy glow.  Masks should be applied once a week.  I am too lazy to do it every week - once every so often works.

Urban Goddess Facial Mask

Jasmine attracts spiritual love.  In India, it is known as "moonlight of the groove."  Jasmine warms the emotions and connects us to our more intuitive selves.  It is useful for all skin of all types. 

Botanicals

1 teaspoon natural yogurt (plain)

2 teaspoons honey

1 vitamin E capsule

1 teaspoon oat flour

5 drops jasmine essential oil

Combine the yogurt and honey.  Squeeze the contents of the vitamin E capsule into mixture and stir well.  Add oat flour and mix into a smooth paste.  Add jasmine essential oil and mix.  Apply to face with fingertips.  Leave on for 15 minutes, then remove with warm water.

Having owned The Goddess Touch Wellness Spa and Salon in Darien, I was privy to a variety of beauty care.  I had limited training in cosmetology to learn about Helma B and Repachage which enabled me to provide basic skin care to my clients in the form of cleanse, tone and moisturize as well as body wraps.  My esteticians had their own favorite products and offered more variety with their vast expertise. Our menu included the natural version, which I chose to share in this series.

 

As we age, let's do it gracefully and continue a simple regime of beauty and skin care.  Skin is alive and needs to be nourished as it goes through its cycle.  Nature does provide us with ingredients to keep it healthy.  We deserve to be the best we can be and it need not be complicated nor expensive.  My wrinkles are gentle reminders of life's accomplishments. We all get them. Embrace this inevitable process of life.  

  Happy pampering. xo

many thanks to Susan Hayden, author of the Enchanted Bath

sacred fires

We are born into the world of nature; our second birth is into the world of spirit. Bhagavad-Gita

Atmosphere is the great beginning.  Setting the tone is the first step.  Why not create a room that is your personal sanctuary of nourishment and harmony?  If this does not seem possible because you share the space with others, there is hope!  Fill a basket with scented candles, a natural fiber washcloth, recordings of your favorite music, a framed picture of someone you love or a place that holds special memories, a book of affirmations, and a variety of essential oils.  Keep it hidden in a drawer, ready and waiting to give your body and spirit the healing you are worthy of.  A great book to capture this spirit is Simple Abundance, loaded with wonderful words of wisdom.

This was my first sanctuary where I offered massage therapy at The Goddess Touch in Darien.  Candles were always lit while in session. 

Lighting candles was once a highly symbolic gesture, linked to the preservation of the soul.  The mellow glow of a candle creates an immediate aura of white light that radiates throughout the room.  The element of fire creates light in darkness, and signifies transformation.  The candle is the image of humanity; its wax corresponds to the physical body, its wick to the mind, its flame to the spirit or soul.  Candles are key to any ceremony, meditation or ritual.  Rituals speak to the heart and to the soul.  They make everyday life more holy and enriching.  Clear the mind by lighting a candle, reclining in a hot bath full of essential oils and gazing into the flame.  It is an ancient way to feel rooted, to come home, back to your authentic self.

This is where I made magic at the Hinsdale location of The Goddess Touch. 

If you are lighting a candle for a reason other than ambiance, the color should be selected carefully, according to your purpose.  Each color has meaning and possesses a different vibration that attracts specific influences.  Every candle color corresponds to a mythological goddess:

Yellow:  For charm, confidence, attraction and persuasion.  Sacred color of Amaterasu-O-Mi-Kami, the Japanese sun goddess.

Orange:  To stimulate and energize.  One of the sacred colors of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture in Greek mythology.

Gold: To attract cosmic influences.  Sacred color of Fortuna, Roman goddess of happiness and good fortune.

White:  For healing, inner peace and spiritual strength.  Sacred color of Flora, Roman goddess of flowers.

Silver:  To encourage stability.  Sacred color of Kilya, Incan moon goddess.

Red:  For fertility, passion, love and magnetism.  Sacred color of Aphrodite, goddess of love.

Purple:  For psychic energy, healing, success, power and independence.  Sacred color of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom and the arts.

Pink:  For love and friendship.  Sacred color of Benten, Japanese love goddess of femininity, music, literature and the sea.

Green:  For good luck, fertility, prosperity and rejuvenation.  Sacred color of Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of childbirth and compassion.

Blue:  For honor and loyalty, truth, tranquility, wisdom and peace.  Sacred color of Hathor, Egyptian goddess of beauty and the heavens.

Brown:  To improve powers of concentration and protection.  Sacred color of Parvati, Hindu goddess of the mountains.

This is my current massage room having come full circle back to Darien.

Take the time to come home to yourself everyday. xo

the fragrant soul

He is happiest who hath power to gather wisdom from a flower. Mary Howitt (1825)

Aromatherapy.  The word brings to mind scent and healing.  It is an ancient practice, a science and an art.  Naturally distilled essences are extracted from plants and used for one's physical, mental and emotional well-being.  Called essential oils, they are said to possess healing properties for the mind, body and spirit.  Tiny droplets contained in fruit, leaves, bark, stems, roots and flowers are responsible for each botanical's individual smell.  In many cultures, healing with plants and their essential oils was a part of the everyday life.  Aromatics were used for ceremonies, art, beauty and medicinal purposes.  Incense was the original perfume.  It was believed that burning incense was a link to one's ancestors and a way to connect with universal energy.

The Egyptians were among the first to experiment with aromatherapy.  Incense was burned at all times in their temples, to inspire inner transformation and heighten the spiritual experience.  Herbal and floral essences were used to anoint the skin and were utilized in the bath for health, physical attractiveness and protection.  The historic Vedic texts of India specifically ascribe various therapeutic and medicinal powers to aromatic plants.  The practice of perfumery was frequently mentioned in early Sanskrit literature.  The use of botanicals can be found in China as far back as the Shang Dynasty (1600 to 1100 B.C.)  Centuries later in Japan, Samurai warriors used incense to scent their helmets and armor in preparation for battle.  The Greeks attributed divine origin to sweet smells.  Gods supposedly dropped down to earth on clouds that were scented, in robes soaked with fragrant essences.  The bathhouses of both Greece and Rome used essential oils for massage, bathing and overall health purposes.

Aromatherapy's modern renaissance began in the 1920s, when Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist and perfumer, was experimenting with fragrance in his lab and burned his hand.  He plunged it into the liquid closes to him, a tub of lavender oil; his hand healed quickly and without a scar! From then on, he dedicated his life to researching the therapeutic value of essential oils, thus coining the term aromatherapy. 

Whether inhaled or absorbed through the skin, each essential oil carries its own benefit to which the body and mind will respond.  When different oils from the same therapeutic category are blended, they can create a synergy.  This means that the individual oils will usually complement each other when combined, enhancing the treatment.  Essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin by themselves, for they will irritate it.  Carrier oils are necessary to transport the substances.  Unprocessed, organic and cold-pressed oils are preferable; they are pressed from the seed, nut or fruit, with no chemical solvents added to them.  Best for the bath is sulfated castor oil.  It is the only carrier oil that is dispersible in water and will not leave a residue.

The power of smell is immeasurable.  A scent can work on a subconscious level to balance, harmonize, calm, relax, energize or stimulate.  Aromatherapy connects us with our memories and links us to nature, while activating our bodies' own healing energies.

Sleepytime Soak

for the sweetest of dreams

Ancient cultures massaged chamomile oil into their skin to alleviate aches and pain, relieve muscle soreness and cool fever.  Its subtle action is said to eliminate anxiety, stabilize stress levels and calm the spirit.

Botanicals

1/2 cup Dead sea salts

4 drops chamomile essential oil

2 drops marjoram essential oil

2 drops ylang-ylang essential oil

1 drop basil essential oil

2 chamomile tea bags

Boil two cups of water to make some chamomile tea, leaving tea bags in the cup until you are ready to bathe.  Mix bath salt and oils in a bowl and pour into a full warm or hot bath.  Disperse well, blending with your hands.

The Mood

Set a tranquil tone.  Light blue candles; they soothe, relax and create serenity.  Burn some sandalwood incense.  Dim the lights.  Play uplifting music, such as Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons' or Andrea Bocelli.   Place warm drained chamomile tea bags over your closed eyes and sip from your cup.  Think of the ocean at low tide, remnants of slow waves at your feet.  Now drift...

Only Hearts Immersion

to deepen feelings

Medieval Europeans believed lavendar to be the herb of love.  It promotes deep relaxation and has a balancing effect on the skin.

Botanicals

3 drops lavender essential oil

3 drops ylang-ylang essential oil

2 drops coriander essential oil

1 drop neroli essential oil

2 teaspoons sulfated castor oil

In a bowl, mix essential oils with castor oil; add to hot water and swish.  Bathe for 20-30 minutes.

The Mood

This bath brings to mind Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty.  Her sacred candle color is pink; light just one candle.  Stare into the candle and think of who or what needs more care of the heart. This is my favorite.

Scentuality

your own environmental fragrant and essential oils

1 drop on a love letter

1 drop on a lace hankie

2 drops on a small cloth thrown into the dryer to scent your laundry

3 drops on a light bulb for perfumed air

6 drops mixed into 1 ounce of unscented cream for fragrant skin

12 drops mixed into 1 ounce of vegetable oil for a sensual massage

lavendar and ylang ylang is perfect

Remember to take time to stop and smell the roses.  Indulge your senses.  Peace. xo

thanks to Susan Hayden author of The Enchanted Bath