Infant Massage giveaway pack

Draw date Friday August 20th

This Month of August I am offering this wonderful Infant Massage giveaway pack .

 To Enter just leave a comment stating You'd like Your name entered or email me privately if You like . This is a wonderful gift for the Mum to be or a Mum wishing to try something new ☺

I first learned the art of massage 29 yrs ago when my first born was 3 months old . One of my very first books on parenting was Loving Hands  by Fredrick Leboyer  . I was so excited and began this technique with my new young dd.

This art helps create that special bond between mother & child just as breastfeeding does. Our dd grew to love massage and as a young child it also became a practice at bedtimes to get this active spirited child to sleep we'd give her soothing back massage . This worked especially well also on long trips after a hard day of travel . Massage helps reconnect child to self , spirit & parent , to be calm within an unfamiliar environment .

Fredrick Leboyer  is also author of Birth without Violence & my dh and I had the privilege to hear him speak in 1986 after the birth of our 2nd dd .  Again we feel so blessed to have been exposed to such healthy lifestyle choices. ☺

 Now as a Mum of 6 I can tell You , not all children like nor do they all enjoy massage ! So do not feel badly if You try it and it does not work out ☺

 Some kids it is enough to cuddle and read a book . Our 2nd child who is the most calm patient child in the world absolutely squiggled & wiggled while receiving massage . Her brother next in line loved it . In fact it seems the more hyper the child's spirit in our family the more they enjoyed this experience . The point is to try with each child because if this is something which would benefit Your parent child relationship it would be a shame to miss out .

 You may choose to have music while doing massage or just have silence or the sound of your own voice .

I always used warmed coconut oil as it seemed the most authentic to massage of Indian culture . I'm sure sunflower or safflower may be fine too . Always have a towel nearby as baby often releases the bladder ☺

 I love to finger thru this book . I love the photos within , it is just a gorgeous book . I purchased the new pb copy for our dd when our first grandchild was born .I must say my hc is a treasure and the pb just not the same feel to it .

So this is why this giveaway is so very special ! I found a copy of the hc version ! Yes I did ! On one of our travels thru a small town we popped into the local thrift .  It cost me all of 30cents !

 This was a library version but no torn pages or anything it is in excellent shape !

 Below are pics of the items within this pack . I do hope You enter Your name or that of someone You know who would like to try this out ☺

 Thanks for stopping by

This is a wonderful brand new sunny yellow beach towel

 a brand new mini bottle of coconut oil

This special copy of the hc version of Loving Hands

Hair Care

I always loved the story of Rapunzel

I have always been passionate about my hair ☺ & was thinking as I worked on hair the other evening maybe this would be a good time to write a short bit about hair care .

 I am not one for chemical dyes or blow dryers. not saying I never did try it as a teen I was like any other I had to try dying my hair jet black at least once . I think it may have been my blond roommate in the group home turning her hair green via using black dye that turned me off lol

 Of course the punk movement in the late seventies also had its influences I went a turquoise on the ends of my locks one summer that was my last dye job . as I mentioned we all are apt to stray every now and then ☺

 However

It is just in my nature to be natural since childhood being as close to who I was created as possible and that meant my long dark hair ☺

every now and then I'd wear a barrette or braids but I have always preferred my hair flowing .

 As I got older I was influenced by culture very much . I like to braid my hair with pieces of leather or beads , cane rows are nice  too . My mother being 1/2 Lebanese inherited that course curly hair and I have always been aware of the harsh reality women who were not of white European ancestry struggled with their hair issues.

I love this book !

One of my main influences in hair care have been that of east Indian & middle eastern women . I was introduced to hair oils & hennas via this influence .

 Over the yrs. now learning the uses of the different oils & hennas , which for different hair types etc.

 There are also many wonderful books I have learned herbal tips , what herbs to use during pregnancy , perimenopause etc. For those who experience hair loss because of hormones I can testify Wild Yam works !!

 When I was younger I used Jasmine hair oil quite a bit . My two daughters & I would henna our hair quite often I think Jasmine was a stubborn 3 yrs. when she insisted she partake in henna experience like her older big sis ☺ We had fun braiding , trying rags & old fashioned curlers .

 as I get older I like my grey silver hair so have chosen not to colour it & also find the henna drying .

 I am now looking for new herbs that aboriginal peoples used here . I of course also wanted to find more local oils as not to be importing ingredients from afar in order to have healthy hair.

There are many herbs which grow here such as burdock , nettle etc. which make wonderful rinses for hair .

 I personally make my won hair oil . I make mine with olive oil , rosemary & lavender . I try to apply this once per month , usually during the full moon as I am often up anyway ☺

 I also like to time this say on a wed. so I can leave it in until the Saturday .

 I am working on making different hair oils for different hair types. chamomile/daisy for light haired , calendula , geranium for reds , some other flowers and herbs , thyme , basil , nasturtium perhaps .

 I make oil by placing oil , herbs, flowers in a clean air tight bottle . place in sun for up to two weeks . I just shake the bottle every now and then . It comes out wonderfully !

 Coat hair dry not wet . A tip a good friend told me , when removing oil after 3 days coat hair with shampoo before wetting this also helps.

 I use very mild shampoos because I have eczema . The one type of soap & shampoo I can always use is goat milk . It is wonderful and I do hope some day to make our own ☺

after shampooing I also love to rinse my hair in a clean water rinse and one of the most lovely rinses is rose water . Orange blossom water is nice too . Rose water is soothing & cooling .

 For daily hair care I both brush & comb my hair . I use sweet almond oil in the morning for day use . I also have a mini spray bottle I spray my own personal mix of essential oils ( lavender & orange ) & water to my hair before brushing .After that I can braid or leave loose for the day. At night I again brush & comb before bed , in winter months I may reapply a bit of oil or just comb rose water threw my hair. In summer months right now I add each evening aloe vera . I just apply it by hand then comb threw . As I said due to hormones now in my late forties my hair is changing . I find it suffers much more from lack of moisture so I try and rehydrate it each day if possible .

 As I said I get my info from many sources from wonderful people who like me are trying to choose non harmful ways to stay healthy , this includes things like our hair care .

Just a few healthy hair moments to share with You ☺

House Blessing & Cleansing

Of course I began this post ages ago and meant to have far more time to sit peacefully and write .

 I have rushed into the city for 2 days to pick up items for two fairs I am setting up a display table at . So I think I best at least get this post written down so people can visit and get the general idea on what is involved in cleansing & blessing the home & surrounding area.

Cleansing & Blessing the home is a wonderful refreshing gift . We offer this service free of charge as well but of course like to encourage people to try this on their own . We do seasonal blessings &cleansings just as you do spring or fall cleaning . There can be casting out cleansings just as we do getting out loads of items for the second hand or doing a cleansing fast of the body , mind & spirit . There may also have been an event which took place such as a birth or death in the family that one may feel the need to have a home blessed & cleansed .

 A home / yard blessing can take from 1-2 hrs depending on that which is needed as well as the size of the living & outdoor areas .

So what is involved in the cleansing & blessing . Well it is a spiritual service that is for certain . Next I tell people I will not bother to do a home blessing if the people themselves have not gone to the effort to clean the their  home or that of their loved ones first . It does not mean your home need be spotless , spic & span . No but it is pointless to give the medicine if the patient is not going to also take the steps to get well in all areas of their lives . The same goes for a home blessing . I cannot come in and cleanse a home of a hoarder unless they are taking the steps to tackle their home also.

 Prayer is always #1 of course . I pray after speaking to the home owner etc. what is needed , wanted , going on etc. Then pray pray pray ☺ from here will be chosen what smudges etc. to use .

 I am a silent prayer person but am also working on bringing a drum along , however my busy dh is far to busy right now to make me my drum , however when he does guaranteed it is going to be very special ☺

 For now below are some pics and descriptions of what goes into blessing & cleansing of a home

 enjoy !

 

lol first off You need , One Mum & perhaps a bunch of wacky kids

I thoroughly sweep the inside of the dwelling with a small hand held broom. This represents getting those old cobwebs , spirits etc. out . Get the air stirring from top to bottom ☺

 We then head outdoors to sweep the yard , don't forget to open those gates and close them again ☺

 this is a broom from the Philippines and India made from coconut , dh wants to start making the small corn brooms for people from local home grown broom corn ( yes he has great ideas )

 we have a variety of items & tools for this process

such as holy water , salt & oil

 I then walk around the home and yard to bless with holy water , oil & salt

 water blesses

while oil binds & protects

 salt is used in protection & purification as well

 I then will smudge the home and yard if the person requests this . not everyone can handle smoke inside due to allergies, asthma & those smoke detectors so I may just leave a small bowl of smudge indoors on a table or altar & then smudge the outside areas.

as mentioned before we make up seasonal & personal smudges

 I also may bring along my special prayer box

 which contains other items I may need to use such as lighting a prayer candle etc.

prayers used come from many beautiful holy sources

I love Celtic Spirituality very much

 and of course many aboriginal prayers

as well as those good old standbys ☺

in our home I like to replace salt in these cute little containers I find at least twice per yr. I place one in each of the rooms upon the windowsills . As well depending on the season I also hang wild mint for summer months above the doorways & cedar come fall & winter .

 These are also options we are happy to help people with and offer several spiritual services which I shall write about in upcoming posts .

 so for now my little adventure boy & I are off once again to the lake district to pick wild blueberries and hang out with relatives , dogs etc. I hope this has provided you with some inspiration to try your own personal home blessing & cleansing practices .

Bye for now ☺

 I felt I should come back here as I've had quite a few people visit this section and ask me again about blessing & cleansing homes.

If you feel in need of a priest then we by all means should call in a Priest to bless our homes !

I am not here to argue with others if I should or should not be providing this service if you have a problem with take it up with your god because it is a problem between you and creator that does not involve me !

However many people are not catholic nor christian and not open to nor do they feel comfortable having a Pastor or Priest into thier home they are however comfortable having someone like myself or a friend come into thier home to provide a blessing .
I am an intercessor / shaman . I love prayer , it is my spritual work , a part of who I am . I will never ever not be able to pray it is a must for me I also love to share as well as teach prayer to others . I offer it free and many are happy to recieve ☺