The Bathtub: Therapy in your Home

Powdered Kelp

I've talked a lot about how much I love the bathtub.  Check out posts here, here and here for a refresher.  Don't just take it from me; my teacher, world-renowned master herbalist Rosemary Gladstar has the following to say about "Therapy in a Tub":

Beauty begins in the bath.  A centuries-old ritual, herbal bathing is not only a soothing cosmetic affair it also has important therapeutic applications...It's unfortunate that the bath has been replaced with the shower, another of those quick conveniences of modern times.  Though certainly a quick way to freshen oneself, showers are no replacement for a long, luxurious soak.  I've heard people reflect that they don't like the idea of soaking in their dirty bath water.  Heavens, rinse off first if you're so dirty!  But don't forgo the pleasures of a bath.

Herbal baths can be extremely therapeutic.  The addition of specific herbs, essential oils, sea salts, or oats can be used to treat skin disorders, headaches, stress, anxiety, and congestion.  There have been several well-known herbalists whose preferred method of treatment was via the bath.  When bathing, the pores of the skin are open and receptive to the healing properties of the herbs.

Bathing in herbs is like immersing one's body in a giant cup of tea.  All the pores are open and skin, our largest organ of absorption and elimination, absorbs the healing essences of the herbs allowing you to emerge renewed and refreshed.

The SkIndulgence shop offers a variety of bath additives including salts, herbal blends, and oatmeal combinations.  I've formulated these products to assist in relaxation, sore muscles, and with anxiety.  In addition to these, I've previously posted several at-home recipes for preparing your own healing baths (links up at the top).

Talking about baths so much, I think I'm gonna jump in one right now!  Today I am going to add 1/2 cup of powdered kelp and 1/4 cup of aloe vera to the water for a perfect thalassotherapy (seawater) therapy treatment.  Seaweed is very rich in iodine and protein.  These nutrients are directly absorbed by the pores of the skin, affecting the body on a cellular level, and in the process will help detoxify, revive, remineralize and stimulate my body as a whole.  Aloe compliments the effect of the seaweed in that the gel helps regenerate and soothe damaged and dry skin.

If you try this seaweed bath yourself (please do, it's incredible), it is best to not overexert yourself immediately afterwards as seaweed baths can be draining.

Enjoy!

P.S. You can purchase kelp seaweed powder at most health food stores.  If you wish to purchase online, I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs.  The same for aloe vera gel - make sure to get pure aloe vera gel (no alcohol or other additives) from your health food store, or find it at Mountain Rose Herbs.

Faeries in the Garden

Snapped this while on one of my walks; spiders are my heroes!

In one of the 40-million herbal books I have on my shelf, I read:

How do you know when you've encountered the fairies? Well, you'll have to tune into your senses and see what they tell you.  There are always signs. A few examples would be: a nearby plant quivers for no reason while you work in the herb garden; you can't shake the sensation that something is walking through your hair, but there really isn't anything there at all; you feel yourself walk through spiderwebs in an open area; and most importantly, you are absolutely convinced that you are not alone while working with your herbs and flowers.

It is my nightly ritual to go on a walk through my Los Angeles neighborhood.  Despite the energy from a dense population all around me, I find I am able to focus and brainstorm like nowhere else.  Without fail, every night, even in the most open of streets, I will feel no less than a handful of spiderwebs fall across my face. Ever since reading this passage several years ago in Lewellyn's 2006 Herbal Almanac I can't help but playfully wonder if those webs aren't webs at all but faeries saying "hello"...but they are probably just Black Widows :-)

Cosmeos, the Goddess of Harmony & Balance

From my teacher and my inspiration, Rosemary Gladstar:

There is a story we herbalists have conjured up that I like to think of. A mythical Greek goddess whose name meant harmony and balance, Cosmeos gave to mortals the gifts of herbs, flowers and other simple pleasures to nourish the body and soul. She personified radiant health that flowed from a core of harmony and balance. Cosmeos never sought to mask what she was or how she looked; rather, she fed her inner fire with the eternal gifts of the Earth.  Her beauty was as unique as the flowers growing wild on the hillside and as powerful as the granite bones of the mountain.

The modern word cosmetic stems from the Greek word Kosmeticos, meaning "skilled at adornment". This is precisely what Cosmeos is all about; it was never her intent to cover up; she used her creations to reveal in who she was.

We at SkIndulgence keep this passage in mind when creating each of our products.  We believe that each person has their own unique beauty and love the idea that SkIndulgence can use all the gifts of the Earth to help let that beauty shine by illuminating the glory rather than masking the [perceived] flaws.

Our Creed, Borrowed from Sandy Maine

In her book "Creating an Herbal Bodycare Business" (which is at my fingertips at all times), Sandy Maine says:

Natural bodycare businesses and practitioners...hold great promise for the world. Their products put people in touch with the healing spirit of self and nature. Their services help strengthen, balance, and enhance the functioning of clients. Energized and renewed by these conscious connections with nature, bodycare producers and recipients alike gain strength, integrity, and perspective, and move out into the world on a mission of hope and healing.

This quote perfectly states the creed and mission of SkIndulgence Skin Care, of course worded much better than we could say ourselves!

Each Its Unique Beauty

This quote from the ever-amazing Rosemary Gladstar is making my day today:

No where in the garden or in nature do you find an ugly flower.  There are odd ones, unusual ones, crazy and outrageous ones, bright ones, dull ones, loud ones, and shy ones. But never have I seen a collection of flowers and proclaimed a single flower in it less than beautiful.  Each is so unique and perfectly divine that it has its own beauty.  Why can’t we see this same unique beauty in one another?