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Self Protection is a part of Wellness too!

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Self protection should also be part of your daily wellness practice. A few times a year I ask my friend Jane to come over to Aqua Serene Wellness to share her immense knowledge and product line she sells for self protection to my  female clients. 

Damsels In Defense Photo

Her events are done in the “Home Party”  format, we have cheese, some wine, a lot of laughs and share stories.  The subject matter is more intense, softened a bit by a pink pepper spray canister and a purse that has a place for self defense items built in. Let me tell you that pink or blue or flowered pepper spray canister packs a serious punch, be not fooled by it’s “girly exterior” and don’t be fooled by my girly exterior either!

Jane shows you how to use all the tools she sells as well as learn to be aware, confidant in what you do have on you to defend yourself, and where to strike that is most effective. She shows us how to get out of duct tape, zip ties all while quoting some sobering statistics.

There are quite a few products, stun guns, striking tools, personal alarms etc., I am not here to sell to you or promote a business. I am here to share with you some of my personal experience with “stranger danger” and unfortunately not so stranger danger.

striking tool

I have done a few self defense classes over the years out of necessity. I also played adult women’s soccer from 1997-2002, which is quite the contact sport in and of itself. Imagine a bunch of women over 40, peri menopausal, half of us divorced and angry attacking the ball and sometimes each other all in the name of competition!  I think this helped me a lot with being confrontational if necessary.  I have had to defend myself physically, emotionally and legally so I am no stranger to conflict or abuse.

I have learned to pay attention to my surroundings, keep my car door locked when filling the gas tank, Parking in well lit areas, wearing my purse strap across my body, etc. all the normal things you have heard to do…I do them. I keep my pepper spray hooked to my key ring or purse, I have a stun gun for those dark walks in a parking deck and I have a striking tool (my personal favorite) hooked to my purse by a break-away tether.

I have unfortunately had to grab my pepper spay and sticking tool both recently!

my personal striking tool

I have a pepper spray canister conveniently located in reach at my front desk. The people that work out of my wellness center all know where it is and we all watch each other’s back. Massage therapist are sometimes a target for “Creepers” We have seven female practitioners in our center and I think they all have attended the self protection workshops, possibly more than once. While our center is located in a very safe community, it can and does happen anywhere.

So now for a few of my recent  “Oh $hit” moments:

One evening this Spring I was getting ready to leave work. I had shut down all the lights, outside and inside except the front office. I was at my desk getting my notes finished up on the daily files and felt a creepy feeling rush over me. I was looking down taking notes and when I looked up there was a strange man standing at my desk. I never heard him come in the door and my desk has a high top counter so I didn’t notice him walk up to it. I should have locked the door but I was only going to be a minute writing notes and then leave for the day. It was about 7:30pm, already dark outside.

I am not sure how long he stood there staring at me, but he saw I was visibly startled when I looked up and saw him. He never said sorry to startle you, or hi, or anything, just stood there staring at me. I asked if I could help him, while my hand found the canister of pepper spray stashed at my desk. He said he wanted an appointment for massage “now”  I told him we were closed for the day and he mentioned that the door was open. He seemed pissy that no one was available last minute and I told him we are by appointment only. He grumbled something inaudible and left. I got up and locked the door behind him and then waited to leave, watching him sit in his car for several minutes in the parking lot. Once I saw his car leave I grabbed my keys with my striking tool in one hand and my purse pepper spray in the other and headed to my car. 

It only takes a few seconds of inattention to get yourself into a situation.

My most recent moment happened in August on Mass Ave on a Sunday evening. It was a hot steamy early evening (still daylight). I was meeting a friend for dinner and then we were going to see another friend perform in a show. I got to the restaurant early to put our name in. They told me it would be about 15 minutes for a table,  the place was packed. There was no place at the bar to wait so I opted to wait outside. There were several others outside waiting as well. To my right were two young ladies and a man standing down the sidewalk quite a ways and to my left was an older couple about 20 feet down. I leaned up against the brick wall of the building taking in the sights of the busy downtown area. I put my cell phone in my back pocket so I could feel the text alerts from both my friend and the notification our table was ready. Most of you that know me, know I try never to keep my phone on my body, I usually keep it in my purse. I knew I wouldn’t hear or feel it there so I jammed it into my pocket. 

I saw a man coming down the sidewalk at a fast pace. His brilliant white, fresh out of the wrapper t-shirt was so bright against his skin, it still had the prominent “fold lines” in it. Funny that is what caught my attention. He was making a bee line right towards me and at first I was searching the file system in my brain for a familiar face match, did I know him?  No….I did not.

He literally got 2 inches from my entire body and stood in front of me, our eyes were in a deadlock stare. I could feel and smell his breath on my face! He had glassy eyes with pin point pupils and I immediately recognized substance use disorder. I had a death grip on my striking tool behind my back, it was attached to my purse with a break away tether.

He said nothing, although he seem to be ready to pounce on me. I stared him down, I said nothing but in my mind I was saying to him. “don’t touch me, don’t step closer, I will plant the striking tool into your temple” Once I finished that sentence in my head, he shuttered and stepped back and ran. It was the weirdest thing. I let the breath leave my body and right then my back pocket buzzed to alert me of the table being ready and I almost dropped to the sidewalk!

The two ladies and guy down the sidewalk came up to me and asked me what happened. They saw the entire bizarre thing happen. The one girl said she thought he was going to grab me.

I was calm during the incident, that comes from being prepared and knowing how to use what you have on you. I fell apart after the initial threat some and I can to this day see his wild drug infused eyes staring back at me.

At this point my friend arrived and oddly enough we were seated at a shared table with the three people outside who witnessed the moment. They were still talking about it.

There is a list being shared all over the internet lately about the things a woman has to think of for safety compared to a man, it is pretty eye opening. It was published by a man named Jackson Katz Ph.D who uses it in his presentations: 

He asked men and women what they do to protect themselves from potential abuse: The male response was ; “Nothing, I don’t think about it”

The female response had over 35 items! Here are a few examples:

  • Hold my keys as a potential weapon
  • Check the backseat before getting in the car
  • Don’t go jogging at night
  • Never put my drink down & come back to it
  • Always watch my drink being poured
  • Have a male voice on my answering machine
  • Park in well lit areas
  • Never use a parking garage
  • Watch what I wear
  • Don’t get in elevator with a lone man or group of men
  • Make sure my family knows my itinerary
  • Lock my car doors as soon as I get into my car
  • Make sure not to rent first floor apartments
  • Carry pepper spray
  • etc…..

 

I have had my share of abusive situations, physical, emotional and legal. Without going into private details,  I was a victim of a crime and my case helped to change the verbiage of an existing law here in Indiana that protects your reasonable right to privacy. Believe it or not the original wording only protected you from strangers! Not your significant other, husband, wife,  etc., Technology and other advances leave many things in the dust unless we challenge them to change with the times. 

This subject is touchy, a hot button and not talked about very much. It is important to speak about it and to be prepared. Chances are you may never need to protect yourself, but you should know how. If you would like to reach out to Jane Norton and see her products click the link below;

Damsel Pro Jane

We see all these campaigns, news stories and political posts on social media, while it is a good idea to raise awareness, I see many people give opinions that have no experience to back it up. They have judgement about how someone should behave, what they should say etc., Unless you have been there please remember your judgement comes at the expense of another.  It drives me nuts and it is also a trigger for those of us that have had such an unfortunate experience. I have been on the witness stand, I have been cross examined, I have sat in depositions, interviewed by police detectives, prosecutors, attorneys and digital forensic investigators. I have had to ask for several protective orders, been harassed by the criminal and the system. I have watched the system fail me on more than one occasion and I have witness triumph as well. I have an opinion that is backed by experience…protect yourself, learn how, stay aware, teach your children about stranger danger and not so stranger danger. Be gentle with those who have been on the dark side, the incident might be over, but the triggers are everywhere, and memories are hard pressed to go away. PTSD is real and it is life changing.

Wellness comes in many forms. Be safe out there.

 

Disclaimer: As always this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not to be copied or published without the full written consent of the author. The events described within are from the authors memory of how, when and where the events took place and any similarity to actual people living or dead are purely a coincidence.

 

Food and Dream Jobs

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Valentines and Porcelain

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It is that time of year again where love is in the air. Hearts, roses, chocolates, and Porcelain… What, did I say Porcelain? Why yes I did and I will circle back to that farther on down the line! Ha! If you know me then you get both of those statements.

Valentine Roses

We all have a few Valentine stories, and I am no exception. It is not a favorite day of mine I will confess. Many years ago I got engaged on Valentine’s Day (1980) That is a story for a glass of wine or something stronger, so I will leave that right there.

Back even further there were the years in school before political correctness that we could give Valentines to whom ever we wanted too, not the whole class. I remember being so upset when a boy I liked in fifth grade didn’t give me one. He turned out to be a class A Jerk so I guess the Universe saved me from future agony. On top of that I learned about rejection and how to deal with it early on so for that I am grateful.

Old School Valentine

In high school you could pay for a candy gram to be delivered in class along with a song and dance. I never got one of those either, partly because my boyfriend went to another school and partly because I was in DE so I went to school part of the day then worked the other, and I guess mostly because I was not in the “in” crowd.

 

Before that my dad was my best Valentine. He got me a big heart box of candy every year with….a porcelain doll on top, her beautiful satin dress was part of the box covering and her face and finger nails were hand painted…what I would give to have those now. I stored them in a box that was eventually designated to my parents basement which flooded ruining most of my childhood memories.

Valentine Heart Doll

When my kids were small we had to go out and get Valentine cards and sit down and address each one to every kid in the class. Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles were the popular choices, I was room mom so I made cookies and cupcakes. No one learned about rejection….

As the years went by I received my share of roses and chocolates, homemade Valentine cards from my kids and always something from my mom and dad. Now that dad is gone I send my mom chocolate covered strawberries and a card. These past six years without him here on Valentine’s Day I think of those little porcelain dolls and how much I miss him. I cannot imagine how much my mom does too.

My Dad and I

I will never forget my Dad on Valentine’s Day

Three years ago on Valentine’s Day I was at Lowes looking for the perfect Valentine gift for my boyfriend Tony. I was looking for maybe a tool or some manly gift and I spotted a bathroom sink cabinet on sale. I bought it for our half bath. I think I got him a tool too, I cannot remember actually, but the sink was NOT the gift. I was excited for a new little sink to replace the awful one in our circa 1950’s half bath.

My new sink

I dropped the sink off at home and he reluctantly began installing it. I had left to go to the grocery store when I got a phone call from him. It went sort of like this:

Me: Hello?
Tony: Hey can you stop by Lowes and pick up a toilet?
Me: Why? Our toilet is not that old, I am sure it is still OK.
Tony: No it’s not ok, I accidentally broke it installing your sink.
Me: Hmm……OK
Off to Lowes I go for the new toilet to accompany my “On Sale” new sink.

I pick up a good old American Standard and  a beeswax ring and bring it home….well it didn’t fit. Yep old houses have a different spacing between the wall and the hole in the floor. So off to the plumbers supply store we head to buy and rather expensive retro toilet to fit our bathroom.

Tony installing toilet

The new porcelain!

 

A comment I received that day telling a friend the story was “Happy Valentine’s Day, Nothing Says Love Like New Porcelain”

Considering what I do for a living (Colon Hydrotherapist) how appropriate was it to get the gift of a sparkling new retro fit toilet on this day dedicated to hearts and roses!

So Porcelain it was as a small child on a heart shaped box and Porcelain it is still….Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you, I hope you cherish your Valentine memories as much as I do.

We have a contest going until Valentine’s Day. Share this blog on social media, and leave a comment about one of your favorite memories of Valentine’s Day and you will be entered to win a Dr. Hauschka Gift! I posted a video below showing the gift, Click the link. It is on our Facebook Page as well.

valentine special

Come see us at the spa, we are located at: 301 E Carmel Drive Suite C-100 Carmel Indiana

317-564-0930

Tues, Weds, Thurs 10-6:30

Friday and Saturday 10-3:30

We offer Digestive Support, Colon Hydrotherapy, Holistic Skin Care, Raindrop Technique, Jin Shin Jyutsu®, Energy Therapies, Massage, Acupuncture, Functional Medicine, Holistic Nutrition and Weight Loss

My Personal Journey W/ Red Skin Syndrome & Eczema

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Red Skin Syndrome, also known as Topical Steroid Addiction and Withdrawal, is a debilitating condition that can arise from the use of topical steroid creams to treat a skin problem such as eczema. (credit: Itsan.org website)

This condition can affect people who use or overuse topical steroids for eczema, rashes, acne and skin treatments after cosmetic procedures. Topical steroids come in creams, ointments, lotions and gels. They can be purchased over the counter or in stronger formulations by prescription. Other names are cortisone, glucocoticosteriords, coticortisteroids.

Not everyone who uses these topical steroids will develop RSS and it is unknown why some people are affected and others are not. Often when prescribed for Atopic Dermatitis it works initially, but when the cream is stopped a rebound will occur, often with even worse symptoms or it can show up elsewhere on the body. Many mistake this for the original problem spreading when often times it is a result of the use of a topical steroid and the withdrawal symptoms.

I have suffered from RSS due to many years of having eczema (atopic dermatits). I have been told there is no cure for my eczema, only treatment. My father had it as well and it is often linked back genetically in families. There was a time in my life when my skin burned, itched, cracked and bled at every knuckle and bend on my palms. Every crease in my legs, between my toes, along my hairline, in my scalp, my ears and the cracks and folds around my nose and mouth. I spent many years covering my skin with over the counter, as well as prescribed creams and lotions.  They would relieve it for a little bit then my skin would burn and itch tenfold. I soaked in oatmeal baths, tried coconut oils, shea butters, African Black soaps, apple cider vinegar, and more. I tried to cover the red and cracked areas on my face with makeup, only to have it look worse. The mirror became the enemy, so did my clothes.

Skin Treatment Mask

Me with a calming mask on my face

My anatomy teacher and mentor in massage school would tell me at times I looked like I had pseudo-icthyosis. It was a play on words for a real condition called Icthyosis. This is also a genetic skin disorder that often appears as fish scales or thickened cracked and peeling skin on portions or all over the body, again, no cure only treatment.

I cannot begin to tell you how miserable it feels to be inside a body that constantly burns and itches, let alone to look in the mirror and see yourself looking like you just survived a fire or chemical spill. Clothes rub and itch, cold weather burns your skin, the sun helps but then there is the conundrum of sun exposure, SPF stings, bug spray burns, perfumes, scented soaps, laundry detergent, make up, the list goes on and that is only topical irritants. Then there are the foods that trigger it; gluten, dairy, sugar, preservatives, dyes, alcohol, spices, etc.

From my own personal experience I will tell you what has helped me over the years. The FIRST thing is stepping away from topical steroids, this took many months (about 20) of rebound and misery. The SECOND was trying to learn the triggers that set off the eczema to begin with. For me it was stress, certain foods, and household and personal care items. I began using only high quality organic skin care products and toiletries. Eliminating chemicals in my home, ie: cleaners, fragrances, pesticides, etc. I wear organic cotton clothes when I can or very soft fibers. I rip out the tags, or buy things without tags.

THIRD and probably most important: Education, it equaled freedom for me! I am not suggesting you go to the extremes I did, the reason I did was to help others as well as myself.

 

I learned about the gut and how it plays such a huge role in our health and mental health as well. I became certified in the digestive wellness arena; Colon Hydrotherapy, Loomis Digestive Enzyme Specialist and other digestive supplementation workshops. I learned about nutrition, absorption, assimilation, and elimination. What to eat, what not to eat, hydration and so on. This eventually became my career and it helped get my digestion in order, but the skin component was missing. I could not discuss this on a expert level with clients so I decided to go back to school to learn about the skin. I needed to add that missing part to the puzzle of helping myself as well as others.

 

Eczema reared it’s ugly head again while I was in Esthetics school.  Many of my fellow students and now friends can attest to my struggle. They were concerned working on my face or body for fear of hurting me. Anyone who has ever gone to esthetics school can relate on how much stuff they did daily to each other in order to learn as well as “get our hours of hands on in” We were  introduced to many professional products some even that had steroids in them for the purpose of reducing the effects of redness and itching after treatments. I drew the line at putting those on my body. There were a few running comments in class; “No Cindy, it is not organic” “Yes, everyone has to get as well as give all the treatments” and from my own mouth “shit that burns, hurts, itches, stings…all the way up to Hell No you’re not putting that on my skin today” I had so many chemicals, petro chemicals, preservatives and acids put on my skin, waxes, dye, make up, micro-derm crystals, desincrustation fluids, galvanic, etc. that you can imagine how bad it felt.  It was all in the normal course of learning and I suffered most days with a smile plastered on my face, expletives screaming in my mind and many tears  alone in my car as I drove home with my skin on fire. I went in everyday on time with perfect attendance, graduating with the highest GPA of my class, one goal in mind; get my diploma(s) so I could continue on to learn the holistic skin care world and open Aqua Serene Wellness Spa! I went on to become the only certified Dr. Hauschka Holistic Esthetician in Indiana and have not looked back. One of these days I will write a blog about my time in esthetics school, there was much frustration as well as a few comical moments and I made some life long friends along the way.

Tricoci

My Esthetics class

Graduation Day!

The tagline in my business name is “from the skin to within” for a reason. It has taken all these components to battle my daily life as a person with eczema and sensitive skin, let alone the journey of life functioning with part of my large intestine missing!

From what you put in your mouth, on your skin, breath into your lungs and what you eliminate is a key factor in our health and wellness.

 

I still suffer from bouts of eczema, stress is the one thing I still have to conquer. I am working on that and have implemented services here at the spa to help with relaxation. We offer Massage, Jin Shin Jyutsu® and Acupuncture. We have our Far Infrared SOQI bed and our CellumaPro LED Light panel.

Far Infrared Sauna

Our Beautiful SOQI Spa room

CellumaPro LED

LED Light Treatments

Celluma LED

We offer two different types of foot Detoxes as well as other energy modalities. I enjoy the times I get to sit in the cozy reception area and visit with clients and friends over herbal teas and laughter. Do not dscount those moments of joining together in conversation and giggles, those are the absolute best stress reducers, and money cannot buy that! I will continue my love of learning,  I not only do it for myself but for my clients and family. We have some new things planned for Aqua Serene Wellness Spa in 2017 and as always we have a great team of businesses and practitioners we refer to in house as well as out.

We wish you a wonderful and health filled 2017!

We are Located at 301 E Carmel Dr Suite C-100 Carmel Indiana 317-564-0930

Disclaimer: This blog is for information only, it is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition or disease. Please seek professional medical advice before stopping or starting any medication or treatment. These are just my own personal observations and experiences and not intended to treat or diagnose.

For more information on RSS visit: http://istan.org
For more information on Ichthyosis visit:http://firstskinfoundation.org/about-ichthyosis

Thoughts on Time

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Time according to Webster’s dictionary is as follows.

Time
tīm/
Noun
1. The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.”travel through space and time”
2. A point of time as measured in hours and minutes past midnight or noon.”the time is 9:30″
Verb
Plan, schedule, or arrange when (something) should happen or be done.”the first track race is timed for 11:15″
Measure the time taken by (a process or activity, or a person doing it).”we were timed and given certificates according to our speed”

I recently saw a film and it got me to thinking about a few things. I have always had this odd feeling where “time” is concerned. Like I am on the edge of knowing something, or for lack of a better way to explain it, more like “remembering something”. Have you ever had that odd moment when you cannot remember something you know you should be able to recall? It is on the tip of your tongue or edge of your brain. Scientifically speaking you still have the memory just misplace the trigger to find it. That is how I feel about the mystery of time.

big-clock

They say it is not linear, that simultaneous things happen at the same time yet in different space. What one person sees or feels at that very instant another sees differently or in a lapse. They say we can transcend, that our soul is everlasting, it just spends some time in our human bodies for the experience. That a blink of an eye for our soul is a lifetime for our body. That the world was created in 7 days, but what constituted a day back then? What feels like a lifetime for a prisoner doing 5 years behind bars, yet that same time of 2629743.83 minutes seems to fly by in a flash when we see our newborn baby off to kindergarten. When a person gets that diagnosis of a fatal disease and only has months or days left, time becomes the enemy. Time is conceptional to each person and/or situation. Depending on what we fill it up with.

me heading off to kindergarten with my best friend Danny Lostoski 1966

There are many sayings to accompany it:
Wasted time
Running out of time
Time is on your side
Time is of the essence
Doing time
Time of our lives
Against time
Overtime
Next time
Time in a bottle
Time and time again….

You get the idea, we are either late, early or on time. It is merely a measurement and is different for each person. I have been “living on borrowed time” which is a concept I don’t get because I can never pay it back. You cannot bank time.

As time goes by, where does it go? If we only have right now this very moment why are we spending it plotting and planning, worrying and stressing about another moment in the future or the past? How can we use up time if it is only a concept? If we are late on bills, payments or work we are fined, docked or even turned over to collections. Time=Money for most things in life. Overtime, Time & 1/2, PTO, late fees, interest, etc. The world has to run on time, it keeps order from chaos, sets boundaries as in time zones or taking up someones time.

There are songs, movies, books, and magazines devoted to it. There are products designed to save you time, stop the signs of aging, turn back the clock etc.

My own experiment with Time:

I arrived early on the planet in 1960 by about 5 days and I am usually early to most appointments. I am not sure if this is coincidental or not because both of my kids were born on their due date naturally and are often late….In the past I tended to arrive at least 10 minutes early to everything and then get upset when people would arrive on time because there I was waiting. I would get more and more upset by each moment if they were actually late.  So I decided in 2008 to be 5 minutes late to almost everything so I could better understand and empathize with those who are always late, as well as for my own sanity. I did it for about a year. I realized the anxiety excuse driven phrases that people gave me were now coming out of my mouth! It was exhausting, however now I am much more calm when people are a bit late. I try hard to adhere to the idea that the Universe has it’s reasons, and I am not early as often to everything and even late on occasion. I do still get a bit anxious if I am the one late though.

I have a wristwatch, most of us have one or more as a fashion statement or for function. I stopped  wearing one for 8 years until last year. The watch I had worn for many years was given to me by my ex husband while on a vacation to Aruba. He wanted me to think of him every time I looked at the watch. The trip wasn’t that great and neither was the marriage. When I divorced him the absolute last thing I wanted to do was look at that watch several times a day and think of him! So I took it off and never put it back on. I got used to using my cell phone to gauge time. Many people use their phones I notice more than a watch now. I am guessing that is why they have made cellphones that are watches. I got a new watch last year from my boyfriend and I wear it often. I still forget to put it on more out of  the old habit of not wearing one. I like it because it is big enough that I can read it and it is a piece of jewelry that has function and beauty…a timepiece. I think of him when I look at it which makes me smile, he knows the story of me and watches and is helping me write a new chapter.  Yesterday I forgot to put it on and found myself looking at my wrist out of habit for the time.

img_0757

My new watch

I always need to know what time it is, and to top it off I set the clock in my truck, at home and on my watch 8 minutes ahead so I can do math, because I tell myself it keeps my brain “fresh”. I hate math by the way.

The theory of “Light Years Away” always blows my mind. That the light we are seeing from a star is calculated to have traveled 6 trillion miles in a year, therefore it is light from a time (x) amount of years ago…Space-time continuum; Space and Time used in a mathematical equation that is a four dimensional continuum…did I mention I hate math, but I love science…you cannot have one without the other, Grrr.

moon

The morning moonlight

Where am I going with this whole rambling of a blog you ask? I am not quite sure, I know it was time I wrote a blog and open up the conversation. I hope I haven’t wasted your time.

It is a new year coming on us, another concept of measurement, time for resolutions, new ideas and letting go of the old. The year calculates to the number 1 (if you are into numerology you know the equations) so we get to begin again…It is a time for cleansing the body and mind.

Speaking of cleansing, it is one of the things we do here at Aqua Serene. We have been open one year this coming January. There are days that flew by, some dragged on and on and now it seems that the year happened in a flash!  We have learned many things, met new people, did events, helped charities, introduced new products and hopefully helped many of our clients feel as special as they truly are. We really hope you have enjoyed this journey along with us and are looking forward to what is yet to unfold.

I want to wish you all they happiest of New Years with blessings, peace of mind, reflection and joy. I want to thank those of you who have been loyal clients and brand new ones. I love welcoming you, your friends and referrals to Aqua Serene Wellness Spa. Come spend some time with us, even if it is just to have some tea and give me your thoughts on the concept of this blog!

tea-time

Come have tea with us!

Leave a message please and we love when you share!

Happy New Year!
XOXO
Cindy

We are located in Carmel, Indiana and offer Colon Hydrotherapy, Digestive Support, Ionic foot Detox, Holistic Skin Care Services, Energy Therapies, Massage, Acupuncture, Raindrop Technique, Jin Shin Jyutsu®, Functional Health and Nutrition. Check out the business located in Aqua Serene Wellness.

Simply Serene Massage Eastern Wind Acupuncture Wellspring Functional Health White Wolf Services

The Art of Smudging With Sage

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sage

Man did not weave the web of life – he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.
– Chief Seattle, 1854 treaty oration

I like to smudge sage, it is ancient Native American Tradition, as well as a tradition with many cultures throughout the world. There are many types of herbs you can smudge, sweet grass, lavender, cedar, palo santo and so on. I like to use white sage.

My paternal grandmother Lokalona, (Cherokee) taught me that you are supposed to light it with a wooden match. I have done this countless times and yesterday the match head flew off already lit when I struck it on the side of the matchbox and landed right on top my head! It burnt a spot in my part and singed my hair. Now, I do not think burning hair is recommended unless you are practicing some kind of superstition about burning hair and a vision of your future husband/wife is revealed…we will leave superstitions to another blog post and my maternal grandmother!

You should use a clay type fire proof bowl or a shell to hold the ashes and burning fragments and then offer those back to the Mother Earth when they have cooled.

Smudging with sage has many benefits and research shows it raises the negative ions in the air, helping with positive energy.

A little about a Negative Ion Field:

A Negative Ion Field may be helpful with the following:
*Stimulate the Parasympathetic Nervous System which may cause relaxation.
*Balancing adrenals
*Increasing utilization of nutrient absorption
*Decreases pulse
*Supports good bacteria
*Supports many of the body functions

You can purchase sage at many health food stores, new age centers, Native American cultural centers, the internet or grow and dry your own. Some you will find are mixed with other herbs as well.

Set an Intention: Make sure you set an intention, say a prayer to God or The Universe while you are smudging. Be clear on what your intention is. Yesterday I asked for a peaceful end to the water fight in Standing Rock North Dakota. This is something every living thing has a right to, clean water. Please take a moment and send a prayer.

Open a Window: It is said in Native American tradition that people with negative energy are offended by sage almost to the point of revulsion. It is important that when you are burning the sage to have a place for the bad vibes to escape too.

Lighting the Sage: This can be tricky, remember try to use a long wooden match just watch out for flying lit pieces of it!  Once you have a flame blow it out until you see lighted embers. You will witness the fragrant stream of white smoke coming off the embers. I blow on them to keep them going, or move the smudge stick around in the air or around objects that you are smudging.

You can smudge objects to clear negative energy, like your electronics for example.  Some people like to smudge jewelry or other items that might have absorbed bad vibes. You can sage people as well. The best way to do this is have them stand with arms out to the sides, almost like at the airport when they “wand” you. Do the front first, then the back.

Extinguishing your sage is important. Either snuff it out or take it outside and put dirt over the lit end. Make sure to offer any ashes back to Mother Earth and then once you are sure it is out store the sage higher than your waist. This is for respect and keeping the energy in a higher space.

Come visit us at Aqua Serene Wellness and have some tea and enjoy our many services listed below. We love the good energy it brings to come together in community. We smudge with sage at our place often and most everyone that stops in always mentions how the good the energy feels in our space. Leave a comment below, we love hearing from you!

We are located in Carmel Indiana, and offer Holistic Skin Care Services, Colon Hydrotherapy, Raindrop Technique, Jin Shin Jyutsu®, Energy Therapies, Ionic Foot Detox, Massage by Simply Serene Massage  and White Wolf Services Acupuncture by Eastern Wind Acupuncture  and Functional Medicine by Wellspring Functional Health.

Aqua Serene Wellness Spa, 301 E. Carmel Dr, Carmel IN. 46032  phone: 317-564-0930

info@aquaserenewellness.com