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Our lives,
so seemingly small, ripple out to the whole universe as tiny whispers like the sounds of butterfly wings, and the clear voice of the living truth. -J.L.D. |
So often, we are used to being tired and not acknowledging it. We continue to work, or mask the deep desire to rest with finding reasons to push through. I used to drink another cup of coffee to boost energy, but that was actually borrowing vitality from my tomorrows! After years of doing this my liver began to rebel and my adrenal glands were stressed. I'd tried to quit drinking coffee many times, and finally, after three months on raw foods, it happened.
I needed to learn to recognize tiredness, and take steps to restore, like drinking water, doing a little deep breathing or yoga, contemplating upon the beauty of a flower, or listening to the wind. One thing that has helped immensely is a bath—we've always been lovers of a good soak. During this time of rest, we often enjoy spa-esque, at-home treatments that cost less than a dollar to make! Read on!
 Rose Petal & Lavender Blossom Balm
This is a rinse for your hair. The flowers' essential properties are calming and soothing. Make into a tea-balm.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lavender blossoms2 tablespoons rose petals 2 cups water Directions:
Bring water just to a simmer. Pour over blossoms and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain. Wash hair as usual, and pour over hair. (Check first to make sure it's not too hot!) Leave on hair, or, rinse with warm water after 10-15 minutes. The tea-balm is also good to dab on face, temples, chest, or the back of neck.
Banana Avocado Facial
Years ago we learned that the skin literally eats what is put on it. This made us think long and hard about using any body care products with unnatural ingredients or having chemical names we could barely pronounce.
One recipe I have enjoyed for years is mashed banana and avocado, used on the face, neck, chest, shoulders, hands, arms. This recipe can literally be eaten! In fact, I often double the amount because it's so tasty. The natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, and oil in the fruits combine to soothe, moisturize, and feed the skin, leaving it soft, moist, and nourished. You'll be amazed at how little it takes and how much coverage it gives. Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons avocado1-2 tablespoons ripe banana Directions:
Mash both ingredients and mix together to form a smooth paste. Spread mask on face (avoid eyes) and relax. After 15 minutes rinse with warm water and pat skin dry.
Cucumber, Lime, & Honey Facial
The natural alpha hydroxy acid in the lime juice gently exfoliates, while honey is a wonderful moisturizer, and beautifying silicon-rich cucumber feeds the skin.
Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons cucumber juice1 teaspoon raw honey 10 drops fresh lime juice Directions:
Grate cucumber (use unwaxed organic cucumber including the chlorophyll rich skin) and press through a sieve to extract juice. Mix with lime juice and honey. Gently apply to skin (avoid eyes) and allow to remain for 10- 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat skin dry.
Smoothie Facials
This is really easy... Take 2 tablespoons from the remains of a smoothie and spread it on the face and neck. Feel the skin being nourished by the same ingredients that have just been eaten! Rinse with warm water and pat skin dry.
Foot Soaks
The use of clay has long been used to draw impurities from the body. We have started to experiment with French Green Clay which mixes easily with water for foot soaks. Adding a few drops of essential oils can have various effects. Some of our favorites are lavender—calming, and orange—uplifting.The natural alpha hydroxy acid in the lime juice gently exfoliates, while honey is a wonderful moisturizer, and beautifying silicon-rich cucumber feeds the skin. Directions:
Mix 2 tablespoons French Green Clay in a couple gallons of warm/hot water using a container that's large enough to get your feet into. Add 3 drops of your favorite essential oil (make sure it's organic to avoid pesticides in the oil). Soak feet for 30 minutes, then pat dry with a towel—they will feel like they're glowing. Great to do while watching a movie that nourishes the heart. Pour soak water down the toilet, or outside, so the clay does not clog the drain. 180 Seconds of Pure Bliss
I've used this technique many times: If I take 180 seconds of pure bliss when energy starts to fade, it's amazing how much relaxation and recharging happens in this short period of time. I imagine that I have literally become, pure relaxation itself.
For women, if possible, unhook your bra, and lie down. If you're at work, you can lie down during lunch in the back seat of your car. Make it a comfy place. If you have children at home, ask them lovingly if they can stay quiet for 180 seconds. Have them set an egg timer for 3 minutes, making it into a game of who can be silent for the longest! Teach them what you are doing—they might join you for the most perfect snuggle. Let the answering machine or cell phone pick up. Technique:
Imagine the body is filling with the all-embracing peace of utter restoration. Breathe it in. Become one with it. Feel the knots of emotion melting into an ocean of calm and love.If that 180 seconds happens to come when your mate is home and opportunity strikes, well that deep relaxation might become a prelude to a kiss... most delicious. A Little Story: 
I am certain that vibrant health is inherent to everyone's dreams. In our busy days, the mantra is all too often, "faster, faster, do more, more!" I often wonder how we might invite ourselves to slow down and listen to the hidden rhythms of our life? How can we make it a priority to take time to create, to breathe in this very moment—whatever it is, or to look at unresolved issues with full acceptance and surrender, and just be—without agendas? Deepak Chopra writes in his book, Quantum Healing: "The mind and the body are like parallel universes. Anything that happens in the mental universe must leave tracks in the physical one." We think it works the other way too, that what we do also affects how we feel. One hundred and eighty seconds of pure bliss, walking barefoot along the beach, taking our meals outside, watching the wind blow across a meadow— all are simple practices—living recipes for joy that help us to enter the state of being the Asians call rupasampat wahya bhiantara: "the balance between that which is visible and that which lies within". (From Asian Secrets of Health, Beauty, and Relaxation.) 
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