Part Two: External Cleansing
For thousands of years, the bath has been a wholesome, nourishing experience. These encounters with water are so profound that I would like to give you a glimpse of how this method of healing therapy evolved...
The Story of the Bath;
Thousands of years ago, visiting a "bathing house" was for the very privileged. these men and women considered it the ultimate luxury and would spend all day in the ritualistic experience. These waters, perfectly heated, were laces with the finest floral blossoms and oils. Candles that were lit from handheld oil pots (which represented the female reproductive organs-symbolic of fertility), surrounded the bath, as was frankincense and myrrh incense. The bath was the very ultimate of intimate luxuries.
Bathers would carefully and graciously be guided by devoted attendants to step down into the perfectly prepared, warm and fragrant pools in a smooth, private marble oasis. They would be cleansed with a soap, fennel cake, dried with warm towels that were resting in a large terra cotta pot, atop a crackling fire. They would be fanned with large, green branches as another loving attendant would massage them with the most luxurious and divinely inspired massage oils.
They would be assisted with dressing themselves and generally sit down to a meal of bread, olives, figs, cheeses and of course-wine.
The rest of the evening would unfold into, yes......let your imagination run free and let it run wild! The origins of Kama Sutra and Tantra play a significant role, indeed!
Where did it go? How did this sacred ritual of bathing become extinct?
Who knows? And, quite frankly, I really do not care. The only thing that I know is that we can bring it back!!!
~HERE'S HOW~
Make your bathroom into a luxurious spa.
Place toiletries in cabinets and drawers and replace with a lovely tray, lined with fresh linen and filled with massage oils, bathing salts and elixirs, bubble baths, etc. Place aromatherapy candles and incense in beautiful holders, in various locations. Place a vase , with fresh flowers as a focal point. Place rolled towels, hand towels and washcloths into basket, displayed beautifully on the floor. And, get rid of the bright energy-zapping light bulbs and replace with sensuous low wattage lighting (these are also environmentally, the best choice). Be creative!!!
To spark your creativity and arouse your curiosity, I will now provide you with some exquisite recipes of very potent elixirs of baths and massage oils. And, please be sure to house them in an equally exquisite, glass bottle. For, these are the very recipes that Mary Magdalene enjoyed~ and shared them with her friends. Enjoy!!!
Oh! Please do not forget to leave your cell phone outside (unless you have private plans to "meet" someone on the phone!
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~THE SACRED BATHS~
*The Sea Salt Bath Ritual~
~THE SEA SALT BATH RITUAL~
(Please consult the advice of a physician, before engaging in this bath)
Ingredients:
*1 Pound of Evaporated Sea Salt.
*13 drops of Lavender EO (essential oil).
*13 Gallons (a full bath) of fresh, warm water.
*Natural Sea Sponge.
*Your favorite massage oil (warm the oil by filling up a bathroom basin with hot water and place the bottle of massage oil in it)
As you are filling the bath with warm water (the water should be slightly warmer than body temperature), lavishly pour in the sea salt, then add the lavender EO.
Sit in the bath for about 15 minutes and gently massage your body with the sea sponge- enabling the whole body to benefit from the contact with the healing saline solution, in which you have created.
After about 15-20 minutes of your bath, dry yourself off BRISKLY, without rinsing off the water, so that the saline solution can continue to act.
Then wrap yourself (nude) in a wool blanket and lie down in a comfortable position. This will permit your body to react by expelling toxins in the form of perspiration.
This now, creates a lovely moment for manifestion meditation. Before you begin to meditate, think of what you need to release in your life, that is not serving you with peace, harmony, laughter and love. What is it that you need to let go of? Really take a moment to recapitulate every detail of what IT is that you need to release. Take a deep breath in and slowly exhale, and with this exhalation, feel your breath taking that object of your thoughts, AWAY. Now, let it go. You do not own this situation of object, and it certainly does not own you. Next! Visualize what you would like to become a conscious manifestation of reality in your life. Visualize what it is that you would like to see yourself doing-one year from now. What WILL you be doing during the winter solstice of 2010? What WILL you be manifesting? Who WILL you be manifesting it with? How WILL you be serving? and with LOVE. Take about 5-10 minutes and really bring this thought into the reality of your consciousness and let it become quite vivid and expressive. Leave out no detail and create it with all of your deepest intentions and desires! Now, surround this whole vision with a deep, vibrant yellow color and inhale. Inhale the feeling of absolute acceptance, knowing that what you are envisioning can actually become a conscious reality for you! Then, exhale a soft, vibrational sound of "Ram" and detach. With detachment comes infinite possibilities. Let it all go and let God work out all of the little details. And, please don't worry about all of the little details, because sometimes when we get ourselves wrapped up in the little details, we screw up the big picture! So, relax, let go and enjoy the sacred ride of life ;-) . Now, enjoy the rest of your meditation.
After about a half an hour, take a warm shower of water only, which will remove the salt and the impurities.
Next, gently pat your body dry with a warm towel and lavishly massage your body with the warm massage oil. Keep this on for 24 hours.
The next day, enjoy your bathing routine, as usual. Try to incorporate this sacred bathing ritual, once a month.
This nourishing bath is also a beautiful, cleansing tonic and is quite helpful for rheumatism, allergies and has an anti inflammatory effect on the body. The lavender EO in this bath is very calming to the senses, as well and will aid in a restful nights sleep.
And, there is one more thing that you can do, to increase the feelings of harmony. That is to GIVE. Give freely, without regrets and as much as you can! My beloved grandmother, Hilda Rudd (who is 99 years old)- and still teaching Sunday School at her church- has told me this, my entire life. And, I have found this advice to not only be of tremendous help, but is the solid foundation for a life filled with peace, harmony, laughter and love.
*The Nourishing Bath Ritual~
1/2 cup of yarrow flowers.
1/2 cup of marigold flowers.
1/2 cup of chamomile flowers.
1/2 cup of helichysum (everlasting) flowers.
1/2 cup of lavander.
1/2 cup of red rose flowers.
1/2 cup of rosemary leaves.
1/2 cup of sage leaves.
7 pints of still mineral water.
1/2 cup of wheat bran.
1/2 cup of rice flour.
3 tablespoons of sweet almond oil.
(combine all dry ingredients and oil. Store in a lovely glass jar. When ready to use, simply scoop up a cup and pour directly into your warm running bath water. Add the mineral water and soak for at least 20 minutes! Enjoy!
IF YOUR SKIN IS RATHER DRY, AND YOU NEED A GOOD BODY SCRUB, PLEASE ENJOY THIS RECIPE. YOU MAY USE THIS IN YOUR BATH OR IN THE SHOWER. THE SEA SALT WILL NATURALLY DISSOLVE, LEAVING YOUR SKIN VIBRANT AND YOUTHFUL.
~Heather's Body Scrub~
3 cups of kosher sea salt.
1/4 cup of sunflower seed oil.
1/4 cup of olive oil.
1/4 cup of soybean oil.
1/4 cup of wheat germ oil.
1/4 cup of jojoba oil.
1 cup of apricot kernels (ground).
1/2 cup of lavender oil.
several drops of vitamin e oil.
1 drop of tea tree oil.
(combine all ingredients and place this divine scrub into a beautiful glass jar. To use, apply in circular motion all over your wet body, then rinse off. Do not wash the precious oils off of your body! Let them work their magical healing powers for 24 hours!).
***Note; You may also add healing crystals to your sacred bathing rituals, to enhance the healing energy. I have provided a list of healing of healing crystals and what their energy properties signify in relation to their healing qualities, in "The Vine and Fig Tree" page.
?SO NOW WHAT? YOU HAVE CLEANSED YOUR BODY WITH GOOD NUTRITION, A BODY SCRUB AND A SACRED BATH....
ARE YOU READY FOR THE MASSAGE RITUALS OF MARY MAGDALENE?
SOMEHOW, I "KNEW" YOU WOULD BE! HERE THEY ARE- BUT I MUST INFORM YOU-THESE ARE VERY, VERY POWERFUL ELIXIRS. USE THEM AS INSTRUCTED, PLEASE!
~THE MASSAGE OILS OF MARY MAGDALENE~
(Mix all of these essential oil recipes, with a wooden spoon and in a glass bowl. Also note that each of these massage oil recipes must be mixed first and allowed time to harmonize together- to infuse together and release their own healing properties within their unification. This takes about an hour, and at room temperature. Then add to each specific recipe, the base mixture of about 1 cup of sandalwood oil. House these massage oils in lovely glass jars, with a cork lid. Metal lids cause a reactive condition that weakens the potency and effect of the essential oils).
*USED FOR: *PREPARATION:
1.) "Sore Muscles" -Cajeput, Sage and Basil Essential Oils.
(Great massage oil for runners and sore yogi's)!
2.) "Congestion" -1 drop if Basil, 2 drops of Lemon and 2
drops of Eucalyptus Oils.
(Excellent for those who suffer from allergies and sinusitus).
3.) "Sacred Love Potion" -4 drops of Rose, 6 drops of Sandalwood
and 1 drop of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil.
(This breathtaking and almost hypnotic massage oil seems as if to transport the sacred union and bring both lovers to a heightened state of orgasmic, climatic pleasure. The two souls feel as if they have merged into one blissful body, mind and soul. For this one, brief moment-all of time has suspended and the Universe breaths through them. I am most certain that this is the massage oil that Mary used, when sharing this sacred union with her beloved, Jesus Christ). Enjoy with your beloved, your soul mate.
4.) "Stress" -5 drops Bergamot, 4 drops Mandarin, 4
drops of Lavander and 3 drops of Lemon-
grass Essential Oils.
(Works wonder's-let me tell you)!
5.) "Uplifting Effect" -5 drops of Lemongrass, 5 drops of
Geranium, 3 drops of Sweet Basil and 2
drops of Lime Essential Oils.
(A delightful mixture to enhance general well being. Great in soothing symptoms of menopause, as well in relieving menstral cramping).
6.) "Calming Effect" -5 drops of Ylang Ylang, 5 drops of Orange
and 5 drops of Petitgrain Essential Oils.
7.) Base Mixture -1 cup of Sandalwood oil.
*A note on massage;
These massage oils may be used with someone, or you may also give yourself a massage. This is called the Abhy massage, and it quite beneficial. Its technique may be found on the Chopra Center's website at www.chopra.com.
~ARE YOU STILL IN NEED OF MORE HEALING? NOT TO WORRY, I'VE GOT YOU COVERED. WE HAVE WORKED WITH YOUR BODY (INSIDE AND OUTSIDE) AND NOW WE WILL WORK WITH YOUR MIND. READ ON....YOU ARE DOING GREAT SO FAR!
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