Infused oils and a little education...

I love infused oils.  I use them in salves, lotion bars, lip balms, even alone.  You could say I go a little oil crazy.

I currently have some calendula infused oil hanging out on my porch (among others).  My son came in the first day it was out there, and asked why on Earth I had drowned sunflowers in a jar.  I laughed, then took that opportunity to take his herbal education a little farther.  He is growing up in a home where we use herbs instead of Tylenol, baking soda instead of shampoo, and vinegar instead of cleaners, so he has a pretty good base knowledge of natural alternatives.  He’s also familiar with the herbs we use to treat his asthma, reactive airways, sinus infections, etc.  He probably knows more than most adults in this area, but apparently his oil education was lacking.

We went through the basic properties of calendula and organic olive oil.  He kept telling me, “I know Mom…”  To his credit, he has paid attention when I’ve been in the kitchen creating my concoctions.  He remembered a lot about calendula from when we made a nipple salve and lip balm a few weeks ago.  I told him about the process of infusion, why we have to wait at least 6 weeks, and why the “drowned sunflowers” go in the sunlight.  To my delight, he was enthralled!

I was not about to let this educational opportunity slip away, so we headed to my tincture cupboard.  We went through a full shelf that day, and talked about what each does and how I made it.  He helped me shake each one and check the labels.  He asked a bunch of questions about how each would affect certain conditions.  It was one of those times where you could see the information being absorbed and the wheels in his head turning.  One of my favorite sights.  We decided to add herbs to his summer curriculum.  I think everyone should have a base knowledge of herbs and basic home remedies, and this seems like the perfect time to expand his knowledge base.  It is wonderful to see him take an interest in something I love, that will serve him well as he gets older.  I am one happy mama.

Tarot Cards

What do you think of when you hear about tarot cards and their readers?  Most people I know conjure images of an old woman dressed in layers and layers of skirts and scarves, in an incense filled dark room, staring into a crystal ball.  Or maybe a gypsy in a traveling caravan.  Maybe the spooky psychic that goes into a trance...  The reality?  That would be me sitting at my dining room table, probably in my PJs.

Sorry, not as mysterious as you'd pictured.  There is a lot more to them than meets the eye though...

I've never really mentioned tarot to most people, mostly because it just hasn't come up.  I'm sure that some will be very surprised to find out that I read the cards regularly.  They are not the work of the devil, evil, or anything of that nature.  Honestly, those opinions, while they are opinions, are usually based on miseducation.  They are in fact based on archetypes, intuition, and the interconnected world we live in.  They are incredibly useful in personal meditation, besides the more known uses.  There is a long, long, seriously long, history associated to tarot cards.  I won't get into that, but there are some awesome books on the subject that I highly recommend if you are interested.  

Have you ever taken a True Colors test?  Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment?  Studied the work of Carl Jung?   If so, then you will find many of the tarot cards extremely familiar.  The major arcana are actually archetypes that correspond very closely (if not exactly) to these personality types.  We all have these parts of our personality, they are just in different orders, concentrations, etc.  In fact, I have taught True Colors workshops in the past, and was amazed that the Orange characteristics are described identically, verbatim, to the wands suit of tarot cards.  Odd how things don't always mean what you think they do at first glance.  I know of several psychologists or counselors who even use tarot cards to help their patients explore their inner psyche with great success.  

I'm sure I'll talk more about this eventually, but the point of this post is more to share my excitement!  There is a beautiful set of tarot cards that is about to be released that have been in the works for 7 years!!!  7 years!  That is a long time to wait.  Here is one of the cards that I just fell in love with!  (This image belongs to Mary-el, http://www.mary-el.com/5swords.html)

I am so excited to get this deck and try it out!  The artwork is amazing, and looks like it will read beautifully as well.  I've heard stellar reviews from everyone who's tried it out and studied the scans.  

By the way, happy Monday!

Warning: Vagina Talk! But it could be helpful...

Have you ever heard of a menstruation cup? Mama cloth? I have found that a lot of people have no idea what these things are. A menstruation cup is a small flexible cup that you insert into your vagina to collect the menstruation blood. Mama cloth is simply a cloth pad. Neither is a new concept. Some cultures had women sit on a large cup for the entirety of their period, others used natural sea sponges, others used cloth. We have developed disposable everything, so it's not surprising that we have one for our periods.

Disposable options are not always the best choice. Personally, I react to them. I also don't like to use disposable pads and tampons because of the chemicals and the insane amount of trash that they cause.

When I first heard about the Diva cup, my first thought was, "You want me to put that where?"

Then I researched it. Researched some more. And a little more for good measure.

Then I bought one, and waited. I'm still breastfeeding Britches, so I hadn't had my first postpartum period at the time. While I waited, I made some more mama cloth too. I used cloth during my postpartum bleeding, but it was more of a "Hey, I am having a bad reaction to these pads, let me whip up something that will work temporarily." I sew cloth diapers all the time, so mama cloth was a piece of cake. I knew from the reaction I had to postpartum pads that disposable would not be an option for me long term. Oddly enough, I hadn't had a regular period since conceiving Tater (who is now 8). The pad/tampon thing had not been an issue for a long time.

I waited and waited. Then on Britches' first Birthday (how's that for timing?), Aunt Flo came to town.

I tried the Diva cup with a mama cloth liner. It is... weird. When I first put it in, it was a very different sensation. It has a learning curve. Most people seem to make leaks their first couple of days, until they figure out how to place it. Mine was pretty easy, I just popped it in. In the directions it will tell you to turn it, I didn't. I tried, but quickly figured out that wasn't going to happen. It worked perfectly. No leaks. By the end of the first day, that "weird" sensation was gone, and I was a convert.

Taking it out is really not any harder than removing a tampon, or Ben Wa balls. Every 12 hours I took it out, emptied it, washed it with mild soap, and popped it back in. Worked like a charm.

I loved the mama cloth too. I tried just that for a day, and it worked perfectly. I used the same materials I use to make soakers for cloth diapers. I topped one with a wicking material (pulls moisture through it) for a stay dry feeling. The other I made with all natural absorbent materials. Both felt great, so much better than disposables.

I would highly recommend the Diva cup and mama cloth to anyone.

I have to share a chuckle too. Grizzly acted completely grossed out talking about the cup for the first time. He even made a face. We talk about everything, so it is totally normal for us to discuss my cycle. I swear, he knew it better than I did when we were trying to conceive. I asked if he'd rather I used disposable, and his tune did a 180. He said, "No, I love that you use these. It's natural, better for you, no trash, and the best part: it's cheaper!" He's 100% behind me using the cup and cloth, even if it is largely due to financial reasons. He is even willing to do the laundry, now that's love...