As we are getting ready to enter gateway 1 Sacred words I was wondering what changes have you made in your life so far?
Have you noticed the benefits of these changes?
What things are particularly hard for you, why and how did you work around these things?
Reclaiming old knowledge and habits has been the biggest change in my life so far. I've started taking steam baths for the womb monthly again and feel refreshed, not only does it give a nice closure to the end of my period, it also rejuvenates and tightens the vagina which takes making love to a whole new level ;-) This is a link http://www.femmytight.com/home.htm to an on line store which sells herbal "teabags" for steam baths. I don't use this brand but this is just to give an idea their info is in English the brand I use is in dutch and sranang tongo.
I drink dandelion tea a few times a day and since drinking this my nr2 is regular. I am going to get some yogi tea's after all the rave I've heard on YMIB
I've stopped eating any fish or animal byproducts I thought this was going to be a big challenge for me but so far no relapsing or cravings
I've changed my way of praying which was extremely difficult as a born and raised Roman Catholic every single prayer I was ever thought was in some way directed to Jesus which made me more reluctant each day to pray now that I have changed my prayers I once again find internal peace and reassurance from praying.
Once a week I give myself a Hammam treatment with a mud wrap, sea salt scrub and a nurturing body creme I've also established an easy and fuzz free schedule to take care of my face and body 2x a day
I haven't made an altar but I've arranged a few items on a shelf near my bed, my rite of passage ring, a mahogany representation of the Mother Goddess (given to me by my father), an aloe vera plant, a wooden cup given to me by a native indian when my father took me to their village for a visit it is beautifully carved I use this to put my 7 spirit incense which I cleanse my items and self with. I am sure I will add some more pieces as time passes.
I have yet to buy some flower essences and rose quarts but I have started wearing my jade pendant that was given to me by my godmother. I don't think I will get some rose quarts to rub over the womb but I will get some for my waist-beads.
Biggest issue for me was/is definitely establishing a sacred woman timetable. I decided to take baby steps and just wake up a few minutes earlier each day. I have to figure out how to keep this time to myself because my youngest wakes up quite early. He stays in his bedroom until DH or I get up so now every time I get up earlier he is ready to come downstairs with me which doesn't give me anytime for garden libation and early yoga.
Turning all attention to my womb has given me several epiphany's mainly about my interaction with others. The last 10 yrs I've retreated from family and friends and I think I am now ready to allow them back into my life (slowly!) so called friends and family members have distanced themselves from me when I got more ill and I feel that the divine had a lot to do with that. All remaining family and friends are worthy of my energy. The 3 most important people I want to establish better understanding with are my eldest son who needs a lot of guidance now that he is entering his teens, my little brother who I had a falling out with 3 yrs ago after he left his woman and 2 month old baby, we both miss each other but somehow we never got as close as how we were before this incident and last my father I never thought I would have to build a relationship with him and was quite content living without him in my life, since he and my mother are reunited I have no choice but to try and build a relationship with him. 2 weeks from now both of my parents will be here for a visit and I decided I would ask my father to start a herb garden with me so we can spend more time together and he can teach his herbal knowledge to me.
Overall I feel rejuvenated, more in touch with my Goddess-self, better understanding towards my DH and sons, more in touch with the world and more aware of the impact that everything I do has on mother earth.
There are more things I would like to do and change but I think that doing things slowly so they become a habit is better than scam-ping through and going through the motions without overstanding.
Blessings,
Chayil
Spiritual Bath
Hey, Hello, Hiii
From one parent to another (mom of two boys) - hang in there :0)
I think the most noticeable for me would be me following through with a few goals set. For me, setting goals and following through with them hasn't been easy. When I found myself getting on up outta bed and doing yoga I was like...ummmm, look at you!!!! The body was intune and connecting with nature. It wasn't hard physically but mentally, I was worn out. It's like I could easily list all the wise and beneficial reasons for rising early but when it came time to take action my mind hesitated. I had to get my mind right-exercise your mind to follow through.
My diet is pretty much the same - no eating of the flesh, although I did try that new fish sandwhich combo at Soncis. I've tried raw for like four days, maybe I'll make it to a week before spring, imma try. It's just that I'm used to cooking with the flesh and well, I'm kinda tried of starches and carbs, I mean, I eat pasta, rice, beans, potatoes, roots, and lots of veggies, but man, I want more variety in my diet. I'm not too big of a fan of tofu but I'll eat it, I love to cook, so coming up with new ways to prepare things is an experience.
I've followed through with my garden...mmm hmmm, last Saturday, I started some: eggplant, cucumbers, onion, lettuce, tomato, dill, and chives.
Yeah, I do the teas in my bath too! When I was unable to purchase or find some of the items listed by Q.A., I improvised and found that adding some tea bags to my bath was invigorating! It was new to me because I'd never considered adding tea bags to my bath. It works though, and rather well. I used my fav. plantation mint and cranberry/apple. I liked the way my body felt, enjoyed inhaling the scents, and felt like i was in an apple orchard of some sorts.
I PRAY for the predators that hunt me.
Little ones :)
Chayil, thank you for sharing these first stages of your journey, it sounds like you're doing wonderfully. When you got to the part about your son getting up with you and not having time to do libations or yoga, this made me think of how I used to drive my mother crazy by bothering her and climbing on her when she would try to exercise or do anything for herself, lol.
But maybe on days when he does get up with you, you could invite him to participate in your morning ritual (I know that's a tall order, young children can be a bit all over the place at times) and pour libations with you, maybe even try some yoga poses. That could turn into a very positive time for the two of you, so sometimes you'll have your ritual to yourself, other times you share it and bond with your son. I kind of wish my mom had been showing me about pouring libations and doing yoga when I was little, that would have been nice! :)
:-)
He is definately a busy body! I wouldn't mind him joining me if it wasn't for the 1001 question he asks lol I will pray about this and ask God for some more patience to deal with him in the early morning. I was also a very early riser and my mom would not allow me to join her in libation and prayers but I was allowed to sit quiet as a mouse and observe I feel extremely blessed to have witnessed my moms devotion to her creator so early in my life. My lil one has "ants in his pants" and cannot sit quiet for more than 4 min so that is not going to work here.
http://chayil-sacred-woman.blogspot.com/
Monthly Womb Steam Baths
This is a new concept for me...could you share the herbs that are used for the bath?
http://yeyeyeyeo.blogspot.com
Mothering is an act of revolution!
In all honesty I have no
In all honesty I have no clue what the latin names or english names for these herbs and plants are. These are some of the Surinam names: Psidium guajave, Ajoja, djeme blacka oema and para klem. Most of these names are so called "nicknames" for these plants and herbs and from the name you can direct the medicinal use of the plants. E.g. blacka oema means black woman and is also given as a tea after birth I think it was named this because a lot of afrikan descendants have sickle cell or thalassemia and this helps to pure the blood and restore the HB It cleanses the vagina especially after birth or cycle
Djeme means moan ehum it stimulates the nerve endings and makes sex more intens hence the moaning
para klem para is the place where this is found the most and klem means trapped or tight. THis herb tightens the vagina.
I am sure there are european or northern american herbs and plants with the same medicinal use I just have no idea wich ones.
Blessings,
Chayil
http://chayil-sacred-woman.blogspot.com/