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www.theblisspages.com - new ageLinks on this page: new age : active lightworks : EFT : feeling at home with homeopathy : healthy lifestyle day 2006 : herbal remedies : indian head massage : labyrinth walk : labyrinth walk and circle dancing : Mind Body Soul Exhibition 2004 : Mind Body Soul Exhibition 2005 : Mind Body Soul Exhibition 2006 : now look into my eyes... : Puja : reflexology : Shiatsu : shiatsu and seiki spring workshop : The Radiance Technique : theholisticpages : therapies taster night : therapies taster night - July 2006 : web course : whitehawk family festival 2005 : aromatherapy : massage : shiatsu : labyrinths : light therapy : sound therapy : mind
I try to be open-minded about alternative and complementary therapies. I've tried many, disliked some and found others very powerful and sometimes inexplicable.
I've had some interesting experiences at the Mind Body Spirit Festival, which in 2004 was held in London at the Horticultural Halls, Victoria from 26 - 31 May.
I was recently contacted by Shyam Kalki, who has created an interesting and comprehensive site, The Loving Heart Centre. It's well worth a browse, with mentions of crystals, yoga, Amma, religions, chanting and flower remedies.
You might also be interested to see my yoga page.
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I've
been interested in aromatherapy and massage for years. I've done a few courses
and had some friends who were gaining qualifications in aromatherapy who needed
'victims' to practice on. Thanks, Pieta and Fran! I keep about 50 different
oils and a few years ago was talking to a friend whose grandfather was a GP,
and she mentioned they still had his collection of oils, which were fifty years
old! To cut a long story short, they gave me the oils and I spent many happy
hours researching them, some of which were quite obscure, and at least one of
which turned out to be a contact poison!
The oils I was given were Aurantie Amari, Bergamot, Cade, Cajuput, Caryophylii, Cedar, Celery, Citronellę, Geranii, Jasmin, Juniper, Limonis, Neroli, Petitgrain, Pine, Pini Sylvestris, Sassafras and Verbena.
I've never seen any information about old oils - indeed, some books claim that oils such as citronella lose their potency after a year. However, if you smell the citronella, it has a nose like an old wine. That sort of, just over the plateau, gracefully declining, ancient and knowing nose that says, "been there, done that, got the tee-shirt". A bit like me really!
Other oils I have are: Benzoin resinoid, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Chamomile (blue), Chamomile (Roman), Clary Sage, Clove, Coriander, Cyprus, Elemi, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Ho Leaf, Jasmin Absolute, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Marjoram, Melissa (organic), Myrrh, Neroli (organic), Niaouli (organic), Olibanum (frankincense), Orange (sweet), Palmorosa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Pimento, Rose Absolute, Rosemary, Sandalwood Mysore, Silver Fir (organic), Spearmint, Tagettes, Tea Tree, Tea Tree (organic), Thyme (wild), Vetyver, Violet and Ylang Ylang.
Neal's Yard and Bay House Aromatics are both good sources of aromatherapy oils - and you can order online! I've been searching for some hard-to-get oils like Violet and I found Nature's Gift, an informative US-based site, and Alexander Essentials, a UK-based site, who I've ordered from and recommend.
I found an interesting article about Aromatherapy and Diabetes by Jane Buckle, PhD, MA, RN in Diabetes Spectrum.
A couple of useful sites about aromatherapy oils are Amateur Aromatherapy and The Guide to Aromatherapy, or if you want an alternative viewpoint, see The Skeptic's dictionary!
topI have had 'chair' massages at work (regettably curtailed at present due to limited finances) and have also tried Swedish, Thai, and Shiatsu massages.
Marianne Auer runs on-site 'chair' massage and reflexology in London and has been working as a freelance practitioner since 1999. She also works in Holmes Place, Barbican and used to work at Bliss, a health centre on Portobello Rd. More information is available on her website at www.handsonpeople.co.uk. Chair massage is a fully-clothed massage treatment given in a specially-designed chair. The technique used is based on a Japanese acupressure massage technique called Amma. This massage is applied to the head, back, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. It is designed to enhance circulation, relax and energise and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. You can contact Marianne at info@handsonpeople.co.uk.
I also
go to The Heeler Centre in Hassocks, where I have had great aromatherapy massages.
Julie Forbes, the therapist, uses various oils including a mixture of Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang and Rosemary
in almond oil. I'm still not sure if I sometimes fall asleep or am just in a deep meditative state,
but I feel much calmer after the massage, which feels like it lasts only a few minutes but is in fact
an hour! If my shoulders are a bit stiff before, afterwards they feel like they've had a good workout.
Check it out at www.heeler.co.uk.
Click here for information on my diabetes page for Massage Treatments for Clients with Diabetes. I also found an interesting article, Is Massage Useful in the Management of Diabetes? A Systematic Review by Jeanette Ezzo, MsT, MPH, PhD, Thomas Donner, MD, Diane Nickols, BA, PA-C and Mary Cox, MsT, BS in Diabetes Spectrum.
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I've
always been fascinated with labyrinths and have a few books on them, one
of which I bought at Hampton Court and is called "Mazes and Labyrinths in Great
Britain", written by John Martineau. It seems that the maze at Hampton Court
was created in or before 1690.
Robert Field has written a booklet "Mazes Ancient & Modern", which is also interesting.
I also bought "The Magic of Labyrinths", by Liz Simpson.
The best and most interesting book I've seen on labyrinths is "Labyrinths Ancient Myths & Modern Uses" by Sig Lonegren, which starts by talking about sacred space, then moves on to classic labyrinths, their history and philosophy and moves on to practical uses in creating them for problem-solving, ceremonies and meditation. The book also talks about gnowing, from the latin gnoscere "to know". This is basically linking the intuitive and rational sides of ourselves, as was practiced by the Gnostics, an early group of Christians.
Although I count myself as atheistic, I have experiences on phenomena that I gnow but haven't been able to explain, from Touch for Health (or Kinesiology), through feeling other people's moods without touching them in Shiatsu, to one out-of-body experience during yogic meditation.
Here are some labyrinth sites:
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I've
always been interested in colour as anyone who has seen my shirts will know!
I've come across Aura-Soma therapy a few times and have been impressed by it.
The first time I met it was at the Festival for Mind, Body and Spirit in London,
shortly after the breakup of my first marriage, when I was very low. The people
on the Aura-Soma
stand showed me a row of bottles with different coloured oils and I chose the
one that attracted me to it. From the colours I chose, they were able to tell
a lot about me, including the fact that a relationship had just broken down.
I was impressed, and I few years later, I bought the bottle shown here. I wonder
what the colours say about me?
... weird or what? When I first went to the Aura-Soma site the main bottle shown
on their home page was identical to my bottle.
I gather that deep insight and bliss is connected to orange.
I recently found some information about "my bottle". I think it could be no. 39 called "Egyptian
bottle II / The Puppeteer". It seems I should apply it on my hairline and abdomen and is description
is: knowledge, serving the world, determination to use one's own knowledge properly. Alternatively
it may be no. 72, "The Clown / Pagliacci", to be applied over the entire torso for communication
and nurturing of inner emotional needs.
I am also interested in the effects of sound. It is obvious that music can have a great effect on your emotions and mood, so it is but a short step to using it for healing and therapy. At home, I have various drums, tibetan cymbals, chimes and bells, not to mention a harmonium (so if you ever hear me mention my six-foot organ, I'm being serious!).
I have various tapes and CDs including Jill Purce "The Healing Voice, a lecture and meditation", Chris James "Desert Dreams in an Ancient Land", The Gyuto Monks "Freedom Chants", and Paul Horn "Inside the Great Pyramid".
In 2002, I went to "Healing Sounds of Mantra Chanting", as part of Brighton Festival, and bought a couple of CDs.
I have some sound books in my collection, "Healing Sounds" by Jonathan
Goldman, "Healing Music" by Andrew Watson & Nevill Drury and "Chanting:
Discovering Spirit in Sound" by Robert Gass.
Lastly, other books that have influenced me include "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Richard Bach, about a seagull who trancends reality and finds a new level of existence above the mundane. I also have a copy of the film.
"Love
is Letting Go of Fear", by Gerald G Jampolsky (or Jerry as he is known
on his website) is a book of which I've given away about a dozen copies. It can give
a lot of help and comfort, and helped me with the pain of the breakup of my
first marriage, along with The
Samaritans. A truly wonderful book.
I liked a quote I found from another book of his, "Goodbye to Guilt":
"We need to remind ourselves that peace or conflict is always our choice.
We are truly responsible for what we experience. Peace does not come to us by
chance or good luck. Peace or conflict always comes from a decision we have
made ourselves - a decision to put into our minds only loving thoughts, or a
decision to hold on to thoughts that are fearful, judgmental, and attacking."
While making rounds on a pediatric oncology ward, Dr. Jerry Jampolsky overheard
an 8 year-old boy ask his doctor "What is it like to die?". The doctor
ignored the question and changed the subject. Jerry wrote:
"I think the physician was fearful of addressing the question. When
I investigated this further, I discovered that changing the subject was not
an uncommon response to these questions." In response, he founded the Center for Attitudinal Healing in 1975.
I find "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran has some very apposite chapters
in it, about life and death, love and sorrow, eating and drinking, teaching
and children. I've found the
full text of the Prophet online, and here's a sample of the book:
"Then said a rich man, Speak to us of Giving.
And he answered:
You give but little when you give your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."
Diabetes has moved to its own page. Please go to my diabetes page.
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: © Mike Bliss 2008