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Kitchen Skin is the art of creating beneficial products for your skin right in your own kitchen using, for the most part, everyday ingredients in your kitchen. You may need to purchase a couple of specialty items such as glycerin, beeswax or a special herb but they should be readily available at your local health food store/herbal supplier/pharmacy. In a previous article I provided home recipes for cleansers, toners and masks for various skin needs. In this article are recipes for a family moisturizer and herbal baths for pleasurable and therapeutic body skin care.

This is a moisturizer that all the family can use:

Light Rose Moisture Cream

(for all skin types)

1 tsp beeswax

1 tsp lanolin

1 tbsp almond oil

½ tsp wheat germ oil

1/8 tsp borax

3 tbsp rosewater, warmed

6 drops essential oil of rose or rose geranium

Melt the beeswax and lanolin together, stirring constantly.

Warm the oils gently and gradually beat them into the waxes. Dissolve the borax in the rosewater and slowly add to the oil and wax mixture, beating constantly until cool.

Stir in the rose oil as the mixture begins to thicken. Spoon into sterile jar and label.

For use on the face.

Herbs in the Bath

A cleansing, soothing bath can be achieved by the addition of dried herbs, herbs as essential oils or teas.

Although it’s a romantic idea to sprinkle scented leaves and flowers directly onto the water, it’s not advisable. You will emerge from such a bath like a creature from a swamp, with plant bits clinging to every part of your body! Instead, place herbs in a tea infuser and put into your bath as it is filling up or hang tea bags over the faucet as the water is running. Or, make a tea in advance and then pour the tea into your bath water. Several drops (5-10) of an essential oil allows you to lie in an envelope of fragrance and feel their beneficial power.

For true relaxation, which is balance, you may choose a calming or a stimulating bath:

For a calming bath the following herbs are good. Use teabag, in a tea diffuser or essential oil:

Chamomile

Lavender

If you infuse (let sit) 2 oz of dried or 4 oz of fresh herb in milk (not skim) for 2 hours, strain and add to bath you will soften and freshen your skin at the same time.

A stimulating bath can be very balancing for exhaustion, worry, and a sluggish system. Try the following:

Mint

Lemon Balm

Sage

Thyme (antiseptic properties)

Basil (helps clear the head of congestion and confusion)

Rosemary (helps improve memory)

To soothe itchiness, aching muscles try the following:

Bring 2 ½ cups of apple cider vinegar and a handful of fresh bath herbs to the boil, then infuse overnight. Strain and bottle. Add a cupful of this mixture to your bath for its beneficial effects.

Penny Waters

Master Herbalist

can be reached at: 208 597 4343 or sunpen54@yahoo.com

Last year I was blessed to be invited to Tasmania, Australia to teach healing classes and to offer private sessions. During that quiet retreat time half way around the world I entered into a process of deep reflection and received some wonderful insights about the art of forgiveness. They have truly blessed my life, and I would like to share them with you.
Many people look at forgiveness as the most selfless act one can do for another human being. From my view point it is totally for the benefit of the giver! When we hold on to resentment, anger, sadness, fear, or hatred it can literally weigh us down with negativity. We are unable to truly move forward into the future with peace and clarity of direction. Sometimes our physical health suffers as well, leaving us in chronic pain and discomfort. Then all of our actions seem to have a dark cloud over them. That is because our bodies, minds, and spirits are blocked by unresolved traumas from the past. The act of forgiveness releases those old thought patterns and emotions and clears the way for self healing and restoration.
So why do people hang on to these negative emotions? One reason is that they might feel they are right in the conflict, and therefore justified in their emotional reactions. Another reason is that they could feel that if they let go of the negativity they will somehow let go of the memory of the incident, and no one will know the wrong that was done to them. Or maybe they feel a sense of empowerment by keeping those negative reactions alive as the result of an apparently powerless situation. Whatever the case, those negative emotions only continue to harm the person thinking them. The other people involved probably have moved on with their lives, and don’t give it a second thought! Just remember, when you forgive another you will never forget the incident, but you will dramatically release your emotional attachment to it. It is like saying, “Okay, it happened. I will never forget. But I set myself free of this unbearable emotional burden I have been carrying around, so I can get on with my life.”
When you forgive, you set yourself free.
Many times people want to forgive but their minds hold them into unrelenting negative patterns. Forgiveness takes a change of action, and takes practice. I suggest you try writing a “poison pen letter” to those who have wronged you. You will never mail it to them, but it will be used as a process to let go of your emotional attachment surrounding the situation. Sit down with a pen and paper and write down all of your feelings that you have about the incident and the people involved. Let go of all stops. Use expletives if needed! The idea is to let loose of all the feelings that you have been holding on to and get them out. No one but you is going to see this letter, and you will probably feel whole a lot better afterwards. When you have finished writing and feel released, take the letter, tear it up and throw it away. Imagine all of those negative feelings dissolving, until you are free of them. This process may take a few times, but each act of release will be rewarded with greater insight into the situation, and finally, and act of forgiveness itself.
The more you release those negative emotions, the more you will know when it is time to forgive and let go. I suggest setting aside a quiet space for yourself to consciously begin the forgiveness process. Make sure you have no distractions, such as children, pets, or phone calls. Sit down and close your eyes. Take deep breaths and relax. Keep your feet flat on the ground. Imagine breathing in light through your nostrils, and breathing out all negativity through your mouth. Continue to do so for several breaths, and then just breathe normally through your nose. When you are ready, imagine calling to you the person or persons that have hurt you. Then look into their eyes, one by one. With your heart leading the way, tell them your feelings and that you forgive them and set them free. Imagine them turning around, and walking away towards the Light.
The next step in the forgiveness process is to call to you the person or persons that you have knowingly hurt or betrayed through your actions. Again, with your heart leading the way, look into their eyes one at a time and tell them that you are truly sorry and ask for forgiveness. Then let them go into the Light too. Keep doing this process until no one else comes to mind.
The last step in the process, and the most important, is to forgive yourself for any past actions. Sit with this for a while until you feel fully renewed. Then slowly open your eyes, and realize you are free to begin a new life without any emotional strings tying you down. Repeat this process as much as necessary.
As you become more adept at the Art of Forgiveness, you will notice that situations may arise that you can forgive right away. You will be able to release your anger, hatred, fears, resentments, or dissatisfactions much sooner that before. You may feel happier in your life, and ready to try new, creative endeavors. Old worries may seem to vanish, being replaced by more peace in your life. Remember, the more you practice forgiveness the easier it becomes. And good luck with your journey.

Ilani Kopiecki, BA, CMT & IET is a CranioSacral Therapist and Therapeutic Massage Practitioner here in Sandpoint. She maintains her practice at Stepping Stones Wellness Center.