Healing Crystal Adornments + Innerview With Dr. Aminah Dean

Ever since my loc journey began, I have been in love with healing adornments... loc rings wih healing crystals and beads and oooooh so many other beautiful things to decorate natural hair and the body!

For centuries, crystals and natural materials have been used for healing and once we become more aware of the meanings behind them, we can easily use them in our daily life - one such way is through healing adornments! As you already know, I LOVE anything that works on a metaphysical healing level... and this can easily be used daily as a normal part of our lives.

At the moment, I am a little obsessed with mala beads... and I've recently bought a whole heap of gem rings on ebay which feel so amazing to wear. They just stand out so brightly with any outfit! The number of compliments have been amazing.

And as the festive season has begun, it is the perfect time to find adornments that will add that special something to your energy! Or it can also make for a super cute present for someone! The way I like to wear a crystal as a statement with my favourite party dress is by wearing it on my first loc alone. I love how it catches the light and people do take notice of it pretty quick! Subtle but power-full lol!

Here is a great online dictionary of crystal properties - click here. Don't forget that wood and metals have fantastic properties too - click here.

At the moment, my loves are turquoise, obsidian, onyx, moonstone and topaz. I am currently on the look-out for a good online shop that sells loc rings with these crystals. 

Tips: A little trick I do use is that I buy adjustable larger crystal rings on online stores like ebay or etsy, and they work perfectly on my locs - especially as I have thick locs and some loc rings I bought before never made it up past the tip of my locs lol! Rings do range in prices, sizes, styles etc... Another tip is to just feel which one is right for you. this is much easier when you're in an actual shop and can touch the rings... but if it's online, just do the same. Trust that gut feeling that draws you to be attracted to a certain crystal adornment. Last tip - As soon as you get home, cleans and energise the crystal. You don't know where it has been or what energy it has picked up, so pleae clear it's energy - click here for more info on this. When you wear your crystal adornment, be sure to set the intention of it before wearing, eg. "I attract love energy my way!"

Food For Thought
I want to end this post with an inspiring inner-view with a natural health therapist Dr. Aminah Dean who speaks of crystal healing and much more... I know it's long, but well worth hearing as there is much food for thought!

Lessons On My Vegetarian Journey

This week is National Vegetarian Week and I have been reflecting on my own vegie journey. I began my vegie experience in 2004 - There were many personal things going on in my life and my body was in change. I just couldn't eat or even smell meat for a long time and it became very easy to avoid meat and fish all together. In this time, I have returned to try meat/fish twice and felt sick lol. I just couldn't do it!

So what has being a vegie eater taught me?

Being vegetarian or vegan does not mean you are healthy. You can still be a fast-food-junk-atarian. It's easy to fill the empty void of meat/fish with hings that give you short term satisfaction, like junk food.

I appreciate food so much more now. I am really seeing food properly and looking at ingredients and various tastes. It has also made me much more adventurous with food. My senses feel so much sharper too.

I feel lighter, spiritually. I can't explain it but I feel that a huge weight has both spiritually and physically lifted from my body. It feels great!

My kitchen is much more simplified. OK, confession, maybe its because I still don't cook as much as I would like to... but all the stuff I used to buy are no longer there. Instead, its filled with much more raw and simplified ingredients.

It costs me less in the long run to shop. The same amount of money that I would have spent on steaks now buys me much more veg for my money. And shopping at farmer's markets mean that food is fresh and not as expensive.

Eating in season is great! There are many local farms in the UK that will send you a weekly big box of random fresh organic veg from their farms that are all in season. And it doesn't cost much, the taste is well worth it - so my friend says. I need to try this for my Self! See Veg Box Schemes

It's amazing how you connect with other vegie lovers! It's a whole new world of networking and meeting people who are passionate about food, earthy living and creativity! I love the idea of centering life connecting around food, spirituality and good company.

It takes serious discipline. It's not an over-night thing for most vegetarians/vegans/raw-foodists so its a journey to stick to for personal reasons. I also believe that people who are both meat/fish eaters and vegie eaters are quick to judge. Keeping in mind, it's a personal choice, I feel that there is no need to explain my Self. Family and friends might find it strange at first but they get over it!

My next stage... I don't drink milk but I still occasionally eat dairy. However, my body is now reacting very bad to it. So I would like to re-venture out into vegan and raw foody ways (it has been an on/off thing for a while). It's so much more simpler and easier!

... Random reflections off the top of my head. Maybe more to come soon...

National Vegetarian Week: 18th - 24th May 2009

See a full list of events in London here.

Visit The Vegetarian Society's website for information.

How will you celebrate this week?

Natural Family: Slingin' It!

This is a topic of natural family care that I have always been fascinated by... And I recently had to do some research on for a friend.

The bond between mother and child is so beautiful and special ~ Our ancestors did it. A growing number of people are loving it!

Baby carrying is not a new concept in family care - but it seems to be a growing trend that I have been noticing over the last few years! More and more mums and dads are discovering the full benefits of using this method as a practical and easy form of bonding with their children... It's true to say from observation that the child always seem to be peaceful and calm.

Another trend that supports baby carrying is attachment parenting - it promotes healthy bonding, nurturing and growth between parents and children. Read the eight principles of attachment parenting for an insight into what it's about!

Baby wearing offers the parents a wide choice of colours, styles and online shops to choose from - so there are endless possibilities where you can choose what is right for you and your little one. For info on types of baby carrier slings/carrier and tips on how to choose, please read this.

For crafty mums/dads, why not try making your own sew lovely baby sling?!? It's easy to make and you can choose your own material patterns. For sewing instructions, read this.

Holistic Parenting From The Pan - Afrikan Perspective

We LOVE this website that is dedicated to holistic African parenting and provides so much information. It comes along with a book (as shown above) too, which you can buy directly from this website. There are numerous other websites out there...

It's something that the whole family can enjoy!

For a gallery of inspirational pics, click here.

Some links for info/events/videos:

Visit: www.summerslingshow.co.uk for details of this event.