Holistic Healing with Hydrotherapy (Pagan Blog Project "H")

Hydrotherapy is a therapeutic healing process used to revitalize and restore health; it has actually existed for centuries in ancient Rome, China, and Japan, but probably the most well known source is Sebastian Kneipp, priest who treated disease by eliminating body toxins and waste through the use of... yep you guessed it, water. He revolutionized Naturopathy after curing himself of Tuberculosis by immersing himself in the freezing Danube River. This prompted his study of the healing power of water and plants. He was known to send people to the local hot springs and mineral springs for a healthy dose of a good soaking. He became a pioneer in the field of holistic healing and holistic teacher.

How does applications of water and soaking in water restore health? Well, we all know cold water is stimulating and refreshing but it also causes blood vessels to constrict, slowing the flow of blood to organs, and alleviates swelling and bruising; hot water of course is relaxing and soothing, aids in alleviating muscle pain and stress/anxiety, but it also causes blood vessels to open up, and aids in eliminating toxins and waste from body tissue. When you combine the two by alternating hot and cold you are aiding you body in eliminating waste, improving circulation, decreasing inflammation, reducing pain, stress/anxiety, aiding your digestive and immune systems, as well as calming your pulmonary and endocrine systems. Can you say, WOW!

Hydrotherapy treatments include, steam baths, spas, hot and cold compresses or wraps, foot soaks, sitz baths, water massage.

Hot Spring/Healing Water Deities

Sulus, goddess of the hot springs in Bath, England

Adsullata, goddess of hot springs

Arnamentia, goddess of spring waters, healing and purification

Sirona, goddess of healing springs and waters

Aveta, goddess of healing waters

Temazcalteci, goddess of steam baths and medicine

Borvo, god associated with bubbling spring waters

Glanis, god of a healing spring in Glanum

Grannus, god associated with spas and mineral springs

Brigid, goddess associated with healing waters

Sources

http://www.kneipp.com/kneipp_philosophy/sebastian_kneipp.html

en.wikipedia.org

Purple Goldstone

Is this not a gorgeous stone? Look at the sparkles and patterns! It's man made in a lab, the purple variation of goldstone, but isn't it beautiful? I love the deep purple color! I found this particular stone at my favorite store in the Arizona Mills Mall a few years ago... Black Market Minerals. I can spend hours in that store!

HISTORY: Goldstone has been around since the Rennaisance period when early Monks were working in a glass factory, practicing alchemy via a fortunate happenstance, some molten copper was tipped into a container of molten glass which crystallized into thousands of tiny crystals forming a gorgeous melt with sparkles in it, and "monkstone aka goldstone" was born. Yes, sometimes accidents are wonderous things!

HEALING PROPERTIES: Purple Goldstone aka Purple Sandstone, being a crystalline entity containing copper and manganese is considered a healing stone; it is beneficial in increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation, as well as stabilizing emotions, and encouraging one to remain calm. Because of its copper content it is also an energy generator, and protects against negative energy. Purple Goldstone is associated with the Heart, Throat, and Third Eye Chakras; it aids in opening psychic awareness.

Septarian Stone

This is a Septarian Stone aka Dragon Stone; I bought it in a local store while browsing... I saw it and thought it was very unusual and just had to have it. This stone is larger than the palm of my hand and has a good solid weight to it. I find it's appearance fascinating... from the yellowish crystals on the inside to the scale like appearance of the outside. 

Septarian is a result of volcanic eruptions and dead sea life that formed into mud balls (nodules) 50 to 70 million years ago. When the oceans receded the mud balls were exposed to sunlight and dried and cracked, the benzine content causing them to shrink, causing cracks inside. Decomposed shells seeped into these cracks and Calcite crystals (the center) were formed. The outer walls transformed into Aragonite (the brown line) and Limestone (the greyish rock). 

Septarian's metaphysical properties are a combination of the minerals that it contains, making it a powerful stone. It aids in communication with Mother Earth, aids in overall healing and health, and it's a good grounding tool; it relates to the Root and Solar Plexis Chakras and aids in communication with others and promotes in being heard and understood. It's healing properties include healing of the degeneration of teeth, bones and muscles; it banishes nightmares, negative energy and blocks psychic attacks, and when held promotes the feeling of peace.

Labradorite

I came across this stone a couple years ago and snapped it right up. I'm in love Labradorite! It is just beautiful and I love to hold it in my hands. It's mainly green but in the light the color shifts and and you can see gold and blue... this is called labradorescense. Different stones may even include violets, oranges and reds. 

Labradorite is the gemstone for magick, it is said to awakens innate magickal powers in those that wear it or carry it and may include mental and intuitive powers, clairvoyance, telepathy, astral travel, prophecy, psychic reading, past-life recall, and communication with spirits and guides. Wearing it as a pendant it can center the wearer in constant awareness of the multiple layers of reality and enhance the sending and receiving of impulses in all varieties of magick. As earings it can enhance the wearer's hearing of spiritual messages; on the Third Eye in meditation it fascilitates visionary experiences past and present and other domains of time.

It is used for divination. It holds hues of the rainbow visible only when held in the light; this effect mirrors the ability to move through the unseen realms while purifying one's energies in the Light. It is a stone of strength and unity behind duality; it aids in penetrating the veils between worlds, and aids Light Working. It is a great stone for all of the chakras. It is a highly mystical, and protective stone.

Labradorite aids in creating a force field in your aura as a protective shield, and it is an important aid when working with Elements; it assists in invoking them as well as enabling empowerment of the Elements and ensuring they are in proper proportion within your energy. It can also assist in uncovering unconscious and subconscious belief patterns in our emotional states, help reveal mystery illnesses, show patterns that have created illness and amplify one's healing thoughts and prayers.

Did I mention it is my favorite stone? I also have a pendant but I don't wear it as often as I should; I'm not much of a jewelry wearer, but I love the pendant, its simple and square.

Mina wanted in the photo too, LOL

(info taken from The Book of Stones by Robert Simmons & Naisha Ahsian... love this book!)

Tonight's Cards & Sunday's Cards

Tonight's (Monday's) Cards
Tonight Mut dropped out, and I drew Haumea, then with my Ascended Masters deck I drew Epona.

(1) Mut says: "It is time to mother yourself. Healing awaits." As Nut fell out during the shuffle, this card has a special message for me. Mut's name means Mother; she is honored as the Mother of Mothers. The Egyptians believed that Mut gave birth to the Cosmos. She is often depicted with the head of a vulture; according to their beliefs, the vulture bore the ability to reproduce without a male. For any woman that bears wounds from maternal relationships, Mother Mut invites us to find healing within ourselves. She tells us that although we cannot change the past we are able to fulfill any needs that remain unresolved. I have actually been working on healing myself via shadow work and CoDA, so this card goes along with that; it also says don't dwell on my past mistakes, focus on NOW and go forward and heal :)

(2) Haumea says: "You will safely give birth to something powerful." Haumea is a Polynesian Goddess who was accredited for teaching women how to give birth by pushing their babies out through the vulva. Folklore dictates that before they were taught natural childbirth, their babies were cut from their wombs like our modern day C-Section. Another myth claims that the Goddess Pele was born from Haumea's armpit; this indicates the awesome fertility of Haumea, for all life could be born from all of her body parts; she was credited for giving birth to all creatures of the Earth; she is also the Goddess of Vegetation. This card goes nicely with Mut, and says through healing, I will give birth to something amazing.

(3) Epona's card says "Crystals" this card indicates that I would benefit from working with crystals. Epona is the Fairy Queen and knows the value of connecting withe spirit of nature. Anyone that knows me, knows I    L O V E  crystals and stones, with that in mind, this card indicates that I might have a life purpose working with crystals. I'd love to learn how to do that, but workshops are ridiculously expensive! But I do love them, and I collect them... just can't resist LOL. This card indicates that I should use crystals to assist the healing process.

So reading all three cards together, I get:  Don't dwell on the past, focus on NOW;go forward and heal. By nurturing myself, and focusing on healing myself, I will give birth to something amazing, and working with crystals will benefit this process.

C O O L, I like this reading!


Sunday's Cards
All day Sunday I felt icky... very low energy and light headed, just plain bleck! I basically slept all day; I got up just long enough to take my son to work, then went back home and slept until 6 PM, took a shower, went grocery shopping, put them away, watched Netflix until it was time to pick up my son, returned home, watched TV a little more, retired to my bedroom, did a reading with my Goddess Inspiration deck, but didn't feel up to powering up my puter to type it all out last night, so I'm doing it tonight LOL.

While shuffling, two cards fell out together; they were Sarasvati and Spider Woman... both indian deity, although from two separate regions of the World... Sarasvati, Eastern Indian, and Spider Woman, Western Indian, and interestingly enough, both these goddesses are related to teaching and creating.

Sarasvati is the Hindu Goddess of Knowledge; graceful and beautiful, she is held in special esteem by students, writers, and musicians. Her aspects include Wisdom, Education, and Music. She is able to banish all ignorance, and bring education to anyone desiring enlightenment. She is sometimes pictured accompanied by a swan. The swan represents the ability to distinguish actions that are good and sincere from actions that are insincere. She is also depicted as sitting on a lotus which symbolizes absolute truth.

Her card says:

"Enlightenment awaits you. Prepare for it."

Spider Woman is the Native American Goddess of Creation; all creatures are connected through Her woven web. Spider Woman existed before the World; she created the four directions of the universe with her spinning and chanting. Within the sacred space of the universe, she produced her daughters, Ut Set and Nau Ut Set, who by following their Mother's directions, created the Sun, Moon and stars while Mother Spider spun her web and created all of life and formed the mountains, lakes, oceans, deserts, and all the different races of people from colored clays; each human being was connected to her with her last bit of thread from her web. Spider Woman is known as the Creator of Life, the Great Teacher, Protector, and Mother. Her aspects include Connections, Creation, and Diversity. She is the Sacred guardian overseeing the welfare of all those in need.

Her card says:

"Find a way to connect the threads."

Hmm... these cards actually go together very well; together, they are telling me that by connecting the threads I will find enlightenment. But now I'm trying to figure out what this is applying to in my life because at this present time, I am not faced with a puzzling situation and/or a problem needing a solution; things have actually settled down and been pretty quiet lately, so maybe this is something entering my life... something in my near future??? Or maybe it is simply reinforcing something that is passing from my life, telling me "See, I told you everything would be ok!" AND  "If you are patient and persevere, things WILL work out; you WILL find a solution!"  OR, maybe this reading IS the puzzle, because it's sure making me puzzled LOL