Holistic Feathers

Rain is often seen as an annoyance, next time it rains visualize it cleansing both you and the earth.

The simple miracle of water falling from the sky has been interpreted in many ways by many cultures. In various areas of the world, rain was viewed as a nourishing gift, given by well-pleased deities. Rain also served as a symbol of emotional cleansing and represented the unending union between earth and sky. Today, rain is often seen as an annoyance—something to be borne doggedly while attending to one’s usual duties. But the arrival of one or more rainy days can also be interpreted as a signal to slow down and contemplate life. When Mother Nature darkens the sky and causes drizzle to fall, freshly opened buds close and many animals settle into their nests for a period of repose. We can honor rainy days by following the example put forth by the flora and fauna around us. Even if we must venture out into a shower, we can still slow down and appreciate our connection to nature.

A rainy day spent indoors can be wonderfully uplifting. As the rain pours down, fill your home with light, sound, and comfort so that you can fully appreciate the loveliness of being snug and dry during a downpour. Storms literally change the energy in the air, and you may feel driven to follow suit by burning incense or sage, ringing bells or chimes, lighting candles, or singing. You may even feel compelled to talk to each room in your home in order to express your gratitude for the protection they give you. If, however, you feel claustrophobic rather than calm because you cannot venture outdoors, you can clear away negative energy by getting rid of clutter, sweeping away dust, and freshening your up spaces. The happier you are in your home, the more beautiful and wondrous a simple rain shower will seem.

A sheltered spot like a covered porch, sunroom, or bay window can provide you with a wonderful vantage point from which to meditatively observe raindrops as they make their descent to earth. And the pitter-patter of rain on a rooftop or car window can even be a therapeutic and soothing sound—one that reminds us that while the unforeseen will always be a part of our lives, we should never forget that nearly every cloud that comes into our lives will have a silver lining.

(c) Tres.Jolie - Flickr

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I found this fascinating quote today:

Valentines day is generally the day when men out there demonstrate their undying love for the lady in their life. Apparently,  the rest of the year is not good enough to demonstrate this consumer driven emotion called love. So while we are feeling so generous on this day, perhaps I should take the opportunity of highlighting some other ladies who need some love directed their way.biscuitinthebasket.com, Let’s show some luurrrve…. | It’s as simple as putting the biscuit in the basket, Jul 2005

You should read the whole article – it certainly lends a new slant to Valentine’s Day as we know it here in the UK.

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I LOVE marmalade … “Paddington Bear sandwiches” were always a firm favourite during my City-days!

How will you be celebrating National Marmalade Day?

… and more importantly, what is your favourite type of marmalade?!!

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You know what love is?
It is all kindness, generosity.

Disharmony prevails when
You confuse lust with love, while
The distance between the two
Is endless.

~ Rumi

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I fell off the wagon a few weeks ago … I mean, in terms of only using natural, chemical-free products on myself!

At the beginning of January, I decided to stop colouring my hair. I have been ‘au naturelle’ just once in (ouch!) 25 years … and that was during my pregnancy, 20 years ago. Time to slide into my 40th birthday gracefully and be totally natural, I thought to myself.

Still, as a dark strawberry-blonde, I needed to a way to tone in the root growth, my wise-hairs (yes, yes, yes – ok, my white hairs!) and the colour left on my past-shoulder length mane. I finally gave in and picked up two bottles of Trevor Sorbie’s Cool Coffee colour shampoo in a moment of madness.

And would you but know it? My scalp eczema flared up within a week and although it gave a nice gleam to my hair, I couldn’t bear to carry on using something that was causing me such discomfort – and so full of un-natural ingredients.

To my surprise, I noticed that Raw Gaia – our favourite skincare range – had recently launched Shikakai, a completely natural powder shampoo which gives a slightly darkened sheen to hair. Great news! I ordered a pot alongside my trade order and have fallen in love with it …

Shikakai is known as as “fruit for the hair” and the powder comes from de-shelled shikakai nuts; an ancient Ayurvedic medicine for strengthening the hair roots and said to stimulate hair growth, shikakai also has a naturally-mild pH, which means it will gently cleanse your hair without stripping it of all its natural oils.

So it was a perfect find for my sensitive scalp, meaning it could gently darken my hair over a period of time. I am thrilled with the results I have had so far … my scalp is healing nicely, my hair has a lovely shine and I no longer need to use a conditioning product after each wash.

I use the shikakai powder daily, mixed with cool water into a thick paste – if you have a dry scalp or suffer with dandruff, you can also add 1 teaspoon of neem or jojoba oil to the mixture, to give it extra conditioning and soothing properties to your tender skin.

We are delighted to now stock shikakai hair shampoo alongside the Raw Gaia skincare products we use in our Living Facial treatments (we make it a firm rule to only stock products we use ourselves), so what are you waiting for? Give this magic shampoo a try for yourself …

PS – I am also thrilled to see that Raw Gaia ship their shikakai hair wash powder in a plastic pot; I am so accident-prone that I would have to have decanted it into a tupperware container, if they’d shipped them in their usual glass jars!

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Loved this astrology update this morning from Celestial Notebook – love really is what makes the world go round, so we wanted to share this with you all …

8th – 14th February 2010

Old feelings of inferiority and ancient insecurities may surface as Mars, still retrograde in Leo, moves into a quincunx (150°) with Jupiter and Pluto (5° Leo, Pisces, Capricorn). If you tracked any problem down to its core, you’ll find fear and separation there – love heals separation, so whatever the problem is, the solution is simply love.

Whatever it is you are experiencing, be it guilt, fear, illness, or any form of conflict that causes you to feel alienated – use love, use forgiveness, use bonding as the glue to blend and the problem will disappear. Remember that love was and is ever around you and in you – despite what you may have believed before.

Should these old feeling of inferiority surface as anger you could feel the anger as it is a great mover of energy, but not to dump it on anybody. After you have released the surplus charge, ask yourself what the underlying issues or feelings may be. If appropriate, begin a healing dialogue by sharing this deeper feeling with the person who angered or irritated you without expecting any particular type of response from them.

Be truthful in your communications, whenever you withhold the truth you create an area of deadness in your emotional life. Whatever you withhold, your feelings or something that has happened creates a blockage between you and the other person. When there is no connection, there cannot ever be abundance. Your level of connection with others, especially your partner, generates abundance – not only money, but also joy and happiness.

(c) Celestial Notebook – Marelna du Plessis

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Deceptively simple, it works just like Caffe Nero’s loyalty card …

After every treatment you receive at Holistic Feathers, we will stamp your loyalty card.   After all six boxes are stamped, your next booked treatment* will be on us!

Please do remember that you will need to bring your loyalty card with you to each treatment to be stamped at that point – we are unable to back-stamp.

*Treatments must be of similar value to those you have regularly undertaken by majority – for example, if you book in for 5 facial rejuvenation treatments and 1 hot stone massage treatment, you will be able to exchange your free treatment for a facial rejuvenation treatment.

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