Making Salt

Ghandi and the 1930 Salt Satyagraha: A Spring Walk Worth Remembering

Mahatma Gandhi once walked 240 miles to make salt at the edge of the Arabian Sea. It was an act of treason. A way to subvert British rule. It was classic civil disobedience: a simple, deliberate act of life sustaining labor designed to thwart an unjust rule of law. 

Every person requires salt to live and yet it was illegal in 1930′s India for any Indian to harvest salt from the sea. Salt was taxed and sold only by the British. By controlling a necessity of life the British were able to exert control over the majority they ruled.

Gandhi understood the power of simplicity over the power of tyranny. He wielded that power with grace and precision. He made salt. He spun his own cloth. He founded an ashram. He walked his talk, and ruled a nation. There was power in reclaiming HIS right, to sustain HIS life, in HIS own way.

As almost any chemically injured person will tell you the very first thing we lose with this disease is control. The loss of power often follows the loss of control, and if we lose the ability to work, medical bills mount as assets dwindle. Toxic homes push the most severely effected of us outside to live alone in cars, or worse. It ain’t pretty and yet somehow against all odds most of us — not all — but most of us, survive to eventually find some semblance of stability in our lives.

So, how do we do it? How do we fight back and reclaim our lives? There are as many answers to that question as there are chemically injured people. We each find our own chosen way.

I believe there is a bit of Mahatma Gandhi in everyone of us. Gandhi made salt. Some of you make soap, create jewelry, gaze at the stars, carve wood, write poems, practice photography, quilt, paint, build websites, write legal briefs, or simply listen and provide vital emotional support. 

These are all equivalent acts of simplicity, creativity, frugality and subversion. One act no greater than the other. Each as potentially empowering as The 1930 Salt Satyagraha, which began on March 12th, and ended at the Arabian Sea on April 6th, 1930. A spring walk worth remembering.

Lucinda Hodges

originally published in 2006, Pariah, A Healing Journal

Quercetin, Another Super Antioxidant

So, there is truth in the old adage, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  I have been reading about quercetin in the book, Natural Detoxification, The Complete Guide to Clearing Your Body of Toxins, by Dr. Jacqueline Krohn. Quercetin is one of those marvels of nature. It can't be manufactured in a factory, it is grown in our orchards, kissed by sunshine and blessed by rain. It is the source of that wonderful color in apples, cherries and grapes. And, it is a powerhouse for good health.

But what the heck is quercetin in terms of science and human health? As I have learned from my reading, it is a plant based flavanoid, or bioflavanoid, which means it is a plant pigment. Flavanoid's are the substances which give plants color, they are frequently found in the rind or skin of fruits and vegetables. They are also common in teas, dark chocolate and wines. Quercetin is also produced in pineapples, broccoli, green peppers Italian squash, red and yellow onions, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, garlic.

I started taking quercetin as a supplement about a year ago for its anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine effects. But, I had no idea it was such a powerful antioxidant until I read this in Dr. Krohn's book, "One of the most powerful anticancer substances discovered to date, quercetin prevents damaging changes in the cells that initiates cancer. It also helps inhibit the spread of cancer cells. In addition, quercetin keeps blood from thickening and forming clots. The pain-promoting inflammatory substances that are produced in the the body by rheumatoid arthritis and colitis are blocked by quercetin." Here are some more factoids from the book: 

Quercetin Aid to Detoxification

• extremely potent antioxidant
• inhibits the production of free radicals
• accelerates the production of detoxifying enzymes that rid the body of carcinogenic toxins
• interferes with an enzyme that neutralizes cortisone, the natural anti-inflammatory produced by the body
• a powerful antihistamine
• helps protect and potentiate vitamin C
• prevents free radicals from oxidizing LDL, the "bad" cholesterol

• prevents nerve, eye and kidney damage in people with diabetes by blocking the accumulation of sorbitol.

The recommended dosage is 400 mg., between meals, two to three times a day.

Lucinda

Melatonin: Master Hormone & Powerful Antioxidant

~Melatonin is released from the "seat of the soul" in the center of the brain. 

~Melatonin secreted by the pineal gland in the brain acts as an endocrine hormone. 

~Melatonin is also produced in the retina and GI tract.

~Marijuana circulates melatonin in our bodies.

~Melatonin reduces oxidative stress and is a free radical scavenger.

~Melatonin stimulates antioxidant enzymes in the brain and the synthesis of glutathione.

~Children born to older Mom's may be born deficient in melatonin. 

~Melatonin strongly influences the immune system by preventing infections and cancer. 

 

~Anemia may respond to taking doses of 10 mg or higher each night.

~Melatonin may prevent memory loss and Alzhiemer's by preventing amyloid deposits in the brain and neuron death.  

~Melatonin has a synergistic effect on other antioxidants and will enhance the function of vitamin's A & C.

~Melatonin improves thyroid function in perimenopausal women.

~Melatonin is effective in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Need to know how much melatonin to take to get a good night's sleep? Begin with a dose of 3 mg, or whatever dose you are already accustomed to and take it about 30 minutes before bedtime. Then double the dose each evening until you are sleeping through the night. Stay at that dose. If you are feeling a hangover affect in the morning taper back one dose.

Sweet Dreams,


Lucinda Hodges

I retrieved many of these facts from an article, Melatonin Marvels, written by Dr. Ramsy NMD. Originally posted on Dragonfly Dreaming, Two Sisters Blogging

Making and Using Native American Medicine Bundles and Bags

Symbols of connections,

With allies of the earth.

Medicine to heal us

And give us rebirth.

Talents to honor,

Abilities to praise,

Strength and compassion

Guide our Medicine ways.

By Jamie Sams

For generations Native American Indians have used traditional medicine bundles and bags. Each bundle and bag was assembled and passed on according to the reason for its creation. Some were handed down from warrior to warrior, others from shaman to shaman. These medicine bundles and medicine bags became living histories of Native American people, their clans and their experiences across generations.

Adapting this Native American tradition to contemporary life can be a meaningful way to strengthen our own inner intuition and build strong bonds with extended family. A way of retaining memories for ourselves and lending positive influence to the lives of those we care about and want to connect with. And of course, a source of strength for our own personal healing.

Making your own personal medicine bag

A personal medicine bag is for you alone and should not be shared as a whole with others. The idea is to place items in a small pouch or bag over time that have meaning to you: a shell you were attracted to on a sunset stroll on the beach; a seed pod from your favorite shade tree; a button from a prized dress. Items may be individually wrapped in cloth or leather to protect and preserve them. The bag does not need to be a traditional leather bag and should be kept in a place that is all your own. A small pouch can be worn or carried with a chosen item from your personal medicine bag. Over time you will develop a sense of when and why an item belongs in your personal medicine bag.

Making Medicine Bundles

Medicine bundles can be personal for your own use, or made for a particular purpose and passed on. Again, the bundle does not to be made of leather and traditional materials. Any valued piece of cloth folded together and tied with a ribbon will do. Reusing the lining from a worn winter coat or sewing pieces of favorite material together for a bundle are good choices. The idea is to use what is already around you and not buy new items. I like to use river willow branches and fold cloth over the branches, tied with bits of ribbon or strips of

leather, to give the bundle shape. Willows are plentiful where I live and I pass by them on every walk I take along the river banks. Use what you see and may be taking for granted in your everyday world. Use the time you spend making a bundle to reconnect with the natural world surrounding you.

Rites of Passage

Medicine bundles and bags are most appropriately given and utilized during times of change: a child leaving home for the first time; a soldier departing for war; a friend or sisters first pregnancy. When you make a bundle for another person think of the purpose of the bundle and what message you want to give them with the bundle. For a soldier going to war items that evoke protection and strength would be chosen. To make a medicine bundle for healing, choose items that are medicinal, valued, and which hold deep spiritual meaning would be called for. If you are making a bundle to pass down to your child, or children, you want the items you give to have meaning to your family. Removing an item from your own personal medicine bag and placing it in the bundle would be appropriate for a medicine bundle for a son or daughter. Writing a poem, enclosing a personal letter, including an old family photograph or a container of seeds from your favorite perennials in your garden, are all good ways to give of yourself and share something tangible of who you are with your family.

Sacred Space and Respect

Be sure to honor yourself by only making and giving a medicine bundle or bag to a person who appreciates and respects you. Someone who will honor and understand the unique spirit and nature of the gift. This is particularly important for those of us coping with our own injuries and illnesses. Many of us have lost the support of our own families and friends. Other's have lost possessions and their own sacred space escaping toxic homes and fleeing environmental catastrophes. We understand acutely how fragile life can be. Use the power of making medicine bundles and bags wisely and you will be able to strengthen your own personal healing and create new allies. To give some part of yourself is the most precious thing we have to offer. In today's consumer driven world these are the most prized possessions we have, our sacred space, memories and experiences. The very essence of who and what we are and hope to become may be contained in medicine bundles and bags.

By Lucinda Hodges

Originally published in Pariah, A Healing Journal