How to Make a Holistic Health Kit

 


Most of us keep first aid kits handy for emergency use in our cars, campers, homes, etc. Have you considered adding a companion kit filled with natural remedies? Here are some essentials for filling a holistic health kit.

Here's How:
Take a heavy cotton drawstring bag or knapsack and gather the following healing supplies.
Trauma Help: flower essences (Bach Rescue Remedy or FES Five Flower Formula), green fluorite and/or clear quartz crystal
Immune Booster: echinacea, vitamin C tablets
Purification: sage wand (matchbook), tea tree oil and tea tree soap
Dehydration: bottled water, fruit juices
Injuries: aloe vera gel (for burns, cuts, abrasions, etc.) tea tree oil for insect bite,
Allergies: arsenicum album (homeopathic)
Sprains: epsom salt (also great for soaking tired and sore feet in when traveling)
Calming agents: Herbal teas (chamomile, lemon balm, ginger, peppermint, etc.), lavender essential oil.
Energy food stuffs: almonds, granola bars, dried fruits, etc.

Healing Supplies:
Bottled Water
Compresses
Crystals
Echinacea and other herbs
Feathers
Flower Essences
Pendulum
Sage Wands

Tips:
Routinely replace any perishable items in your kit.
Personalize your kit by including your own proven remedies.
Draw String Bag
Designed by Barbara Breiter


 This knitting pattern for a draw string bag is very versatile. You can use any stitch pattern you choose as long as it is fairly dense. The bag can be knit small to hold keys and lipstick or large to take to the beach. The handles could be made of chain crochet or I-Cord or even straps by knitting three or four stitches across to any length you wish. It can also be easily knit in the round instead of on two needles.

Level: Beginner
Yarn: Any yarn of your choice. I would advise against using anything slippery or slinky such as rayon. The amount you will need is dependent upon the finished size you choose to make the bag.
Needles: Appropriate to the weight of your yarn. Remember that the bag should be dense so you may want to use needles smaller than normal for the yarn.
Gauge: 5st=1" as shown.
Size: 11" wide by 10" long.

Instructions:

Cast on 110 stitches or any number of stitches that will produce the width you'd like as well as allow you to repeat the stitch pattern of your choice across the row.

To determine the width, multiply your gauge by the width you'd like your final bag to be after it has been sewn together. For example, if your gauge is 4 st to the inch and you'd like your bag to measure 8 inches while flat, multiply 4 by 16 and cast on 64 stitches.

To knit the bag as shown, work garter stitch (knit every row) for 3". Then work stockinette (knit one row, purl the next) for 3". Work garter stitch for another 3".

Continuing in garter stitch, work 10 stitches, then BO 5 stitches. Continue across row in this manner. If you have cast on a different number of stitches, try to work the BO's fairly evenly across.

On the next row, continue in garter stitch and cast on five stitches where you have bound off the stitches on the previous row.

Continue in garter stitch for another inch and BO all stitches.

Make two handles any length you wish by crocheting a chain, I-Cord, or making simple straps by working four or so stitches across in a pattern that will lie flat such as seed stitch.

Sew bottom and side seam.

Starting at the side seam, sew one handle to the inside of bag and weave in and out of holes half way across. Do the same with the other handle so that the handles are approximately on equal sides of the bag. Tie or sew the handles together.

You can also line the bag with any material you may have such as denim so that keys and such don't poke through.

©Barbara Breiter, 2000.
How to Make Hot and Cold Compresses

Essential oils are the oils derived from plants that are used in aromatherapy. Applying essential oil compresses is an effective way of relieving pain and reducing inflammation.

Here's How:
In preparing for a hot compress, fill a bowl with very hot water.
Add 4 to 5 drops of essential oil.
Dip a folded piece of sterile cotton cloth into the prepared water.
Squeeze out excess water.
Place the moistened cloth onto the affected area until it reaches body temperature.
Repeat steps 3 through 5 two to three times.
In preparing for a cold compress, replace hot water with ice cold water and follow with steps 2 through 6.

Tips:
Hot compresses are helpful for backaches, rheumatism, arthritis, abscesses, earache, and toothache.
Cold compresses are helpful for headaches, neck tension, sprains, and strains.
Five Flower Rescue Remedy is a combination of essences that is used in emergency situations to stabilize trauma situations. It eases fear and restores one's state of calm and confidence. However, it is not intended to replace emergency care or assistance. This first aid formula of flowering herbs was originally combined through the studies of Dr. Edward Bach, a homeopathic practitioner who pioneered working with subtle flower energies

Rescue Remedy consists of these five essences:

Clematis
Dosage: Ten drops in glass of water or juice, sipped as often as needed. If the person is unconscious or unable to drink the formula can be rubbed directly onto soft tissues of the body, lips, temples, inner wrists, etc.

Star of Bethlehem
This essence is a restorative remedy for calming anyone who has experienced shock or trauma. It has a balancing energy that is helpful in taking while undergoing counseling or therapeutic healing periods. Aids the grief process.

Rock Rose
This remedy is recommended in the event of life threatening emergency. It calms the individual when experiencing extreme panic, terror, or hysteria, restoring strength and courage.

Impatiens
This essence remedy addresses metal stresses and tensions. It calms feelings of impatience and irritability. It slows the tendency to move to quickly without care or forethought. Calming. Allows one to deepen his/her life experience without experiencing burnout.

Cherry Plum
This essence addresses emotions of desperation and loss of control. This remedy helps one re-connect with a higher power when the tensions and pressures of life are overwhelming. It brings mental calmness and emotional encouragement, allowing stresses and fears to be overcome.

Clematis
This remedy brings about focused awareness. It retards floaty or dreamy escapes. It is a grounding essence that wakes up the individual to better evaluate the present situation.
Choose A Pendulum


Pendulums are made from a variety of materials including crystals, wood, glass, and metals. They are often used as tools for spiritual healing and inner growth.

Allow a pendulum to choose you. If you like the way it looks or feels, it is meant for you.

Cleanse Your Pendulum: You may cleanse it by holding it under running cold tap water, soaking it in sea salt, or setting a mental intention to free it of 'picked up energies.'

Understand the Directional Swings of Your Pendulum: Pendulums swing in vertical straight lines, horizontal straight lines, and in circular movements.

Define the Directional Swings of Your Pendulum: Assign each directional swing by asking the pendulum to show you a NO swing, a YES swing, and a NEUTRAL swing.

Prepare Your Questions: A question should be one that can be answered with a positive, negative or neutral response.
Examples: 'Will I be offered the job I interviewed for this morning?' and not, 'Will my pregnant cousin deliver a boy or girl?
Set Your Intention: It is imperative that you precede your question session with a prayerful request or statement. For example, 'It is my intention to receive truthful answers that are for the good of all concerned.'

Ask Your Questions: Be prepared to ask several questions to receive enough information to aid you in your search.
Make sure to completely stop any pendulum motion between questions.

Tips:
Accept information only if your instincts assure you it is accurate.
Keep a notebook handy to write down your questions and your pendulum's response.
Each pendulum may have a different response. Likewise, each person must establish their own directional swings
before using a pendulum.
Make sure that the pendulums have been cleared of any negative energies before and after each use.
Smudging


Using a smudging tool is part of many Native American traditions. The burning of herbs for emotional, psychic, and spiritual purification is also common practice among many religious, healing, and spiritual groups. The ritual of smudging can be defined as "spiritual house cleaning." In theory, the smoke attaches itself to negative energy and as the smoke clears it takes the negative energy with it, releasing it into another space where it will be regenerated into positive energy.

Common Herbs Used in Smudge Sticks
Sage / White Sage
Cedar / Pine
Lavender
Sweet Grass
Mugwort
Copal

Who is Smudging?
Religious Groups
Native Americans
Healers
You Can Too!!!

Purposes of Smudging
Ceremony / Ritual
Cleansing / Purification
Clearing / Freeing / Releasing

What To Smudge
Yourself
Crystals
Personal Objects
Home / Office / Healing Space
When To Smudge Yourself

When your spirits are low
After being around someone who is sick or depressed
During meditation
In prayer

How To SmudgeYourself
Put the smudge stick to flame using a match or candle light. Blow or wave the flame with your hand to put out the fire. Allow the smudge stick to smolder, freeing the smoke to circle in the air. Fan the swirls of smoke around your body's aura from head to toe.