Sleep on a Cloud and Dream Baby Dream!

When we sleep our bodies repair themselves.  Its kind of like when you defrag your computer or when you finally file away all the loose ends to projects.  While sleeping your body's systems have the time, and can spend the energy normally used when we are active, to heal and repair.  Our sleep processes are mainly controlled through our Pineal gland.  This gland is situated between the two lobes of our brain.  It is inline with our eyes.  The Pineal gland controls our Serotonin when awake.  Serotonin operates with our moods.  The Pineal gland also controls our Melatonin levels for our sleep processes.  

Our Seratonin and Melatonin levels are linked to the light and dark that we draw in through our eyes.  We need light for our Pineal gland to produce enough Serotonin and enough dark for it to produce enough Melatonin.  When we have a "regular" sleep pattern our Pineal gland generates the correct amount of both Serotonin and Melatonin thus, we sleep well and feel well.  Key point here is regular sleep patterns with enough light and darkness.

With all of the regular light we take in and all of the artificial light we take in from the use of computers, laptops, tablets and cell phones; we can disrupt the processes of our pineal gland.  We also disrupt our pineal gland functions and can disrupt our sleep with stimulants.  Artificial light, coffee, caffeinated teas, drugs, alcohol and even an irregular diet can disrupt our bodies functions and cause restlessness in our sleep or cause no sleep at all aka insomnia.  Stress is also an enormous factor.  There are more to list but let's move on shall we, and get to solutions.  Below, I will list herbal remedies to aid in relaxation and in helping the body to fall into deep restful sleep.

When going with herbal remedies most of my clients when experiencing trouble with sleep, run directly to the health food store for Melatonin.  After giving it "try" they complain that it isn't working and dismiss it all together as a possible remedy.  Most refuse to take a good look at their sleep schedule, stress or stimulant intake.  They want a "cure all" pill and want to take little to no effort of their own to actually take the steps to cure the actual issue.  It is hella frustrating!  Our need for an instant cure and a 60 minute cure stem from tons of bullshit programming that I may rant about in another blog post.  However, here's the deal... There is no quick fix to sleep issues unless you are willing to make necessary changes.  Changes that will take a concerted effort.  

Don't stop reading because your adrenal fear of change has kicked in.  Keep going... You are worth it!

Most of us have the correct amounts of Serotonin and Melatonin so you don't need to take more.  Hence it not working for some of my clients!  Speak with an alternative medicine physician to have your levels checked before you go running to Wholefoods!  Check your sleep schedule first.  Are you generally going to bed and waking up at the same times?  How much time do you spend taking in all of the artificial light we mentioned above, especially before going to bed?  Is your bedroom completely dark?  How much/many stimulants have you taken in?

Solution time...

Spend time unwinding and relaxing before you go to sleep.  Seriously!  Cut out eating, drinking, alcohol after 8pm.  Give your body some down time.  Enough already Robocop!  Turn off the TV, computer, cell phone 20 minutes before it is time for you to sleep.  Take time for reflection of your day prior to getting into bed.  Give it a try for more than a day, week.  Put in your concerted effort.   Aren't you worth it?

Herbal alternatives to consider before you jump on the Melatonin train.  Remember not everything works for everybody... Try and find what woks best for you.

1. Saint John's Wort

Can relieve chronic insomnia and mild depression.  Can be taken as pill, tincture.  Saint John's Wort can cause a sensitivity to the Sun.  This works for a lot of people!  

2. Kava Kava

Man do I dig Kava Kava!  When we lived on the Big Island I grew Kava and prepared fresh juice from my plants.  When my kids had trouble sleeping and Chamomile wouldn't do the trick, Kava sure would.  This amazing plant helps to calm and relax you and can give a bit of a numbing sensation. It calms the mind and body. It can be taken as a tea, juice, tincture or pill.  Kava Kava also helps with dreaming!!

3. Valerian Root

In close 1st place to Kava Kava is Valerian Root!  Once you get past its stink, the affects are divine.  Valerian root is pretty powerful in that it can have a traquilizing affect on some.  It does me for sure.  When I find that I am overly stimulated I buck up (a must because this herb stinks) and make a Valerian root tea.  I am almost instantly calm and go to sleep most of the time immediately and always with ease.  I give Valerian root pills to my insomniac 16 year old overly stimulated daughter and it knocks her right out!  She sleeps well and feels rested.  Mind your intake of Valerian.  It can have a hallucinogenic affect.  

4. Hops

Okay, I love how Hops makes me feel.  There is a gradual ease that takes over after having a cup of Hops tea.  The tea is bitter but you will make it through it to the other side.  For me Hops is a gentle relaxant that coaxes you into sleep.  It can also be taken in pill and tincture.  To all my alcoholic friends, Hops tea will not affect your sobriety.  

5. Chamomile

Chamomile is super gentle and cozy.  It has a gentle soothing comfy pillow affect.  My oldest daughter loves it.  I used to give her the tea (after trial and error on my part with time given, tea makes you pee) a couple of hours before bed to help her sleep.  Still works like a charm.  I feel it best works as a tea.  

6. Linden Flowers

Linden flowers are used in various forms in traditional medicine primarily as a non-narcotic sedative for sleep disorders or anxiety.  I have to admit I haven't used Linden personally, mainly because the other herbs have worked so well for me.  I have however, talked with my clients that were anxious and suggested they give it a whirl and have had extremely positive feedback.  Linden can be taken in tea, pill or tincture. It does make ya sweat!!

7. Passion Flower

Passion flower smells and tastes great.  It works as a mild sedative.  I find that it works best as a tea.  I, although believe in the affect of Chamolie, don't like its smell or taste... So I use Passion flower to relax me in my mild cases of insomnia or restlessness.  

8. Lavender 

Lavender is popular but don't think it over-rated.  Lavender helps calm you and will aid in sleep.  You don't even have to take it internally.  You can simply get a good essential oil (Young brand or Terra) and take 3 good inhales before laying down and you will sleep better.  It works even if you have lost your sense of smell.  

We have tested this out on Saint who, due to an accident has lost his sense of smell.  Let me tell you about our experiment.  

You see, Saint can be well... Critical when it comes to herbal medicine.  He also had a limited understanding of how herbs work and had convinced himself that not only would things not work for him because of his loss of smell but that it would only work because of the power of suggestion.  So because I am me, ornery, and ready to battle for the truth and magic of our Mother's natural medicines, I set out to prove him wrong.  

For three weeks of three separate seven consecutive nights I had him inhale 3 different essential oils, without telling him what they were or what were their uses.  Week one I had him inhale Bergamot.  The second week I used Lavender.  The third week I used Orange.  After the three week experiment we concluded that he slept best on the lavender week.  Ha!  And without a sense of smell!  Since the experiment, we have made him a lavender flower sachet that he uses on occassion to sniff before bed, always resulting in restful sleep!  You can also make a lavender tea!

I made lavender lip balms for a couple of our friends at Live Free Tattoo.  Cory told me that she puts it on her lips at night and that it healed her sleep!  She loves it!

9. Deep breathing

Breathing properly is one of the most affective ways to calm your body and your mind.  Most of us breath improperly and not nearly has much as we should.  The video link posted below gives instruction on proper Yogic breathing. http://youtu.be/Ai_KOrdCZWg

I posted an experiment for a group of my friends.  I suggest that every hour, for one week that they stop and take five minutes to breathe.  The results were as you could expect.  They were more relaxed throughout the day, had calm minds, and generally felt better.  We live and thrive on O2!  Take time before bed to deep breathe.  Practice.  You are worth it.  

10. Meditation/Visualization 

We all have trouble with meditation.  It is difficult and it takes a long time to master.  However practicing meditation calms, centers and gives you focus.  It sucks at first and gets better with time.  Try it 5 minutes a day.  When you start, your mind goes crazy and you are bombarded with thoughts... Get over it and keep trying.  It does work.  

I have three blog post with regards to meditation.  Read them.  

1. http://toulousseandsaint.blogspot.com/2014/10/so-you-want-to-meditate-well-you-cant.html

2. http://toulousseandsaint.blogspot.com/2014/10/why-do-we-meditatewill-it-make-me-high.html

3.  http://toulousseandsaint.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-14-points-of-meditation-to-make.html

All three blog posts have instruction and great tips to help you meditate!

If you are in a panic as to where you can find the above mentioned herbs, relax.  Healthfood stores carry bulk herbs, tinctures and pills.  Also many of Yogi teas such as Calm Mind and others contain the herbs listed.  Traditional Medicinals (my favorite) teas are amazing as well.  They come in tea bags so all you need do is heat up water and enjoy in your favorite mug.

If you prefer using the herbs individually you can purchase reusable tea bags or a tea strainer and enjoy in your favorite mug.  Use 2 teaspoons per 8 ounces of hot water.

Another fabulous sleep aid is Happy Sleeper by Natural Balance.  I use this for my episodes of insomnia. Saint and our youngsters daughter also take Happy Camper.  We all like it because it knocks you out, you rest well and wake up without feeling groggy!   

Just a brief mention on dreaming with the promise of another blog post with more details!  I want to mention a few Hoodoo methods to help inspire psychic and prophetic dreaming since after reading this blog post and taking care of yourself you will sleep.  Why not make sleeping fun by enhancing your ability to dream.  

Above I mentioned that Kava Kava helps with dreaming.  Also drinking Yarrow tea will help not only with dreaming but with psychic ability as well.  That's all I am going to write about dreaming for now until the next blog post!!!

We love you.

Toulousse

Go over and Favor our shop and enter to win a great prize!

After enjoying this blog post remember to share it on your social media.  

 http://www.cafepress.com/TeaWithToulousse

Comfrey for pain and healing broken bones!

Comfrey Root and Leaf for Medicinal Purpose

This massively valuable herb has been used for centuries with great success as a wound healer and bone knitter.  It feeds the pituitary gland with its natural hormone and helps to strengthen the skeletal system.  It helps in the calcium-phosphorus balance by promoting strong bones and skin.  It helps promote the secretion of pepsin.  It is one of the finest healers.  Although the argument still stands whether or not Comfrey should be taken internally, externally it has proven its healing abilities.

Our Native American brothers and sisters used Comfrey Root to heal wound and broken bones.  A poultice of crushes comfrey root and leaves are applied to the wound or break, then wrapped in tobacco leaf. Healing begins almost immediately.  I am using a poultice (as I type with one hand) now on my broken left wrist.  Pain is dramatically decreased where the break is and swelling is going down with the aid of ice wraps.  We have also used a comfrey salve, that we make, on cuts Saint has incurred while carving. His cuts heal in days.  

Comfrey root is also used as a tincture for sore muscles or joint pain.  This application of Comfrey is best used as a tincture.  In the video below I show you How to make a Comfrey Leaf tincture that you can use to rub and massgae your sore spots!

How to make a Comfrey Leaf Tincture: http://youtu.be/0xOQOsdDYKY

Now you know by now that I was going to give you the low down on Comfrey Roots magical uses as well.  In Hoodoo Rootwork and Conjure we use Comfrey to aid in magic with gambling and with safe travel!  In another blog post we discuss the energy that herbs have and how we can harness that power.  Read it here:  http://workwithdynamicduo1014.blogspot.com/2015/02/how-to-use-special-herbs-in-your-life.html Copy and paste the link to read the post if the link isn't active.  I am not a techie but do my best to simplify!!  

For those that like to gamble.  Toulosse and I gamble.  It's fun.  We also throw down Mojo whenever we gamble, be it poker, see low or playing the lottery.  We have several methods and some work better than others.  Lady Luck is fickle but loves to be bribed and coaxed!  

To prepare your gambling money do this:

Dress a Comfrey leaf in a Money Drawing Oil and wrap the leaf around your money.  Be certain to fold it toward you.  You want to draw the energy to you not away from you!  Keep the money this way for three days or until you plan to use it in your games.  You can use dried Comfrey leaf the same as above and use the dried herb in your wallet mixed with Bergamot to draw money to you!!

Saint Christopher 

Comfrey is also used in Hoodoo to ward off evil and those ill fated strangers that may cross you while you travel and provides safe travel.  Simply place the root in a red flannel Mojo bag, dress it with Van Van Oil and keep it with you while you travel.  Feed it each week with Van Van Oil while you are away to keep the magic alive.  

Our Mama provides us all the power of the Universe... (Did He-Man pop into your head?) 

We just have to use it.

For other protective herbs and talismans read this blog post : 

http://teawithtoulousse.blogspot.com/2016/12/protection-from-evil-and-from-someone.html

After enjoying this blog post be sure to share it on your Social media.

Also join us over at Toulousse and Saint's Creative Sanctuary:

We love you.

Toulousse and Saint   

 Go over and Favor our shop and enter to win a great prize!

http://www.cafepress.com/TeaWithToulousse

Dirty Blood...Cleaned!

We all have impurities in our blood.

Yes, even you, yoga veggie Kombucha drinking folks.  

No matter what you eat or how organic it is advertised, it is still mass produced by some enormous corporation.  Unless you grow your own or buy your food and herbs straight from an organic farmer and have a well in your apartment, you are eating and drinking something that is toxicing your system.   

Also, do I need to mention the air you are breathing.  Think about all of those yogic breaths every morning while you practice at the Midtown yoga studio.... Just saying.  

Ok now for all you Wholefoods (I am one) freaks screaming from the inside and ready to stop reading this blog post, what are you bathing with?  

Do you make your soaps, shampoo and conditioner from your own organically grow ingredients?  Again... Just saying.  

The restaurant you just had your organic green salad and lemon grass tea probably doesn't use industrial cleaners or have toxins in the paint on the walls or the finish on the wooden tables either.  At this point do you get my point?  

Whether you are a meat eaten, beer guzzling no going outside for exercise other than getting your mail, or super in shape organic granola yoga cruncher.  You are exposed to and are ingesting toxins into your body and into,your blood stream.  

None of us are bullet proof.  

And who am I? you may ask, sitting here on my high horse?  I am just like you.  Whether it is the meat eating beer guzzler, chain smoking American Spirits or when I am a yoga teacher vegetarian living at an ashram and sober, I am just as exposed and vulnerable.  

Even after we move to our land in New Mexico and develope our farm and camping venue away from most of society, by the way, we will be growing our own food and do, have a well and clean air, I will be exposed and vulnerable.  Now that we have that out of our systems, lets talk about an amazing herb that Mother Nature has provided for us as a natural blood purifier.

I first used this herb when I was living on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Every Sunday I would go to the Makuu Farmers Market to buy all of the delicious hydroponic veggies grown on the Hamakua Coast.  Once my face was recognized and conversations took place, I was accepted as part of the Clan.  (Was later given honorary Hawaiian status by Uncle Kaliko!)). Some of the local Aunties had terrible soars on the lower legs, and knowing that I was the Herb Doctor they asked that I help.  I was more than willing to oblige their request.  I loved them so, taking me into their tribe and treating me as family and all.  After asking a series of questions about their diet, exercise, living situations I surmised that the skin lesions were a results of internal issues rather than a topical skin issue.  It would take a power herb to punch those infectious wounds right the hell out.  Enter the powerhouse Burdock.  

I also made a tincture ointment for the external use (recipe below) ...and let me tell you what happened next....

In the next few Sunday's Auntie's legs began to heal.  She also told me she felt more energy!  The other Aunties wanted what she had.  So I made huge batches of Burdock tea and gave it to them.  Wounds were healed and blood was cleaned.  It really was that simple.

Burdock is one of the best blood purifiers.  It can also reduce swelling on joints and help rid calcification deposits.  Burdock promotes healthy kidney function to help clear our blood of harmful acids.  Burdock helps to metabolism carbohydrates with inulin, a form of starch.  Other uses for Burdock is when mixed with Sassafras and used as a tea it can soothe  our hypothalamus gland and it aids the pituitary gland.  It helps to release an ample supply of protein to adjust hormone balance in our bodies.  Pretty damned cool wouldn't you say.  Just so you know... A healthy pituitary gland helps in regulating weight...

While living in Atlanta and working at a local Health Food Store I also suggested Burdock tea to another gentleman that had a poor diet, overweight and skin issues.  We as with the Hawaiian Aunties, surmised an internal issue rather than a topical issue.  He drank 2 cups of Burdock tea a day for a month and his skin healed.  He also was inspired to eat better and put in a little exercise.  This power from Mother Nature is real y'all.   

To make a Burdock tea simple take the dried root 2 teaspoons to 8oz of hot water and enjoy.  

The topical I made was a mixture of Burdock root, tea tree and golden seal.  It is used as a poltice on the wounds.  

Burdock hair rinses can be made to help with dandruff.

Burdock tea can be used as a mouth rinse for canker sores.

This herb is also used in Hoodoo magic.  

You can sprinkle the dried root around your house to keep negativity away.  

Wearing a necklace of dried Burdock root will protect against evil.  

In the link below is another great read on Protection from evil.  http://workwithdynamicduo1014.blogspot.com/2015/02/protection-from-evil-and-from-someone.html

Carry Burdock root with Rue, Agrimony, and Black Snake Root in a mojo hand to ward off jinxes!

Now knowing what you know from reading this post, you have a great way to, detox you blood and keep negative away.  Way cool.

Thanks for reading this blog post.  I enjoy your company.  Feel free to post question in the comments below.  After enjoying the read remember to post it on your social media and plus 1.

We love you.  Toulousse  

Go over and Favor our shop and enter to win a great prize!

http://www.cafepress.com/TeaWithToulousse

Here is a video on How to Make a Burdock tincture.  https://youtu.be/F-ROSEM94Fk

Are you an Imposter?

Are you a sum total of your own thoughts and feelings?  Have you ever stopped to take a look at it.  Are you who you are from what your family told you to be?  Are you shaped by religious beliefs that were chosen for you?  Do you feel like an alien in your own skin?  How do you react to things that happen in your life?  Who's voice do your hear in your head when you speak to others?  Are they your words?  Are they words you have heard spoken before?  Do you know who you are or are you a product of the sum total of what your family, friends, television, pastor, teacher, self help book, society has told you?  Stop and think about this....

I am about to turn 44 years old in a few days.  And for the first time in my life I TRULY FEEL AUTHENTIC.  I have always been a seeker.  I have explored much in life to try and discover who I am really.  I have always felt like and alien living in my body, especially when I wasn't following my own heart and thoughts.  I have always felt like a stranger among my family and have always been different from them.  I follow a different path, way of life and thought processes then they have.  It has always caused a lot of problems.  I have suffered much at my so called rebellious nature.  Funny thing about the last statement now is that I have come to realize as I look over my life thus far, I am not the rebellious weirdo my family claims that I am.  I was simply being me and exploring ways that made me feel comfortable in my own skin.  

When I was a kid my family told me that I dreamed too much and too big.  I was told that I should just get a job and stay put in Los Angeles with them.  I was also told that I should join the military to get some discipline and focus.  I was told to go to college and pick a career and stick it with it.  I was told that I was too emotional.  I was told that I was crazy.  They called me monster.  I was told that I couldn't be... That I had to do something in order to be somebody.  Art and music and fashion were not real jobs or real careers.  I was taught fear and conformity.  I was shrouded in religious doctrine.  I was a sinner.  I needed to get back into the fold and be Christian and to stop believing in Eastern religions.  I was evil when I studied magic.  My mom prayed for me.  Sent me pamphlets.  I ran away and stayed away.  

I drank too much.  I hung out with the wrong people.  I did stupid things. I got into trouble. I got pregnant.  I came home.  Back into the fold.  I was accepted back on the condition that I settle right back into my pre-written role.  I did.  I was miserable.  I drank too much.  I went from relationship to relationship.  I married my child's abusive sperm donor... I was supposed to... Can't live in sin.  Can't raise my child alone... She had to know her father... I didn't know mine.  Pain and alien is all I felt.  I played my roles.  I took the abuse... Couldn't take it any longer.  I left him.  Went crazy.  I drank too much.  I fell for any guy that would have me.  I mean who would want a single mom.  My mom stayed single after leaving my dad.  Is single today at 79.  She is part of the man haters club.  They wanted me to join.  Told me how bad men were. Told me how no one would want me now.  Told me I couldn't trust another man with my daughter, he might hurt her.  I went crazy, drank too much.  I wasn't even close to being my own woman.  I was a mess inside, put together on the outside.  I ran away to make my way.  I got sober.

I've been Christian, Hindu, spiritual, did yoga, lived in an ashram.  Been vegetarian and a carnivore.  I've been homeless.  I've held great jobs, had great houses and cars.  I've had good relationships and not so good relationships.  I've had sex too quickly and felt empty.  I have destroyed friendships, I have built amazing friendships.  I have fallen back in line with what my family wants and have jumped right the fuck back out and decided to follow my own heart.  

And you want to know why? I am an awesome creation.  I am a great woman and a great mom.  All of the bullshit I have put myself through has helped me to really seek out my truth. I have put my Life on hold for others.  I have worked and done things necessary to provide for my family.    I decided when my daughter was 10 years old that I would be to her the mom I never had.  I decided to be loving, nurturing, real.  I decided to show her the world and allow her to explore and discover.  We explored art, music, travel, literature, poems, religions, culture, food and we talked.  I opened myself to her.  I was an open book.  She was allowed a voice. This was the beginning of the discovery that I Had a choice to do things the way I Wanted them done.  I could change what I didn't like, change direction, change my stripes.  

I found love.  No it wasn't an ideal situation.  It was disastrous and difficult to blend together our family. We had to fight for our family through adversity.  I decided to love and be a mom to his two little girls, even when they hated me because their birth mother told them to.  I loved and fought for our family to be a real family.  A real family, one with love, honor, respect, mutual love and respect.  We had so many obstacles to hurdle.  Different family upbringing.  Different ideas of how to raise kids.  Children fighting the idea of new parents.  Test after test.  Crazy ex-wife deviously planting lies and the kids bringing back pain, tears and strife over their crazy alcoholic mother.  Alcohol.  A broken man trying to regain his hold on life and his children.  Fear.  Fear of loss.  We went through it all.  Love prevailed y'all.  I decided to be me.  A great woman and a great mom and wife.  I made mistakes.  When I made mistakes I made amends and we figured out a better solution.  We hashed issues out and found resolution.  No secrets.  Open communication, regardless.  We were and are cohesive.  The five of us withstood.  

Now let me tell you this.  I don't hold my family or other influences in my life accountable for my behavior.  I've made my own choices good and bad.  I have owned my shit and still do today.  I do hold anger still and when weak spend more time needed dwelling on my past.  I am working on forgiveness and letting go of pain.  I am actually grateful for everyone in my life mostly because they have taught me how to not be.  Because of these examples, I have chosen to discover and Be me, regardless of what anyone has to say about it.  I don't need permission.  I have taken the time to examine my thoughts and feelings, which isn't easy considering I am an empath, that is another blog post.  I have been given the opportunity to break the rules imposed and rewrite my own, and these rules shift and change as I shift and evolve.  I now respond in my own way to situations rather than react from others vibrations that I had claimed as my own.  I have raised my kids my way.  I believe in my Natural spiritual way without guilt or fear of damnation.  I am not bound to any belief or way of being that isn't my own definition.  I chose to learn and grow, shift and change everyday.  I love endlessly without need of return.  I have a beautiful man in my life and we have an amazing relationship.  My daughter is an amazing 20 year old woman.  My two children that I accepted as my own are wonderful and have taught me so much about love, acceptance and forgiveness.  

We have been given a huge opportunity now that our kids are grown.  Being a down to earth kind of woman, as I always have been, we now have the chance to live off 14 acres of land that was gifted to us both.  I have always been most comfortable in a simple living environment.  I thrive in nature!  We have always want to build a safe environment for our family, where we can live independently.  And now we have the chance.  We move forward without fear.  Our farm will be amazing.

Because of my choices and decisions, I have taught my family to discover themselves and to live authentically. I have taught them to make their own choices and decisions on how they wish to live without judgement.  My family is awesome.  My once broken man and disturbed family is a United entity of support and total love.  I am becoming more complete with every sunrise.  

We are beginning our new journey with such joy in our hearts.  I truly love my life and who I am.  I am grateful that my spirit was restless and rebellious. I am grateful for my journey.  

Take the time to think about who you are right now and how your live.  Are you being authentic to you or are you living a programmed existence that others have instilled in you?  

I challenge you...

Question why you are who you are and why you believe what you believe.  Watch how you speak and interact with people, is it you or are you behaving like you were told?  

The road to being authentically you is hard and scary.  You have to shed those skins and be vulnerable yet fearless.  You have to forgive.  You may have to walk away and begin a new.  Be fearless.  Be You.  

Why is this so important?  Because you were created to experience your life on your terms, not to be a programmed carbon copy.  Think about this.

I love you,

Toulousse  

 Go over and Favor our shop and enter to win a great prize!

http://www.cafepress.com/TeaWithToulousse