Chalk Pastel for Harmonising Transitions

To harmoniously transition from day to evening requires an inner change and a physiological change. You may like to do this colour exercise using tones of blue chalk pastels and experience what changes inwardly for you.

You will need a sheet of cartridge paper and chalk pastels in Cobalt blue, Ultramarine blue and a green of your choice.

To begin, use the cobalt coloured pastel.
Rub or shave the pastel surface onto a piece of cottonwool ball or onto an additional piece of paper from which the colour can be collected by the cottonwool ball or pad.

Apply the colour-filled cotton pad to your page moving it from right to left and then from left to right in a bowl shape.

Work your way down the page smoothly.

As you approach the centre of the sheet of paper add the darkest of the blues, the ultramarine blue, to your cotton pad and then transition to apply only the ultramarine in uninterrupted tones.

Upon reaching the bottom of the page, work on the right and then left alternately until the whole page has the blue bowl gesture (as seen in the photo). Your whole hand or part of your hand or a clean cotton pad can be used to gently smooth over any areas that are hardened, such as lines or where there is too strong contrast.

Seek to experience a feeling of breathing as you smooth the colours.

With the same technique, apply green pastel to a fresh cotton pad. Or using the full green pastel, apply it directly on the page. Build a rolling hill by beginning on the left bottom edge and moving to the right across the bottom edge. The rolling hills start to form as the colour is built to higher on the page and then move it into your rolling hills, by building it up from the bottom to about a quarter of the height of your page.

Use your fingers or a clean cotton pad to smooth the green pastel into the paper.

Allow the time to view and drink-in your finished piece. Perhaps putting it by your bed before entering into sleep.

Casting-on stitches to start knitting

Care Basket

Care basket and care corner articles are on their way! Please check back by mid July.

Chamomile Abdominal Compress

A chamomile compress is the application of chamomile tea in a hot, dry cloth, compressed over the abdomen with a narrow blanket. The very sensitive blossoms of the chamomile reach the nervous system to calm it without having to pass through the digestive system.

A chamomile compress is used for insomnia, pain related to menstruation, for people with poor digestion due to nervousness, or after a busy day studying. It may affect the Sense of Movement and Sight by harmonising the relationship between environmental stimulus and the sensory processing that carries the outer stimulus to the inner life.

When to use it
The chamomile compress helps the nervous system quieten, and improves digestion. It is highly valuable for insomnia, pain related to menstruation, for people with poor digestion due to nervousness, or after a busy day studying. It affects the Sense of Movement and Sight by harmonising the relationship between environmental stimulus and the sensory processing that carries the outer stimulus to the inner life.

When not to use it
Do not use hot compresses over the abdomen when the digestive system is inflamed, for example with diarrhoea or vomiting from bacterial infection or with stomach pain associated with fever. 

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Instructions 

Lay a large sheet on the bed (later the patient will lie upon it and be wrapped /cocooned in it, so allow enough at the top to fold over the crown of the head and eyes). Make the pillow comfortable and the room temperature suitable for the patient to be wrapped. Ideally the fan is off and the room quiet. It is best to have a non-stimulating environment to reduce sensory experiences, allowing both the chamomile and the warmth on the abdomen to nourish the patient.

Lay the scarf across the sheet and then lay the scarf liner on top of the scarf. Line them up where the abdomen will be when the patient is lying down.

The patient lies down on their back, over the scarf and liner. The scarf and liner will later be wrapped over the bottom ribs and down past the bladder, so lift any clothing that is in the way. If necessary, fold the edges of the scarf and liner to the correct width as if it is too wide on a narrow waist an air pocket will exist that cools the compress cloth too quickly.

Lightly wrap the scarf and liner around the patient and place the hot water bottle on top so that the abdomen becomes warm and they start to relax.

Making the tea

Use half a litre (500ml) of hot water and allow the chamomile to steep in a covered thermos or saucepan. Chamomile does not take long to steep. The blue etheric oils are easily released when in hot water - approximately 3 mins or so. 

Preparing the compress cloth

While the tea is steeping, roll the compress cloths. Fold the compress cloth to a size that will fit on the abdomen neatly. It will probably be about the size of the hot water bottle. Then roll it up so that later it can be unrolled onto the abdomen. Open the wringer cloth fully. In the centre of the wringer cloth place the rolled compress cloth. Then roll the wringer cloth with the compress cloth inside, so together they look like a bonbon.

Place the bonbon in the bowl, keeping the ends out and dry so you can hold them to wring. Pour the tea over the bonbon, straining as you go. When the bonbon is soaked through, lift it above the bowl and wring it until there is no moisture being released. Take the third cloth as an extra wringing layer to protect your hands and wring again making sure no more moisture comes from the inside cloths. If hot liquid remains in the cloth it will burn the skin and then cool too fast. It’s best not to wear gloves, only use them if the heat is unbearable when wringing.

Applying the compress cloth

Unravel the compress cloth from the bonbon but keep the compress cloth rolled to retain the heat. Once unravelled there is about 5 seconds between it being too hot, and being too cold. So make sure the patient is ready. Gently expose the abdomen and touch the compress cloth against less sensitive parts of the body, for example the outer forearm, then the inner forearm. Then move the cloth towards the abdomen and unroll to the folded size so that it covers the soft part of the torso. It will be hot when laid on the skin, but if it has been successfully wrung, only the first second will seem too hot before it becomes a comforting heat.

In a gentle but non-delayed motion take one end of the scarf liner and wrap it tightly over the compress cloth and around the patient, then wrap over the other end of the scarf liner and tuck it in behind the patient. Wrap the woollen scarf in the same way over the top of the liner. The idea here is to compress the cloth onto the abdomen without air being able to enter the area. The wrapping will be firm but not uncomfortable. Place the hot water bottle on top to keep the area warm.

Wrapping into a cocoon

Using the prepared top sheet wrap the patient from the feet to the shoulders, tucking down the sides of their body as you go. This is not a light wrap, but a firm wrap so that the patient experiences their periphery as they are being wrapped. If the patient allows, fold the sheet over the head to cover the eyes and press against the ears gently, or use an additional sarong or towel to complete the head wrap. The only part exposed is the mouth and nose. When wrapping children you may like to tell of a caterpillar who was wrapped up in a beautiful silk cocoon and rested quietly until it was time to become a butterfly.

Resting and removing the compress

The compress cloth stays on for 20mins. If the compress becomes cold to the patient it can be detrimental and therefore should be removed sooner. When it is time for the compress cloth to be removed, quietly loosen the sheet and scarf enough that you can slide out the compress cloth easily while leaving the scarf and liner in place. The patient rests for a further 20mins. The rest is equally important as the compress. If the patient is hot, loosen the cocoon. Silence throughout both the compress and rest is recommended and aids the effect.

Qualified health practitioner advice should be sort for all health concerns.

Ingredients and Equipment

1 tablespoon of chamomile flowers - preferably organic

Thermos or a saucepan with lid - to steep the tea

Tea strainer

Bowl - to strain the tea into

Hot water bottle with cover - fill it to half, without air trapped inside

3 cloths - made of raw silk, linen, baby muslin or old woollen thermals. The first is the compress cloth and must be large enough to be folded into a padded wad, to cover the abdomen. The second is the wringer cloth and the third is an extra wringer cloth. Tea towels and flannels work well.

Woollen scarf or long piece of woollen material to wrap around the abdomen and tuck in behind the back. The wool is insulating.

Scarf Liner - a piece of flannelette or cotton is ideal, the same size as the scarf so that the scarf does not irritate the skin or become wet from the compress cloth.

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Yarrow Liver Compress Instructions

A yarrow liver compress is the application of yarrow tea in a hot, dry cloth, compressed over the liver with a narrow blanket.

When to use it
Use under the guidance of your healthcare provider. Some of its uses include supporting the liver to detoxify and the emotions to stabilise.

When not to use it
Never use hot compresses over the torso when the digestive system is inflamed, for example with diarrhoea or vomiting from bacterial infection. Use only under prescription during pregnancy.

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Instructions 

Make the tea in the thermos. You need about half a litre of water and it will take about 10 minutes to steep.

On the bed, lay a large sheet that will be used to cocoon the patient; the patient will lie on the sheet and be wrapped in it. Make the pillow comfortable and the room temperature suitable for them to be wrapped completely (including around the head and ears and over the eyes). Ideally the fan is off and the room quiet. We are seeking a non-stimulating environment to block out sensory experiences and allow the yarrow, touch of the sheets and warmth to be the only things the person experiences.

Onto the sheet lay out the scarf and then the scarf liner on top. Line it up to be able to cover the liver once the person is lying on it. The liver sits on the right hand side of the body inside and slightly below the ribs.

The person now lies down in position on the scarf and liner, remove or fold back any clothing that is in the way.

Lightly wrap the scarf and liner around the patient, place the hot water bottle on top so that the area warms and they start to relax.

Open up the wringer cloth fully. Place into the centre of it the compress cloth that you have folded and rolled up (in such a way that when you unwrap it, you will be able to place it neatly over the liver). Then roll the cloths together like a bonbon.

Put the bonbon in the bowl, keeping the ends dry so you can hold them to wring. Pour over the tea, straining as you go. Then when it is soaked through, wring very well. Take the 3rd cloth as an extra wringing layer to protect your hands and make sure you can not squeeze any more drops out of the cloths. We are trying to achieve a hot cloth that has been soaked in tea, but is not dripping wet. (Otherwise It will burn the skin if hot water still remains in the cloth, and it will then go cold much faster.)

The inner cloth is the only one used on the patient. There is about 5 seconds between it being too hot, and being too cold. So make sure the patient is ready. Give a wring to make sure no more drips remain, then unwrap the bonbon. The patient will need to roll slightly to their left so the inner compress cloth can be placed around their back on the right side. It WILL be hot when you lay it on the skin, but if you have successfully wrung it, only the first second will feel very hot. In a gentle but non-delayed motion take one end of the scarf liner and wrap it firmly but gently over the compress cloth and tuck it under the person’s side, do the same with the other end. Then repeat with the woollen scarf over the top. The idea here is to compress the cloth onto the body without air being able to enter the area. Place one hot water bottle around their back and side and one on top.

Cocoon or keep the sheets tucked close to the patient’s body so the only part exposed is the mouth and nose. There they rest for 20 mins.

After 20 mins quietly loosen the sheet and scarf enough that you can slide out the compress cloth and let them continue to rest for a further 20 mins. The rest is equally as important as the compress. If they are hot, loosen the cocoon, keeping them in a quiet space.

If the compress feels cold to the patient it should be removed as a cold compress is detrimental. It is the warmth of a compress that aids the therapeutic effect.

Ingredients and Equipment

• 1 tablespoon of yarrow flowers

• A thermos or a saucepan with lid to steep the tea

• A tea strainer

• A bowl to strain the tea into

• 2 hot water bottles with covers. Fill them ½ full and without air trapped inside.

• 3 cloths -made of linen, wool or cotton. The 1st is the compress cloth and must be large enough to cover the liver, the 2nd is the wringer cloth and the 3rd is an extra wringer cloth. Tea towels, old woollen thermal underwear and pieces of linen work well.

• A woollen scarf to wrap around your abdomen and tuck in to be tight. You can cut a blanket for the purpose or use a folded towel, (wool is a much better insulator).

• A scarf liner - a piece of flannelette is ideal, the size of the scarf so that the scarf does not irritate the skin or become wet from the compress cloth.

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