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Guide to the Care and Development of the Senses

Many challenging behaviors arise in children from an overstimulated or an underdeveloped sensory system. There are many practical ways to support sensory processing so that a more harmonized experience can take place for your child(ren). In our technological age, children are being bombarded with sensory input that is increasingly difficult to digest in healthy and balanced ways.

“As humanity is rapidly being emancipated from engagement with the natural world, the vast majority of human beings are being raised more and more not only in a man-made world—in which the resources of the earth have been extracted and utilized for human evolution—but also in a man-invented world”

— from the book "Spirit-led Community" Source

This guide was written to complement the book Spirit-led Community by Lisa Romero.

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Warm Face Cloth

Cleansing the face in a rhythmical manner with a warm to hot, plant-infused face cloth can help to harmonise breathing and reconnect us to our Selves. It may alleviate mucus build up in the sinuses and eustachian tubes, especially during a cold, ear ache, or sinusitis. The lemon bath milk could be helpful to cool the face during hot weather. The touch, life, balance and smell senses are particularly engaged through receiving a warm face cloth.

Instructions

Fill the sink or medium sized bowl with hot water.

Add 2 capfuls of the rose nourishing bath milk or lemon bath milk, or use the warm herb tea. Fold and soak the washcloth in the bath milk. The cloth can be a face washer or muslin compressing cloth which is more absorbent and hydrating to the skin.
Squeeze the water from the cloth until it is nearly dry.

Open it out and cover your face, taking 3 deep breaths to inhale the smells. Place the cloth over the forehead and take 3 breaths, over the nose/cheek area and take 3 breaths and then over the mouth/neck area for another 3 breaths.
Refresh cloth in the bath milk and squeeze dry again.

Repeat this process starting at the forehead but this time with a rolling out, both hands together starting from the either side of the nose and rolling out toward the ears 3 times. Proceed down the face over the nose/ cheeks rolling out 3 times, then mouth areas rolling out 3 times towards the ears.
Repeat for 3 cycles.
Refresh the cloth in the bath milk and starting from the middle, hands touching, roll out over the neck towards the ears.
Refresh and squeeze out cloth again and fold into a small rectangle. Place this on the back of your neck. Take some deep breaths allowing relaxation of your body and a sense of uprightness. In hot weather, or if you are feeling overheated, placing a warm cloth on the back of the neck can also help to cool.
Apply over healthy skin. Cease use, if redness or agitation develops.

Face Cloth kits including lemon or rose nourishing bath milk and muslin compressing cloth are available for purchase. Contact us

Materials

Face washer or muslin compress cloth
Rose nourishing bath milk or lemon bath milk, or herb tea made from rose-geranium petals or fresh lemons

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Cool Wash Instructions

These cool washes are brisk and invigorating to increase awareness of personal space in relation to the environment. The cool water and contractive qualities of salt applied to the whole body awaken the nerve endings, which help a person to be more aware of their boundary and spatial orientation. Rosemary stimulates the circulatory system, bringing wakefulness through it’s warmth in combination with the cool water and invigorating application.

Please note, blood pressure may elevate after this treatment.

Instructions

Prepare the space to be adequately warm and free of drafts, and lay out and/or warm the clothes in readiness for after the treatment.

Fill a washbasin with water at 34°C (93°F) and add the chosen medicinal dilution, either salt or rosemary.

Wet the face flannel in the dilution and apply to the skin in long quick strokes. Apply 3 – 6 strokes per body part. Continue wetting the flannel throughout the treatment.

The order of treatment is:

• downward strokes for the face and torso

• upward strokes for the arms and legs.

Pat dry each body part and cover or clothe before proceeding to the next.

This treatment is best followed by a brisk walk.

Ingredients & Equipment

Medicinal dilutionof:

Unrefined sea salt -

1 level dessertspoon
(9g / 1⁄3 oz.) per litre of wash water. Dissolve in a little cool water in advance.

or

A sprig of fresh rosemary -

make a rosemary tea, cover and leave to steep overnight.

• A bowl or washbasin

• Bath thermometer if required to gage the water temperature.

• A face flannel or similar cloth for application.

• Towel for drying off.

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Footbath Towel Tip

Towel falling in the water?

Try this simple tip: tuck the towel under the front of the bucket before resting it in on the person’s lap.

Alternate Footbath to Hamonize the Warmth Sense

Alternate footbaths involve the use of two bowls of water (one hot, one cold) into which the patient’s feet are placed alternatively.

Alternate footbaths can be a fun and easy treatment that provide an experience of moving between temperatures which stimulates the Sense of Balance and the Sense of Warmth, promoting inner equilibrium and awareness of the warmth of the body in relation to the environment. As simple as these treatments seemingly are, they provide awareness and understanding that is only possible through experience. Being told how things are does not give us a measure; experience gives us a measure.

They may also help to increase circulation, immunity and lymphatic drainage.

Instructions

Fill one bucket 2/3 full with water below body temperate like water in a cold pool. If doing this in a very hot climate you may need to use iced water from the refrigerator. Fill the other bucket 2/3 full with water above body temperature, but not so hot as to burn. The water temperature in each bucket will blend throughout the activity, so have a cold and hot supply ready to top up the buckets

Position the buckets on towels in front of a chair or stool, or in a water resistant area that is also in a moderate to warm environment. Remember the patient’s feet must be able to reach the bottom of the bucket. Manage the impact of the outside temperature by covering the shoulders with a towel or blanket if the room temperature is below about 25°C (75 °F)

The patient’s legs must be unrestricted and bare so that they are comfortable and clothing will remain dry.

Place the feet in the warm water for 2 – 3 mins, then immediately into the cold for 1 min. Then back into the hot for 2 – 3 mins and so on for about 3 sets. Finish in the warm water. Maintain the water temperature with each change.

Thoroughly dry the feet and legs and cover with socks. Rest.

Equipment

Hot water
Cold Water
Two bowls/ buckets - such as large laundry-style buckets or very large stainless steel bowls that are wide enough for two feet and deep enough for the water to cover over the ankles towards the calves.

Contraindications

Do not use footbaths if a fever is present

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Lemon Footbath Instructions

A lemon footbath is grounding and re-centering, making it ideal to support transitions; it harmonises the distribution of warmth and promotes healthy rhythms. It can be used daily as preventative healthcare to bring harmony to the Sense of Balance and Sense of Warmth, and at regular times to aid transitions between school, work and home, children transferring between parent’s homes, returning from holidays, or after over-stimulating experiences. It is also useful for acute symptoms such as headache and sinusitis by drawing the congestion away from the head.