Krampus and Christmas

In Central European folklore, Krampus is a horned character described as "half-goat, half-demon", who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved children with gifts. 

The Old Religion

The Old Religion is the magic of the Earth itself. 

It is the essence which binds all things together.

The Cold Sore Battle

It's not a pretty subject, but one that is common and treatable.

Very often we feel hopeless because nothing from the pharmacy seems to be helping.

No surprise there, you don’t need the ointments and creams from the pharmacy, they rarely work anyway.

If you experience frequent cold sores, it's likely you have a weak immune system, so that's an important part of your life to look at.

Find ways to increase your immune system and that will be a big help fighting off the virus.

With cold sores a person may feel flu like symptoms for 4 or 5 days because the virus can affect your whole body. 

You may develop a fever and become a bit sick or not enjoy eating. 

So, if you are suffering from cold sores, let’s discuss some natural options available.

Let's get the disclaimer out of the way, we aren't doctors, but we do practice self healing and everything we are saying about the nasty cold sore is based on our experience and from others.

So, we aren't prescribing anything, simply explaining what works for many people.

Ok, let’s get this out of the way, Don’t pop a cold sore.

Left to heal on its own, a cold sore will usually disappear without a lot of drama.

The blister will break, scab over, and eventually fall off.

But by popping the blister the healing process self destructs and can lead to several problems, like:

• More cold sores. Cold sores are highly contagious. 
• Once the fluid from the blisters is released, it can spread the virus to other parts of your skin. 
• This also increases your risk of passing the virus to someone else.
• New infections. Having an open sore gives other viruses, bacteria, and fungi an entry point, which can lead to developing another infection. 
• Having another infection will further slow down the healing process and only make the affected area more visible.
• Scarring. Cold sores don’t usually scar when left alone to heal or treated with medication. 
• But squeezing a cold sore inflames the area, make it more prone to scarring.
• Pain. Cold sores can be painful enough as it is. Popping one will only irritate it and make the pain worse, especially if it becomes infected.

No one knows exactly what wakes up the virus to cause the blisters, but it seems they are aggravated  by stress, sun, alcohol, sugar, some other viral infection, or by fatigue. 

There is no effective medicine that will cure cold sores, but there some very safe and effective natural remedies.

A cold sore goes through five stages:

Stage 1: Tingling and itching occurs about 24 hours before blisters erupt.

Stage 2: Fluid-filled blisters appear.

Stage 3: The blisters burst, ooze, and form painful sores.

Stage 4: The sores dry out and scab over causing itching and cracking.

Stage 5: The scab falls off and the cold sore heals.

The amino acid L-lysine, is very effective in preventing recurrence. 

It appears that lysine suppress herpes activity, while another amino acid, arginine, encourages it. 

There are studies that show lysine treatment can be very helpful for cold sore sufferers. 

The best way for lysine to prevent cold sores is to take an everyday dosage as a preventive and then increase this dosage if you experience an outbreak of the infection. 

Since the cold sore virus responds to the imbalance of the amino acids arginine and lysine, it might be smart to avoid or limit arginine rich foods. 

These foods include chocolate, peanuts and other nuts, seeds, and cereal grains.

Healers tell us to take L-lysine: 3,000 mg. daily during the worst of it.

1,000 mg. with each meal at the first sign of a cold sore outbreak. 

After the symptoms decrease, reduce intake to 500 mg. a day. 

But if you break out at the 500 mg. dosage, increase your dosage to 1000 mg. everyday to prevent recurrence.

If you’ve got the virus there's always a chance you may experience an outbreak, the virus isn't going away, but these  natural remedies will help reduce the severity and speed up the healing process.

The first thing and this is important, as soon as you feel that first tingling discomfort break out the Tea Tree Oil.

Tea Tree Oil is antibacterial, antifungal and helps dry out the cold sore.

During the first stages of a cold sore, at that first sign and before it dries out and ‘scabs over’ apply Tea Tree Oil undiluted directly to the affected area using a cotton swab three or four times a day.

Doing this can reduce the first stage of a cold sore from three days to less than 24 hours.

Another treatment is Apple Cider Vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar exhibits antimicrobial and antibacterial activities.
It can help in preventing further infection in the affected area and removing the cold sores once they have reached the scabbing stage.

You Will Need:

Apple cider vinegar

Cotton swabs

What You Have To Do?

Apply ACV on the cold sore with the cotton swab.

Leave it on until it dries.

How Often You Need To Do This?

You may repeat this 3 times a day.

Then we have Manuka Honey.

Manuka honey (native to New Zealand) has antiviral and wound promoting properties.
It can not only heal the infected sore but also soothe inflamed and irritated skin.

You Will Need:

1/2 teaspoon of honey

(Manuka honey is our choice because of the healing properties it has)

What You Have To Do?

Apply honey on the cold sore with your fingertip.

Leave it on for 5-7 minutes.
Rinse with water.

How Often You Need To Do This?

Do this 2 times a day.

Next, after the sores start drying use Coconut Oil because of it’s anti-viral properties.

Coconut Oil does encourage the healing process, reducing the severity and duration of the cold sore.

Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera is a popular treatment for burns, but did you know that the clear gel from this succulent can also work as a cold sore remedy? 

Aloe vera contains enzymes which promote fast and natural healing, so if you have an aloe vera plant, just break off a leaf, wash it thoroughly, then split it lengthwise to expose the inside sticky part of the plant. 

Dab the gel on your cold sore throughout the day to relieve pain and discomfort. 

If you don’t have an aloe plant, you can use pure aloe gel purchased at the store or online, just make sure it’s 100% aloe gel.

There are numerous cures for cold sores and maybe they all work, who knows?

But we like to keep things natural and simple.

Smudging Smudging Smudging

 

Let’s talk about why we should smudge.

The practice of smudging dates back to prehistoric times, and is still very much in use today worldwide for cleansing everything from dwellings to human spirits. 

However recent research has shed light on the popularity of this activity, revealing that burning certain plant matter actually clears harmful bacteria.

All Western use of burning herbs and plants for spiritual purposes aside, the activity rests firmly in the sensibilities of ancient cultures in that, historically, smudging was believed to put forth the spirits of various ‘allies’ to provide ease and balance to an individual or group.

In this way, the practice was used to clear spiritual and emotional negativity that has built up in a body or a space.

The research study looked into herbal and non-herbal remedies that were administered by the burning of various matter.

Of course, there are skeptics who belittle the practice as unscientific and akin to magic. 

The practice has a negative association to a form of cultural imperialism, where traditions of dwindling indigenous populations are co-opted by the descendants of those who more-or-less conquered them.

The scientific paper entitled “Medicinal Smokes” and published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology focuses a scientific lens on the practice, which is becoming more and more widely practiced, despite skepticism.

It serves to play against the role that this activity has played in a culturally diverse range of religions and tribal beliefs.

 

The research included information from 50 countries over 5 continents and found that, predominantly, smoke administered medicinally is mostly used to aid lung, brain and skin function. 

In addition, it was revealed that passive fumes doubled as a sort of air purifier.

The purpose of the study was to see whether or not these medicinal smoke deliveries could be explored by western medicine, because “The advantages of smoke-based remedies are rapid delivery to the brain, more efficient absorption by the body and lower costs of production.”

A follow up paper published in the same periodical, “Medicinal smoke reduces airborne bacteria,” found that the research concluded that, in addition to health benefits, smudging was a powerful antiseptic.

“We have observed that 1 hour treatment of medicinal smoke emanated by burning wood and a mixture of odoriferous and medicinal herbs (havan sámagri=material used in oblation to fire all over India), on aerial bacterial population caused over 94% reduction of bacterial counts by 60 min and the ability of the smoke to purify or disinfect the air and to make the environment cleaner was maintained up to 24 hour in the closed room.

Absence of pathogenic bacteria Corynebacterium urealyticum, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens, Enterobacter aerogenes (Klebsiella
mobilis), Kocuria rosea, Pseudomonas syringae pv. persicae, Staphylococcus lentus, and Xanthomonas campestris pv. tardicrescens in the open room even after 30 days is indicative of the bactericidal potential of the medicinal smoke treatment.

We have demonstrated that using medicinal smoke it is possible to completely eliminate diverse plant and human pathogenic bacteria of the air within confined space.”

In short, burning medicinal herbs cleared airborne bacterial populations by 94%, and the space was still found to be disinfected a day later. What’s more, a month after smudging, much of the pathogens originally found were still undetectable.

This has profound implications, as modern air quality in the developed and undeveloped world is atrocious, containing up to 1800 bacterial types, many of them pathogenic. 

With an increasing deadly array ofantibacterial-resistant strains, we’ll need all the help we can get.

Conventional methods of sterilization often employ chemical cocktails that are typically much less effective than purported. Smudging seems to be an effective alternative, while also being natural and safe to use.

In conclusion, the ancient practice of burning powerful herbal material may be much much more than just a primitive belief that we can simply disregard due to it being unscientific.

Of course, this should not take away from the properties of smudging in the area of energy system and soul cleansing and in the power of aromatherapy.

 

Thanks to thespiritscience where this article first appeared and to bestblender.

9 Different Sacred Smudging Herbs 

1. Lavender 

Lavender is a herb that we tend to use for a number of things already and smudging it is a wonderful treat. It promotes peace and relaxation. If you’ve been needing a bit more rest you should consider it. 

2. White Sage 

White sage is my favorite above all else. It is used to clear negative energies and does well for me. I use this one at least once a month if not every two weeks and it can help with stagnant energies in some big ways.

3. Common Sage 

Regular sage overall is also used for cleansing and is great at helping to release negativity but it doesn’t necessarily work as well as white sage to me. If you want something that is a good start this is an option I would never turn someone away from.

4. Cedar Wood

While it might sound odd cedar is great for helping get rid of fear. It offers us a sense of power we do not find elsewhere. If you’re already operating properly this can be a great tool to make things easier.

5. Rosemary

Rosemary is often used to help to rid of sickness and clearing of the mind. It will make you feel better overall and I have when using it noticed it bring a sense of weight being lifted from my shoulders forth. While that might sound weird, it is quite true for me.

6. Blue Spruce

When smudging blue spruce you’re bringing forth a more generous atmosphere. This meaning you’re bringing in kinder energies and allowing them to work their magic. While not always the best on its own when paired correctly this is also a wonderful tool to have.

7. Palo Santo

Palo Santo is a very common one that you will likely hear about often. It helps to heal the body and can cleanse the home as well. It is often used when someone is ill.

8. Pine 

Pine itself has rejuvenating properties and is used in smudging for a number of things. It is more commonly used to help others heal and can work wonders on your emotional state. I use pine quite often myself.

9. Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a great thing to smudge when you’re trying to remove obstacles and open doors. For instance, if you’ve been feeling stuck you may want to add this one to your list of things to pick up. It will make you feel much freer.

While there are tons of other herbs as well these are easily my top 9 go-to’s. If you think any of these speak to you perhaps you should give them a go. If not, try looking into things and choosing some for yourself. For information on how to smudge please check out the video below.