KIRTAN

Several years ago a friend invited me to a Kirtan chant. She didn’t tell me much about it, only that it was cool. The event was held in the basement of a local church. People sat cross-legged on the floor around the band, others in chairs behind, but we all removed our shoes at the door. Hundreds gathered, the lights were dimmed, and a warm energy filled the room.

The singer, Ragani, gave a brief introduction, and found the “new-bees” with a show of hands. She was a comedian, dry, monotone, witty, translating the potent meaning of each chant with maternal care. The chants, on a screen behind the band, written in Sanskrit, looked scary and intimidating. At that fragile moment,
I decided to watch and listen. But when the “OM” sound reached every corner of the room, my head buzzed from the vibration. During the third repeat, I jumped in.
It was cool.

Quickly acclimating to the call and response pattern, I caught myself swaying with the music and relaxing into the experience. I got happy, and troubles were forgotten. The joy around me was multiplying exponentially, carrying me with it. The chants were loooong and somewhere in the middle I grew unconscious, hypnotized by the beauty of the music, the voices, the swell of bliss. Everyone was on a magic carpet ride, sharing the same perfect sky.

The event called Kirtan is a gate to somewhere beyond your imagination.
I felt lucky that night to have found it. I am sharing this story to pass the favor along.

On Friday nights, when the glog and weight of the week sits heavy on your soul, come to a sacred, quiet, loving place. Slowly strip off the layers of fear, unravel the energy-sucking anger, frustration, and disappointments, and just chant your bright and shiny Self to a pure happy place…
Welcome to Kirtan,
"OM NAMAH SHIVAYA"

Ragani’s Kirtan is held the Unitarian Universalist Church West at 13001 W. North Ave, in Brookfield, WI. Ragani performs the first Friday of the month at 7:30pm. Cost: $10. Check her website for calendar, as some months are not scheduled:
www.raganiworld.com

For more information on Kirtan go to: www.sangitadevi.com

Check out Jai Uttal: www.jaiuttal.com His amazing work includes “Kirtan: The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant”, “Loveland”, and “Mondo Rama”.

JOY OF BEE-ING

photo by Doug Krimmer

HOW DO YOU "POO"?

It seems a simple enough task to take care of your hair, but when clients arrive for a haircut, there’s usually a lot of restoration needed as well. It behooves the hairstylist to remove product buildup, use a gentle shampoo, and condition the client’s hair because everything we do, color, perm, and styling turns out better. Results can be compromised by mistreated, neglected hair, and that places a lot of undo responsibility on the practitioner. (“She fried my hair!”) It’s not fair to expect a beautician and a magician. Do your part at home and I guarantee a better experience at the salon.

After a haircut, hair looks and feels fabulous and clients innocently assume removal of the last few inches restored the entire head. The “back bar” (storage unit for shampoo and conditioner) is the salon equivalent to your shower. If you use what I use, then logically, you will have healthy luminous strands, right? RIGHT!
(Except if you are leaving the salon with brassy, flat, or greasy hair, then obviously don’t invest in those products and consider a more educated stylist. Would you let a surgeon remove body parts if they didn’t know the basics?)

Think of your hair as a flexible straw. Outside the hard protein cuticle bends and flexes like a snake’s skin. Inside the straw are color molecules (a different form of protein) and water. Anytime heat, peroxide, or detergent come into play, the cuticle scales open up. Sometimes they never close down again, causing the color protein and water to fall out. The surface becomes dull, the scales latch on to each other forming snarls, and the color fades. Here’s the most important part of my class. When these symptoms occur, it is not a signal to cut off hair, it’s a warning to check your hair care habits:

How effective is my shampoo? Do I use it because it smells good, comes in an eye-catching package, and is a few dollars less? How often do I condition? Do I know the difference between needing a protein conditioner or a moisturizer? Is my blow dryer set to”quick-bake”? Is my flat iron or curling iron made of metal? How often do I clarify? Have I installed a shower filter yet?

The most important factor in picking a shampoo is ph. If it’s not on the label, then they are not boasting the most important asset. I realize that if shampoo smells like easter candy or cough syrup, you won’t care what the ph is, but keep searching until you can bring the two factors together. I will have a short list at the bottom of this article to help you find your perfect shampoo.

Each company generally produces a protein restoring conditioner and a moisturizer. They are designed for fine or coarse hair, and some are rinse-out or leave-in.
(If you are using a “cream rinse” then you are layering your hair with wax and choking the life out of it, and you should contact me because you will need a good shaking and a detox!)
In the winter, all hair types will need a moisturizer, and if you have chemically treated hair, a protein conditioner will be essential to heal the cuticle that was opened by the chemical process. How do you know which one you need? It depends on whether your hair is straight or curly, and how oily your skin is. Static is a clue for moisturizer, lack of shine, split ends, and fading color means protein is needed.

To begin, shampoo with as little product necessary to get the job done. Use the pads of your fingers to gently massage your scalp. Then apply a rinse-out protein conditioner or moisturizer to all of the hair and give it at least 3-5 minutes to work and rinse. If you are using a leave-in conditioner then gently blot the delicate wet hair and apply product a few inches from scalp. If your hair is course, dry, and/or curly you can get closer.
I highly recommend a super absorbent Aquis hair towel because it easily absorbs the water so you spend less time drying with heat. Lower the time and temperature of your blow dryer – it’ll make a big difference! As for heat tools like irons, they should only be ceramic, toss away the metal it’s like a frying pan for your hair.

So you see, your crowning glory can be saved and enlightened.
You have the technology, you have the knowledge, now get in that shower and…POO!


World’s Greatest Conditioner - Lanza’s Trauma Treatment
This phenomenal leave-in protein reconstructor creates instant results, can be used on any hair texture, keeps the color from fading, and over time creates a perfect healthy cuticle. Can be used on dry hair like a pomade, or with a flat iron to keep hair super straight.

Other great shampoo and conditioner products:
Joico
Joico’s Body Lux and Silk Result shampoo/conditioners are the best, and well priced for the quality. I’ve used it for twenty years.

MOP (Modern Organic Products)
MOP makes a C shampoo that is like sunlight captured in a bottle, with an orange and mint fragrance, perfect for a fresh start every day. The ph of MOP shampoos is a little higher, so it would be best for non-chemically treated hair.

Malibu 2000
Malibu 2000 makes a wonderful clarifier called Udoo Goo. It is gentle and effective at removing styling product buildup. Their Swimmers Shampoo is the top of the chlorine remover list. The products contain enzymes, which does not disturb the cuticle.

I recommend all of Lanza’s many shampoos and conditioners. It’s really the best product line and everything smells fantastic. Even the packaging is supreme.

THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE

If you haven’t fallen in love by age 40, then you are seriously behind schedule
and missing out on the love of your life.
Here comes the dreaded Valentine’s Day reminding us to “love the one you’re with”
because we often forget…
But what if you don’t have anyone?
Cheer up baby, the love of your life has just been located!

I am a hairstylist and high priestess in the confessional of insecurities. Put most women in front of a mirror an hour or two and there’s gonna be some self deprecation – others experience delusions of grandeur, constantly playing with their hair, making fish lips in the mirror – still, it isn’t the real deal. I rarely experience a client beaming with self love or gratitude for their physical gifts.

We beat ourselves with measuring sticks, and gorge on images of perfection.
It’s like having low grade depression, or an infection you can’t shake.
But, by the time you are 40, you should know better – you should have fallen in love with yourself by now. At half-life it’s time to start fussing about what you have instead of what you have not. If you deny what you have, then you are not in the moment, which is the recipe for misery and non-existence. Feeling beautiful, sexy, jaw dropping, hot, whatever you call it, is of great importance, you just have to get there with what you GOT! Get it?

Once upon a time acceptable fashion was limited. Remember when straight men wouldn’t wear pink? There was safety in being current and conforming. Busting out of the mold was not validating. However, at this point in fashion history, it’s ALL IN, and you pull it off by being confident. We are free to express ourselves without judgment or ridicule.

Now, let’s compare fashion trends to the cornucopia of shapes, sizes, colors, and composition of our bodies. Why is there still such a narrow target of what looks good? When are we going to believe that all manifestations are cool and acceptable? How about, the bigger the schnoz the better? Let’s get steamy for some thick, chubby thighs - they can be so charming and sexy. Or go crazy for big hips that form a cushy cradle for the one they love? Sometimes my acne scars look like extra dimples – who doesn’t love a face full of dimples? A little split between the front teeth drives me wild.

Adore your parts and participles, and others will too: (sing this song to yourself)

"Listen to me baby, hear every word I say, no one can love you the way I do, because they don't know how to love you my way....you give me feeeee-ver"

A few years ago I opened a fortune cookie that simply stated,
“The Greatest Love of All – Self Love.”

So this Valentine’s Day, let me remind you emphatically to love the one you’re with…..

YOU!

OUR KILLER FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM

Go to ourkillerphotos.blogspot.com to see our album!photo by Doug Krimmer

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

ANTA MIN AYNA?
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

What prompts us to ask this question? An accent? Unusual features? A manner of dress?
Maybe we ask because we hope to have things in common…it’s a small world after all.

Personal biographies are of great interest to me, but I don’t always ask. Why?
What is the dark side of the question, “Where are you from?” The possible humiliation of not recognizing subtle features of larger groups such as the Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, and South Asians can intimidate us into silence. Or worse, innocent inquiry might cause the “stranger” to feel judged or unwelcome. I once asked a gorgeous man where he was from – I needed to know exactly where his kind of beauty came from. His response was, “I am Palestinian, not Pakistani.” Obviously, he’d been judged and misjudged before.

Another man, one of my dearest friends, initially claimed he was an Italian Jew named Zachariah. The first time we went out to eat, the restaurant was full of people he knew. The language was Arabic, the clothing was Middle Eastern. Hmmm….probably not Jewish? His fib was embarrassing and funny, but it pointed to his need to hide who he was. Afraid I would see him in a bad way, fear conditioned him to avoid the truth thus avoiding the pain of rejection. If you have ever witnessed the cruelty of prejudice, multiply that by a few times every day, and you would know the agony of its victims, although you wouldn’t have to overcome its crushing spirit. Maybe you have already experienced being a “stranger in a strange land” then you know what I’m talking about.

Our trusting connection eventually allowed me to ask, “What’s the deal with Middle Eastern men collecting wives?” and if that’s true, “How many wives do you have or intend to have?” He told me, “The Koran does allow a man to marry up to four women, but this option can be vetoed by the current wife.” There has to be a good reason to add another mate to the mix, for example, a woman who is better at cooking, child-bearing, or has some benefit to add to the family. If there are multiple wives, the Koran also states each wife must be treated equally at all levels. Zachariah insists that would be very difficult. Currently, multiple-wife-setups are infrequent and rare. Who can afford children AND wives these days? He knows two men, about 70 years of age, with multiple spouses who are living in the old country, and fading into history….

In time, my extraordinary friend and I swapped personal philosophies and spiritual beliefs, discovering we were more alike than different. We compared our holidays, gift giving rituals, and relatives - same bullshit. He had Mohammed and The Koran, and I grew up with Jesus and The Bible. We lost our fathers to cancer. We loved sharing food with good friends. We agreed the perfect cure for most anything was a hug from someone who cares. My friendship with "Zachariah", a Muslim from Palestine, is a joyous, fulfilling, educational gift I gave myself when I embraced the opportunity to have friends of any race, creed or culture.

Ma’a as-salaama!

Sometimes I feel flaky.....

photo by Cherrie Hanson

Dry skin happens every winter, for some it starts in the fall with weird patches on the scalp, body, or face. A doctor can label the type of dry skin, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, etc, but they rarely diagnose the source of the problem.
Your 15 minutes affords you medication recommendations, or removal of body parts for your symptoms. For some, this is equal to care. For chronic problems it is a temporary fix.

You must foster a keen relationship with your body, and become your own doctor.
It’s absurd not to understand the basic mechanics of your body, the
logical functions installed in its programming, ready to heal and regulate.
The brain that governs your body guides the whole organism like
the President of a great country. (Sorry, I am watching the Inauguration right now) Empower yourself with knowledge, take pride and responsibility for the miracle that is your body, and never underestimate the possibilities to change it.

I will simplify the sources of dry skin so you can determine which behaviors or habits you can change to alleviate the symptoms for good.

DEHYDRATION
Are you simply dehydrated? In the summer when we feel thirsty, it’s easier to
get the water we need. In his book, “Your body’s many cries for water” F. Batmanghelidj’s recommended daily dose is half your body weight in ounces per day.
If you drink coffee, alcohol, or eat too much salt, you will need to be diligent about water because these items seriously dehydrate.
Debate exists about the best water, however, my studies have concluded,
that which quenches your thirst, and is agreeable to taste, is the best choice.
I love electrolyte water. It is collected steam, minus the problem chemicals, enhanced with vitamins and minerals that help absorption. Remember this: Water washes your system, carries the bad stuff out, especially thru the skin and bladder. Wash your insides! Shower them daily to cleanse, purify, and keep the engines running happy.

A recent article in “Energy Times” stated, “Drinking pure water is a no-brainer but
installing a chlorine filter to shower under and fill your tub with is critical”. I agree!! Many years ago I added a triple filter to remove chlorine, heavy metals, and micro-monsters like cryptosporidium. My hair and skin changed dramatically. I also use this filtered water to cook and drink. I make filters available to my clients so they can avoid minerals like iron that damage hair and adversely affect its beauty. Installation is fast, easy, and the cost is about $70. The filter can last up to 2 yrs. depending on how many showers per day.

DIET
I found an interesting cause for the dry skin problem - too much sugar in the diet.
The chemical process called glycation causes premature wrinkling and inflammation.
Reduce the sugar and add some essential fatty acids. The hype of the Omegas is valid,
especially for the skin.
Included in the bevy of good skin-o-mins is vitamin E, sulfur found in MSM, and
vitamin A. I notice a softness in my skin when I eat avocadoes regularly.
A small change can make a big difference.

SKIN PRODUCTS
What are you putting on that skin? What is the ph of your shampoo? Is there petroleum
in your lotion or moisturizer? Now that you are a super agent investigating your body, you must consider these external culprits.

A major determinant of choosing shampoo should be its ph. The ph of your skin can be
altered by the product you apply to it, therefore pick products close to your natural ph. The skin is around 7 and the scalp is 4.5 to 5.5
If it is not listed on the bottle, call the company. If it’s labeled, then the company is choosing to make it a priority. I only retail shampoos with skin friendly ph.

As I wrote in my article “The Golden Elixirs” jojoba is a perfect, all encompassing moisturizer. Check other moisturizers for mineral oil or petroleum ingredients. You may feel better using these products, but what you don’t see or feel can be damaging. Petroleum oils build up on the skin like saran wrap. Eventually this coating blocks the release of hormones and other toxins through the skin. It’s a false remedy because it masks the problem, leaving more in its quake. The cost effectiveness up front, will cost more in the end. Don’t be stingy with your body!

ROUTINES
A small, but important factor, is heat. Reduce the temperature of your shower water, and temperature of your blow-dryer, or purchase one with a variable control.

If you take prescription drugs, dry skin may be unavoidable to some degree, so consider the other options to hydrate and moisturize to find some balance.

In summary, you will have dry skin again, but now you are ready and armored to “weather”
the moments in life when you are feeling flaky….

The Golden Elixirs Part 2

Ghee is a Hindi word. In India, the golden oil is used for cooking, and healing the body as well. Inside and Out you might say…. GHEE

*melt unsalted organic butter super slowly on low heat for 30-40 minutes.

* I usually make 1 3/4 lbs. of butter because it fits perfectly into a 2C. measuring cup

*skim off foamy layer and milk protein (white stuff that will eventually fall to the bottom)

*don't burn *pour through several layers of cheese cloth (to catch any/all milk proteins)

*store in a glass container *refrigerate -or not

*use for cooking, spreading (or dolloping?)

The difference between ghee and clarified butter is ghee is actually more clarified! The process of making ghee renders the golden butterfat from the milk proteins. This creates a dairy product that is lactose free for those who are intolerant. Bonus! I encourage you to make your ghee at home, but if you’d rather not, the only ghee on the market I have found to be tasty is Bazaar of India. Check out their website on my “In List”. It is mail order, but the quality is amazing.

For the perfect container to store your ghee, Pyrex makes a 2 cup measuring vessel with a plastic lid that sells for around $8 available at Target. Get used to melting down some butter and keeping a supply of ghee in your home. If it seems like a lot of work to make something from scratch, you need to shift your thought process. Have control over what goes into your body, and lovingly care for yourself and your family. Once you understand the numerous benefits to putting ghee into your diet there will be no fuss about the few minutes it takes to prepare.

Here’s the breakdown: Ghee is 65% good saturated fat, 25% monosaturated fat (olive), and 5% polyunsaturated fat (sesame, sunflower). The good saturated fat contains 89% easy-to-digest short chain fatty acids including 3% linoleic acid (anti-oxidant), and Vitamin A,D,E, and K. If you are a die-hard dieter and still think that “fat” is bad for you, it’s time for an update. The real demon is sugar, and its friend “white carbo”. I’m not saying there are not bad fats, in fact let me name them for you. Hydrogenated, transfatty, heat treated, solvent extracted, non organic fats are the fats to avoid, not because eating them will make you fat, rather eating them will damage your health. The fats you should embrace are ghee, olive oil, organic virgin coconut oil, sesame, and foods containing good fats like, fish for their Omega oil, nuts, seeds, avocados and flax seed oil.

Now back to ghee, my favorite fat. Glee for ghee! It has nutritional value, stimulates secretion of stomach acids fostering digestion, helps a sluggish constitution, can heal ulcers, increases memory retention and learning capacities, healthy for the eyes, aids in the absorption of vitamins and minerals, strengthens the immune system, and contains anti-viral butyric acid. Start melting that butter, now! Ideal for cooking or sautéing, ghee has a high smoking point. Most recipes that call for oil can be replaced with ghee. Or simply spread it on your toast, use it to make popcorn, brownies, melt it on oatmeal, the possibilities are many. In fact, I’ve fed a tiny amount to my cat Mabel when she has hairballs. I think she makes those horrid gagging noises just to get more ghee. Either way it works. Like jojoba, ghee is used in Indian beauty remedies for the skin, and also as a treatment for burns and blisters. Two golden elixirs with numerous benefits, jojoba oil and ghee will keep your body healthy inside and out!

The Golden Elixirs Part1

As you know, bees make honey, a beautiful golden fluid that brings joy to the buds
and body. But there are two other golden elixirs you may not be familiar with:
Jojoba oil and Ghee.

Jojoba, pronounced “ho-hoba”, is the oil extracted from crushing the seeds of a perennial woody shrub that grows wild in the deserts of southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.
Jojoba oil (are you still pronouncing it “jo-joba” for fun?), is actually composed of liquid wax esters. The sebum in our skin also contains similar wax esters that are lost as we age making our skin look dusty, frosted and dull. Ever notice how shiny children are?
Jojoba, the buttery delicious ester, not only moisturizes perfectly but benefits as an environmental barrier. It can give us shiny Oscar-worthy skin everyday for pennies in the special spa you must create in your bathroom.

Jojoba protects the body because is has antimicrobial properties too.
Go away nasty pimples, cold sores, warts, and athlete’s foot!
Jojoba also contains vitamin E, B complex, silicon, chromium, copper, zinc, and iodine.
It was once served up like a jojoba latte to take internally for cancer and kidney disorders.

For the practical application, here’s what I suggest: Find a high quality source and purchase a large jug (based on the aforementioned capacities). After showering and before completely toweling off, apply to entire body including face. If you are taking a bath, add it to the tub. Jojoba is water soluble, so when applying to skin there should always be water to facilitate absorption. It will dry soft, not greasy, and will not
clog pores like natural sebum can. Add jojoba to your shampoo, or beef up your liquid soaps. A massage with a few drops of your favorite essential oil added to the jojoba can create different moods. It’s a fabulous aftershave and sunburn reliever because of its healing, soothing properties. Deep cleansing and conditioning all in one.
Love your body with jojoba oil.

Bee-shiny! Bee-you-tiful!
…Inside and Out.