I may be a Hippie...

I may be a hippie.  I am not sure.  I never thought I fit the actual description, but lately... some of their "practices" just make sense.  Sure, I have been called bohemian, hippie and flower child by some, but I never believed I was one myself.

I mean, THIS, is not me!  The general concept of a hippie is someone who resists authority, smokes weed, doesn't wash and loves the environment and lives in a commune.  Hmmmm.... not me.  Well, I do like to bend the rules... a little.

And just because I used cloth diapers for my babies, doesn't mean ANYTHING!  But acceptance can be a beautiful thing.  And, well, I haven't shampooed my hair in two weeks!

Recently, I have been investigating some of the standard practices we all, in modern America, take part in.  Like using processed chemicals in EVERYTHING!  AND eating genetically mutated, I mean genetically modified foods.  Then I started researching some natural ways of doing the same things.  I havent figured out how to fight the system concerning GMO foods, outside of moving to Europe where they are banned.  However concerning the chemicals which we saturate our skin in, I found easy ways to fix that.  I shouldn't say fix, I should say heal.  

The more I learn about natural foods and oils, the more I am reawakened to the concept that nature was created in such a way that the cycle of growth leans towards restoration and healing. Of course, eventually the cycle includes death, but within that cycle of birth and death, healing is built into life.  Restoration of our bodies, just like in a spiritual sense, our souls, is part of life.  

Take coconut oil for example, research shows that not only does it moisturize, it has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial properties.  Coconut oil is not the only one which is like that.  Olive oil is wonderful too. And garlic.   If you have an earache, a couple of drops of warm olive oil and garlic essence rubbed into your ear can help get rid of infection.  Apple Cider Vinegar is another one.  I could go on and on, but there are so many bloggers blogging about these ingredients right now, that I would only be redundant.  

My point in all of this rambling is that God created the Earth to not only heal itself, but to heal our bodies.  Inside and out.  It is just that humans seem intent on destroying all of the goodness in the earth and as a result, we lose all of these benefits.  

So, we go to the store and buy a shampoo that is made in a lab.  And as a result, the chemicals (especially sodium laurel sulfate) can creep into our pores and hair follicles and get into our bloodstream.  Not only that, our own natural oils are stripped and our hair and scalps lose the beauty which it naturally has.  Itchy scalps, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis are all aggravated by these products.  Even if the labels say they help these issues.   I am not so sure that years of usage can cause these problems.  

I have found many recipes and combinations which I have been beginning to try. I have been shampoo free for two weeks now.  I only use baking soda and apple cider vinegar.  The baking soda cleanses and the apple cider vinegar detangles and nourishes.  My hair is nicer than it ever has been.  It is less greasy, has more volume, is softer, and has natural waves!  My hair never was wavy.   I have the other people in my family using a shampoo that I made with castille soap, castor oil and tea tree oil, but I was the guinea pig for the baking soda. 

I have substituted other solutions for creams and washes, as well.  For my acne prone skin (ridiculous given my age), I have finally veered away from salicyc acid and have been washing my face with olive oil and castor oil.  My skin is doing better.  So far, anyway.  I am starting to think its a conspiracy.  What better way for acne medicine companies to perpetuate business?   Sell a face wash which strips your face of natural oils, causing an imbalance which actually causes a cycle of acne.  I am sure that food allergies to wheat or milk may be a personal cause of my skin problems, including eczema, but the benzoyl peroxide and salycic acids were not curing anything.  And now I have two teenaged boys who were using these said chemicals.  Anyway, my skin FEELS healthier now.  I never would have believed putting oil on my face would help with my oily skin.  Here is a picture of my new hair, anyhow.  It looks clean and soft.  I never liked my hair before.  Now I really love it.

This has all opened my eyes to a whole world of healing.  Theologically, I know that the world is in decay.  And yet, I believe that pieces of Eden, pieces of Paradise are still at work.  And I think that plants hold these healing properties.   There are wonderful benefits and miracles at work every day within nature.  And it has inspired me in my portfolio project.  This is the concept that I want to put into my artwork.  This idea of the natural order of things which include growth and healing contrasted to human meddling in laboratories and the consequences.  How else is the zombie apocalypse going to come about?  It will be brought about by a lab experiment, humans meddling with the natural order of things.