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Review of GODAI Soaps

2/13/2019

GODAI, an all natural, organic soap, to accompany a healthy lifestyle

Godai五大 is the Japanese term for Five (go) and Great (dai) and refers to the five elements of earth or ground (Chi), water (Sui), fire (or), wind (Fu), and sky or void (ku). If you are looking for a soap and shampoo that is good for your skin, GODAI checks all of the boxes. It is 85%-92 % organic ingredients, vegan, cruelty free, all natural ingredients, GMO free and made in the USA

There is a soap for each of the five elements:

Godai 五大 is the Japanese term for Five (go) and Great (dai) and refers to the five elements of earth or ground (Chi), water (Sui), fire (Ka), wind (Fu), and sky or void (Ku). Godai soaps are inspired by the five elements to cleanse, hydrate, rejenate, nourish, and soothe your skin and hair.

Godai Earth 地 Soap Bar uses French clay to cleanse skin and hair of excess oil, while sugar assists in gently removing dead skin and clearing pores
Godai Water 水 Soap Bar helps to hydrate skin and hair with a nourishing mix of ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter
Godai Fire 火 Soap Bar aids in brightening dull skin and hair with a rejuvenating combination of rosemary, lemon, and avocado oils
Godai Wind 風 Soap Bar offers ingredients such as rice bran oil, turmeric oil, and barley grass powder to help nourish and heal damaged skin
Godai Sky 空 Soap Bar assists in soothing irritation and dryness with calming lavender, eucalyptus, and sweet orange oils
Certified Organic by the Montana Department of Agriculture

Some of the things that I like about GODAI soap are:
1-It is a nice, solid bar that lasts for a long time, unlike bars that are soft and get small very fast.
2-It creates a nice, luxurious lather when you use it.
3-I like the option of having a shampoo bar when I travel and all of these soaps are great for that. You can throw it in your suitcase and not have to worry about it spilling or having to have it out for security. I used the Fire bar because it has Rosemary and avocado which is good for the hair. If you have oily hair it might be a little too oily for you and you might want to try one of the other bars.

I personally like a stronger fragrance in my soap and the fragrance in these bars is pretty mild.

To learn more go to GODAI's beautiful, comprehensive website where you will find a lot of information about their soap making process and history.
https://www.godaisoaps.com/

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Ingesting Essential Oils...Yes? or No?

5/19/2015

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The answer might surprise you and it is important that you know!

I am writing this blog to address ingesting essential oils because I feel this is important information to get out into mainstream. I understand that there will be people who don’t agree with me and that is okay. I have to share this information because of what happened to me personally because I ingested essential oils.

Essential oils are all the rage lately, and more and more companies are adding them to their product lines. That is because essential oils are a powerful natural remedy, when used properly and if using pharmaceutical grade oils. Because they are so powerful people using them and selling them have a responsibility to be informed. There are many essential oil resources online giving worrisome blanket advice about their use. I know people from various companies say it has to be the brand of oils that is causing problems when ingesting them and that their brand is safe to ingest. In the case of ingesting, brand doesn’t matter unless you are using synthetic oils which should never be ingested, period.

One of the most often talked about topics in aromatherapy, is ingestion. Without naming brands, there is a plethora of unsafe advise floating around the internet and at meetings for some of the mlm brands of essential oils. I have encountered numerous individuals ingesting these oils without so much as batting an eye (or offering a disclaimer), because the information to do so was passed down to them from their sponsor. I often hear people say ” just put a drop or two in water and drink it”. I heard that they were safe to ingest in water and know a lot of people who are using them this way. Essential oils don’t mix in water, they need a dispersant. When you add a drop to a glass of water that droplet doesn’t mingle with the water like a drop of an herbal tincture. It sits there, and you sling that glass back and take a big gulp. The first signs of distress from this method are mouth and throat irritations.

“Essential Oils are Highly Concentrated! Did you know that it takes:

256 pounds of peppermint leaf to make one pound of peppermint essential oil
150 pounds or more of lavender flowers to make one pound of lavender essential oil
Thousands of pounds of roses to make 1 pound of rose essential oil

Essential Oils contain very concentrated properties of the herb or plant they are derived from. A very small amount of EOs often has the qualities of many cups of herbal tea from the same plant. For instance, one drop of peppermint essential oil is equivalent to 26-28 cups of peppermint tea. This isn’t to say essential oils should not be used, but they should be used carefully, with proper education and in safe amounts. If you wouldn’t ingest dozens of cups of an herbal tea, you should probably think twice before consuming the equivalent amount of essential oils.” (Source)

To fully understand the therapeutic action and any safety issues associated with a particular oil, you need to know the botanical name and (if applicable) the chemotype. If you do not know the botanical name of the essential oil or the chemotype, how can you know what is the safest way to use that oil?

A surprising number of consumers believe that all natural remedies are safe, and see no problem using essential oils with abandon. A person who would never consider taking half a bottle of aspirin in a sitting has no problem downing a teaspoon of highly concentrated essential oil. The only cases of death, organ failure and hospitalization in the history of aromatherapy have been caused by ingesting essential oils. It is THAT dangerous. The practice of consuming essential oils is dangerous and was designed to be done under the care of an aromatherapist trained in that form of therapy. In addition, studies have shown that topical aromatherapy is more effective than internal aromatherapy methods.

I learned the lesson about to ingesting oils and the problem it can cause the hard way, which motivated me to get serious about discovering the truth behind the safety of essential oil ingestion. I think it is important for people using and/or selling essential oil to have this information!

First of all I want to say that essential oils are powerful healing agents if used in the proper way. If used in ways that are not recommended they can cause harm. It is NOT recommend the ingestion of ANY essential oils. They are highly concentrated and have the capacity to cause serious damage if used internally without the necessary expertise required in administering it. This is supported by the International Federation of Aromatherapists, NAHA and AIA that does not recommend ingestion of essential oils unless under the supervision of a Medical Doctor who is also qualified in clinical aromatherapy.

Many essential oils contain natural chemical constitutions that are antibiotic, antiviral, and antiseptic making them excellent tools for preventing disease. When I started thinking about this it struck me that if they contain those qualities that must be what they do in your body. Antibiotics destroy bacteria. The intestinal track is made up of bacteria so it would be logical to assume that you are ingesting the oils they are going to end up in your intestine and destroy the bacteria. I have read that they have the same impact on the flora in your intestine as antibiotics do. Most of us know that if you take antibiotics for any length of time you will have to rebuild the flora in your gut. The same is true with essential oils.

PROFESSIONAL SOURCES ON THE INGESTION OF ESSENTIAL OILS

“What about using the oils internally for therapeutic purposes? In my opinion, anyone considering using essential oils internally should know what the chemical composition of the essential oil you are considering using in this way is and what the possible cautions of those components might be. For instance ketones (found in quite large amounts in oils like peppermint 30%; spearmint 55%) generally stimulate the formation of tissue, have mucolytic effects, dissolve fats, and are potentially neurotoxic. Ketones are the most common toxic substances in essential oils. According to Dr. Penoel, ketone molecules can penetrate the blood-brain barrier more easily than other molecules. Some of the oils high in ketones can cause liver damage. After absorption from almost all regions of the gastrointestinal tract, most substances pass directly to the liver, where the great majority will be deactivated but some may be made more toxic. Not all ketones are equally problematic but this is the reason why many oils that are high in ketones carry the caution: Do not use in pregnancy. Can the developing fetus’s liver handle the ketone content of an oil like peppermint or spearmint? “ (Source)

Can essential oils be toxic?“Toxicity rarely occurs with appropriate use of essential oils and is primarily attributed to misuse and accidental ingestion, especially in young children.Essential Oil Safety by Tisserand and Balacs, 1995, is a valuable reference to understanding potential toxicity and lethal dosages. Again, we recommend that you never eat or drink essential oils.” (source)

MY PERSONAL STORY

I started ingesting essential oils in June of 2014 as a way to drink more water. I am not a water drinker so adding a drop or two of essential oils gave the water more flavor and got my water consumption up. On July 4, 2014 I started having diarrhea which quickly turned severe. I couldn’t eat much of anything without having diarrhea so I started adding an essential oil blend for digestion. I thought maybe I had picked up a parasite while I was in Bali in April so I went through a series of parasite tests and they all came back negative. During the time I was being tested it was suggested that I just eat bananas, crackers and toast as a way to get the diarrhea under control. It turned out that that is all I could eat for 3 months and even that didn’t keep the diarrhea at bay. I was afraid to leave the house because I had to use the bathroom so much.

One might wonder why I didn’t work with a doctor to discover what was wrong. First of all I don’t believe they would have figured it out because they wouldn’t have asked the right questions and in the process they would have run a lot of expensive tests trying to figure out what was wrong. I know my body very well and trusted that I could work to find an answer and a solution. I knew it was my digestion that was the issue. It just took a while to determine the cause. If you have read my book “Empowered Health and Wellness: Awakening Your Inner Physician” you understand that I believe our bodies are self healing and I trusted my Inner Physician to help me. By the end of October I had a hunch that I should stop using the essential oils after reading that they could have a negative impact on the digestive tract. I started to notice and improvement pretty quickly after stopping.

I did a lot of research and started to focus on finding a way to heal my gut. Here is the protocol I started with. Slowly I began to notice that my digestion was improving and the bouts of diarrhea we decreasing. I slowly was able to begin adding foods to my diet that I wasn’t able to eat during the Summer. I stayed away from gluten and dairy. In March of 2015 I started adding probiotics, probiotic foods and a water kiefer. I was concerned at times that I might have done permanent damage to my digestive tract. I began to have normal bowel movements in Mid May 2015, 10 months after the severe diarrhea started. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I have gone through because they ingested essential oils and that is why I want this important information to get out.

When I posted this issue on Facebook there were a number of people who said they had been ingesting essential oils for years and didn’t have problems. I read a number of sources that said you may have been using oils for years and don’t notice symptoms but that doesn’t mean damage is not being done. Other people said that everyone is different and might not be impacted the way I was. It is true that each person is different and as a practitioner I would never suggest ingesting essential oils because you never know how they are going to impact someone.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

https://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety/
http://wellnessmama.com/26519/risks-essential-oils/ Great article
http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/aromatherapy/are-essential-oils-safe
http://www.alliance-aromatherapists.org/aromatherapy/aromatherapy-safety/ Internal Use safetyBook ” Essential Oil Safety” Robert Tisserand Testimonials of people who have had damage from Ingesting Oils Essential Oil Safety: Documented Side Effects, Injuries, and Deaths from Essential Oil Ingestion

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Inner Physician/Intuitive Healer in History

4/16/2015

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“No attempt should be made to cure the body without the soul. This is the great error of our day in the treatment of the human body, that physicians first separate the soul from the body.”
Plato

“Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing that truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work.”

Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)

I had independently connected with what I call the Inner Physician and was happy to find a couple of other’s who also found it as an active presence in each of us, even though they were past history. On the other hand I was surprised that I hadn’t found more people who were aware of it who were using it in healing right now. It was curious to me that people were talking about the Inner Physician and Intuitive Healer in the 1800's but not now. What happened to that information?

Albert Schweitzer, famed medical missionary, believed in the inner healing power and encouraged his fellow physicians to help their patients discover the Inner Physician. If the patient is only seen as “ill” he is cut off from his inner capacity to heal and he gives his power away to the doctor. Those who are aware that they have the innate power of the Inner Physician, are empowered to work on their own behalf to find the best solution, whether it is allopathic medicine, alternative means of healing or a combination of things.

William Walter Atkinson was practicing self-healing using thought at the turn of the century. Here is a quote: "See your body as you wish it to become, not as it has been. See a perfect condition, not an imperfect one. There is no mystery or magic about this form of treatment. It is not the mere denial of the trouble that brings about the cure, it is the response of the body to the mental picture formed by you. Thought takes form in action, and the body responds to the thoughts."

Paracelsus, a Renaissance physician during the 1500’s said, “Nature is the first physician, and man is the second”. He clarified that statement in this way; “By observing nature, the ancient physicians realized that there must be an inner healing principle in living organisms which systematically combats diseases. The defensive processes, curative will and healing capacity of the patient are thus regulated by a higher authority, which the greatest mediaeval physician, Paracelsus, has simply and clearly called the “inner physician”. Paracelsus declared that all diseases, except such as come from purely mechanical causes, have an invisible origin in the inner man. Accordingly, the inner physician is a person’s most important resource and greatest asset. But just as any talent can be promoted or suppressed, so can the activities of the inner physician be encouraged, restricted or even paralyzed.” This kind thinking cutting edge for his time and he angered many physicians with it. Today we understand it much better.

"Inner Healer" or “Inner Physician” or “Doctor within” is a universal archetype that carries our highest and deepest wisdom, and connection to our Source. There is no disease, illness, or physical imbalance which will not respond to the power of the Inner Physician, who is waiting for you to call it to action.

Nature is the first physician, man is second”
Paracelsus [1493-1641]

By observing nature, the ancient physicians realized that there must be an inner healing principle in living organisms which systematically combats disease. Chaos or a kind of panic would ensue within the ailing organism if a higher organizing power were not present to intervene and take appropriate countermeasures. The defensive processes, curative will and healing capacity of the patient are thus regulated by a higher authority, which the greatest mediaeval physician, Paracelsus has simply and clearly called the ‘inner physician”. Paracelsus believed that all knowledge could be discovered by intuition, searching within the human mind, because man was a microcosm of the Universe and the principles operating within the Universe operated in a corresponding way within man. Paracelsus rejected supernatural magic and instead emphasized the magical healing powers with which God had endowed Nature.

Paracelsus regarded Nature as a living organism and an expression of the One Life, and man as a microcosm of Nature and the Universe. He believed that health arose from the harmony between the microcosm (man) and the macrocosm (Nature). Man and the Universe were essentially one in nature, and there was a profound relationship between every part of nature and its corresponding part in man. In order to truly understand the causes of disease, a doctor must first be a philosopher according to Paracelsus.

“All objects in the Universe, the macrocosm, were represented in the mind of man, the microcosm, and therefore all knowledge could be discovered by searching within. “ He applied this to his practice of medicine.

The ancient physicians also coined the maxim: Medicus curat –natura sanat!--which means: the physician cures, in that he prescribes the therapies but it is nature that heals, i.e., the inner physician.

Accordingly, the inner physician is a person’s most important resource and greatest asset. But just as any talent can be promoted or suppressed, so can the activities of the inner physician be encouraged, restricted or even paralyzed.

One promotes healing by means of:

1. A positive attitude toward recuperation. The physician, relatives and above all the patients themselves must strengthen confidence, belief and the will to recuperate, so that all inner powers participate in the healing process and are not hindered by any doubts of a speedy recovery.

2. Also through the therapeutic measures which appropriately support the natural healing process. Here the patient’s active participation is critical: all therapeutic procedures under taking by him impart new healing stimuli, which fortify the will to recuperate and thus activate the inner physician.

What all of these early thinkers had in common was the belief that we have inside of us an "Inner Physician", or "Intuitive Healer" that will work in tandem with us to heal ourselves. It is a part of us that has the most information about our bodies and what it needs.

Now it the time for each of us to get acquainted with that Intuitive Healer.

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Awakening the Inner Physician: Dead Doctors Left Clues

3/25/2015

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Dead Doctors Left Clues!

I woke up in the middle of the night choking. Out of my grogginess, I realized I was having a full blown panic attack, which made little sense in light of the absolutely exquisite day I had just had. My throat was constricted and filled with mucus that I couldn’t clear. It was a terrifying 10 minutes of choking and struggling to breath.

I wasn’t sure if I should call 911 for help or wait it out. In the midst of my terror, I said “What is going on here?” A crystal clear voice in my head said, “Don’t worry. It’s only trauma releasing.” I know that voice, and I knew what it was referring to. A calm started to come over me. Within a few minutes, I was totally calm and breathing normally.

The Inner Physician

The voice that I heard was my Inner Physician, who I have worked with for 15 years in my journey to heal my body. This Inner Physician is a person’s most important resource and greatest asset, and yet we have little knowledge of it. The Inner Physician is not a topic of discussion, so how can the average person know about it? That is why I feel it is important to start a dialogue.

We have in our consciousness a personal doctor that is an expert on what is happening in our unique body. It is aware of what our body needs to heal itself from any disease, discomfort and illness that we encounter.The Inner Physician is active and engaged in every moment, whether we realize it or not. It keeps all of our systems working smoothly, controls breathing and heart rate, and knows how to maintain homeostasis. When we consciously work with the Inner Physician, miracles can happen.

"Inner Physician" is also known as the “Inner Healer” or “The Doctor Within.” It is a universal archetype that carries our highest and deepest wisdom, as well as our connection to the Source. There is no disease, illness, or physical imbalance which will not respond to the power of the Inner Physician, who is waiting for you to call it into action.

People in touch with the Inner Physician are more likely to accept responsibility for their behavior and are empowered to take charge of their lives. Working in concert with the Inner Physician, you take back your power and gain an ally for life. Your diet might change, you may begin an exercise routine, or seek out alternative forms of medicine because you are listening to its voice.

The intelligence of our Inner Physician is evident by the fact that we can think and pick up a pen or sit at the computer and with our hands, put those thoughts to paper and share them with the world. It is amazing if you think about it. The fact that we can send a thought from the brain, through the body to the legs and feet, so that we can move from place to place is incredible. The fact that we don’t even have to think about it, and our heart beats to pump life giving blood through our veins, and our lungs expand and contract to bring the air we need, is mind boggling. Yet we take all of this for granted, never thinking about it.

This intelligence goes even deeper. We cut our finger and a few days, new cells have closed the wound. After a week or so, you would never know there was a cut in the first place. The same is true of bones. If they break, they heal themselves. Every 5 days, our whole intestinal lining is renewed. Every 11 days, our respiratory lining is replenished. Every 15 days, all our white corpuscles are replaced. Every 120 days, our red corpuscles are replaced.

Every six months, we have a new blood stream. Every 11 months, we have a new cell structure. We get a new set of bones every 2 years. And overall, an entirely new body is recreated every 7 years.

This is pretty amazing, and if true, then all the diseased cells are replaced with healthy cells over time.

Let’s play with this consciousness for a moment. Here is a scenario from a doctor’s visit where someone finds out they are very sick.

The doctor comes into the room and says, “I am sorry to have to tell you this but you have_______”

The blank can be any number of diseases or afflictions that are serious and/or life threatening. The first thing the patient says to themselves is “Oh God, I have______!”

That becomes the story they tell to everyone. They announce it on Facebook and tell all of their friends. What happens? The moment we give our agreement to a belief, we bring it to life and now we have other people bringing it to life too! It is easy to predict what is going to happen.

What if the doctor came into the examination room and said something like, “We have some challenges ahead of us, but I am confident that if we all work together, they can be overcome. I will work with you, your family and your Inner Physician to find the right resources to get beyond these challenges.” Think of the seed the doctor is planting through that statement and imagine what would happen.

Dead Doctors Left Clues

I discovered this concept on my own healing journey, yet the idea of the Inner Physician goes back to the middle-ages and Paracelsus, a Renaissance physician during the 1500’s. He was part medical doctor, part metaphysician, and part shaman, so it is not surprising that he would take a mind/body/spirit approach to healing.

Paracelsus said, “Nature is the first physician, and man is the second.” He clarified that statement in this way;“By observing nature, the ancient physicians realized that there must be an inner healing principle in living organisms which systematically combats diseases. The defensive processes, curative will and healing capacity of the patient are regulated by a higher authority, which Paracelsus called the “inner physician”. Paracelsus declared that all diseases, except ones which were caused by accidents, have an invisible origin in the inner man. The Inner Physician is part of our consciousness and just as any talent can be promoted or suppressed, so can its activities be encouraged, restricted or even paralyzed.”

This Paracelsus guy was way ahead of his time, and many people thought he was off his rocker! This kind thinking was cutting edge for his time and he angered many physicians with it. Today, it is still cutting edge.

Albert Schweitzer, famed medical missionary, was also onto the idea of the Inner Physician. He described it this way: “Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing that truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work.”

What a powerful concept that is! What if every doctor today adopted that philosophy? It would be wonderful to watch.

Schweitzer believed in the inner healing power and encouraged his fellow physicians to help their patients discover the Inner Physician. If the patient is only seen as “ill,” he is cut off from his inner capacity to heal. He also gives his power away to the doctor. Those who are aware that they have the innate power of the Inner Physician are empowered to work on their own behalf to find the best solution, whether it is allopathic medicine, alternative means of healing, or a combination of things.

The key to discovering this Inner Physician is twofold. First, we must understand that miracles happen all of the time. Second, we must learn to trust ourselves and the ability of our body to return to homeostasis. In partnership with the Inner Physician, you can overcome not only minor ailment, but major illness. You can call it intuition, sixth sense, clairvoyance, prophecy or Divine Intervention. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it’s available to each of us, just waiting for us to call upon it.

When I woke up choking and afraid, just as it has done so many times in the past when my body was out of balance, my Inner Physician stepped in like a loving, nurturing friend to calm me and let me know that it was there. It was ready to support me, and tell me that I didn’t have to worry. The Inner Physician is there for all of us, just waiting for us to ask for assistance.

Learn more in the book, Empowered Health and Wellness: Awakening Your Inner Physician

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By Katelyn Mariah

This blog will explore anything and everything related to health and wellness including: activating the inner physician, nutrition, foods as medicine, alternative medicine, just to name a few topics. I love when people comment and we can get a discussion going that might help someone else.

Buy Empowered Health and Wellness here

Review of GODAI Soaps

GODAI, an all natural, organic soap, to accompany a healthy lifestyle

Ingesting Essential Oils...Yes? or No?

The answer might surprise you and it is important that you know!

Inner Physician/Intuitive Healer in History

Awakening the Inner Physician: Dead Doctors Left Clues

By Katelyn Mariah

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