Making Herbal Bundles from Local Plants

We at the Bodhi Sangha School, honor the human culture of medicine making. It is a tradition in all old cultures to use plant medicine to aid us in our work. Florida is the land of abundance when it comes to medicinals. Our yards, gardens and forests are rich in little plant beings that can aid us in our lives.

Metta

Making Herbal Bundles out of local plants

Local Medicinal Plants for making Bundles!

*This first group of plants are Edible, Medicinal, and appropriate for Topical use.  I am using the acronym "EMT" to refer to these plants.

EMT- 

Bidens Alba, Tickseed, SpanishNeedles

- Anti Inflammatory

- Anti Microbial

- Stops bleeding

- Good for Internal inflammation,

 such as sinuses, or the bladder

-Ant Rumatic

EMT- Plantain, Plantago Virginica

EMT- Floridabetony, Rattlesnake root, Stachys floridana

EMT- Chickweed, Stellaria meolia

-Good for the gut

EMT- Gotukola florida, lentella erecta

- put leaves in smoothies

- Grows under fruit trees in South India and SE Asia

- Good for connective tissue

EMT- Cleaver, Galium Aparine

The following plants are Medicinal and Topical Only "MT' for short

MT- Sweetgum, Liquidambar, Styraciflua (Styraaflua)

- Used widely in Mexican folk medicine

- Good for wounds that wont heal

- Leaves used for cough remedy

- Chew on bark for teeth

- Resin is anti microbial

MT- Bayberry, Myrica cerifera

MT- Juniper, Red cedar, Junipiterus Virgininia - Used for malevolent spirits

In Memory of my teachers

With the wish to help all beings to be free from suffering
I will always go for refuge
To the purity of all phenomena
It's direct perception
And it's manifestation

Enthused by wisdom and compassion
Today in the presence of enlightened awareness
I generate the awakened mind
For the benefit of all beings

For as long as space endures
And sentient beings remain
May I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world

------------------------

From my precious teachers
And the pristine nature of existence
I take the open path

With myself clear
As a vessel for wisdom and compassion
I present my offering

Following teachings of kindness and right livelihood
I remain committed to purity of thought speech and activity

Enjoying the fruits of study and practice
I benefit others
With the giving of shelter sustenance guidance and love

------------------------

May the supreme jewel Bodhicitta
Arise where it has not arisen
And may that which has arisen
Never diminish but increase more and more

Due to all these merits may all the father and mother sentient beings have all happiness
And may the lower realms be empty forever
Wherever there are bodhisattvas, may their prayers be accomplished immediately
May I cause all this by myself alone

May people be happy and their years be blessed
May crops grow well and may religion prosper
I pray that all happiness arises for everyone
And that whatever they desire shall come to pass

Written by my teacher Paul Davenport in dedication to my teacher Kam Thye Chow 
✨You are both my ancestors now.

Balancing a heart centered Business with Purity

Those of us who have chosen massage therapy as an occupation probably have noticed that sometimes there is a conflicting element in charging money for something as sacred as holding space for someone's heart.

Those who know me you may also know that I specialize in a very old system of massage. Thai-Massage is an ancient practice of sacred touch. Although it is still very much massage therapy, it is also shamanic  in its application to bodywork. I say this because there is a tradition in our field where all of our merits, our skills, and our good results are from the ancestral lineage. The only reason we are able to do what we do is because of all those before us who dedicated their lives to the preservation of these beautiful massage moves. Thai-Massage is actually a yoga in which one shares one's own ability to be fully present, loving and skilled in the application of hands-on massage.  So how do I bring a professionalism and a business approach to something so precious and sacred like Thai-Massage? There is no is simple answer however the word that comes to mind is “Soft” .  Be soft. Find a balance where you are able to sustain your financial needs by charging what is acceptable in your field and also be open to offering time without the expectation of anything in return and notice how they both feel.

Generosity fuels our hearts and inspires us to feel the beauty of impermanence and the sacred moment that can be shared between two humans. When one is too generous and doesn't feel appreciated the heart shut down. So once again I would say, be soft. Be soft in your intention. Trust in the evolution of your career that is heart based and it will  not only provide for you but also nourish your soul so that your yoga is developing along with your career.

   There is a tradition in India when eating food. Noticed the beauty in your food. Notice the colors and textures and flavors on your plate. Be grateful for the journey of these plants to your plate and all it took for them to arrive onto your plate. Remember that not all have food so be generous. Make sure to share your food. This makes eating a sacred yogic act. We can apply this to all things.

Your job is a beautiful gift. You have a functioning human body that allows you to share presence and sacred touch. Notice all of the beautiful moments that help to arrive into this moment. Charge a fair price. Sometimes you will get paid more than you expected. Sometimes you'll be offering your services with an open heart and no monetary compensation. Let both of these things feel equally good. This is how we can balance our Heart centered business and purity. May we stay passionate in our field and may our bodies stay strong so we can continue to evolve and develop for as long as we choose. What a great gift to find a livelihood such as this.

Honoring our Lineage of Masters

The Art of Traditional Thai Massage is a documentary about the roots of Thai Massage.

Filmed in Thailand in the early 1990s, it features Thai Massage master teacher Asokananda, one of the first non-native Thai person to write and spread Thai Yoga Massage around the world.

It also includes interviews with two of his Thai Massage teachers, namely Chaiyuth Priyasith and Pichet Boonthumme. This video traces the history of the massage to its roots in India, through Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka, Laos and Thailand.

It reveals footage of some 17th century scriptures written in palm leaves, some of the oldest remaining texts about Thai Massage. The video delves into the theory and practice of Thai Yoga Massage. That includes discussion of ayurveda, sen line or energy line theory as well as demonstrations of various Thai Massage techniques.

The last part of the video includes aspects of a whole body Thai Yoga Massage given by Asokananda. This video provides an intimate look at Thai Massage culture in Thailand in the early 1990s. It also includes footage and works of some of the pioneers of Thai Massage in the West such as Anthony B. James, Lucas Earnst, Kam Thye Chow and Saul David Raye.

Moments

Our First Water Lily

A nice warm tile for a shpulder stand.

Wayne is our 1972 Conversion Bus.

The porch where we swing!

This is a waterfall by the hot tub.

The Prince of the land is Shadow Ninja and the Lady Pandora. I believe this is a cat nip moment.

The Purple Island