The Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

Last week, we were fortunate enough to travel around the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula. We set off with the intentions of spreading around and absorbing as much love and ancient energy as possible (and I'd say it was a mission accomplished)!

I learned so much awesome info about Mayan, Mestizo and Mexican culture and history. We got to meet locals, chat with them and see what life is like for a modern day Mayan descendant. I'll save that topic for another post.

Now, I'd love to share a bit of wisdom on the Temple of Kukulkan (otherwise known as "El Castillo"- The Castle), one of the most famous pyramids in the world (and one of the most mysterious!!!).

photo by a. godbold

The Temple of Kukulkan, Chichen Itza. May 2013. 

Kukulkan is an ancient Mayan feathered serpent deity (also a tall, white, bearded dude). Said to have created the Earth, this serpent/human shapeshifter taught the Mayans mathematics, art, science, astrology and medicine. The Aztecs worshiped a similar god, Quetzalcoatl, with strikingly similar descriptions...yet many say that Mayans and Aztecs had no interaction. 

The stairs pictured here were designed to echo with the sound of a Quetzal bird, recognized as messenger of the gods. If you stand in front of them and clap, the sound travels all the way up the stairs and back down again in about 3 seconds with a chirping sound. 

On the spring and autumn equinoxes, you can view a huge serpent slithering down the side of the pyramid. This trick was cleverly designed and is created by the shadows of the stair blocks. An amazing pyramid with intense energy...recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. 

 · • · · ♦ · • · ♦ • · · ♦ · Skirt and bag handmade by Pyramidcult ← · · ♦ · · ♦ ♦ · • · • · ·

Sparkly recycled shoe rack pyramid

I love turning what most people would consider trash into functional forms of art. I was lucky enough to come across some extra large (and super sturdy) shipping tubes, and rescue them before hitting the trash pile. They made for the perfect recycled shoe rack pyramid project.

You'll need...

• one large tube
• white spray paint (feel free to go wild with whatever color/paper/fabric you please)
• gorilla glue (awesome stuff)
• strong clamps 
• sanding sponge or sand paper

Start off by sawing the tubes in 12" pieces.

Sand the edges of the tubes with a sponge sanding block to smooth out the edges...

*Gluing the tubes together requires just a touch of patience as this type of glue takes at least 2-3 hours to cure...though 24 hours is preferred.

Start the gluing process by applying a line of glue straight down the length of a tube (this type of glue expands quite a bit when drying so go easy with it).

 

Next, match it up with a second tube and clamp the tubes together. this would be tricky to do without clamps. If you don't have any, try using a belt to hold them together (I've not tested this method so don't hold me to it- just an idea :D)

Let the tubes dry for at least 2 hours then repeat the process until the bottom row is complete. Repeat these steps for each row of your design (I went for a pyramid shape, you can do any shape you'd like!)

When all rows are glued and cured, begin constructing your shoe rack by gluing the rows together starting from the bottom row up.

I used mod podge to seal the edges and to create a smooth painting surface. Allow 24 hours for this project to fully cure.

Then comes the really fun part (finally). Decoration and finishing! Yay!

I finished my shoe pyramid with a clean, glossy white spray paint with sparkly white glitter around the edges.

The possibilities are seemingly endless in my brain for the things one might do with large cardboard tubes. I love making things out of trash...and I love you for reading this! Hope you feel inspired to create. <3

The Kasiesue Skirt

The Kasiesue Skirt

This custom skirt was made for a sweet lady who spends much of her time managing a flower shop. I decided to make it reversible so she'd have two beautiful looks in one. Thanks to my cousin, Meredith, for taking these photos. :)

skirt- handmade for pyramidcult.com
boots- personal vintage collection
shirt- thrifted
hat- handmade by my talented madre

hat- person vintage collection
boots- pyramidcult.com

Custom orders and lots of other treasures are available here at Pyramidcult. 

Wild Dandelions: How to harvest and dry flowers for herbal tea.

The Dandelion plant is a bright and versatile wild edible with a long list of health benefits. These little beauties are all over the place this time of year. They were growing all over the yard and since today was mow-the-grass day, I decided to harvest and dry them for use in some yummy dandelion tea!

farmers field in PA

The entire Dandelion plant is edible and highly nutritious. The roots can be chopped up and boiled like carrots, making a hearty side dish. Alternatively, you can dry, roast and powder the root to use like coffee...minus the caffeine. The leaves work wonderfully in salads, steamed like spinach, or added to a smoothie. The flowers are perfect for making tea or dandelion fritters. 

Dandelion Health Benefits:

• high in calcium
• rich in iron
• low in calories
• loaded with antioxidants
• cleanses and purifies the liver
• soo many minerals
• lots of protein

Begin by harvest bright, healthy flowers around noon on a bright day, if possible. Make sure to clean the flowers of insects and debris. 

I used a simple cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to dry these dandelions. If you plan to eat the flowers fresh, or cook with them, use them immediately after harvest and cleaning. If you want to dry them for future use in herbal tea, lay them out in a single layer on a sheet and place it outside in the mid-day sun until dry (or place in oven on the lowest temp setting and dry slowly for about 2 hours, turning and tossing the flowers half way through).  Oven temps vary so keep a close eye on your flowers!

dandelions drying in the sun and crystals charging in purified water

Dandelion flowers after 2 hours of sun-drying

When the flowers are completely dry, store them in a glass jar that seals air tight or in sealed plastic bag. If stored properly, dried dandelion flowers have a shelf life of about 1-3 years.

Intro to Essential Oils

History: 
Aromatic oils have an ancient history. The early use of essential oils in China, India, Persia and Egypt has been recorded dating back 5,000 years. Knowledge and use of essential oils has been maintained and advanced for over 3,000 years through the Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine. The earliest scriptures of the Hindu religion, the Vedas, mention hundreds of essential oils.

Origins:
Essential oils may be found in virtually any part of the plant: seeds, flowers, fruit, leaves, stems, roots, bark, wood, needles and resins.

Basic Properties: 
Essential oils are primaril lipid (fat) soluble rather than water-soluble. This allows for effective and easy penetration into the skin and blood. Oils are absorbed through cappillaries, lymph ducts or the lungs. The body takes about 30-90 minutes to absorb essential oils entirely.

Storage:
Should be stored in dark, airtight, glass bottles. Exposure to light, oxygen and heat will begin to break down the oils...possibly causing them to be a skin irritant. If stored correctly, essential oils can last 7-10 years, possibly longer! Some oils improve with age (except citrus oils- keep 1-2 years). Ideal storage temp is between 45 and 65 degrees F.

Concentration:
It takes a huge amount of plant material to make a small amount of oil. Por ejemplo, 25-30 roses are required to make just ONE drop of essential oil! A half-ounce of essential oil can last a good long while.

Cautions:
Most essential oils need to be diluted with a "carrier" such as vegetable or nut oils (almond oil, grapeseed, avocado oil, jojoba oil) before being applied directly to the skin.

Labratory Tests:
Essential oils kill infectious germs while promoting useful, beneficial microorganisms. They do not indescriminately attack the body like most pharmeceuticals, rather they support the body's own immune system. They do not attack or weaken the organism while busy destroying disease. In the late 19th century, tests were run in response to an observation that tuberculosis cases in the flower-growing districts of France were almost nonexistent. French workers who processed fragrant floewers nad herbs remained free from illness. Studies proved that microorganisms of several illnesses like tuberculosis, yellow fever, cholera, and diptheria, were killed by essential oils. Since then, a century of experiments have supported the antimicrobial and antiseptic powers of essential oils.


Special thanks to my Mama for sharing her wonderful oils and to Liz of AromaticWisdomInstitute.com for sharing this beautiful information. 

Spirit Quartz, Citrine and Sodalite

Spirit Quartz-

Also known as Faerie Quartz, Cactus Quartz, Pineapple Quartz and Porcupine. These magickal pieces are found exclusively in Southern Africa. Spirit Quartz opens, activates, balances and harmonises the crown chakra, allowing one to connect fully with divine wisdoms. As the crown chakra is energetically charged, one’s clairvoyant, clairaudient, clairsentient and claircognisant states are also heightened. This guidance is often received with such clarity, that one’s fear is non-existent, as one chooses to live to the full potential of their soul purpose with strength, clarity, peace and grace. 

spirit quartz

• assists meditation
• balances chakras
• heals family/community problems
• helps community healing
• aids astral projection
• enhances dream work
• shamanic journeying
• auric shielding
• helps overcome grief
• activates and cleanses other stones
• rebirth (perfect for the season)
• natural attraction to faerie realm
• connects you to spirit and higher self
• freedom from fear
• channels otherworldly and divine inspiration
• connects and re-connects you with unconditional love

Citrine-

Also known as Merchant Stone or Sun Stone, legends say this crystal never needs cleansing. Citrine is highly energizing and nurtures creativity.  It also encourages generosity and sharing good fortune. Citrine brings intelligence, health, happiness, curiosity, confidence, and healing wisdom.

citrine

• balances yin/yang
• stimulates intuition
• positively influences education and interpersonal relationships
• supports the endocrine system
• encourages proper metabolism
• helps release anger and negative feelings
• activates solar plexus, sacral and crown chakras
• adds optimism and zest to life
• attracts prosperity 
• aids in detoxifying blood
• relieves menstrual and menopausal symptoms :)

Sodalite-

Sodalite stimulates thinking and truthful in emotions. It's a fantastic stone for clearing electromagnetic smog. When placed by a computer or other electronic, it's useful in blocking their emanations. 

sodalite

• encourages creativity
• helps verbalize thoughts
• eliminates confusion
• activates logic
• provides direction of purpose
• encourages self-esteem
• provides access to sacred universal law
• associated with third eye chakra and throat chakra
• provides protection
• unites logical with spiritual

Placing crystals around your home, car, and even in your pocket or bag, is a great way to cleanse and shield the energies around you. Cleanse your stones by placing them in sunlight or moonlight for a few hours. This will energize and clear them. You can also place your stones in running water, preferably a natural source, or bury the stones in earth for a few hours to ground and cleanse their energy. Smudge sticks such as sage and sweetgrass are also great for cleansing your special stones. Cleanse your crystals when they start to look cloudy or dull...or if they start to feel less vibrant...and see them come back to life! 

Oil Pulling with Sesame Oil- Personal Experiment

This morning, a friend inspired me to research the ancient art of oil pulling. This was done traditionally by followers of Ayurvedic medicine by swirling and swishing unrefined sesame oil around the mouth for about 15 minutes. The oil and saliva in your mouth team up to pull out toxins from the lymph nodes and blood.

After reading story after story of people curing disease and illness with oil pulling, I decided today would be the day I tried it, too.

I picked up unrefined sesame oil at my local health store. Other successful oils to try would be coconut oil and sunflower oil.

At 7:39 PM I poured one tablespoon of sesame oil into my mouth and started swishing. If you try oil pulling, make sure to just relax and gently pull the oil through your teeth, around your gums around your tongue. Avoid getting oil in your throat, and do not gargle. Spit the liquid into a commode or outside. Oil can clog pipes so don't spit in your sink or shower. It's recommended to oil pull first thing in the morning, before you've had anything to eat or drink...and up to three times daily, on an empty stomach.

I pulled for 15 minutes precisely, then rinsed my mouth a few times with fresh water.

As I sit here typing, I must say, I felt near immediate relief from my tooth/headache. A toothache I've had for over a year. My mouth feels...happy? That's kind of strange to say but it's true. My mouth actually feels like I just did something good for it. Kind of like that feeling when you slather creamy moisturizing lotion on dry, cracked skin. Such relief...

I'm going to take photos of my teeth and gums so I can compare progress in a few months. I'm definitely curious to see what happens...

This article is much more informative than I just was...so have a look and learn a lot!


Remember, use unrefined sesame, coconut, or sunflower oil for best results...happy pulling!