The Many Benefits of Neem!

Hey everyone!

Long time, no post!  I decided today that I would like to share with you how beneficial the Neem plant can be to our health!

Firstly, I'd like to explain that Neem is the name of a tree native to India.  (picture below)  It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for at least 4,000 years.

(photo used from http://neemtree.org/about/mission-vision/)

I am currently using Neem powder in my skincare product and am considering its use in a new coconut "oil pulling" blend that I have in mind.

It is extremely useful as an antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory ingredient and has been shown to heal intensely problematic skin conditions (as well as the occasional blemish or burn.)  It really is not very short of a miracle healing plant.  Here is a fabulous link describing it more in-depth!

http://organixsouth.com/info/index.php/theraneem/articles-and-factoids/neem-a-centuries-old-remedy-for-problem-skin-hair

Thanks so much for reading!  I will update again soon with information on purchasing my Neem bodycare products!  :-D

First Plant ID Walk Friday, March 21, 2014!!!

***First Plant ID Walk!!!***

When: Friday, March 21, 2014 1pm - ??? (the length of time will be determined by how far we all wish to go!) Rain date will be Saturday, March 22, same time.

Where: Boyce-Mayview Park (meet at the trailhead parking next to Ardolino's Pizza on Boyce Road; 1141 Boyce Road for you GPS'ers)

How: with boots that can withstand mud, puddles, and potentially slippery areas! It is also a good idea to bring a trekking pole for good balance, or we can find a sturdy branch along the way! And bring a camera! (Journals are optional!)

Price: Sliding scale of $0-5 for this first class! I would never turn anyone down because of money! I would be more disappointed if you didn't come at all-- Please do not miss this walk if you're interested!!

What better way to ring in the Spring Equinox than to head out into the forests and fields! After a winter like the one we've just had, it's not likely that things will be bursting through to begin growing just yet, but the Lotus sure is! (And if we're lucky, we'll spot some skunk cabbage, always the first to appear, and it looks REALLY NEAT!) There will still be plenty to identify, and if you really wish to identify a plant, there is no greater way than to watch it from its very first stirrings. I will be pointing out a lot of places where the plants WILL be in the future.

A camera was my most useful tool (and still is!) for plant ID'ing. It allows us to track the plant's life cycle, and it helps us to remember where it is and what it looks like throughout the year.

Bring a friend! Or bring the family! And please message me on here or e-mail me at dancinglotusherbals@gmail.com to let me know if you plan to come along! I'd just like a general idea of how many to expect. Thanks!! Spring is just around the corner now!!!!

First Product Demo Wednesday, March 5!

I am very excited to announce my first product demo, happening Wednesday, March 5th, at Sunny Bridge Natural Foods, in McMurray, PA!!!  I will be there from 12:30-3:30!

The owner, Gina Snyder, has very graciously reserved me a table the week of the store's 12 year anniversary!  (That means I've been shopping there for 12 years!  And working there almost a year!  Crazy!)  And you don't want to miss the store-wide sale!!  All merchandise is 12% off, March 5-8!!!

Dancing Lotus Herbals is still in its incubation phase, more or less, and I may not have any actual product yet to sell (still figuring out my packaging / labels / pricing, etc)  But I will have some samples!  And some information about what I'll be offering in the very near future! (new products, plant walks, classes, farmers' markets, and more!!!)

Below is a list of samples that I feel I will have ready to serve up.  This may change, depending on ingredient availability, etc, so stay tuned!

*Lotus Laundry Soap~ A vibrant, effective laundry detergent made of the simplest ingredients available!  I will have the light, bright Lavender-Orange blend as well as unscented!  Made using Dr. Bronner's castille soap bars, so the scents are from true essential oils and nothing artificial!

*Liquid Lotus Dish Soap~  Making your hands-on dish washing time even more zen.  You can feel good knowing that your dish soap is not harmful in any way (except to grease and residue!) For those of you familiar with the peaceful meditation of washing your every dish by hand each day, you may just become enlightened while using this!

 *Sea-Oats Facial Cleansing Grains~  A gentle face scrub made with seaweed powder, powdered oats, lavender, rose petals, almonds, and white clay.  A heavenly blend of gently exfoliating and cleansing ingredients that are effective and feel great for any skin type!

*Enlightening Rose Petal Face Mist~ Nirvana in a bottle. This product not only tones the skin, but works to help reduce redness and skin irritation. Helps to remove oil and dirt from our pores, keeping the skin clean and feeling fresh (an understatement!) The scent of pure rosewater is so uplifting and dreamy, you may find you want to bring it with you wherever you go!

*Rapunzel's Burdock Seed Hair Oil~  Super natural remedy for strengthening the follicle of the hair. Used daily for thinning hair, in conjunction with a weekly deep scalp application.

*HerbaLotus Hair Rinses~  Two varieties: one made with herbs alone, and one made with herbs, using apple cider vinegar.  Apple cider vinegar helps us to restore an acidic pH to our scalp, removing soap residue, excess oil, and to help keep dandruff in check.

So if you're in the area, come see me!  Stop on by and check it out!  Tons of samples, freebies, and deals!  See you there!

Sunny Bridge Natural Foods 12 Year Anniversary Demo Schedule!

Dancing on Facebook!

Greetings!

My friend Pamela (of Mick & Pamela McDonough Cosmic Expressionists) reminded me to get myself over to facebook!

So come on over and stay tuned for the Lotus blooming this Spring!!!  :-D

Dancing Lotus Herbals !

And hop on over to see Pamela's amazing Yantra Mandala artwork and Vedic Astrology blog!  She and her husband create some of the. most. amazing and magical artwork that I've ever seen.  And I wonder at times what I would do without her incredible astrological insight. Go on over, what are you waiting for!  :-)

Moving Right Along!...

As we await the turning of the seasons, with Spring just around the corner (and a 50+ degree day in the forecast this week!) I am gnawing at the bit to get off the ground with some wonderful, fun ideas!  The obstacles are slowly dropping away, as I finally have the proper space to begin making and creating now; and I finally have the internet once again!

Business cards are also under way!  I'm hoping they will be shipped out tomorrow (Monday), and it has been such a fun process designing them! (with the help of my friends!)

I'm also finally starting to plan for some Spring Plant ID walks in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and awaiting the arrival of the business cards so that I can start really spreading the word!  It won't be long now before the forests and fields are bursting out of their Winter slumbers and bringing the freshest new life onto the scene!  Check back here frequently for updates on dates/times and locations!

Thanks for reading!!  May the lengthening days and steadily increasing temperatures help pull us through the last stretch of a long, long Winter!