HERBS AS INCENSE

In the past, certain herbs such as sage and rosemary were burned to cleanse sick rooms. Cedar is a fragrant wood known to have antiviral, antifungal, expectorant, and lymphatic cleansing properties. Pine, Spruce and Fir needles contain shikimic acid, the main ingredient in Tamiflu, which is used to fight the bird flu. Frankincense is also a known to be very effective incense in the treatment of respiratory ailments. Mullein and Eucalyptus leaves are also beneficial herbs that can be used in this manner.

By slowly burning herbs, the essential oils are released into the smoke and carried into the lungs of those that inhale it. If a person is suffering from bronchial inflammation, the beneficial properties of the herb are applied directly to the inflamed tissue.

I know of one woman that had been dealing with such a strong cytokine response during a bout with the flu that she was choking, vomiting and struggling for air. Her husband closed the damper on their wood stove and tossed some Cedar into the fire, filling the house with smoke. Immediately, the cytokine storm stopped. Within 20 minutes, there was no mucus and she felt as though she hadn’t had the flu at all. They have repeated this remedy with the same result on other family members, airing the house afterwards.

American Indian tribes regularly used Cedar to smoke and cleanse their homes. In rustic conditions, smoke can be used to cleanse a person, clothing, bedding or shelter of vermin, molds, etc. Cedar smoke was one of the ways that priests were instructed to cleanse a house where there had been a plague (cf. end of chapter 14 of Leviticus).

HOW TO BURN HERBS AS INCENSE
Using tongs, place a hot coal or ember from a hard wood fire onto a heatproof dish. Place the herbs onto the hot coal and allow the herbs to smolder. Inhale the resulting smoke. The goal is to encourage the plant material to produce smoke, not to ignite into an open flame. This can be accomplished by only using hot coals (rather than fire) and/or by binding the plant material into a tight bundle.

Tightly bundled herbs are called smudge sticks. Some branches, twigs or leaves are supple enough to form into tight braids. Dried leaves can be secured with twine and unbleached paper. To use a smudge stick, hold one end of it to a flame until it ignites. Then the flame is gently blown out leaving the plant material to smolder and smoke. Smudge sticks are handy as it is easy to direct the smoke and they will tend to burn for a longer period of time.

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CAUTION
Do not inhale the smoke of any herb or plant material to which you have known allergies. This article is for information purposes only. Readers that incorporate these methods do so at their own risk and should utilize safety precautions. None of this information is a substitute for professional health care.

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AMAZING LOVE!

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FRANKINCENSE, THE GIFT OF HEALING

Frankincense is an amazing healer. It’s one of the items I would select for an emergency survival pack. I make that statement because this gum resin can make a huge difference when you are fighting a fast-moving infection.

Frankincense is sold as little pebbles of hardened gum, powder and/or essential oil. The powder and gum granules are light-weight. The granules are easier to handle (in my opinion) than the powder and can be ground to smaller bits if needed.

Frankincense can be used for steam inhalation or aromatherapy if you are dealing with bronchitis, colds, and other respiratory ailments. I’ve seen it used to great benefit as part of a regimen for recovery from pneumonia. I place several granules of Frankincense in combination with dried mullein and eucalyptus leaves in a crock pot with filtered water to steam the air in a room. In rustic conditions, you can burn Frankincense with hot embers placed into a fireproof container (or on a rock) as incense.

As a topical wound dressing, Frankincense is regenerating, restorative and a skin rejuvenator. Because its properties are somewhat astringent, oil infused with Frankincense has been used as a uterine tonic and massage oil following childbirth. By easing inflammations, Frankincense promotes the healing of blemishes, sores, scars, skin ulcers and wounds. In some places it is used as a treatment for leprosy. (See "HOW TO INFUSE OILS")

I know of a case where a patient had a weeping leg wound that had a foul odor. Red streaks and swelling warned that the infection was advancing. Good wound care was followed, but the infection persisted. Frankincense was applied after all else was tried. The leg immediately responded. Upon examination by a physician, he was surprised that the wound only required stitches and that the leg did not need amputation. It had been his experience that such severe cases resulted in loss of the limb.

I witnessed an instance where an arm was branded on a hot oven rack. At the time of injury, all that was available to dress the wound was honey and a very old batch of plantain infused olive oil. Later, the area was gently cleaned and a proper dressing applied. The wound was an inch long and (at its worst) about one quarter of an inch deep. Although the burn was 2nd degree, there was only faint blistering. Early indications were that the wound was healing quickly, but it became infected. The arm became swollen; the wrist and arm painful to use; red streaks began to appear. The inflammation reduced upon application of a garlic poultice, but did not fully retreat. Upon application of olive oil infused with Frankincense, the inflammation and pain retreated in less than 12 hours. Within 24 hours, the pain ceased and the wound began to heal from the inside. Within 48 hours there was no more swelling, the wound had closed with a healthy pink, and the wound was filling in from the bottom layers of the skin. Within the week, it appeared to be a faint scar from a long-forgotten injury.

If available, Frankincense can be an invaluable tool in effective wound care. If you utilize an essential oil of Frankincense for medicinal purposes, make certain that the product was steam distilled or alcohol extracted rather than by some other chemical solvent method. Most manufacturers will be glad to answer your questions over the telephone. Note that manufacturing methods can change over time, so you may wish to check labels each time you purchase, even if it is the same brand name.

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This article is for information purposes only. It is not meant as a substitute for medical care. The methods described are employed at the risk of the reader.

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HOW TO START A FIRE WITH A SODA CAN

I don’t think there is a lot of nutritional value in a can of soda, but the can itself could prove useful in a survival situation. It is possible to use an empty soda can to start a fire. In the event you find yourself in need of fire for cooking or heat, a discarded can could prove most beneficial.

The concave bottom of these cans is designed to give strength to the container. It is possible to polish this surface to a high sheen to create fire. The curved reflective surface is able to collect the sun’s rays and focus them to a single point, igniting flammable tinder.

Once you’ve found an empty pop can, utilize materials you have on hand to polish it to a mirrored gloss. If you have the 0000 steel wool – the finest grade – you will be able to accomplish this with just a few minutes of rubbing. You can also burnish the surface with a baking soda paste, toothpaste or a paste made with scouring powder.


Once this is accomplished, you’ll want to finish with a polish. To polish the surface you can rub it with a bar of chocolate, crayons, candles, Vaseline, or any other waxy material. Apply the material to the bottom of the can and rub with a cloth, repeating this process until you’ve gotten the desired effect. A word of caution, don’t eat the chocolate after it is used for this project as it will have absorbed the aluminum a known toxin.

When the surface has a mirror finish, point it toward the sun. To find the focal point, hold a small scrap of paper between the can and the sun, moving it closer or farther away from the can until the sun’s rays are focused into a small dot of light. Visually mark this spot and hold your tinder there until it begins to smoke and then flame.

You will need about an hour’s time to polish the can’s surface. Igniting your tinder will take less time, depending on the quality of your materials.

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This article is provided for information only. The reader assumes all risks and liability in the implementation of these methods and is urged to use common sense and sound judgment in its application.

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INCREASE LEARNING WITH FUN

Learning in a secure environment is further reinforced when you raise the level of intensity (fun or excitement), repeat the activity and find ways to capture the student’s attention for a sustained period of time. One of the goals of effective instruction is to find a way to incorporate these qualities and thereby increase learning.

Institutions of learning don’t always make room for these elements. However advertisers and students of human nature are free to pursue them. A major car company recently began a contest to see who could develop the best innovation that would make a task fun and promote changed behavior. By making the tasks enjoyable, the desired behaviors were reinforced, encouraging the participants to sustain the activity and repeat it often. The very design of the project promoted learning and – over time – changes in behavior.

Why would this be of interest to you? It is because these things will enhance your learning as you attempt to acquire new skills. Whether the skills fall into the category of rustic living, herbs or natural medicine, one of the keys to survival is preparedness and education. However, that education will be hindered if your planning is characterized by a sense of fear rather than a sense of adventure. Also, no one wants to practice skills that are overwhelming and drudgery.

Take the time to relax and create some family adventure and fun together. Pursue these things as a hobby. Discover the wonders of nature that surround you. What common and useful plants are growing in your area? Take a few excursions. Pitch in to help others with their learning projects. Organize a class with friends. Make it a social time as well as a learning time. Focus on a particular skill and host a workshop or a contest in your own back yard. Your family will be enriched with the fun and memories while you are gaining information that is an investment in your future. Become a creative student and re-discover the joy of learning.

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HERE ARE THREE OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE FUN THEORY PROJECTS:

In this first example, the goal was to increase the use of trash receptacles by members of the public. Watch to see how they found a way to make using a trash can so much fun that a boy is seen looking for more trash to place inside the bin.




Here, the object was to increase bottles placed into the recycling bin. A few flashing lights later, a crowd gathered to cheer on their fellow recyclers.




We all know that taking the stairs is better for us than taking the escalator. In this video watch the time elapsed footage that shows a dramatic shift in use of the stairs when the steps are creatively covered.

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