Education

Cultivated beauty in an extravagant fashionn before other cultures. They used cosmetics as part of their personal beautification habits, for religious ceremonies, and in preparing the deceased for burial. Also placing a great impostance on the animals that surrounded them. Each animal of prominence had a corresponding god or goddess that was artfully mimicked from the animals physical charachteristics. Incorporating these traits into their grooming and beautification habits, as well as their mumification rights. To the early Egyptian's, cleanliness was also very important -- it was a means of protection from evil as well as from disease.

Energy practices include energy balancing and chakras. According to ancient Hindu philosophy, our bodies have seven major vortexes through which we process our life force energy ( sometimes known as ki, or chi ). A block in any of these power centers can create unbalance, disease, or an overwhelming sense of tireness and feeling "stuck." The focus of the chakra balancing is to identify any blocks in the chakras, open them up and reconnect your energy body.

Ancient Hebrews were able to adopt many skin care and grooming techniques from other cultures because they were nomadic. Grooming rituals were based on the principle that their bodies were gifts to be cared for. Cosmetics were primarily used for cleansing and maintenance of the skin, hair, teeth and overall bodily health.

They used olive oil and grapeseed oil's to moistien and protect the skin they preparded ointment from hyssop (aromatic plant originally found near the Black Sea and in Central Asia) for cleansing, and they use cinnamon bombs to keep in body heat. Myrrh in poder form was used to repel fleas, and in tincture form it was used as an anti-septic and was helpful in expelling intestinal worms.

Japenese cultures blended the edges of their natural scenery into their looks. The ancient Japenese geisha not only exemplified the ideal of beauty, she was also able to incorporate it into intricate rituals. Geishas removed their body hair by a technique similiar to what we call threading today. From the tenth to the nineteenth centuries, blacked teeth were considered beautiful and appealing. It was common for both the married women and the courtesan to black out their teeth with a paste made from sake, tea and iron scraps.

Reiki is a Japenese technique for stress reduction and relaxtion that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive.

Shiatsu is a form of acupressure, this Japanese techniqure using acupressure massage points to relax and balance the body. Many of the motor points on the face and neck are acupressure points. Every muscle has a motor point which is a specific spot on the skin over the muscle where pressure or stimulation will cause contration of that muscle, nerve stimulation, and overall relaction. The standare pressure-point technique is to pause briefly for a few seconds over the motor points using light pressure. This technique is also used on the scalp.

Magnificent public bath buildings were constructed by the Romans. They were made for men and women. Ruins of these baths survive to this day. Steam therapy, body scrubs, massage, and other physical therapies were all availible at bath houses. After bathing, Romans supplied rich oils and other preperations to the skin to keep it healthy and attractive. Fragrances made from flowers, saffron, almonds, and other ingrediants were also part of bathing and grooming rituals.