1-800-V-Steam

So I DIYed a "V-Steam" AKA vaginal steam today, AKA BAJOS,  AKA chai-yok. What's that you ask? Well in layman's terms it's a sauna for the vagina. Why you ask? Well, I'm all about enhancing the look and feel of my poon-poon. No, really, I was introduced to the v-steam via the Tia and Tamera reality show, and me being adventurous and into holistic healing, as well as feminine health, thought I'd give it a whirl. 

V-steams according to the internet go way back in both Central & South American as well as Korean cultures. So, it must be total AWESOMENESS. Without going in to deep (pun not intended), its benefits are supposed to be tremendous for vaginal and reproductive health, from healing ailments including bladder and yeast infections, hemorrhoids, infertility, to irregular and painful periods. Below are articles that go into detail about the v-steam is and how it benefits lady parts.

http://www.wholeliving.com/176734/what-steam

http://www.blogher.com/steam-your-vagina-obgyn-vaginal-steam-baths

NOW LET'S GET INTO IT

Below is the recipe that I concocted from several articles.

RECIPE:

I boiled a gallon of organic dried herbs that were recommended from another web site for 10 minutes. I then placed a clean bowl into my clean toilet. I poured half of my V-Tea into the bowl, and I sat for 15 minutes while  covering myself with a natural fiber sheet. After 15 minutes, I poured the rest of the tea in the bowl and sat for about 10 more minutes.

The herb mixture consisted of:

1 tablespoon basil 

1 tablespoon oregano 

1 tablespoon rosemary 

1 tablespoon lemon balm 

1 tablespoon calendula 

1 tablespoon lavender

(There are numerous herbal mixtures on the internet, but those are the herbs that I found.)

HOW DID IT FEEL YOU ASK?

It felt like steam on my cooter. It was pleasant. It probably should've been a very spiritual moment where I would pray and meditate on love, and fertility. Instead, I gossiped on the phone with my friend. On the show as well as articles have said that it transforms sexual intercourse to a whole new level. However, I'm not in a position to test that pert due to lack of a partner. So, for those of you with reliable partners, please do try the Bajo, and give me some feedback.

RESULTS

Hmmm. Considering I just did it, I will have to get back to you on that. Also, since I currently don't have any ailments, besides the annoying menstrual cycle, I don't know what I will report. Hopefully, my menstrual flow will be less annoying next month. 

WHO SHOULD YOU DO IT?

If you're having problems conceiving

If you have uterine fibroids

If you suffer from bladder infections

If you suffer from yeast infections

If you have irregular period

If you are like me, and Iike steam shooting up your flower.

Solutions instead of Resolutions

As the year ends, I think back to goals and desires that I had for this year. Did I accomplish any of them, or did they all fall by the waste side by March? Every year, the goal is to lose weight, gain financially, and to find love. Well, today I feel chunkier than normal, due to too much holiday cheer, my finances are currently strained, and well I haven't had any loving in a really, really, really, really, really, really, really long time. So I ask myself, what am I not doing right? Or is it how I see it? I must look at my life from a different lens. Though, I'm not at my goal weight, I have made strides with my fitness routine. I ran a 5 mile race, that never seemed possible or even a goal for that matter. I see muscle tone in my legs. Financially, I've been uber stressed, but I've also maintained, and opened up new doors of ways to attract income. I designed handbags and jewelry this year, which have kept some of my bills paid. I had several contract jobs that allowed me to stay afloat. Though a love connection was not made in 2011, I have dated, andknow what I like and dislike in a man ... Oh who am I kidding? This one is still a big enigma to me.

In 2012, I will think about solutions instead of resolutions. I've already started approaching my list of desires in a different manner. It's all in the phrasing. A while ago, I adopted the 'I desire' instead of the 'I want.' If you've read previous blogs, you might know that, I've adopted affirmations to keep me moving forward in life. Below I will share some of my favorites, that have become a part of my daily practice to keep me on track, when I feel a meltdown coming.

The more you say them, the more they become second nature, and will combat any negativity that seeps up. Some might say, Dena, you always have something negative to say, and that's why I've put the following verses in my head, to lessen the thoughts.

First and foremost is the prayer of protection.

The light of God surrounds me, The love of God enfolds me, the power of God protects me, the presence of God watches over me. Wherever I go God is.

For finances:

Infinite Spirit open the doors of abundance for me. I'm an irresistible magnet of all that belongs to me by divine right.

Recently, I revised this one to put more action to it.

Infinite Spirit has opened the doors of abundance for me. I'm an irresistible magnet of all that belongs to me by divine right.

I have wonderful work, in a wonderful way, I give a wonderful service, for wonderful pay.

So 2012 is all about making it happen. That was kind of disjointed.

Project Accessory

When it comes to fashion many people overdue it. Not that I get it right all the time. Trust me I don't. I can just tell when others don't. I guess you could say, I'm a great editor. I can determine when something isn't quite right, or what is needed to make it right. I guess you could say, I'm also a Creative Director or life and style. Creative Directors, may be out of ideas, but still think they know best, and can guide you in the right direction. That being said, check out my simple bags that will add that extra without being too much to your look.

CLUTCH PLAYER

Yes it's a fact that I have a lot of things that tickle my fancy. So I paint. So I design. So I like to cut things. Dena that's weird. Well when you put it like that, it does sound like a scene out of the movie "Thirteen." NO NOT IN A SADISTIC CUTTER WAY SILLY. I like using an xacto knife to create beautiful functional pieces of minimalist art. The art of choice are clutch bags. It all started, when I noticed there was a lack in my closet's accessory basket. I've been wanting to learn to make a bag for a while now. So one day while pretending to be really into a football game, and sipping homemade cocktail, it came to me to pull out my leather and begin cutting and this is what I came up with. ENJOY and please inquire about purchasing.

Peonies

Growing up, I never would have imagined that I would like flowers. In fact, it used to annoy me when my mother would ask for help in her flower bed. I never got why women in movies were so moved by the gift of a rose or a dozen roses. Later in life, I realized that it wasn't that I didn't like flowers, it's just that the rose wasn't my flower of choice. One day I discovered the peony. Peonies are are way more interesting than roses. Not only are they beautiful, in Feng Shui they represent fidelity and marriage when put in the bedroom. Who knew such a beautiful flower could bring about such good fortune.

1. PEONIES
That is all.

Your Perception, is Just That...Yours

About 7 months ago, a friend told me that she didn't think that I had "JOY" in my life. I was taking aback, because I was thinking that she didn't seem to be too thrilled about her own life. This was said under the guise of "as your friend." Mind you, I was in a bit of a tizzy at that time, but for someone to sum up my life as not having any "JOY" was just ridiculous. Aside from feeling a little alone in the world from time to time, and being in a little financial turmoil (presently), I treasure each and every moment, and enjoy each and every experience of my existence fully. I think that as humans we tend to look at other peoples lives from our own and filter, without understanding that because we see something one way, does not make it the "Final Answer." My sister had to recently check me on my assessment of her life. Without going into detail, her point was heard loud in clear. I think too often we see things only through our own rose colored lens. If you're a natually perky upbeat person, that doesn't make a low energy solemn person unhappy and depressed, that just makes them different from you. Or vice versa, that doesn't make an upbeat, perky person fake or inauthentic. It just makes them who they are. In friend situations, it's often a constant struggle to make the other person into who you want them to be. Instead, of accepting them as they are, we tend to push our own agendas and feelings onto others. Let me be me, and you be you.

So now when, I give my point of view on anyone's situation, I always preface it with "Now, this is MYYYYY perception, and what IIIIIIIIIIII see to be true..."

I'm not a HIGH FIVER

That's right I don't high five. I don't say that's hot. I don't say I'm rocking this or that. I'm a yes or no kind of girl. If you ask me what's new, I might say "not much", for lack of desire to elaborate. Idol conversation is not my thing. I am happy when you achieve something, however, I don't know how to share your same level of enthusiasm. When you get new shoes, I might say, "those are nice," but that's it. Not because, I'm mean or a hater, stuff for you just doesn't move me. That doesn't make me selfish, because I'm a very giving person. I can right YAY without a problem, but to express it verbally, just doesn't sound right coming out of my mouth. I've been described as being like the cartoon character Darya. Not so much, because I'm silly. I relate mostly to Miranda on "Sex and the City," but I have many Charlotte and Carrie tendacies. If I was one of the "Girlfriends" I would say I have the wit of Toni and Lynn, and the OCD of Joan. But really, I'm me. I laugh a lot more than the average person. I also probably cry more as well. Does that make me bipolar? Nah, I don't like certain labels.

I use to write off my lack of enthusiasm for things as, I just don't excite. Not all false. I do excite, just not the way everyone else does. I don't emote like everyone, it's more internal. Unless, I'm having relations. T to the M to the I. When someone says something clever or poignant, I'm not inclined to high five them. High-fiving actually makes me uncomfortable for some reason, it's so unnatural to me. Seriously, I've given this some serious thought. There are those who high five and those who don't. I have a friend, actually several friends from Detroit, who high five to everything. When then they throw their hands up to touch mine, it's as if a gravity pull shoots through my arm resisting it. I then do it, and it turns out as I expected, I feel idiotic for doing it. As I stated before, I'm not one to get excited, or even be interested for that matter in someone else's shoes. That type of stuff doesn't get a rise out of me. I just had a situation with a friend, who had on a new pair of shoes, and she said, "You see my new shoes?" I looked at them, and they were nice, so I said, "They're nice." However, she wanted me to react differently. She went on to say, "What, you don't compliment people?" It's not that, it's just that nine times out of ten, I just can't get excited for something that has nothing to do with me. Even things that have to do with me don't really move me either. I use to actually think there was something wrong with me until I saw an episode of 'Sex and City" where Miranda told people that she was having a boy, and everyone was excited but her. She even went on to say that she faked a boy. At that moment, I knew I wasn't alone in the world. Recently, when I was in Vegas, a bride passed by, and my friend said, "You look beautiful," to the bride. I just stood there. She then turned to me and said, "Dena, why didn't you say she looked beautiful?"

I responded, "Because, I didn't think she looked beautiful." As messed up as it sounds, I didn't think she was beautiful for many reasons, and should I be expected to lie to someone. Should I? No, not gonna happen. I am honest, unless I have to get out of a sticky situation.

My friend, who was probably annoyed from spending so much time with me, turned to me and said, "All brides are beautiful." That's debatable, but needless to say, it made me question myself (as everything does), because I'm so introspective, and self-aware.

Was I wrong for not acknowledging when people look better than normal? Am I a mean person, because I don't come to your level of excitement? People compliment me often, and I must admit it makes me uncomfortable. As I've grown, I've managed to just say 'thank you,' but before, if someone would say, "Your hair looks nice today."

I would combat them with, "What was wrong with it yesterday?"

I would always say, I can't help it, that's just the way that I am. However, a friend of mine recently mentioned something that she took away from a seminar that some might call a cult, but they frankly state that, behavior is not your nature, it's simply who you are choosing to be at that moment. Was I choosing to be aloof?

Since, I'm always on a quest for growth, I've made it a challenge to engage in idol conversation even if it makes my skin crawl like it often does. I remember recently, a friend asked me about another friend. I said, "She's fine." and my friend responded, "Just fine, that's all." The old me would be screaming inside, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS HER!" The new me decided to elaborate, "Oh she's fine and the baby's getting big." I know that isn't much of a leap but, for me, it speaks volumes. It's about putting forth effort to build and nurture my relationships. Whether, I like it or not, small talkers get ahead. Bullshit conversation about hair, and clothes, keep the world moving. I remember, I was interviewing for a job once, and looked over and noticed that the lady had a beagle. At the time, I wanted a beagle, so I asked her about her dog, and next thing you know, I got a job offer. Bullshit, works everytime.