Hope you find your way through this life and do your best
Lots of peace and love to you all
xx
PS: let's start with a list of must have ingredients before hitting the book and internet references to make sure you have everything you need right where you are:
ABSOLUTE INGREDIENTS:
-Bicarbonate of soda (american: baking soda)
-Coconut Oil
-Lemons
You can make almost anything with just these 3 ingredients and WATER (such as; shampoo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, hair conditioner, cloth de-stainer, kitchen and bathroom cleaning products)
GREAT TO HAVE AS WELL (affordable extras if you can make the effort)
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| My Lab/shelf ... hehe |
-essential oils (at least TEA TREE)
-hydrogen peroxide
-all herbs and spices
-arrowroot powder
-pure cocoa powder
(with these ingredients you can enhance your hair conditioner and cleaning products as well as make some dry shampoo, natural make-up and hair dyes)
AWESOME EXTRAS (if you can afford them!)
-black seeds (other names: nigella sativa and kalunji)
-black seed oil
-shea butter and/or cocoa butter (I love shea butter)
-clay (bentonite or rassoul)
-argan oil
-hemp seeds
(with these ingredients, you can make immune-system boost drinks, moisturisers, face and hair masks and enhance your oral health.)
Can you think of any others we can add to the list?
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| Some of our book shelves |
REFERENCES:
GREEN LIFE
A good life, the guide to ethical living
by Leo Hickman (I have learnt so much from this book and this was the push I needed to go no-poo. It has a lot of information on how to live simply and green in an easy way. It gives easy tips and is a great reference to have on hand when you think being green isn't necessary, because this book is very factual and reminds us just how important it is to put in the extra effort and extra thought.)
Easy green living by Renee Loux (This book is great because Renee brings us into her life at home and tells us how she does things in her house. It's inspiring and a great tool for the days when you lose hope!)
NATURAL MEDICINE
Natural healing with herbs by Humbart Santillo (This book is so good because it literally has a cure for every ailment you can think of. Even cancer! It's not a new or modern book so it might be more difficult to find than the others but it is so worth it. It works with herbs, plants, essential oils and whole-food plant diets.)
OUTDOORS
The rough guide to CAMPING IN BRITAIN by Rough Guides (This book is excellent for camping in Britain. It lists all the campsites, wild camping rules and places, and all the info about all the sites as well as tips on camping and gives you all the details you need about each area in britain and all the best spots to enjoy the great outdoors! Really excellent reference)
Living Wild, The ultimate guide to scouting and fieldcraft by Bear Grylls (I love this book because it gives you everything you need from building a shelter to making fire and tips on living outdoors. Great book for natural adventurers!)
CHILD REARING AND UNSCHOOLING
Full list of references on the Natural Kids page.
Conception and Pregnancy:
Heaven under your feet - Pregnancy for Muslim women by Umm Hasan bint Salim (I found this book very helpful and simple. Some good tips on how to go through pregnancy spiritually and naturally.)
Nurturing your baby's soul by Elizabeth Clare Prophet (This book is so soft and beautiful. A must read when pregnant and if it's not too late, then read it before you conceive then carry on reading it during pregnancy. So beneficial and deep and spiritual and absolutely brilliant. Good advice and reassuring.)
Parenting:
Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn (I live for unconditional parenting. As a woman I sense that I have been created for care and particularly child care. Getting to know the idea of 'unconditional parenting' and moving away from the modern idea of parenting really set me free. I now know that my gut feeling of being 'normal' with kids and treating them as human beings rather than a sort of sub-species was the best way and it helped me to be open with the way I love and treat children instead of trying to fit in with other parents and 'disciplining' kids.)
Unschooling:
The Unschooling Unmanual by 8 writers, including John Holt (This is a small book [88 pages] or manual, of how to unschool and why, with basic directions and explanations. Easy to read and a good reference.)
How children fail by John Holt (Great analysis of children in school. This book is written by an ex-school teacher, in a form of diary and notes from the days when he was still teaching in a primary school. John is THE reference for unschooling.)
How children learn by John Holt (Another book by John Holt, following the first one. He writes in a way that always leaves you wanting more because you just sit there thinking "this is so true", "why have I been acting this way with my kids?!". He is learning along the way and helps adults to remember what it was like to be a kid and it helps us to re-learn how to be around them. Great book.)
Teach your own by John Holt and Pat Farenga (This book is about home-schooling and unschooling. This is great if you've decided that you want to take your kids out of school or simply want to know more before acting on impulse. Some more great stories and a lot of support.)
SPIRITUALITY
Scriptures:
Bhagavad-Gita, as it is translated and purported by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The Holy Quran translated and purported by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Sri Isopanisad translated and purported by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Related to scriptures:
Al-Sahifah Al-Sajjadiyyah translated by Sayyid Ahmad Muhani (This is a beautiful collection of prayers written by Imam Zain Al-Abidin, one of Prophet Muhammad's great grandsons. He is known for his deep spirituality and eloquence. His prayers are just perfect, they reflect exactly what I want to say to God and really help me to communicate with my Lord and Love. They make me reach a closeness that I cannot describe.)
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche (This book was written to help the reader understand the Tibetan book of the Dead. This book is so deep and really helps to grasp the essence of Buddhism. Some may find it difficult to read all the way through but even getting through the first part of the book may help you reach deeper insights into life and death.)
Books that allow you to go deeper without reading scriptures:
Rassa Shastra by Hazrat Inayat Khan (This book is light yet deep. It is very easy and quick to read [94 pages]. I love this book and it always makes me feel good. It talks about men and women and the spiritual connection between all beings. It talks about love and emotions, marriage and celibacy, beauty, and many other subjects.)
The essential Kabbalah - the heart of Jewish Mysticism by Daniel C Matt (Again, I love this book. It's a beautiful compilation of poetry, short stories and deep mystical explanations of our reality.)
The Inner Journey, Views from the Islamic Traditon part of the Parabola Anthology series. (This book is so insightful. It's a compilation written by several authors on the topic of Islam and includes pictures, beautiful stories, poetry, insightful writings and really deep, spiritual stuff! Absolutely Love It!)
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