Cleopatra's Bag of Tricks: The Love and Beauty Secrets of Antiquity's Women

Speed dating or online matchmaking-these may be the latest romantic trends, but the artistry of love is ancient and the desire for beauty is something altogether primitive. Searching for a mate or attempting to seduce a partner was once the work of potions and charms, animal sacrifices and amulets. While many of the old rituals may seem wildly out of step for contemporary woMen, there are many ancient practices that may very well initiate attraction and captivate a partner today.

Cleopatra's Bag of Tricks: The Love and Beauty Secrets of Antiquity's Women

Cleopatra's Bag of Tricks: The Love and Beauty Secrets of Antiquity's Women

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Cleopatra's Bag of Tricks: The Love and Beauty Secrets of Antiquity's Women

Cleopatra's Bag of Tricks: The Love and Beauty Secrets of Antiquity's Women

Asses' milk is not a hot commodity in the present era, but once upon the time it was an elixir by which to preserve youth and beauty. Cleopatra is believed to have placed great store in asses' milk and was known to bathe in it not only for beauty's sake, but because it seemed to have aphrodisiac properties. Doctors of antiquity such as Hippocrates prescribed asses' milk to treat poisonings, nose bleeds, and infectious diseases. Asses's milk was also the preferred nourishMent for nursing Infants until the twentieth century. Considered closer to breast milk than that of any other animal, it was later given to Infants in delicate health because it seemed to sustain them better in many cases. With its characteristic sweet taste, asses' milk is more commonly used in France, Italy, and parts of Spain, but its health and beauty secrets can be traced back to ancient times.

History also reports that Cleopatra added salt from the Dead Sea to her bath. This is not a far-fetched tale since ancient woMen in this region were known to use salt and minerals from the Dead Sea medicinally and for overall health. Today's mineral cosmetic industry, for example, owes much to the Dead Sea cosmetic practices of antiquity. It was believed that salt from the Dead Sea had restorative powers. Ten times saltier than the ocean, the Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth that occurs naturally. The extraordinary composition of its brine and truly unique composition of its waters have been said to work wonders for people suffering from various health and skin disorders. The Bible states that King Solomon gave Dead Sea salts to the Queen of Sheba as a gift. It is also said that Marc Antony presented Cleopatra with a deed for the Dead Sea region after he conquered it.

Egyptian cosmetics are nearly as old as the civilization. Everyone from the very poor to royalty used them to varying degrees and of different quality. WoMen, as famously denoted by Cleopatra, wore black kohl to outline their eyes. Another eyeliner variation was to use ground green malachite. In Egypt painting the eyes was a general practice and women, no matter what their status, were likely to practice the application. To shadow the eyes, studies have revealed that ancient Egyptian women would paint their eyelids with a mixture of ground serpentine (a green mineral) and water. To paint their lips, women would combine animal fat and red ochre to create a cosmetic coating. The use of cosmetics in ancient Egypt is a testament to their ideals of beauty.

Ancient Egyptian women were also adept at perfume artistry. Cleanliness was an essential component of desirability for both sexes, but considering the climate, maintaining pleasant fragrance must have been challenging for those ancients. Nevertheless, even without soap, ancient Egyptians are revered for their perfumes. Typically oil, lime, and perfume were the preferred cleansing ingredients. Balanos oil, a botanical extract, was often chosen because it did not clash with the chosen perfume which might have been a combination of flowers and spices. Lime was also used to treat acne and oily skin.

The ancient Greeks dabbled heavily in perfumes and incense to create an aura of seduction. Burning resins or wood created pleasant fragrances that were considered enticing to lovers. Various scents were used for particular parts of the body. Roman baths contained shelves of jarred oils and powders used to perfume the body in pleasing scents. Some places were also synonymous with certain fragrances. For instance, the ancient women of Crete were known for their enchanting scents composed of lilies. Middle Eastern women were noted for their fragrance of frankincense and myrrh. Scent was intrinsic to ancient sexuality, and of course, it plays no small role today either.

Myrrh, prized as a fragrance, was also said to be used by the Queen of Sheba to entice King Solomon. Its ability to enhance seduction was widely known, but it also had many attributes as a beauty tonic. It was regularly used to repAir chapped skin and prescribed to treat eczema-like rashes. It has been on beauty regimens for more than four thousand years. Similarly, frankincense was also used in perfumes, but ancient women believed it helped diminish wrinkles and slow down the aging process.

The use of skin cream composed of crushed and finally ground pearls was an ancient Chinese beauty ritual. It is said that pearl cream illuminated the skin. Even today, Chinese manufacturers add ground pearl to some creams. Pearls may seem too expensive to crush into beauty paste today, but bird droppings are essentially free. Japanese women were long accustomed to creating their own creams and cosmetics from natural elements and the droppings of nightingales, for one example, was a popular additive for face creams. And-it worked to restore beauty due to an enzyme within the droppings that contain healing properties. Also, it was far safer than the lead ancient Roman women used to whiten their faces.

In ancient India Vedic Texts reveal that turmeric, a native herb, was an especially important plant for women's beauty regimens. The turmeric would be formed into a paste that women spread over their bodies before bathing. The skin would benefit from deep cleansing and revitalization. Historically, turmeric has been associated with increased longevity so it's not surprising that it is still part of beauty regimens for some Asian women today who generally add sandalwood for greater antioxidant power.

Olive oil was the standard hAir care product for ancient Greek women. It rejuvenated hair left damaged by the sun and added luster to the locks. Olive oil was also used soften the skin, beautify the nails, and repair chapped lips. Olive had many culinary and healthful uses for the ancients, but Grecian women prized it highly in their beauty rituals. Not surprisingly, Greece has many beauty products that contain olive oil today. Egyptians were also concerned with hair care, although wigs were commonly worn. However, both women and men rubbed the resin of fir trees into their scalps in the belief that it could generate hair growth. In ancient China, extracts from the beautiful butterfly pea, a climbing plant, was used to strengthen hair. Indian women favored coconut oil to give their hair luster and volume.

Furthermore, ornamentation was frequently added to enhance the beauty of the hair. Cleopatra, who certainly appeared to know all the beauty secrets, is said to have worn gems and jewels strewn through her hair. Women of other ancient cultures wore carved combs or natural elements like shells in their hair. Hairstyles could also be elaborate as depicted on Egyptian scrolls or other ancient texts. In many cultures, a thick and healthy head of hair was linked to a woman's overall healthy and fertility.

The use of aphrodisiacs appears in nearly all cultures. Some edibles were believed to enhance women's sexuality or increase their fertility. Ginseng, horny goat weed, and vanilla were frequently used by women of many ancient cultures. One ancient aphrodisiac is of particular note, however. The seeds of the fenugreek plant were used eaten by Egyptian, Roman, and Greek women in the belief that it increased the size of their breasts. These ancient women also believed that the plant could round their breasts to a more pleasing form. Many aphrodisiacs associated with women were believed to make them more receptive and excited about sex.

Women of Morocco, Egypt, and Persia found that jasmine was an extraordinary aphrodisiac. Bathing in a jasmine scented bath was known to relieve stress and anger. Women scented with jasmine were said to arouse great passion in men. Jasmine was also used to treat dry or sensitive skin. While not as heady, rose oil is said to be a similar type of aphrodisiac regarded by the ancients. Women hailed its calming affects. Rose oil was also used for skin care. Ancient women of Rome were known to favor lavender-scented baths.

While many seduction and beauty rituals of the ancients are considered obsolete today, there are surprising similarities between the past and the present. Favored scents, cosmetic needs, matters of seduction are all components of contemporary sexuality just as they were for the ancients. Skin care, hair care, and many other beauty rituals were important aspects of women's lives in antiquity just as they are today. Beauty and sexuality often went hand in hand for the ancients; these aspects are at the heart of present-day civilization too.

Cleopatra's Bag of Tricks: The Love and Beauty Secrets of Antiquity's Women

A Brief History of Incense

Ancient Incense

A Brief History of Incense

A Brief History of Incense

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A Brief History of Incense

A Brief History of Incense

Mankind has used incensein its earliest forms, since the dawn of human history. With the discovery of fire, our ancestors would have realised that most materials give off a unique and sometimes powerful aroma when burnt. The difference between The smell of a handful of Parsley and that of a Pine tree branch is greatly de-emphasized when each is burnt. Then as now, the Air is quickly filled with intoxicating aromas simply by throwing some dried leaves, spices or twigs into a fire.

There is historic evidence in most cultures that our ancestors used incense burning for sacred and healing purposes. From ancient times people recognised that aromas produced by burning materials could heighten the senses, both sight and smell. When earlyman gathered around his fire, the smell of aromatic woods, herbs and leaves carried by heaven-wards spirals of smoke was a rare sensory pleasure-from this discovery it was no doubt a short step to dedicating fragrant products to the Gods, by adding them to a fire, which would also carry the good wishes and prayers of Men upwards on the heat of the flames. Other benefits ascribed to the burning of incense included the purification of an area to change a mood (to facilitate meditation or religious practices) and to cleanse and disinfect living spaces, especially after pollution caused by, for instance, death or illness.

The Rise of Incense and The "Frankincense Trail"

Several thousands of years before the advent of Christianity, the plants, herbs and spicesthat produced the best incense were traded as highly desirable commodities. For many years Frankincense from the Arabian peninsula was actually a more valuable currency than gold or silver. In almost every religion, aromatic oils, leaves and powders were considered a gift from the Gods, symbolic of divine grace. Frankincense was used in vast quantities by the ancient Egyptians, Persians and Assyrians, and via them, by the Romans, who would have learnt of its use when coming into contact with Western nations.

The significance of the belief that the three wise Men brought Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to the Infant Jesus was both the princely nature of the gifts and their symbolic significance-Frankincense was a costly gift literally "fit for a king", while Bitter Myrrhreferred to the bittersweet fate awaiting the messiah.

The trade in Frankincense flourished for centuries, particularly in the Arabian peninsula area of Oman, and its use can be traced back to the reign of the Queen of Sheba, who reigned over the Kingdom which included Oman Hadramut. The Frankincense trade flourished for fifteen hundred years, peaking at the height of the Roman Empire. The trade only declined due to reduced demand after the fall of the Roman Empire and also because of the exorbitant taxes levied along the strictly controlled trade routes.

The Parallel History of Smudging

The idea of purification through smoke is certainly not the sole preserve of the world to the east of the Atlantic-the Native North Americans have also burned herbal smoke mixtures inceremonial cleansing and healing rituals for thousands of years. Smudging (the common name given to the sacred smoke bowl blessing) has been a part of Native American tradition since ancient times.

As with its Eastern counterparts, the "smudging" or burning of herbs and resins was and continues to be a practice held sacred by many traditional literally cultures. Smudging takes many forms; herbs are either tied into bundles called "smudge sticks", or the longer, tendril like herbs may be braided into "ropes". Smudging calls on the spirits of sacred plants to drive away negative energies and restore balance. The most popular herbs and plants for smudging includes Cedar, Sage, Sweetgrass and Tobacco. Each of these plants is imbued with a unique quality and specific energy and assuch are known as "Sacred Plant Helpers". Their head is ceremonially fanned out through the energy field (aura) to cleanse negative energies, heal, bless and attract positive forces.

Smudging continues to this day as an integral part of Native American purification rituals-all spaces and the tools used for healings must be smudged, and smudging is an integral part of other important ceremonies such as medicine wheel gatherings, the vision quest and sweat lodge.

Incense and Modern Religion

The use of incense in organised religion continues as a relevant and important aspect of several confirmed religions, being used to prepare the congregation for prayer and ritual. In the Roman Catholic and Eastern churches, incense is a sacramental, that is-"anaction or object of ecclesiastical origin that serves to express or increase devotion "(Merriam Webster online dictionary).

The Roman Catholic Church has always recognized the value of rites and ceremonial observances, not only for increasing the solemnity of her services but for arousing a spirit of devotion in those who minister at them and those who attend them. For a period the use of incense was discontinued in the Western Church because of its close association with pagan worship, but it has always been used in the Eastern Church. The incense used today is powder or grains of resin or vegetable gums or other such substances which, when burned, give off a sweet smelling of smoke. Perhaps ironically, the Roman Catholic church now shares a devotion to>incense at the heart of its rituals with the increasing number of practising pagans and wiccans, the very groups it sought to dissociate itself from.

The mystical meanings ascribed to incense by the church hardly differs from those of our ancestors. By its burning, incense symbolizes the zeal of the faithful, its sweet fragrance echoes the "odour of sanctity" believed to be exuded by saints and martyrs, and its rising smoke symbolises the ascent of prayers to heaven. Also, incense creates a cloud, which is another symbol for godliness.

The Founder of Modern "Aromatherapy"

Incense has quite rightly been called the forefather of modern Aromatherapy, and its use as the earliest form of healing based on scent is undisputed. Today, there has been resurgence in the use of essential oils and the burning of incense as tools to employ the power of Aromatherapy, which is now recognised as being able, via the stimulation of the olfactory nerves, to produce physical, emotional and psychological effects independent of the thinking process.

As we smell scents, whether it be incense, fresh paint or sausage and mash(!) our mind is busy working on a subconscious level - deciding whether we like it and determining whether we recognise it. These responses are created in the limbic system - or more accurately the information is sent via the nerves to the olfactory epithelium, which is part of the limbic system in the brain. Data is then transmitted to the conscious parts of the brain. The limbic system is the oldest and most primitive section of the brain - it stores information about every scent ever smelled, and provides responses and reactions to various stimuli. It is considered the seat of memory, and as such is a powerful mood affecter.

All smell is molecular - in other words, when we smell a scent, we are registering a physical molecule that disconnects itself from its carrier and drifts in the Air - arriving through the nose to the mucous membrane which has millions of odour-receptor cells and cilia to catch and identify scent molecules in the Air. Unlike our other four senses, the nerve system for smell is directly exposed to its source of stimulation - this explains the immediate, unthinking effect of scents on the nervous system. Scent can cause an instant and overwhelming reaction, either pleasant or unpleasant, in a way that no other sensation can.

In addition, our ability to learn and our capacity for sympathy are also located in the limbic system, hence the often close link that feelings of sympathy and antipathy often have with smells. The limbic system is also responsible for creativity, inspiration, and all non-thinking, automatic life processes such as heartbeat, hormone regulation and respiration. Scent can affect all of of these powerful bodily processes.

The use of incense, and of essential oils in modern Aromatherapy has validated the belief held by our ancient forefathers. Many of the reactions and decisions we make are intrinsically linked to our sense of smell, and many areas of our health and relaxation can be positively affected by smell, and by definition, through Aromatherapy. Incense can help to:

cleanse the atmosphere

aid calm and reduce anxiety, stress, and fear

revitalize, stimulate, and renew energy

alleviate insomnia

prepare the mind and body for prayer, meditation and contemplation

accelerate healing

Follow the example of the ancients, and allow the fragrant smoke from incense to cleanse your living space, relax your body, calm your mind, create a spiritual atmosphere and heighten your awareness.

A Brief History of Incense