a body-mind approach to chronic illness

picture by Daniel Pratt at Pexels
yoni
and
lingam
steaming
Sebastian Kneipp's water cure
Sebastian Kneipp was a German Catholic priest who developed a system of healing based on five main tenets: hydrotherapy, herbal remedies, exercise , nutrition, and emotional balance.
Kneipp was born in 1821 in Bavaria and began training for the priesthood at 23. Kneipp fell severly ill with tuberculosis. While Kneipp was ill he began reading many books and found his illness described in a book about water cures. Using the water cures he recovered from his illnesses and was able to complete his studies.
At Worishofen, while serving as the confessor to the monastery, he began offering treatments of hydrotherapy, botanical treatments, exercise and diet to the people who lived in the village.
Hydrotherapy[edit]
Kneipp began developing his healing methods in 1849 after contracting tuberculosis and experimenting with the water treatments developed by Sigmund Hahn.[14] After being ordained in 1852, he continued to experiment with water treatments in his parish.[14] Kneipp began working with the cures developed by Vincenz Priessnitz but developed a more complicated and gentle method.[14] His gentle cures contrast the earlier water cures that he referred to as horse cures for their strenuous nature.[5] Kneipp's treatment of patients also contrasted that of hospital medicine because it was personalized and took into account the patient's individual strengths and weaknesses.[5]
Kneipp's approach comes from his theory that all diseases originate in the circulatory system.[5] This theory is similar to humoral theory. Like those who believed in humoral theory, Kneipp asserted that breathing miasmatic or excessively hot air would lead to disease.[5] While it may deal with one humor instead of four, his theory still asserts that an imbalance in the blood whether it be circulation or foreign matter is the root of disease.[5] Under Kneipp's depiction of disease, water cures work by affecting the blood.[5] They dissolve foreign matter, cleanse the blood of this matter, aid in circulation, and strengthen the body as a whole.[5]
Personal ideology[edit]
Kneipp's approach to medicine was not independent of his Catholic faith.[6] His focus on water and herbs stems from the idea that remedies are naturally provided by God.[6] His emphasis on plain food, drink, and clothing comes from the theory that humans should live in accord with nature.[6] He used scripture as well as references to Roman practice to support the reasoning behind his cure and admitted that his treatments did not fall in line with current scientific understanding.[6] The fact that his treatments were not based in scientific theory did not bother Kneipp because they were seen as able to succeed where scientific medicine could not.[6]
Sebastian Kneipp had a particular dedication to helping the poor and those that physicians can't help.[5] His suffering early in life caused Kneipp to develop a deep sympathy for those less fortunate than him.[5] He turned down many patients that could feasibly recover on their own but claims to have never refused to treat a patient that is poor or untreatable by other methods.[5]
Publications[edit]
Kneipp's book My Water Cure was published in 1886 with many subsequent editions, and translated into many languages. He also wrote "Thus Shalt Thou Live", "My Will", and The Care of Children in Sickness and in Health.[citation needed]
Legacy[edit]
Kneipp expanded the definition of health to include a more holistic view which included mental, social, and spiritual aspects.[14] Toward the end of his life and after his death, various organizations were created to teach his methods. In 1891, he founded Kneipp Bund, an organization that promotes water healing to this day.[15] In America, Kneipp Societies were founded, which, under the influence of Benedict Lust, changed their name to Naturopatic Society of America.[16] Today there are 600 organizations that are a part of Kneipp Worldwide and there are approximately 1000 members of the International Society of Kneipp Physicians.[14] After his death, his treatments became part of mainstream medicine in Germany.

how to yoni steam at home without equipment
All you will need is one or two pots of water, a few towels, and maybe a trivet.
Fill a large pot with water. Leave about an inch of space at the top to avoid spillage. Boil the water then remove from heat. Place it on the floor (use a trivet or folded towel to protect the floor). Wrap one towel around the pot to protect your legs from the heat, and kneel with your knees on either side of the pot for about 10 minutes. Cover yourself with another towel to prevent most of the steam from escaping. If you’d like you can could add herbs to the pot for a more sensual and aromatic experience.
This method is easy to set up and gives you a good idea of what steaming is all about. The downside though, is that kneeling over a pot for 10 minutes can become rather uncomfortable.
yoni massage stool
If you feel you’d like to do yoni or lingam steaming regularly then you want to invest in a steam stool. This is a small stool with a hole in the middle to let the steam through. If you don’t want to spend money place two chairs facing each other a few inches apart and sit in the middle.
gown or cloak
Louis Kuhne used a blanket to cover his patients during steaming. This kept them warm and kept the steam from escaping. My wife would be extremely pissed off if she ever discovered I was using her blankets for steaming. So I looked for keep-my-wife-happy alternatives. All you need is a sarong or a bath robe to cloak the steam. The Koreans wrap themselves up in a plastic cloak to keep the steam in, but I don’t like the feel of steaming with plastic.
plastic
I’m sometimes a bit of a cheapskate so I’m always looking for a bargain. All of the bargains unfortunately come in plastic: plastic chairs, plastic basins, and plastic cloaks. Plastic breaks down when exposed to heat and steam releasing micro plastic and chemicals into the air that are harmful to your health.
yoni massage stool
If you’d like to do yoni steaming regularly then you want to invest in a steam stool - this is a small stool with a hole in the middle to let the steam through. If you don’t want to spend money place two chairs facing each other a few inches apart and sit in the middle. I recommend getting a specially made cushion as well. I got mine on Etsy.

Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev at Pexels
herbs
Yoni steam ingredients generally involve some combination of the following herbs:
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Basil (cleansing)
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Rosemary (anti-bacterial and anti-microbial)
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Oregano (antiseptic)
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Calendula (anti-inflammatory)
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Motherwort (cleansing, pain-relieving)
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Mugwort (all purpose)
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Lavender (anti-microbial)
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Marigolds (anti-inflammatory)
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Thyme (anti-bacterial and anti-microbial)
ambiance
When I first started steaming I took a practical approach to it and I found it boring. The act of steaming is very relaxing. Lean in to it. Instead of using your 10 or 30 minute steam session as another chance to multi task - let yourself relax and enjoy the experience.
Steaming is a great time to meditate, journal, read a book for fun, listen to music, paint, draw, or just do whatever relaxes you!
Let this be your time. You don’t need to meet a deadline or do anything perfectly. Let the stress of the day melt away with the steam.

safety
It’s very important that you take precautions to ensure your health and safety whenever you yoni steam. Here are a few important steps to take to avoid any potential yoni steam side effects and risks:
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If the steam is too hot, you could burn the sensitive vaginal tissues. Make sure when you sit/squat above the steam, you feel comfortable with the temperature of the steam and are not simply “bearing the heat”.
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Do not steam longer than 30 minutes. We recommend that you talk with a yoni steam practitioner about the length of steam time that is best for you.
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Make sure your pot and any other equipment you use are thoroughly cleaned before use, in order to avoid unnecessary irritation and infections, such as yeast infections.
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Yoni steaming is not recommended during your period or during pregnancy.