DHAMMA ASHRAM

DHAMMA ASHRAM :                                                                                                                       -                                                                                                                                                                      -                          - ABOUT BEESWAX; SOURCED FROM DAYLESFORD IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF VICTORIA,WNW OF MELBOURNE,110 KM.   DERIVED FROM FLOWERS AND BEES,IS NON-TOXIC,NATURALLY AROMATIC,AND WHEN BURNED EMITS BENEFICIAL NEGATIVE IONS THAT HELP PURIFY THE AIR.   BEESWAX,WHEN BURNED,IS,BY NATURE,NON-INVASIVE AND SUBTLE. IT HELPS TO "BREATH EASY" AND, IN THIS WAY, IS BENEFICIAL TO ASTHMATICS(AND ALL OTHERS).                                                                                -  TOXICITY OF PARAFFIN WAX: MOST CANDLES ARE MADE FROM PARAFFIN, A BY PRODUCT OF PETROLEUM(DIESEL). PARAFFIN IS THE COMMON NAME FOR A GROUP OF HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT ALKALINE HYDROCARBONS PRODUCED BY THE DISTILLATION OF CRUDE OIL. AFTER ASHPHALT IT IS THE LAST PRODUCT IN THE PETROLEUM REFINING PROCESS.THE GREYISH-BLACK SLUDGE IS WHITENED WITH 100 PERCENT STRENGTH BLEACH,CREATING DIOXINS,BEFORE FURTHER PROCESSING. REFINED PARAFFIN WAX CONTAINS A HOST OF TOXINS,INCLUDING BENZINE AND TOLUENE,BOTH RECOGNIZED AS POSSIBLE CARCINOGENS BY THE EPA. THESE TOXINS PRODUCE THE SAME COMBUSTION BY PRODUCTS AS ANY OTHER BURNING PETRO CHEMICAL.THE MICROSCOPIC PARTICLES-SMALLER THAN 2.5 MICRONS ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE EPA AS RESPONSIBLE FOR AGGRAVATING RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES,ESPECIALLY IN CHILDREN. FUMES FROM THE PARAFFIN WAX ITSELF HAVE BEEN FOUND TO CAUSE KIDNEY AND BLADDER TUMORS IN LABORATORY ANIMALS. THE VAPOUR FROM BURNING PARAFFIN CANDLES HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMISSION (NOHSC).THE NOHSC RECOMMENDS WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS OF 2 MILLIGRAMS OF PARAFFIN FUME PER SQUARE METRE, OVER AN 8 HOUR PERIOD.INDUSTRY REGULATIONS DO NOT REQUIRE CANDLE MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS TO DISCLOSE HAZARDOUS COMPOUNDS,OR TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE INGREDIENT LIST,EVEN UPON CONSUMER REQUEST. (SOURCE:WIKIPEDIA SOURCE:AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY).                                                                                         ALL BEESWAX PRODUCTS HANDCRAFTED BY GREGORY NORMAN USING PURE BEESWAX SOURCED FROM THE HILLS OF VICTORIAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS NEAR THE MINERAL SPRING WATER,HISTORIC GOLD MINING TOWN OF DAYLESFORD.  THE NATIVE FLOWERS INSET INTO EACH LANTERN COME FROM THE SAME AREA.   GREG HAS A SMALL CARAVAN BASED COTTAGE INDUSTRY MAKING LANTERNS, CANDLES AND T-LIGHTS, ALL FROM PURE BEESWAX.                                                                               BELOW IS SOME OF THE OTHER PRODUCTS AVAILABLE