Stay Grounded and Healthy During The Holidays with Frankincense Essential Oil

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Are you feeling the hustle bustle of the holiday season? Are you getting the sleep you need to sustain your energy for the day? Are you feeling out of harmony?

Earlier this week I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and the stress the holiday season can sometimes bring, but instead of riding that frantic energy I paused and did one of my favorite self-nourishing activities.

I mix Frankincense essential oil with avocado oil and rub it on the bottom of my feet. I massage each foot for at least one minute . Oh my goodness!!! you don’t realize how much tension you hold in your feet until you start massaging them. Massaging my feet helps to release tension, improve blood circulation not just in my feet, but other organs in my body as well as ground me.

And did you know using Frankincense essential oil supports your immune system? Just what us Busy Professional, Real-Life Superwomen need during the winter season.

Frankincense oil is one of my favorite essential oils. Each year I choose an essential oil for the year and for 2016 I chose Frankincense because it enhances focus and faith, which were two of my words for 2016. (My words were Focus + Faith = Freedom). I usually will just add Frankincense oil to the palm of my hands prior to meditating and inhale the aroma, but for the past couple of weeks I have used it in my daily foot massage and I believe it’s what has helped me to have sustained, grounded energy and keep from getting the cold and cough people at my nursing job had.

Frankincense oil is known by many as the “king of oils.” In ancient Egypt it was considered more precious than gold. It has been used for thousands of years by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians, and other ancient cultures for religious ceremonies, perfumes, and healing salves. As an ingredient in holy incenses , it was used anciently during sacrificial ceremonies to help improve communication with the creator
( Source: Modern Essentials Book)

Here are several benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil:

    • Supports a healthy immune system (who doesn’t need that during winter)
    • Helps maintain healthy inflammatory response
    • Antiseptic properties
    • Calming and balancing properties (tree oils are so grounding)
    • Promotes cellular health
    • Supports healthy skin regeneration
    • Emotionally and spiritually, frankincense “helps a person drop out of their mind and Ego and move into presence with their spirit or center of consciousness. It helps a person lean into their own spiritual practice with trust by dropping fear and other barriers to a deeper connection of one’s own understanding”. (Source: SustainableBabySteps.com)
    • Nourishes the root chakra with it’s grounding properties and the the crown by enhancing your connection with the Divine

Please share below what your favorite essential is and why.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of Frankincense essential oil as well as 15 other oils to use during the holiday and winter season, check out my new Essential Oils Holiday Guide. It’s a free guide to help you STAY HEALTHY AND ENERGIZED THIS SEASON.

Letting Go

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Sometimes, as Busy Professional Real-Life Superwomen we live in fear and it can be a good thing because it gives us the chance to stop, think and re-evaluate our lives and what is triggering the fear.

Unfortunately, many times we don’t allow ourselves to reflect on the fear and look at it as an opportunity for growth. Instead we let the fear take us over and keep us worried, stressed and stuck. I know there has been many times fear as stopped me. It has stopped me from sending letters or making calls to people, organizations or groups, where I could share my passion for doing health and wellness presentations and workshops, it has stopped me from asking for referrals for my business, it has stopped me from sharing my true desires with my husband and it has slowed me down from completing classes.

In 2012, I was gifted a training workshop to become a Bellyfit instructor. I took the training, but did not complete the practicum portion for fear people would judge me. See the practicum involved me teaching eight dance/aerobic classes. The thought of teaching these classes brought up a lot of  anxiety and fear because in the past I was told I didn’t have any rhythm or coordination. How could I effectively teach a class with a fusion of Bellydance, African Dance and Bollywood if I had no rhythm? I was afraid people would judge me or even worse laugh at me. I truly had some root (fear), solar plexus (difficulty letting go) and heart chakra (judgment) imbalances going on.

Finally, this year I decided to retake the Bellyfit training and to teach the 8 classes. Why? Because 2016 was my year of completion and I have done a lot of work around embracing my fear and not letting it control me.

You might be asking how did I let the fear go.

FIRST – I looked fear straight in the eye, had a conversation with what was holding me back (vulnerability) and let it go. Now this wasn’t done overnight. It was a process of several months, examining what no longer served me and letting it go to make room for what I truly desired in my life.

SECOND – I set up a plan so I wouldn’t look too foolish doing the class. This involved practice, practice and more practice. As well as inviting friends who loved and supported me to the initial classes.

THE RESULT, as I write this blog I have completed all 8 classes and this past weekend did the final tapping to be submitted for review.

If you are a Real-Life Superwoman are fears keeping you from living your fullest potential yet like me you would never know it. Why? Because it would make us look like we didn’t have it all together and that four letter word would slip in. VULNERABILITY.

If you are like me and my clients below are some steps you can take to Let Go of Fear.

Ask Yourself The Following Questions.

  • What if I lived in the moment and wasn’t so worried about the future?
  • What if I let go of fear?
  • Where is this fear coming from? (childhood, past negative experience, limited mindset, etc)
  • Is this fear rational?
  • What would life look like if I let go of any doubt and trusted God and Source energy?
  • What if I choose love instead of fear?

Witnessing Your Fears.

If you aren’t aware of your fears, they will take over your life. The best way to let go is to be honest with yourself about what is upsetting you or making your scared.

Choose a new perspective.

Take action. This means get a journal and write down the story you are telling yourself about the fear and then re-write your story where you have let go of the fear and are doing what your heart desires.

You have the power to create a new story with a new ending.

What do you choose to surrender?

Find Gratitude for Your Fears.

Within everything, there is a reason to be grateful. Everything leads to a beautiful transformation – even if it isn’t apparent yet. Make a list of your top three fears. Next to each, note how this fear has transformed you. How it has lead to growth. Why you are grateful for it. Be grateful for every opportunity. Every moment.

Forgive Yourself.

Too often we are holding onto things in our life that do not serve us. I have found it helpful to forgive myself by journaling and then shredding the paper and saying, “I love you and I accept you.”

When you can forgive yourself, you will see you have more energy, less stress and more self- love.

What fears do you choose to let go of as you move into 2017?

How to Boost Your Immunity and Reduce Toxins

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Detox is vital in this toxic world.  As a health coach I focus on digestion because I believe  good digestion leads to a healthy life. But I also realize that to have good digestion, you must be detoxing properly.

You see, detox is a natural step toward a better digestion. Good digestion leads to less inflammation, and less inflammation leads to less disease in this world. Let me say it again, decrease the inflammation and prevent disease.

Hippocrates said it best: “All disease begins in the gut.”

If this is true and disease begins in the gut, aka your digestive system, then having a healthy and strong digestion is key.

But let me share a secret with you – when the body is toxic, your digestive system is weak.

So even if you eat “clean” and only buy organic and hormone-free foods, you are still breathing toxicity in this world.

We live, eat and breathe toxicity every day. Look around your home and think of the paint on the walls, the rugs, the pesticides sprayed on your green grass, the exterminator to get rid of the bugs. Even if you are chemical-free in your home, is your chemical makeup free?

Even if you are doing your best to live a chemical-free life, we are still alive, and that means eating, breathing, and sleeping in a toxic environment.

Unless you feel that are ready to live in a bubble or a hyperbaric chamber, then it is time to wake up to what I call daily detox.

Now detox is not a curse word or anything to be scared about. Instead, it is exciting to think about your body and cells actually functioning. I do not tell people detox has to be living on juices, or water only, or only smoothies or just salad or soup. Detox is about lessening the toxic load in your body. As I say, “taking out the trash.”

When we are toxic, our body cannot perform its job. The body cannot metabolize properly, detox properly, absorb nutrients and minerals, or stay hydrated. It is a vicious cycle. See, detox is necessary to be healthy, happy and free of disease. We all have some low-level inflammation because again we breathe, but even more so we stress in this busy world.

Every time you stress (very common for us Real-Life Superwomen) you create acid in your body. Your body is then forced to pull minerals to buffer the acid waste. The liver, lymph and kidneys begin to work hard to filter out the toxic load.

But what happens when the body is tired and clogged? When your digestive system is not working and cannot break down these foods, it cannot focus on getting RID of TOXINS. That means you cannot get rid of bloat and fat and skin breakouts and all that jazz that keeps you tired.

TOXINS=>WEAK DIGESTION=>WEAK IMMUNE

  • Difficult weight management
  • Constipation/diarrhea
  • Gas/bloating
  • Headaches
  • Low energy
  • Low sex drive
  • Bad skin
  • Heartburn/reflux
  • Moodiness/depression
  • Get where I am going with all of this?

By detoxing you will improve digestion and free your body of inflammation and toxins in the process.

The foundation of this detox is NOT to ever feel deprived or starved.

The goal is to help you do what I have learned to do in my own life: learn how to EAT CLEAN and learn what foods are IRRITATING your body.

Join me for my detox and cleanse starting on November 6

Click below and let’s change your life today.

Click here

Now that you’ve learned a little more about the benefits of detoxing, how can you start bringing it into your daily life?

Here are a few of my favorite ways to stay healthy and detox naturally:

  1. Upon waking, drink warm or room-temperature water with lemon and 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar (if tolerated) and add a dash of cinnamon or cayenne.
  2. Start your day by being positive – find that daily affirmation that gets you fired up. I love Louise Hay, Lisa Nichols, Danielle LaPorte and Marianne Williamson.
  3. Try getting quiet within yourself even just for one minute – and say “I release what does not serve me” – place your hand on your heart as you say this out loud. Scream if it you want, own that power.
  4. Each meal choose a variety of fresh colorful whole foods. Think rainbow eating and as a result you get plenty of vitamins and minerals as well as nourish your chakras.
  5. Aim for one meal that is super easy on your digestion per day like a smoothie, green juice or soup. Give that digestion a rest.
  6. Get moving and shaking. Yes, exercise is one of the best ways to detox your body.
  7. Drink plenty of water and add lemon, lime or grapefruit to flush the toxicity.
  8. Skin brushing is my favorite way to support the liver and get rid of those toxins.
  9. Tongue scraping.
  10. Be happy and grateful for life.

Find a Whole New Level of Health and Happiness at Your Local Farmers’ Market!

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Have you seen them yet – the tents and trucks of farmers’ markets and CSAs popping up all over, in cities, towns and rural communities? They’re one of my favorite signs of summer, promising local produce from local farmers in weekly festivals of food, fun and connection!

If you haven’t discovered farmers’ markets for yourself yet, you may be wondering what this has to do with health and happiness…after all, why does it matter whether you get your veggies or meat direct from a local farmer or from a grocery stand marked “Local?” After all, being an On-the-Go Woman, you’re constantly looking for ways to save time!

I hear you! But as an On-The-Go Woman you especially need nourishment – not just basic nutrients, but nourishment of body, soul, and mind – and there are few better places for nourishing all three levels than at a farmer’s market or CSA.

For one thing – the anonymous farmers supplying those big-box grocery stands won’t answer your questions about how the veggies and cows, pigs, chickens, etc., were raised. They won’t be greeting you by name week after week, learning your favorites, and suggesting new taste experiences fresh out of the fields. They won’t share stories of the challenges and joys of farming, so you can come to know the life of your food before it ever hits your plate.

For me, that’s the best thing about buying direct from the farmers: connection. Food ceases to be a generic shrink-wrapped product and becomes part of a story and a human relationship. Being a part of this connection brings me happiness.

And from a health perspective, of course, there’s a huge difference between just-picked fresh food that grew on a small farm less than 100 miles from your home, and mass-produced food shipped from an agribusiness halfway across the continent, or in another country entirely!

Because the farmers at a market or CSA are likely to have organic , beyond-organic or integrative , or biodynamic operations, their products are loaded with genuine flavor…far from the bland, chemically-edged taste of Big Agriculture’s gassed, irradiated, pesticided, or genetically-modified produce.

But not only that. With a farmer’s market or CSA, you’re eating seasonally – foods that are at their peak here and now, in your area! Because of this, they supply vitamins and minerals that can’t be matched by out-of-season hothouse veggies that were picked before their prime, waxed, sprayed with preservatives, and transported for hundreds or thousands of miles.

In fact, if you tune in and really pay attention, you’ll find that the whole energetic field of this local food is different, brighter, more vibrant!

Speaking from my own experience as an On-The-Go Woman, if you buy food from these local, eco-conscious farmers for a month – or a summer! – you’ll find yourself reaching a new level of wellness. You’ll be connecting in mind, body, and spirit to an earlier, healthier time in our evolution, a time of connection to the earth, to the plants and animals that become our food, and to each other.

This is the way life should be!

You can learn more about the benefits of eating seasonal, locally-grown produce here . And to find the farmers’ markets closest to you, check out Local Harvest .

Please share where your favorite farmer’s market is located and your recent local purchases.

Bon appetit!

 

 

Memoirs of An On-The-Go Superwoman

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Last week was Women’s Health Week and it got me thinking what are we doing to create the life we want, as wonderful High-Achieving, High-Performing, On-the-Go Superwomen?

Wow – how’s that for a stress-inducing question? We’re all conditioned to want big, measurable results now – to get past all our obstacles and move on to super-efficiency and super-effectiveness. We’re told to “Just Do It” and “Lean In.”

But the truth is – creating a life of wellness, success, ease and flow involves lessons that mesh your mind, body and spirit; they can’t be learned overnight!

I can tell you personally – it is a lifelong journey! Just recently, I integrated what I’ve learned at a whole new level: I’m doing as much as I ever did, but with less struggle and more time for myself. I’m fully focused and aligned with what I want in life, I’m letting go of what doesn’t serve me, I’ve said a great big YES to my goals….and the Universe is supporting my focus and intention as never before!

So I’d like to invite you to de-stress, not di-stress, with a few of the lessons I’ve learned along the way….

Trust in the Universe/the Divine –

I grew up in a religious household, but I didn’t really start tapping into my spiritual life at any deep level until I connected with my deep feminine, receiving side. Learning to get out of my own way, to stop struggling and striving, and instead to allow connections, synchronicities, and other miracles to happen – for a high-achieving, high-performing Superwoman with control issues, that’s been a major lesson!

Ask, Believing You Will Receive –

A client once told me, “If I don’t demand and insist on getting what I need, nothing will happen.” Oh, did I know how she felt! And as I’ve evolved along this path, simply asking and letting go of the demands and insistence, I’ve started to see…well, things I could only call miracles happening! For example, the first time my husband surprised me by sending flowers to my office rather than the house. There was also the time I entered a Share Your Dream video contest and won over $1000 to pay for one of my nutritional courses…what a thrill!

Stop Trying to Fix the World –

Letting go has been another huge lesson: learning to trust that clients – and friends and family – are on their own journeys and they will make the decisions they need to make. This has changed my Discovery consultations profoundly: I start now from the understanding that I can’t singlehandedly “fix” the women who come to me. I don’t have to prove that they need me; I need to listen, learn what they need and offer what I have to give. If they choose to accept what I offer – wonderful, we’ll work together in partnership! If not – that’s fine, too; they know what they need.

Balance Knowledge with Intuition –

Like many high-achieving, high-performing Superwomen, I was ferociously well-trained to use my intellect and left-brain knowledge on all problems. The trouble was – intellect alone didn’t always come up with the appropriate answer! When I learned to balance my intellectual knowledge with intuition, I gained access to a level of wisdom I’d never known was available to me.

Let Go of the Addiction to Overwhelm –

If someone had told me, years ago, that I was addicted to overwhelm, I would have been outraged. I didn’t ask to be saddled with so many responsibilities, keeping so many balls in the air – and good heavens, if I dropped one, what would people think? And despite this, as fast as I’d finish with one ball, I’d pick up another. I couldn’t stop myself. It wasn’t until a coach asked me what I wanted in life, and I answered, “Peace and Joy” that I realized that I was creating the exact opposite of my deepest desire.

So I started looking: what part of my chronic overwhelm did bring me pleasure? The answer: productivity. And did I need to be overwhelmed to be productive? No! I could fill my time with the work that juices me up, excites me, and then consciously identify the payoff in other projects. The outcome: I’ve freed myself from the addiction to overwhelm. I choose my projects consciously, and I now have guilt-free time for myself!

Let Go of the Need to Please

Where I used to turn myself into a pretzel, surrendering my own knowledge, judgment, and sense of integrity to please others, I finally realized – people are actually OK with my being in alignment with my highest values! And if they’re not – I need to re-examine why they’re in my life. I could be myself, and people would still like and respect me…perhaps even more than they would otherwise. The sense of release and self-validation was mind-boggling!

There is so much more that I could share, so many more “ahas” and deep shifts. They didn’t come all at once, but in steps along the way, over more than 10 years.

The deepest realization that I had just recently, was that in this culture health is not looked at in terms of Being but rather Doing. Problem is – Doing is not transformational, where Being is. For example, when I was at the rock bottom, I had the realization: I no longer want to Be this way! Instead, I want to Be happy, healthy, whole. And out of that vision of Being, I built a plan of Doing that has guided me ever since.

A vision of Being. That’s what can sustain you through all your lifelong journey, step by step, toward total wellness and effortless ease, flow, and grace.

Are you an On The Go Woman who wants to balance your Doing with Being ? Schedule your 60 minute Ditch the worry and stress and get happy AND healthy Discovery Session. Click here to schedule.

 

Stressed? Release It Naturally

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Stressed. Don’t your shoulders tense when you think of the words? Jaw clenches, stomach tightens, your whole body subtly shifts to “Alert” mode. Whether it’s triggered by an argument in your family, a tight deadline, a looming presentation, a traffic jam on the way to the airport, or a dark alley between the parking garage and your destination, stress is one of the inescapables of life.

Sometimes this is OK – even good! Healthy stress, such as preparing for a race, or measuring up to performance reviews, keeps you at the top of your game. But when you’ve been under pressure for weeks, months, or even years (as with adults who have been abused as children), your nervous system, your muscles, your heart and lungs – all of your body systems! – become locked in a chronic stress pattern.

Your body’s response to stress is largely managed by a hormone called cortisol (a.k.a. “the stress hormone”). Cortisol is involved in controlling blood sugar levels, immune responses, anti-inflammatory responses, blood pressure, cardiovascular function, and central nervous system function, among other things.

While cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day, they also peak when the adrenal glands signal a response to stress. When the stressful situation passes, cortisol levels should return to normal – but if the body has responded to ongoing stress for weeks, months, or years (for example, in adults who were abused as children), cortisol levels never have a chance to fall. And this can be damaging – even deadly – to your health and well-being, leading over time to conditions such as:

  • Brain fog
  • Weight gain
  • Addictive behaviors, from shopping and eating to substance abuse
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Irritability and rage
  • Insomnia
  • Digestive problems
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease

So what can you do to reduce stress? While I could literally talk for days about self-care tools such as exercise, meditation, sleep – even simply taking a deep breath! – one of the most effective tools I’ve found has been adaptogens. That is, plant-based substances such as herbal teas, tinctures, and supplements that help your body to respond to stress and anxiety, resist fatigue and boost the immune system.

Some of the adaptogens that I personally use most often are:

  • Maca root
  • Holy basil
  • Ashwaghanda
  • Licorice
  • Astralagus
  • Chata, Reishi, and Shiitaki mushrooms

But if you’re interested in using adaptogens to control your stress levels, it’s important to be cautious! Talk with a holistic doctor, nutritionist or nutritional endocrinology  coach about the herb that’s best for your system, and start gently with a small dose for a few days. See how your body responds, and then continue or adjust the dose. Be gentle with yourself during this period and watch changes in your body and mood carefully. Most important, stay in touch with your doctor or wellness coach.

And while we’re talking about do-it-yourself treatment for stress…

One of the ways we’re often tempted to “self-medicate” under stress is through comfort foods such as breads and pastries, chips and cookies, and of course chocolate. Most of these are empty-calorie snacks (which are usually loaded with preservatives and GMOs): they may give you a momentary boost of energy or mood, but a crash is sure to follow!

So, instead of these guilty, harmful pleasures, I’m going to close with a recipe for one of my favorite sweet indulgences….enjoy!

“On The Go” Herbal Treats

Mix wet ingredients in a bowl:

  • 1 cup nut and or seed butter (almond, cashew, and/or sunflower)
  • 2 tbs of unrefined melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup raw honey or vanilla stevia to taste
  • 2 tsp of vanilla extract if you use honey or plain stevia

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl:

  • ½ cup of chopped nuts or seeds ( brazil nuts, almonds, and/or pecans)
  • 1 tsp of sea salt
  • about 1 cup herbal powders (ashwaganda, holy basil, chaga, shilajit, maca, and astragulus)  You can use all of these or a combination of the ones you have; I recently combined all of them! Use about 1 -2 tbs of each herb.
  • ¼  – ½ cup of dried fruit  (goji berries, cherries, raisins, figs, apricots, dates, cranberries )

Combine dry and wet ingredients; mix to the consistency of cookie dough. Divide up the dough and roll into balls.  Roll the balls in cacao or carob powder and/or coconut.

To receive the health benefits of these herbal delights, I recommend eating two a day. You can store these balls in the freezer until ready to use.

The Keys To Love

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It’s the most popular myth in the world…that your true love is “out there,” and one day you will discover that person. It’s just a matter of enduring the loneliness and looking in the right places to find him or her. S/he’s your other half, your soulmate, your twin flame…your life until you are united will be incomplete.

It’s the undercurrent of the whole singles scene, every “lonely hearts” bar, and half the world’s popular love songs. And it’s complete baloney.

No, we’re not saying that you’re doomed to a life of solitude, or that you will never find romance – quite the contrary! The myth is that life without romance is a “half-life,” an incomplete life that must be endured; that until you find your “other half,” you cannot live fully.

“Yeah, yeah,” we can hear you saying wearily. “Whitney Houston says that the greatest love is love of yourself (sigh). But that’s not going to put its arms around me in the middle of the night.”

True…however, we believe that a life that’s fulfilled and fulfilling throughout your waking hours leads to greater joy in the long run than a midnight hug to distract you from inner emptiness! And a life with that kind of fulfillment is always the result when you open your heart to love yourself.

“But isn’t that selfish?” you might be asking. Actually, no – sez not only Ms. Houston, but also the world’s greatest spiritual teachers. Jesus, for example, said that the first law was to love God, and the second to love your neighbor as yourself. Not to love only your neighbor (or only yourself for that matter), but to love both, equally.

It’s not about pulling inward to focus on how wonderful you are to the exclusion of all others; it’s about learning to appreciate yourself and your existence as a wonderful, magical part of a wonderful, magical cosmos. To celebrate the fact that you – and everyone and everything around you – are inseparable from an amazing, miraculous creation.

As Albert Einstein said, “There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle, or you can live as if everything is a miracle.” Simply because you are alive, you are part of that miracle.

This is the difference between codependence and love. While you are looking for an “other half” to complete you, seeing yourself as incomplete, you are missing your unfailing connection to the miracle of All That Is. When you enter a relationship in that state of incompleteness, you become dependent upon the other person to fill your need for cosmic connection, subconsciously expecting them to be perfect and limitless in their love. If you’re entering a relationship while seeing yourself as bad or worthless, undeserving of love (your own or anybody else’s), that will show up in your treatment of the other person, and of yourself.

You can see how these issues would be deal-breakers in any relationship!

And when you love others from a place of secure self-love and cosmic connection, you can relate to them with authenticity and trust, accepting them in all that they are, no matter how much like you or different from you they may be. You can forgive their failings, because you aren’t basing your identity and your self-worth on their perfection.

So before you start looking for love from others, learn to affirm and believe that you are a miraculous part of the cosmos, you are lovable and beloved whether or not you have a partner by your side. Just as there is no division between your mind and body, there is no point at which the energy of the cosmos ends and you begin. You’re not separate, you’re not fallen, you’re not lost, you’re not alone. You are connected to everything that exists, and no matter where you are, you have your place within the universe. You only need to recognize it to tap into that energy.

So how do you find that sense of connection? Here are just a few ideas…

  • Go out in the woods, or by the ocean, turn off your mental chatter, and simply focus on feeling all that’s around you…the breezes, the earth, the birds, the light, the fragrances…immerse yourself in your senses, feel yourself as a part of All That Is.
  • Go to your sacred space, light a candle, and call on your Source energy, Higher Power, God/Goddess, Divinity by whatever name. Clear your mind and feel the love and light fill your heart.
  • In your sacred space, after calling on the positive energies of the universe, journal, draw, sing, drum, dance, releasing your spiritual clutter and creating space in your soul for Love.

Isn’t that better than suffering the loneliness of believing that another human being is the Only One who can fulfill you, and you can’t live without him or her?

Balancing Your Emotions Through the Passionate Sacral Chakra

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If the first chakra is all about our survival in the material world, the second is about connection — in fact, Caroline Myss calls the second or sacral chakra “the partnership chakra.” Located just below the navel — around womb level for women — this chakra is described in Hindu tradition as the “feminine creative abode,” or the “seat of life.”

It’s also called the “dwelling place of the Self,” writes intuitive healer Anarah, because this chakra not only influences partnership and relationships, but also our groundedness in our own identity: our ability to set boundaries and maintain our personal space. This balance of individuality and partnership is the essence of the sacral chakra’s fluid energy, governing emotions, sensuality, sexuality, intuition and creativity. It also helps us to determine where we want to attach our energy, whether materially, socially, or spiritually.

Ruled by the element of Water, the Sacral chakra is responsible not only for flowing emotions, but also for the organs that process fluids: kidneys, bladder, large intestine. It not only influences your imaginative creativity; it also governs your body’s procreative functions through the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, as well as cell division and growth.

When your sacral chakra is in balance, you’re confident and at peace within yourself; you come to your relationships with healthy boundaries, a positive self-image, and a keen, grounded “people sense.” You enjoy and nurture your body, and you are comfortable with engaging your creativity, whether you are aiming to conceive a child, a work of art, or a technical project.

When your second chakra is out of balance, on the other hand, your emotional life may be full of challenges like these:

  • Feeling others’ emotions (sometimes overwhelmingly)
  • Losing yourself in your relationships, or hearing others complain that you smother them
  • Projecting your powerful emotions outward to create all kinds of drama in your life, or feeling numbed-out and depressed
  • Clinging to memories, grudges, people, roles, or things

So how can you rebalance your sacral chakra? It’s not as hard as it may seem. Here are a few tips…

Keep your system flowing smoothly with vital nutrients

  • To function at their best, the organs governed by this chakra need water, and plenty of it. So, drink plenty of water — half your weight in ounces of water, or until your pee is clear.
  • Lubricate your system by taking in plenty of oils: almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, peanut oil, walnut oil, and avocado oil. All of these have different cooking properties; to use them healthily, use this guide
  • Support your brain function, endocrine system and immune system with foods high in essential fatty acids such as dark oily fish – wild caught salmon and tuna, flaxseed meal, and walnuts.
  • Seeds are the beginning of life: keep your energy level strong and steady with seeds such as flax, poppy, pumpkin, sesame, hemp and sunflower.
  • Orange is the color associated with the sacral chakra, and it’s nourished by orange foods – apricots, cantaloupes, kumquats, mandarin oranges, tangerines, oranges, nectarines, papayas, peaches, persimmons, carrots, orange bell peppers, pumpkin, yams

Use essential oils

You can get the benefits of essential oils by using them in a diffuser, in candles, or in your bath (Do not use them in food or drink, and always dilute for safety — see http://www.essentialoils.co.za/dilutions.htm). Some oils that balance the sacral chakra are: sandalwood, tangerine, orange, bergamont, rosemary, jasmine, ylang-ylang.

Use semiprecious stones

You can apply stones as an energy treatment by lying down and placing them on your chakras, or keeping them in a pocket or on a necklace as you go about your day. The chakras, which act as energy vortices, channel energy from the stones into the meridians of your body, and finally into your aura.

Here are a few of the stones that can support your sacral chakra (learn more about using stones for chakra balancing here:

Amber – Balances emotions, builds mental clarity, clears negative energy, and releases phobias and fears
Carnelian – Builds emotional balance, positive self image, and perception, as well as creativity, peace, and unity with nature and other people.
Orange calcite — Eases overwhelming emotions of fear, depression, post-traumatic stress, and suicidal thoughts. Restores emotional balance and can boost intuition. Also supports the reproductive, gastrointestinal, and excretory systems, and balances sexual energies.
Red Jasper — Builds Earth connection for emotional and spiritual balance and grounding. Aids clarity and stability in the midst of personal difficulties.
Tiger’s Eye — Builds inner peace and balance; helps to release fear and anxiety. Inspires action, supports discernment and clarity in decision-making, unclouded by emotions.

Other ways to nourish your sacral chakra

Finally, don’t neglect these important techniques:

  • Hip opening exercises and yoga asanas
  • Dancing
  • Visualizing orange — sunsets, terra cotta, pumpkins, fruit — imagine!
  • Setting aside time to do something creative — writing, painting, cooking, singing, doing crafts
  • Journaling about your womb story or sex story
  • Having a womb sauna treatment

Next time we’ll look at the powerful Solar Plexus Chakra — seat of the will and self-determination. Stay tuned!

Roasted Beet and Garlic Soup Recipe

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Adapted from Skin Guy Gourmet

This soup recipe has beets which are filled with potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine and folic acid. Beets also contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones. Feeling a little scattered and or overwhelmed this holiday season? Beets also help to ground you energetically.
This recipe also contains garlic which supports the immune system with is antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

A healthy delicious soup to enjoy this winter season.

Ingredients:

4 large beets – peeled and diced

2 large Vidalia or yellow onions – peeled and chopped into quarters

3 cloves garlic – peeled and smashed

2 TBS coconut oil
2 cups baby carrots

2 cups vegetable stock

Himalayan Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

– Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
– Line pan with parchment paper
– Add the beets, carrots, onion and garlic
– Add coconut oil, salt and pepper and mix well
– Roast in oven for one hour – but toss the mixture at 30 minutes so all sides cook evenly
– Reduce heat to 350 degrees after one hour and cook until fork-tender; checking every 20 minutes or so and tossing using tongs.
– When mixture is fork-tender, remove from oven and set aside to cook for at least 30 minutes. Put the mixture in the blender in batches.
– Add the vegetable stock and blend until you get your desired texture.

Pour in a bowl and enjoy!

Start Your New Year with Steps Toward Empowerment!

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Happy New Year! I’m hoping that your holidays have been joyous and filled with family, friends, and fun, and that 2014 is filled with wonder and wellness.

And if you’re like 90% of the world, you’re probably beginning the year with a list of resolutions in your shiny new calendar… Maybe something like this:

Resolved: in the next 365 days, I will diet and exercise… stick to a budget… manage time effectively…end hunger…eradicate disease… and accomplish world peace!

Of course the last three of those resolutions are just a smidge over the top…but what’s wrong with the first three? Aren’t they the same commitments that nearly everyone makes…year after year?

Yes, they are…and that’s the trouble. Not that you want to achieve these goals, but that just about everyone tries to accomplish them in the same way…

By making resolutions. And because resolutions are made to be rebelled against, they’re just about as effective as those last three world-shaking aspirations.

What’s that — resolutions are made to be rebelled against??

I like to say that resolutions are channeled from our inner drill sergeant…the shadowy adult in our past who would never be satisfied. They’re built on a foundation of “I’m not enough” or “I’m lacking” and re-solving to solve the problem/defect/lack, rather than affirming and intending your highest good. And our souls recognize that underlying message, and refuse to accept it.

Just listen to the meta-messages of fear and not-enoughness that underlie these common resolutions, and you’ll see what I mean…

I will diet/exercise — let’s not even get into the shame messages of “fat/lazy” that drive these resolutions! Ideals regarding weight and fitness carry enormous baggage in our society of anorexic, Photoshopped models; even when we believe we’re doing everything for the right reasons, that old message of shame slides in. And we start feeling that it’s simpler just to avoid the whole issue…(where is that remote, anyway? )

I will stick to a budget — Don’t the very words sound punitive? They call to mind Ebenezer Scrooge, doling out meager pleasures with an eyedropper and begrudging every one. The Ghost of Christmas Present didn’t walk the malls with a calculator and price list in hand, did he? Just the thought of budgeting is enough to send us off to the mall for some retail therapy…

I will manage time effectively — Whether you’re dodging onto Facebook or checking your email every 10 minutes – whether you’re chronically procrastinating, or multitasking to the point of being unable to finish any project — struggles with time management are epidemic these days. Nearly all of us feel that we should be far more productive than we are….and whether we admit it or not, we know where our time-sinks lie. And they are sooo comforting….

And therein lies the trouble! As long as we’re resolving to turn aside from temptation, the temptations remind us of just how pleasant they are, and how bleak our chosen strategies are…

So what do you do about it? Clearly a healthy, fit body, money in the bank, and free time in the day are good things that you want in your future, right?

Of course they are. And so I invite you to work toward these goals not as resolutions but as intentions.

What’s the difference? Where resolutions are fixing a lack, driven by fear and shame, intentions start by affirming your enoughness and highest good. They can be so empowering and inspiring, you’ll want to repeat them every morning as affirmations!

For example, let’s look at that diet and exercise resolution again…

I see my body whole, healthy, and fit. I make choices that support my perfect body. This intention puts the focus on the vision you desire, and empowers the decision-making process to get there. Rather than locking you into the same well-worn series of options you’ve tried before, it opens up the door to all sorts of choices. Perhaps, rather than working with a personal trainer, you’ll work with a nutritionist, a kitchen consultant, or a wellness coach!

How about the budget resolution? Let’s try this:

I have access to all the money I need for my needs, desires, and future. I earn, save and spend consciously, keeping the big picture in mind. This starts out with the idea that you have access to enough; you’re not limited to your salary. Money management is just a balancing act, one that you are capable of doing. How much more empowering this is than the inner Scrooge with his candlelit ledger!

But what about that time management question? Let’s try reframing it thusly:

I cherish the hours of my day as an irreplaceable gift. I invest every moment wisely to gain its fullest value for myself and for the world. Your employer leases a portion of your days…that’s a given as far as goals and tasks are concerned. But you have a deeper commitment to yourself and to Life, to wring the most wonderful, purposeful experience possible out of every second: to love your family, to heal your body, to change the world. And your choices matter — they determine the value of the time you spend, whether you’re de-stressing in a bubble bath, visiting a sick parent, or having tea with friends. You matter.

Imagine New Year aspirations that challenge, support and empower you…that feed your soul rather than triggering self-criticism! That’s the way to start the year for joy and wellness….

Blessings for the New Year!