As a modern fast-paced life continues to accelerate, health issues are also increasing. Modern life of today can be surrounded by a lot of both physical and mental health issues. For many, adopting yoga has become essential to maintain a balanced and healthy life. Yoga is an ancient practice that provides complete health care and purification practices are an integral part of it. Along with practicing yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation in the morning, yoga offers wisdom and detoxification techniques to kick-start the day in the best way possible. Body cleansing techniques, called Kriyas, cleanse the physical body deeply and make for a healthy morning routine. Here are the three three most vital Yogic Detox Techniques (Kriyas) for your healthy morning routine: 1. Jala Neti - Nasal Cleansing
Using a neti pot is a great way to clean the nasal cavity and is a natural process to stay disease-free. The process helps to remove the bacteria, removes any nasal infection (or possibility of one), cleanses sinuses, is great for respiratory health, soothes the brain, treats depression, tension, temper, migraine, and is also good for ear health. Furthermore, this technique soothes the pituitary gland, improves vision, and the power to concentrate. It is ideal for a healthy morning and start to the day. Jala Neti Steps:
• With the lukewarm water, fill the Neti Pot and then mix salt in a proportion of 2 teaspoons of salt per 1 liter of water. • Now, put the Neti Pot cone in the right nostril, seal it from inside, and point the cone opening towards the nasal passage. • Don’t block the tip of the nozzle. Now open up the mouth and breathe slowly through it. • Try not to sniff or laugh. Slowly bend forward and tilt or incline the head towards the left. • Seal to avoid leakage from the right nostril and wait for 30 seconds. The water will run out from the left nostril. • Keep breathing gently and wait for few seconds so that all the water flows from the right nostril to the left. • Now stand and clear the water and mucus from your nose, and then perform the same with the other side. 2. Netra Dhauti - Eye Wash The eye-cleaning Yoga Kriya in the morning helps you awaken, cleanses the eyes, and makes you feel fresh all day. Plus, this one simple and healthy part of your morning routine is quick and easy to do! The practice improves eyesight, keeps eye problems at bay, removes the accumulation of the toxins, supports the eye-moisture for proper functioning, is great for stressed eyes, helps to deal with a headache and insomnia, and relaxes you.
Netra Dhauti Steps:
• Sit in the Utkatasana (chair pose) and take fresh and clean water in a bowl. • Now open your eyes and rinse it with water by taking some water in your hands and splash in your eyes. • Then re-fill the bowl with water and rinse your eyes again. Repeat the process for 3-5 times with both the eyes. • You can also form a cup with your hand or use an eye-cup. Fill it with water and then bend over and then open and close your eyes in it to clean them. 3. Jihva Dhauti - Cleansing The Tongue
The Kriya is used to cleanse the tongue and purify the tongue root. It is very effective in for detox in the morning. It removes excess phlegm, toxins, and bacteria. The yellow or white tinge on the tongue in excess is harmful to the body.
Jihava Dhauti Steps:
• Scrap the tongue with your finger or use a tongue scraper. Wash it and do it again to clean the surface of the tongue properly.
These three easy Kriyas are incredibly detoxifying, will only take a few minutes, and have you feeling healthy all morning for a healthy and worthy day. By Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveler in India. He provides Yoga Teacher Training in India. He loves writing and reading the books related to yoga, health, nature and the Himalayas. Connect with Manmohan: Website
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Summer is here for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere! Hooray!
We think you’re going to love our latest cleanse-approved recipe. This Brain Boosting Smoothie Bowl is a bountiful breakfast that will keep you feeling full and focused all morning long! It’s chock full of brain-healthy ALA omega-3 fats from the walnuts, flax and chia seeds. Plus, a smoothie bowl is a great way to mix up your breakfast if you get tired of regular smoothies.
Want to do more for your health this summer? Join us for our June 13 Conscious Cleanse to eat real food and get real results that will leave you glowing from the inside out. Are you ready to eat delicious food and feel amazing?
With love and green smoothie bowls,
Brain Boosting Smoothie Bowl
Yield: 1 quart or 2 bowls
Ingredients:
1 frozen banana ½ avocado 2 cups of spinach or kale 2 TB. walnuts 1 TB. chia seeds 1 TB. ground flaxseed Juice of ½ of a fresh lemon 2½ cups hemp or coconut milk Optional toppings: Hemp seeds, coconut, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, walnuts
Instructions: In a high speed blender, blend banana, avocado, spinach, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, lemon juice, and nut milk. Pour into 2 bowls, top with your favorite toppings and serve.
Low sugar variation: Substitute banana for a pear.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
Start eating well and practicing yoga to detox now, with Yoga Download's Yoga for Detox program!
Have you ever felt like you are living a Shakespearean play within, conflict and drama a plenty? Romeo and Juliet taking duel inside, the battle of head and the heart? Where courage challenges consideration to a duel and thought stabs thrill in the back?
At heart, I am all Romeo, full of passion, love and extremes. Loyal to a detriment, I’m often tempted to act foolishly in defense of those I do love dear. This is an example of the heart winning over the head. Oh, the angst and drama that overtakes my life, where it would be all too easy for my heart to throw away any logical order that exists in my life, and insteads leads me on spontaneous adventures and lust inspired indulgences. Life would be fun and fabulous. My heart sometimes guides me to just ignore the dose of danger waiting in the wings.
Many times however, I do give thanks to the dear Juliet who lives in my head, which keeps me level and sane. As independent and loyal as Romeo, she is thankfully more capable and self assured. The obedience and determination of my head, my inner Juliet, sometimes pacify the longings of my heart and inner Romeo rampages. The refined and evolved nature of the head have got me to where I am today and without my inner Juliet, I fear for what my life would be like.
Admittedly, not as spirited as the heart, the head certainly has more nerve and resolve, preventing me from taking the cowardly approach that my inner Romeo often whispers. A stabber over a poison taker, Juliet is ever the planner. Shakespeare did not pen the words “Juliet, Juliet, where for art thou Juliet”, though many times I am hanging on a precipice with Romeo calling those exact words.
Juliet (my head) indeed has many a time been my savior, but plenty of times my tormentor.
I was born a thinker, naturally more in my head than in my heart. Juliet reigned my kingdom, where a naïve, timid and shy soul went about her days. I grew to dislike her, frustrated by her need to please everyone and overthink to the point of inaction, trapped and tortured under my own doings. Depression slumped upon me, as my head produced fears of the future and anxious dwellings on the past. “O teach me how I should forget to think”, I pleaded.
The Juliet ideals of “I will try to love him” became my mantra, wanting, desperately trying to be the one who pleased all, above pleasing me. Her weakness and inability to act with any conviction had me at times, wondering why Shakespeare waited so long to kill her off.
In my twenties, I started hearing my inner Romeo whisper more from his residence in my heart.
At first he was charming and idealistic, making subtle, poetic suggestions of alternative ways I could live my life. Over time his wit got quicker, his voice got louder, his words more melodic and persuasive. Eventually, he boldly opposed every planned Juliet pattern, with a reactive and unthinking alternative.
My inner Romeo made me a bit crazy however. Life was a constant Shakespearean sized battle. I would act in Romeo like extremes and run from one emotion filled escapade to another. I would shake my head and wonder when maturity would hit, hoping it was sooner then hitting rock bottom.
Juliet would watch on with a sad look of disappointment as I constantly fell short of my inner ideals. It was like the angel and the devil sitting on a shoulder each, bartering and bargaining to get my approval. With Juliet in my head and Romeo in my heart, internal turmoil surrounded.
At fear of facing certain death as Romeo and Juliet fought each other to rule my soul, the use of a “sleeping potion” seemed fitting. I saw no other way, seeking anti-depressants to kill them both off, as the “to be or not to be” soliloquy rang all to close to home. I just wanted both sides to surrender and give me time to recuperate. I feared that “for never was a story of more woe (t)han this of Juliet and her Romeo” would all too aptly apply to the demons within.
Over time, the dramatics of it all fell away. A shift occurred in perspective and Romeo looked longingly at Juliet “what light through yonder window breaks” seeing a deeper connection there than he ever had with Rosaline. A beautiful friendship evolved, Juliet the light to Romeo’s passion. In the second act of my life, we see the two live happily every after in unison.
The head and the heart had found unity and balance.
My head ponders, “what’s in a name” and questions my need to please others and live up to society ideals and self expected perfectionism. “That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet” she reminds me, I am worthy of my own love and merits, giving me courage to live this life for me.
Romeo now guides my ways, connecting me to the present, allowing me to fully express my emotions and deep love. Never far, Juliet walks by his side, checking in to make sure both are fulfilled by my actions.
It is without question, the most beautiful love story around. Head and heart truly connect and become one, with my soul’s happiness at it’s highest intention.
I could not exist, be who or where I am today, if it wasn’t the coming together of the head and the heart in the most magical way. No longer does my head and it’s over thinking, constantly analyzing and fear fuelled concern; battle the reckless, reactive and emotional tendencies of my heart.
My head now analyzes the feeling within my heart and my heart considers the processes my head requires. This union is a far greater love story then that set in the 1500’s. Critics rejoice at the fairytale happily ever after ending filled with passion and longevity; viewer’s choice over the tragic demise of the star crossed lovers that William told.
Like in any post play analysis I ask, are there times in your life where Romeo and Juliet take residence within you? Do you fear “these violent delights have violent ends?” as you battle living with unrivalled passion, versus carefully constructed footpaths to success? Do you fear unconditional love of self, life or others, concerned by “loves heavy burden do I sink?’
My resulting love story, urges me, to ask you, to seek union.
Encourage Romeo and Juliet to learn from each other and co-habitat with your greatest good in mind. We all deserve to be a lover, but we aren’t destined to be foolish, our final act is yet to be written. “Borrow cupid’s wings and soar with them above a common bound” and savor the sweetness that life intends.
By Amy Booth
Amy is a yoga and pilates teacher and personal trainer in Brisbane, Australia, where she runs a cute riverside studio and a personal training business. In addition each year she runs a yoga retreat (Bali, August 2018) and hiking retreat (Australia, 2018). To find out more: Website: www.ambertreeyoga.com.au Instagram: @ambertreeyogaandretreats Facebook: Amber Tree Yoga and Retreats
Practice yoga and meditation to find union between your heart and your head now!
Align & Flow: Mind in One Place with Jack Cuneo
Meditation: Heart Focused with Keith Allen
Life is all about balance. Hot and cold. Day and night. Sun and moon. Dark and light. Yin and Yang are opposites and they complement each other perfectly. Without balancing the opposing forces that exist within us and in the world around us, it’s tough to become centered and strong. Yin is stable and quiet. Yang is active and intense. Yin is stillness. Yang is movement. This week we’re focusing on how Yin Yoga can help you quiet your mind and delve deeper into your yoga practice.
Many of us love our flowing linear styles of yoga like Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Power yoga. An active Yang practice has many benefits, but if your life is busy and intense, it might not be the best way to achieve balance and yin yoga can help. We live in a hectic multi-tasking world and although Yang yoga can quiet your mind and help you feel great, adding in a quieter type of yoga can help us truly relax. We aren’t saying stop your dynamic flows, we’re giving you a new tool to your yoga repertoire. Take some time to restore your physical and emotional balance.
What is Yin yoga?
Many assume it is a restorative practice, and while it is a more passive practice, work is involved. Some of us find it to be more work to stay still in an uncomfortable position than it is to be able to flow out of a pose after a few breaths. A Yin yoga practice consists of holding postures, usually lower-body focused ones-for several minutes while staying as still as possible.
Where Yang targets the muscles, Yin targets the deeper layers in the body, specifically the connective tissues––ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Yin yoga aims to bring more circulation to the joints and improve overall flexibility.
Yin yoga utilizes three primary principles. First, find your edge in the posture. Second, sink into a sense of stillness. Third, hold a posture for time, usually one to five minutes. During these longer holds, your monkey mind will kick in. Use the principles of Citta Vritti Nirodhaha and direct your mind where you want it to go. Focus on your breathing and stay present, no matter how challenging it might be. There is a meditative aspect to the practice so, take advantage of it.
Yin yoga benefits you physically, emotionally, and mentally. With this type of practice, you are gently encouraging the connective tissues to become a little longer and stronger. Yin poses work on myofascial release and balance the internal organs. Often, a Yin class will be themed around flushing the kidney meridian or allowing the emotional blockage hanging around your hips to soften and release.
Yin yoga is the perfect way to give your mind the quiet time it needs and to improve your flexibility in a different way than a more active practice. We need them both! Long holds teach us discipline and focus and who doesn’t need a little more of that?
If you are already a Yin yoga fan, we’ve got some new practices for you.
If you are new to Yin, check out these four classes this week and see for yourself!
1. Erin Wimert -Yin for Your Upper Body
2. Caitlin Rose Kenney - Yin Yoga & Breath Work for Relaxation
3. Caitlin Rose Kenney - Yin Yoga for Energy & Clarity
4. Elise Fabricant - Gentle Yin for Your Neck
As yoga continues to become more and more popular worldwide, the demand for teachers increases. Even though it can seem the world is full of yoga teachers, yoga continues to grow in popularity and there are always newcomers to the practice who need help and guidance if they are to improve their yoga practice or begin one. That means there's plenty of opportunities for you to get out there and get to work as a yoga teacher!
You may be the perfect person for the job, but you might be up against a huge amount of other people who want it too. While some studios hire based on many criteria, which can include an audition class and assessment of your actual teaching, don't underestimate the importance of your yoga teacher resume. Your resume needs to show the reader that you're the person that's worth bringing in.
Here are 7 tips on how to craft the best possible yoga teaching resume.
1. Show Your Experience
First and foremost, you've got to show that you've got experience. Many enthusiasts think that just taking yoga classes is enough to teach others, but in fact you really do need qualifications. It's not all about how long you've been teaching, but how and where you've been teaching.
If you don't already, you'll want to be sure you have a 200-hour teaching certification from Yoga Alliance. This group monitors yoga schools, and if you're trained through a registered school, this will hold a lot of weight in your resume. Ensure that you include this to show that you have what it takes. Also list skills and experience that are related, but might be slightly different, such as meditation courses, reiki certifications, massage certifications, and other related practices.
2. Include Social Media When Appropriate
“In most resumes, you'd steer clear of listing your social media page,” says resume writer Anna Johnson. “However, as a yoga teacher, your social media feeds could be helpful to a recruiter.” If you curate your feeds correctly, you can show the reader how you approach your teaching, and what you've been up to in your career so far.
The same goes for photos. Normally, you wouldn't need to include photos, but for yoga teaching jobs, they can be quite helpful. Some schools actually need a shot of you to put on their website or in their marketing materials, so having one ready is very helpful. Ensure you're using yoga photos that look professional, rather than a glamour shot or a selfie.
3. Keep To The Point
It's always tempting to throw in anything that you think makes you look good on your resume. This leads to them getting bloated, overly long as just plain irrelevant. You may well have been on the debate team at school, or volunteered with animals last year, but is this relevant to the role of a yoga teacher? Your work as a barista might show your ability to multi-task and work with people, but it doesn't matter that much, when studios are assessing who they want to hire.
A good rule of thumb is to keep the resume to one page. This forces you to be selective with what you include. Anything you write in your resume needs to be geared towards securing the job. If it's not directly useful or relevant, delete it. Quality is more important than quantity.
4. Relevant Experience Does not have to only be Teaching Experience
Your yoga teaching resume, will be different than your other resume(s) if you have another field of work. Yes, keeping to the point is crucial. Studios might be interested in your other work, but it's not the most important thing to highlight.
That said, there are plenty of non-teaching experiences that are relevant and will give you an advantage to list on your resume and set you apart. Things like, how long you've been practicing, which styles you practice, useful workshops you've attended, intensives, trainings, and other non-teaching experiences that have enhanced your yoga expertise are worth listing! Meditation programs, and volunteering experiences could also be relatable.
Anything related to self-development might not be professional yoga teaching experience, but are very relevant to this job!
Including these things also helps to create an entire resume that's yoga teaching related, especially when you're first starting and it could feel daunting. Again, keep to the point, but get creative in assessing what is worthy to list.
5. Use Online Tools To Help Create Your Resume
Writing a resume can be a time consuming and daunting task. If you don't write very often, or feel like creating a resume only about yoga teaching can be tough, there's plenty of tools online that can make the job a little bit easier. Many give you frameworks to work with. One that could help is Resume Service.
6. Make Sure To Include Your Contact Info
This sounds like a very obvious tip, but you'd be amazed at how many people leave theirs off, usually by accident. It's usually best to place your details at the top of the resume, or in a column to the side. Either way, it needs to be clear and easy to find right away. The best things to include are your phone number, email, website, and of course your name. It's not really useful to include your address.
7. Proofread And Edit Everything You Write
If you've finished your resume, that's great! You just need to proofread and edit it before you send it off. This is why it's essential you give yourself a good amount of time before you need to send a resume. It's best to give yourself at least 24 hours between writing and editing, so you can get some distance from your resume.
These points will help you write a yoga teacher resume that's bound to get you noticed. The best resumes show not just how qualified you are, but how much you care about the fine details also.
By Grace Carter
Grace Carter is a writer at Australian BigAssignments writing service. Also, she helps with content management at New South Wales assignment service.
Ready to become a yoga teacher? Do it online, with Yoga Download's 200-hour Online Teacher Training Certification Program!
Today’s recipe is cleanse-friendly and can be easily modified to stay within the guidelines of purification if you're currently cleansing. Simply omit the olives if you want to be a purist–or keep them in and consider them part of what’s easing you off of your purification. Enjoy this simple, healthy, and delicious vegetarian recipe!
Love,
Grilled Fennel with Olives and Herbs
Yield: 4 servings
4 large organic fennel bulbs, fronds trimmed, quartered ¼ cup organic olive oil, divided Pinch of sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 TB. fresh dill, chopped 1 TB. fresh basil, chopped 1 TB. fresh Italian parsley, chopped 1 TB. fennel fronds, chopped 5 organic Kalamata olives, chopped
Instructions: Trim the fennel stalks and fronds away, you can use a few of them for the herb sauce below. Cut the bulbs in four and gently trim away the core. You want to leave just enough core to hold the sections together.
Drizzle the fennel with 2 TB. olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile heat your grill to high. Grill the fennel turning once until tender, approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove from grill and place on a serving plate.
To make the herb sauce, in a small bowl combine dill, basil, Italian parsley, fennel fronds, remaining 2 TB. of olive oil, and chopped olives until combined. Drizzle sauce over the grilled fennel and serve.
Complement this healthy, vegetarian recipe, with Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, & Vitality!
The advantages of meditation are plentiful. According to one recent article, there are 76 different benefits to meditation. Now that’s a lot of advantages! The thing is, it could have a million advantages and that wouldn’t make any difference if you didn’t actually know how to meditate.
And the truth is, very few of us do know how to meditate. I don’t know if it’s because our modern lifestyle, or that as people we are just naturally disposed towards it, but a lot of people who are beginners and try meditating give up because they don’t have the right mindset. That’s a shame – especially considering how useful it is.
For that reason, here I’ll detail five different ways that you can get into the right mindset for meditation, so that you can succeed and make the benefits of meditation part of your life, or even simply feel more present and meditative while moving throughout your day.
1. 1-Minute Meditation
Many of us come from an achievement-oriented culture. From when we’re young, people ask us what we want to be when we grow up (thereby insinuating who we are as children isn’t enough). People often talk about what they will do when they're rich or famous. We’re always trying to get fit, or healthy, or motivated. That’s fine and having aspirations is good, but you don’t want to take any baggage of discontentment with where you currently are, with you into your mediation.
Mediation isn’t about where you’re going, but where you are and if you spend your time trying to reach nirvana, or perfect peace of mind, or anything else, then you’re missing the benefits of the present and – in effect – self sabotaging your meditation, because of your trying to achieve something.
For that reason, I suggest the one minute meditation for beginners who are just getting started. For just a minute a day, sit and focus on your breathing, or your mantra, or clearing your mind. There are many different techniques, so experiment to find one you like, and practice doing it for just one minute each day. Do this every day, for one month, as we all have one minute to spare! You can make this minute longer, if you want to, but make sure you do that minute. By aiming for that, you can leave any obsession with achievement behind.
2. More Mindful Moments in Everyday Life
Meditation leads to mindfulness and mindfulness which leads to meditation. What is mindfulness? Well, it’s a lot of things but to summarize it shortly, it’s awareness of where you are and what you’re feeling, right now in the present moment.
So do that. Become more aware of where you are and what you’re doing. That means really stopping and focusing on your surroundings, or what you’re feeling, what your eyes are seeing, or what you’re doing. You do not have to sit in a specific position and close your eyes for this practice.
So if you’re eating an apple, what does that apple taste like? How does the wind feel breathing through your hair? What are the smells around you?
A great exercise is to set your alarm for a few times throughout the day and whenever it goes off, use it as a reminder to stop and become aware for a moment. If somebody else is talking, then let everything go, and focus entirely on what they’re saying. If you’re working on your computer, take a moment to focus on your posture, or your breathing. Remember, this is not about judging what you’re doing as good or bad. Instead, it’s about actually experiencing your life.
You don’t need yoga pants to meditate. Nor do you need dreadlocks, or a mat, or special music. You can do it on the bus. You can do it during your lunch break. In effect, these moments of mindfulness, can easily lead to meditation and are their own form of meditation. When you engage in one of those moments you can savor in your experiences more. There are a lot of ways to do this (as many ways as there are of meditating, really).
3. Focus on Your Senses
Follow a specific smell, sound, taste, or feeling. Filter everything else out to the best of your ability and let one sense become your entire focus. This can be quite difficult, but it's all about practice and not getting caught up on doing it perfectly. For example, focus solely on sounds for 1-minute. Your other senses will still be there, but put a majority of your focus into what your ears are hearing at this particular moment. If you're eating, what are the flavors you’re experiencing? Not just the dominating flavor, but also the flavors underneath. These are just two examples of how focusing on your senses can put you into a more present and meditative state of mind.
4. Grab your Phone Less
The smartphone has become the go-to time filler for most of us. The moment we feel even a hint of boredom, we grab for the phone. The thing is, boredom is good for us. It is in this time that we can practice our mindfulness, have good ideas come to us, or have our little mini-meditations. We can use our phones less.
So, to help yourself become more successful at meditating, become aware of when you’re grabbing for your smartphone when you don’t need to (i.e. because you just want to fill time) and instead use those moments to focus on your surroundings and yourself, like mentioned above.
This will both have the added bonus of teaching you how to meditate, as well as helping you learn to resist your immediate impulses – which is something we can all use.
5. Put Reminders Everywhere
Finally (and most importantly) life is going to try to get in the way. It always does with good intentions. You might start off well, meditate for a week or two, then something happens and ends up dominating your life for a while and before you know it, you forgot your intention to meditate. Help yourself remember! Put up post-its with your intentions everywhere. Make it the background on your smartphone. Put a sticker on your computer, write it on the white board, write it on your book mark. In short, put a reminder to meditate or stop and be more present, everywhere. These reminders are like signposts, pulling you back from your forgetfulness and guiding you onto the road of successfully learning how to meditate and be present. Then all you have to do is follow them once you see them!
By Leah Thurber
Leah Thurber writes content for OkDissertations company and practices guest post writing in spare time. This incredible woman likes to write about new marketing trends, content marketing strategies, social media, education, lifestyle and career. You can follow her on Twitter @leahjthurber.
Practice more mindfulness right now with one of these beginner-friendly guided meditation classes!
Living the Dream: A Vision Meditation with Christen Bakken
So many of us feel stressed, fatigued, rushed and short on quality time. There are consequences for living in an overstimulated society. Sensory overload can negatively affect our physical and mental well-being. It’s vital to practice methods to reduce overstimulation when possible. Meditation can help your brain get away from the habit of excessive multitasking. For many, learning how to meditate, and where to start if you're a beginner, is the ideal next step in giving your brain some relief and vibrancy.
First, it’s important to understand what meditation is. You will find many definitions but they all have a common theme; meditation is what you do with full awareness. You do not have to be seated a certain way in silence to learn how to meditate in a correct or perfect way. You might be walking or engaged in a task or hobby. If you're a brand new beginner to meditation, you don’t even need to involve of whole new set of skills, do something that is familiar to you that requires your full attention.
I must also address what meditation is not. It is not about stopping all thoughts or creating a “blank mind.” Thoughts will arise and the key is to allow them to come and go without judging or clinging to them. You are actually observing the activity of your mind. You will not ignore feelings that arise during meditation, you acknowledge them and let them go. The most common phrase I hear when discussing meditation with a beginner is, “I don’t think I’m doing it right.”
The good news is, there is no right way or wrong way to meditate!
There are numerous benefits of meditation including increased happiness, better health (physical and mental), improved relationships, increased performance in work/school, improvement in sports/fitness and enlightenment. Research has shown that meditation changes the chemistry of the brain. Some people require scientific evidence on this topic and I can appreciate that. I recommend taking three minutes to watch, “The Scientific Power of Meditation” by ASAP Science.
So, how do you go about starting a meditation practice?
For beginners, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. There are various options, no extreme or strict rules. It’s not always easy or peaceful. You might want to start by creating a safe, comfortable space surrounded by your favorite things (candles, photos, flowers, pillows). You can also do things that are calming to you like petting your dog, woodwork, coloring, sewing, yoga, gardening and allow your thoughts to come and go as you do these calming activities. You might like to be in a peaceful outdoor space. A great way to start is to practice what is referred to as mindful breathing. In mindful breathing you learn to focus on your own breath.
Some mindful breathing techniques cue you to breathe a certain way but I would encourage you to breathe normally and not to alter your breathing in any way. Notice the endless cycle of breath and how your belly rises and falls. You can count your cycles of breath up to ten and when you reach ten simply start over with counting. It’s often helpful for beginners to count breath to help facilitate mindfulness.
I recommend practicing meditation first thing in the morning before the day gets away. Try to link it in with your daily routine, something that is automatic like brushing your teeth (Ex: wake up, brush teeth, meditate). Start with 2-3 minutes and gradually build up the time (or not). It is actually more beneficial to meditate for a short amount of time every day as opposed to an extended period of time once a week.
It’s also beneficial to schedule your meditation, make a meditation date with yourself! Put it in your calendar. Sometimes just seeing the word “meditation” can be an incentive. Ideally, you will eventually be able to take this practice out into the world where the environment is less controlled and you have more distractions. You can absolutely practice meditation in public, likely where we need it the most!
You might like to try a guided meditation to start. In a guided meditation, you listen to someone who leads you through the meditation. I have included a short video of a guided body scan for you to try. You will receive the benefits of meditation whether you are listening to someone guide you or not.
Let’s recap!
Ideally, meditate first thing in the morning (you will receive benefits any time of the day) Schedule it, put it in your calendar Link it to a habit in your daily routine Create a calming space or do a calming activity Start with 2-3 minutes and gradually increase (or not) Practice mindful breathing (try counting cycles of breath up to 10) Try a guided meditation
Try not to be so hard on yourself when starting a meditation practice. Take the pressure off and allow your practice to unfold. Don’t get discouraged, the benefits will come. Each time you practice, congratulate yourself on taking the time to improve your overall well-being. Enjoy learning more about yourself and the activity of your mind.
By Julie Christy
Julie has twenty years experience as a mental health professional combined and expertise as a yoga teacher, and meshes them together. She is known for her detailed descriptions while teaching yoga and recently transferred those skills to writing.
Make regular meditation part of your life now with the 14-Day Meditation Program, accessible and beneficial for both beginners and experienced meditators!
Happy Friday!
We always look for ways we can carry on our healthy eating habits into other aspects of our lives, while still making room for indulgences.
That’s why we’ve developed our 80:20 Lifestyle Program! Our formula for lifelong vibrancy is simple: Eat and live consciously about 80% of the time, and throw away any thoughts of deprivation the other 20%.
This allows you to continue healthy eating practices while still enjoying a conscious treat every now and then, free from guilt and regret.
Now, who’s in the mood for a Conscious Cocktail?
Enter El Sueño! We’ve put a healthy spin on a refreshing, South-of-the-border inspired cocktail. It’s super refreshing.
Do you have an indulgent recipe you’d like us to give a healthy makeover? Let us know in the comments!
Salud!
El Sueño
Yield: 2 drinks
¼ cup water 1 TB. honey 20 rosemary leaves, plus 1 rosemary sprig 12 slices English cucumber wheels, sliced very thin 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice Ice 3 oz. blanco tequila Lime flavored La Croix (or soda water)
Instructions: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water and honey until honey is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the rosemary leaves with 6 of the cucumber wheels, the lime juice and a ounce and a half of dissolved honey mixture. Fill the shaker with ice, add tequila and shake well.
To serve, layer the remaining 6 cucumber wheels with ice. Strain the drink into the prepared glass, top with La Croix, gently stir to combine, and garnish with the rosemary sprig.
If you have one too many El Sueños, detox with Yoga Download's Yoga for Detox from Overindulgence package!
Yoga is a lifestyle, and it teaches us to look within, rather than look for answers outside of ourselves. Many people practice yoga for physical reasons – yes, it’s a good stretching exercise, a great workout, and can be a powerful tool for weight loss; but is that all that yoga is? What other benefits of yoga exist that set it apart from other forms of exercise and fitness?
The history of yoga begins 5,000 years ago, in the Indian culture. At it's roots, yoga philosophy has very little to do with the body and a physical exercise routine. Sacred communities would practice rituals for spiritual development for centuries to come. Later, the practice spread around the globe and other cultures began practicing. As yoga evolved and developed, different ideas and beliefs were merged, and it was realized that spiritual awakening is as a sum of cumulative factors put together like puzzle pieces. It’s not only one idea or focus that matters; it’s a multitude of ideas. The physical piece of yoga is an important piece, but it's merely one of several puzzle pieces.
So, why is yoga more than just a workout? Are there any compelling reasons for it? Does yoga really help us achieve a higher state of mind?
Let’s look at four reasons behind these claims that yoga has benefits other than just exercise related ones.
1. Increased Awareness and Presence Practicing yoga will increase your awareness level. During yoga sessions, we have the opportunity to forget about our phones, social media, and daily worries. We can concentrate on accepting ourselves and our surroundings as they are. There are less distractions and we can glimpse greater understanding of the world as it is. We live in the present moment, and that’s it. We live.
Right now, close your eyes (if you're able to where you're reading this) and take 3 slow and deep breaths. Breathe in, breathe out. Notice if your mind got quieter and you feel more present. Yoga can help us deepen this feeling of greater awareness and presence.
Special note for greater presence: Try practicing yoga in the morning, when there are less distractions. Mornings are quiet, providing the perfect environment for meditating and concentrating on ourselves.
2. Yoga is about Acceptance, not Competition Yoga is not a competitive sport or even always about progress. It's not about what the person next to you in class is doing, or proving anything to anyone. It's a deeply personal practice, that can allow you to understand and accept yourself.
Yoga teaches you to accept yourself and your body as you are. It also teaches you to accept your fears, anxieties, and confront them. Storing these feelings at the back of your mind and forgetting about them is avoidance and can be more detrimental in the long run. It can be easier to not deal with our problems, but yoga brings you face to face with yourself. The practice can give you the strength to accept whatever challenges are within you or in your life. From there, you can move through these emotions. Accepting yourself makes you stronger and yoga can help in this process.
While many other exercise forms are individual, there is often a focus on progress, or competition. Other competitive sports, are not focused on acceptance, but rather on winning.
3. Yoga can Teach Valuable Life-Lessons Yoga can relate to absolutely everything in our lives. The concepts learned in yoga sessions can be life-lessons, with a far reaching impact off of your mat. These teachings can help us not only become better people, but can possibly increase our chances of getting promoted, improve our relationships with the people around us, and boost our financial situation in the long-run. Being mindful and present, we will be able to focus better on each of our tasks, and become more efficient. Yoga can be essential in increasing productivity. Thus, great results and benefits will follow.
While exercise may provide breakthroughs in other areas of life, yoga's emphasis on mindfulness can truly change our thinking, which then changes our life experience.
4. Better Holistic Health “Mens sana in corpore sano,” or “a healthy mind in a healthy body” – ever heard that before? This is a Latin saying that emphasizes how connected the body and mind are. Yoga strengthens both physical and mental health and takes a more holistic body, mind, and soul, approach to health.
Soon after practicing yoga, you might feel the need to change your diet and habits. Drinking excessively and eating junk food might not feel as good. You may also feel the need to eat healthier and (usually) less than before. Simply put, yoga has the power to make us more mindful about our life choices, dietary options, and physical exercise. As you become healthier as a whole, both your body and your mind benefit.
While exercising has tremendous benefits on the health, yoga's approach is more encompassing of your being a whole (not just a body). It's not solely focused on physical health, but connecting and strengthening physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
In Conclusion: Yoga is more than just a workout for many reasons. It not only increases our spirituality, allows us to take a deeper look within ourselves, but it also helps us accept our fears and emotions, and confront them. On top of that, the teachings we learn in yoga can have an impact in many domains in our lives, including personal and professional ones.
By Laura Buckler
Laura Buckler is a highly motivated freelance writer and contributor at Essays.ScholarAdvisor. She uses her personal drive to show how everyone could recognize and realize their potential by taking a simplistic view of life. Follow Laura on Twitter.
Practice these yoga classes for more than just a physical workout, and enjoy the more holistic benefits of yoga mentioned above.
Deep, Slow, & Mindful Flow with Keith Allen
Empowerment Flow 1: I Think I Can with Jackie Casal Mahrou
You’ve built a regular yoga practice and step onto your mat several times a week. Congratulations on your commitment and your positive healthy lifestyle. Consistency and dedication are key elements in creating a strong yoga practice you love. Wait one second––hit the pause button right now and check in with where you are today.
Are you challenging yourself or have you settled into a nice comfortable routine? Have you had any ‘aha’ moments lately on the mat, like when you noticed your concentration was laser focused or you managed to hold Tree Pose effortlessly? Or perhaps you are just going through the motions and have lost a little of your yoga high. We all have our favorite styles, teachers, and classes, but sometimes in order to develop, you need to get uncomfortable. We aren’t suggesting you toss out all your favorites and start over, but what about adding in a challenge every week?
In order to grow and progress on your yoga mat and in your daily life, you have to push beyond your boundaries and try something new or different.
We’ve got a few suggestions for you to tweak your existing practice and we’ve also got some great new intermediate and advanced classes to encourage you to reach further. A few ways to progress in your current practice include holding a posture for longer than usual, trying a more advanced variation of a posture if it’s safe for you, working diligently to maintain an intention for your practice, and fine tuning your breathing.
Challenge yourself to try a new class once a week and enjoy the benefit of returning to a beginner mindset. You remember, when you were eager and tentative and a little mystified when you stepped onto your sticky mat. Trying a different practice can help you evolve physically, emotionally, and mentally. This week we bring you more intermediate to advanced practices to make you work and challenge yourself! Remember, each practice can be modified and adapted to how you are feeling in the moment. Moving forward is growth and we always want to keep growing!
This week’s classes are more challenging physically and ideal for pushing the edge of your comfort zone.
Two are powerful yoga sequences to advance your practice and blow off some steam, and the other two incorporate yoga with other fitness elements. Enjoy the challenge, and use these practices as motivation to not get too comfortable in life, and keep moving outside your comfort zone!
1. Erin Wimert - Grin n' Barre It
2. Pradeep Teotia - Power Flow
3. Eric Paskel - Slip & Slide
4. Ben Davis - Fitness n' Yoga + Weights: Full Body Tune Up
We all need an occasional boost in mood and energy! However, sometimes we can forget that the food we put into our bodies has tremendous influence in our emotional well-being. Certain foods, can increase one's feelings of joy and help alleviate depression, and other foods, can make us feel heavy and lethargic. Eating healthy food can help us be happier.
Try these 5 mood boosting foods for an almost instant energizer to your mind, body, and soul! 1. Bananas: Feeling tired this morning? Grab a banana before you head out the door! Bananas are one of the best energizing fruits and ultimate mood boosters. Packed with potassium and Vitamin B, bananas help slow digestion, keep you feeling full, and help sustain energy release! 2. Coconuts: Dehydrate raw coconut and eat on top of yogurt, drink a glass of raw coconut milk or drink coconut water! Coconut is a healthy fat full of medium chain triglycerides which convert into energy. Coconut awakens your mind and keeps you feeling sharp throughout the day. Ditch the chips and grab a bag of dried coconut shreds instead! 3. Kale: One of the best vegetables to boost your mood and fuel your body is the superfood, kale! That’s right! Containing copper, iron, and potassium, this veggie certainly is the all around mood booster. Eat it dehydrated in chip form, or in a lightly sautéed salad. Remember not to overcook kale as that could cause it to lose its nutritional value. 4. Salmon: Wild caught salmon is the perfect menu option if you’re looking for a mood booster and energizer. Packed with B Vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids, this seafood item is a great addition to your weekly meal plans boosting your brain activity and circulation! 5. Nuts: Head to your local food store and stock up on your favorite nuts: almonds, cashews, pecans, and hazelnuts. Keep them in portioned out reusable snack bags ready to consume at a moments notice. Take them to work and avoid unhealthy binge eating. Nuts are high in magnesium and provide more energy than a cup of coffee! You know what that means! It’s time to add nuts to your grocery list! Give these 5 foods a try and see your energy turn around, your brain performance improve, and your mood boost!
By Shaline Miller
Shaline Miller is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Essential Oils Advocate. Author, and blogger. Shaline is a guest blogger for Abundant Health blog. Shaline is passionate about helping others create a healthy, happy life. Her blog is healthysexynutrition.wordpress.com.
Complement these mood boosting foods with Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, & Vitality!
Summertime is right around the corner (for those of us in the northern half of the planet) and we are looking forward to a season full of cookouts, outdoor gatherings, and family trips. Coming up with treats that are healthy but also easy to eat on the go can be hard, so we’ve come up with a recipe that hits the spot!
Our Chewy Cacao Bars are a great treat for picnics, outdoor parties, road trips – you name it! And they totally blow away those overly-processed and sugar-filled snack bars. This is one of many recipes that are included in our 80:20 Lifestyle Program. We’ve developed this program to help you maintain your post-Cleanse vibrancy, but still have room to indulge every once in a while, so you can live life to the fullest (and healthiest)!
What are you looking forward to most about summer? Let us know in the comments!
With love and cacao kisses,
Chewy Cacao Bars
Yield: 9 bars
¾ cups raw almond butter 4 cups puffed millet or puffed brown rice ½ cup dates, pitted ¼ cups water 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 TB. cacao powder ½ tsp. Himalayan sea salt 4 TB. cacao nibs 4 TB. raspberries
Instructions: In a medium sized saucepan, heat almond butter over medium heat. Place dates, vanilla and water in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the date mixture to the saucepan and combine. In a large bowl, combine puffed millet, cacao and salt. Mix in the contents of the saucepan until well combined. Line an 8” by 8” baking pan with parchment paper. Press your millet mixture into the pan evenly top with cacao nibs and raspberries and place in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to set. Cut into squares and enjoy!
Enjoy a Conscious Cleanse inspired yoga class from Jo of the Conscious Cleanse in the Yoga for Detox, Vitality, & Cleansing package!
So by now I’m starting to get really clear on what’s going on, and not surprisingly it is related to all of the yoga teaching I preach on a daily basis. I suppose we all have a slightly different reason and inspiration for teaching or practicing yoga, but for me a focus of my classes are often what we learn when we come up against our edge.
The past few months have been about more than just abstaining from alcohol, or shifting the need for comfort onto other things. I’m starting to realize it’s actually about me not wanting to get uncomfortable. More specifically, not moving out of my comfort zone. So I numb myself, and it doesn’t really matter if it’s alcohol, or shopping, or staying super busy, or gossiping to put the focus on other people and not me.
The point is that, regardless of the substance or place holder, I was tuning out.
Over the course of the last month, perhaps because I’m more present from (mostly) not drinking, I’ve started a daily meditation practice. Ten to twenty minutes, once sometimes twice a day, I sit still, with eyes closed and allow my mind and body to still. I find myself generally happier, calmer and more at ease.
Even though it's been noted in about a bagillion studies that the benefits of meditation, once or twice daily, can improve your life experience, I still thought I had capped out with the yoga I practice. I practice yoga, I teach yoga, I’m pretty aware of my emotions, etc. However, with meditation, I just opened up a new door to being happier.
The fear or anxiety that can prevent me from making big moves and going after my big, scary, audacious goals is starting to release.
I'm now trusting that there is something even better on the other side. The thing I’m realizing as I sit is, I trust myself in a way I haven’t in the past. I trust my ability to provide for myself, stay happy, surround myself with people that are supportive and healthy. So I’m able to step into new things and set myself up for them before I even start.
I prepare, visualize, and stay healthy and ready for when those perfect opportunities arrive. So if I have a glass of wine at my friends wedding in Spain, will I beat myself up? No. But I will, make it rare, and lead with my dharma.
Why am I here? What is my purpose? And how can I best serve? If that involves a rare adult beverage, it doesn't mean I've failed, but the challenge is, am I able compassion while I keep my focus and realize I’m so very perfectly imperfect and proud of my humanity.
Anna is a Brooklyn based yoga teacher and writer. She loves looking at all the sides of the health and wellness industry and shedding some playful light on tough issues. Her favorite hobby is buying plane tickets and she leads retreats internationally. She is AcroVinyasa certified and pursuing her 500 hr certification with Dharma Mitra. She will eat all the avocados in the sunshine.
Support Your Own Cleansing with a Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, & Vitality series!
We all have our favorite yoga asanas or postures and most yogis agree that twists are awesome. This week, we’re focusing on twists and how beneficial they are for your spine, your digestive organs, and your general sense of well-being. Of course, like all physical practices, it’s important to make sure you are using proper form and breathing techniques to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks.
Twists help nourish your entire spine, help maintain spinal health and prevent back pain. Twisting is one of the major directions in which your spine moves, but how often do you twist throughout the day? Most of us move primarily in the sagittal (front to back) and frontal planes (lateral) which can lead to compression. Without balanced movement for our vertebrae, muscles, and connective tissues, our spine can grow stiff and tight.
A balanced yoga practice incorporating twisting postures will increase flexibility and mobility and help decrease back pain caused by poor posture.
Twisting’s benefits go beyond your bones and tissues. You’ve probably heard twists will help you “detox.” While that may be a slight exaggeration, twisting postures like Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes) or Parvritta Trikonasana (Twisting Triangle) will definitely help get your internal systems moving. When you twist, you compress your digestive organs and when you release the twist, a surge of fresh blood rushes to your organs, providing oxygenation. This increase in circulation can encourage enhanced digestion and elimination, thus leaving you feeling lighter and more buoyant. So although you aren’t actually “rinsing” your organs, you are encouraging your liver and kidneys to do their job more efficiently.
In addition to these tangible physical benefits, twists are an excellent way to release mental stress and tension.
Whether you choose challenging standing twists like Parvritta Utkatasana (Twisting Chair) or passive supine twists like Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclining Twist), you’ll not only release spinal tightness, but also alleviate anxiety that may be lurking in your tissues.
Here are a few techniques to use to maximize twist’s benefits. When standing or seated, make sure to keep your hips square and rotate from your waist and upper back, not your lower back. Maintaining the stability of your lumbar spine and sacrum is vital to a healthy back. Deeper isn’t always better––focus on strong, extended breathing and allow yourself to sink into the twist naturally. Inhale as you lengthen your spine and exhale as you move deeper into your twist. Relax!
This week we offer you four practices that highlight the healing powers of twisting. Twists are the most detoxifying family of yoga postures and these four classes will leave you feeling invigorated and supported, inside and out.
1. Caitlin Rose Kenney - Reclaim Your Mobility with Spinal Twists
2. Christen Bakken - Soft Heart With A Twist: A Chatarunga Free Practice
3. Elise Fabricant - Get Long & Twisty
4. Rob Loud - Twists & Binds
‘Tis the season…for brunch!
Chances are, you may be planning a Mother’s Day brunch gathering this weekend or next, and we have the perfect healthy entree that will look amazing on any brunch spread. The best part? It’s super easy to make!
Presenting…Sweet Potato Toast (3 Ways)!
Everyone is going nuts for avocado toast these days, so we’ve given it a healthy makeover by serving it on toasted slices of sweet potato! For those who are sensitive to avocado or aren’t as fond of it as we are, we’ve also topped our sweet potato slices with our fan-favorite Beet Hummus. And for those who are craving a sweeter snack, we’ve made a version topped with almond butter, banana, and cinnamon. Is your mouth watering yet? This recipe is one of our many 80:20 Lifestyle recipes! We’ve developed our 80:20 Lifestyle Program to maintain our vibrancy throughout the year. We eat consciously 80% of the time, then live life to the fullest, free from restrictions, the other 20%. Are you ready to get your brunch on?
With love,
Sweet Potato Toast – 3 ways
1 large sweet potato, washed and dried ½ avocado Juice of ½ of a fresh lime Himalayan sea salt, to taste 2 TB. raw almond butter 1 banana Dash of cinnamon 2 TB. of Beet Hummus Handful of arugula Juice of ½ of a fresh lemon
Instructions: To prepare your sweet potato toast, preheat oven to 350°F. Trim both ends of the sweet potato. Slice sweet potato lengthwise into ¼-inch slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on wire rack or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender but not fully cooked. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Remove potatoes and allow them to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To assemble your Sweet Potato Toast, place desired number of sweet potato slices in toaster oven. Toast until edges are crispy. For Avocado Sweet Potato Toast, scoop out ½ of an avocado into a bowl, add lime juice, and mash. Spread mashed avocado onto the toasted sweet potato toast and then sprinkle with Himalayan sea salt. For Almond Butter Sweet Potato Toast, spread 2 TB of almond butter onto the toasted sweet potato. Top with sliced banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon. For Beet Hummus Sweet Potato Toast, spread 2 TB of the beet hummus onto the toasted sweet potato. Top with a handful of fresh arugula, lemon juice and a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt.
Support a healthy living with this recipe and Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, & Vitality, featuring a yoga class from Jo, of the Conscious Cleanse!
Who doesn’t love the sight of beautiful, lustrous hair? Don’t you want it to shine like those in the commercials? I bet you do.
It might be possible to relate to some bad hair habits we have inculcated in our routined life. Getting rid of these can help you maintain your hair’s beauty and glow.
Improper hair care habits such as over usage of chemical products and careless handling of wet hair can negatively impact your hair. Many people often fail to realize the importance of maintaining hair until the moment they start to realize it’s beginning to fall off.
Here is a list of 10 different things you’ve been doing wrong the whole time, that you can prevent to maintain good hair!
1. Hot Showers
Though it can be relaxing, washing your hair with extra hot water is not advisable as it washes away the natural protective oils. For colored hair, it speeds up the fading process. Constant hot showers can dry out your scalp and create split hairs.
While it would be fine to rinse your hair with warm water before you shampoo it, make sure you always rinse out your shampoo with cool water instead. This helps to close the cuticles and leave a smooth sheen on your hair.
2. Brushing your hair immediately after a shower
Brushing your hair when it is wet leads to increased breakage, as the hair is significantly weaker at this stage. In case you want to comb your wet hair during or after the shower, do it gently using a wide-toothed comb or it would be even better to use your fingers. Drying wet hair using towels can also lead to ripping or breaking the strands, if you rub too hard.
3. Over-Coloring
Too many artificial chemicals can harm your hair. Regular changes in permanent hair color can make your hair vulnerable to chemical damage.
Unlike permanent color, semi-permanent color is less damaging. Also, consider using a shampoo and conditioner formulated for color-treated hair.
4. Tight Hairstyles
While an occasional ponytail is harmless, if encouraged, such styles put excessive tension on the hair follicles. Though tying your hair off your neck in a tight way may be convenient for sleeping or working out, it can also cause stress on your mane.
As the elastic will be in the same spot every time, the hair in that section will start to show wear and tear, resulting in hair damage that destroys them permanently.
It is ideal to try wearing your hair down whenever possible or opt for low ponytails and exchange elastics for soft fabric hair ties.
5. Shampooing roughly and regularly
Shampooing too often can cause dry scalp, dull looking hair, and breakage and damage of hair. At the same time, not shampooing enough can leave dirt and too much oil on your hair, making it look dull.
Limit the use of shampoo to just once or twice a week. Just rinse and condition the hair every other day. For colored hair, overuse of shampoo can wash out the color. Consider using water-based and sulfate-free shampoos that cleanse.
Choose a lightweight conditioner that helps with the detangling process. When using shampoo, apply it on your scalp and not on the ends of your hair. Gently massaging the scalp during the process will encourage blood circulation as well.
Massaging your hair using homemade natural shampoos is one of the most recommended methods for natural hair regrowth. The ingredients can be varied to reap in various benefits and they help in detoxifying, hydrating and nourishing the scalp.
6. Heating Tools
As heat damages hair, reduce the use of tools such as hair dryer, curling iron and hair straightener. Excessive use of such heat-styling products without proper protection can result in hair loss.
Avoid using heating tools on wet, delicate hair and style your hair when it's as dry as possible. Keep temperatures in check while using these tools to dry your hair. To avoid the gradual damage of the surface of your hair, you can use heat protectants that will help restore the hair to its natural health and create a layer of protection between your hair and the heat.
7. Damaging chemical products
Most of us use damaging styling products to make the hair look good and manageable. Chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide and ammonia in hair dyes, dihydrotestosterone or DHT found in shampoos, and sodium hydroxide in hair relaxers can weaken the hair and contribute to hair loss and scalp infection.
Reducing the usage of such harmful chemicals, or opting for herbal products or homemade recipes for hair masks or hair dyes that use natural ingredients can reduce the impact to a great extent.
Drinking matcha can help with hair loss to a good extent due to it’s DHT blocking abilities.
8. Cotton Pillow Cases
Your hair is likely to suffer from more wear and tear if you are sleeping on a regular cotton pillowcase. Cotton pillow cases absorb moisture and bacteria from your skin and become dirty. Such pillow cases may cause hair breakage.
Instead it is advisable to use a silk pillowcase, as it allows your hair to glide easily when you toss and turn around.
9. Not getting regular haircuts
Trimming your hair on a regular basis will help prevent split ends. Whether you have long or short hair, regular trims are critical for better hair growth. Without regular trims, the dry ends of your hair will begin to split and the damage will spread to the healthier parts of your hair.
For those with short hair, it is better to get a trim every five to six weeks, and for those with longer locks, trimming it every eight to ten weeks would be fine.
10. Sleeping with wet hair
Wet hair will be in a compromised state. Though sleeping with wet hair does not immediately damage your hair follicles or shaft, it can certainly lead to hair breakage. Tying your wet hair before sleep can also result in serious hair damage. Make sure to completely blow dry your hair before bed or at least towel dry it before you go to bed.
It may be difficult at first to switch to these healthy hair-friendly habits. However, remember that the earlier it is, lesser the losses would be.
Don’t you want to flaunt your hair like those L’Oreal models? I bet you do. Adopting these healthy hair habits are critical if you want your hair to look good and luxuriant, and add to your overall attractiveness.
By Catalin Zorzini
Catalin is the founder of Ecommerce Platforms and Web App Meister. He blogs about matcha, Japanese lifestyle, and mindfulness at matcha-tea.com. He's a design enthusiast and loves matcha, and is uber passionate about blockchain technology and travel.
Celebrate your beauty with these yoga classes right now!
Feel Good Flow with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Empowerment Flow 2: I am Worthy with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Ever noticed how the word Mom has OM in it? It’s no surprise then that moms across the globe consider yoga to be an antidote to the sacrifices that come with being a mom. Whether you are going through the thrills of your first pregnancy, finding your footing as a new mom, living in the grey zone of your child’s teen years or readjusting to an empty nest - doesn’t everything seem better with yoga? On Mother’s Day we thank you for showing us how yoga can double the joys of motherhood, no matter where you are in the process.
To The New-Mom Yogi
From guilt-free naps during Savasana to chanting a low “Ommmmmmmmmm” to pacify a crying baby, the New-Mom Yogi finds ways in which she can extend the lessons on the mat to her new life. New moms often don’t have time for a shower, let alone for a 75 minute yoga and meditation session. There’s no shame in spit-up stains or greasy hair, and whoever set the expectation that you can “snap back” to your old body in a couple months (or ever) has obviously never tried it themselves. For this beautiful, sleepless, messy and love-filled phase of motherhood, we put together a Yoga For New Moms program that understands where you are, what’s happening with your body, and that dedicating 10-15 minutes to spend on a yoga mat can be a rare, precious thing.
To The Working-Mom Yogi
Wherever they put in their long hours, our working-mom yogis understand the need to namaste in order to play. Her mind is constantly crossing items off an invisible to-do list, and even though she’s figured out how to be more efficient than ever, people still question her commitment. Working moms are on an eternal quest for balance, and yoga always comes through for them. Our 14-day yoga challenge lets working moms carve out some much needed mindful me-time. Be it an early AM flow or a quick lunchtime yoga break, they can practice at their own pace without having to compromise on time. After all, it’s all about setting the right example for the kids to follow, and there is no better care than self-care.
To The Empty-Nester Yogi
She has been there and done it all. Even though her chicks have flown the coop, she is forever looking out for them. The Empty-Nester yogi continues to hold family at the center of her universe while embarking on a new relationship with herself. Traveling more, picking new hobbies and rediscovering long forgotten passions; there is so much to do. Yoga provides the flexibility required to make all this possible. Flexibility of not just the hamstrings but of the mind and the heart. Our Fearless after 50 program could be like a best friend during this reflective phase, to live life to the fullest with grace, grit and yoga.
Conclusion:
The true work of yoga is to help us find a balance between the mind, body, spirit and the demands of the rest of our lives - like successful relationships, careers, households and happy, healthy kids. We can find this balance by treating our bodies as best as we can, whether that’s 5 minutes of sitting with quiet intention, or 25 minutes of moving and loving your miraculous body on the yoga mat. We’re here to help more moms tap into all the joys of motherhood. Yoga is a brilliant tool to not only cope with the challenges of life, but also to enjoy them. Here are some additional practices to help you #GoYourOMWay:
New Classes:
1. Liza Janda - Prenatal Yoga: 13 Minutes to a Healthy Back
2. Pradeep Teotia - Practice with Love
3. Dia Draper - Add More Hum to the Ho-Hum
4. Erin Wimert - Barre Quickie
There is no greater gift than the gift of health and peace of mind.
Make mom happier from the inside out with a special Mother’s Day gift certificate.
The ancient time-tested practice of yoga can assist one in sustaining healthy and dynamic intimate relationships. Developed and fine-tuned centuries past, yoga can help us to achieve the highest forms of intimacy with ourselves, which will make us more ripe to experience this in a relationship with another.
Relationships sometimes take work, and sometimes working on yourself is the most effective way to make your relationship work better. The yogic path advocates integrity and a kinder approach to life, both on and off the mat. These qualities are allies in having harmonious partnerships and meaningful friendships in life.
Yoga increases one's consciousness, which can transform one into a better person in certain respects. Yoga encourages us to turn to our inner self and assume responsibility for who we are, the way we feel, and how we show up in the world. For many people, this translates into a lesser sense of entitlement and lesser need for drama in their lives. Our attitudes and mindset about conflict and handling disagreement, also have an opportunity to evolve as a result of yoga and meditation.
When disagreements arise, which they always will in intimate relationships, the residue of one's yoga practice, can assist them in not succumbing to anger, or dwelling on what's not perfect about their partner.
Being more conscious and choosing to be kind and honest, make one a more joyful partner to be with. A good relationship is based on, a number of necessary factors including truth, empathy, time, freedom and self-control. Implementing a yogic understanding of these common factors can contribute to the betterment of a relationship.
Here are three reasons how yoga can help your relationship work better!
Truth
Being truthful to oneself and each other will help infuse a deep sense of strength and integrity in a relationship. It doesn’t matter the the lie you tell or the truth you hide, for dishonesty has dire consequences for a partnership. The crucial factor is that every such incident matters. Being straightforward in a relationship demands courage and is not always comfortable. Prioritizing honesty over convenience will strengthen the inspiration of trust and goodness in a relationship.
Greater Freedom
It is vital that we enable our partner space and freedom to grow as an individual. Allow them to explore their interests and opportunities - whether it's a meditation retreat, taking a class, having different friends, or perhaps going on a journey without you. Have faith and trust that a balanced approach to their space can instill additional happiness and joy into a relationship. Yoga gives the opportunity to experience more freedom as an individual. Knowing the benefits of greater freedom and individuality, makes one more likely to allow and support this for their beloved, instead of being possessive, restrictive, and insecure at the other's independence.
Better Sex
Abstinence, or celibacy, was an indicator of monks and yogis in history, who chose to steer off from worldly pursuits. In modern times it is powerful and beneficial to deeply appreciate and utilize our chance for sexual intimacy. A couple should try to make love and sexual intimacy a beautiful and powerful means of connection and energetic communication in a relationship. Yoga trains us to slow down and become aware of all that is vital in life, including the tremendous power of our sexual energy. Practicing yoga diligently has the power to enhance one's awareness, control, and even pleasure of their sexual experiences. A healthy sex life has the power to increase our overall holistic wellbeing and intimate relationships.
Although the philosophy of yoga is from ancient times, it still holds significance of how to live in modern times. Yoga reminds us to not get trapped in the drama and rush in our daily lives, but instead nurture love, connection and gratitude we have in our life and with our partners. Ultimately, by turning this age-old wisdom into useful knowledge, we can remodel not only ourselves and our intimate relationships but also the planet for the better.
By Arhanta Yoga
Arhanta Yoga Teacher Training in India is a Yoga Alliance accredited yoga instructor certification course at Arhanta Yoga Ashram India, Hatha yoga school.
Practice yoga for more love now, to improve yourself and your relationship.
Love More Flow with Kristin Gibowicz
Expression of Love with Ben Davis
Spring is here for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, and that means the start of fresh veggie season! Yay! We love going to our local farmer’s market and seeing all the delicious fresh produce available.
And what better way to use that fresh bounty of seasonal vegetables than to make a big, beautiful, meal-sized salad?
Here at the Conscious Cleanse, meal-sized salads are not your average skimpy side salad, but a salad big and bountiful enough to leave you feeling full and satisfied. This salad is filled with fresh greens, colorful veggies, sprouts, a creamy salad dressing, and your favorite plant or animal protein. It truly looks and tastes like the definition of abundance!
What’s your favorite spring salad ingredient? If you try this recipe, tag us on Facebook or Instagram, we LOVE seeing how our readers make our recipes their own.
With love and spring abundance,
Sunflower Vinaigrette
½ cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight 1 clove of garlic, peeled 1 TB. lemon zest ¾ cups of filtered water 1 TB coconut aminos ¾ cup olive oil 2 TB. fresh lemon juice Himalayan sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: In a high speed blender, combine drained sunflower seeds, garlic, lemon zest, filtered water, coconut aminos, olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt.
Salad of Abundance (Meal sized salad)
Yield: 2 salads
4 cups of fresh spring greens 1 cup alfalfa or your favorite sprouts ½ cup of radishes, sliced 1 cucumber, chopped ½ cup of red cabbage, shredded 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions: In a large bowl, combine spring greens, sprouts, radishes, cucumber, cabbage and avocado. Toss with Sunflower Vinaigrette and serve.
Variation: Toss in your favorite protein (walnuts, garbanzo beans, salmon, or chicken).
Support a healthy Spring with this recipe and Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, & Vitality, featuring a yoga class from Jo, of the Conscious Cleanse!
Backbends are exceptionally and uniquely beneficial yoga postures. This family of poses have impactful physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Understanding and practicing these poses can allow one to access these benefits and experience real-life breakthroughs and improvements to their well-being.
Here are the 6 best benefits of yoga backbends!
1. Get Happy!
Backbends bring strong emotional benefits. Iyengar and other yoga teachers recommend backbends as to cure for depression. These shapes have the potential to relieve heavy sadness, and you can see it in their form. When one is sad, their posture and body language is often hunched forwards, with their head hanging down. Backbends are the opposite, and reverse this pattern, giving an uplifting improvement to one's posture and a boost to their mood.
They encourage us to open up emotionally as well. There is nothing hidden about these shapes, and they can break down barriers we’ve put up to ensure no one sees our vulnerable side. Opening up to other people about who we truly are, and express our emotions honestly, allows for us to experience deeper connection in life, which improves one’s overall well-being. We connect to others from our heart, so backbends (also referred to as heart-openers) assist in having healthy, loving human connection.
2. Stretch the Entire Front Side of The Body.
Whereas forward bends open the entire back side of the body (legs, back, and neck), backbends give a powerful opening to the entire front side of the body (legs, torso, chest, & throat). No other family of postures give an opening to the front of the body as thoroughly and deeply as backbends do.
Opening the front of the body can improve overall posture. The quadriceps, hip flexors, and psoas muscles are some of our most utilized muscles, as they're active when we're walking or sitting. Backbends support keeping these muscles mobile, healthy, and strong. While the front of the body gets stretched deeply, backbends also strengthen the entire backside of the body at the same time, increasing their physical benefits.
3. They Boost Energy Levels!
Have you ever noticed an increase in energy after doing a backbend? You may have done a backbend, then experienced this rush of energy that invigorates your whole body just after. Your breath feels deeper, your sense of awareness sharpens, and you feel more alert. This is because backbends are stimulating and energizing. Because of their ability to increase our breathing ability and open up energy channels in the body, it’s believed they are the most potent form of yoga poses to give an increase in energy levels.
4. Excellent to Practice in Winter (because they create warmth).
Similar to when one is sad, people hunch forward in a closed and tight position when they are cold. Backbends naturally build heat in the body. Backbends increase one’s heart rate, and an increase in heart rate will cause the body to get warm. The more intense the backbend, the more heat that will be created, but they all create inner warmth.
Having already covered backbends' benefits in boosting mood and increasing energy levels, it’s easy to see why these poses are supportive during winter. It’s the time of year when one is more likely to feel a bit sad, lethargic, or cold and could use a good boost. Backbends give this natural boost in the winter time!
5. Counterpose for Poor Posture of Modern Life (computer, texting, driving).
If you work a job where you are sitting most of the time or work on a computer, there is a high likelihood that your posture is hunched forwards too often. Even if you don’t work at a computer, common modern tasks, such as texting or driving, use the same hunched forward position of the shoulders with the head protruded forwards. Over time, this greatly weakens one’s posture.
Backbends counteract this poor posture more effectively than other yoga poses, by reversing the direction of the spine to provide balance. Their effectiveness in opening the chest, lengthening the spine and upper back, and making one’s posture straighter, provide a remedy to the often poor postural habits of modern life!
6. Better Breathing.
Backbends open the chest, which is home to our lungs, our very crucial organs. Without our breath, we don’t have life. Backbends open the chest powerfully. When our chest opens, the tissues around our lungs open, allowing breath to flow through our lungs more deeply and easily. When we breathe deeper, more oxygen flows through the body, which can even improve heart and cognitive function.
By Keith Allen
Keith Allen is a teacher on YogaDownload.com and as well as Yoga Download's Content Director. His classes balance a meditative focus with safe alignment. He has studied extensively from different teachers, lineages, and styles around the world, and remains a passionate and dedicated student of yoga and meditation. He regularly leads workshops and teacher trainings internationally and is a co-author of The Yoga Fix book, which is a resource of healthy movement patterns and safe applicable yoga alignment. In addition to yoga, Keith is a media producer and helps bring high-quality content to life with YogaDownload.com. Aside from professional endeavors, he is passionate about traveling, producing videos, skiing, making art, and enjoying music. Enjoy his classes on YogaDownload.com, connect with him on at KeithJAllen.com, or follow him on Instagram.
Practice Backbends and Heart Openers with Keith and other amazing teachers now!
Slow, Deep, & Mindful Flow with Keith Allen
Building Bridges: Backbend Flow with Kylie Larson
Why did you start practicing yoga? Many of us come to the mat for the physical benefits of flexibility, strength, balance, and equanimity. Some people start a yoga journey for the promised benefits of relieving stress and quieting the mind. Others seek spiritual enlightenment. No matter what path you travel, you’ll receive the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga.
Yoga’s benefits are interconnected. According to T.K.V. Desikachar, the author of the Heart of Yoga, it all stems from Patanjali’s eight-limbed path of yoga and his seminal text, the Yoga Sutras: “…the essence of Yoga, was formulated by the great Indian sage, Patanjali, more than two thousand years ago in this succinct definition: Yoga is the ability to direct the mind exclusively toward an object and sustain that direction without any distractions.” -Yoga Sutra 1.2 Citta Vritti Nirodhah
We live in a busy world governed by multi-tasking, speed, and technology. Choosing to turn off your phone, and to leave work, relationships, and daily stress behind is the first step to creating a clear, peaceful mind. Falling into the habit of simply reacting to situations is easy and choosing to pause and breathe first requires diligent effort. We cannot control much of what happens in the world, but we can learn to control our reactions and create more space in our reaction time through yoga.
From this quiet internal space, we can direct our attention where we wish it to go.
When you step onto the mat, whether it is a vigorous Vinyasa flow or a gentle Yin class, a vital part of the practice is learning to stay present through both the challenging and the routine parts of class. Use the breath as a tool to tune out external distractions and turn your awareness inward. Pay attention to the sensations in your body. How you react on the mat mirrors how you react the other twenty-three hours of the day. Learning to tune in and trust your thoughts and feelings will develop your self-awareness and intuition.
Each time you step onto the mat, you have the chance to become the best version of yourself.
Our body, mind, and heart are inextricably linked. A strong supple physical body will keep you free from pain and allow you to sit for meditation and focus on quieting your mind. Learning to direct your thoughts where you want them to go instead of being at the mercy of temporary distractions will aid you in mastering physical postures because you can focus on standing on your hands or holding a balancing posture.
This week we bring you four classes that focus on what happens mentally, while moving through the physical yoga practice. This week's classes support greater concentration, mindfulness, reprogramming old patterns, and a greater awareness of the connection between our body and mind.
Practice one or all of this week's new classes to create a strengthen the connection between your body and mind!
1. Mark Morford - The Body Mandala : Level I
2. Pradeep Teotia - Core Concentration Flow
3. Elise Fabricant - Mindful Movement
4. Eric Paskel - Happy Holds
Three. Bean. Salad.
These three words can evoke childhood memories of a sweet and sour side salad often served at family cookouts.
It seems as though you were either a big fan or completely disgusted by it. (Note: we were both the latter, but today’s recipes has changed everything!)
Today we’ve taken a traditional recipe and turn it on its head, modernizing it with fresh flavors that will have you scratching your head saying, “I can’t believe this is a Three Bean Salad!”
Welcome to the new millennium Three Bean Salad!
Although we may not describe ourselves as regular bean eaters, they no doubt are a staple in many vegetarian and vegan diets. Filled with protein, fiber, and B vitamins, beans can be an important part of a healthy diet.
Not Your Grandma’s Three Bean Salad makes a colorful, tasty, and healthy choice to bring to your next BBQ, summer potluck, or even camping! Plus, this recipe will take you less than 30 minutes to toss together. Bonus!
Now we want to hear from you! Please tell us what you think of this delicious twist on an American classic in the comments below.
With healthy picnics and smiles,
Not Your Grandma’s Three Bean Salad
Yield: 6 servings
¼ cup olive oil 1 tsp. ground cumin ½ tsp. smoked paprika 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ½ cup red onion, chopped 2 cups celery, thinly sliced 2 TB. fresh lime juice 1 TB. apple cider vinegar ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped 1 ½ tsp. sea salt ¼ tsp. black pepper
Instructions: In a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Next add cumin and smoked paprika, stirring, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Pour into a large heatproof bowl. Add beans, onion, celery, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper to the cumin and smoked paprika oil. Toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes for flavors to blend.
Stay healthy and practice yoga with Jo of the Conscious Cleanse as part of the Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, and Vitality package!
Have you ever wondered why you don’t take the action you need to take to achieve your goals? Or why you do keep taking the same actions even when you know they aren’t healthy choices for you? Sometimes it feels like you’re so out of control, right?
Here’s the deal: there are only a few things that you can’t control. They are your circumstances, in other words, what’s outside of you. Other people, your past, the economy, the weather… you just cannot, no matter how much you might try, control these things.
The good news is that you absolutely can control everything within you, including your thoughts, feelings and actions!
Everything in your internal present experience you have choice and agency over. Even your conscious thoughts, which sometimes feel like sneaky interlopers, are within your control. We so often forget this, right? Or often we don’t even know what we are thinking! We haven’t taken the time to step back and examine our thoughts.
If you’re wanting lasting change to occur in your lifestyle, it’s hugely important to observe and witness your thoughts.
Why? Because your thoughts become your feelings. And then your feelings become your actions. And – you guessed it – your actions become your habits which then become your life. It all starts from the level of belief and thought.
Every single thing we do or don’t do in our lives is because we want to feel a certain way. Feelings are the most paramount driver in our lives. To understand why you are or are not taking action, you must also get familiar with the feeling fueling your choice.
Behind every feeling is a thought or belief (I’m using thoughts and beliefs interchangeably in this blog post). Therefore, you must start to understand your thoughts. How can I do this, you might ask? Aha!
This is where meditation can be a great asset. Just taking time to pause and separate yourself from your own mind. Observe your thoughts as they come and go without attachment or judgement. Get curious, watch yourself think. It can also be extremely helpful to have a coach to help tease from you the deep, dark thoughts and beliefs that haven’t shone themselves to you in some time.
When you start to clearly see your thoughts that drive your feelings that create your actions, you empower yourself to make the decision whether or not you actually want to change.
Maybe, when push comes to shove, you actually don’t? But trying to change from the action level alone without this behind-the-scenes sleuthing will be most likely frustrating, and perhaps even futile.
Instead, look into the big WHY you’re doing or not doing something. It may take a bit of reverse engineering.
For example, when I’m so full and my stomach is bursting full but I continue to eat chocolate pudding right out of the container even when I know I should stop I can ask myself “what is the feeling driving this action?” Often, for me, the feeling is loneliness. Then I looks deeper and ask myself “what is the thought that is causing this feeling?” Often the thought/belief sounds something like “I’m alone in this world and no one loves me.” From the moment of identifying the core belief I now can take agency and start to change it. Or not. I have the power and it’s up to me.
So start to pause and look inward with compassion, fascination and understanding; refrain from beating yourself up. Notice your thoughts and know that you have control over them. Reveal yourself to yourself. With this first step, big change can happen easily and joyfully!
By Elise Fabricant
As a health and habits coach, Elise is passionate about helping people all over the world achieve their healthiest, most powerful goals. She also joyfully practices as a massage therapist and yoga teacher in Denver, Co. Connect with Elise to learn how to thrive this Winter and into the new year! Elise is also a featured teacher on Yoga Download!
Take action now and practice yoga with Elise to take yourself one step closer to your dreams!
Stress Less, Shine More with Elise Fabricant
Awaken Your Generous Spirit with Elise Fabricant
Give some thought to the relationships in your life. Is there one that stands out? Is there a partnership you can pinpoint as the most important? Who has made an imprint on your heart and soul? Is it a partner? A parent? A best friend? A spiritual guide?
It’s normal to forget about the relationship which you didn’t technically sign up for but the one that will last an entire lifetime. It is your relationship with yourself. It’s arguably the most important relationship to stay aware of, and put love into. You make a choice to stay committed to yourself, by getting out of bed each morning.
But sometimes we are neglectful of this relationship to ourself, and can simply sleep walk or auto-pilot through our waking hours. But, you have an ability to go above and beyond the most basic commitments to yourself. You have the ability to put love, attention, nurture, and care, into how you treat and show up for yourself. Emphasis on this relationship with yourself, and cultivating healthy self-love, has the ability to change your life for the better.
So right now, you have the opportunity to wake up and put yourself on that pedestal of how you want to be treated. It’s about you. It’s for you. It is you and it’s for the betterment of your future but more importantly your present moment.
Treat yourself to those beautiful flowers. Give yourself some quiet time to reflect on how you could better enhance this relationship.
Do you consistently put the needs and wants of others before yours? Choose you. Choose your sanity. Choose your joy. Create a new pattern of putting yourself first even if it means letting go of others expectations or idealizations.
It’s your life and your masterpiece. Make it beautiful!
You didn’t just arrive here by chance, you were handed a divine invitation. Enjoy this powerful gift of life you've manifested.
You are a spiritual creation, existing in a physical world. Recognize the impermanence of this situation and get in tune with your inner vibration. Your relationship with yourself is your most crucial relationship and the key to loving your life.
Be brave. Stand up for yourself.
Be open. Maintain honesty with yourself.
Be clear. Set boundaries for yourself.
Be yourself unapologetically and it will be a blessing to all beings on your path.
By Renny Ratliff
Renny Ratliff is a vibrant colorful soul who lives to write, breathe, dance, and exist through the power of positivity. Her lifestyle brand Beautiful Human is meant to spread the message of the unique beauty that each of us posses. Visit www.beautifulhuman.com to connect with Renny and gather inspiration to live a happy, healthy, and powerful life.
Treat yourself to either of these two classes focused on self-love and living your best life with Christen Bakken!
Love Thyself, Heal Thyself with Christen Bakken
Make it Count with Christen Bakken