Worrying happens to the best of us. We all will endure stresses in our lives, whether it's through work, our personal lives, our relationships, or even just irrational intrusive thoughts. This worry can get into our brains and can make our day-to-day lives and daily tasks that little bit harder. It would be great if there was some kind of off switch we can press to turn off these worries, but stopping or reducing worry is a little bit harder than that. However, there are habits that you can bring into your day-to-day life that can help your worries to slip away, freeing you to focus on the positive and productive things in life.
Set Yourself Worry Time
So, setting time aside especially to worry might seem counterproductive to reduce worry. But, if you know you’re already going to worry about something, instead of letting the worry take over your thoughts, if you set a specific ‘worry time’ you can start to take control over your worries. Find a time convenient for you where you can word to your heart's content. This can help to free up your mind during the rest of your day, and you might find when you focus on your worries for a limited time, you find yourself working to find solutions to the things you are worried about.
Write Down Your Worries
Most of us don't just have one worry, we have a few, or groups of worries. Sometimes once we start worrying about one thing, lots of other thoughts and worries start popping into your head. If you write them down on a list - and on paper or digitally, not just in your head, you can reduce your worries. It will force you to confront exactly what you are worried about, and once they are written down, you might see that they seem smaller than when they were bouncing around in your brain.
Keep Busy
Spending too much time worrying and thinking about things? A simple way to reduce this is to keep yourself busy! It might be obvious, but if you force yourself to do something while you're feeling worried, it can help those worries to float away. Try to occupy your body AND your mind, with something that requires focus, like working out, a yoga practice, or your favourite hobby. When you find the right task you’ll notice your worries go away in moments.
Stay Social
In a similar vein, if you occupy yourself by talking to friends or family, it can help your worries to feel smaller. Chatting triggers the language and emotional components of your brain - which forces you to focus on the conversation rather than going inwards and thinking about your worry. Keep it interesting for a few minutes, and you’ll find yourself focused on the conversation and not your worries.
Meditation
Meditation works best when you’re feeling moments of calm. So when you aren’t feeling worried, find a moment or two to clear your mind and practice meditation. If you try to not think of anything, and if you do, acknowledge the thoughts and let them go. Mindfulness is hard to achieve, but if you keep practicing you'll be able to enter this state of mind easily - even when you’re feeling stressed and worried.
Work Out
There are so many benefits both mentally and physically that exercise provides. Working out releases the happy chemical serotonin, and also helps to reduce overall stress - making you feel better throughout the day. Working out can also help to reduce anxiety, which will help you worry less overall. Try working out in the morning, so you worry less throughout the day, or go for a quick walk or jog when you feel worries creeping up on you throughout the day.
Disconnect
We’ve never been easier to contact with the internet and mobile phones. But this constant communication can be a huge source of anxiety and worry, without us even realizing it. Our phones constantly buzzing with emails, texts, calls, and social media can cause worry, as well as using our devices to check the news, social media, and events. It can be easy to let these forms of communication interfere with your thoughts. When you can - disconnect. Turn off your phone and disconnect from the internet for a while, to help you switch off from the outside world.
Get Enough Rest
Sleep deprivation is extremely detrimental to our health. It can actually cause anxiety disorders in people. So if you already struggle from worry, a lack of sleep can make it worse. If you don’t get enough sleep, the brain regions that are associated with worrying get activated. So make sure you get rest when you need it!
Clean
Keeping a clean and tidy living space can help to reduce anxiety. Did you know that clutter can cause anxiety? A tidy home means we have a soothing safe space to retire to. And the actual act of cleaning can reduce worry - this is because it can be a meditative act, keeping us present and giving us something to focus on.
Consider Supplements
Some supplements can have benefits for stress and worry. Daily multivitamins can help to address any nutritional deficits that will improve your health overall. Other supplements to consider are Melatonin; which can help to regulate your sleep patterns to help reduce stress. L-theanine has been proven to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Finally, B vitamins can help to reduce stress and improve mood.
I call these "habits" for a reason; while some of them can work in random, one-off instances, the majority of them gain power when you use them regularly as an evasion tactic for worrying thoughts. Don't be frustrated or disheartened if you're still affected by worries after using one--instead, try a different strategy and work to integrate both as institutions in your life for a healthier, freer mind.
By Amy Cavill
Every summer I organize a few yoga brunches, where I host my friends with a fun yoga class at first and then feed them. These corn pancakes were a part of the brunch table last time and they were a hit. The yoga class part was a fun one too as after around 60 minutes of the class that was planned to be 75 minutes it started pouring, so we needed to cut the savasana (something I have never done before), and instead of enjoying a picnic ate in my living room. Luckily there is nothing that a nice brunch table doesn’t fix, so no harm done. But I still don’t recommend cutting savasana!
The fritters are super moist thanks to the fresh corn, crispy (stay crispy too, for a relatively long time), and flavorful from the onion, chili, and coriander. They work wonderfully as part of a brunch table spread, but if you wish you can also serve them as a fancy appetizer plated up on a pretty plate with avocado puree and pico de gallo. Whenever possible, try to use fresh corn. If you can not find fresh corn, use the frozen one, but make sure to thaw it first and discard all the water.
Crispy Corn Pancakes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
4 cups of fresh corn kernels (if you can’t find fresh, substitute with frozen and thawed)
5-6 sprigs of spring onions
1-2 red chilies (depending on the type and hotness you like)
Small bunch of fresh coriander
1 cup rice flour
½ cup corn flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Up to 1 ½ cups water (you might need less)
Rapeseed oil, for frying
Instructions:
Chop the spring onions, chilies, and coriander finely.
Mix the chopped vegetables, corn, flours, and seasoning.
Start by adding 1 cup of water and mix well. The batter needs to be similar to sour cream, so if you feel that you need more water, add it a tiny bit more and mix again.
Heat a drop of oil on a frying pan and start by frying off 1 tbsp of your mixture. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Have a taste and add in more seasoning, if you wish.
Then fry the rest of the dough mixing well before each time you spoon the dough onto a pan.
Enjoy warm, if possible (but they are nice while cooled too)
By Kadri Raig
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She loves to spend time in the kitchen, but most of her recipes are simple and don’t take more than 20 minutes of active cooking time. She thinks that everybody can find time to cook healthy food at home, it is just a question of planning. "I work in an office full time, teach yoga 7-8 hours a week and write a blog. So if I manage to cook most of my meals, then so do you!" Connect with Kadri and enjoy many more of her delicious healthy recipes on her website here: www.kahvliga.ee.
Aparigraha is about non-attachment. This is not a vow to live in poverty, but more of an invitation to be satisfied with what you have and avoid excess and perpetual dissatisfaction. There is abundance in the spirit of Aparigraha. A person with a lot of money who steals from others and is constantly worried about not having enough is not really rich in the truest sense of the word.
Yoga teaches us that our greatest satisfaction comes from within. In many modern societies, there is tremendous emphasis on acquiring more and more trappings of excess materialism. Having nice things and living comfortably is wonderful, and Aparigraha isn’t about denying ourselves the nice things in life - but about not becoming greedy.
On the yoga mat, this non-attachment shows up in how we treat the practice. If you’re striving to be better than the person on the mat next to you, you’ve likely lost sight of why you love yoga and why you came to practice in the first place. It’s about going inwards and connecting deeply to yourself.
Here are yoga classes that inspire the spirit of Aparigraha!
Everyday Yamas: Aparigraha with Kristin Gibowicz
Awaken Your Generous Spirit with Elise Fabricant
Guidelines for a Balanced Life: Arm Balancing with Les Leventhal
Do you love celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones? Marking important occasions with rituals and celebrations is a great way to express gratitude for what’s meaningful in your life. This week, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating 16 years of YogaDownload! We appreciate our global community of yogis, that would be you by the way, and wouldn’t be here today without your consistency and dedication to yoga.
One of the ways we’ve distinguished ourselves over the years is by consistently bringing you fresh content every week. As part of our celebration, we are featuring throw-back classes from some long-time YogaDownload teachers who have been with us from the beginning and are still creating new practices for you. The teachers you love and appreciate return to the studio over and over because of you.
Our founder, Jamie Kent, started with the premise of making yoga accessible to people who couldn’t make it to the studio for various reasons––physical, financial, or temporal. YogaDownload offers tons of classes (almost 2,000!) in various lengths and styles to accommodate your schedule and your individual needs. Whether you are a beginner, an advanced yogi, someone needing yoga for cancer recovery, or you need to manage back pain, we’ve got classes for you. Over the years, our offerings have expanded from classes to meditations, pranayama, workshops, challenges, and programs from your favorite teachers.
Anniversaries are a time to check in and review all you’ve accomplished, celebrate where you are now, and look forward with anticipation at what’s on the horizon. Take a few moments to see what’s available on the site today and explore all the workshops, specialty programs, take a few classic classes and try a new teacher …all you need to do is press play!
Remember you can practice yoga 24 hours a day with a myriad of choices in style, length, and instructors. Yoga gives you the opportunity to take care of yourself, body, mind, and spirit. Thank you so much for being here: we wouldn’t exist without you!
Dawnelle Arthur - Age Defy: HIIT & Yoga Sculpt
Kylie Larson - Tittibasana Flow: Balance and Fly
Jackie Casal Mahrou - Warming Heart Flow
All cocktails don't need to be served cold and all tea does not need to be just tea. So you are free to decide if you wish to call this drink a warm cocktail or next-level tea, it is delicious either way.
Truth be told, I usually don't like adding anything that contains calories to my drinks. Alcoholic beverages are an exception, but I never drink milk, juice, or lemonade if I am thirsty, and I never add any sweeteners to my hot beverages. But I needed to create a hot cocktail for an event and just serving tea did not cut it, so I experimented a little and am super happy with the result.
Rooibos has a nice warmness to its taste, and mango with passionfruit complements it well. At the same time, Aperol, which is a super nice summer drink with sparkling wine, gives it slightly bitter notes and it all balances out to my liking. It is not going to be my go-to drink while reading a book late in the evening, but I am definitely serving it as an aperitif at my next autumn dinner party!
Hot Tropical Rooibos Tea Cocktail
Cooking time: 5 minutes
½ oz Monin passionfruit syrup
½ oz mango puree
½ oz fresh lemon juice
1 ½ oz Aperol (or Lyre’s non-alco Italian Spritz that tastes exactly like Aperol)
Rooibos tea
Orange peel, star anise, and pink peppercorns to garnish
Mix the passionfruit syrup, mango puree, lemon juice, and Aperol in a mug.
Top with previously prepared hot rooibos tea.
Garnish and enjoy.
I’ve had Thai food on my mind lately since the weather is cooling off and Thai food adds some extra heat when it’s cold outside. I find the deep flavors in Thai dishes to be so comforting and grounding.
I spent time several years ago playing around with Thai-inspired recipes in anticipation of my honeymoon adventures in Thailand. I wanted to create some healthy crave-worthy recipes full of those refreshing, sweet, and zesty flavors.
This delicious Spicy Thai Salad was one of the recipes I made over and it’s still one of my go-tos almost 10 years later!
From its crunchy cabbage base to its lime juice-based dressing, this salad has all of the sweet and tangy Thai flavors that we all love. It’s super easy to throw together and will be a crowd-pleaser whether you serve it for a weeknight meal or a larger gathering.
Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below! We love hearing from you.
With love and lime juice,
Jo and Jules
Spicy Thai Salad
Yields: 4-6 servings
For the dressing:
¼ cup fresh lime juice ⅛ cup sesame oil ⅛ cup olive oil ½-1 tbsp maple syrup ¼ cup cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours 1 tsp red chili flakes
For the salad:
¼ cup cilantro, chopped ¼ cup mint, chopped ¼ cup scallions ¾ head Napa cabbage, chopped ¼ head red cabbage, chopped ¼ cup carrots, julienned Handful of cashews
Blend lime juice, sesame oil, olive oil, maple syrup, soaked cashews and red chili flakes in a high speed blender. Set dressing aside or place in the refrigerator. Toss cilantro, mint, carrots, plus the Napa and red cabbage in a large bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and sprinkle with remaining cashews. Enjoy!
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of two books 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 and their brand new The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook! 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.
The art of doing yoga provides many benefits for the human body, from improving our flexibility and strength to how we relax and breathe. While yoga may not always be easy, it is a good idea to implement yoga into your exercise routine every week. Doing so is especially important if you are an athlete because you will learn the skills necessary to be stronger and perform better so you can master your craft.
Let’s talk about the importance of yoga for various types of athletes and how it can improve your performance.
Yoga For Equestrians
While casual observers might believe that the life of an equestrian is as simple as getting on your horse and enjoying the ride, real experts know how much mental and physical strength plays a part in good horse riding. It takes strong arms, a solid core, great balance, and powerful glutes.
There are many exercises that you can implement, including a plank press that will help you to work your core so you can keep your body straight while on the horse. There is also the tree pose that can improve your balance. Many of these yoga exercises can also help you to destress when you are not riding or during the off-season. Take the time to breathe during every exercise, and you can feel your anxieties melt away.
Yoga For Runners
While runners need to work on their speed and run on different terrains to prepare for a big marathon, they should also practice yoga. One of the biggest benefits of yoga for runners is the chance to stretch their legs, hips, and glutes so that they can run faster and for longer. Just about any yoga pose, from the spine twist to the downward-facing dog, can help with improving your running technique, flexibility, strength, and reduce your chance of injury.
Plus, when you practice yoga and slow down your motions, you get a chance to work on your breathing, which is very important for long marathons when you need to control your oxygen intake.
Yoga For Soccer Players
While yoga also helps soccer players to control their breathing and run faster without pain or discomfort, proper exercise can also help them in other ways. For instance, by performing forearm and sidearm planks, soccer players can keep their core muscles engaged, which also makes it easier to run and turn their entire body around quickly when necessary.
Yoga can also help a soccer player’s flexibility and mobility. By practicing low lunges and the pigeon pose, a player can increase the external rotation of their legs, so they can stay flexible while keeping one leg in place as the other kicks the ball. In general, yoga, like most forms of exercise, gets your heart pumping, and cardiovascular health is essential during a sport where you spend 90 minutes running back and forth.
Yoga For Rock Climbers
Rock climbing may seem like a tough sport, but it really is about light movements and strength training, so anyone who wants to get into rock climbing should consider taking up yoga. Like the others, this sport will require immense core strength, and you can use the exercises we mentioned to help you with that.
In addition, you will need to practice extreme mindfulness and body awareness when it is just you, a rock face, and the potential for danger. When you practice yoga, you get to work through your breathing and feel better overall, and that training could be necessary during your next expedition. Plus, when you keep your body strong, and you work on your flexibility, you are also less likely to be injured during the climb.
Yoga For Basketball Players
To many, basketball may seem as simple as throwing a ball through a hoop, but really, the sport requires constant movement, great balance, and the ability to leap high into the air in order to score a point. Yoga can help with all of that. For instance, by practicing a runner’s lunge several times per week, you can train your body to react more quickly and be lighter on your feet.
Yoga can also help you to play better defense. In order to be quick when trying to shake a blocking opponent, you will need to change direction within a moment of time, and to do that, you can try a standing pose like warrior one, which will have you aligning your feet in such a way that you will loosen your inner and outer hip muscles for faster movements.
Yoga For Football Players
Just like basketball, many positions in football also require the ability for players to turn at a moment's notice and run great distances while keeping their heads on a swivel. By practicing yoga poses like the downward-facing dog, a player can exercise their hamstrings and decompress the tension in the vertebrae. The ability to control breathing is also essential when performing during physically intense plays.
As you can see, yoga can improve performance in just about any sport or athletic event. Consider taking a class or adding yoga to your routine, and you will find that you are that much happier and healthier.
By Katie Brenneman
Enjoy YogaDownload's Yoga for Athletes Program!
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” - Oscar Wilde
It’s time to hit the pause button and contemplate how much time you take out of your day to refill your well. How often do you make yourself a priority––your wants, your needs, your desires? And consider whether you feel guilty if you choose yourself first.
We’re not talking about being selfish or narcissistic or self-centered. Often, we’re afraid that if we choose to take an hour to practice yoga or take a nap or fill in the blank here, we’re letting others in our life down. No! Remind yourself that taking care of your own physical, mental, and emotional health should be at the top of your daily list. It is only by loving and caring for ourselves that we can truly show up in the world as our best selves. Look at self-care as a priority.
These days, the culture of “busy” seems to be glorified. But having a busy jam-packed schedule, full of obligations you must handle before doing something you enjoy isn’t living your best life. We’ve only got the present and living it fully, in the now, is really all we’ve got. If you’re burned out and living appointment to appointment, you’re missing out. You’re also not going to feel as strong and powerful as you may need to deal with challenges and crises.
One of the most powerful aspects of yoga is the lesson to be present. To embrace the now. To learn to be fully in your feelings and experience what’s happening. If we’re always running around without stopping to make sure we’re taking care of ourselves, we’ll never find that inner joy and peace. It’s time to embrace the perspective that self-care is necessary!
We’re here with a gentle nudge, especially if you’ve been doing everything else except practicing yoga. This week’s classes are focused on devoting time to your well-being. No matter what else is happening in your life, carving out time to be in your breath and body can be your high point. So go ahead, show up for yourself!
Mark Morford - Devotion Intensive III: Do It On the Floor
Patrick Montgomery - Strength & Devotion
Shapadpreet - Kundalini Yoga Therapeutics: Release and Restore
Your routine in the morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. It’s important to set good habits that you can use to help create a morning routine that will eventually set you up for success.
If you start your day off stressed, and do things like snooze your alarm, skip breakfast and rush yourself to start your day, the rest of your day can seem chaotic and stressful as well. Your morning sets off your day, so when you form healthy morning habits, you’re setting yourself up for success.
Here are 10 simple habits that you can add to your morning routine, to help you feel, act and think your best for the rest of the day ahead.
Don’t look at your phone right away
A bad habit many of us have is to check our smartphones as soon as we wake up in the mornings - but you could be doing yourself a massive disservice. Doing this first thing sets your mind to a reactive state, rather than a proactive one, and can cause you to feel stressed and defensive for the rest of the day. Try to stay away from technology for at least an hour each morning, to give yourself a positive focus.
Drinking water
Drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up can hugely help to hydrate your body. Adding lemon or drinking a warm glass can also really help to remove toxins from your body that can build up overnight - as well as stimulate your metabolism and digestion.
Positive thinking
Before you even get out of bed - try to think some positive thoughts, smile and be grateful for the good things in your life. Smiling can help to release dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins that can help you to feel good and can lift your mood - as well as lower your heart rate and relax your body. And practicing gratitude can also reduce stress hormones and improve your mood.
Get up and make your bed
Some of the most successful people in the world say that getting up and making their bed first thing is one of their morning habits. Even if you think it’s silly or unnecessary, such a simple action can help you to feel more put together and accomplished. Simple tasks like this that you can take charge of will help you to feel more able to take on more throughout the day.
Meditation and mindfulness can help to ground you first thing in the morning and help to regulate your mind and emotions, which helps to influence how you react to challenges and things throughout your day. During this time you can also set intentions for the day, to help you feel accomplished and help to steer the decisions you make.
Move your body
A walk, a yoga routine, or a full-on workout - starting your day by moving your body can help to energize your body and your mind. Think about what kind of exercise motivates you, and schedule it into your mornings. It won’t need to be complicated, or long or hard, but any kind of physical activity in the morning will help to get your blood flowing and quiet any distracting thoughts in your mind.
Do something nice for yourself
Simple self-care acts, like taking time to put effort into your appearance each day will help you to feel confident. Get up and shower, wash your face and do your skincare routine, pick out a nice outfit - or anything else that makes you feel more confident and put together.
Eat a good breakfast
Yes, we all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is because when you take the time to eat a healthy and nutritious breakfast, you have more energy throughout your day and a greater ability to focus and concentrate.
Write down a to-do list for the day
A daily to-do list can really help you to prioritize the things you need to do for the day, and help you to tackle the really important things first. Writing these do-tos down instead of keeping them in your head can help you to really focus and cut out distractions - as well as giving you a satisfying sense of accomplishment when you finally tick things off your list!
Get enough sleep
Okay, so this technically might not be a morning habit, but if you have a well-rested body and mind, you’re more likely to stick to your healthy morning habits. Your waking self is very reliant on how much sleep you have managed to get- if you’re feeling down and exhausted in the day, you’re probably not getting enough sleep. Sleep plays a huge role in our mental well-being as well as physical - and sleep deficiency can have very bad effects on your health.
If you want to experience your best day possible each and every day, choose to begin your morning with yoga. Unrolling your yoga mat in the morning empowers you to create and maintain a positive mindset regardless of what your schedule entails. Root canal at the dentist? No problem. Annual review with your evil boss? Those “helpful” comments will roll right off your back.
One of the greatest benefits of a regular yoga practice is that it helps us pause before reacting to external stimuli. We don’t have control over many external events, but we can learn control over how we handle challenging situations. You’ll have a powerful foundation for the day to be your strongest, most positive self and avoid being drawn into drama caused by snap reactions. Practicing yoga in the morning clears your mind, soothes your emotions, and warms and opens your body.
On the physical level, morning yoga boosts your energy levels and strengthens your muscles and bones. Practicing first thing in the morning boosts digestion and circulation, which enhances your immune system. Twists and forward folds massage your internal organs, releasing stagnant energy that may have accumulated overnight. Maybe you’ll feel so light and energized you’ll be able to minimize or eliminate caffeine if that’s something you rely on to be alert.
You also ensure you get your yoga in before the day gets away from you or other obligations arise. We cannot show up fully for others in our life, be it professionally or personally unless we are taking care of ourselves first. Look at stepping onto your mat first thing as your act of self-care and a way to fill your own well. By practicing yoga in the morning, you ensure you won’t miss the chance to be your strongest, most balanced self all day long.
Go ahead and set your alarm and see for yourself how great you feel! This week’s classes are designed for an early practice and will have you feeling open, inspired, and ready for a fantastic day.
Jackie Casal Mahrou - Beginner Sunrise Yoga: Stretch & Renew
Keith Allen - Wake Up Slowly 3: Rise & Shine
Robert Sidoti - Start Your Day Right
Pradeep Teotia - Wake Up & Flow
21-Day Yoga Challenge: Nurture & Nourish: Challenge starts October 17th
We’ve heard the term “self-care” bandied about a lot lately. Have you ever wondered what that means, exactly? We’re often so busy taking care of others in our lives from partners, pets, co-workers, and everyone we encounter, we don’t leave enough fuel in the tank to take care of ourselves. Are you as kind to yourself as you are to the person you love most?
Most of us aren’t. But it’s vital to love and care for yourself so you’re at your strongest, happiest, and most resilient. Self-care can take many forms, like ensuring your get a good night’s sleep every night, eating a balanced diet, spending time with friends and loved ones, spending time in nature, making sure you have plenty of play time and aren’t logging excessive hours at work.
Take a moment to consider what depletes you or makes you anxious. Stress is a very individual factor so take the time to be mindful about your triggers. Many rituals and pastimes can nurture and nourish you––there’s no one-size fits all recipe.
Grab a journal or piece of paper and write down five things that make you happy, no matter what. Your best friend? A walk through the woods? A good book? Dancing? Fill in the blank. Once you’ve accumulated a list, pick one thing and do it now! Even if that means dancing around your living room in your pajamas with only your cat watching. Then plan time in your week to do something just for you! You’ll feel happier and stronger and be able to show up for everyone in your life at your best.
Yoga and mindful movement have an incredible power to nurture your body, your mind, and your heart. There’s a style for every body, every mood, and every day. If you need to boost your energy, choose a vigorous fun Vinyasa or fusion class. If you need to soothe your nerves and even your soul, choose a gentle practice like Yin or restorative yoga. Meditation and Pranayama (breath work)
Because it’s so easy to put yourself last on your list of priorities, we’re here to help you commit to feeling your best. On October 17th, we’ve got a Nurture and Nourish 21-Day challenge with a wide variety of yoga classes to help you feel awesome! Choose to carve out time each day to be your brightest, shiniest self. You’re worth it!
Let me introduce you to the easiest and most flavorful salad ever. This Asian-inspired salad comes together super quick and smacks you in the face with the flavor. I love the funkiness of fish sauce and probably you already know that I do love spicy food. Sadly for my vegan and vegetarian friends, I haven’t figured out a perfect substitute for fish sauce in this recipe, so my best bet is for you to just omit fish sauce and season with salt instead, but it will miss out on some flavor. Sorry! But for the rest of you – make this salad right now! Especially if you are in the middle of zucchini season. It is super light but bursting with flavor. For me, a big bowl of this on a hot summer day is a perfect light lunch. The peanuts give it a nice crunch and some plant protein. If you need more protein, it works well with fried tofu, prawns, or simply steamed white fish too.
As I am writing this post for you now, it is pouring outside, and the super nice and sunny 85F summer weather that we had just 2 weeks ago has been replaced with rain and 50F, so I am missing the summer weather already. Luckily I still have zucchini so at least I can still enjoy summer on my plate!
Zucchini Ribbon Salad
Serves: 1
Cooking time: 10 min
1 young fresh zucchini (I used yellow, but all colors are ok)
2 medium tomatoes
2 tbsp salted peanuts
A small handful of Thai basil
1 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp palm sugar
The juice from 1 lime
1 small birds eye chili (use less or omit if you don’t like spice)
Using the vegetable peeler cut the zucchini into thin ribbons. In case your zucchini has large seeds inside, don’t use this part for the salad (it is still ok to use for a soup or stew).
Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
Mix the fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, and finely chopped chili until the sugar has dissolved.
Mix the vegetables with the sauce, add in Thai basil, top with peanuts and enjoy.
Sometimes in life we can feel a little lost and misguided, and it can seem like nothing good is ever happening. It can be easy to feel very overwhelmed and powerless when times like these come around, and we can get stuck in bad moods and bad habits.
This is why it's so important to take on healthy habits to nourish your mind and body, to help you get out of bad situations and overall make your life a lot easier in the day-to-day.
Here are some of the best ways to nourish your mind and body:
Clear out the clutter
Sometimes, we need a good old purge to let go of things or people that no we no longer hold value. It might be time to let go of things, not just physically but emotionally too. You’ll be left with the people and things that make you feel happiest and loved. Try to clear out clothes that you don’t wear or that don’t fit you; friends or people in your life that aren’t supportive or kind towards you; anything that might be getting in the way of you living a healthy life.
Breathing exercises
We all breathe all day every day whether we think about it or not. But take some time to consciously breathe and reap some great physical and mental benefits. Conscious breathing can release toxins, improve muscle strength and boost your immune system, as well as help you focus and feel less stressed. Inhale through your nose deeply and out through your mouth, expanding your belly. Try to hold each breath for a few seconds before exhaling.
Go out in nature
The outdoor world can help you to relax, de-stressed and nourish your soul. Go for a walk amongst trees, grass, flowers and wildlife and take in all the nature - the sights, sounds and smells. Sunshine is also a great way to boost your vitamin levels and make you feel relaxed. If you live in a city, maybe get a few houseplants to reap some of the benefits of nature at home. Nurturing and growing a small piece of nature can help you to feel less stressed and feel nourished.
Eat well
Eating clean can help you to boost energy and stay healthy. Processed foods can contain a multitude of bad ingredients, but eating some real food can help to nourish your body. Fruits and vegetables can help you to feel and look good, inside and out. Try to avoid sugar and also drink more water - it can flush out your toxins, and keep you hydrated.
Work out regularly
Nourishing yourself includes doing activities that engage your mind and body. Working out is a great way to do both at the same time. And there is always a type of exercise to meet your fitness levels.
Exercise regularly
Nourishing your soul is about including activities that engage the mind and body. Exercise is a great way of enjoying all these at the same time. The great part about exercise is that there is an activity available for someone at literally every level of fitness and capability. The important thing is staying consistent, so don’t go overboard to start. Starting small and building up is a great way to build good habits, as well as choosing something that you really enjoy doing.
Spending time with people who support you
Surrounding yourself with positive people who make you happy is essential for living a nourished life. A lot of the time in life, we want to feel heard and loved, no matter what. Hanging on to those people in your life who make you feel that way will help you feel safe and supported.
Living in the moment is a great way to feel grounded and secure, so taking a few moments to meditate and experience the present will make you feel happier and nourished. Try and let go of any thoughts, and let your mind and body become still. The more often you meditate, the more relaxed and present in your day-to-day life you will feel
Read more
Getting out of your own head a little and reading a book can be a great way to feel relaxed. Turning off devices and reading something can help you to escape a little and have time to yourself. Books with a positive and motivational message can also help you to feel inspired to make positive changes - try to avoid anything with violence or negative messaging as this can make you feel more stressed.
Journaling
Writing down your thoughts and feelings is a great way to get them out of your head and feel clearer. It can be a form of therapy, and you can dedicate as much or as little time to it as you want. Pouring out your feelings and thoughts on paper can help them feel more real, and can help you to problem solve anything that's going wrong with your life. Try to write every day and see what just comes out.
Giving back to others
Giving back to other people is a great way to feel nourished in your soul. There are so many ways you can do this, with your time, energy or money! There are so many charities to choose from, and you can always set up your own if there’s a specific cause you want to give to! Find something that works with your schedule so you can keep up the commitment, and try to utilize skills you already have.
As you already know I absolutely adore seasonal food, but the season in Estonia is extremely short. Luckily we still have super nice autumn and I can even still pick fresh tomatoes from my balcony garden, but I know that the niceness is going to be over soon. The recipe I share with you today utilizes the best Estonian beetroots, but the even better news is that you can make the pasta with the same beetroot powder that I used as it is available on Amazon. I rarely advertise anything even in Estonia, but this beetroot flour is the next level, so if you get a chance – check it out. Enough with the promo and back to the recipe.
Homemade pasta. Sounds like something super complicated, but it really is not. Especially in case, you happen to own a pasta machine. But even if you don’t it is not a deal breaker as you can use a rolling pin to work the dough. It might not be as smooth and thin as with the pasta machine but who cares – you just made pasta from scratch so it will taste amazing either way! And look at this nice deep purple color! I always find that with fresh pasta it is best to keep things simple, so I just served it with beetroot cubes (I used the leftover roasted beetroot) lightly fried in butter, crispy sage, and toasted sunflower seeds, and didn’t feel it would need anything extra.
Pro tip – if you can get your hands on other powdered vegetables – carrots or spinach, for example, you can also create pasta in other colors using the same base recipe.
Beetroot Pasta
Cooking time: 1 hour, most of this is waiting time
Serves: amounts are given for 1 person, but super easy to double or triple the recipe
Pasta:
½ cup durum flour + more for rolling
1 tbsp beetroot powder
1 medium egg (always free range, please!)
½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
A dash of salt
To serve:
1 tbsp of butter (or substitute with olive oil)
10 fresh sage leaves
½ cup boiled or roasted beetroot
½ tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
Mix the durum flour, beetroot powder, and salt in a food processor. Add in lightly beaten egg + olive oil, and pulse until a ball of dough starts to form. If the dough feels super dry you might need to add up to 1 tsp of water.
Once the dough starts to come together transfer it to the work surface and knead until you have a strong but smooth ball of dough. Wrap it in cling film and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes.
In the meantime, toast the sunflower seeds on a dry pan and cut the beetroot into small cubes.
If you have the pasta machine, start rolling the dough through the widest level 3-4 times to make it smooth. Then decrease the width and put the dough through the machine 2 times with each thickness. Go as thin as you wish (my machine has 6 levels and I stop at 2).
If you don’t have a pasta machine, just do your best with the rolling pin (or wine bottle) and go as thin as you can.
Cut the pasta into strips. You can also do this with the pasta machine or just hand-cut the ribbons.
Once you are about 10 minutes away from serving, heat the pan with butter or oil and fry the sage leaves until they are nice and crispy. Remove the leaves from the pan and add the beetroot cubes and lemon juice.
Bring a pot of water to boil and salt it heavily. Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes until al dente.
Transfer the freshly cooked pasta to the pan with the beetroot and mix gently.
Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the seeds and fried sage on top.
There sometimes can be a stigma to doing things alone. Going out for dinner or catching a movie, you can sometimes feel like people are watching you or judging you for being anti-social or lonely. But that is totally wrong! Spending time by yourself is really important - after all, the relationship you have with yourself is the most important and long lasting one you’ll have in your life. Having more me time has benefits like increased productivity, happiness, empathy and gratitude. It doesn't matter how you do it, but here’s some of the benefits of me-time.
It Helps Clear Your Mind
In today’s modern world it's really easy to suffer from information overload and feel overwhelmed. A great way to reset your head, and get organized with your thoughts and feelings is to have a little time out from the outside world. Spending time alone gives you a great opportunity to reflect and prioritize the things in your life. Time alone with your thoughts can give you a clear perspective of things going on, and you’ll ultimately be able to focus better.
You’ll Know Yourself Better
Having some "me time" will help you to know yourself and learn more about yourself. Spending time with yourself helps you to get a different perspective on your thoughts and feelings, and you can think about how and why you react in certain ways to different situations in your life. Without the distractions of anyone else, you can spend time getting a sense of who you are - you might be surprised by what you find out!
You’ll Become More Independent
While spending time with yourself can help you appreciate your own company more. It also helps to teach you that you don’t need others as much as you thought you did. This doesn’t mean that you need to cut everyone out of your life! Rather, you might realize that you don’t rely on others' company as often as you might have done in the past, and your happiness doesn’t depend on other people. So enjoy your own company from time to time!
You'll Be Less Lonely
Realizing that you’re content with your own company will give you the advantage of being able to be alone without feeling too lonely. It's okay to feel lonely sometimes, but too much of it can lead to you feeling sad and down. Embracing being alone can help you to enjoy it, without feeling negative.
You’ll Get a Boost of Creativity
Creative types often spend time alone to finish and dedicate themselves to their work, often leading to amazing results! Time alone gets you away from the distraction of life and other people, and gives your mind a chance to think. Your creative side will come and flourish, even if it is just getting your day to day job done.
You’ll Become More Authentic
When you take time to yourself to get to know yourself better, you might realize that you're more comfortable in your own skin, and you’re being yourself rather than who you think you should be. By listening to yourself and thinking about who you are and who you want to be, you’ll become more honest with yourself and in turn, develop your personality.
Life Will Be Easier
Some simple pleasures in life align with being alone. Sitting and reading a good book or watching a movie, eating your favorite meal, you can spend hours by yourself and have a great time, without constantly having to be surrounded by people and engaging with them. Me time will make your life easier as you don’t need to worry about scheduling plans to keep yourself occupied and busy.
Reduce Stress
If you never have time to yourself, you’ll begin to feel tired, run down and burnt out. Being busy and under pressure all the time can increase your stress levels and lead to burnout. Taking time alone to unwind, and recharge can reduce your stress levels.
Increase Productivity
A constant to-do list in your brain and working from rise to rest can be very unhealthy for you. Your brain wasn’t built to focus 100% of the time. You need to take breaks to help you stay productive. Taking time out to do something you enjoy by yourself can refresh your mind and actually make you more productive.
Help Problem Solving
If you force yourself to focus on completing a task or solving a problem and you’re not getting anywhere - taking some me time can help. Having a time out and being by yourself can help you relax and reduce the pressure you put on your brain. You might find that you get to a solution without even thinking about it!
If you want to take some time out for yourself - this week's classes give you some time to get into the flow and let go. Whether you need to just move your body, wind down from a run, or sweat, you'll get what you need with this week's variety of classes!
Who is in the mood to mix things up? If you feel like you’ve fallen into the same-old, same-old mindset, it’s time to shake off your usual routine before you fall into a yoga rut.
Our bodies and minds and hearts thrive on stimulation. Challenging yourself to do something different is the best way to maintain a fresh perspective on life. Physically, we can injure ourselves if we are repeating the same activities day after day. By trying different classes, you can avoid injuries caused by repetitive stress. Your mind can shift into auto-pilot with the same practices too and that’s a recipe for becoming stagnant.
Change is good for you so this week, we’re offering four varied classes designed to give you a fresh experience and encourage you to find your flow. "Flow, also known as the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity." In other words, you are simply enjoying “being” instead of “doing.”
When we enter that flow state, we are living in the present moment, and we can filter out external distractions. No more dwelling on the past and no more worrying about the future––we are simply existing as one with the world around us. And when we live in the now, we are free to experience our feelings and thoughts fully. When we focus on connecting our breath to our movement, we can expand our prana or life force energy and get energized or relaxed, depending upon the technique.
Our yoga “high” is a quality beyond the tangible physical benefits of flexibility, balance, and strength. It’s a feeling we can’t necessarily pinpoint, but we know we love feeling happier and more peaceful.
This week's classes give you some time to get into the flow and let go. Try all these classes and feel more alert, alive, and vibrant!
Ali Duncan - Switch Flow
Dave Farmar - Power Yoga 3 with Dave Farmar
Alex Cordoba - Becoming Unbound
One of our most talked about recipes of all time is our Curried Carrot Soup. It’s a big hit especially during Purification weekends when we recommend consuming only veggies and fruits with a small amount of oil for added flavor and healthy fat.
Purification is all about allowing your digestive system to rest so that the other organs and systems in your body can also heal and be rejuvenated. It’s also a way to fill your body with living enzymes, which we like to call the spark plugs of the body. Enzymes are the catalysts for just about every action the body does. Needless to say, they’re pretty important to our health!
The good news is you don’t need to be on a cleanse or a purifying weekend in order to get these benefits – you can start right now by trying our new Chilled Cantaloupe Soup!
It’s the perfect mix between the sweet and juicy fruits and the savory depth of onions and herbs.
Plus there are a million ways to enjoy it. It would make a delightful breakfast, lunch, or dinner, just be sure to enjoy it alone on an empty stomach so as to stay with food combining principles.
Like all our recipes, this soup is delicious and good for you! The antioxidants found in fresh melon and stone fruit (that’s a fancy name for fruits containing pits) are, like most perfectly ripe fruit, among the highest we can find.
Cantaloupe is 30 times higher than oranges in beta-carotene and its vitamin C levels top the charts too.
Shallots and coconut oil are both blood sugar stabilizing and also antibacterial. Even the herbs sprinkled on top support immunity!
Although summer might not be the typical time to catch a cold, eating this soup can help ward off any out-of-season sniffles and help strengthen your immune system for the coming months ahead.
Enjoy the soup!
Chilled Cantaloupe Soup
Yield: 3 cups
1 TB. coconut oil ¼ cup shallots (about 1 shallot), minced 1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and chopped 2 nectarines or peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped 1 TB. rice or white wine vinegar 1 TB. lemon juice 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced ¼ tsp. sea salt Fresh dill, chopped (optional) Fresh mint, chopped (optional) Fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm coconut oil. Add shallot, and sauté for about 2 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender or a food processor fitted with an S-blade, blend the cantaloupe and nectarines or peaches until creamy. Add vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, and sea salt. Blend until well mixed. Using a spatula, scrape the coconut oil and shallots into the blender, use the spatula to push the contents down, and blend for another 30 seconds.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and serve chilled with a fresh herb garnish.
Store soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in freezer for 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator and re-blend before serving.
Your throat chakra is the center of communication, where you express yourself and truth. It is associated with ether. Physically, it is connected with your throat region. It is related to being honest and expressing yourself.
When your throat chakra is out of balance, it can physically result in any issues with the throat or thyroid, and motionally with dishonesty, an inability to speak up - or to stop talking.
Someone who cannot stop talking, gossips, lies, and brings harm with their words has an overactive and out-of-balance throat chakra. Someone who cannot speak up for themselves has trouble initiating difficult conversations, or almost whispers as their normal speaking voice, and has an underactive and out-of-balance throat chakra.
A healthy throat chakra in an individual can lead to a healthy sense of self-expression, the ability to articulate and also listen, and ideal posture in the neck region. Someone who is confident in how they speak, honest and straightforward, can be honest, even when it's not easy, and show signs of a healthy throat chakra. One who brings more joy through their words is another example of someone with a powerful throat chakra.
Yoga is a fantastic way to connect with this energy center and bring it into balance. Here are some postures and classes that will help you enhance this powerful center of your body.
Poses for a Healthy Visshuda Chakra
Shoulderstand
Shoulderstand is a fantastic pose for Visshuda chakra. All of the energy in the body flows towards the throat chakra and excess stagnation flows out the back of the throat chakra.
Cobra
Cobra pose opens your heart and throat. You'll create spaciousness here, by holding this pose for several breaths and creating length between the bottom of your neck/throat and the base of your skull, which is a region where many of us carry tension.
Seated Spinal Twist
Twists rotate is the region of the head and neck. Your throat and neck get a nice rinse in this posture, physically and energetically. This posture in particular is connected to the Visshuda chakra and can help you let go of all of those unsaid things you might be carrying around energetically.
Wheel
Wheel pose opens several chakras in the body, and creates a deep opening in the throat chakra. Time spent in this pose lengthens the back of your neck and is a perfect counter-balance to too much time spent texting, driving, or on the computer.
Cat/Cow
Cat/Cow posture helps open your throat and the region of your neck. While this posture is usually done quickly, holding each part of this posture will help with a greater opening in the throat and neck.
Yoga is a path of self-improvement and self-discovery, where through practice and discipline, we can transform ourselves. Renowned ParaYoga founder and Tantra Yoga scholar Rod Stryker teaches, “We’re not transforming into something we aspire to,” he says. “We’re transforming into the very thing that we are innately: our best Self.”
We are all in different stages in our lives and our personal development is an individual process. Yoga gives us tools to shed the habits and patterns which may be holding us back from being our best selves. This week’s Yoga Alchemy Program with Mark Morford is a deep dive into your own personal physical, mental, and emotional metamorphosis.
What is alchemy and how does it relate to your yoga practice? Alchemy is an ancient tradition which attempted to transform lead to gold or silver and on a broader level, studied man’s relationship to the universe and how to harness the energy of the cosmos to live longer. Part of the scientific philosophy of alchemy sought to link the stars and the earth to give man tools for metamorphosis. Alchemy has often been viewed as part science and part magic––if ordinary metal could be transmuted into precious metal, what could alchemy do for humans?
Many renowned yoga philosophers compared hatha yoga to alchemy. “The siddha is a spiritual alchemist who works on and transmutes impure matter, the human body-mind, into pure gold, the immortal spiritual essence.” – Georg Feurstein, “The Yoga Tradition, Chapter 18: Yoga as Spiritual Alchemy: The Philosophy and Practice of Hatha Yoga.”
Yoga as alchemy is a process where through yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, and commitment to growth you can yield benefits and become your healthiest self. The physical practice is the entry point to deeper change in your mind and your heart. Yoga positively impacts your nervous system, your circulatory system, your digestive system, and strengthens your bones and muscles. If you’re ready to create profound improvements in your physical, mental, and emotional bodies, yoga can be your alchemic pathway to transformation.
Just like changing lead into gold is not an endeavor for one who isn’t determined, metamorphosizing into your brightest self takes significant effort. Mark Morford’s 8-class program requires dedication, discipline, and sweat. If you’re ready to put in the work to shed whatever is holding you back and boost your energy on every level, this program is for you.
Let me introduce the most common way I am cooking. I have an idea or too much of something at home waiting to be used up. So, I browse the web for a perfect recipe. I find several and then decide on one. Almost every time I decide that “this time I will be following the recipe to a t”. And almost every time I end up replacing half the ingredients, and changing the cooking time and ratios. This is what happened this time too. The base recipe is here, and I am sure it is delicious, but I have no way of telling for sure.
My version is definitely delicious and without knowing that the big part of the recipe is zucchini I don’t think anybody would understand. It is also a rather simple recipe that anybody could follow and does not require any cooking skills. And who doesn’t like chocolaty brownie-like muffins that are also relatively healthy?
Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Makes 24 tiny muffins
2 cups of grated zucchini (no need to squeeze out the excess water for this recipe)
½ cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 cup oat flour
½ cup almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup tiny dark chocolate chips
A sprinkle of salt
Preheat the oven to 360F and line the mini muffin pan with liners.
In one bowl mix zucchini, peanut butter, and vanilla paste.
In another bowl mix all the dry ingredients except for chocolate chips.
Then mix the content of the two bowls.
Fill the muffin cups halfway, then add half of the chocolate chips and cover it with the rest of the batter. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy and share with friends.
“Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think.” - Buddha
The way that you start your day can determine how the rest of it unfolds. Getting up in the morning can be challenging, and finding ways to get motivated and excited for the hours ahead isn’t always easy. If this resonates with you, know that it’s completely normal and you're not alone. But there are ways to change the way you feel for the better. One of the most effective ways to bring the right energy into your morning routine for a calm, happy, and flowing day is through mindfulness.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a quality of awareness that recognizes the present moment, including thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions. It brings us back to the present moment, as opposed to being stuck in thought loops about the past or the future. This calming awareness is a way to stay engaged in the here and now, as the grand observer, watching your thoughts and actions through neutral observation and releasing all anxiety, judgment, or criticism.
Bringing mindfulness into your morning routine can change your life. It can gently shift and lovingly adjust the way you think, feel, behave, view the world, and what you attract into your life. Mindfulness can assist in boosting your energy levels, minimize anxiety and depression, and help you feel centered and strong. It can also assist you in attracting more of what you truly want and need, enhance your positivity and creativity, increase your productivity, and bring your emotional reactivity down. All of this helps you to function from a place of wisdom rather than fear. It changes the way you make decisions and can actively shift the way your brain functions. This, in turn, can have a hugely positive effect on your memory, focus, and concentration.
There are so many different ways of introducing mindfulness into your morning routine, it is important to follow the routine that feels right for your needs. But for now, here are some suggestions on how to get started:
Get Enough Quality Sleep
First and foremost, it’s vital to allow yourself to get good quality sleep. The ability to allow mindfulness and conscious intention into our morning routines starts before you even get out of bed, by valuing your sleep. If you don’t have a strong foundation of healthy sleep, then it becomes very challenging to cultivate a mindful morning ritual.
Wake Up Early
Waking up earlier to incorporate a more mindful morning routine is a great way to move slowly through your morning ritual. Rushing is the opposite of being mindful. So, even though sometimes we feel like we could use those extra 30 minutes of shut-eye, sticking to your mindfulness ritual instead may bring you more energy and happiness throughout your day. Taking it slow as you prepare for the day puts you in a healthy and healing mindset for the day ahead. If you don't wake up early enough it's easy to get into a frantic, rushed state. You’ll take this frenetic feeling into the rest of your day, affecting everything you do.
Journaling is a healthy way for us to bring awareness to how we’re feeling and what emotional state we’re in. It’s a great way to start the day because it allows us to check in with ourselves, and write about anything we’re going through. If you’re experiencing emotional turmoil or going through a difficult time, getting it out on paper is hugely healing. Journaling is also a wonderful way to set intentions or goals for the day or to create a gratitude list.
Exercise
Practicing mindfulness through movement is a hugely powerful practice. This brings awareness to our bodies, breath, muscles, joints, posture, and any tension we might be holding on to. Everyone has a type of exercise that they love, whether it's yoga, running, walking, or anything else. Ensure that you exercise every morning and bring body awareness into your exercise routine. Doing any form of exercise, especially combined with conscious breath work, will have a hugely positive effect on your mood by releasing feel-good hormones. Start Stretching If exercise isn’t an option due to time, location, or physical restraints, then consider adding 10 minutes of stretching to your morning routine. It will help to wake up your muscles and get you in tune with how your body is feeling. Combine calming stretching with deep breathing and tuning into your body while you stretch. This awareness can carry you through the rest of your day.
If you are not used to meditating, don’t be afraid to try it. It may seem a bit daunting, but starting small and slow is the best way to introduce yourself to this incredibly healing practice. It’s such a fantastic way to bring awareness to your body, mind, heart, and emotional state. It’s super helpful in dealing with anxiety disorders, stress, and calming the nervous system. You don't have to jump into meditation for an hour a day if you aren't ready. Just taking 5 minutes in the morning to close your eyes, connect inwards, bring in some conscious breathing, and find a place of peace within yourself is all it takes to change your day.
Prepare a Healthy Breakfast
Starting the day with a nutritional breakfast full of vitamins and minerals that help you to be the most productive version of yourself is crucial. Your body needs fuel to function, and putting the right food into your body first thing in the morning is a great way to bring mindfulness into your morning. Practice mindful eating by closing your eyes and enjoying each bite. Bring your awareness to the different flavors, textures, and tastes.
Make Every Morning Mindful
Mindfulness is such a simple way of empowering yourself to create the day and life you want to lead. You can start by making small changes and work your way up to bigger ones as you go. Bringing a simple shift in your awareness, not rushing, and prioritizing your physical, mental, and emotional health are all wonderful ways to begin incorporating mindfulness into your morning ritual. Once you start doing this, the possibilities are endless.
By Donna Jefferson
Donna Jefferson is a writer, editor, and health and wellness enthusiast. Donna leads a fairly active lifestyle, and enjoys sweating it out at the gym or going on hikes with friends during her free time.
Never forget that rest is just as important as work!
Seasons are changing and the shifting hours of sunset and sunrise impact the quality of our sleep. And if like many of us, you’re busy juggling career and a personal life, sometimes it is tough to wind down from your adrenaline filled days. If you’re having a tougher time getting an excellent night’s sleep, you aren’t alone. By making some simple changes to your bedtime routine, you’ll be catching all your zzz’s in no time!
Sleep is essential for our well-being. We’ve all had those nights where we toss and turn, and we’re ruined the next day. Our brains are foggy, our appetites may be out of control, our mood can be cranky or depressed, and our bodies feel lethargic. Over time, sleep deprivation can cause more serious health issues so it’s important to have tools at your disposal when you find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m.
Certain yoga asanas and pranayama techniques can transform your restless, overactive mind and tense muscles. Passive gentle poses are the most effective ones to lower your blood pressure, soothe your nervous system, and relax your muscles. Balasana or child’s pose, stretches out tight muscles in your back while shifting your focus inward and away from external stimulation. Vipariti Karani, or Legs up the Wall pose is a supported inversion and taps into your parasympathetic nervous system, soothing your entire being. This week’s classes feature variations on these asanas and others to help you prepare for bed.
The way we breathe changes the way we feel. In addition to a gentle evening yoga routine, some simple pranayama or breathing techniques will make the difference between tossing and turning and restful sleep. Shallow, rapid breathing is a sign you’re in “fight or flight” mode and it’s important to slow down. If you need to relax, try Vishama Vritti or uneven breath fluctuations, specifically by extending your exhales twice as long as your inhales. So, inhale for a count of 4 and exhale for a count of 8, or whatever rhythm feels natural for you. To intensify the effect, retain the breath for a few counts in between, which will further relax you.
This week’s yoga classes are designed to help you relax and prepare you to sleep deeply. Sweet dreams!
Jackie Casal Mahrou - 20-Minute Bedtime Yoga
Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Yoga for Stress, Anxiety, & Insomnia
Rowdy Mermaid is a Colorado kombucha brand that’s sustainably sourced, herb-infused, and palatable for everyone (including toddlers!). Their beverages are all delicious, caffeine-free, and low-sugar, with added nutritional benefits from herbs and adaptogens.
We’ve been huge fans of Rowdy Mermaid for years! In fact, Jo used to teach Jamba in her first yoga classes over a decade ago. If you’ve been a part of the Conscious Cleanse community for a couple of years, you’ll probably recognize them from our Rowdy Mermaid Kombucha Sangria (which also pairs well with summer vibes).
We find that their Strawberry Tonic Kombucha pairs well with the blueberries in this recipe, but feel free to experiment with their other flavors.
If you try this recipe, let us know what you think! We love hearing from you.
With love and blueberry bliss,
The Conscious Cleanse Team
Blueberry Kombucha Pops
Yield: 6 popsicles
2 cups frozen blueberries 1 lime, squeezed ⅓ cup raw cashews 1 cup Rowdy Mermaid Strawberry Tonic Kombucha
In a high-speed blender place kombucha, frozen blueberries, lime juice, and cashews and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds placing a wooden stick into each (or follow the directions of your popsicle mold). Freeze until frozen, at least 8 hours.
Sanskrit is an ancient Indian language. It is similar to Latin in the sense that many modern languages have roots in Sanskrit, but it is not really spoken as a first language in modern times.
While many people are intimidated by yoga in general, they are more so because of words in a language with which they are not familiar. Sanskrit is an ancient language of India that today is spoken mostly by Hindu priests in religious ceremonies. Yoga studios are the other place where Sanskrit is most commonly used around the world in modern times.
You do not have to be fluent or know any Sanskrit to practice yoga or experience its benefits. However, if this aspect of yoga's history and lineage interests you, picking up on some common Sanskrit in yoga classes is a great bonus. It can be easier than you think to grow your Sanskrit vocabulary over time.
It is important to remember that yoga has a long history and lineage and acknowledging this through the use of Sanskrit is a fantastic way to do so. Yoga means ‘to yoke’ in Sanskrit.
Sanskrit is said to be a vibrational language, in which each word doesn’t just have a meaning, but also holds a unique vibration. Each Sanskrit word is believed to have its own consciousness, and hearing or pronouncing that word can connect you to that consciousness.
You’ll start to notice patterns in the language (like learning any other language) that will help you figure out pose names.
Here are some common Sanskrit prefixes in yoga, and how they show up in different poses: These are just a few to give you an idea of patterns of how similar words appear in multiple poses.
Example postures:
Ardha Uttanasana (Halfway Lift)
Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes pose)
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog)
Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute pose)
Example poses:
Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle)
Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Half Moon)
Utthita Hasta Padangustasana (Extended Big Toe pose)
Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle)
Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero's pose)
Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose)
Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, be strong, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason. - John Mayer
Whether you’re in a phase of life where everything feels joyous or traumatic or somewhere in between, remind yourself that everything is temporary. The only universal constant is change. If we can learn to release attachments to feeling or being a certain way, we can find more peace when navigating times of loss and grief. We can also accept that “good times” don’t last forever.
Yoga teaches us that everything is temporary. Everything. Yoga also provides tools for us to tap into our own well of resiliency and inner power. Resilience means being able to bend and not break. Resilience means we do our best even in times of seemingly insurmountable challenges because we know we will move forward and enter brighter days.
Pain is inevitable but suffering is our attachment to that pain. We’re not saying life is easy breezy or making light of dark days, we’re simply reminding you that you’ve got a well of inner strength to tap into to cope. Learning not to identify and hold onto that pain forever is vital to recovery.
Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. It’s also defined as the ability to bounce back into shape, to have elasticity, like a rubber band. With a regular yoga practice, we can become more physically resilient and resistant to injury and illness, and more emotionally and mentally resilient to manage grief and loss. Yoga can help you tap into your individual inner spirit, capable of handling even the unimaginable.
Asana, pranayama, and meditation are powerful practices that empower us to fortify our physical, emotional, and mental resilience. Mindfulness helps us recognize we can survive tough challenges and grow stronger from the experience. Of course, it’s not easy or simple but comfort exists in having a toolbox of practices which can help us cope.
This week's classes focus on using yoga to build resiliency. Whether you're processing grief, dealing with physical pain, or just want to feel brighter, you'll tap back into your center and your power to bounce back.
Shannon Paige - Meditation for Grief
Christen Bakken - Vinyasa Yoga: Rain and Rainbow
Michelle Marchildon - Relieve Your Back Pain
Kristen Boyle - Staying Power: Flow into Eka Pada Koundinyasana II