yoga

The Healing Power Of Mantra Meditation

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mantra meditation

A Mantra is a Sanskrit word for “sound tool”.  Along with only a few other ancient languages, Sanskrit evolved as a complex system of onomatopoeia – where the sounds evoke movements of energy.  The sounds themselves create actual interactions or events, while resonating in different parts of the body and mind, like ‘Mantra Meditation’.

OM (AUM), SO HUM and SA TA NA MA are well studied mantras used for healing bodily tissues, lowering blood pressure, reducing bad habits and staving off Alzheimer’s.  In fact the Alzheimer Society uses Kirtan Kriya (SA TA NA MA) as an effective Kundalini Yoga meditation for brain and memory vitality.

Words like screeeeech, craaaaash and purrrrr are examples of English words that resonate both sound of meaning.  Cats will even vibrate their “purr” at certain frequencies to heal themselves from ailments.  Many animals (just like us humans) can be highly sensitive and greatly affected by the influx of sensory stimuli all around us.

Those wi-fi waves can mess with our natural and relaxed states.  They are invisible and subtle but very, very powerful!  Laying a foundation for the conscious construct of good vibes is where all the magic in relationships and family dynamics begin.

Mantra Meditation

Mantras are information, and in the Sanskrit language, it’s like an information sequencing system that mimics the process of nature’s repeating patterns.  As the Sanskrit scholar, Dr. Douglas Brooks has said, “Sanskrit tells us what Nature shows us.  The way Nature goes about doing its thing, Sanskrit goes about its language.”  Much like the way that music “moves” us and can bring us into different feeling and being states, Mantra uses sound to evoke movement of physical and emotional energy.  Stimulating the nervous system which then informs our experiences.  Click here to read, “Nervous System – What Conventional Medicine Doesn’t Want You To Know” for more information about your nervous system.

What Does All This MEAN?

It means that Mantras can positively or negatively “charge” and affect our feelings, emotions, and thought patterns, as well as the people and environments that surround us.  There are Mantras for anger, stress, grief, fighting, love, healing, addiction, insomnia, anxiety, asthma, joy…the list goes on and on!  Attune sound currents like a finely crafted symphony of sound and energy!

By repeating UPLIFTING & HEALING sound currents or “Mantras”, over and again, you’re intentionally attuning your mood and energy into a desired state with a specific sound current.  It’s like tuning an instrument to refine and manipulate its sound.  We can REDIRECT all our energy beyond the anger, fear and frustration (this is an act of self-love).  We know that our children absorb and pick up on the subtleties and nuances of our tones and expressions.  Even if it’s subconscious, it’s vibe passes through the nervous system.

We can feel wildly emotional when triggered and it feels good to release the ROAR!  In fact it feels “so good” and “so necessary” in the moment that we can hardly feel it flowing out the floodgates!  In the aftermath of heavy energy and hurt feelings, the guilt ensues.  That is unless we chime a new Mantra that is intentional and fueled by love.  In between the frustration and the ROAR is a beautiful, neutral, silent space.  If we can tap into that very small windowed space in time, we can change our reactive, ha-BITCH-ual rants, into Mantras that serve to transform, the current feel and mood and allow us to better RESPOND, Not REACT.  This will reverberate a ripple effect of positive vibes through the home, and the hearts & souls of your loves.

How To Use Mantra Meditation

A good place to start is by first recognizing your OWN Mantras.  Ask your kids and they’ll tell you straight up.  Just don’t take it personal because it’s not!  You can get the kids to talk about theirs too.  Once you catch on to your daily drone, you will have cultivated an awareness to continuously recognize it and switch on the GOOD VIBES.  You will notice your kids really digging your new energy and try to match it.  This is a fun way to watch an energy exchange in action.

Mimic exactly the vibe you want back from them and see what you get.  If you like the power packed punch of “swear” words, try shouting SAT NAM instead!  This means “true self” and it’s pronounced like, “but mom” (go figure) and will have you tapping into deeper states of joy, love, and gratitude in no time.  You can also use any words or sounds that FEEL uplifting and happy.  Come up with clever CODES to establish personal boundaries and other family agreements.

You can also use mantra or music in the background for hours on repeat.  Infuse your home with classical music, nature sounds, or other good vibe beats, that uplift your soul and give calm to your space.  FEEL out the new vibrations, give it some time and then see what you notice.  The ripple effect is real.  When WE do the work to EMPOWER ourselves, we EMPOWER our children.  What we put out is what we’ll attract.  Click here to learn How to Create Your Own Personal Mantra.

Got that Mantra ready?  Now get out there and start flexing your victorious vibes!
Sat Nam xo

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Conscious Lifestyle Design

About The Author:

Melanie Woolsey is an established Yoga Therapist, KundaliniYogini, and Ayurveda Practitioner with over 10 years of experience journeying through study, self discovery, healing and teaching. She is also a mama to one little guru who has been her greatest teacher yet.

Unraveling Emotional Cravings

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Natural Migraine Relief

Anxiety. Self-doubt. Sadness. Loneliness. Frustration. Boredom.

These emotions are can be quite uncomfortable. When they make an appearance it is a natural inclination to push them away- with food, alcohol, drugs, shopping, excessive exercise. I’ve done it all, but for many years my most reliable self-medicating drug of choice was sugar. With that sublime hit of dopamine, sugar temporarily softened the edge of anxiety and self-doubt. The problem was that the post sugar-fix trough was even more unbearable than the initial uncomfortable emotion.

I gave up sugar a year ago; as a result I needed a new strategy to deal with my emotional cravings. Here are a few tips based on my experience (I believe the same strategies can be utilized to deal with emotional cravings for drugs, alcohol, shopping, etc.):

Address cravings directly by asking questions:

• Am I craving this because I am hungry? If not, what is going on? Am I looking for a hit of dopamine?

• Am I hoping to numb an unpleasant feeling by eating this item? If so, can I sit with this feeling for a bit?

• Where is this feeling stemming from? Is the feeling irrational?

• Is there something else I can do to address this feeling?

Make a list of things you love to do. When you recognize an emotional craving commit to trying one (or more) of these activities. For example:

• take a walk
• listen to a podcast
• cuddle with a partner/pet
• call a friend
• do yoga
• paint/draw/journal
• listen to a favorite song
• read a book or a magazine

Understand that freedom from emotional cravings is a process.

Don’t sink into self-loathing if you have a bit of a backslide. Forgive yourself and move on. You can choose to learn from the experience and be better equipped to deal with the next emotional craving.

The ability to understand the process is transformative. I am NOT cured of emotional eating. Just the other day I was experiencing a mental block while working on a big project and frustration was creeping in. I could feel the frustration transitioning to anxiety and suddenly I was daydreaming about almond butter. I could clearly envision sliding open the silverware drawer, grabbing a spoon, opening the fridge and reaching for the jar. How enjoyable a fat scoop of almond butter would be! But because I’ve been practicing, I was able to pull back and became an observer of my thoughts. It was interesting that the uncomfortable feelings led to the almond butter jar. I asked myself a few questions: Was I hungry? Nope. Was I experiencing an emotional craving? Yep.  

I turned to my tried and true anxiety remedy: I went outside. I took a hike in the woods. I stopped to notice the new buds forming on the plants and trees, to appreciate the bright green ferns poking out of the layer of decayed fall leaves. I watched the birds and listened to them calling to one another. The walk was refreshing and renewed a deep sense of appreciation in my soul. But when I returned and tried to sit once again with my project the frustration came rushing back. I clearly wasn’t done with my mental break yet.

So I played one of my favorite inspirational podcasts and cleaned out a cupboard. And you know what? The podcast happened to be about the very issue with which I was seeking guidance! I gratefully received the inspiration I had been craving, I felt accomplished about my tidy cabinet, and I had subsequent success with my project. All without almond butter!

If you are dealing with emotional cravings, they can feel impossible to resolve. Know that you have all the tools you need to start the unraveling process: awareness, a plan, and self-compassion!

______________________________

Blog by Guest Author:

Katie HarrisonKatie Harrison

I am a teacher, a Primal Health Coach, and a resident of a tiny Alaskan town. My husband and I live in a 384 square foot wood-heated cabin without running water. We love to play outside, catch fish, and forage for wild plants.

You can find me on my website, Awaken Your Glow, and Instagram.

https://www.awakenyourglow.com/

https://www.instagram.com/awakenyourglow/

What is the Best Type of Exercise for My Body?

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Best Type of Exercise for My Body

There is so much conflicting information about the best way to exercise. How do you know what is best for you?

Our bodies were designed to withstand the need to make surges of speed, but not to withstand long distance running. Our ancestors would run short distances to get out of harm’s way, to chase down dinner or to help a friend in need. We were not designed to run for great distances over long periods of time.

There are many forms of exercise that bring this principle into effect, such as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), where you work out as hard as you can for a short duration of time, potentially even for only 45 or 60 seconds (which seems like a lifetime when you’re doing as many push ups as you can!!) and then resting for the same timeframe or a little less. This kicks your metabolism into high gear, adds a significant surge of adrenaline into your body to keep up with this form of exercise and pushes your body to grow and develop muscle and improves your fitness.

The opposite form of exercise would be traditional cardio. You jump on a treadmill or hit the road for 30-60 minutes of fast walking or jogging until the time is up. Sustained movement for a long period of time, generally at the same pace and difficulty level to make your body move and cooperate. Cardio can help to lower your resting heart rate, increase your good HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure, as well as improving circulation, blood flow and lymphatic drainage.

But cardio can also cause your body to produce higher levels of cortisol which can stimulate your appetite, increase fat storage and inhibit recovery.

How is this possible when exercising is supposed to be helping you lose weight and/or get fit? It has to do with the hormones that are released with each type of exercise. Cardio can decrease testosterone production and HIIT can improve your growth hormone levels while lowering your insulin resistance to help regulate blood sugar and reduce fat storage.

What is the best form of exercise for me? How do I know?

The best form of exercise for you is the one that you will actually do!! The risks of a sedentary lifestyle are much worse than the risks involved with either HIIT or cardio. Additionally, there are many other forms of exercise that offer corresponding benefits and risks, such as yoga, pilates, rebounding, kickboxing, hiking, crossfit and many others!

So talk with your natural health practitioner about what he/she would recommend as the best form of exercise for your personal situation and do that! Fall in love with joyful movement – find something you love to do and do it often. Or mix it up and take on different forms of exercise to keep your body guessing and working toward your optimal fitness levels. Have fun!

With Sources from:

http://drhardick.com/say-no-to-traditional-cardio

Put A Little Namaste In Your Life

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Namaste in your life yoga

If you are like me, I’ve often been intimidated to go to a public yoga class because of all the yogi terms that I’m not familiar with. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, as I floundered on my mat, attempting to mimic what the teacher was doing.

Instead, I’ve always opted to do yoga in the comfort of my own home. Thankfully, I’ve learned a lot of the “yoga talk” by now and could probably follow along in a public class but I have to admit, the first few times I did yoga, I felt like a fish out of water. There was a whole new vocabulary that I wasn’t familiar with and it made me wonder if others feel the same way. 

Yoga has offered me a new way of life. My online teacher always talks about the healing benefits of yoga, and in the moment, I didn’t really feel like it was doing much for me. But I persevered. After a couple off months of a consistent yoga practice, I started to get what she was talking about. I felt like I was processing my feelings differently, and I was more in tune with my body.

The Sanskrit language is often used in yoga practice to describe the poses or postures that are done. We are going to break down some of the most common terms used, to hopefully make you more comfortable in a yoga class.

Guru: The English language has adopted the use of this Sanskrit word to indicate someone who is an expert in their field of study. For example, he/she is a technology guru.  However, when used in a yoga class, guru refers to a person who is a spiritual mentor or teacher.

Mantra: A mantra is an instrument of the mind, where a sound or phrase is used to enter a state of meditation or intention.

Mudra: During a yoga practice different hand gesture or mudras are used. Two very common mudras are anjali mudra, where the palms are pressed together and are positioned in front of the heart and gyana mudra where the index finger and thumb are touching.

Savasana: This is a yoga pose that is usually performed at the end of the yoga practice. It is also known as the corpse pose, where you are lying flat on your back, legs are extended and palms are at your sides and are facing upwards. This pose is meant to ignite total body relaxation so you can assimilate the benefits of your yoga practice.

Namaste: This is usually said at the end of a yoga practice and it literally means, I bow to you. Much like a prayer is ended with Amen, a yoga class normally ends with Namaste.

Prana: Prana describes the life force in the body.

Pranayama: Yoga utilizes the breath to inspire motion, and pranayama defines the control of the breath. It is a conscious control of breath inhalation, retention, and exhalation.

Now that you are familiar with some common yoga terms, it’s time to put a little Namaste in your life. Roll out your mat and get comfortable with your yoga practice.

Have you heard of this miracle oil? You should be using it!

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essential oil frankincense

Frankincense is derived from the tree sap (or resin) of the Boswellia trees. In ancient times, Frankincense was used as medicine to treat digestive issues and leprosy. The resin would be consumed to promote healthy skin and a healthy digestive system. The majority of the world’s Frankincense comes from the country of Somalia, but can also be found in Ethiopia and Sudan.

More recently, through steam distillation, the tree resin or sap has been produced into an essential oil that can be used topically or diffused into the air.

Touted as the “king of oils,” the benefits of Frankincense essential oil are far reaching. The spectrum of uses range from aromatherapy and relaxation to the eradication of cancer cells in the body. 

Top 5 Everyday Uses of Frankincense Essential Oil

  1. It has beneficial properties that promote good skin health, wound healing and acne healing. It can be rubbed into the skin using a carrier oil such as coconut oil.
  2. Due to it’s calming effect on the body, Frankincense is perfect to add to your bath water or diffuse while doing yoga or meditating.
  3. To improve air quality in your home and eliminate bacteria in the air, diffuse Frankincense essential oil regularly.
  4. During cold and flu season (or anytime of the year to prevent getting sick) it can also be used to boost the immune system due to its antiseptic properties. 
  5. Frankincense is a powerful anti-inflammatory and can be used to reduce joint paint and soreness.

When selecting Frankincense essential oil, or any essential oil for that matter, it is crucially important to select a company that produces therapeutic grade oils, that have been derived from organic, natively grown plants. To determine if an oil is therapeutic, it is important to ensure the extraction process was done at low temperatures, for a long period of time and that no solvents were used in the extraction.

It is also important that the essential oils you are purchasing are derived from the first extraction because some companies re-use old plant materials which produces a lower quality end product. In some instances, to improve the aroma of the oils, synthetic chemicals are added to the finished product, which again, have a negative impact on the quality of the oil.

When considering the purchase price of essential oils it is important to understand that to produce pure essential oils, it requires a large volume of plant material to make each specific oil. For example, to produce one 15ml bottle of lavender essential oil, it takes 30 pounds of lavender flowers. A very inexpensive bottle of lavender oil is a good indication that it isn’t from a pure source.

How to Apply/Use Oils

For best results, use three or four drops of Frankincense essential oil in a diffuser or apply one or two drops topically to the skin. It is recommended that a carrier oil is used to dilute the essential oil and to avoid potential skin irritation. A carrier oil, for example, could be sweet almond oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, or any other oil of your choice. Put a dollop of carrier oil in your hand and add the drops of essential oil to it, then rub on your skin.

I’m Single. Why Does Valentine’s Day Matter?

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Valentine's Day

It doesn’t matter if you are attached or single on Valentine’s Day! The message that should be portrayed goes much deeper than getting chocolates from a secret admirer.

Sadly, the confectionary and stationery companies have gotten ahold of this once-sacred holiday and turned it into another opportunity for consumption.

If you are able to look past spending money on teddy bears, chocolates, flowers and lace, you will begin to see that there is a beautiful side to the now-commercialized holiday.

The message that shines through from the deeper side of this holiday is the importance of taking a moment to appreciate love, the wonderful people in our lives and to take a minute to shower each other with gratitude.

In present day, that gratitude can equate to purchases, but at the roots of the holiday, the message is love and appreciation.

However, the most important aspect of the love and appreciation we share on this day can sometimes be forgotten.

Self Love!!

What are you doing today to celebrate your SELF?? Your incredible value, your consciousness, your health and your life? Often, it’s too easy to forget about our selves and care for everyone else, showering them with all of our love, kindness, support and help, and we forget to leave some for ourselves!!

It is very difficult to fill someone else’s cup if yours is empty.

This week, in honour of Saint Valentine, spend some time with yourself, working on your self care, and noticing how you feel.

Spend time doing things that you love to do, take a time out and close the door. Remember back to less stressful times, or maybe when you actually had TIME! and think of things you used to love to do. If you have a hobby that you haven’t picked up in awhile, return to it and experience the joy of doing things you want to do, rather than things you have to do!

Maybe your self care is making time to have a luxurious bath without your children banging the door down. Ask for support when you need it – and have someone help you out so that you can take a bit of time for yourself.

Or maybe you love yoga and rarely get the chance to go to a class. If you have responsibilities at home that make it difficult to go to a class, bring one to you!! There are many amazing yoga classes on YouTube that you can do right at home. Look for an online teacher that is at your speed and make time to enjoy this practice. Get lost in your breath and breathe joy and love back into your life.

Whatever you choose to do to create space for some self care, it’s also important to focus on self love. Develop a mantra that you can say to yourself every day that makes you feel important, appreciated, beautiful, loved, healthy and supported. It is so important to develop a deep love for yourself and treat yourself how you treat your best friend – with kind, supportive words and overflowing love and kindness.

5 Tips You Must Know to Destroy Stress Today!

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What are you doing to manage your stress? It seems like every day we are inundated by more and more triggers, and the world just seems to be speeding up.

If you can’t keep up, what if you just stopped? What if you just turned off the pace of the rest of the world and went inside for a bit?

The thing is, most of the daily stresses in our lives will not matter in five years. Maybe not even in 5 days! But they are serious triggers in a moment-by-moment day.

Obviously, there are the major stresses, such as the passing of a loved one, major life decisions, new career opportunities, relationships ending and children arriving into your life, but for the daily stresses, how can we manage that better?

Most of us are on the clock.

The majority of stress is because we have way too many things to complete in a day, than the clock gives us time to do!

It’s always speeding up and the to-do list tends to continue to grow.

Between responsibilities at home, at work, at your children’s school, caring for aging parents, creating healthy meals, working on your relationships and squeezing in a little social time, it is really hard to balance everything that life demands of us.

Here are some tips that will sound crazy, and your stressed-out brain will say “ABSOLUTELY NOT! I HAVE NO MORE TIME IN THE DAY FOR ANYTHING!”

But I promise you, that after just a couple weeks, (and in some cases just a couple of days) your life will feel more put together than you could ever imagine in this moment.

1. Quit Sugar, Quit Caffeine, Quit Smoking, Quit Drinking (Yes, you read that right!)

All of these substances wreak havoc on your adrenals and your stress response system. Your body does not need any other external stresses to deal with, and sugar, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are all very serious triggers for your body. It sends your body out of equilibrium by introducing external substances that are meant to excite or depress you. Your body must fight to expel these substances and adds an extra burden to your health.

Stop the sugary foods – pasta, breads, rice, muffins, cereal, and focus on consuming a colourful plant based diet. Limit your caffeine intake to one coffee per day, no more soda and no more energy drinks! Even switching to herbal tea would make a huge impact! Get off the cigarettes and curb your evening wine or drinks. It all interferes with your entire system.

2. Begin a Daily Stress Reduction Practice

Even for 5 minutes a day, sit in a relaxed position and let you mind focus on gratitude. Focus on your breath, the easiest thing you can be grateful for. Follow your breath and feel its powerful rhythm. Enjoy the moment between inhalation and exhalation – the pause – as there is power in the stillness. This little bit of time will help to centre you for your day.

3. Move that Body!

Seriously, for even 15 minutes a day. Turn the music up and dance! Or speed walk around the neighbourhood with your family. Be silly, take turns seeing who can walk the fastest! Get your heart rate up and have fun! Try a class at the gym, do a yoga video on YouTube, or try a high intensity interval training session. Just move it more often and your body will reward you by feeling energized and more alive.

4. Master Your Mind

Decide what demands your attention and what can wait. Prioritize your to-do list and understand that you can only do what you can do. Try to stop focusing on staying ahead of the clock. What are you rushing against anyway? We all end up in the same place, so why rush through life so quickly?

5. Get Adjusted!

Your spine needs to be in alignment to let you function at 100%! Get adjusted regularly and know that the interferences that find their way into your spine via stress, injuries, repetition and toxins are being removed by your Doctor of Chiropractic.