Amazing Therapeutic-grade Essential Oil!

I'm so amazed at the power of essential oils!  As an independent distributor of Young Living, I have so much fun playing with their products.  All their oils are therapeutic-grade, which, to me, technically means they're so safe for you, you can eat them!  You won't find any harsh preservatives or additives in them, where you will find in most oils in health food stores (unfortunately).  I'm not saying they're dangerous!  Personally, I'm committed these days to using health and beauty products that are truly organic and natural.

The blend from Young Living that I'm about to rave about is called, Purification.  It's a blend of citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), and myrtle.  You can diffuse this blend to cleanse and sanitize the air and neutralize mildew, cigarette smoke, and other odors.  It can also be applied directly to the skin to cleanse and soothe insect bites, cuts, and scrapes.

Lately, I've been using it on my pimples and blemishes!  I actually use a little less than a drop because it's that potent.  I've noticed that they haven't gotten any worse or inflamed, in fact, they're fading!  When I was young in middle and high school, I used to use those harsh products such as oxy pads and stridex, which literally just burned my skin.  Purification is so soothing and gentle, I barely feel it after applying it.  It also smells wonderful!

Some other ways I use this blend:

Air Freshner--take 2-4 drops of blend and mix with 8oz of filtered water in a spray bottle.  Change over after 3-5 days

Surface Cleaner--take 2-4 drops of blend and mix with 8oz of filtered water in a spray bottle.  Spray area and let sit for 15-20 seconds and wipe.  Change mixture over after 3-5 days.
**Note if you're going to clean wood surfaces, test a small area first and wait at least 24 hours before cleaning whole area.

Insight from yoga injury: Why yoga shouldn't hurt

 I found this article rich with information on how to protect yourself against injury in yoga class and in your own practice.  The author speaks from her own experience, and offers many other insights from very experienced yoga teachers and health professionals.

I have had a project going on in my left, inner knee for quite sometime, and it restricts me from doing certain poses such as lotus, and poses that require lots of flexion of the knee.  I feel this happened during a class in my teacher training, or in an intermediate yoga class, where I just pushed my body too hard, so I could stay up to speed with everyone else.  I remember going to the doctor for help, and then finally went to acupuncture, which did help a lot.  But I had to modify poses in order to protect my knee. This was really hard at first because, at the time, I was in teacher training and I didn't want anything holding me back.  Then I began to realize it's okay! You can still be a yoga teacher if you can't do a certain pose to its fullest.  Every body is different at every minute of the day,  and that should be honored in any form of exercise.  I'm not saying you shouldn't challenge yourself, but if you're doing something unconsciously just to get through it, that's where injury will happen.  I know one day my body is open to all poses in my practice or in a class.  Other days, it may need something different.

So I invite you to read this article, especially if you're new to yoga, but also a seasoned student or teacher.  There's lots of good advice and information.  It's nothing that will scare you off from doing yoga because there's so much to learn, experience, and yoga should be for everyone. 


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From Yoga Journal


Yoga Shouldn't Hurt
Buyer beware: An "all levels" vinyasa class might include umpteen Chaturangas, long holds of deep backbends, or pretzel-like poses that can strain your joints—and your ego—if you're not fully ready. As yoga grows in popularity, it becomes more and more important that you explore your own limitations and feel empowered to take care of yourself on the yoga mat, despite what others around you are doing. This week, we offer stories to help you arm yourself against injury.

• Insight from Injury

it just is

it just is the way is. so why can't i just accept it sometimes? it's those triggers that get ignited over and over. some a little more at times than others.  so i scream bloody murder to move the energy. i cry. i laugh. hard.  of course, when you're driving it's not always safe.  i take care and do my best.  but i don't want to feel guilty for feeling angry or sad.  i know my mom was just trying to protect me when i was in middle school when she said, "just act like it doesn't bother you."  but it truly does bother me! so i express it.  then when i need empathy it's not there. so i give myself empathy which isn't an easy thing.  it's better when someone can do it and hold that space. 

but it just is what it is. so embrace it with love and compassion, and trust that it will pass. 

Notes for work-in-progress performance piece

Ovular

two energies embodying eaches energies emotions bodies cycles pain mustered unforgiving drawbacks silouhetted paralled engaged acknowledged being women feminine support against conflicted struggle with away we are the same together every time pacing frustration sexual tension ovulating cramping bloated why must it be that way everyone every woman today past future young old youthful dried up it stops it doesn't goes on chemicals hormones sweat tears rage laughter release inside outside wallow abrupt candle flowing air earth water fire ground float or not

When I'm developing new work from new ideas, I usually free write after I play with movement.  It's a process I adopted from teachers and collaborators in my life.  I love doing this exercise because punctuation is not required.  Yes I could edit it after and make it into a crazy poem.  But, wow, the ideas that come out; the way the words are paired or proceed one another; and the context (if there is any).  It's very therapeutic to free-write like this in whatever state you're in.  Try it!

Patterns and Re-patterning

We all have patterns and habits of being.  They're neither good or bad because it's a way of survival through our experience.  I had a re-patterning session yesterday and I dug up a lot of "stuff" than I thought I would. I knew it was there, and had been there for quite sometime. 

My pattern(s) is I'm not worthy and I don't belong.  For years (and I'm going back to middle school), I always struggled to belong to something or with a "group." I need(ed) community, acknowledgment, to be seen, to be heard.  During my middle schools years, it usually got me in trouble or feeling more unworthy.  Then there were years when this pattern didn't show up as much, but came back (which is what they do. They never really go away!). 

Lately, for me, there was a certain person who kept popping into my mind.  A person, who was my friend for a few years, but then seemed to fall out of my radar and, eventually moved away.  It was when every time I would think of this person, it brought back these patterns and feelings.  I would say to myself "what is that about?!"  It was those feelings of not belonging.  There were times hanging out with this person, I felt not worthy enough to hang out with them.  Yep, I felt like 12 or 13 years old again.  I know I was done with that.  Maybe that's because we went our separate ways? I don't know.

During my re-patterning session, it was amazing the mind chatter that came up.  I really started to acknowledge it, which had never been done.  It brought up some tears of anger and sadness I had kept buried for years.  It was finally becoming known.  It was given the space that it longed for.  I felt a sense of freedom just saying it, "Why can't I be popular?" "What's wrong with me?" "Why did she have to be such a bitch?"  Just typing them brings on some relief.  After saying it, I had a huge belly release of laughter.  I had tingling sensations that traveled down into my feet.  The energy moved and is still moving! Feelings of compassion began to enter through me.  I didn't feel scared or unsure of myself.  I felt love.

At the end of the session, my coach suggested a new pattern to replace the old ones. A positive affirmation to say to myself everyday.  We came up with, "I am perfect just the way I am." When I said it out loud, it felt good.  I felt empowered and liberated.  Again, I was amazed at how much space I felt in my body.  Those patterns were really taking up a lot of space.

What are your patterns? What things do you say about or to yourself?  Write them down and see if you can track them. When did you first start saying these things? What was happening in your life?

I know it's a lot to think about and feel.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend with whatever they do! Take time to celebrate something going well in your life (i.e. a person, experience). It can be anything, big and/or small.  


I'm celebrating freedom.  My freedom to do whatever I want to do this weekend.


:-)

Integrative Dentistry

I'm very intrigued by this new and innovative practice of Integrative Dentistry. It focuses on the whole person, not just their mouth, teeth, and gums.  It's also eco-friendly, in that the dentists use more sustainable materials such as composite materials (instead of mercury for fillings), use digital imaging as opposed to x-rays, which reduce radiation exposure. 

During my Holistic Health Program, I remember the teacher mentioning Integrative Dentistry and sharing her experience with it.  For some reason , I put it aside because my story was that going to the dentist is expensive (unless you have decent dental insurance), whether you have insurance or not.  But then my boss went through a number of dental procedures to remove the mercury fillings she had in her mouth for years. My boss is very sensitive to certain substances such as certain foods, supplements, and other products. She's also a type-1 diabetic and, recently, got over a long, big bout of candida.  She's overall a very healthy person, especially with her diet.  But there was a period of time, whenever she would get her teeth cleaned, a day or two after, she would experience heavy-duty detoxing symptoms.  Even a metallic taste in her mouth. She decided to go to a dentist, who was more aware of these new dental practices, and have the mercury-filled fillings replaced.  After the two separate procedures, again her body went through another detox and she supported herself during this time with the help from her nutritionist and new dentist.  Once her body detoxed, the next time she had a teeth cleaning, no more symptoms of nausea, fatigue and sluggishness. Also, no metallic taste in her mouth!  

The article I read below, it got me interested and aware of Integrative Dentistry.  Aware that if we have a healthy mouth, we'll have a healthy body, mind and spirit.  As a yoga practitioner, I'm always honoring my whole body wherever it's at with compassion and love.  I never really think of teeth, even though it seems obvious that they're included. But we clean our teeth differently than we wash our hair.  

A little summary of the article is below with the link to the full article.  I invite you to read it, if you've had different issues with your teeth and gums. 

(From Yoga Journal Daily Insight)

Open Wide, Say "Ahhh"

Integrative dentistry is a new phenomenon. Instead of focusing only on your plaque or toothache or gums, an integrative dentist pays attention to the big picture: What other health issues might relate to the state of your mouth? What chemicals are you absorbing while your teeth are being repaired? How's your mental state while you're sitting in the dental chair?

To ease patients' pain and fear, these dentists use complementary techniques such as meditation and massage. And they prefer using materials and procedures that do as little harm as possible to the earth and their patients; using composite fillings instead of mercury amalgam is one example. Integrative dentists also offer alternative remedies such as arnica for pain and inflammation of the mouth. By replacing X rays with more costly digital imaging, they expose the patient to 75 to 90 percent less radiation, get clearer views of the tooth, and eliminate the need for the chemicals used to process X rays.

If you wait awhile, integrative dentistry is likely to come to you. Until then, try taking dental health into your own hands by cultivating self-awareness: Approach your mouth with the same consciousness as your yoga practice. Floss regularly, use a soft toothbrush, and be attentive to your diet—avoid sticky, chewy, carb-rich foods.

Read the full articles:

• Smile, Naturally