Category: Beautiful Things

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Beautiful Rituals Beautiful Things Yoga

Super Moon Sunday Evening


Super FULL Moon hang so big, so ripe ! So close, you can reach and touch it – the soft glow, hanging low brushing the horizon this evening …It was simply… BEAUTIFUL. Full Moon night class – if only they knew what they are missing … Loved having few mommies practicing for two (?) so analogous to tonight’s cosmic power – modified to shift it more pre-natal and therapeutic but the essence of my intention was there: To detox, so to purify and to reclaim the beginner’s mind that are full of possibilities.

Super Full Moon ritual starts from ME:) Activating my intentions as the super moon slowly rises higher up on the night sky seen through the trees. A mom-to-be with a ripened belly said – I want to be more powerful … That wish is granted – this is THE practice if you stick with it, that empowers you. More power comes not just from whipping yourself into shape, but knowing ways to quiet the agitation, balance the nervous system and enjoy the baby like quality sleep that allows you enjoy a wakeful conscious wholeness. When we are fully present, we find bliss –
in spite of the struggles, there’s emotional balance and the ease and bounce you have in your steps. Then … your body will thank you and decide there’s no longer any need to stock up on excess fat. We will slim down to a level that’s just … right. Left unhampered but supported, our body has an intelligence to know what it needs; what it doesn’t. It’s a full circle. Don’t worry so much.

Looking up at the sky, the full moon, as I feel the anticipation of soon graduating with my Yoga Therapist certification after 800 hrs. of training (unbelievable to me as well), I am feeling the ripened sense of accomplishment mixed with the sense of remembrance of what it means to be a beginner that I wish to be each day:

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities,
but in the expert’s mind there are few. ”
― Shunryu Suzuki

Categories
Beautiful Rituals Beautiful Things

DIY Homemade “China Gel”

Muscle Tensions? Tightness? Pain?

We can make our own muscle pain relief cream, gel, balm – what you might want to call and the following is the basic recipe. You could add lemongrass, frankincense, myrrh for additional aroma/healing qualities … but make sure to dilute and to do a patch test to see if there’s any sensitivities*:

1/4 – 1/2cup Coconut Oil – Melt and whip
1-2 teaspoons Beeswax pellets

(if you don’t have it – basically to keep the coconut oil from melting into liquid and provide the needed consistency for spreading on skin – just place whipped and in frig)

5 drops Camphor oil
5 drops Peppermint oil
5 drops Eucalyptus oil

(warning – just do not rub your eyes or for that matter, do not touch your face area when engaged in this fun project!)

OR if dealing coconut oil is a bit too messy for you, purchase a jar of natural Vitamin E cream then add the essential oils.
Blend and whip with a whisk or blender. Consistency of the cream is something to experiment with so start with the smallest batch to find the right ratio.
One should do a patch test on the arm to make sure the concentration of oils are just right and not too strong to cause skin irritations.

If cooled in frig., applying this cream is especially effective after a hot bath or shower. And even better DURING or AFTER a good yoga practice.

Give it try in your home spa:) spread it on shoulders, then have warm towels on them,
relax into a restorative pose for rejuvenation. Sighhhhhh

* Eleven year old boy’s favorite pose – supported but floaty bridge pose – after muscle strengthening series of warrior poses:) Then, there’s a mom-to-be, gestating new life – Reclining bound-angle pose is super yummy for others in need … to restore and renew their zest for life:) Bring on the calm, the alertness … recharge each day with a good mix of effort offset with ease. Rest. Balance.

**why homemade? As with anything, non-home balms with unknown ingredients, moderation in application is advised. As with exercise, more is not necessarily better – read this.

 

** Lavender and tee tree oils in a large doze are not recommended for men and boys.  What is large doze?  Just ask me directly.

Categories
Beautiful Things Healthy Living

Gifts from Jerusalem 


Was surprised to receive an array of herbal oils lugged over from the Holy Lands. Very curious to learn how these exotic oils are used in that part of the world. I already love Lemon Vebena oil – benefits for skin, moods and digestion – yes, but what about Sidr?  Can’t even imagine what it smells like as I look at the sealed bottle … and how about:

– cabbage oil?????
or
– cactus oil?

Is that like another breed of Aloe Vera? These are of course not for cooking but for medicinal use so very interested in exploring the herbs 🌿 used in self care in the holy lands. Had expected a key chain or something of that touristy nature; so thrilled to receive these precious petit bottles, ready to expand my apothecary knowledge.

Thank you for a generous souvenir 🙏  Thank you. Looking into medicinal herbs from the ancient times to go with the ancient practice of yoga and healing from Japan and around the world. Streams of dark news seem to keep coming but it’s within us to find the light within and give others even just a little … lift in this hard times of loss, sorrows and fear. In Chinese Medicine, Autumn is a season when we are acutely aware of that feeling of … sorrow … but also of COURAGE. There’s so much courage all around us … courage.

Let the flower of courage seeds germinate in the mula-bandha to take root from the sit bones; allow the seeds to fertilize in the gut to sprout towards your heart – nudge open the windows, let the light and breeze flow into your heart , let the warm sunlight our inward with the pure intention of lotus flower blossom at the heart center; let it be nourished and so it grows to the crown of your head and beyond – up and up towards the sky – towards the sun and the moon and the beautify all around.

Let it blossom

, one petal at a time into a full bloom – a glowing lotus blossom in full bloom, to light up all around you.

Find an affirmation that resonates or … create your own and see what happens to your breath.

I embrace today for it is a new day.
I move past fears to find courage.
I am ready for whatever today brings.
I am not a worrier but a warrior.
I possess the strength to find meaning.
I am filled with endless possibilities.
I am a person of great inner strength helped by the divine.
Today I release my attachment to perfection. (or whatever – fill in the blank)
Today I clearly see the beauty in a flower in every detail.
Today I allow my perspectives to shift with an open mind.
Today I am practicing honesty in all my thoughts, words, and actions.

*** *** ***

COURAGE

***

Namaste:)