Summer is Pitta Season!

As the summer solstice marks the official beginning of the summer season, the energy shift brings our attention to the intentional care and keeping of body, mind and spirit in order to avoid “Pitta imbalances.” Ayurveda teaches that we are all unique in our dosha (constitution) makeup and that we all have unique percentages of the three: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. In each season, the change of weather patterns and temperatures, seasonal foods/diet, daylight hours, and general seasonal habits we might adopt, may be offsetting to the consistent daily practices necessary to support our unique makeup. Pitta imbalances tend to come in the summertime and to be sparked by heat, dehydration, spicy foods, … common to the summer season. Therefore we should look to the ways we can fend off any Pitta imbalance tendencies.  Our yogic and Ayurvedic practices are the ideal ways to learn more about ourselves, and to create daily and weekly supportive practices.  See pp. 13 – 24 of our book, Essential Yoga Practice to take a dosha quiz and understand more on each dosha.  In self-study we note our “reactions,” so as to be more mindful to practicing with intelligence in all aspects while creating new habits of self-care. Since pitta energy is hot, fiery, intense, sharp, penetrating, it makes sense that we balance Pitta dosha with calming, soothing and pacifying foods, environments, actions and energy.

In looking to our yoga asana practice, we want to be more slow and methodical in choosing asana sequences. In addition, connecting to the energy of the earth by practicing outdoors, inspired by the vibrancy of colors and fruitful energy of the season, is a healthy way to get grounded. Remember to stay well hydrated, protect yourself from damaging sun rays and irritating bugs, practice during cooler hours and try to be consistent in the time of your practice.  Use essential oils/aromatherapy known for their ability to calm and soothe certain emotions that tend to be related to pitta dosha:  cardamom, cedarwood, frankincense, geranium, helichrysum, roman chamomile, spearmint, thyme, wild orange, ylang ylang, lemon, lavender, sandalwood, peppermint, vetiver, rosemary, wintergreen, and spikenard.  In the coming weeks we will share more on all of these points from the perspective of Ayurveda.

Last summer we created and shared our own unique “Pitta Blend” of aromatherapy (See our June 2017 blog post on Pitta Season at www.essentialyogapractice.com), using a 10 ml roller bottle and the following recipe of essential oils added in this order:

·                                 12 d Lavender

·                                 6 d Peppermint

·                                 8 d Hawaiian Sandalwood

·                                 6 d Spikenard

·                                 2 d Indian Sandalwood

Fill the rest of the bottle with Fractionated Coconut Oil, roll on pulse points to enjoy this Pitta balancing aromatherapy, and/or topically around the liver (under the ribcage from the front or back body) to help counter feelings of irritability common in summertime heat. We would love to hear about your aromatherapy and yoga asana practices in the summertime!

Want to learn more as you grow your own practice?  Sign up for our 2 week online course, Essential Yoga Practice Sangha, starting July 30, a perfect way to start learning about the art of pairing yoga with essential oils if you are new to either. If you are a yoga teacher and member of Yoga Alliance, an additional section of the Sangha can qualify you for all 10 of your online CE hours. Click HERE for more information and to get registered.

International Yoga Day!

Happy first day of Summer to our Essential Yoga Practice friends!

Officially the first day of summer aligns with the Summer Solstice, June 21, and the International Day of Yoga! Across the globe yogis unite with collective efforts through the practice of yoga: asana, pranayama, meditation, Ayurvedic practices, contributing to the spreading of “how and why” to practice by doing. Additionally, these collective efforts are in part to raise the level of consciousness, to strive for peace practices and to foster global healing.  In many communities, there are organized events aimed to increase awareness of our passion and understanding in practicing yoga.  The Summer Solstice, as an auspicious day, gives us opportunity to “start anew,” with resolving to specific goals, learning something new, or turning a corner as our way to mark stepping stones on our journey of evolution.  These opportunities require our awareness and presence, key principles in our yogic journey, both personal and collective. What we focus on expands, so now is the time to embark on our next steps! Building community is key to this global mission, now in the fourth year, as the United Nations declared June 21 and International Yoga Day in 2015.  The understanding of how this day is marked by great energy and can hold our attention to intention is empowering! What will you be inspired to do with the energy of this day? What will your yoga practice be like? Do you have a special mantra to lead you?  Share with us some of your practice and intentions to be entered to win a “Peace essential oil blend.”  We will select the winner at the end of the month, so this gives time for you to focus on your steps as we “Spring into Summer,” and acknowledge the significance of June 21!  Read on the history of International Yoga Day.  Sign up for the free Yoga Day Summit HERE. Sign up for our two-week online course, Essential Yoga Practice Sangha, starting July 30, a perfect way to start learning about the art of pairing yoga with essential oils if you are new to either. If you are a yoga teacher and member of Yoga Alliance, an additional section of the Sangha can qualify you for all 10 of your online CE hours. Click HERE for more information and to get registered.

Chakras

Chakras consist of 7 energetic centers located along the spine. In eastern medicine, these energy centers have long been recognized as key components in our ability to achieve happiness, and in Maslow’s terms “self-actualization.” When we have free, clear-flowing energy in each distinct chakra, it impacts a certain part of our life.

The great thing is, there are many ways to approach opening your chakras and ensuring that the energy is not only flowing, but flowing in the right direction. As you read the information below, choose an action you’ll take with each chakra and experiment opening your chakras today. We’d love to hear how you feel afterwards!

Start the process with a drop of a grounding blend that you apply to the bottoms of your feet, then use a protective blend to communicate to your body and spirit that opening up at this time is a safe and supported process.

The Root Chakra, Muladhara:

· This chakra is located at the base of the spine and represents our roots – your family of origin, how you fit in, it concerns matters of survival such as food and shelter.
· Associated with the color red – focus on red; wear it, eat foods of this color, intentionally look at artwork featuring this color
· Put a drop of Bergamot, Vetiver, Ginger, Myrrh, or Patchouli essential oil in your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. You can also apply a drop to the bottoms of the feet and to the base of the spine. Rub in a clockwise manner.
· Meditate with the sound “LAM,” taking deep breaths until you feel relaxed

The Sacral Chakra, Svadhishthana:

· This chakra is located about 2 inches below the navel and is our creation center. It concerns well-being in the areas of sexuality and feelings of abundance.
· Associated with the color orange -- wear it, eat foods of this color, intentionally look at artwork featuring this color
· Put a drop of Sandalwood, Orange, Geranium, Cedarwood, or Jasmine essential oil in your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. You can also apply a drop to the bottoms of the feet and to the abdomen about 2 inches below the navel. Rub in a clockwise manner.
· Meditate with the sound “VAM,” taking deep breaths until you feel relaxed

The Solar Plexus Chakra, Manipura

· This chakra is located just above the stomach and represents well-being in the areas of self-confidence, self-worth and self-esteem. It’s how we perceive and feel about ourselves.
· Associated with the color yellow -- wear it, eat foods of this color, intentionally look at artwork featuring this color
· Put a drop of  Juniper, Neroli, Lemon or Peppermint essential oil in your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. You can also apply a drop to the bottoms of the feet and to the area above the stomach. Rub in a clockwise manner.
· Meditate with the sound “RAM,” taking deep breaths until you feel relaxed

The Heart Chakra, Anahata

· This chakra has to do with our ability to give and receive love. In yoga, we want to direct the balanced and open energy from the bottom three chakras to the heart, direct the energy from the chakras above the heart to the heart, and then lead with the heart in all things…this is our true center and helps us live lives of peace and happiness.
· Associated with the color green -- wear it, eat foods of this color, intentionally look at artwork featuring this color
· Put a drop of  Bergamot and/or Ylang Ylang essential oil in your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. You can also apply a drop to the bottoms of the feet and to the heart. Rub in a clockwise manner.
· Meditate with the sound “YAM,” taking deep breaths until you feel relaxed

The Throat Chakra, Vishuddha

· This chakra has to do with our ability to express our truth, to communicate in an authentic way
· Associated with the color blue -- wear it, eat foods of this color, intentionally look at artwork featuring this color
· Put a drop of  Geranium, Bayberry, Chamomile or Myrrh essential oil in your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. You can also apply a drop to the bottoms of the feet and to the throat. Rub in a clockwise manner.
· Meditate with the sound “HAM,” taking deep breaths until you feel relaxed

The Third Eye Chakra, Ajna

· This chakra is located in the center of the forehead and is connected to our ability to focus and approach life with imagination, wisdom and intuition
· Associated with the color purple -- wear it, eat foods of this color, intentionally look at artwork featuring this color
· Put a drop of  Lavender or Camphor essential oil in your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. You can also apply a drop to the bottoms of the feet and to the forehead. Rub in a clockwise manner.
· Meditate with the sound “OM,” taking deep breaths until you feel relaxed

The Crown Chakra, Sahasrara

· This chakra is located at the top of the head and is related to our ability to connect with our higher power and live connected to source, as our highest, best selves
· Associated with the color white -- wear it, eat foods of this color, intentionally look at artwork featuring this color
· Put a drop of  Frankincense or Lavender essential oil in your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. You can also apply a drop to the bottoms of the feet and to the top of the head. Rub in a clockwise manner.
· Meditate with the sound “OM,” taking deep breaths until you feel relaxed

Post on one of our Social Media pages to let us know how you are feeling after doing one or all of the chakra opening practices. You can learn much more about chakra opening and balancing by attending our Essential Yoga Sangha starting the last week of July, it’s a perfect way to start learning about the art of pairing yoga with essential oils if you are new to either. If you are a yoga teacher and member of yoga alliance, the Sangha can qualify you for all 10 of your online CE hours. Click HERE for more information and to get registered.

Live Authentically, Align the Energy of Your Chakras

Have you ever pondered your motivation or inspiration for decision making…or less formally, doing what you do? Common reasons include: wanting to please someone so we can get approval or deliberately making a choice we think will really displease someone, trying to receive some type of reward/compensation or trying to avoid pain/negative consequence, trying to avoid confrontation or trying to cause a confrontation. Sometimes we make decisions when we are in fight, flight or freeze (we rarely make good decisions when we are in one of those modes).

Ultimately, we want to become more aware of what we want to be, have, do and experience, so that we make our decisions based on intention …and by so doing we live deliberately. But what if you are making your “intentional” decisions based on the wrong motivating factor (such as someone else’s approval)? Then the brilliance you were born with may get stifled beyond recognition, and the rest of us may never get to experience the gift that is uniquely you.

So….what is the best motivating factor for decision making, and how do we tune into it? There are 3 levels we make decisions with. The first level is with our head …. That’s where all the “mind-talk” described in the first paragraph comes in. We can make decisions while we are in level one, but those decisions end up either being fear-based or inauthentic, neither of which leads to our best homework.

The second level is with our heart. When we make decisions from the heart, we make decisions from a place of faith and hope in ourselves and in our future, and we start to live authentically. Making decisions from level two can help us not only to live with an overall awareness of what we want to be, do or have but can also help us make decisions in the moment.

The third level is when we align our heart with our higher power. When we make decisions on this level, we are experiencing the result of proper chakra alignment. The 4th chakra is the heart of intuition and all energy – we want to bring the energy of the chakras above to the heart, energy from chakras below to the heart, then lead from the heart in all that we do. Ponder that powerful idea for a moment…when we are able to keep our chakras open and allow our root, sacral and navel chakras to create a foundational energy for the heart….and align the throat, third-eye and crown chakra (thus we align ourselves with inspiration, intuition, our best selves and our higher power) and allow the heart to lead with this alignment, our decisions will be firmly grounded.

Obviously this is a process easier said than done. Yoga with “heart openers” allows us to support that energy pattern in our bodies. You can also use aromatherapy to help you open the chakras and root and lift your heart so that your decisions are based on your best self. See pages 27 - 29 and the Chakra Chart on pages 30-31 in Essential Yoga Practice for a list of suggested essential oils and other ways to balance chakras, and determine to live as your best self, and to allow your unique brilliance to shine.

To learn more about chakras, yoga and aromatherapy whether you are a seasoned yoga teacher (needing CE hours) or whether you are brand new to yoga and aromatherapy, you’ll love our 2-week course, Essential Yoga Sangha starting July 30th, 2018. To register and for more information, go here .

How Being Present & Connected Helps us Solve Problems

It’s interesting to ponder on the themes of awareness and connection to the earth (see our blog posts for the month of May), and really get a sense for the power we can access when we master even simple skills and habits in these areas. Let’s add one more element to the mix, that of being present, which as you may already know, is our only point of real power.

Spending time thinking or worrying about the past, for any reason other than participating in energy healing or gaining a point of reference that will help us in the present is not going to benefit us … because the past has already happened. Spending time worrying about the future will also not bring any benefit, because the future hasn’t happened yet. Planning for the future is different … planning helps guide our present actions in a way that keeps us on the path for what we want to accomplish or experience in the future. But even with planning, we must realize the only moment in time where we have any real power to change or do anything is RIGHT NOW, this very moment.

And the power of right now boils down to focused action in the present. Being present in the present. Let’s consider some areas that might benefit greatly if we simply made the commitment to stay connected and present in the present. The first on our list: relationships. How many times do we really allow worries, to-do lists and projections of advice interfere with really being able to listen to someone important to us and enjoy their company in the most carefree way possible? How many little disagreements, misunderstandings or feelings of unimportance might be mitigated or altogether eliminated if we simply choose to listen to and experience one another in the present moment?

Brain specialists teach us that when we are “multi-tasking” we aren’t really multi-tasking. There’s actually no such thing as multi-tasking …. Instead, we train ourselves to become as adept as possible at jumping between one thing to another. But they know from research and experience that we are actually much more productive if we stay focused on one thing long enough to accomplish our goal in that area. Likewise, research on the use of media and how it impacts individuals has shown that in our “trigger-happy” world, in which anything you might be enticed by is just one click away, many people don’t have an attention span longer than a goldfish! (8 seconds)

Think of how lack of focus, or mental “multi-tasking” affects your relationships – when you have a brilliant opportunity to enjoy and enhance the present.

How about work? All of us have to make a living, and some of us are actually doing what we love to do. Others may be dreaming about what they’d love to do. Here’s an interesting question, no matter which side of the fence we are on: If you were somehow able to give yourself focused work time while you are at work (no thoughts of what you need to do later, no worries about how people might react or receive you, just pure focus on the task at hand and being the best person to do it in any given moment) …. How do you think that might change your life? Could it bring you the success and/or promotion and/or raise you’ve been dreaming about? It probably wouldn’t hurt.

How about play, recreation or down time on your own or with loved ones? Are you someone who goes on vacation only to sit on a beautiful beach with your laptop, or do you really experience the waves and the breeze and the pina coladas? Do you really play? Are you in the photos or behind the camera, on the sidelines? Or better yet, just in the business of making memories? How involved do you really get in seeing the sights, hearing the sounds, smelling the smells, touching and interfacing with the experience? It’s definitely something to think about.

Chances are that if you have a cell phone, you’ve utilized the memory feature that helps you optimize your memory by combining files and releasing anything that isn’t serving or optimizing your phone’s performance at the time …. There were some things the phone was holding on to that reduced or impaired its ability to function. This is what happens to us when we try to multitask instead of focusing on the present. What if, instead of worrying and thinking about work, play AND relationships all throughout your day, you actually chose when you were going to focus on each …. And then unabashedly did it? That’s the challenge for today. Choose your focus times – then practice being completely present during those time periods. We’d love to hear how that goes!

And if you want to enhance your performance, use some focus-enhancing yoga poses such as  Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III), Garudasana (Eagle),  Nataranjasana (Dancer’s Pose), any active inversions/arm balances,  and some focus-enhancing essential oils such as frankincense or wild orange together with peppermint….put a drop of each in your hands and inhale. Interestingly, pure aromatherapy can enhance our ability to stay on task and help us start to train our brains to act in a different way then they’ve become accustomed to. This is the time for you to assert authority over your own brain, and help it help you become the best version of yourself you can be.

We’re looking forward to hearing your comments on this week’s challenge….

Don’t forget that Essential Yoga Sangha is coming up on July 30, click HERE to join us to learn powerful ways to combine your yoga practice with pure essential oils for greater impact and benefit in your life. If you are a yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance, you can also opt to receive 10 online credit hours of Continuing Education…and we have extra tips for yoga studios and teachers that you will love!

Breathing to Come Present

Whether in yoga asana, meditation, or pranayama practices, breathing can play a powerful role in reducing stress, providing invigorating energy, fortifying concentration skills, and most importantly, allowing our awareness to bring us to the present. Physically, breath awareness and breathing exercises have a preventative capacity: improving lung capacity, strengthening cardiorespiratory function, providing more oxygen to the cells of the body and decreasing sympathethic drive/increasing parasympathetic responses, thus relieving stress by quieting the nervous system.  The latter lends itself to the quieting of the mind and the stress release that comes from stilling the mind by giving it a “one-pointed focus.”  Equally breath awareness is effective in restorative ways too, in all three areas of yogic interest: physically, emotionally and spiritually. Again, this is due to the one-pointed direction of our awareness when we focus our mind on our breath.

Breathing usually is an involuntary response, and dictated by cells that react to blood gas levels.  Sometimes, there is an overdrive of that mechanism with regard to emotion driving the breath response.  This is also involuntary. Typically we live with shallow breathing, in the anterior lobe of the lungs, with a sitting/stooping/haunched posture that constricts the lungs, and affects posture, mood, and outlook. On average, a human breathes 21,000+ breaths/day.  Cardiovascular, digestive and elimination processes of the body are for the most part involuntary too.  But of all the involuntary processes, breathing is the only one that can be affected voluntarily. We can take poor breathing habits and improve the quality of our breath, thus improving the quality of our life.

Consider the factors that effect breath in a negative way:  stress, illness (both chronic and acute), prolonged sitting, tight muscles, poor cardio-respiratory capacity, pain, fear, insomnia, bad posture, … all of these influence links between body, mind and spirit.  Many of these are connected to habits that exist outside our awareness. That is why a comprehensive yoga practice emphasizes improving the quality of breath by incorporating pranayamas, or breathing exercises and using them with the various limbs of the practice to include asana, meditation, concentration, and ultimately how we use yoga to evolve spiritually. It is the tuning in that begins with physical awareness and that then becomes a deeper learning of self and that understanding can help us in so many ways to live in a more meaningful and satisfied way.  We can pay attention to transform irregular, jerky or harried breathing into smooth, deep, controlled breathing. This transforms to a more resilient respiratory system, a body energized with enhanced oxygen delivery, and overall better function of the systems of the body.  In turn this translates to empowering us with clarity, patience, self control and confidence that comes from using pranayamas in yoga practices to build awareness.

Let’s learn to use the “box breath.”  Sit comfortably on a yoga blanket, or meditation cushion in Sukhasana, with legs crossed and with support against the back body (sit against the wall).  Rest the hands on the knees/thighs. Close your eyes and tune into your breath. Feel the “held tension” connected to your habits of how you hold yourself and with each exhalation, let go of these subtle tensions that do not serve you. All the while notice the deepening of your breath.  Once you have maintained slow deep breathing for a few minutes, you have helped the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles between the ribs to stretch. They have “warmed up” to your breathing exercise. Then begin to add retention at the top of the breath and at the bottom of the breath.  Use a rate of 1:1:1:1.  Try counting to 4 in each place.  As you become more proficient in deepening your breath, increase your count.  Then begin to “notice what you notice” as your awareness skills become refined in a breathing exercise that becomes more and more familiar.  One interesting aspect is what you notice once you have finished with the regulating of the 4 areas: inhalation, retention, exhalation, retention. What is the body inclined to do once that part of the pranayama is completed.  Sit and observe the tendency of your body. What do you notice at this phase? Observe without judgment.

Learn to tap into this remarkable resource of breath awareness, at any time, as consciously regulating breath is always available to you.  As with any other practice, consistency makes a great difference to maximizing on the many benefits!

Yoga poses for your breathing practices:  Typically pranayamas are practiced while sitting in Sukhasana, “Happy” or “Easy “ pose.  New students are taught Viloma I as a supported, reclined pranayama to learn how to tune into the various segments of the breath cycle, the qualities of breath, the building of retention, and of inner awareness. Ujaai is practiced during active asana poses, and helps to build stamina and resilience of the respiratory and muscular systems of the body.  Want to learn more?  Purchase your copy of Essential Yoga Practice here.  And, consider taking our Essential Yoga Sangha two-week online course, to deepen your practice and learn more about how to use these pranayamas – our next course is July 2018.  Follow our social media for dialy inspiration and chance to win in our monthly giveaways!

Aromatherapy suggestions for your breath awareness practices: 

To eliminate airborne pathogens and allow the respiratory system a cleaner environment, consider using citrus oils, not only do they have antiviral properties, they are known to improve mood.  Whether you choose to use a few drops on a cotton ball and place in a well ventilated area, or use a diffuser that will mist the essential oils more efficiently throughout a room, or create a blend with water in an atomizer, it is a wonderful way to decrease toxic load on the body’s most direct route  to being affected by the environment: inhalation. In addition, consider using oils that boost memory, clarity and focus, in order to enhance the value to your breath work practice. Rosemary helps support memory and focus, peppermint and spearmint wake up the central nervous system, and, marjoram, chamomile and lavender calm the nervous system which counters stress.  Keep in mind that the effect of certain aromas are unique to each of us considering the many factors in our own history.  Experiment with essential oils and blends that are calming and uplifting. Along the way, these gifts of the earth, if they are pure an unadulterated, will all serve to bring the mind present, and therein lies the real value of using aromatherapy with breath work, the profound opportunity to grow and evolve that lies within our reach when we are set up to use the clarity that comes when are indeed present!  Enjoy your practice - Namaste!

Connect with Mother Earth

Ways … and Why… to Connect with Nature

here are major energetic and scientific reasons to connect with nature on a regular basis. The scientific reasons include exposing ourselves to rich and vibrant living organisms and the way they impact us on a cellular level. Leading nutritionists and lifestyle coaches encourage their students to spend at least 1 hour a day outside connecting with nature as STEP #1 to getting back to living a healthy lifestyle. The fact is, we don’t really need lots of scientific evidence to convince us to reconnect with nature, do we? We all know it’s a major power source for vibrancy and vitality. So ask yourself? When was the last time you really connected to nature? When did you spend a whole hour outside breathing in fresh air, lifting your face to the sunshine, digging your bare feet into the earth, noticing the delicate and miraculous details all around you? How about even intentionally spending 15 minutes outside (walking between your house and the car doesn’t count!)

Try one of these things:

1.     Find a quiet place outside and sit down. Close your eyes, and think about the ground beneath you. Consider the texture, the temperature, the energy of the thriving earth below you. Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Focus on your breath. Pay attention to how it inflates your lungs. Think about expanding your diaphragm in and out so you are belly-breathing. Let the energy in the air fill your body with life. Listen to  the sounds around you. Maybe you hear some leaves blowing in the breeze, or birds singing.  Sit in gratitude that Mother Earth is holding you, supporting you, as she always does. We just need to focus on that and recognize it more often.

2.     Focus on the powerful energy of the earth. Think of how the earth shows her power through lightening, thunder, earthquakes, tornadoes, waves, hurricanes, etc. Picture making space inside of you to inhale and absorb this energy. Pranayama , breathing exercises, in yoga provide us that accessibility, both physically and emotionally.  Picture your cells feeling the thrum of this power, and harnessing it to fulfill their specific jobs that they carry out inside your body. Stand tall and reach your hands to the sky, in Urdhva Hastasana, Volcano Pose, opening your chest and own your space here on earth. Practice yoga asana outside and note the difference in the energy of your poses as well as the transitions between them. These powerful displays of energy are around you and in you. What will you create with this new (or rediscovered) power?

3.     Get rejuvenated with water. When you have some time available, enter a pool or other body of water. The ocean or a lake is rejuvenating and alive with aquatic life. If you are able to get to a natural hot springs, this might be the most delicious water experience you’ve ever had … No matter which option you choose, allow yourself to feel the water holding you and supporting you. You can float, you can run in slow motion, you can submerge yourself completely. There is something comforting about water … when you are in warmer water, such as a hot springs, you can literally picture Mother Earth holding you in the most nurturing way, as a Mother does a Child. Notice how restored you feel when you are done.

Using essential oils during any of these processes (and any others you like that help you connect to nature) can greatly magnify your experience. Choose oils that help you relax and get grounded, such as a grounding blend or soothing blend. You can also opt for an invigorating oil such as peppermint, or a respiratory blend to help you breathe deeply.

We’d love to hear about your experience in connecting to nature … did one of these suggestions resonate with you, or do you have another way of connecting? What oil did you use, and how to you think it contributed to your overall experience?

Watch for our Essential Yoga Sangha coming this summer to learn more great tips on the synergistic benefits of yoga and essential oils.

Cleanliness

 In the second of Patanjali’s eight-limbed path of yoga, Saucha is the first “Niyama,” the first of the disciplines.  Saucha means cleanliness or purity.  The first lim, the Yamas, or “Disciplines,”  bring us closer to truth by teaching us moral virtues from the reference point of our relationships with others.  The Niyamas on the other hand direct us with understanding that along the way of our yogic journey, the path to enlightenment is our own individual work.  Interestingly enough, the concept of saucha must begin with self-love, thus self-care: purity of body, mind and spirit.

In the practice of purification and cleanliness we can find many avenues:  asana  works to cleanse the body of toxins from the twists and folds, pranayama works to cleanse the body of toxins using breathwork to  accompany asana transitions or when done in meditation, and the kriyas like Sun Salutations done with rote memory to quiet the mind while building resilience in the body. Other Kriyas exist in Ayurveda there is detoxification that comes from Sat-karma-kriyas and from pancha karma, which include body massage techniques. All are physical purifications designed to maintain the healthy function of the systems of the body as well as to help rid the body of disease.

 In our intention to purify the body, we must become intimate with the parts that we do not like to focus on:  Sweat, mucous, bile,  … But these are the natural ways that the body rids itself of impurities, so as to maintain ideal function. With healthy function, the mind can focus on the spiritual journey that is the evolution of our lifetime. Saucha shows us that the lotus grows out of the muddy waters, and thus we must give attention to all the murky areas of our mental and spiritual growth. Along the way we learn to not judge, ourselves nor others. Our body is a temple. We must embrace all the parts in effort to set judgment aside. The lotus of our being blooms more radiantly when we accept ourselves, mud and all, and pay attention to the lessons the body hints at. Yoga is a great comprehensive tool.  Using all of the limbs of the practice, we arrive at realizing that purity is there all along, all we have to do is uncover what we have masked it with.

How to Practice Saucha:

1. Take care of your body:  Eat well, sleep sufficiently, strengthen all the relationships that define healthy movement (exercise, yoga asana).

2.  Live, work and sleep in a clean environment.  Being organized allows the mind to quiet and decreasing toxic load allows the systems of the body to function effectively, thus not inviting disease.

3.  Love who you are – a most unique individual, with a great dharma – enjoy your yogic journey to understand your true calling and then enjoy doing just that, showing the world who you are with your gifts and how you effect positive change.

4.   Get out in nature! Breathe fresh air, enjoy aromatherapy!

5.  Be present every day to what arrives in front of you – there is a reason and a lesson and it is connected to an opportunity to evolve.

Poses to practice:  Inversions and their preparations.  They give you a different perspective of the world, sharpen your awareness. Aromatherapy to consider:  Rosemary, Thyme, Cilantro, Peppermint, and all the Citrus oils!

Awareness

During the month of May we’ll be focusing on ways we can connect/ re-connect to the earth, which is a powerful source of renewal for us.

This week let’s talk about awareness of what is happening in us and all around us, and how that can serve us. What does awareness have to do with connecting to the earth? Well, science has proven that the earth is full of magnetic and energy fields. What may look to us as ‘empty space’ really contains countless atoms and molecules that are carrying messages to us and away from us on an energetic level. As we become more tuned in to ourselves and all that is around us, we can navigate our earth experience much more effectively.

The first level of awareness might be the physical sensations we feel in our own bodies…when you plug both ears you hear a rushing sound similar to the ocean, as we become familiar with the sounds of our own cardiovascular system. Or when you close your eyes during daylight hours and you still see outlines of images and a reddish hue. After a strong workout when our muscles feel shaky but our lungs feel clear. There is something renewing about paying attention to these types of sensations that helps us feel more fully present in our own skin.

Another level of awareness has to do with expanding our sense of vision. How many times do we take our sight for granted. We see what we see. But have you ever paid particular attention to what is on the very edges of your vision, to your peripheral vision. This is actually a skill that can be developed that will help you be far more aware of what is around you. Practice extending your awareness to include what is just past what you can clearly see in your line of vision (up, down and sides). Does this extended awareness make you feel that perhaps there is a ‘sixth’ sense out there that can magnify our existing senses? (We’d actually love to hear your thoughts when you try this out, post on our facebook page..)

We can also choose to “listen to the listening,” which is when we hone our ability to accurately perceive the mood that exists in a room when we enter it, or sense the mood that another person is experiencing before even starting a conversation. As children, many of us were aware of when we should ask our parents for extra money or a chance to participate in a social situation based on their mood. Why then, as adults, do we tend to plunge into a conversation with someone without pausing a few seconds to sense the emotion that is charging all around us. Challenge: sometime today or tomorrow, pause a few times as you enter a room and identify to yourself the mood you feel as you enter. Not only will this increase your ability to navigate social situations around you, but it will also help you come to know and trust your own intuition.

Yoga and essential oils are phenomenal tools that can help us increase and hone our awareness. Through pranayama (breath work), asana (poses), meditation, sound therapy and more, we learn to sit in a more quiet space that helps us better connect with our mind, spirit and body. We are able to extend our awareness outside of ourselves until our expansion reaches levels we never dreamed of ‘holding’ in our own personal space. It’s really a beautiful experience when we find a pose or meditation or any specific practice that helps our heart and spirit soar in this way. Reflect on the first time you felt this sense of wonder when you participated in a branch of yoga.

Essential oils can physically and spiritually/mentally help expand our awareness. The powerful combination of peppermint and frankincense impact the limbic center of the brain in a way that we are able to make connections in reasoning and memory that we might not otherwise be able to make. Wild orange, lime, lemon and other citrus oils impact us energetically to provide a pick-me-up during the late afternoon slump but can also calm and soothe in the evening to help us with proper rest. Aromatic use of pure and potent essential oils can support us emotionally in powerful ways in addition to impacting focus.

And of course, as we well know, the combination of essential oils with yoga brings about a synergistically powerful experience. Let us know what poses and essential oils you like for deepening your awareness as a whole.

Post to our social media page(s) to let us know your favorite way(s) to expand your influence. Join us July 16th for our Essential Yoga Sangha for tips on how to combine essential oils with yoga for powerful results. The Sangha was uniquely created to be perfect for newbies to both yoga and aromatherapy, but has a component for yoga teachers that provides CE credits.

Detox - Twists and Folds

As we continue with the topic of spring cleaning and detoxification, the Essential Yoga Practice blogpost this week is a yoga practice video, a mini-practice of poses.  This combination of twists and folds allow the release of tension and negative energy as well as a way to enhance the body’s digestive system and flush out what “we don’t need to hold on to.” Remember that before and after movement/exercise, it is important to hydrate, so drink water infused with a drop of lemon or grapefruit essential oil as citrus oils help to cleanse the digestive tract. If you cannot practice outdoors in the fresh air, consider the aromatherapy of energizing peppermint essential oil to bring your attention present to your practice.  Any essential oil that is grounding or energizing will work here. Note there are options/variations of the poses in this short practice. You will need yoga blocks or some books), a yoga strap if you cannot reach your foot or to hook the hands, and a yoga blanket to allow a slight elevation of your seated posture, so as to ensure neutral lumbar curve when possible.

Share (tag 2 friends) (retweet) and comment to be considered for our monthly giveaway, a bottle of peppermint essential oil! Show us a picture of your practice to increase your chance of winning. Enjoy your practice!

Reducing Our Toxic Load

As we continue our detoxification and purification theme this month, let’s talk about the importance of reducing our toxic load. We’ve talked at length about plants and their cleansing properties, how they can support our efforts to rid our bodies of unwanted toxins. But let’s ask ourselves … what is the point in cleansing our systems of existing toxins if we don’t do anything to reduce the toxic load we keep adding?

Some of the key toxins that can impact our bodies come from chemicals we bring into our own homes in our cleaning products. Interestingly, our bodies have an amazing system of defense whenever we ingest something that might harm us. However, we are at risk when our bodies absorb chemicals aromatically and/or through the skin, which is exactly what happens when we use typical cleaning chemicals.

Pure essential oils are part of effective and safe natural cleaners that can not only serve to organically clean your mat and yoga studio…they work equally well in homes and cars. Below are some recipes we’d like to pass on so you can put together toxin and chemical-free cleaning supplies for your home. When you replace toxic cleaning supplies with these, you can reduce the toxins in your system (so you won’t have to deal with them later on).

Yoga Mat Spray

·      ¾ cup distilled water

·      ¼ cup alcohol-free witch hazel or white vinegar

·      5 drops lavender essential oil

·      3 drops melaleuca essential oil

·      Glass spray bottle

Combine all ingredients in glass spray bottle, shake until combined. Spray on mat and wipe dry with towel.

All-Purpose Cleaner

·      2 cups white vinegar

·      2 cups water

·      1 teaspoon natural dish soap

·      30 drops lemon essential oil

·      20 drops lavender essential oil

Mix all ingredients in a quart-sized spray bottle. Shake to combine. Spray and wipe on surfaces.

Glass Cleaner

·      3 cups distilled water

·      ¼ cup rubbing alcohol

·      ¼ cup white vinegar

·      20 drops melaleuca essential oil

Mix ingredients in a quart-sized spray bottle. Shake to combine, spray on windows, mirrors or stainless steel. Wipe off with paper towels for a great shine.

Stove and Sink Cleaner

·      1 cup baking soda

·      ¼ cup liquid castile soap

·      10 drops lemon essential oil

·      10 drops lime essential oils

·      10 drops wild orange essential oil

Mix ingredients together to form a paste (adding more castile if needed). Apply with rag or sponge then rinse with clean water.

Tub and Shower Gel

·      1 cup white vinegar

·      ½ cup natural dishwashing soap

·      Squeeze bottle

Heat the vinegar in a small saucepan on the stove until hot but not boiling. Stir in the dishwashing soap until combined, then pour into the squeeze bottle. Squirt onto shower and tub, and allow to sit for 1-3 hours. Wipe off with a scrubber, rag and/or sponge.

Fresh Linen Spray

·      ¼ cup distilled water

·      3 T witch hazel

·      20 drops lavender essential oil

·      15 drops frankincense essential oil

Add all ingredients to a small spritzer, shake well, and spray on sheets, piloowcases and linens.

Goo, Crayon & Marker Remover

·      Lemon essential oil

·      1-2 T fractionated coconut oil.

Mix together, then apply directly to sticker residue, random goo, gum, crayon marks, marker etc. (Suggestion: test in an inconspicuous place first). Rub in with fingers, then wipe away with a clean rag. Repeat as needed.

Citrus Carpet Refresher

·      1 cup baking soda

·      30 drops citrus oil of your choice (lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime)

Combine in a small container and cover tightly with a lid. Shake well and allow to sit for 6-8 hours. Sprinkle on stale or smelly carpet and allow to sit overnight. Vacuum the next morning.

Shower Spray

·      1 ½ cups water

·      1 cup white vinegar

·      ½ cup rubbing alcohol

·      1 t natural liquid dish soap

·      10 drops melaleuca essential oil

·      20 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Combine in a quart-sized spray bottle. Spray daily on shower door and walls after use to help prevent build-up.

Refrigerator and Microwave Cleaner

·      1 cup white vinegar

·      2 cups hot water

·      15 drops lemon essential oil

Combine ingredients in glass spray bottle. Spray mixture inside fridge or microwave, then scrub and wipe using a damp cloth.

Soft Scrub for Bath, Tile and Toilet

·      ¾ rounded cup baking soda

·      ¼ cup unscented liquid castile soap

·      1 T water

·      1 T white vinegar

·      10 drops lemon essential oil

Yield: 2-4 applications. Make in small batches and store in an airtight container. Combine baking soda and castile soap, add water and stir. Add vinegar and essential oil. The consistency should be a soft paste. Apply and let sit for 5-10 minutes and scrub to help get rid of soap scum, remove stains and brighten tiles.

Natural Wood Polish

·      ¼ cup olive oil

·      ¼ c vinegar

·      10 drops of lemon, orange or arborvitae essential oil

Add olive oil and vinegar to glass spray bottle. Add 10 drops of essential oil. Shake well before each use. Apply to microfiber cloth and wipe wood surfaces clean. Repeat every 2-3 months or as often as needed.

We'd love to hear about your successes with detoxing your environment!

And....in honor of earth day, we're doing a special giveaway. Take a picture of yourself doing ANY yoga pose outside and barefoot (connecting with the earth), and everyone who posts will be entered into a drawing to win a 5ml bottle of a beautiful grounding and centering essential oil blend.

10 Essential Steps to Saucha in your Yoga Practice

The Yamas and Niyamas are the first two of the 8 limbs of Astanga Yoga.  The Yamas are the “Restraints,” or “Ethical Principles” and define living with integrity in our relationships with our world. The Niyamas are the “Disciplines,” and define our relationship with our true self as we evolve along life’s journey.   

Saucha is the first Niyama, and translated from Sanskrit, means “purity” or “cleanliness.”  This applies to purity of mind, body and spirit. We can apply saucha in many aspects of our yoga practice.  Initially, we can take the meaning literally, as saucha directs us to create order, to be clean and tidy, and to declutter/simplify our lives physically. If we live simply, we can minimize distractions and focus on being present, think with clarity, and begin to understand what is in front of us. Physically we can use our asana and pranayama practices to detoxify the body, we can take direction from Ayurveda to eat and sleep and massage with herbs and oils, and use aromatherapy to align with our constitution for the sake of wellness practices. We can purify the mind with meditation, directed focus and self-study.  We can refine our spiritual practice with study of scriptures and intention of devotion to our higher power. 

However, once we begin to deepen our practices, the ultimate path to enlightenment, to Samadhi, is one we journey alone.  In order to succeed, the underlying work is to begin with self-love.  This means embracing the parts of our self that we find messy. Examine the parts of yourself that you might not like, and see them for what they are: clues to the “stuck places.” Herein lies a great opportunity to learn what your body, mind and spirit have to teach you. 

In this spring time of year, when we reexamine the season that reminds us of renewal, here are a few suggestion on how to embrace life’s challenges from the perspective of Saucha. Recognize that in order to make forward progress we must accept, without judgment that we are all equally holy, that all of life is sacred, and that our true essence is pure.

1.  Start by taking care of the body. Practice twisting poses to detoxify the organs and release tension along the spine and back body. 

2.  Love every part of you! 

3.  Be present, build awareness.  Suggestion: use aromatherapy to stay focused using essential oils like rosemary as it supports cognition. 

4.  Use setting intentions to grow and cultivate new healthy habits. 

5.  Use this Niyama literally:  keep a clean and tidy home and work environment. 

6.  Use essential oils to create pure cleaning agents.  Example: a spray bottle with 3 parts water, 1 part vinegar, and 6 to 10 drops of tea tree oil, pine essential oil, or any citrus oil (antiviral agent) will be effective and refreshing. 

7.  Use mudras in your yoga practice, both in asana and in meditation, they affect the energy body.  Example: Lotus mudra is a reminder that a beautiful flower emerges from the muddy waters. Place a drop of an essential oil that is refreshing like peppermint or lemon, in your hands in this mudra, and use as a personal diffuser. 

8. Don’t judge or chastise yourself for non-yogic behaviors or deterred steps. We are all only human and the object is to learn and to evolve. 

9.  Love who you are and let the spark of divinity within you shine. It is only then that the true, pure part of you can lead you forward.

10.  Be patient with yourself. All aspects of yoga practice require patience. 

 Want to win our monthly giveaway? Comment and share – April’s giveaway is a bottle of peppermint essential oil! 

Plants and Detox

In this season of spring cleaning, have you ever considered cleaning of YOU? The toxic load that some of us carry around inside us can be overwhelming to our vital organs, specifically to our liver and kidneys – the organs in charge of detoxification.  Our skin, colon and lungs also play a part in keeping us clear. Because of environmental toxins we breathe in, toxins in the processed and fast foods we eat, even the toxins that we absorb through our skin via personal care products, our bodies can really struggle under the heavy toxic load.

Plants are natural cleansers….they even detox the air! They are programmed to ‘inhale’ and utilize carbon dioxide and leave in its place life-giving oxygen. Essential oils, the aromatic part of plants, can likewise be powerful cleansers as well:

·         Arborvitae is a powerful cleansing and purifying agent. Use it to purify the air, it naturally repels insects. You can add a few drops to a spray bottle with water and spray on surfaces or hands for a protecting solution. 

·         Basil has cleansing properties, and helps to support healthy blood flow. It supports gastrointestinal health and function, and helps reduce gas.

·         Bergamot's also has cleansing properties, and helps support a healthy nervous system, cardiovascular system and cognitive function. 

·         Black Pepper has topical cleansing properties, and contains important antioxidants. 

·         Cassia has strong surface cleansing properties and may help support the health of the liver, kidneys and urinary tract.

·         Cedarwood, cypress, petitgrain and myrrh have surface cleansing properties, 

·         Cilantro has a cleansing and detoxifying effect when used internally (use 1-2 drops of pure, internal-grade cilantro in a capsule)

·         Frankincense and coriander help support the health of the liver.

·         Douglas Fir and thyme are cleansing and purifying to the skin.

·         Helichrysum has internal cleansing properties.

·         Juniper Berry supports healthy kidney and urinary tract function, and has internal cleansing properties.

·         Lemon cleanses and purifies the air and surfaces, naturally cleanses the body and aids in digestion, and promotes healthy functioning of the GI tract.

·         Lime is often used as an internal cleanser, it helps cleanse the air, it may support the health of the colon.

·         Oregano, tangerine and wild orange are powerful cleansing and purifying agents.

Combine these oils with your detoxification yoga sequences and twists, (from our book and DVD, Essential Yoga Practice) and experience some powerful results!  Want to learn even more?  Sign up for our fun, interactive, online 2 week course,  Essential Yoga Sangha !  Next course begins April 9; for completing additional coursework, yoga teachers can earn 10 CECs from Yoga Alliance. Comment, share and retweet our social media to be eligible to win the oils for our Sangha course …who’s ready for some spring cleaning now?!!

5 Ways to Use Yoga to Embrace Change

Staying focused in the present moment is a useful skill to have in this busy world. Many tools in yoga help us to “calm the fluctuations of the mind,” as Patanjali points out in the Yoga Sutras. However that might not be yoga's most important lesson. What is in front of us is constantly changing, and we are constantly changing. This is the concept of impermanence, the temporary nature of all things.

The teachings of Samkhya, an ancient Indian philosophy, is foundational to the spiritual aspect of contemporary yoga practice and teaches that the reality of life is divided into:

     1. prakriti, or matter, which is impermanent, solid, and continually changing form, and

     2. purusha, which is eternal, unchanging, unknowable, yet present in all things.

Our deepening yoga practice allows us to tune inward as we quiet the chatter of the mind, allow the purusha to become evident and understood, thus to observe changing reality in its true nature. Sometimes we are discouraged by change since we want to drive and control it.  Yet this can also be very freeing as our practice can lead us to view change with acceptance, recognizing that what we are also changing is ourself, our reaction to change. Being attached to things staying the same is what causes our suffering – change is inevitable. Adjusting how we accept and react is how we get to evolve and appreciate all of life’s lessons. The physical world, including our own bodies, is filled with impermanence. The lessons lie in the willingness to accept change, and furthermore to embrace the opportunities that change brings, so that we can enjoy what unfolds before us. The requirement is learning to be present. It all comes full circle. Yogic tools that can help us to adapt and to embrace change:

1.  Meditation is not about tuning out, but about becoming present.  The fruit of the efforts:  being able to face reality with acceptance and constructive intention and proactive energy. 

2.  Using mantra to come present using a repeated word, sound, affirmation, prayer, intention,.. is another way to use a one-pointed focus to help the mind become free of distractions, and thus invite clarity.

3.  Sound healing using chanting, music, singing bowls, …all have a vibrational aspect which helps to create space, and invite healing

4.  Asana practice – Many new yogis use asana practice to gain strength, flexibility and balance, hence, to change/improve their bodies.

5.  Aromatherapy using essential oils and herbs that wake up the  mind and help with focus.  Great choices are peppermint, tree oils like white fir, cedarwood, spruce, vetiver, and frankincense.

Ready to learn more?  Our Book, Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience with Essential Oils, and DVD, offer great education and a chance to practice 6 sequences, to include a Strengthening sequence! Ready to delve a bit deeper?  Our 2 week online course, Essential Yoga Sangha, begins April 1.  This fun and interactive and comes with essential oils delivered to you!  Yoga teachers will add a study segment to receive 10 CECs with Yoga Alliance! Sign up by March 28 to receive your oils for free! 

Happy Spring Equinox

Happy Spring Equinox, the first day of Spring! As we are transitioning from winter into spring, it is good to acknowledge that spring brings with it a new energy. This is the season traditionally linked with rebirth, renewing and replenishing – and it is a refreshing time of the year as we move forward.

So how do we best harness the new energy that spring brings?

1.       Self care is always a good place to start. When we do the basics, such as getting enough sleep, water, nutrition and exercise, we automatically uplevel our ability to discern our place in our environment. Our mind is clearer, our heart is freer, and we generally experience a heightened sense of happiness and satisfaction.

2.       Aromatherapy is an effective way to harness change – put the tried and true chemical nature of essential oils to work on behalf of your brain and sense of well-being. Some oils that are particularly supportive to supporting change or transition are rosemary, detoxification blend (includes frankincense, wild orange, lemongrass, thyme, summer savory and niaouli), cilantro and frankincense

3.       Yoga is another way we can support ourselves. When we are addressing change, detoxification sequences help us usher out the old to make room for the new.

Together these supports will help you to have more clarity and perspective, to step back and see what’s in front of you so change improves you rather than getting the best of you.

Ready for more?  Our Book, Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience with Essential Oils, and DVD, offer great education and a chance to practice 6 sequences, to include a Detoxification sequence too! Ready to delve a bit deeper?  Our 2 week online course, Essential Yoga Sangha, begins April 9.  This fun and interactive and comes with essential oils delivered to you!  Yoga teachers will add a study segment to receive 10 CECs with Yoga Alliance! Sign up by March 28 to receive your oils for free!

Essential Oils for Vata and Register for Sangha

Essential oils are a natural way to help soothe the body physically, emotionally as well as spiritually.  Even a few breaths of an essential oil can help shift energy, affect mood, and sharpen focus.

Essential oils can be used aromatically, introduced to the body using a diffuser, or diluted in a base oil and applied topically.  Some oils can be taken internally, yet only if they come from a reputable company without any synthetic fillers.  The very essence of certain scents are unique to each person and can activate positive memory and  emotions connected to them. Knowing your unique constitution, your dosha, can help you understand your physical, emotional and spiritual needs which define your wellness practices. Knowing which aromas soothe your dosha can outline your use of essential oils for your self-care.

You are made up of a unique combination of all three doshas.  This is called your prakruti and was determined at the time of your conception. The five elements are present in everyone’s body at birth.  Fire, water, earth, wind and ether comprise the body and spirit and each dosha is resprsented and affected by certain elements.    

Pitta Dosha is represented by the elements fire and water.
Vata Dosha is represented by air and ether.

Kapha Dosha is represented by the elements earth and water.

Do you know your dosha?  Take the Dosha Quiz on pp 19-20 of our book, Essential Yoga Practice to understand more about your unique constitution. As you traverse the stages of life, cultural, social and personal experiences temper your doshas and/or cause imbalances to both the physical and emotional body. Note that seasonal change can also affect imbalance. As we are headed into spring, “Vata season,”as we all have some aspect of vata as part of our prakruti, we must all pay attention to how to keep our vata dosha in check. Generally an imbalance of a certain dosha means that the elements unique to that dosha are in excess. Here are some tips:

Vata imbalance implies that there is too much movement, change and instability. Vata individuals are prone to starting and stopping projects, being easily distracted, not ready to commit, indecisive, and not feeling grounded. They tend to fidget, have sharp racing minds, and are ready to take on more, even when they have too much to manage efficiently.

Essential oils that may help balance and soothe vata individuals: Peppermint, Rosemary, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang and wild orange.  Consider using these any one or a combination of these oils with a carrier oil such as sesame oil. The oils will evoke a sense of love and calm, bring clarity, help memory, and relieve tension.  These oils raise the vibration of the body, thus having a positive effect.

Individuals with vata imbalances would also benefit from regular Ayurvedic treatments to include shirodhara (warm oil poured slowly over the forehead) and massages. Adding the scents of the suggested essential oils in these treatments help to balance vata dosha.  For thousands of years, uch Ayurvedic practices used aromatherapy from plants and herbs. Traditionally this required a great volume of plant material. In this day, the same potent effect is more easily accessed using essential oils, as they are more concentrated and save time. The oils hold the same properties as the plant and are nourishing to the five senses when only pure essential oils are used.

In Ayurveda, three energy points on the body where energy converges, are encouraged for use of self application of essential oils (diluted in the carrier oil).  

Pitta—heart, chest, center of body
Kapha—between the naval and pubic bone
Vata—third eye between the eyebrows

Over time, with practice, you will learn about your unique preferences and also that there are many tri-doshic aromas and carriers, which serve to balance and soothe all doshas. Enjoy your essential oils, enjoy your practice!

Ready for more?  Our Book, Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience with Essential Oils, and DVD, offer great education and a chance to practice 6 sequences.  Opt in to our blog to receive the “Centering Sequence!” Ready to delve a bit deeper?  Our 2 week online course, Essential Yoga Sangha, begins April 9.  This fun and interactive and comes with essential oils delivered to you!  Yoga teachers can pay for an additional study segment to receive 10 CECs with Yoga Alliance! Sign up by March 28 to receive your oils for free!

Spring is Vata Season

Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga and focuses primarily on wellness lifestyle practices that support health, balance, and self-transformation. How we begin to understand ourselves and our needs is determined by our unique constitution (dosha) , and each of us have a little of all three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Take the dosha quiz in our book, Essential Yoga Practice on pp. 15 and 16, to discover your dosha.  Each dosha is made up of a combination of some of the 5 elements:  Earth, Fire, Air, Ether and Water. Spring time is Vata season!  The Vata constitution governs all movement in the mind and body. It is the primary motivating force of the doshas. Vata controls blood flow, elimination of wastes, breathing and the movement of thoughts across the mind.

Since Pitta and Kapha cannot move without Vata, it leads the three “Ayurvedic Principles” in the body. Therefore it is rather important to keep Vata in good balance. A balanced vata allows for mental and physical adaptability, energized body and mind, a calm nervous system, and a grounded (not over-reactive) sense of being/living. Thus a balanced Vata individual experiences ease with adapting and transtionsitioning.  Movement is easy, sensory integration and mental processes flow, and creativity is unhindered.  Breathing is easy and supports the nervous system. There is homeostasis between tissues and organs since life force or “Prana” is regulated by Vata. Whether or not you are a “Vata dominant” individual, maintaining balance during Vata season is important for all of us. 

Here are some things to keep in mind as you anticipate supporting Vata dosha during the change of the Spring season and at any time that Vata is imbalanced: 

1.  Know the characteristics and qualities of Vata Dosha For more information see pp. in Essential Yoga Practice.  Get your copy here or consider the Kindle Version

2.  Learn how to use diet – what to eliminate and what to include.  Tip: Generally, Ayurveda considers sweet, sour, and salty in tastes to be supportive as they  increase qualities of warmth, moisture, and heaviness/groundedness to promote even digestion—which helps to balance Vata. 

3.  Supportive yoga practices include pranayama and meditation for the sake of grounding. Tips for asana:

     a.  Start your practice with one of the following pranayamas for vata :  brahmari (bumble bee breath), nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), or anuloma viloma (forceful alternate nostril breathing).           

   b.  Then  transition to meditation that is structured  and include the use of mantra.

     c.  Asana tips:  Keep the gaze downward for the sake of stability.  Practice at the same  time each day since Vatas respond well to routine. . Use steady, mindful transitions. Include poses that open the hips and charge the legs, like warrior poses,  triange pose,  side angle pose, bound angle pose, and garland.  Include folds that enhance introspection like childs pose, standing forward bend, seated forward bend, and legs up the wall pose.

 4.  Aromatherapy for Vata  Using aromatherapy for vata includes spending time in nature, using essential oils in a diffuser, and in a carrier oil for daily massage.  Aromas that are sweet, earthy and warming such as citrus oils, chamomile, vetiver, and floral oils like lavender and rose are effective in providing support of vata dosha. 

Want to know more?  Join us for a two-week online course, Essential Yoga Sangha, where we will delve deeper and learn more about aromatherapy, yoga and Ayurveda.  Revolutionary transformations occur when we deepen our practice and our knowledge of how to practice.  Each daily lesson is designed to help you access your highest self  by opening up a whole new understanding of the many benefits of  yoga and aromatherapy, while helping you explore new possibilities, whether you are a new or seasoned yogi, a new or experiences essential oil enthusiast. Come join us and learn how to tap into the wisdom that's always available to you. Next course begins April 1, 2018  Yoga Alliance teachers will receive 10 hours of continuing education credit once they sign up and complete the additional material in the Sangha for Teachers. 

Essential Yoga Sangha

Registration link: click here

Helpful tip: Please scroll down to check out the pricing options.

1) To take the course and have a coupon code, enter your coupon code from option 1

2) To have the 12 essential oils we use for this course sent to you click on option 2

3) To get 10 Certification Credits to your Yoga Alliance for teachers click option 3

Essential Yoga Sangha for TEACHERS

Registration link: click here

Awareness

Awareness is an interesting thing. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines awareness as “the quality or state of being aware: knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists.”  Sometimes we are able to expand our awareness in a way that helps us stretch, grow and understand ourselves and our surroundings better than we ever have before. Sometimes something traumatic or difficult happens, and we find our awareness shrinks to become stuck on only a small area of our lives. This ebb and flow of awareness is normal for most people…and it’s when we notice that we are ‘stuck’ more than we are expanding that we realize that gaining more control of our ‘awareness choices’ is going to have a huge impact on our lives.

Did you notice the word “choices” in the previous sentence? That’s because our awareness is a choice, meaning that what we choose to focus on…or remove focus from…is simply a choice. Think about a conversation you may have had with someone you know in the last year, where either you or they were processing through something that had high levels of emotion attached to it….possibly a breakup, divorce, death, lay-off from work, etc. If there is ever a situation that has high emotion attached to it, it’s a signal to us that our focus and awareness are stuck in a certain place, therefore our ability to expand and grow becomes hindered. We aren’t able to progress, and we are also usually blocked from feeling contentment, peace and inspiration to act.

So how do we release our focus, or awareness from something it’s stuck on? There are many ways to accomplish this. We can do something to distract ourselves, either consciously or unconsciously. (Have you ever wondered why individuals/families going through tough times seem to attract trouble like car accidents, injuries, sicknesses, etc.? Sometimes we just need a distraction from what is holding our awareness captive). We can use many aspects of our yoga practice whether is it the use of meditation, svadhyaya (self-study), pratyahara (mind-withdrawal) or asana practice as the postures of yoga work with different chakras to allow release as well as empowerment/resilience.  (See pp 6 – 9 in Essential Yoga Practice book. Order your copy here today). We can use aromatherapy, which chemically gives our brain new operating instructions. We can work with a therapist or counselor, or use self-help books to process through WHY the situation is difficult due to the underlying beliefs we have about it.

Often, it’s our beliefs about why something is significant that changes our entire experience of it. For example, let’s say you are going to meet a friend for lunch, but they never show. What thoughts could start forming in your mind? I wonder where they are? Why didn’t they call me? Seriously, this is so irresponsible! I’m never going to plan something with this person again, what a waste of an afternoon! ….you could really work yourself up thinking about this terribly inconvenient experience. Just when you’ve gotten yourself all upset, you receive a phone call from one of their family members telling you they were in a serious accident earlier and were in the hospital recovering. What thoughts are going through your head now? Oh my goodness, I hope they’re okay! What a terrible thing to have happen! How can I help? Chances are, all thoughts of irritation and anger have now been replaced by concern. Was the situation different? No – they still stood you up for lunch. But in the first scenario, you chose to believe that they were irresponsible and wasted your time. In the second, you received additional information to change your beliefs because you now know that they missed the lunch through no fault of their own.

…So what if you could choose to have a different belief without the additional information? Your beliefs will determine your life experience, and you can choose to have whatever experience you want every single day.

How to get started? Start processing either verbally or in writing about the areas you feel stuck. See if you can identify where you have placed your awareness or focus. Ask yourself what you would probably have to believe in order to have __________ outcome. Keep asking yourself this question over and over again, and write down the answers until you feel like you’ve had a shift of insight.

You can also use meditation to accomplish this same type of outcome.  The ideal practice in meditation is to have a one pointed focus so that we take a break from the “fluctuations of the mind,” and over time this will help shift perspective more toward acceptance.  A one pointed practice can be to focus on the breath, on a mantra, on a prayer, on sound healing like a singing bowl or chime, …No matter what what that one-pointed focus is, it gives us a break from replaying the scenario in our head so much that we contort it and in doing so, contort the reality that is there. It allows us the opportunity to create the space around the situations that we replay so that understand them better, have time to accept what is going on and more importantly, have time to choose how to react .

For either of these options, add aromatherapy to help you release whatever limiting beliefs you’ve been holding on to, and let your awareness expand you.

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6 Ways to Cultivate Awareness

There are many reasons for practicing yoga:  Improved fitness, stress-management, finding happiness, finding balance in daily life,… the list is endless. If we look at the bigger picture, we practice yoga in order to live life to the fullest, with grace and with a relaxed mind. The lessons from the mat are ultimately a practice of self-awareness, and every aspect of the practice is a valuable guide on how to apply those lessons “off the mat.  Whether in asana, pranayama or meditation, the fine-tuned awareness during practice is difficult to simulate outside of yoga practice. That is because there is not as much external stimulation when you are on your mat – your time in yoga practice allows you more self-awareness.   To connect to that heightened sense of self-awareness, spend some time focusing on your intentions as well as your choices, both big and small.  Notice the affect on yourself, your family as well as your community. Your yoga practice leads you to following your intention. Thus, when making choices, tap into your yogic grounding in self-awareness, and this will help to connect your true self to your dharma, your true calling. Live your yoga with these 6 simple ways to connect self-awareness with understanding your place in the world: 

1.  Love Yourself – Begin your day with a Dinacharya, Ayurvedic morning routines based on your dosha/constitution, to include a self massage. Make a salt scrub with equql parts  Himalayan salt, Epsom salt, and sesame oil.  Add a few drops of essential oil and massage the entire body, from the feet toward the heart and armpits and from the hands toward the heart and armpits, to aid in lymph drainage and cleansing of the body. Add a few drops of eucalyptus and/or basil essential oil to support the both the skin and the respiratory system. Shower and pat dry to enjoy nourished skin and continued aromatherapy.  If you need help with access to pure essential oils, please reach out to us. 

2.  Practice Kindness Toward Others – Karma Yoga is defined as action done as self-less service to others as a form of divine worship.  You’ll be surprised at how enriching it is to lend a helping hand and share in someone else’s perspective and existence. Take a meal to a friend, spend time with a shut-in, tutor a child, drive someone to a medical appointment, donate to your local food pantry, serve at a homeless shelter, teach yoga to empower others…the world depends on all of us and those who have less still have much to offer if only we allow them the necessities to support their needs first. 

3.  Substitute a Restorative Practice Once/Week – To become aware of our mind’s habits (ego driven), we must act from our seat of intuition, from our heart. Allow the mind and body to quiet by embracing a restorative practice with regularity.  Begin by sitting in meditation and include awareness of breath, and then a breathing exercise.  Follow your intuition, using gentle stretches and then a restorative pose or two.  For more on restorative poses, see the 6th sequence in our DVD:  Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience With Essential Oils. 

4.  Be Aware of Your Footprint – Being aware of how you live and interact with your world leads to how you share space with others and how you appreciate gifts of the earth. Be aware of how you clean up after yourself, find ways to recycle, use energy wisely, and find ways to support the environment. Saucha, the first Niyama, or discipline for yogic living, includes cleanliness as well as tidiness.

5.  Be Silent – Set aside time regularly to be silent, you’ll be surprised at the rest your body and mind  will find as some perceive silence as a way to conserve prana, energy. Note how this allows energy for your creative side whether it is merely contemplative thoughts or quiet time to engage in actively creating.

6.  Change Your Perspective – Whether you choose to do your yoga practice in a different place, be courageous to trust your body to try new asanas, eat in a new restaurant, volunteer, travel to a new destination, or take a new route to work, changing the path of what is typical will allow you to shift your perspective.  Our world is defined by what we have seen and experienced and there is so much more to learn and to appreciate. Our sense of compassion and empathy will grow tremendously when we allow ourselves to grow our awareness of the world we live in.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day from Essential Yoga Practice!

Love will save the day, every day, as we recognize that all of us, to some degree practice Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of love and devotion. Furthermore, as all of life is a “practice,” let us resolve to practice Bhakti yoga all the more, and especially on this great day that honors “love, the mother of all emotions.”  Bhakti yoga is not always easy and upbeat; rather it requires courage to face our true selves, even the hard and scary places, and offer ourselves to the Divine. It challenges our willingness to be dedicated and to surrender all parts of our life as an act of worship.  It recognizes that all of life is a spiritual practice laced with the challenge to evolve as we learn from our experiences while sharing our gifts.

The Upanishad’s tell us that we do not love others for their own sake but for the Divine that dwells within them. Therefore, bhakti is intense love for God/Higher Power, that which is eternal and constant.  In the practice of bhakti yoga we use all of our senses, emotions and actions to manifest in expressing love throughout our daily actions and relationships, as an offering of devotion to God/Higher Power.  Whether you are folding the laundry, guiding your children, working a stressful job or practicing meditation, do it with love.  On occasion we find ourselves in a hard corner, where our efforts have been challenged and we are empty. When we give in, still with awareness, we are surrendering to “our higher Self,” the Divine within us, an internal, humble surrender that allows us to receive Grace.  Here is where we find renewal in the illuminating light of the Divine, showing us the way out of the corner.  We fall and rise from such hard times throughout life, yet if we are aware, we can embrace the opportunity to receive Grace in a greater capacity each time, overcoming hurdles, as our journey toward enlightenment progresses. This is motivation in itself to deepen our practice. 

Thus, here at Essential Yoga Practice, in this month where we are focusing on intention and awareness, we have arrived at this: if we learn to expand our awareness in our devotional habits, perhaps we can invoke a life of love, happiness, acceptance and peace, for ourselves and for our loved ones. 

We have created a Valentine blend as our February 2018 giveaway.  Share and comment on our social media to be eligible to win an exotic, and mesmerizing blend that will “hold you” and warm your spirit.