The Third Chakra - Solar Plexus

This week’s focus is on the third chakra, also known as the Solar Plexus Chakra or Manipura.  It is associated with the color yellow and the element fire. The digestive system is part of this chakra; it is known as our power center, and rightfully so as we consider how the digestive system has a massive impact on so many other body systems. The Solar Plexus is has to do with our individuality, self-will and self-esteem. This is where we embrace the uniqueness about ourselves, and it is connected to how much we allow ourselves to receive. 

As we consider the delicate balance pertaining to the Solar Plexus, “too much” could indicate excess ego, selfishness, lacking emotional warmth or difficulty relaxing. “Too little” can indicate frustration, feeling depressed, lacking confidence or needing to please others. Keeping our chakra energy clear and balanced is important to our healthy mind, spirit, body connection. 

The yoga identity associated with the Solar Plexus is the Ego Identity. When meditating to strengthen and balance this chakra, focus on one’s inner light and opportunities to radiate that light. What messages might the universe give us to embrace and expand on who we are, learn what our special gifts are and how we can use them to give back?

Essential oils can support our power center, they can enhance the love we feel for ourselves and choose in to who we are called to be. Some essential oils supportive to this chakra are Juniper Berry, Lemon, Neroli and Peppermint. As you breathe in the rich aroma of the essential oil(s) of your choice, do any yoga pose of your choice and think about how who you are resonates with the attributes that inspire you. What are those attributes? Love, peace, kindness, empathy, service … ask yourself: Why am I ____________ (love)? This question inspires your brain to search for evidence, and it’s a marvelous way to support your Solar Plexus chakra.

The Second Chakra - Svadhishthana

September 21 is known as the Fall Equinox and signifies the transition from summer to fall.  From an Ayurvedic perspecitive,It is also a transition into the season of Vata dosha, the energy that governs movement. It's an ideal time to tune into your authentic self and use the change in season as a means of self-study. On this day, there are equal hours of daylight and night.  As we turn our attention inward, we can reflect on the intentions of the spring, the seeds we sowed personally, and connect to the fruit of the labor as we nurtured those intentions throughout the summer.

The Fall Equinox aligns well for our chakra series. This week we focus on the second chakra, svadhishthana, the energy center represented by the water element, which expresses the unconscious depths of our desires. Here is where the life force begins to express itself and is responsible for our outward movement of vitality and potential reach into the world. We are either in touch with our needs and wants and can satisfy them in a healthy way, or if this chakra is out of balance, our energy is dissipated and we are attached to the pleasure and the gratification of our cravings.  To stay healthy here, we need to define boundaries and to strengthen our physical and emotional resilience.

Thus, in your daily practice, work against the dryness of the season by oiling and massaging the body (abyhanga) to remove toxins before showering and after bathing, lubricate the body again with warmed carrier oils like coconut, sunflower or sesame oil, infused with essential oils like lavender, chamomile, sandalwood, geranium, eucalyptus and rosemary.  See pp. 23 and 24 in Essential Yoga Practice book.  Massage the belly in clockwise fashion to aid healthy digestion/elimination and massage the joints too!  In addition, incorporate healthy fats into your diet and eat seasonally.  In your yoga asana practice, create balance in both the mobility and the strengthening of the hips with poses like Baddha Konasana, Bound Angle pose, stabilizing standing poses like Trikonasana, Tree, and all Virabhadrasanas, Warrior poses.  Cultivate core strengthening with poses like Salabhasana,  Locust pose and Navasana, Boat pose.  End with a counterbalancing pose like Jathara Parivartanasana, Revolved Stomach pose and a restorative like Balasana, Child’s pose.

The literal meaning of svadishthana is “her own abode,” the abode of Kundalini energy, which implies that the goddess Kundalini, when awakened from her slumber in the muladhara, the root chakra, resides here, and our desire is one and the same as Divine desire. When we are healthy in our svadishthana chakra, we are no longer ruled by personal likes and dislikes, but rather, we are instruments in the hands of the Divine, connecting to our “purpose” at the deepest level of our being.

Want to learn more? Sign up for our Essential Yoga Practice Sangha, our 2 week online course designed to delve deeper into the practices of using yoga and aromatherapy.  Yoga Alliance teachers will receive 10 CEC hours. Sign up here:  https://essentialyogafall2017.eventbrite.com

Root Chakra

There are signs of change all around us.  The coming of the fall equinox marks a pivotal time in the practice of Ayurveda as we are entering Vata season. Seasons of change are an especially good time to be grounded.

Let us turn our attention to the seven chakras, energy centers located along the spine. These energy centers are connected to nerve, artery and vein meridians, and represent different parts of our identity. (For more information about chakras, see pages 26-31 of Essential Yoga Practice). Each week for the coming weeks we will spotlight a different chakra.

Today we are starting with the Root, or Base, Chakra, also called Mulahadra. It is associated with the color red and the element earth. The legs, spine and adrenal glands are part of this chakra. The Root Chakra has to do with our feelings of security and survival instincts, it links us with our family history and heritage. In yoga, it is known as our physical identity.

Keeping our chakras balanced is essential for a healthy mind, body, spirit connection and the ability to operate as our highest and best self. Balance indicates that there is neither too much, nor too little. For the root chakra, “too much” could indicate greed/selfishness, excess ego, clouded judgment, and/or lack of empathy towards others. “Too little” can indicate feelings of shame, embarrassment, lack of confidence, feeling unlovable or not good enough.

The Root Chakra is an especially important chakra, because it is the foundational energy upon which the other chakras build; if this chakra is sluggish, blocked or out of balance, it is difficult for the other chakras to fully balance.

Both yoga and essential oils provide a unique approach to chakra balancing. Through certain movements, asanas and techniques, yoga allows us to reach up and out and progress in our abilities and understanding…only if we are firmly anchored into the ground. It allows us to feel the support and presence of the earth as a springboard for ourselves and all that we wish to create and contribute. The next time you practice yoga, allow yourself to focus on feeling rooted and grounded as a way to lay a foundation for holistic wellness in your life.

Essential oils can help us train our brain and emotions to think and feel the reality we want to live in, especially if our current reality might contain some residual “lesser desirables.” The chemical constituents in essential oils can support emotional centers of the brain, and we can also associate aroma with specific intentions and situations that can help us anchor and be active participant in our own lives.

Try this: Put a drop of essential oil in the palm of one of your hands, rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. Think of a specific intention you have to help you get grounded/centered. Then do any yoga pose of your choice, paying specific attention to the support the earth gives you so that you can reach up or out. Allow yourself to experience and express deep appreciation to your higher power for the gift of the earth as you get more rooted and grounded.

Namaste --

doTerra Global Convention

This week we are at the at the doTERRA Global Convention 2017 in Salt Lake City Utah!    We will be back next week with our weekly blogpost.  For now follow us on our social media platforms : Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter  to see what we are up to.    Comment and share/retweet to be entered in our daily giveaways.  We will be signing books at Aromatools and at the Oil Life tent in Salt Lake City, showcasing our new tear sheet pads that go along with our book and DVD, Essential Yoga Practice.  Follow the social media prompts on Face Book, Instagram and Twitter by Midnighton Wednesday to be eligible to win a bottle of Respiratory Blend or the yoga straps on Thursday am.  Participate similarly on Thursday by midnight to be eligible to win a bottle of Grounding Blend or eye pillows on Friday.  And, participate on our social media platforms by midnight on Friday to be eligible to win  malas or a bottle of Lemongrass on Saturday!

Cultivating a Meditation Practice

In this technology driven world, we often feel over-stimulated and among many mind-body tools which can provide us some grounding and clarity is meditation.  Meditation practices are not a one size fits all however; there are so many different styles to choose from, and perhaps to combine.  The style of meditation you choose may depend on your personality, habits, what time of day you can incorporate a practice, and intention.  Be open to trial and error, allowing yourself several opportunities to experience any of these or other meditative techniques, so that you become familiar with the outcome for you, and can rely on that to help dictate when/if to use that particular style practice in the future. Here at Essential Yoga Practice we say that “everyone has a place in yoga” and therefore everyone can find a meditation style that aligns with their unique personality.  In the world of yoga therapy we hear, “if you can breathe, you can do yoga” and thus meditate!

Many people already meditate unknowingly in their day, if we consider that every meditation practice is based on four main steps: focus, let go, think, repeat.  Most people shy away from trying meditation because they think the idea is to empty the mind and that seems too far out of reach. That is a misconception.  The ideal is to have a “one-pointed” focus, so as to give the mind a break from the jumping around, and that practice is worth cultivating. We can learn to train the mind to slow down this energy draining habit and then to be able to be more focused throughout the day.  Anything that we practice becomes something we can do well. So let’s get started with 5 different meditation techniques, though there are many more. 

1.  Focus on the breath.  This is the most traditional way yogis meditate and there are many variations under this big umbrella of breath-centered meditation.  You can make it so simple as to deepen both the inhalation and the exhalation, which has a calming effect on the central nervous system, improves lung capacity, tones the diaphragm and the accessory muscles of breathing, and can be done in any position. 

2.  Mantra – repeating a sound, especially “healing sounds” or one that has meaning is very soothing and intentional. In Sanskrit there are “bij” mantras, sounds/syllables that are considered healing, and have exponential healing when combined in certain ways. “OM” is considered the universal mantra, on a macro level it is the residual sound of the big bang, on a micro level it is the sound of electrons spinning; it is considered by many to be the sound of the universe, thus a tie that binds us. 

3. Guided Imagery – some people cannot seem to pare down their focus so guided imagery is the step in the direction of learning to meditate on one point.  Whether you have a teacher providing the calming vocalized story or a CD or DVD, this method still manages to block out the usual worry or racing behavior of the mind and can be very quieting for both body and mind.

4. Loving Kindness Meditation – is a wonderful way of cultivating self love and love for others. The idea here is to focus on love and acceptance, the positive energy that comes from good intentions, care and compassion, for self and others.  Praying falls into this category too and is very soothing and freeing for the soul.

5. Walking Meditation – many people find it hard to lie still, let alone to sit still, and if that is the greatest hurdle then using a walking meditation practice is a wonderful way to develop focusing skills.  It is useful to combine mantra here, repeating the chosen sound with each step, and to walk along a defined path to allow the mind to not have the decision work of choosing direction (consider a labyrinth or park path).  And, there extra advantages: being out in nature and enjoying fresh air!

Note that meditation, or Dhyana, is the 7th limb of yoga, considered the “game changer,” of yoga practice. Asana, or practice of postures, is the 3rd limb, and considered to have the purpose of strengthening the body, especially the spine, to be able to sit for long periods in meditation.  When meditation is new, and for many yogis, the preference is to have a reclined meditation practice, where the back body is supported.  It is a different experience to be able to sit upright with good posture for an extended stretch of time, in meditation – it requires more strength and more diligence to stay the course. Start with what keeps you comfortable, that you are able to apply Dhyana,  the 6th limb or concentration, stay the course of your intended practice, and reap the fruit of the labor:  Delving deep to the inner self, and thus toward the 8th limb, Enlightenment, Samahdi!  Want to take meditation to another level?  Add aromatherapy!  Check out last week’s blog.  Get your copy of Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience with Essential Oils book and DVD.  Opt in to our website to hear our latest news.  And, join us on social media: like, comment and share to be entered into the monthly giveaways! Enjoy your practice!

Using Essential Oils on and Off the Mat!

There are five different groups of essential oils and this blog will discuss how to use them on and off the mat!  

Participate, share and win your copy of the DVD, Essential Yoga Practice!

Once it becomes a habit, there's nothing quite as relaxing as aromatherapy infused into your yoga practice, whether at the beginning, middle or end of your class/practice.  After many years of studying and teaching yoga and using aromatherapy, we have found that aromatherapy supports the well-being of the mind, body, and spirit,… just like yoga! Aromatherapy is effective whether one diffuses essential oils or through direct application onto the skin.  Remember that “less is more” when you have a pure essential oil, it is rather potent so it is always best to blend essential oils with a carrier when applying onto skin.  For more information, refer to your copy of Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience With Essential Oils. 

Order here. 

Regardless of application, essential oils aid the efficiency of all body systems to function optimally, promote a positive emotional state, and provide mental clarity. Here are some suggestions of essential oilsenhance your yoga practice and positively affect your overall health and wellness:

1. Ginger, sandalwood, vetiver, frankincense, myrrh, cedarwood, white fir are all very grounding. These aromas will support balance, stability, and intention in asana practice and deepen your meditation practice.

2. Peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, melaluca, petitgrain, cardamom, and arborvitae will clear airborne pathogens, open the airways, and support mastering the art of deep, steady breathing, pranayama practice and the clarity that comes from focusing on the breath.

3.  Lavender, spikenard, chamomile, marjarom and geranium are calming scents used to promote relaxation and quieting the mind, especially during restorative poses and savasana at the end of yoga asana.

4. Wild orange, lemon, bergamot, grapefruit and lime all boost positive emotions and allow a lighter spirit and outlook, another way to maximize on how your yoga practice can boost your energy and sense of happiness.

5.  Neroli, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, and geranium help lift the heaviness from the heart, connect us to each other and encourage spiritual growth, all ways to help us transcend stuck patterns and improve outlook.

Now that you are beginning to understand which aromatherapy choices your yoga teacher is making, now that you understand the effects of certain aromas, begin to use essential oils as you build your own yoga practice as well as in other parts of your day. As you combine aromatherapy to help make your yoga experiences and practices more holistic, please share your choices and experiences!  Join us in this movement and let’s journey together!  We look forward to hearing from you!  From the responses, we will randomly choose a winner to receive a DVD that accompanies our book!  Need essential oils?  Message us at www.essentialyogapractice.com

What is Yoga Sangha?

Yoga and aromatherapy students and teachers have been asking us…what exactly is Essential Yoga Sangha? We thought the blog would be a perfect forum to give you a much more in-depth view of exactly what it is and why it’s such an amazing course!

Description: Essential Yoga Sangha is an interactive 2-week online course that allows participants direct access to Mona Flynn and Asti Atkinson (creators of Essential Yoga Practice)…and also to each other. It’s a prerequisite for those who want to join our affiliate organization, an organization created for yoga teachers and aromatherapy educators who like collaborating with other professionals on the best ways to teach their students to combine yoga and essential oils. It’s also ideal for beginning yoga and essential oil students, since they’ll get great step-by-step instruction on how to personalize Essential Yoga for their own practice. And there is a supportive forum so participants can ask questions and celebrate successes along the way. The class is set up so participants have complete flexibility on timing … so it will work for everyone.

Since we are in a supporting role for those directly teaching yoga and essential oils, we work with studios and teachers to promote and edify you to your own students. The benefits of both yoga and pure essential oils are so thoroughly documented, that we foresee mainstreaming the combination of these two ancient practices as one of the best services we can provide in helping people to take charge of their own healthy lifestyle and personal wellness. Therefore, yoga teachers participating in the Sangha will receive extra instruction each day specific to teaching their students, including how to start incorporating essential oils in your offering and classes if you haven’t started yet, or how to deepen your use of essential oils if you’ve already started using them in your classes. Best of all, we are approved with Yoga Alliance to provide continuing education credits for yoga teachers!

Participants can plan on approximately 1 hour of instruction per day; the instruction comes in the form of multiple videos and text, so you can work the education into your schedule a few minutes at a time. Participants have up to a month to complete the course, making it incredibly easy to fit into any schedule.

Benefits for students:

·       Learn about the characteristics that comprise a pure and effective essential oil – something that has a direct effect on the quality and results of your experience

·       Learn how to choose particular essential oils (ie peppermint or lavender?) to achieve a targeted result

·       Experience different methods for essential oil application

·       Learn how to incorporate essential oils with various parts of your yoga experience

·       Experience several ways to expand your yoga experience and understanding of yourself (including doshas, chakras and meditation)

·       Learn to reduce toxins in your immediate environment as you care for your space and yoga equipment naturally – natural-care recipes provided

·       Learn why using a diffuser in your practice (and daily life) can bring such powerful benefits

·       Receive many diffuser recipes to benefit your practice

·       Learn to pair essential oils to enhance your restorative yoga practice

·       Learn how to get synergistic benefits for your pranayama practice (breathing exercises)

·       Receive a list of powerful essential oil pairings to use in your practice

·       Receive specific tips regarding internal use of essential oils, and how this can affect your yoga practice and life

·       Learn about mudras (hand & finger gestures) and how you can use them to benefit your dosha-type

·       Get an introduction to Ayurveda and the 5 great elements that are part of everyday life, and how they affect your practice and life

·       Learn ways to incorporate principles of Ayurveda into your yoga practice    

Benefits for teachers:

·       Receive CE credits through Yoga Alliance

·       Learn practical steps for introducing essential oils to your students

·       Consider pros & cons of carrying essential oils in your studio, as well as some tips if you choose to do so

·       Use diffusers powerfully to expand the yoga experience you offer

·       Targeted instruction for enhancing your 1:1 yoga sessions

·       Learn to avoid over-complicating addition of essential oils to your practice; less is often more

·       Learn special considerations for teachers regarding internal use of essential oils

·       In order to reduce toxic load of your studio (to raise vibration & enhance the experience), receive a shopping list of items to keep on hand. Natural care of your studio is easier than you think!

·       Learn how to teach your students about the important of reducing toxic load & help them feel amazing in your studio

·       Get tips for teaching doshas to your students, and for incorporating them into your seasonal yoga practice in a way that will help your students improve in – and out – of their yoga practice

·       Receive a helpful chakra summary as you incorporate chakra awareness into your yoga practice

·       Learn to do an ayurvedic face massage

·       Learn tips for incorporating meditation (together with aromatherapy) into your yoga practice

·       Join a network of like-minded individuals to share ideas, ask questions, receive clarity, and enhance your offering to your students

 You truly do receive an incredible education and experience by joining us in the Sangha … we hope to collaborate with you in the very near future!

Win our 2 week Essential Yoga Sangha course!

The ancient sages taught that plants were gifts from heaven. The evolution of our biosphere is initiated by the evolution of plants to survive disease causing toxic chemicals and situations.  What plants do in the biosphere, they do in our bodies too! We are connected to all living things on both a macro, and a micro level. Aromatherapy uses distilled oils and essences of plants to allow us the most concentrated forms of protection and prevention in how plants can contribute to our wellness practices.  Essential oils allow us to breathe in health and bask in the aromas that represent vitality.   

Did you know that it takes 50,000 jasmine flowers to create 5 ml of jasmine essential oil?  We should respect the potency of using pure essential oils and practice using them with the ideal that “less is more.” 

In the practice of yoga and Ayurveda, the quality of prana, or life force, is linked to the quality of living in a pure way: eating clean, living clean, seeking truth, being honest and respectful, having good intentions,  serving others, and growing spiritually. 

Want to learn more?  Join us in the upcoming Essential Yoga Sangha, based on the book, Essential Yoga Practice: Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience With Essential Oils. We will deepen our understanding of what essential oils are and how Ayurveda is a plant based wellness practice that gives us direction in how to use essential oils and  aromatherapy in yoga. We will learn how prana links the inward conscious to the outer world, and how this helps us to understand ourselves better, the cornerstone of the journey of yoga.  Come join us!  Get your copy of Essential Yoga Practice.  The next 2-week study of Essential Yoga Sangha begins August 14!  Sign up here .  “Like, comment, and share” this blog post on Face Book, Instagram, and Twitter to be entered to participate for free!  Yoga teachers will receive 10 CECs with Yoga Alliance. 

Yoga Sangha- Live Clean and Practice Clean

1. Live clean, and practice clean, join us on that journey in enhancing yoga with aromatherapy:

We all know that Yamas (restraints) and Niyamas (observances) are foundational in the lives of yogis.  We can apply them both on and off the mat. But when our practice falls into the repetitiveness of our habits, our samskaras,, how can we find new ways to live our own practice with personal growth so that we can lead as yoga teachers?  The answer lies in another word that is synonymous with the word yoga, and that is “awareness.”  How do we cultivate the practice of awareness so that we can learn from being present, for ourselves and our students?  How can we practice being present more effectively? The answer:  By using our senses! If we live clean, and use the ideals of the niyama called saucha, cleanliness, then it is a clean environment that helps us to stay physically healthy as well as to clear our mind and focus on what is really in front of us.  Being present allows us the opportunity to learn and thus to evolve. 

Join us in a two- week online learning experience, Essential Yoga Sangha,, that is fun, and interactive!

First: get your copy of Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience With Essential Oils.  Second: sign up for Essential Yoga Sangha at   Together we will dive a little deeper to understand some of the benefits of pairing these two ancient practices, aromatherapy and yoga:

·      Learn what essential oils are, and how they work to improve the function ofbody systems

·      Become a smart essential oil consumer

·      Learn how to use your favorite essential oils

·      Experience for yourself the benefits of incorporating aromatherapy into your yoga practice

·      Understand how to safely clean your mat, yoga class and practice space in a way that removes toxic load, is inexpensive, and effective

·      Align with Ayurvedic principles on aromatherapy

·      Experience asana, pranayama and meditation on a whole new level by adding aromatherapy.

·      Receive 10 CEC hours with Yoga Alliance upon completion (half of the bi-annual requirement)

2.  Live your practice:  Yoga, Aromatherapy and Ayurveda

3.  Calling all yogis, take your practice to a new level (yoga teachers get 10 hours Yoga Alliance CECs).

Sign Up Here

6 Tips to Build Your Meditation Practice

Meditation is a buzz-word these days, and there is so much direction on how to meditate.  Don’t get confused, know that the simple ideal of a “one-pointed” focus is the cornerstone of building a meditation practice. If we do just that,  we give the mind a break from the racing or jumping around that happens all the time in our over-stimulated technology driven world.  Just as the constant flow of information from technology trains our minds to race with thoughts, we can also train the mind to “quiet.” Here are a few ideas to rein in your mind’s energy, andtherefore gain the advantage of allowing that focused energy to give you a more relaxed nervous system that leads to clarity and better understanding your true calling. 

1.  Decide if your meditation practice will be sitting , standing, or reclined.  People who find it hard to be still can do a walking meditation so that the body’s nervous energy can be worked off as the mind learns to quiet. 

2.  Turn your reflection inward to and give your practice an intention.  This is unique to you, every time.

3.  Decide what the one-pointed practice will be:  your breath (the most traditional way of yogis in meditation,” a mantra, a sound, a picture, ….

4.  Every time your mind wanders, don’t get frustrated.  Simply bring your focus back to the one point.  With practice, you will find progress. 

5.  Use a mudra, a hand gesture especially, to tap into the meridian energy systems of the body:  this will affect mood as well as energy.

5.  Use aromatherapy:  try a drop of an essential oil in your hands for your mudra practice, behind the ears, at the nape of the neck,  on the soles of your feet, or in a diffuser.  Experiment with aromas to recognize that your life experiences will drive the effectiveness of certain aromas but be open to the science behind using pure essential oils. Peppermint and/or citrus oils will energize,  resins such as frankincense and myrrh, and other tree oils will help quiet the nervous system, rosemary and peppermint will help with focus, and eucalyptus and peppermint will deepen breathing, thus quieting the body even more.

6.  Set a time to meditate and try to build us to a daily practice. 

Want to learn more?  Get your copy of Essential Yoga Practice book and DVD on Amazon!  Opt in to our website to receive our weekly blog and hear about upcoming events at www.essentialyogapractice.com.  And, join us for the next 2 week on-line training which starts on August 14, Essential Yoga Sangha, a fun, interactive way to learn how these two ancient practices, yoga and aromatherapy, enhance each other. 

Sign up here

Practicing Presence

Despite the exploding interest with using aromatherapy/essential oils, most people don’t think to combine aromatherapy with movement, but it is a great enhancing tool for any mind-body practices, as well as any kind of exercise.  Once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever practiced without it!  

There are many ways to approach using essential oils with any mind-body practice or exercise, but the foundation is “practicing presence.”  Anything you want to improve requires dedicated practice. Your ability to be focused on what you are learning and experiencing needs you to be present. You will maximize on your intention to spend time on the activity of your choosing if you are truly focused and present rather than being distracted with the habits of over-stimulation due to our technology driven society.  

Whether a walking meditation, practicing yoga asana, learning to use pranayama, applying Ayurvedic self massage, hiking a trail, focusing on Tai Chi, etc., mind-body practices become refined when we get “into the Zone,” when we come to the intended time of practice with awareness, fully open to what we can learn and experience. Aromatherapy can wake up our capacity to focus, help us to feel grounded, open our airways, boost our circulation, and get us over the hurdle of motivation so that we leap forward to deepen our practice. 

Need a boost of readiness?  Try a pick me up by breathing in any pure citrus oil, and consider combining your choice of these “happiness oils” with Peppermint, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus or Vetiver. In addition you will be surprise that essential oils can help with muscle ache prevention and exercise recovery. Need direction on more suggestions or where to find pure oils? We are here to help, message us!  

Want direction on deepening your yoga practice?  Sign up for our two-week online class called “Essential Yoga Sangha,” a fun, interactive class taken at your convenience daily, starting August 14, 2017.  Pre-requisite is to purchase your copy of Essential Yoga Practice:  Your Guide to the New Yoga Experience With Essential Oils – find it on Amazon, and find out more by opting in to our site, www.essentialyogapractice.com.

Then sign up here:  https://essentialyogasanghajuly17.eventbrite.com/

Oils for Pitta Dosha

Summer is Pitta Season – if you haven’t had a chance to read our blogpost from June 28th, we invite you to review it.

Since pitta energy is hot, fiery, intense, sharp, penetrating …. It makes sense that balancers to pitta energy include calming, soothing, pacifying actions and energy. Let’s take a look at some particular essential oils that are known for their ability to calm and soothe certain emotions that tend to be related to pitta dosha. Remember that when you use essential oils for mood support, inhaling the oils (breathe in from the bottle, rub into hands – cup nose and inhale, and/or use in a diffuser) is a fast and easy way to positively affect the limbic system of the brain. You can also apply the oils topically on the body part that seems related to the emotion…for example, if you are feeling angry you might rub an essential oil topically over the liver. (You can do a google search to get more information about this).

• When you are feeling angry, try the following oils: cardamom, cedarwood, frankincense, geranium, helichrysum, roman chamomile, spearmint, thyme, wild orange, ylang ylang.
• If you are feeling bitter or offended, try these oils: cardamom, geranium, lemon, rosemary, thyme, wintergreen.
• If you feel irritated or agitated, try arborvitae, bergamot, lavender, lemon, roman chamomile, wild orange.
• When you feel reactive or defensive, try clove, geranium, lavender, lemon, roman chamomile, rosemary, vetiver, white fir, wintergreen.
• If you are feeling tense or uptight, try basil, juniper berry, lavender, Melissa, patchouli, vetiver.

If you would like to create your own pitta blend this summer, get yourself a 10oz roller bottle and blend the following (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 and blend.

Summertime Yoga Practice

Getting out in nature is more easily done in the warmer seasons and finding opportunities to take any practices to the outdoors has both advantages and hurdles.  Here at Essential Yoga Practice, we want to offer you a great summertime asana practice that you can enjoy outside – take care to prep skin for sun, to hydrate well and to keep pesky bugs at bay (see all our past two weeks of blogs for review of these tips).  Enjoy this short practice in your outdoor environment!

Tadasana – Mountain Pose

Urdhva Hastasana – Volcano Pose

Vrksasana – Tree Pose

Virabhadrasana I - Warrior I

Nataranjasana - Dancer’s Pose Preparation

Trikonasana - Triangle Pose

Parivrtti Parsvakoasana – Revolved Side Angle Pose

Navasana – Boat Pose

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – Upward Facing Dog

Sukhasana with a Twist – Happy Pose

As you are practicing outdoors, remember that lavender, cedarwood, arborvitae and lemongrass all have bug-repellent properties... just to
name a few. In this case the oils work aromatically, so dilute with a carrier oil like coconut oil, and rubthem over exposed skin, and then rub the residue left on your hands over other areas, such as hair and clothing.

Essentials of Practicing Outside in Pitta Season – Summertime Skin Care

As we get into the stride of summer, the weather is beautiful and entices us outside to breathe fresh air and enjoy nature firsthand -- trees, beaches, ocean, rivers, lakes, hills, mountains... There is something inspirational about becoming one with nature as we take our yoga practice outdoors. We also want to be mindful of our skin during the sunny summertime season; use the recipes below for natural skin-care ideas to enhance your enjoyment of this pitta season. As you play with summertime essential oil recipes, remember to avoid using citrus oils topically on the skin as they can increase skin photosensitivity for about 12 hours after use. Join us in July for Essential Yoga Sangha to learn more about incorporating essential oils into your yoga practice: https://essentialyogasanghajuly17.eventbrite.com

All-Natural Skin Refresher and Makeup Remover Wipes:

2 ½ T witch hazel

5 drops Lavender essential oil

2-3 drops your choice of Melaleuca, Cardamom or Geranium essential oil

Quartered paper towel or fabric pieces

Combine witch hazel and essential oil in a bowl. Soak mixture into fabric or paper towel pieces. Store in an airtight ziplock baggie or plastic container.

Soothing After Sun Spray:

1 c Aloe Vera Gel

¼ c Fractionated Coconut Oil

15 drops Frankincense essential oil

10 drops Sandalwood essential oil

4 drops Lavender essential oil

Combine ingredients in a glass spray bottle. Shake well before use.

Refreshing Lip Balm with SPF

2 T olive oil

½ t honey

¾ t beeswax, grated

½ t cocoa butter

4 drops vitamin E oil

½ t zinc oxide powder

peppermint essential oil

lemongrass essential oil

(optional, ultramarine or oxide pigment powders for color tint)

Yields approx. ½ oz.

Combine olive oil, honey, wax and cocoa butter in a double boiler. Heat over low heat until just melted, remove and let cool. Add zinc, vitamin E and essential oils, pour into container. Store in a cool place.

Decadent Body Butter:

¼ cup coconut oil

¼ cup raw shea butter

2 oz. sweet almond oil or jojoba oil

Essential oils of choice (see below for suggestions)

Using a saucepan over low heat, melt coconut oil, shea butter and almond oils until liquified. Pour into a stainless steel bowl and put in fridge. When oils are lukewarm (and still liquified), add essential oils and stir. Put back in fridge. When mixture has hardened enough that you can see your fingerprint in it (this could take a few hours or several hours), whip it up for a few minutes with an electric mixer until it looks light and fluffy like frosting. Yields 1-2 cups.

Fun essential oil combos for Body Butter:

Invigorating foot cream: 8 drops peppermint, 8 drops spearmint

Moisturizing cream: 10 drops lavender, 4 drops geranium

Soothing cream: 5 drops lemongrass, 8 drops frankincense, 4 drops marjoram

The Essentials of Summertime Practices – Week I: 8 Tips for Hydration!

In the month of July, we will write weekly about a different aspect of yogic practices during the Pitta season, the summertime, for optimal wellbeing of  body, mind and spirit. . The fun-filled days of summer are fueled by the summer heat and strategy to manage overall health needs specific seasonal attention.  This first week we will focus on hydration!

Our bodies are compromised of almost 80% water so when the temperature gets hot and we tend to perspire more, it is imperative to drink enough liquids! Our skin is our largest organ, and an elimination organ at that.  If we are not well hydrated, then there is a buildup of toxins in the body which can increase the pitta dosha to excess, causing both acute and chronic symptoms of dehydration:  diminished drainage of the lymph, decreased appetite, increased chance of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular events, buildup of toxins on the surface of the skin, like acne and rash, nausea, and increased susceptibility to headaches.  The number one choice for hydration is water, though other things with high saturation of electrolytes, like coconut water and melons are very hydrating.  As the majority of our body is water, it is stored both inside and outside cells to dissolve nutrients, carry waste, regulate body temperature, send brain messages, and lubricate all our moving parts. Thus, proper body functioning requires sufficient water intake.  Proper body function lends itself to emotional stability, an overall “feeling good,” and emotional stability has many mind-body effects, to include an enhancement of immunity.  On a daily basis, hydration is lostthrough breathing, perspiration (even if you don’t work out), urine, and bowel movements. Exposure to heat only enhances that.  Thus, striving for perfect healthmust include replenishing the body not only with ample water, but with specific strategy to maximize on hydration, especially in the summertime.

Here are 8 tips to practice preventative Ayurvedic Pitta strategy that you might enjoy practicing yoga and meditation outside in nature:

1.    Drink half the weight of your body in ounces, every day.  To increase the absorbtion of water, put something in the water, fresh fruit of veggies to infuse the water, or even a drop of essential oil (in a gallon of water and keep refilling a reusable glass water bottle this all day). Our favorite choices are:  lemon, lime, orange, peppermint, and ginger.

2.    Also to increase absorbtion, make it a point to sip water throughout the day rather than to gulp down a large amount.  Gulping down a large amount only goes right through you, making you have to go to the bathroom within 20 minutes or so, and has no hydrating or detoxyifing effect. On the other hand, sipping small amounts throughtout the day enhances hydration.

3.    In your daily routine, your Dinacharya, drink room temperature or luke-warmwater immediately upon waking (8 to 16 oz to flush the body, drink a glass between breakfast and lunch and another between lunch and dinner, a glass of water just before a meal while sipping a little during the mealtimes,   and anther glass before bedtime Ideally to counter constipation. 

4.    Drink a glass of water before exercise, sip water during exercise, and another glass after exercise, especially if exercising, and practicing yoga outside. 

5.     During a meal only consume 25% of the volume that the stomach takes in with a liquid, and 50% of the intake is food, while the remaining 25% allows for the digestive juices and the digestive process.   Push away from the meal when the body is not completely full, to allow for ideal digestion and to keep from overeating.

6.    Drink lukewarm or room temperature water with meals instead of ice water. Cold water will keep digestive juices from doing their job and constrict blood vessels so that the toxic buildup does not drain through the lymph, another cleansing system of the body.                                        

7.    Drink while sitting down, to allow the body and mind to focus on the digestive process.    

8.    Keep in mind that chapped lips, dry skin, eyes and hair, inflammation, acne, dark urine color, constipation, lack of perspiration, and your body’s thirst mechanism are all messages from your body that you need to drink more. Yogis are always learning to listen to the body. 

Keeping all of these ideas in mind will help steer you to listening to your body as you develop your routine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Stay tuned as we continue in July with more Pitta Summertime Ayurvedic tips. And, to learn more of how aromatherapy and yoga enhance each other, join our two-week online course, Essential Yoga Sangha, a fun, interactive learning experience. This is a course for new and seasoned students alike, and Yoga Alliance registered teachers receive 10 hours of CEC. Sign up at https://essentialyogasanghajuly17.eventbrite.com

Summer is Pitta Season

Of the three doshas, Pitta is the subtle energy that controls metabolism and can cause overheating in the summertime and in hot climates. If you are experiencing excess pitta, the following are possible:  Easily dehydrated, excess perspiration, irritability, red, hot , itchy and/or inflamed skin, stomach upset, red eyes, and hot temper.  If we keep in mind pitta pacifying strategies, then keeping our pitta constitution is proactively balanced and pitta dominant individuals exhibit great energy, motivation, mental clarity and lead with happy hearts and strong body, mind and spirit.

If you’re feeling dehydrated, sweaty, or irritable, you probably have excess pitta. Other telltale signs include skin inflammation, acidic stomach, burning sensations in the body, red eyes, and a flaring temper.

As we all have a little of all three doshas in our unique constitution, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, we can all benefit from the many ways that we can create daily practices for self care and that changes seasonally!  Keep in mind that “like increases like,” so that will help you make sense of Ayurvedic strategy. Finding what creates the opposite to the quality that is in excess, therefore creates balance in body, mind and spirit.  Here are some tips to create balance in the midst of this great summer season:  

1.  Stick to activity in the cooler parts of the day, including eating breakfast and even lunch before the hottest part of the day, hence, early to rise will help.  That is because our digestive capacity is the greatest in the cooler months and in the cooler parts of the day. With that in mind, it is permissible to eat a later dinner in the summertime.

2. Eat cooling foods, to include sweet, bitter and astringent foods. To keep from having an excess of sweets, use spices that have a sweetness like cardamom and fennel. According to Dr. Vasant Lad, one of the leading Ayurvedic doctor worldwide, the best summer foods are made with milk, yogurt, ghee, cucumber, apples, pears, melon, watermelon, fresh cilantro, asparagus, artichoke, broccoli, and basmati rice, to include getting a great dose of fresh leafy greens. 

 3.  Avoid hot, spicy and salty foods in the summertime, as they will lead to an increase of pitta dosha.  This includes red meats and red wine. 

4.  Stay hydrated, drinking plenty of liquids and eating foods high in electrolyte content like melons and cucumbers.  Here is a great recipe for a cool drink: a cup of coconut water with a squeeze of fresh lime and a drop of wild orange essential oil, to cool the body and quiet the mind. A great yogurt salad: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, I medium cucumber, peeled and diced, ¼ cup water, 2 tsp minced fresh mint, a pinch of salt and one drop lime essential oil. 

 5.  Avoid being in the direct sun from 10:00 am – 3:00 pmevery day.  Wear a hat, protect your skin before, during and after sun exposure. Using a 16 oz. glass spray bottle, make a great mist with water, a pinch of Epsom salt and 1 drop each of lavender, peppermint and geranium essential oil, as an after sun recovery spray.  Wear light colors that reflect the sun, breathable clothing and a hat!

6. Yoga practices for summer include sitali pranayama, a cooling breath practiced by inhaling through a rolled up tongue (like a straw) and exhaling through the nose, moon salutes and calming asana practices(get a practice of Essential Yoga Practice book on Amazon or DVD from www.essentialyogapractice.com to learn how. And, of course, to calm the fiery Pitta constitution, be sure to practice daily meditation, enjoying aromatherapy that will cool body and mind, like sandalwood, chamomile and lavender. 

Stay tuned as we continue in July with more Pitta Summertime Ayurvedic tips. And, to learn more of how aromatherapy and yoga enhance each other, join our two-week online course, Essential Yoga Sangha, a fun, interactive learning experience. This is a course for new and seasoned students alike, and Yoga Alliance registered teachers receive 10 hours of CEC. Sign up at https://essentialyogasanghajuly17.eventbrite.com

Enjoy your practice! Namaste

Happy International Day of Yoga!

Happy International Day of Yoga!

This is the 3rd International Yoga Day, originated by the United Nations.  Today yogis all over the world unite to practice yoga in anticipation of a deeper journey  to include sharing the passion for yoga, inviting newcomers to join in.  If you are new to yoga or if you have interested family or friends, consider sharing our book and DVD, Essential Yoga Practice, www.essentialyogapractice.com. 

If you are ready to deepen your practice, go to our website to sign up for our next two week online, interactive training (from July 24 – August 6), and if you sign up today, https://essentialyogasanghajuly17.eventbrite.com, you will receive an extra bottle of an essential oil to enjoy in your yoga practice.

Today, share a photo of some aspect of your practice to be entered into a drawing of a mala, with beads that can be infused with essential oils!

 

The Bhagavad Gita, an ancient yogic text explains: yoga is the journey of the self, through the self to the self.   With that we understand that our “self study” is an individual journey yet at times can be a collective journey. Today, let us together resolve to practice all limbs of yoga, honoring all lineages, recognizing that everyone has a place in this transformational practice, no matter their background, level of understanding and level of ability.   On this journey of self study, recognize that self care is preventative wellness, and is 95% of Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga which translates to mean “science of life.”   Here is where we learn that the gifts of the earth, with great focus on plant life, sustain us with nutrition as well as aromatherapy, and they play a great role in the self maintenances of our unique (to our doshas) daily practices, our Dinacharya. On this International Day of Yoga, as we care for self, let us resolve also to care for each other and for the earth. 

“Do your practice and all is coming,” Sri Pattabhi Jois  

May all beings be free, may all beings be safe and may all beings have joy and love.  Om shanti, shanti shanti (peace). 

Namaste friends!

 

Care for Hands and Feet

As we plunge into summer this month, let's focus on self care for our hands and feet. These body parts are typically our first physical interface with everything we come in contact with...so they experience a bit of wear and tear. In yoga, hands represent our capacity to embrace life and to offer our gifts.  Feet move us forward into the future along the journeys of our dharma. 

Make yourself an energizing sugar scrub by using peppermint,  eucalyptus, or wild orange essential oils. Make a soothing scrub with lavender or frankincense. Rub liberally on hands and feet, and you'll be amazed at your soft skin after you rinse!

Try this simple recipe:

• 1/2-1 cup coconut oil

• 2 cups sugar

• 12-16 drops essential oil

For added TLC for your feet, you might consider getting socks (or shoes) with separated toes.  There are many studies to support that agility of the feet correlates directly with potential mobility of the spine and ribcage. Creating space between the toes helps to engage the extensors of the spine, thus supporting good posture. 

And of course, playing and having fun makes for happy hands and feet... Make it a great summer! 

HAVE MAT, WILL TRAVEL. FIVE ESSENTIAL OILS TO SUPPORT YOUR YOGA PRACTICE WHEREVER YOUR TRAVELS TAKE YOU!

The foundation of your yoga practice goes with you everywhere! We are on the brink of summertime where we have many opportunities to be spontaneous.  The challenges of self-care can be quelled through taking your practice with you wherever you go.  Whether you practice at home or on the road, refining your own practice is the foundation of self-study.  Yoga begins with awareness of self, from listening to the subtle messages of your body, to noticing your habits and reactions to your environment, both people and situations. 

When yogis focus on their practice there are many facets, 8 limbs actually, and the sister science, Ayurveda, all of which  determine the available yogic menu items for practice on a given day. These 8 limbs are:

• Yamas (self regulation and self observation)
• Niyamas (self-discipline and self-commitment)
• Asana (postures)
• Pranayama (breathwork)
• Pratyhara (sense withdrawal)
• Dharana (concentration)
• Dhyana (meditation)  
• Samahdi (spiritual enlightenment)

 Ayurveda, the preventative wellness practice of yoga is where we have direction on use of plants and herbs. The deeper your practice, the closer you are to the last stage, a place where your mind, body and spirit are fulfilled along the path of  your spiritual journey.  The joys of the journey are immeasurable and affect body mind and spirit.  Using your 5 senses enhances the experiences of your practice. Aromatherapy is a wonderful way to take that to an exponential level, as long as you use pure, essential oils.  Here are a few ways to take your practice with you anywhere you go and suggestions on how to use Essential Oils to deepen your practice:

1.  Lavender is a very versatile essential oil and has been called the "Swiss army knife" of essential oils, due to its multi-faceted applications, from easing sunburns and bug bites, distressing tired skin, aiding diaper rash and earaches, and calming the nervous system. Use lavender before your "sleep easy" night time yoga sequence (see Essential Yoga Practice book) to ensure a good night's rest, or during any meditation practice.

2.  Peppermint essential oil: will help soothe tension, improve focus and concentration, repel bugs, freshen breath, and cool the skin when used in body spray.

3.  Melaleuca, Tea tree oil: this handy essential oil is very earthy and grounding. In this season where we are more prone to perspire because of the heat, Melaleuca will help counter the build up of mold. Try a few drops on a cotton ball and a place in tennis shoes overnight, or on the dryer ball for your laundry cycle, or in the homemade spray with lavender, to clean and refresh your yoga mat!. 

4.  Lemon essential oil: try using lemon essential oil in homemade cleaners. It is refreshing, uplifting, and very inexpensive. Please remember that all citrus oils increase skin photosensitivity for about 12 hours, so take care not to spray it on the body before exposing yourself to sunlight. 

5.  Frankincense is the king of all essential oils, as it supports the breathy functioning of all body systems. From its ancient history it has been highly regarded and valued. A bottle of pure frankincense may be a bit pricey, but the myriad of potential wellness effects are worth the splurge. 

Take this essential set of oils with you to support your practice wherever you go.  Need a little help? Treat yourself to a copy of Essential Yoga Practice DVD from www.essentialyogapractice.com

Check out the six sequences and the introduction on essential oils.  

Enjoy your practice, Namaste! 

Yogic Nurturing Practices for Self-Care

Despite the change of the seasons and the unpredictable weather, we humans have great potential for graceful adaptation to change.  Change imposes a disruption of our rhythms and schedules and this brings compounding stress.  Recognizing that a consistent daily regimen of self care is important for resilience, we get better at using our awareness of disruption to find the “new normals” and quickly find balance with the myriad of choices we can make to act on the side of prevention and still remain open and flexible to how we can enjoy life!

When we stop to make choices geared at self care, we find a reservoir of energy and love to offer those around us.  That interconnectedness returns more nurturing support back to us as well, and as our spirit soars, we are able to enjoy every facet of life. 

Ayurveda offers us direction for starting our day with dinacharya, our daily self care practices. Tuning into the awareness of your body's energy and needs today is what drives the decisions of taking care of body, mind and spirit. See blog post on dinacharya ___Lorie show link_______