Nobody Loves me, I hate my body...

If you are like most women, you have heard a similar voice in your head before.  The one that looks in the mirror and cringes, or the voice who tells you you are UNLOVABLE because of your many imperfections.

This type of internal dialogue might drag you down.  Some days it’s likely louder than others, some days it runs the show, and some days it may even have you in tears on the phone talking to your best friend, your sister or your mother saying “What is wrong with me???”

MOST women struggle with this voice at least some of the time.  Feeling less than, not pretty enough, not fit enough, not good enough, and ... unlovable.  This is an epidemic of our time, our culture, and women everywhere.

I have been there plenty.  An off day, a rough night of sleep, PMS, or one of the many triggers that can pop up in my day-to-day.

What has changed for me is not making the voice go away entirely, but rather my relationship to my self sabotaging voice.

Do I give it POWER?

Do I BELIEVE it?

Do I spend the day LISTENING to it?

Can I TURN IT AROUND, change my reaction to it, or even love it as part of being a woman?

I have a few favorite FEMALE FRIENDLY ways to fine tune - from the inside out - that have been working for me.  I find these important to share, perhaps they can help you too.

It is never totally EASY, but with consistency and practice it is surly EFFECTIVE and ENGAGING.

YES, this CAN mean your  voice QUIETS.

Don’t miss this.

These simple yet profound tools may be just your ticket to more inner freedom and self LOVE.

MOJO MOVEMENT

One of most effective ways to connect with your beautiful body is through energizing movement. How is your MOJO? Practices such as YOGA, BRISK WALKING/HIKING and DANCE can move energy in big ways. Get yourself out of inertia and MOVE IT, SHAKE IT, GROOVE IT. Enliven your spirit and up your MOJO with some juicy movement of your own.

“Daily practice becomes more and more relevant for the modern woman as she sits at a tiny desk, eating food on the run, all the while performing the dance of mother, sister, lover, wife, and many more roles. Now we reclaim the feminine by running in nature, nourishing by a satiating meal, sitting on our meditation cushions and dancing our bodies to our hearts content. ”

Angela Grace

~Eat Pray Yoga Guest Teacher

Have your own private dance party, take a walk in the beautiful fall leaves, or inspire yourself with your favorite yoga teacher. Learn to FEEL good in your body to then LOVE your body.

EMPOWERED EATING

Feeling empowered around food is almost every woman’s dream. We are so often known to take everything out on our relationship to food: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Empowered eating means we clean up our relationship with food and who we are as the EATER using mindful practices such as making your eating an awareness art of it’s own. We STOP abusing our bodies with food, and START loving ourselves with every bite.

Food is a faithful resource for love, but things become problematic when we expect food to compensate for a lack of love.”

Marc David

~ Psychology of Eating

and Eat.Pray.Yoga Guest Teacher

ATTENTIVE ADORNMENT

How do you feel when you take a little time to adorn your goddess self? What is it like to tend to yourself in attentive beauty and reverence? The practice of adorning yourself daily can dramatically change how you feel in your body and about your body.

“Where we're at with who we are, is how we dress. How we dress is a direct reflection of our multi-faceted inner landscape . . . This beauty has the power to heal, balance and renew.  Cultivate the qualities of beauty in your thoughts and actions. “      

Colleen Vistara ~

Vistara Designer

Whether this means putting on a special necklace as a meaningful ritual, buying a sexy new pair of panties or rubbing some of your favorite lotion or essential oil all over your skin – attentive adornment brings you closer to the beautiful body that is yours. Sacred ritual and loving touch for your body is breakthrough material.

FEMININE FELLOWSHIP

Do you have a supportive group of women in your life? Are you able to find connection, like mind, and the art of the feminine healing in your circle?

When we are able to connect outside of our marriage, relationship and family to women of like mind we begin notice our needs being met in a whole new deep and fulfilling way.

“As women begin to find our way back home to each other ­– to the divine feminine, and to our sisters ­– things begin to align all around us. Energy shifts in large waves, and we find ourselves with more courage, more trust, and more support to do what it is we are called to do here on the planet.”                                                      

Sue Van Raes~

Quote from Health WIse

No other support can replace the way that women tend to each other. You don’t have to do this alone. You can give, you can receive and you can bask in the beauty of women coming together in support of each other in pure radiant living. Check out our upcoming online program:

Eat.Pray.Yoga HERE.

GIRLY GUSTO

Did you know there is no faster way to restore vitality to the body then some healthy sustainable pleasure. You can call this joy, laughter, GUSTO, or inspiration.   Many women do not know how to find enough pleasure in their lives. Is that you?? If you are stuck, restrictive, blah, or feeling uninspired, this may be the perfect remedy for you.

Pleasure is the way we thank the universe for what we are grateful for. Pleasure is the expression of self-love.

Sex, chocolate, shoes, laughter, tea dates, time in nature, and meditation are just of few of the infinite ways we can find pleasure. RECEIVE, ENJOY, and REVEL in your own personal pleasures.

“I want you to know that it is pleasure, not pain, that is your birthright.” 

Dr. Christiane Northrup

~ Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom; Goddesses Never Age ; The Wisdom of Menopause 

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Sync up with the SEASON

I sat in bed Sunday morning drinking tea, reading, and savoring the coziness of my down comforter.  

I made soup.

I took a long walk in the woods to see the brilliant trees changing to vibrant oranges and reds.

I adore AUTUMN.

You may feel the desire to pull inwards and reflect, rest, and restore a bit more as well.

You may have noticed that urge for more warming fall foods to nourish your body as well.

Now that another fall season is upon us, you may feel ready to let go, forgive, and heal as you watch the leaves fall to the ground yet again.

All of these intuitive knowings are exactly why SYNCHING up with the SEASON is a brilliant practice.  When we SYNC up with nature we also maximize our MOJO.

Our life force lights up.

Each season in Traditional Chinese Medicine is linked to a specific energy, organ, color, sense and element.

Fall is the season of downward and inward energy, lungs and large intestine, letting go of sadness and grief, the metal element, our sense of smell, and the color white.

As we descend this fall, we have the opportunity to both let go and purify physically and energetically for the rest of the season to bring us more vibrant health and radiance.

The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.

Here are my favorite 5 HEALTH HABITS to SYNC up with the SEASON to make a magnificent impact on your health, harmony and happiness.

Warm

Keep you lungs and chest warm (and the rest of your body). You can try:

Warming foods: Foods that are slow cooked, root veggies that carry the downward and inward energy such as ginger, onion, leak, garlic and beats.

Herbal Teas: Many herbal teas are good for their lung support, immunity and warming qualities. (ginger, nettles, cinnamon spice, chai, osha root, spiced mate, or mullein)

Essential oils:  Oils are great to use during the fall season. You can difuse the oils, use topically, or even in your cooking: Frankinsence, vitiver, cedarwood, sage, fennel, or oregano oil

Wear Warm clothing: To insulate and nourish the lungs we must be warm. Even if the weather is warmer than an average fall day, stay attentive to the season, the cooler nights, and the need to take deep care with warming up the core.  Your immune system will thank you.

Breathe

As I mentioned, fall is known as the season associated with the lungs in Chinese medicine. It is often a time when children come home from school with upper respiratory coughs and weakness as the weather changes. It is important to strengthen the lungs in the fall. This can be done in a variety of ways but here are a few of my favorites:

Make sure you and your family exercise regularly. Pump the lungs often so they are strong and cleansed with rigorous life-giving breath.

Many foods in the fall are known to support the lungs. Root vegetables such as onions, leeks, and ginger are supportive to the lungs. Fruits such as apples and pears care for the lung tissue as well. Eating with the season is the perfect way to maintain healthy lungs.

Detox

The season of fall is the perfect time to gently detoxify and cleanse our bodies, our homes and our minds.

We all come across toxicity each day in our foods, in our environment, and with our daily stresses.

When we cleanse our body, you strengthen your immune system for a healthier fall and winter season.  (Check out the Fall seasonal SYNC up here)

When we cleanse our homes and our environment by cleaning with natural cleaners, letting go of old clutter and creating a sacred space in our home, we have the perfect place to rest and restore as the season often pulls us to spending more time at home resting and restoring.

When we cleanse our minds through meditation and mindfulness practices, we create a healthier and more calm relationship to daily stressors that can throw us off balance. We deepen our connection to ourselves, and we stay more centered in our lives.

Ground

As you watch the leaves falling from the trees and becoming the earth‘s nutrients for next year’s planting, it becomes obvious that fall has an energy that flows downward and inward (as opposed the upward and outward energetics in the spring). What are the aspects of your life that ground you? Make a list and practice these grounding activities regularly in the fall.

It is a nice time to take long walks in the colorful forest and feel the leaves crunching under your feet. Consider collecting nuts, pinecones and fall treasures for an altar or a fairy garden with your children. These small autumn rituals and habits help us harmonize ourselves with autumn. It is natural to sleep more, rest more and begin to turn inward towards introspection and healing.

Gratitude

Lush sunflowers, tucked in with the plump orange pumpkins, are an abundance to celebrate. The colors, foods and celebrations of fall are profuse. Feel gratitude for the beauty of the harvest. Set a seasonal outdoor table rich with a cornucopia of color and nature’s gifts to warm the heart for any celebration. Share a gratitude blessing before your meals, as it promotes health and happiness.

Light a bonfire to take away the chill of the evening and join in a circle of friends celebrating fall in its glory.

Take it in! The abundance is around you and within you. Your only job is to notice and appreciate its radiance.  Remember all you need exists within. You are the strength, you are the love.

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Want to take your FALL practices a little deeper?

 Check out the FALL COZY Seasonal Sync up (Local or Remote)

If you want to join our group, we start October 12th (introduction October 11th). If you are ready to begin on your own, just let me know, we have you covered.

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The Science of Serenity

  Most of us are incredibly busy, some what overwhelmed or juggling to keep everything afloat in our personal and professional lives.  Life is full, rich, and more dynamic then ever.

These past few weeks, whether it’s the change of seasons or the interesting and intense astrology we have been experiencing, I have noticed day-to-day stress and overwhelm seem to have gotten more intense than usual.

My clients are showing up more frazzled, my friends are more overwhelmed, busy, and out of balance, and I feel like we rarely get a break from the challenges of day-to-day.

There is more runaway stress than usual. 

I, like most of us, oscillate on the stress spectrum regularly -  parenting 2 teenagers, running my business and intending to fit in enough personal and self care time.

My biggest lesson from my times of intense stress and overwhelm have helped me to realize that the only thing I really have control over is my response to the stress, and how well I take care of myself in the face of a colorful, emotionally rich life.

In the midst the stressful storms, I realize I spend A LOT of time working on creating my personal strategies for SERENITY.

I am so deeply committed to keeping my CALM that on some days; it is all I can focus on.

Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace within it..

So, in the name of finding our SERENITY SECRETS collectively, so we can live into the most balanced version of ourselves, I put together my favorite STRESS REDUCING, SERENITY INDUCING practices and tips for you to check out.

Your hormones will be happier (for sure), your eating will improve (hallelujah), and you will sleep more deeply (thank Goddess).

My favorite strategies to do (and not to do) to source my serenity.

MEET MINDFULNESS

As I mentioned, there is not always much we can do about a stressful situation.   The only thing we can control is our reaction to it. My favorite equation, courtesy of Jack Canfield – author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, goes like this:

Event + Response = Outcome

Most of us spend a lot of time trying to change the stressful events in our lives. This often leaves leads us in a futile effort that is not so effective.

Where we really have the power in our RESPONSE. The reason I consider this a mindfulness practice, is because to change our response takes awareness, intention, and discernment.

MOOD FOOD

What you eat has a big impact on your serenity success. First, food supplies many of the precursors and building blocks to both our hormones and our neurotransmitters. Second, the state of our GUT (our second brain) has an even bigger impact on our mood, and serentiy.

Yes, if we eat stress-reducing foods, those precursors will boost stress reducing hormones and neurotransmitters, or vice versa. AND… our stomachs will also be happier – literally – because 90% of our serotonin is made in our digestive tract.

My favorite stress-reducing foods are:

Dark Chocolate – In one study, dark chocolate was shown to reduce cortisol levels in women

Avocado – Full of good fats, and known to regulate your blood sugar and your mood – keeping stress down!

Root Veggies – In food energetics, foods that grow down in to the earth, bring us down into the earth as well. This is good when it comes to stress. Downward energy is the opposite of being stuck “in our heads”, thinking too much, and especially, worrying too much.

Wild Salmon – full of omega 3 essential fatty acids, and you will find that eating a regular serving of wild salmon improves your mood, and decreases anxiety by up to 20% (Brain Behavior and Immunity)

Fermented Foods – As I mentioned, your GUT is your second brain. When you fill up on good probiotic rich fermented foods, you boost your serotonin producing gut flora, transmitting good stress and behavior regulating signals to the brain via the vagus nerve.

BEWARE of these food tricksters:

Sugar – Sugar depletes the good feeling minerals in your brain such as the natural mineral, lithium. Sugar also messes up your blood sugar levels making any anxious feelings much worse.

Stimulants – Stimulants are known to directly communicate with your adrenal glands to and boost up anxiety producing hormones to0 much, creating higher cortisol levels and more sensitive blood sugar over all. Be careful when you are going through a stressful period to keep your coffee intake down to 1  cup or less  per day.

SERENITY SUPPLEMENTS

Many supplements will boost up your calming neurotransmitters and simply make your RESPONSE (see #1) easier to manage.   Here are my favorites.

Omega 3’s – Omega 3 oils offer the most potent dosage of stress reducing oils to the body. Women who take up to 4000 mg per day have been shown to lower cortisol levels and increase lean body mass, and feel more calm and serene.

Lithium Oritate – Lithium, in its natural form, boosts up oxytocin (our feel good hormone) in the brain, calming anxiety and stress.   You can take the natural trace mineral supplement (without worrying about any of the side affects of the medication form). This is the salt, a trace mineral, and totally natural.

Vitamin C – high doses of C, up to 3000 mg/ day are shown to lower cortisol levels.

Phosphotidal Serine – PS is known to lower stress-related rises in cortisol.

PLEASURE

  Seriously… Have an orgasm. When our bodies release the hormone oxytocin, (released during orgasm and other pleasurable activities) we CANNOT experience stress, the two cannot co-exist.

Oxytocin cancels out stress.

The lingering stress causing issue may still be there when the oxytocin wares off, but you will be feeling better, more calm, and better able to manage the situation.

AROMATHERAPY

I find that certain essential oils really help calm my nervous system, allow me to sleep better, and treat chronic stress and high cortisol levels.

Lavender – I put this in my bath or diffuse in my room before bed.

Vetiver – I put vetiver on my feet to promote a good night sleep.

Ylang Ylang – Ylang Ylang helps to release negative emotions like irritability and anger.

Chamomile – Used often as an herbal tea, the essential oil is similar in its effectiveness but a little stronger. Use for calming and relaxing effects.

Find your HAPPY PLACE

Do you have a place you go when you just need to CHILL? It is time to consider creating your very own HAPPY place just for that. Whether it is your favorite trail, coffee shop, spot near the creek or ocean, or even your car, find and use your HAPPY place for time to sit, release stress, breath, and reset.

Next time you find yourself there (on purpose or by accident) take some time to savor a stress free moment and soak up your serenity.

SERENITY YOGA

Yoga is known for calming qualities, the connection of breath and body, and the interesting postures that address different imbalances in the body. My favorite stress reducing posture is called Viparita Karani, or feet up the wall pose (see picture below).

This pose has SOOOO many benefits and they can be achieved in just few minutes holding this restorative pose.

• Your adrenals will love you - they get a chance to rest, restore, and they love the inversion factor of this pose.
• Your blood pressure will drop (sweet!)
• You will feel a sense of calm wash over you that creates serenity from the inside out.
• Anxious feelings will diminish
• Cortisol (your stress hormone) will decrease in the body.

(no need to worry if you don’t have a bolster for under your back, you can just lay flat.)

Get comfy, cozy and settled up to the wall, and enjoy.

FALL COZY Breakfast Breakthroughs

Good Morning Sunshine.

If you have been a Boulder Nutrition reader for a while, you probably already know how I feel about breakfast.

This summer I published a summertime breakfast blog called Breakfast Bliss and Blood Sugar that became the most read blog in the history of Boulder Nutrition. I am so glad you all liked it!

What I am really interested in is WHY? 

I have a good hypothesis as to WHY for you today, and an even more exciting breakfast menu for you to explore this fall.

Listen, I would be surprised if your mornings are totally serene, peaceful, and quiet.

I know some of you are the exception and have your morning routine down, but if you are like most of us, mornings can be hectic, scattered, and rushed .I have focused my attention on my morning routine for years.

As I have shared before, the mornings when I am on my game I am good at giving myself at least 30 minutes to rise and shine before my kids, to have some time to meditate, practice, and nourish myself well.

I have found mindful mornings tend to make ALL the difference.

The truth is, sometimes it just doesn't go that way.  Did you forget you were out of milk?  Push the alarm one extra time? Have a teenager whose hair just wasn't working out? Or forget about that extra stop  you have to make for gas on the way to work or school?  All it takes is something small to throw our mornings into a tail spin.

Can you relate?

These reasons (plus many more) might be why breakfast is the most challenging, rushed and stressful meal of the day.

So with the idea of giving you more of what you seem to really like reading, here are my 5 favorite FALL COZY breakfasts to settle into this fall.

Each of these breakfasts have a little flavor of the weather changing, fall seasonal energetics, and of course you can trust me to keep the glycemic index LOW and your blood sugar BALANCE and BLISS in mind.

Quinoa Apple Pie Bowl

Health Nugget:  What I love most about quinoa (pronounced KEEN WOA) is that it is a complete protein and the highest protein content of any grain.  It is also known to dry up dampness in the body according to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).  What does that mean?  Well, dampness is like a code word for inflammation or phlegm.  The less we have of this during the fall season - the season with the most coughs and colds - the better.

1 Cup Cooked Quinoa (easiest if cooked ahead of time for morning efficiency)

1 Steamed apple warmed with cinnamon

1 Tsp butter or coconut oil

1/4 cup pecans

Pinch of sea salt

1 tsp maple syrup or raw honey (optional)

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.

Chai Chia smoothie

Health Nugget: Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to pack your breakfast of all the food groups and super foods you want to add to your breakfast.  Smoothies are also easy to transport to your office.  My favorite feature in this smoothie is that it is not frozen but rather warming as the weather changes those brisker fall mornings.  The warm chai tea and warming spices are perfect to synch up with the fall season.

2-3 leaves of romaine lettuce

1 TBSP Chia seeds

1 fleshy fruit of choice (i.e. 1/2 banana)

6-8 cups Herbal Spice Chai tea (warm)

Vanilla protein powder or raw egg

1 T chopped ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom (optional)

1 T fresh grated ginger

Place ingredients in the blender and mix well.

Paleo Zucchini Muffins

Health Nugget:  These high protein muffins, disguised as a carb, are a quick and easy breakfast for on the go mornings.  Spread with some organic butter or almond butter for another boost in good protein and fat and you will notice that your energy is even keeled all day.  Pack all of that nutrient dense zucchini in there and get an extra couple servings of veggies.  Prepare them ahead of time, freeze if you like, and enjoy.

1 cup of garden fresh zucchini

3 organic eggs

1 1/2 cups almond flower

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 organic chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup raw honey or coconut sugar

Mix ingredients and bake at 375 for about 45 min or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Health Nugget: These pancakes are a great way to get a sweet breakfast without sacrificing your blood sugar in the process.  Adding in the scoop of protein powder is a trick I have been using with my kids for years to ensure pancake breakfasts still include a healthy dose of protein.  Along with the yummy seasonal pumpkin, a great source of vitamin A and beta carotene, full of fiber, and potent antioxidants, these make for a great fall breakfast.

2 cups gluten free pancake mix

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

2 organic eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 1/2 cups liquid (milk, almond milk, coconut milk or water)

pinch of salt

1 TBSP maple syrup (for top)

Mix together ingredients and fry up in your ideal pancake size in a cast iron pan until golden brown.  Top with organic butter and maple syrup.

Caprese Scramble

Health Nugget:  Organic eggs are chock full of the amino acid, tryptophan, which is a key player in a good mood and inner calm.  The protein in eggs is one that will not only satiate your blood sugar due to its delicate balance of protein and fat, but will also keep you feeling brighter and cheerier all day long.

1 small organic tomato

1 3-5 basil leaves chopped fine

3-4 slices of raw mozzarella cheese

2-3 organic eggs

Pinch of salt

Saute the tomato and basil in a pan in butter or olive oil.  Stir in the eggs to scramble.  Toss in raw mozzarella at the end until it begins to melt slightly.  Serve up.

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Want to take your FALL practices a little deeper?

Check out the FALL COZY Cleanse Program (Local or Remote)

If you want to join our group, we start October 12th (introduction October 11th). If you are ready to begin, you can start anytime you are ready.

Check out the details HERE

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Crazy for Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has become all the rage.  I am sure you have seen, read, or even dove into your own jar of coconut oil by now.There is a lot of press promising you elaborate healing with this divine substance, so I am going to name just a few that I find to be TRUE.

My jars of coconut oil have multiple locations around my house - in the kitchen, in the bathroom and beside my bed (ooh la la)

While the dry weather of fall (in Colorado for sure) comes with the need for a little beauty and skin attention, there are many brilliant and simple uses for this super food that I want to share with you that you can use all year long. 

First, before we get to the miracle makings of my favorite of natures remedies, I want to be sure we clarify just a bit on the confuse about coconut oil:

• YES, coconut oil is a saturated fat.  Studies now have shown that our bodies need saturated fat to burn fat, to keep our metabolism strong, and to keep our blood sugar balanced.

• Although coconut oil is all the rage, coconut oil is nothing new.  Coconut oil has been used for centuries in tropical climates in a variety of health remedies, foods, and skin care. This age old super food has a health history far and beyond most trendy health foods.

•  There are plenty of studies on coconut oil in native populations showing that this saturated fat has never been proven to cause heart disease. Sadly, the heart disease myth that has been around a long time and still persists today, even though it is scientifically proven to be untrue! You can trust coconut oil for your health.

Let's get onto the captivating coconut concoctions next and explore how you can enhance your health, and a few other goodies that you don't want to miss.

 

7 Crazy Cool Uses for Coconut Oil (I like number 5 the best)

1. Cooking

Cooking with coconut oil is safe, nutrient rich and tasty. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, making it very stable to light and heat. Use coconut oil in your sauté, stir fry or baking.

Additionally, coconut oil consists almost entirely of medium chain fatty acids.  These fatty acids go straight from the digestive tract to the liver, where they are likely to be turned into ketone bodies and provide a quick source of energy.

2. Skin Care

Coconut oil has many health benefits when used on the outside of the body as well. Known for it skin repair qualities, as well as its perfectly balanced PH naturally, coconut oil is a wonderful addition to your skin care regiment.

High in both vitamin E and medium chain fatty acids, your skin will thank you for the moisture, softenss and long term wrinkle control. I use coconut oil regularly on my skin especially during the warmer and dryer months of the year.

3. Smoothies

Put a dollup of coconut oil right into your morning smoothie, and you will notice your blood sugar remain stable for longer, a boost in your energy, and a nice smooth texture and flavor. If you have a blood sugar related health issue such as hypoglyciema, diabetes, PCOS, or acid reflux, coconut oil might be just the right addition to your morning smoothie.

Coconut oil in your breakfast is a great way to increase brain function, minimize sugar cravings, and keep your digestion healthy and strong.

4. Oil Pulling

 Oil pulling is an age-old remedy that uses natural substances to clean and detoxify teeth and gums. It has the added effect of whitening teeth naturally and evidence even shows that it is beneficial in improving gums and removing harmful bacteria!

For now take about 1-2 tsp on a spoon and place into mouth. Swish for about 20 min. You will want to find something to occupy you like a meditation, folding some laundry or getting dressed. After about 20 min, spit oil into the sink ridding your mouth of toxins and bacteria. ** DO NOT SWALLOW.

5. Sensual Massage and lubrication

YES! Coconut oil is great for your YONI ...and beyond. Coconut oil is by far the most natural, the most effective, and the most safe for lubrication and we know how good it is for your skin.

Keep a jar on your night stand for sensual massage, lubrication, tasty fun and delights to the senses. Bonus: because coconut oil is also an antibacterial remedy, you will find it helps with candida, yeast infections and other bothersome imbalances in the body.

6. Coffee it up!

I was never much of a coffee drinker, because coffee would  mess up my blood sugar and leave me feeling wired, hyper and slightly ADD. The recent trend of bullet proof coffee (adding butter and coconut oil to your coffee + a few other goodies) has made my weekend coffee ritual very exciting.

Adding coconut oil to your coffee (or tea) will sustain your blood sugar and your energy much more effectively, while also boosting up the nutrient density of your favorite morning beverage.

7. Wound Healing

Coconut oil is known to effectively support wound healing due to its medicinal antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and healing properties. Coconut oil can also keep infections at bay and prevent scarring with its perfectly balanced and moisturizing qualities.

Be sure to clean the would thoroughly first.

• Apply coconut oil on the wounded area.
• Place a eco friendly bandage over it to seal in the moisture.
• Reapply coconut oil 2-3 times per day.
• Follow this regiment for several days to prevent scarring and encourage healing.

7 THINGS I HAVE LEARNED ON RETREAT

7 THINGS I HAVE LEARNED ON RETREAT

I have been leading health and yoga retreats for 9 years now.

Over the years, retreating has become a HUGE part of my personal medicine and my business model.

 

I have traveled far and wide to corners of the world leading women internationally, and also stayed right here in this beautiful state of Colorado loving the shorter weekends away or day retreats for a sweet reprieve.

Each and every time I go on retreat, I experience shifts, breakthroughs and insights that are life changing.  It is not only energetic and soothing, but tangible how things unfold in my life for the long term.

Within the business of life, and the fullness most of us experience in our day-to-day, it is necessary to find ways to fill up our cup, to replenish and restore, and to listen intently to our wise selves. Time to ourselves is more than just fluff , it is imperative to keeping our personal success and balance in sync..

I wanted to share with you some of my greatest "aha" moments and retreat gems from over the years.

1. Surrender

Each time I have ventured into retreat, with or without the guilt of leaving my kids at home, my business to survive without me for a couple of weeks, or my repetitive self doubting question: “can I really pull this off?”, I am left with the opportunity to let go and surrender to what ever arises.

Even amidst missing my children or worrying about my absence from my daily life, I have come to the understanding that all of this inner hoopla and self talk needs to also take a break. The stories I tell my self about what I deserve and the unnecessary need to be needed back at home are just like hooks to grab my monkey mind so it can run amuck.

Each time I retreat, it takes me a little bit of time to settle in and drop in. It is a big shift to go from doing all the time, hearing each ring, text and email come into my field, and filling up the days with tasks that seem to never end.

In the deepest surrender, I have found a love affair with myself, and my own value in taking care and filling up my cup so I can return a renewed woman with a lot more to give back.

2. Perspective

There is nothing like taking myself out of the smaller “worms eye view” and into the larger “eagle eye view” for a shift of perspective. I notice that I get so bogged down with automatic behaviors and thoughts when I am busy in my daily life, so getting out of dodge is actually therapeutic for a renewed experience.

Seeing what is working or not working in our lives is much easier when we are not “in it”. When I am on retreat, I take quite a bit of time for personal inquiry, journaling, meditation, long solo walks for contemplation etc. These time are just precious for seeing what I need to improve, align or shift. This is not about being right, wrong, or adding in more shame, but rather about seeing things from a more alive and expansive view.

3. Connection

Being with a group of women who have come together with a common purpose adds potency to anything we do. I have experienced this in women’s circles, friendship support networks, and retreats many times. I have also witnessed the beautiful and magical weaving together of other women and their continued connection that tends to go on for a lifetime, thanks now to social media and online ways of staying connected.

One thing we often overlook is our deep desire for connection. It is primal, and primary and it is why we are here. Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives. In order for connection to happen we have to allow ourselves to be seen. This takes some practice, some trust and the sacredness of a group of women with similar intentions.

Feeling the support of a group of women is a wonderful blessing that we all deserve to feel.

4. Devotion

There is a strong sense of dedication and devotion that has become a wonderful tool for me through retreats, having time for deep spiritual practice and the fullness of self-love and self-care. Some could consider this devotion to oneself, enough to take the extra time and resources to even go on retreat. Others may consider this devotion to a higher energy or universal force greater than oneself. For me it is a pretty dynamic union of the two. Devotion, commitment and diligence are very powerful qualities when one is moving towards a goal, a desire, or an intention in any area of life.

Cultivating devotion on retreat is one of my favorite aspects of having some space to focus on myself.

5.  Intuition

When I take time for myself and spend time listening inward every day 2 things happen.   First, I notice that I get spontaneous thoughts or movements of creativity that will guide me to what is next in my life plan. For example, I will see a solution to getting stuck in my relationships, or how to improve a situation in my business with creativity and innovation. I call these “downloads”.  Second, I notice I become more highly attuned to how things impact me or make me feel.

This intuitive refinement and practice is a tool that I can tangibly practice at home in my daily life. It has grown over the years to heighten my connection to myself, to my health, and to my emotional body. I find it to be incredibly valuable.

6. Empowerment

For me empowerment is the ability and awareness to make a conscious choice that has a positive outcome in my life rather than an automatic choice that may not.  Retreats have shown me specifically where I have my power and where I can build up my strength, my desire, and my personal lust for life so that I am able to find my power in different areas of life that are in need.

For me, being out of my normal comfort and familiarity of daily life offers me the ability to practice being in my power in a safe environment, to reflect on what is the truth in a situation, and to begin to practice finding my way back home to myself.

 7. Resourcing

Each time I retreat, I am shown, taught, and reminded of a plethora of resources I can use back at home to  "take the retreat home with me."  Over the years this has helped me build up quite a tool box of ways to manage stress, confusion, and heartbreak.

Many of the resources I teach now, have also guided women I know into a personal  revolution within themselves to breakthrough old ways of being that no longer serve them in there lives.  I see the before and after affect of retreat in this particular way and I hear so often.... "how things are so different since Bali".

I know once we can slow down, go inward, share, feel support and love, and give back to ourselves, we can make a shift that counts in our lives, our health and our overall wellbeing and happiness.

Make Body Positive Your Practice

After a full week of working, parenting, and striving to keep balance in the business of life, I look forward to my BODY POSITIVE Friday ritual each week.

Living BODY POSITIVE is a practice I strive to engage in regularly. Fridays are one of my biggest days to focus on myself and my self care.

Each Friday, I wake up and head over to teach a morning yoga class filled with the amazing women whom I look forward to seeing each week. Friday then becomes my day to catch up on 'Sue self care' and some 'Sue self love'.

As women, many of us struggle with BODY NEGATIVE thoughts all day long.  We find ourselves in a battle with our bodies constantly seeing the negative and looking at ourselves through the eyes of the inner critic.

Hating our bodies has many repercussions.  Living this way can truly bring us down, distract us from our authentic selves, and keep us stuck in thought patterns that surely do not serve us or others in our lives.

It is a challenge.  I see it in myself as well. Staying in a BODY POSITIVE space takes commitment and focus.

Whether it is your thighs, your stomach, the number on the scale, how your skinny jeans fit, or how you see yourself in the mirror, this BODY NEGATIVE lifestyle is never going to feel good.

We all deserve to feel good in our bodies.  We deserve to be free to be who we are in all our expressions of the feminine, regardless of what our culture dictates.  Valuing ourselves in a way that goes beyond outer beauty and size is a mission worth pursuing.

If you are ready to LOVE your body no matter what you see in the mirror, check out the 5 BODY POSITIVE practices I have for you below.

Change may not happen overnight, but with these consistent practices, you will find you can overcome your old patterns and make living BODY POSITIVE your practice.

Observe How You Feel

Our bodies are wise.

How we feel after we eat, after we exercise, of even after spending time with a friend or family member is important to note.  Observing gives us information.  If we consistently eat something that sits in our stomach giving us digestive upset, bloating or pain we are not going to find it easy to be body positive.  If we over exercise or under exercise and feel tired, lethargic or stuck in our bodies it is hard to stay body positive.  If we are eating out of alignment from what we know to be healthy, ethical, and energy producing we are going to find it hard to be body positive.

Aligning your with your health and your body from the inside out creates BODY POSITIVE living.

Question:  What are the things you do in your day that leave you feeling GOOD?  What are the things you do in your day that leave you feeling less than GOOD?

Create an Intuitive Self Care Plan

Each of us has a unique personal recipe for success and self care.  Some of us need 9 hours of sleep, whereas some of us need only 7.  Many of us love to take long baths, whilst others would rather drink a cup of hot tea.  There is no need to conform to self care that is not right for you, but what is important is examining what would serve you as intuitive self care.

Are you a retreater, a spa gal, a nature forest fairy or a backyard babe?  Do you enjoy reading juicy novels, getting your nails done or taking spontaneous naps?

Question:  What is your personal recipe that leave you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and restored?

Let Go of What Does Not Serve

To let go of our old thoughts and habits surrounding body image and replacing them with a positive mind makes us ask, “Well, that’s easy to say, but how do I DO it?”

We are so emotionally attached to these negative thoughts that the best way around is to simply imagine letting them go; whether that is focusing on certain parts of ourselves or our bodies that we dislike, mirror-checking, overusing the scale, or using food to deal with stress, the list goes on.

Once we can observe our negative and harmful thoughts, we can work to replace them with self-love and positivity. Instead of looking at our thighs in disgust and calling them fat, we can appreciate the power and ability that our incredible legs give to us: the ability to walk, to run, to jump, to climb, to play.

We need to begin to thank our bodies for the amazing things they can do for us and look beyond what we dislike on the surface, instead focus on the parts of our bodies that we love, even if it’s something as small as our eyes, nose, hair, even pinky finger.

Be mindful of negative thoughts surfacing and counter them with loving thoughts, even if we need to say it out loud. (more on this below)

Quickly, we love ourselves more and more, while negative thoughts and habits become rarer and rarer. And now our beauty and confidence shines into the world for all to see.

Affirm your Positivity

Daily beauty and body positive affirmations are an important piece to get yourself replacing those old negative thoughts with positive ones.  As with any transformation, practice and consistency is where we are going to see sustainable lasting changes.  Trying to subtract a thought or habit with no substitution usually leaves a lot of room for old habits to creep back in.  Substitution is the secret.

Once you have decided on your positive affirmations, be sure to put them in very well viewed locations.  The bathroom mirror, the refrigerator, your meditation alter, your car dash board or your computer to name just a few.  Surround yourself with the positivity you so deserve.

Question:  What are your most common negative thoughts or internal dialogue?  How can you replace those negative thoughts with positive thoughts?  

Surround Yourself Intentionally

We all know that we feel better when we surround ourselves with positive people.  Even better when these folks understand what we are up to, and lend a bit of accountability or reflection.  It is helpful to feel safe, secure, supported and even boosted up by those in our lives.

Creating a community of women that align with you and your body positive intentions will drastically impact body positive practices more than you would think!

Question:  Who gives you the most support and security when it comes to body, health and lifestyle?  Who doesn't?

If you want to practice the art of BODY POSITIVE living and being...join us this August for the Eat.Pray.Yoga Colorado weekend retreat.  Give yourself a gift of self love and care that will rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit.

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Moons, Magic, and Making Breakthroughs

“Yours is the light by which my spirit’s born: – you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.”- EE Cummings When a blue moon happens - 2 full moons in one month - it is said to be a rare and auspicious time. Many believe it is a good time to open to infinite possibility, to take ourselves into new adventures, and to step out of our comfort zones.  

Astrologically, this specific moon will guide us to shed our old outdated habits that no longer serve us. This blue moon is said to call out that which we are able to give up personally so that we can bring more peace to ourselves and others.

In the yogic texts, the moon is associated with the feminine, and the sun with the masculine.

As we look back through the ages, we see how the feminine was revered, worshipped, and looked to for intuition, guidance, and wisdom.

Moon ritual, moon practices and moon cycles were seen as powerful times to look inward for deeper intuition and insight.

She was the goddess to whom many prayed  for abundance, prosperity, and fertility. 

She was a safe place where one could find nurturing, listening, and understanding.  

The qualities of the feminine are known to be fluid, inward, introspective, wise and warm.  She is said to be tender, compassionate, sensual and embody pure unconditional love.

As women, we can fully command the feminine in all her forms. We are being called to trust that our beauty rests in the re-creation of the divine feminine for the modern, empowered woman.

After I returned from the land of the feminine and goddess this spring, the island of Bali, I wrote to you about the imbalance of masculine and feminine in my life and business.  You can read about that HERE.

As I promised myself then, things had to change for me to come back into alignment with my feminine.  I have made many big transformations in my life since then, maybe more than I ever have before.  I have been practicing celebrating my feminine with all her majesty and opulence.

I know that a woman who feels at home in her feminine beauty, alive in her motherhood (with or without children), and tuned into her moon cycles can live with more passion and purpose in a world that is in dire need of healing for the feminine, for it's divine equanimity and cosmic peace.

This week check out some of my favorite moon practices + a bonus free download moon cycle yoga practice to accentuate your blue moon magic.

Moon, Magic and Ritual tips

1. Brew up some Moon Water:

Making moon water is one of my favorite full moon practices.  It can be used for blessings or to enhance our rituals. Moon water can be added to our bath for relaxation, or one of my personal favorites – to remind us to bring back the feminine qualities into your life by drinking it when we feel out of balance.

Moon water will be largely dependent on our personal intentions and personal touches to simply guide you back to your natural rhythms and back into the arms of the divine feminine.

How to make: Simply gather a jar, some purified water, and some crystals (moonstone is best, but any crystals are optional). Place the full jar of water with crystals outside under the full moon once it is dark. Call forth your intentions and desires. Leave the water to brew under the full moon. Bring the water inside before the sun rises the next morning. Place on your alter, or somewhere sacred, and use as you like.

2. Basque in a little Moon Bathing:

Being it the height of summer and the warmest nights of the year, it is a perfect time for moon bathing. Spend sometime laying outside under the blue moon this week, meditating, resting, or simply just soaking up the blue moon energy. Moon bathing is a practice that has been used for centuries. Women have incorporated time under the light of the moon as a way to replenish and reconnect inward to inner feminine and sacred intuition.

3. Do some Moon Cleansing:

As with most full moons, there is an opportunity for a new beginning, the emerging of something transformational, and freeing. Moon rituals have incorporated fire ceremonies, water purifications and bathing for the purpose of cleansing body, mind and spirit.

FIRE: Gather some sage, sweet grass or palo santo (holy wood) to purify yourself from head to toe in honor of the moon and the feminine.

OR

Write a list of all you wish to clear and cleanse out of your life, those habits that hold you back from your truest potential. Let your paper burn in the fire.

WATER: Take a ritual bath that symbolizes all you wish to shed. Allow yourself to feel the water wash away the old, purify the body, mind and spirit as to create room for the new qualities and intentions to come in.  Add some flower essence or some aromatherapy bath salts to accentuate the experience.

OR

Spend some time near a body of water such as a river, an ocean, or a lake. Infuse some stones with that which you are cleansing and toss into the water as a symbol of letting go to the guidance of the diving feminine.

4. Make a commitment to your inner self, your divine feminine sisterhood, and the goddess.

Now is the time to commit to your highest self, your truth and your divinity. As we mentioned, this moon is here to help us to burn those old patterns that no longer serve us. Once you are clear as to what those are, write down your commitment to yourself and place them on your alter, on in a sacred place where you can visit and reflect upon them later.

BONUS : Practice Moon Yoga

The moon represents the feminine in the yogic texts, so this yoga series is to honor the feminine rhythms and cycles attuning us back to nature and our goddess selves.

Moon Cycle Yoga Practice

 Want more?  Join us this August for a women's weekend wanderlust immersed in the Colorado Rockies.  We are going to dive into the feminine in relationship to food, body, rhythm and ritual.  I can hardly wait.

Get NAKED in NATURE

Here we are in MID-summer. Peaches, paddle boarding, piggybacking and outdoor play. It is a great time to get outside to savor and celebrate the sunshine. I just returned from a visit with my Vancouver family, hiking through the temperate rain forest and playing in the tall pine trees. It was fabulous to be in a return to the type of forest I grew up playing in, hiking in and exploring.

Back here in Colorado, I am enjoying the forests bursting with life, the rivers flowing, the trails blooming. Nature is peaking all around us!

Being in nature is a very big part of my personal recipe for peace, centering, and energy.

So when I say 'GET NAKED' in nature, what I really mean (other than spontaneous skinny dipping and irresistible forest streaking) is that we can go into nature and shed all that is not serving us. We can reveal our truth, and nature will guide us. We can let go of what is blocking us, and nature will lead us into the light. Nature is a powerful place to come back to ourselves and find our center.

When I go outside with an intention, it is with a body prayer, or with a calling for guidance and clarity. I often sit on a rock and contemplate, write in my journal, or simply cleanse through my sweat, my tears or my sorrows.

Whether it is the ocean or the mountains – being in nature keeps me attuned to my intuition and inner wisdom.

According to a recent article published in the New York Times, citing a study from the National Academy of Science, those people who had strolled along the quiet, tree-lined paths regularly showed meaningful improvements in their mental health.

A little shy to get naked? No worries... Here are my "Get Naked in Nature" nuggets.

• Find your spot

It doesn't matter where you live or whether you have mountains near by. What matters is that you take yourself outside in the expansiveness of nature, and explore yourself. Any place that feels sacred to you will work. Sit near a little stream, under a tree, or in the wide open park. Bundle up and walk freely in the snow, feeling the flakes melt on your cheeks. When we have a sacred spot or a power spot that we can go to outside, it is like a sanctuary for our soul.

• Leave it

It’s hard I know, but try to leave all of your technology at home. This is for the specific purpose of finding some peace of mind. When you are going on an intentional pilgrimage to cleanse your mind, your ringing cell phone will distract your from your connection to nature and to self. The more peace and quiet you can be, the better for inner listening.

• State your intention and desire

As you walk focus on your intention and your desire, ask for guidance, wisdom or clarity. I have done this on long walks in nature and it is soul medicine for me.

• Infuse a sacred item

Often I bring a sacred item with me on ritual hikes for the purpose of infusing them with the restorative and insightful qualites of my experience. This sacred item will then act as a reminder for me to remember what was revealed to me, what I am intending or what will anchor me in my day-to-day life. A crystal from home, or even find an natural item from your time outside such as a rock, a leaf or a feather will work just fine. Bring your item home and place somewhere that you can be reminded often.

• Move from your inner rhythm A certain grace occurs when we move in nature hooring our inner rhythm. It is as if we synch up from the inside out. Because we are truly part of nature ¬¬- every cell, every breath and every intuition – when we are honoring our inner rhythm things flow organically. This means on days when you are energetic - sweat it out, hike it out, move your body with fierceness. When you are more tired, restful, melancholic – enjoy sitting by a river, walking with a slow and relaxing pace, or even laying in the tall grass.

Remember... we ARE nature.

Also, if you need a little time this summer immersed in nature – time to find your personal rhythm, shed the old, and restore in the Colorado Sangre de Cristo mountains and hot springs – be sure to check out the Eat.Pray.Yoga Colorado retreat coming up this August.

Breakfast Bliss and Blood Sugar

As most of us know, there is a lot of potency and power in starting off our day on the right foot.  Morning ritual is something I personally live and enjoy everyday to set the stage for the day I envision and intend to manifest. Mediation, journalling, gratitude and, of course...breakfast are some of my favorite morning rituals. Summertime is special with it's early morning sunshine, the heartbeat of expansion, and the season's satiating and soulful foods peaking all around us.    I thought I would share with you some of my favorite summertime soul satiating secrets so you too can find some bliss in your breakfast. Not only will a healthy breakfast taste good and fuel us up, but one that is blood sugar balanced will also keep our energy consistent throughout the day, decrease inflammation in our bodies and best of all get those crazy cravings under control. According to the New York Times: "Sugary breakfasts full of  processed carbohydrates are known to cause abrupt spikes and falls in blood sugar appear to stimulate parts of the brain involved in hunger, craving and reward, the new research shows. The findings, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that these so-called high-glycemic foods influence the brain in a way that might drive some people to overeat."   It's time to SASS up summertime with some yummy breakfast bliss and blood sugar balancing ideas.  These breakfasts are designed to keep us synched with the season, keep us efficient with our mornings and fuel us up with a nice smooth, even and energetic plateau so we can continue to rock our summertime days...

4 Summertime Breakfasts to Satiate your Soul

Breakfast doesn't have to be boring, drab, or dull.  With just a few new ideas you too can have yummy seasonal breakfasts and a high energy YOU.

• 4 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup seasonal berries
• Handful of nuts
• Optional essential oil - 1 drop of French Lavender

Soak the chia seeds for 20 minutes in the morning (or overnight) in coconut milk.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and enjoy.

Health Nugget:  

The chia seed is highly nutritious, medicinal seed that has been used for centuries for its beneficial properties. Chia seeds are high in essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid, made up of 30% protein,  and a wide array of trace minerals. Chia seeds are filling,  and are a great way to increase your omega’s and your protein with a plant based source of omega 3.

• 2 Tbsp of butter or coconut oil
• Large handful farm fresh spinach (or swiss chard)
• 1 small onion
• 1 garden fresh tomato  (medium sized) sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 6 organic eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter or coconut in a heavy pan.  Saute up your onion until transparent.  Toss in your farm fresh veggies over medium heat until wilted.  Lightly beat eggs in a bowl with a pinch of sea salt and/or pepper.  Pour the egg mixture over greens into the now well oiled pan.  Place tomato slices on top.  Sprinkle goat cheese on top.  Place into the preheated oven (350 degrees) and cook until the top of the egg is solid and golden.

Health Nugget:

Organic eggs are chock full of the amino acid, tryptophan, which is a key player in a good mood and inner calm.  The protein in eggs is one that will not only satiate your blood sugar due to its delicate balance of protein and fat, but will also keep you feeling brighter and cheerier all day long.

• 4 avocados (halved and pitted)
• 1/2 cup raw cacao
• 1/2 cup dates (pitted and soaked for two hours)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 tsp stevia (Truvia is recommended)
• 1 handful slivered almonds

Blend all ingredients (accept the slivered almonds) in a blender or food processor until creamy and top with some slivered almonds or nuts of you choice.

 Health Nugget:  

With avocado's delightful voluptuous shape, it has been known for centuries as an aphrodisiac.  Avocados were considered so sexy that the Spanish priests at one point prohibited their consumption.  This creamy goddess fruit is power packed with nutrients and good fat keeping blood sugar and hormones in balance and your energy ready for summer fun.

• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1 handful strawberries
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 12 ounces coconut milk

Health Nugget:  

Coconut oil is a great way to balance your blood sugar, nourish your thyroid, and create sustainable energy throughout the day.  Just one teaspoon can make all the difference.  Coconut oil is said to lower bad cholesterol, aid in digestion and regulate metabolism.

Selectively Numb

Time to nurture, listen, love and BE is time that is well spent when we are on a path to inner freedom. The quiet of nature, inner connection, and rest allows us to notice what is arising, listen to the messages from our bodies and choose how to navigate through them wisely. When we get to busy in our day-to-day life, overwhelmed by our to-do's piling up, stressed that things aren't going as planned, we often resort to our habitual numbing – ways of coping.  We tend to move away from the uncomfortable feelings in order to avoid them.

Sometimes these feelings do not have enough space to be felt, listened to, or even healed.

Shooting for SELECTIVELY NUMB is a coping skill many of us buy into - often without even realizing it. You know... choosing to feel the good stuff, while ignoring the bad.

It is temping isn't it?

It IS tempting, because who wants to feel those old negative or traumatic or stressful feelings that seem to weigh us down?  The ones that curl us up in the fetal position in our beds, make us nauseous, or even trigger our past trauma.

As we adventure down the pathway to freedom, it is often found that those old icky beliefs and feelings from the past can come up for a couple of reasons:

First, to be felt and listened to in a way that they were possibly never honored before.  

Second, so they can be released, cleared, dumped from our energy bodies altogether.

The truth is SELECTIVELY NUMB does not exist.

When we turn away from suffering, ignore our pain, or just simply numb ourselves out with our usual vices – food, alcohol, busyness, or a variety of other addictions – we actually numb ourselves completely.

Our level of pain and suffering may feel numbed in the moment, but so is our joy, bliss, and happiness.

The path to freedom teaches us to embrace it all.  To sit in the uncomfortable and to also expand into our pleasure and bliss (both of which can be challenging).

Here are my favorite personal strategies (the ones I use regularly) for more FEELING, FREEING, and FINDING my power so that I can expand into my FULLEST.  Perhaps some of these will work for you as well...

Breath

When we build our life force or prana, in any awareness practice, we enliven whatever is already happening. Prana is non-discriminating.

Strong feelings of stress, anxiety, overwhelm, sadness, or fear can be daunting and we surely do not want to exaserbate what already exists in the mind-body if it is unpleasant of challenging.

When you give yourself time to sit, center, breath and calm your system, you are in fact strengthening the calm.

Balancing our your breathing so that the inhale and the exhale mirror each other in length and quality will in fact calm your entire system, engage your parasympathetic nervous system, slow down your brain waves and tame your strong emotional feelings.

Breathing is often thought of as the vehicle into the subtle body in the yoga practice. The ancient yogis believed that if you can regulate your breath, you can regulate your mind.

**I find a quiet space to sit for 10-15 min and practice balanced breathing. I focus on the quality and rhythm of your breathing.

Somatic Serenity

One of the most effective tools I use when strong emotions arise for me is doing a body check in. Once I can see where my body is holding the emotion I place my hand over this area.

Often when we experience strong emotion our bodies experience physical sensations such as tingling, clenching, or heat. There is wisdom here.

When we tap into the bodies physical sensation, we are able to get out of the mind spin and drop into the body. This practice is calming, nourishing, and helpful in our inner listening.

*I find a quiet place and do a body check in or body scan, searching for strong sensations associated with the emotion at hand. I then place my hand over that part of my body in a gentle and nourishing way. I return to the breath and ask for any information that my body is ready to reveal regarding this emotion. I ask for healing, peace and calm.

Become a Flower Fairy

Flower remedies are used to work on the emotions of the body bringing back balance and taking us out of a fight or flight stress response.

There are a wide array of flower remedies available in your local health food store. Each remedy is designed to support a different emotional imbalance restoring equilibrium and balance back into the body and soul.

**I venture to the flower remedy section of the wellness area of the health food store or natural pharmacy and I ask for the best remedy for my current emotion. I hold the bottle and ask myself if this is a good remedy for me. I may try a few before I decide. I keep the remedy in my purse and I use whenever the emotion arises. I also use it in my daily meditation practice.

Take a Ritual Bath

Aside from the warming and relaxing qualities there are also deeper support from certain types of baths.  Just like you make yourself that intentional cup of herbal tea, you can soak away your sorrows in a intentional ritual bath with herbs and tonics that will fine tune your energy and emotional bodies.

You can always resort to the simple Epson salts bath if you like, but here I am going to provide you with some specific and unique baths to use to cleanse your energy and emotions – mind, body and soul.

*Sweeten up your mood with a “sweet like honey” bath.  Add a cup of raw honey to your bath and watch your sweetness return.  Honey baths remind us of the sweetness of life.

*Purify your energy body with lemon juice in your bath.  Add one cup of lemon juice to your bath for a gentle clearing and supportive shift of old beliefs and emotions.

Get Naked with Nature

One of the quickest ways I know to clear my mind and reset my thoughts is taking myself right into the foothills of Boulder.

For 20 years now, I have lived here in Boulder CO, and I have to tell you I will always be in awe of these mountains. Over the years, nature has held my sorrow, my pain, my trauma, my confusion, my self hatred, my heartbreaks and everything else that I have gone through.

These mountains truly hold a blueprint of my life.

So, when I say 'GET NAKED' with nature, what I really mean is to shed all that is not serving you, and SHE will hold it for you.  Reveal your truth, and SHE will guide you. Let go of what is blocking you, and SHE will lead you into the light.

 *I go into the woods and hike with the intention of nature holding a healing space for me.  I give myself time and permission to heal, and I let go into the great mother earth.  This is a time of surrender, release, trust, and clearing for me.

Turn IT around...

5 steps to quiet your mind and return to your TRUE self.

 The light of the moon tends to shine into my bedroom through my bamboo shades quite often. The moonlight can bother me occasionally, I stir, rustle, and move about to try to settle into sleep again. Do you ever notice that your mind can challenge you in the deep dark night?

I hear this all the time.  Things always seem worse in the middle of the night.

Once mine starts, it is hard for me to rein her in.

My mind chatter, like most of us, can be my biggest source of stress, my biggest obstacle and my biggest teacher.

In these common human moments where our minds and our internal dialogue can get the best of us, it is helpful to have some strategies to anchor inward and “turn it around”.  Knowing how to reign in the mind is a game changer.

Your thoughts influence the quality of your inner world, and the nature of your outer world.
 
Our internal dialogue can be a positive force, guiding us into our power, our presence and tending to bring about positive results in the moment and in our future.  Our internal dialogue also has the ability to be negative, critical, and even ugly, often leading to strengthening negative attitudes and behaviors.

The path of the yogi(ni) is stock full of practices, tools, postures, sutras, kriyas, and meditations that all have the possibility of quieting the mind.  You would think with all of these in our back pocket we would be able to rein in the negative internal dialogue and turn it around no problem.

The truth is, the mind is a tricky part of our psyche, and holding to our truest power with our mind takes a lot of practice.

Be sure to check out these 5 steps to try to ease your mind (and the rest of you) so you can live in your most authentic self with grace and ease.

Watch and Witness

Becoming the witness in our own lives is the first step to recognizing both what quality of thought we experience, and where we can begin to upgrade. The pause, as Valerie DiAmbrosio mentions in her article in this months issue of SYJ, is a very powerful place with which to familiarize ourselves.

The more we can create space between our original thought, and our next action, the more intentional and aware we can be of what thought pattern to enforce or let go, and which action we wish to take next.

*Try to  practicing the pause. Witness, watch, and listen.

Breathe

Breathing is often thought of as the vehicle into the subtle body in the yoga practice. Slowing down the breath will automatically slow down your brain waves and give you more time to improve your internal dialogue and make your thoughts more intentional.

The ancient yogis believed that if you can regulate your breath, you can regulate your mind.

 * Try some pranayama, or specifically alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana) to practice slowing down your thoughts.

Remember you are NOT your thoughts

Once you pause and slow down, you will begin to notice the quality of your thoughts. Often when we get swooped into a familiar or habitual thought patterns and we don’t realize we have a choice.

Some of our most common thoughts may be judgmental, critical, and can very easily sneak up on us. These thoughts may bring us down, leave us feeling unlovable, not good enough or even inadequate.

*Try asking the question “Is this really TRUE?” The thoughts we believe are optional.

“Don’t believe everything you think”

Believe in Miracles

A Course in Miracles, defines a miracle as the shift from FEAR to LOVE. Here is a place where we have the power to shift our thinking, our internal dialogue and our habitual thoughts moment by moment.

The real miracle is the love that inspires the new thought. In this sense, everything that comes from love is a miracle.

*Next time you notice having a fear based thought, try replacing it with love. Believe in miracles.

“Through prayer, love is received,

and through miracles love is expressed.”

Create a Positive Mantra

A mantra, or an affirmation, is one way to practice changing fearful thoughts, self-sabotaging thoughts, or plain old icky thoughts into LOVE.  Mantra has been used in many spiritual traditions to begin to condition and sculpt the mind chatter into a positive supportive instrument.

The best mantra to practice is one that will take your most common negative or fear based thought and turn it into love. Keep it in the positive, keep it simple, and keep it relevant.

 *Try pulling out your smart phone and set the timer for mantra moments. I would suggest every hour to start.  Whenever you hear the chime, say your MANTRA.

Or 

*Write your MANTRA on a post-it note and put it on your computer, your desk your bathroom mirror or somewhere you will be seeing it often.  

Or

 *Place your MANTRA in your sacred space, on your alter, or somewhere close, so when you practice each day you will have it there to bring into your meditation

I cried at the airport...

I am known to cry quite frequently, some say I am a deep feeler.  We were pulling up in the taxi departing from the magical island of Bali, and I felt my tears beginning to well up.

As I got out of the car and walked into the airport, it was clearly one of those uncontrollable cries, and I thought I should probably wait to go through security. I had to sit down on a bench and wait it out.

It's not that I didn't want to come home, I love my Boulder life. The tears were more about my Bail experience having had an impact on me that was so profound it was hard to let go.  Bali's vibration had so gracefully met me exactly where I needed to be, in order to SEE and EXPAND.

Upon returning to Boulder after my 2-week inner pilgrimage,  amidst the excitement of spring, seeing my kids, friends, and those I love, there has been an uncomfortable feeling of being stuck, stagnant and outdated with how things used to be done in my life.  In the past we have called this a retreat hangover or re-integration process.  This one kicked my yogini butt.

Something HAS to change for my inner and outer alignment to occur.  Anything that isn't feeling aligned energetically seems be giving me a terrible headache.

Since being back, I have been sitting with this... waiting, listening, hoping for what needs to shift to become obvious - and if you know me, you know this waiting is not my favorite pastime.

I crave for this beautiful multidimensional insight that came to me in Bali to now emerge and apply to how I live each day, personally and professionally.

I have tried to sit down to write about it so many times...but nothing was coming...until today.

All my personal inquiry, hours of meditation, powerful kundalini sessions, and time with myself, has finally moved some energy and created some clarity.  I have been recalibrating my Bali bliss into my new Boulder buzz.

It turns out … something in me has expired.

It is perspective, and the old ways of approaching life, business and health.  It is the muscling through life to make things work, burning myself out in a desperate attempt to keep all the balls in the air, and still be able to smile as I pass you by in the grocery store.

I am so passionate about what I do every day, and how I live this blessed life, but it is time for the feminine to guide me, to take over, and to provide a flow and a grace that eases my system so that I get filled back up instead of drained by my day-to-day.

I live at one with my mind, body and spirit connection.  I have to listen to my wisdom, and the ever present goddess guiding me.  Any place where I am not LISTENING has become so loud I can barely stand it.

I see how my outdated and limiting beliefs can keep me stuck, and that nothing can change without the power of my thoughts and the divine feminine supporting me.

I see how it is time for a new paradigm that outdates SO many of the myths about food, women, and pleasure so that we can individually find our pathway to THRIVE in a mind-body-spirit approach to both health and living.  It can be felt as subtle yet profound and magnificent.

Over the coming weeks, you will notice some changes with the way I do business, what I am putting forth, and what I really hope to bring into the world.  It is energetic and gentle...I am still in the process of unfolding how this will look to the outside world.

I know for my work to be as potent and as powerful as I need it to be for my own fulfillment, my clarity of heart and grace has to be 100%.

Thankfully, I have some amazing people coaching and guiding me on this incredible journey of discovering what is coming next.  I promise to keep you posted.

With spring in full force, expansion happening all around us, I feel more than ready to step forward into my own creative potential and stay in synch with what is blooming all around us.

Care to step into the current with me? Let's expand, widen, create and live our best lives together!

The best is yet to come.

Calling Aphrodite

5 Springtime Aphrodisiacs to Master your MOJO

Aphrodite, known as the Greek Goddess of love, pleasure, sensuality and beauty, is one of my favorite of the Goddesses to invoke. Can you see why?

In the stories of Aphrodite, she has the magical ability to compel anyone to desire her.

Aphrodite is said to be born from the foam of the sea. She is revered, cherished, and known for her sensual allure, her delicate beauty and her ability to activate the sensuality of her lovers. This spring you too can invoke her into your pleasure practices, and into the art of sensual eating so that you can explore a more mystical in your body and your bliss.

The sensual art of eating is a journey deep into your relationship with your own sensuality, pleasure stimuli through the senses, and a celebration of food and sensuality that has been present in cultures far and wide throughout history. Sensuality happens with cooking, preparing, presenting and opening are hearts through our meals, just as it does when we prepare, adorn ourselves and wake up our senses to make love to our beloved. This art is as delicate, smooth, succulent and artistic as a love poem or as crazy and free as an artist’s eccentric expression.

The sensual art of eating combines our love for ourselves and those we cook for along with our inseparable senses, especially smell and taste.

Let’s start with the olfactory orgasm…

It is said the olfactory sense, our sense of smell is our oldest sense from the viewpoint of evolution. Our sense of smell creates strong memories with its powerful, swift and precise presence. The sense of smell is more developed in a woman than it is in a man. Our sense of smell is deeply connected to our sensual relationship to food, to a woman's eroticism, and to our intuition. Just as we can be enticed by the smell of our lover, we can be excited by the lure of fresh prepared foods, conscious cooking and the throb of desire and erotism that food can evoke in us as woman and as Goddess. It is not unusual for a mouth watering dish to evoke nostalgia and pleasure waking up our emotions and creating a spiritual + sensual experience with our food.

On to our TANTALIZING taste buds…

It is said in the world of senses, taste is the QUEEN. It is a pleasure, but also a protection that can tell the difference between what's good to eat and what could be harmful. The taste buds activate relating to 5 different flavors, according to Chinese Medicine: Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Sour and Pungent. Each flavor represents a different quality of emotion and energy that we can use to balance ourselves out and heighten our experience around taste. UMAMI is the ultimate taste sensation that brings us the most tantalizing taste experience in just one bite. It is most like a food orgasm that activates all 5 tastes and increases pleasure exponentially. APHRODISIACS

An aphrodisiac is a substance known to increase sexual desire and sexual pleasure. The word APHRODISIAC throughout history has pertained to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, passion and pleasure. There have been many foods considered aphrodisiacs throughout time, and the thing that they all have in common is that they ALL fully engage the senses. Aphrodisiacs are sensual foods create a heightened pleasure experience related both to eating and to our own sensuality. We can make love to ourselves through our food, and we can use food as foreplay for ourselves or with our beloved, a practice written about for centuries in almost every culture known to humankind. 5 SPRINGTIME Aphrodisiacs For you to EXPLORE

Asparagus

This lily plant derivative is known to stir up lust for both woman and man. They are known to boost histamine production known to boost orgasm in both male and female.

Watermelon

Known as natures VIAGRA due to 2 compounds. First watermelon has high levels of citrulline (found in highest concentration in the white of the melon rind) has the power to dilate blood vessels and support erection in a man. Second, the high amounts of lycopene are known to balance and support a healthy prostate. This may be the perfect sensual fruit to entice your lover

Maca

This peruvian wonder has proven to have a number of health benefits. Some of these include increasing energy and stamina, balancing hormones for both PMS and menopause, repairing adrenal function and enhancing sexual function and libido. Ooh la la! Maca is available in a powdered form and can be added to smoothies or yogurt, or you can buy maca in a capsule to take a more concentrated dosage.

Artichoke

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that artichokes had such a strong aphrodisiac effect that women were prohibited from eating them as they were said to make women more desirable.

Chocolate

The aphrodisiac quality of chocolate is nothing new…but rather something that is embedded in history of the western civilization. The great Aztec ruler Montezuma, one of the first red hot lovers to tap into chocolate’s strengths, was said to have consumed as much as fifty cups of chocolate elixir before heading off to his harem. In the late 20th century it was proven that the phenylethylamine (PEA) in chocolate releases the same hormone as does sexual intercourse. The compounds in chocolate are also known to raise dopamine and seratonin levels offering energy, mood enhancement and pleasure to the body.

Eat for the SEASON not the DAY

Is WINTER faking you out? This morning I was driving my son to school on the icy roads and he said:

"Sheesh, really Boulder? "

These crazy weather patterns we experience here in Boulder are a little hard on the system and hard to predict at this time of year.

One day it is springy and warm and I feel my spring fever bubbling up, and the next we are shoveling 2 feet of snow off of our driveway and I am back in hibernation mode.

Even though my son was born and raised here in Colorado, it still boggles his mind to witness the Colorado weather patterns.  

It is a confusing time of year for the body and immune system and so many people have been struggling with cold and flu this year.

There is a saying in Chinese Medicine that says:

"Dress for the season, not the day."

I have adopted this moto and added my own little spin:

"Eat for the season, not the day."

It is still winter for most of us, and although I am excited about the upcoming spring season and enjoying the occasional warmer day, it is still helpful to stay warm and well nourished for the remaining days of winter.

February and March are often the months with the most irratic weather.  Our bodies are going through a lot to keep ourselves strong and healthy.

We have to be sure to stay AHEAD of the weather.

How you may ask?

When we stay in the season with our eating, our self care, body care, we will naturally be more attuned to the season, and strengthen our immune systems for this final push of winter.

Want a few immune boosting tips?

Keep reading...

Just tired of Winter?  

Come with us on a goddess journey to Bali.  We have a few spots left. Click here for details.

Winter Immunity Insights

1.  Stay warm.

Keep your kidneys and bladder warm (and the rest of your body as well).  You can use warming foods, teas, topical essential oils, sesame oil, and warm clothing to insulate and nourish the your core.  Scarves are a nice addition to protect the windgate – the space at the back of your neck – where pathogens can enter.

Even if the weather is warmer than an average winter day, which often happens in my home state COLORADO, be sure to “DRESS FOR THE SEASON, NOT THE DAY”.   Stay insulated to keep the immunity strong.

2.  Oil of Oregano

Are you fighting the common winter cold, or flu this winter?  Oil of Oregano is one of my favorite treatments for both immune boosting and anti-bacterial and anti-viral support.

Did you know just a few drops of Oregano Oil in the diffuser or vaporizer can give you some relief?

Even better – add a few drops to your cooking and enjoy the delicious flavor and immune boosting qualities with your dinner.

Because this potent oil is so strong, make sure you dilute it substantially or take it in a protective capsule.  With my big pot of homemade chicken soup I only use 2 drops…3 is too many, and too strong.  (See recipe below)

(avoid if you are pregnant, or breastfeeding or an infant)

3.  Ritual Baths

There are many many benefits to baths at this time of year.  Aside from the warming and relaxing qualities there are also deeper support from certain types of baths.  You can always resort to the simple Epson salts bath if you like, but here I am going to provide you with some specific and unique baths to use to synch up with winter – mind, body and soul.

• Add a teaspoon of coconut oil for a warm and insulating
• Add some chunks of fresh ginger.  Ginger is a natural immune booster and when you soak in a ginger tea bath you absorb the ginger and allow the body to purify and release the pathogens.  Stay warm and get right in bed after.
• Feeling a little down in the cold days of winter?  Sweeten up your mood with a "sweet like honey" bath.  Add a cup of raw honey to your bath and watch your seasonal funk slip away.  Honey baths remind us of the sweetness of life.

This $hit Works

For me, everything starts with a vision.  That moment when my thoughts create an inspiring idea and I feel the ZAZAZOO (yes, I just used a Carrie Bradshaw word) that lights me up. I know you know what I mean.  It could be planning for a trip, buying a house, designing a new piece of art, or uplifting your business.

The picture above is the very first day when Eat.Pray.Yoga made it onto paper over 1 1/2 years ago now.  I remember the day so well...

I cleared my schedule, went and bought that big blank pad of paper + those colorful sharpies, made a big pot of tea, and put on some great music.

It was the most delicious afternoon of creating, mapping out, and pouring my heart and soul into this exciting vision.

I am sharing this with you today, because you to can turn your visions into reality also.  Even if you feel uninspired, stuck, or a bit hopeless I know you have some kind of little spark in there.  Something that lights you up.

We all get stuck, delayed, or sometimes life happens and puts a big obstacle in our progress - that absolutely happened to me in writing Eat.Pray.Yoga - but if we keep moving towards our vision, one day at a time,  sometime soon it manifests.

Today I am going to share with you my top 3 creation/ manifestation/ make your vision a reality TIPS, so that we can all move towards a fulfilling life that is steeped in heart, creativity, and success in whatever it is we are seeking.  You can find the top 3 turn your vision into reality TIPS below.

Also, the fully manifested EAT.PRAY.YOGA 40 DAY on line program for women begins MONDAY January 19th!

If you are planning to register, let me know.

Join me in this exciting quest into a deeper relationship with self, nourishment and self love that both transform your relationship with food and body + last a lifetime.   I promise to get your ZAZAZOO going.

3 TIPS to make your VISION into a REALTY:

 1.  What LIGHTS you up?  

Once you feel into your vision it is helpful to connect with the spark that is desire, that is your passion, that is YOU.  Every vision becomes more potent with more potential energy that is behind it.  When your idea/vision/dream becomes clear, stoke it up with some serious inner fire, some strong empowered thoughts or affirmations, and some SHAKTI.  Soon it will have a life of it's own.

2.  Stay TRUE to the VISION.  

What was the original vision?  Sometimes life guides us on a pathway to enhance our vision and other times the obstacles and self doubt can detour us in unnecessary ways.  Clear your old inhibiting and limiting beliefs about you achieving what you want as best you can - alert yourself to these self-sabotaging thought patterns and negative internal dialogue trajectories.

Your TRUE self is guided, wise, and intuitive.  Come back to your pure vision, and remember WHY you created it to begin with.  Don't let the monkey-mind water it down, procrastinate or avoid your true potential.

3.  Think it, feel it, trust it.

You are ENOUGH.  The UNIVERSE has your back.  Once you align your thoughts, your feelings and your inner faith into being guided on the perfect wanderlust, you can just simply surrender to what is and embrace all that you are in your strong, powerful self.    You are a deliberate, soulful being with plenty of high vibration and love to go around.

When you trust that you can vibrate as high as your vision - you will see it manifest along with everything you need to make your vision a realty.

Eat.Pray.Yoga. — my 40-day on line mind-body eating program for women who are seeking to improve emotional eating habits, relationship with food, overeating, and body image issues —  or just simply need some support in the body/health/self-love realm.

In this program you’ll discover how to attune your body to become your barometer, understand your best approach for eating with pleasure and soul, and find your power in your relationship to food and health.

I’m so excited to share this with you, and if it's the right fit, I would be honored to support you in taking charge of your health.

So, if you know 2015 is your year to make your relationship to food and your power a priority, now is the best time to sign up for Eat.Pray.Yoga.

Let's make 2015 your best year yet!!

Questions?  Shoot me an email.

With love, Sue

Winter's Wanderlust

Each season in the Chinese Medicine System is correlated to an element.

Winter's element is WATER.

Feeling stagnant, stuck, anxious?

When the water element is out of balance there is a fear or anxiety that can arise creating the feeling of being stuck.  

The organ systems associated with water are the kidneys and urinary bladder, which rule water metabolism and maintain homeostasis, a dynamic continual rebalancing, most prevalent in the winter.  

Many times we may find fear in the form of a mental obstacle, which we break through with various practices: Yoga, Qi Gong, Meditation, Nutrition, Prayer.

REPLENISH:

With effective seasonal eating, winter-wise self-care and awareness practices, winter can be the most effective time for restoration, rejuvenation and consolidation of our QI or Prana (life force).  Winter can strengthen our YIN and keep the water element flowing so we can feel at ease, flexible and harmonious.

Winter eating often entails preparing seasonal whole foods that can be stored, canned, or kept for the colder days of winter.

Winter is known as the best time to ROOT DOWN and get grounded in our lives and health practices.

Foods such as root vegetables and hearty greens are best at this time of year.

Canadian scientists recently compared the nutrient density of 33 vegetables and found that the most powerful winter veggies are brussel sprouts, leeks, beets, and kale.  These are important foods to land on your plate this season for optimal strength and nutrient density.  

Avoid eating too many raw foods during the winter, as they tend to cool the body (digestion) too much.  Emphasize warming foods that stimulate digestion, circulation, and immunity:

•  Soups and stews
• Root vegetables
• Beans (especially adzuki and mung beans)
• Miso broth and seaweed
• Garlic and ginger
• Cayenne and Tumeric are warming
• Coriander is a Kidney and Urinary Bladder cleanser

REFLECT:

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter is time to find a sense of inner peace and solace.    The sound of winter is silence.  The silence of the snow falling and the silence of our own journey inward.  It’s a great time to visit our intentions for a new year, meditate by candlelight, and become crystal clear on what we are calling forth upon new light returning.

Allow yourself to practice the art listening to your body, how it wants to be fed and how it wants to move in its wisdom and inner knowing.

REVERE:

Create a mindfulness practice around mealtime.  Because the body is moving slower in the wintertime, we are more sensitive to rushing through meals and higher levels of stress.

To listen to what our bodies really want, we need to SLOW down.  Plan to sit down at mealtime in a calm environment for each nourishing meal.  Eat slowly and soulfully so that you can focus on chewing your food, listening to when your body is full, and absorbing and digesting optimally.

Eating can become a practice or a ritual just like anything else we do.  When we bring mindfulness and magic to our eating it raises the SHAKTI in our eating experience bringing to life and brilliance.

We can bring intention, love, consciousness and awareness to our food practices just as if they were a divine body prayer, a deep connection to your beloved self or another platform in which to practice consciousness in our lives.

As you explore your deepest self this winter, find celebration in the marriage of your body and mind.  

"The body and mind ALWAYS reflect each other."

Open to more light from within, so that you can share your light with more gusto and brilliance than ever before.

My BODY is my ALLY

I know this may sound SIMPLE, but I am a firm believer.  

I practice LISTENING every single day.  

After many years striving to live this commitment, my body, and it's sensations, speak pretty loud and clear to me all day long.

Do I always manage to listen?

NO, that would be impossible.



Am I constantly honing the practice of using my body as my barometer?

YES.  This is my commitment to myself.

This is my process, this is my practice.  

Every morning when I wake up in the dark, kids asleep, and the house as quiet as can be, I make my way to my alter with my warm cup of tea, sit on down on the purple meditation cushion I love so much and light a candle.  

I sit and PRACTICE listening.

  Something about the early morning speaks to me.  A moment to myself, a moment to be in the magic of the day break, listening to my body and setting intention for the day.

We all hold our wisdom and intuition in different parts of our bodies.  I hold mine right in my stomach.  When something doesn’t feel good it almost always goes right to my GUT.  

I feel a bit ol’ knot, or even nausea right in my belly.  Hard to miss right? 

Funny, somehow I spent most of my life ignoring this bodily wisdom.

YOUR body is YOUR ally too!

You can deepen the mind-body connection in everything you do, and it will always be there for you.  This is a journey inward into the subtle body, the senses, and your visceral experience.


How does this relate to your eating you may ask?



What we eat and who we are as eaters also creates an experience in our bodies.

Did you RUSH through lunch barely coming up for air?

Overeat?

Binge on junk food because you are overwhelmed at work?

Stuff your feelings with a couple of cupcakes?

Skip breakfast this morning?

You get the drift.

  How do these types of choices FEEL in your body?  Can you listen just a bit more closely to your body's cues?

Are you HUNGRY?

Are you SATIATED?

What are you REALLY HUNGRY for?

The art of LISTENING inward will tell you exactly what you need to know.  Your body is like a wise teacher always pointing you in a direction of higher good.  Your body is a guidance system that you can always count on!

We are divinely designed to be strong and vital, to heal ourselves and to refine our inner listening skills.  

Our bodies are ALWAYS talking to us. Your body's wisdom is about food, intuition, protection, emotion and spirit.

The point is YOU ARE A WISE BEING just like me.

If you want to get OUT of automatic behaviors around food and in your life that are bringing you down, remember:

And my favorite line..."THE WAY OUT IS ALWAYS IN..."

Here are my favorite simple daily practices to REFINE the MIND-BODY connection:

1.  Get Present 

Eckhart Tolle says:

“Always say YES to the present moment. Surrender to what is.  Say YES to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you.”
 


When we are living in the present moment, we become aware and open to the possibilities that surround us. Our physical sensations are occurring in the present moment and present moment ALONE.

If we are focused on past or future we MISS the cues our bodies are showing us.

  Even basic sensations like hunger, satiation, and the wise cravings our bodies know are happening in the present moment and the present moment alone.

Get present, TUNE IN and see how magical YOUR BODY can be.

2.  
Open your Heart 

Just as you can practice heart opening in your thoughts and emotions, you can also experience opening the heart space in your physical body.  
 
When the rib cage is constricted, we lose the ability to take a full diaphragmatic breath, limiting our range of motion and ability to extend and expand.  We shut down - physically and emotionally.

As we gently stretch the thoracic soft tissues we begin to open the heart space.

Energy, emotion, and life force can move freely again.

To truly feel the body, we must open it up and resolve the blocks: physical, energetic, emotional and spiritual.

Opening up the physical heart opens the emotional heart.

Just when we think you need FOOD to feel satiated in your life, maybe we really need a break, a hug, or a nice long nap.

 3.  Journal 

Journaling is a wonderful tool to connect the conscious mind to the subconscious mind; to connect body to soul.  What comes out on the paper when we allow ourselves to write freely is most often very insightful.

Studies show no matter the quality of your writing, the act of writing itself leads to strong physical and mental health benefits, like long-term improvements in mood, stress levels and depressive symptoms. In a 2005 study on the emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing, researchers found that just 15 to 20 minutes of writing three to five times over the course of the four-month study was enough to make a difference.

Sometimes as I write, I unravel a question or confusion I am harboring.  I allow it to be messy, sloppy, free form or any way I see fit. 
 
I listen.  Journaling is like listening OUT LOUD.  Journaling gives your inner voice a beautiful and safe container to express HERself.

"Your body keeps an accurate journal regardless of what you write down."

Give these a try.  They are simple yet profound.  When working with the mind-body connection and honing in on the art of listening there are many tools and practices that take us inward.

How does your body speak?

Where do you FEEL it?

Share you comments below  : )

Cozy Comfort Food

Ahh, I love FRIDAYS After a long week of work, carpooling, early mornings, and having to be on my game, I am always a fan of FRIDAYS.  There is something about chilling, relaxing, reading, and lounging in my bathrobe for a little longer than usual on the weekends that comforts me.

I pretty much give life my ALL during the week, and that is ONLY possible if I allow myself to RECHARGE on the weekends.

Things have been busy over here this fall.  I have a BRAND NEW DIGITAL program launching in January.  This has been months of writing, planning and strategizing to get ready and soon I will be telling you all about it!

In the midst, I sent out a survey to all of you (thanks to those of you who took the time to answer) because I want to make sure I am covering my bases and giving you what you all want and need to make life a bit better, easier, and more fulfilling.

So, here goes...

It was almost UNANIMOUS that many of you get overwhelmed by cooking and food preparation.  Many of you mentioned that you are tired, busy and overwhelmed so comfort eating can become an issue.

Well, here is the thing:  Comfort eating is ONE way of getting comfort. It is a totally normal urge on which to feel and act.  What I want to share with you today is two-fold.

Firstly, there are many ways to get comfort.

Lately, after super intense busy days I get right into the bath and soak it out.

Sometimes, I take long walks at the end of the day around my neighborhood, and other times I visit with a friend to talk it out.

Home spa treatments and early nights in bed are another of my favorites.

Secondly, if we want to choose food as comfort, how about upgrading the quality and wisdom we use to get the comfort out of eating, so that it is a WIN-WIN situation.

Make no mistake, eating is pleasurable and comforting so how can we REORIENT around eating for comfort, so that it is not SOOOO bad?

So HERE we GO:

How to create a WIN-WIN situation with eating for COMFORT

1.  SUBSTITUTE

There is a huge difference between a bag of crappy microwave popcorn and some yummy homemade organic popcorn smothered in cultured butter, nutritional yeast, and nori flakes.  The first version has nothing much to offer other than instant gratification, and the second - practically a superfood.  Both may taste good but the second option creates comfort + sustainable pleasure + direct health benefits.

Let try another example. ...

Let's pretend you are a chocolate gal!  Chocolate is what you crave when you are tired, and what you want when you are sad, stressed and overwhelmed.  Option one is the left over halloween candy that you "bought" from your kid 6 months ago in exchange for a toy (you know what I mean) that is stashed in your closet while option 2 is the high quality organic fair-trade chocolate that you bought at the local health food store that is FULL of antioxidants , phyto-chemicals and is coined a superfood across cultures far and wide.    The first version is nothing but refined sugar while the second version is a potent nutrient dense tonic.

WHERE CAN YOU UPGRADE/SUBSTITUTE IN YOUR LIFE???

2.  SAVOR

There are many aspects to pleasure.  Unfortunately so many us are MISSING THEM and rushing though pleasurable experiences in our lives because we are conditioned to CHECK OUT around comfort food.

What if with your new and improved comfort food you were able to CHECK IN to yourself while you enjoyed its delight.

What does CHECKING IN really mean?

Presence, slow, aware, intuitive, engaged, mindful, intentional, soulful.

When I get deeply relaxing nourishing comfort, I don't want to miss it.  Check IN.  Tune IN.  Listen IN.  Enjoy the pleasure to it's fullest potential.

Check out the CHOCOLATE MEDITATION video here for a detailed example.

3.  SENSUALIZE

The ART of SENSUAL eating is one of my favorite new topics to write about.  How would APHRODITE enjoy her food? How can eating become an act of MAKING LOVE to ourselves to enhance the fulfillment and comfort in the experience.

For me it is all about RITUAL.  When I draw my bath each night I take the extra 5 minutes to light candles, add some essential oil and coconut oil, and give myself a little extra TLC.

How can you do this with your eating?

First off you can create a sacred environment to enjoy you super nutrient dense yummy comfort food.  Second you can make it into a spiritual experience so to speak.  If an act such as eating is to be truly comforting, engage your senses fully, make it sensual and make it memorable.  What would APHRODITE do?

HOMEWORK:

In the comments below, share with us your biggest challenge around comfort eating AND which of these 3 practices you are going to try this week.  We WANT to here from you!!

PS.  My newest article about MIND-BODY eating went live this week on Elephant Journal.   It really speaks to the biggest food issue of our time.  I think you will enjoy.

Click here to check it out.

Creating a life you LOVE has to start SOMEWHERE

If you are anything like me, you probably have some pretty big hopes and dreams for how your time is going to play out here on earth. You likely want to feel good so you can give back to your great circle of life + you probably want to be able to look back and feel like you lived out your purpose, love, and passions as much as you could have.

Living a fulfilling life not only feels good in the moment but it can have a HUGE impact on our health, happiness and our relationship with food.

One of my favorite questions to ask my clients is:

 "What are you REALLY hungry for?"

Why?  Because so often when we are lacking fulfillment in our day-to-day lives we are then trying to eat our way to comfort and pleasure.

Sound familiar?

Unfortunately this approach to fulfillment (i.e. food) doesn't work.  I have tried it, and I have witnessed hundreds of women who keep turning to food for pleasure, love, and comfort and it doesn't work for them either.

So, if you were to work on creating the life that would fulfill you, what would that look like?

What are YOU hungry for?

We are going to start with #1  (you can read the original blog post here).

For me, one of the biggest tools to finding fulfillment in my life begins with how I spend my time.  What do I do with my schedule to support what I WANT in my life?

For example... If I want more yoga in my week, I have to SCHEDULE it!  If I want more time to write for my business, I have to SCHEDULE it.

 "If it isn't scheduled it isn't real."

So this week I am giving you a BLANK IDEAL CALENDAR template to create your IDEAL week, and include everything you can to make your life exciting, fulfilling and balanced.

Bonus:  I am also attaching MY IDEAL CALENDAR in case you missed it last time.

I just finished mine for the fall a few weeks ago, and I have to say, life DID get more fulfilling.  I love my new schedule.

{Do I always make it happen just right?  Absolutely not.  But it is a great template with which to work towards my fulfillment and it includes almost every single thing I want in my life..}

Here are your Ideal Calendar Instructions: 

1.    Write a list of all the things you want to include in your ideal week.  Be sure you are being reasonable!  It is important to be realistic here.  What are your priorities? Make sure you include work, free time, and downtime.

2.  Prioritize the list with the most time consuming stuff at the top and the least time consuming at the bottom.

3.   Download the template.  You can do that above on the link.  It is customizable, meaning you can change colors, the font, the size of the time modules.  If you do not know excel, you can just click each box and type in your event.  You can also create your own calendar if you want to use your artistic side.

4. Start with the largest time events first.  This is the part that is like putting together a puzzle.  This is the puzzle that = your fulfillment so take your time.  Be patient.  Stay with it.  Believe in possibility and happiness.

5.  Share it with us!  We can all use some fresh perspective.  If you save this as a PDF or take a picture you can post it to our FaceBook page.