Author: embracingspirit

What is Your Intention?

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As I have opened myself up in my quest for vulnerability this year and to take something I am passionate about and share it more openly in my adaptive yoga teacher mentoring program, I am asked to look at what I do through a different lens and be open to understanding and learning, while also being confident in myself and what I know to be effective.

Since yoga truly is a practice for daily life and not the ability to touch our toes, I find myself curious how other yoga teachers and/or practitioners view intention. Is having an intention and a plan for the class the same?

For everyone else, is an intention for your day the same as your plan for the day? I don’t think so. I believe we set an intention in our day, or our teaching (example to be present) and our plan may need to adjust according to what shows up in the day or in the yoga session.

I am fairly clear on my intention within a general sense when I am teaching yoga, however we all know that “reading the room” is key. This ability to switch gears in a yoga class is also helpful in life because let’s face it, how many times do we have a plan and we need to change it suddenly. Having this emotional resiliency and ability to be flexible in our minds is a useful tool for everyone.

Here is where my vulnerability was poked yesterday. I had someone observe me yesterday in one of my houses and she asked me afterwards something along the lines of is that all they ever “do” in class and could they “do” more? I knew when she said that she was referring to “doing” more of the physical stuff of yoga.

Hmmm….we chatted about it and as I reflected on it throughout the day I realized that not only have I overcome insecurities about myself, I have also found that the foundation in myself and my work is incredibly strong. This was not always the way I felt and it has taken me polishing myself over the years to remove the doubts and fears and step into being vulnerable enough to share what I do with others in a very real sense. This also allows an opening for me to learn and continue to polish.

This is my truth–When I enter a group home or assisted living setting to share yoga, I have an intention which is to always value them and see them.

As we entering the house, my plan for class had to shift once I was there a few minutes and we finished the check in.  I ALWAYS do a check in and this is so important to what I believe is a great method that I have developed over time.  In the check-in they get to answer how is their mind, body and spirit. This is something I believe we ALL need to do on a daily basis because it helps us to pause, assess ourselves so we know what we need.  By answering these questions in a simply one or two word answer, it also opens the door for vulnerability, connection, empathy and much more.

The group on this day had just three students. The most able bodied student was out and the three that gathered in the living room included one who is partially paralyzed with no movement in left arm and minimal in left leg, one who suffers from severe PTSD and pain, and one who has very little motor control and incredible low self esteem as a result. This is a group who are working very hard on acceptance, grief and how to integrate themselves into their current lives following their injuries.

During the check in I learned that one student was tired but good, and another answered like this:  mind-broken, body-broken, spirit-more broken. The tired student had a hard time sitting up straight and suffers from neck and back pain, so using the soft couch for support was where he was at.  The student who felt he was broken has very little control of his body and the moment he feels a sense of failure, he quits. His tremors and lack of coordination is embarrassing to him and if he struggles, he 99% of the time will stop movement and just listen. The one who is partially paralyzed needs hand over hand support for lifting his arm and leg.

Did I need to switch gears? Heck yes.

Why? Because my intention is to value them and to see them.

I saw that they were struggling physically and my sense was that they needed the connection and opportunity to be seen more than they they needed to be challenged physically or “do” more.  In my mind they were “doing” a lot by engaging, talking, sharing openly, and being present. For these guys, trust is HUGE and they chose to sit around the living and participate.

If I kept my class plan and/or asked them to do something new/hard/unfamiliar it is likely on this particular day, it would have caused them to bail. Since my intention is in valuing them, by adjusting my plan and giving them space to share and move easily in their bodies, they were able to feel successful in a world where they have little success. This touches on their past trauma, their present challenges and how connection and being seen can fuel confidence in them. 

Yes, we did some movement and we did some breathing. We learned a simple sequence that is heart based and tapped into a softer side. Yes, we learned about energy and reciprocity of giving and receiving.  We learned about faith in ourselves and something greater than ourselves.  We shared our gratitudes. 

While all of this magic was going on, dishes were being banged, conversations being loudly had, people in and out, distraction after distraction.  Hard?  Very.

For the yoga teachers out there, what is YOUR intention when teaching? Does your intention change based on your students in class and is your intention different than your class plan?

For everyone, what is your intention? How do you want to interact with the world today? Begin your day by setting an intention and then make choices to align with that.

xo, Stacie

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The Last One

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In many of my experiences walking into into a group home to share Yoga I am often met with much reluctance. I think this is partly because so many view yoga as it is something you do on the floor with a somewhat healthy body in strange shapes.

For someone in a wheelchair this idea seems obviously impossible and out of their ability or comfort zone, and rightly so.

Several years ago I was standing in the kitchen of a home a couple years ago trying my best to cajole a few guys into joining me. I often have to frame it in terms of “hey, come over here and hang out with me for a minute”. I get to chatting and asking them questions and engaging in them, and then usually before long I have them hook, line and sinker. This particular day was just that except that the only person in the kitchen was a large man who made several wisecracks to me about doing yoga.

I started with my usual onslaught of engaging questions like what did you have for lunch, did you see who won the football game, what is your favorite season, how long have you lived in Colorado, etc. Within a few minutes, we are in a deep conversation about the mountains and things we agree make Colorado awesome. After a short while passed and he made another crack about yoga, I giggled and said we had actually just been practicing yoga for the last fifteen minutes.

I explained to him what the definition and essence of yoga is and that is exactly what we have been doing. Gotcha! I exclaimed as he grumbled something about weird yoga people. I offered him a professional foot rub and the rest is history.

Since that day, he and I have met twice a month for 1:1 yoga for over two years.

Here is what it looks like—I arrive and wake up him for a nap, I insist he come out of his room (he prefers isolation and even though I honor his preference, part of the deal with me is some resemblance of boundaries and expectations), he shuffles his large and partially paralyzed body to an easy chair in the living room, I plop down on the floor and rub his feet and then with his permission I move his body for him. I stretch his left side and listen to his horrible wise-cracks and jokes.

Just like that, I was able to get a skeptic to see that Yoga is union, coming together and finding a sense of self in the moment.

In time I have watched as his confidence grew and we went from me moving his left side to him agreeing to arm wrestle me, pull me up from the floor and reach for me. Prior to Yoga he often said “I can’t move my left arm, it is paralyzed”. Now he sees that while it may not be as strong as it was before his accident, it is moving some and he is building strength in his once really strong arms.

After about a year of working with this man I arrived one day to learn he was in the intensive care unit. It didn’t occur to me once to not swiftly drive over to the hospital and complete our yoga session there.

He was intubated but awake when I walked into the strange sights, smells and sounds of an ICU. I introduced myself to his nurse and explained I was his yoga teacher. The quizzical look on her face was something I see often when people don’t fully get what I do. I asked her if I could rub his feet and she agreed that he would probably like that. As I stood next to his head to say hello, his eyes opened and he looked shocked to see me. I teased him that he couldn’t get out of yoga by being in the ICU so we better get busy. His eyes filled with tears and even though he couldn’t speak, I understood what he was saying.

As I finished up rubbing his feet and was packing my things his heart rate and breathing became labored and alarms got louder and louder. His oxygen was tanking despite being on a ventilator. I instinctively put my hand on his chest and said “Watch me. Breathe with me”. After about 30 rounds of deep breathing, his numbers returned to as normal as they could given his situation. The nurse stood with her eyes wide open. I told him I was going to glue a picture of my face to the ceiling so that every time his oxygen dropped he’d see my face and remember to breathe. His eyes twinkled.

It is one of my greatest pleasures to showcase my students’ yoga practice to people who would never see yoga through this particular lens. The first feat is getting the students to see it’s not twisted bodies on the floor, the second is showing staff or caregivers the possibilities. Moving his body for him created not only connection but also the movement his once healthy body still desired.

This beautiful soul had his last foot rub a couple weeks ago and took his final breath this week. I will deeply miss our time together and what he gave my life. It is usually the least likely Yoga students that bring me the most. I hope that he valued our time together as much as I did. He was a special one.

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Faith

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faith

complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

If you have ever gardened you must know that it is a true practice in patience. For me it goes beyond patience, and takes a deep dive into faith. I am constantly taught lessons about patience, faith, nurturing and accepting the process of things.

What happens year after year is that I lay my seeds in the soil and I give them everything that they need to be their best. I’m diligent with water and sunshine and loving on them. And week after week I go out to see what’s happening in the garden, and when I don’t see what I expect to be visible progress, my thoughts immediately go to somebody (squirrel) stole my seeds. Or, the thought occurs to me that I am a failure, and that I should never even bother growing a garden because obviously I don’t know what I’m doing.

Something will be taken or I am a failure. Is that faith?

I mean, if you think about it, if we were just to throw the seeds on the ground and walk away and hope they grow, we would not be giving them their best opportunity to grow. With appropriate amounts of sunshine, just amount right amount of water, the seeds have a much greater chance of not just surviving but thriving. As I lay my little seeds carefully in the soil, I also whisper encouragement for them to grow into their best version of their green beans self. But am I infusing confidence and trust the process? Not usually.

Some level of nurturing also has to happen, along with some level of faith. I think the same holds true for our inner work. We can scatter seeds (intentions) all we want but if we don’t truly believe that these changes will occur and we don’t nurture them by giving those intentions some version of sunshine and water, they will never grow into fruition.

This process in my garden occurs year after year, and I usually end up going to the garden store and purchasing plants that have already got a jumpstart on their growth. Basically cheating. And then in a couple weeks, all of those seeds that I didn’t believe in, suddenly burst from the soil with exuberance. Then my garden is overrun with too many plants which ultimately causes the plants to not have room to grow.

I wondered how many time in my life when change doesn’t happen fast enough rather than have faith I overload it with alternatives?

As I was going through the laundry list this week as to why the green beans and the squash haven’t emerged from the soil, I noticed the same old familiar thoughts. Failure. Stealing. Unsuccessful.

How many times in our day-to-day life and in our relationships, or in our work ventures do we have the same thoughts? How many times do we set aside faith? How many times do we question the complete trust or confidence in someone (including ourselves), or some thing greater than ourselves? How many times do we have no faith in the process? How many times do we set out for change only to not nurture the ideas with the proper ingredients to help growth happen?

So as I look at my garden, and wonder when the magic will happen, I’m reminded to look within and ask myself if I really do have faith in myself? Do I really have faith in the process? It’s not just about the green bean here, it’s about the thoughts that I have when things don’t go as fast as I think they should.

Such a profound reminder that nature truly is our greatest teacher. She teaches us that everything happens according to Divine time. And given the proper environment, all things can grow.

As I took a walk this morning in the early hours, I was astounded to feel the presence of Life. The mist was rising from the wet plants from a beautiful rain overnight just as the sun was warming the earth. The millions of shades of green that were enveloping me as I stood with the sun peeking over the horizon. I stopped for a moment, and I could actually feel the presence of Life. I think it’s remarkable that this great Creator of ours chose the color green for all things nature. Green you see is the color of love and the color of the heart center.

So as all my little sprouts are taking shape underneath the soil I am working on trusting and I being confident in not just myself, but in the process because I am reminded that all around me is Love.

And that is the faith that I was looking for.

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Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

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For the last few months I have been so drawn to a specific and potent aroma. I can’t stop reaching for it and I got really curious about why my brain and my body has been wanting this one so much.

This divine floral is all about the heart, being vulnerable, and finding sweet moments of childlike joy.

This year has been a little rough in my world. Some aspects of my life have flourished into greatness, while other areas have been heart breaking and have brought about quite a bit of grief and sorrow.

Truth is, my heart has been hurting. There I has been some loss and with that opportunities for acceptance that are seeking to emerge.

Ahhh. So that is why my spirit has been craving this smell. It’s sweet floral is an instant soothing to the soul. And the heart.

One of the most fragrant among essential oils. In fact, it is being used as a critical ingredient in the legendary perfume Chanel No. 5.

Ylang Ylang helps us connect to our heart and become balanced by releasing negative emotions and deep emotional sadness. It calms the heart and balances emotions during times of high stress, crisis, tension, or depression.

More importantly, it opens the heart to receive more love and acceptance. 

As a reflection of Ylang Ylang’s ability to restore a healthy flow of positivity in the heart, the essential oil helps encourage a healthy circulatory system. It improves blood flow, fights inflammation, and assist with other heart problems.

The Emotional Benefits:

The oil of a childlike heart
• Powerful for melting the walls around your heart
• Increases love, compassion, trust, empathy, and intimacy
• Softly releases any negative emotion or trauma you’re carrying within
• Use when you’re struggling to connect, put yourself out there, or be vulnerable and tender

Ylang Ylang, meaning “flower of flowers”, has its petals used in Indonesia to decorate the beds of newlyweds due to its aphrodisiac properties. Just so ya know.

Other health benefits::
• Promotes libido and hormonal balance
• Favorite for heart health, including healthy blood pressure, healthy heart rate, and more
• Calms the stress response in the body
• Used for a very restorative sleep

It is just so good. The investment is so worth it because it is so versatile for uses. Check out this gorgeous ebook that breaks down the many uses.

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True Freedom

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What does freedom mean to you?

I often say that I am putting all of the amazing nuggets of wisdom that come from my students with brain injuries into my future book and to share on my future Ted Talk. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Year after year and class after class, I am humbled at the insights that come from people living with brain injuries and feel so strongly that they can teach the world so many things about truly living. Over the years I have kept a little notebook with some of the teachings that they bring to my life and will often pull inspiration from that notebook in my everyday classes or in my personal life.

This one is a keeper.

I have been teaching from the theme of freedom this month. According to Webster’s dictionary, freedom is defined as having the ability to think, speak and act without hindrance or restraint. Teaching adaptive yoga in an assisted living home for adults with traumatic brain injuries often brings the most insights into the true essence of living Yoga. As we broke down each what it means to think, speak and act without hinderance we shared the challenges in our lives it was easy to see that everyone has certain hinderances or restraints that keep them from living fully free. For some, it is living without the ability to move their legs, or for others it is not being able to drive or work. For me although I can drive and work, I have certain physical limitations and responsibilities that keep me from being fully free in my actions.

We then moved onto our ability to speak without hinderance or restraint and it was evident that while the idea of free speech exists, there is a limitation to what we can all say and not get into a little hot water, whether that it within our own home or in the community.

We finished our discussion with the realization that the only true place we have freedom is in our thoughts. We are all free to think what we think and no matter what our challenges or our struggles are, it is ultimately what we do with it through our mindset.

Here is the moment of ah-ha that has stayed in my heart for weeks. As we were closing up our discussion on living freedom, this was spoken:

“The confinement that I feel is only what I ALLOW myself to feel.”

Read that again.

The woman who said this is a student who lives in assisted living and occasionally comes down for yoga. Her body is riddled with pain so her practice is breathing and sharing. She is brave and wise.

She also lost her independence, her family, her ability to work and drive, and basically do the things that feed her soul. And yet she has the insight to see that despite all of her lack of freedoms, she can escape the cage with her thoughts.  She is one of the most insightful and grateful people I have ever met.

And to think that I am called the teacher.

Truth is, I am a conduit for their wisdom. I get to be the messenger.

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Cream Cheese Danish

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These easy-to-make breakfast pastries are as delicious as they are beautiful! Fruit and cream cheese danish are ideal for relaxed weekend mornings, Sunday brunch, and I bet your mom would love these on Mother’s Day!

One of my favorite things to add to anything with berries it a little drop of Lemon Essential Oil. To me lemon and berries go hand in hand make the freshness of the berries burst with goodness. Be mindful thought to only use essential oils that are tested for purity and you know for sure have not been adulterated with synthetics. This gorgeous free ebook explains the difference and why using pure essential oils is so important.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 box of puff pastry dough (2 sheets), thawed
  • 1 8-ounce block of cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • Lime zest from one whole lime
  • 2–1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
  • Fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut in half
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
  • Sanding sugar
  • Optional garnish: additional lime zest
  • 2 drop Lemon Essential Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Adjust your oven rack to the center position. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly-floured board. With a large 4.5-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 4 rounds of dough from each piece. Lightly score the rounds with a slightly-smaller biscuit cutter or drinking glass. Transfer the puff pastry rounds to baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Gather together the remaining scraps of dough. Roll out the dough and create two or three more danish pastry circles. Add those to the baking sheets.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the consistency is smooth and creamy. Place two tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each puff pastry circle. Using the backside of a spoon, spread it out, leaving a 1/4-inch rim.
  4. Arrange blueberries on half of the rounds. Artistically arrange strawberries on the rest of the batch.
  5. Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until the rims of the puff pastry desserts are lightly golden brown.
  6. Allow the cheese danish to relax on the baking sheets and cool down to room temperature. If desired, add a light sprinkling of lime zest to the middle of the strawberry breakfast pastries.
  7. Serve with coffee, milk, orange juice or tea.

These simple and super buttery little pastries are so good and look gorgeous. These are perfect for any special occasion or just to treat yourself!

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Calling Your Energy Back

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“How can you live without knowing what your spirit is doing and what your spirit is saying to you?”

Caroline Myss

Learning to be in touch with who you are at the deepest level is the GREATEST gift you can give yourself in this lifetime. If you don’t know who you are, there is no chance you will live your best life, and that is a tragedy. One of the very first ah-ha moments when I had my great wake up was realizing that I was not my anger or my sadness or my physical form. I was learning that I was something much more powerful than that.

Part of being human is the tendency to want to control things. The trouble with this is that there is a whole Universe that exists outside of the realms of your control, and if you spend your whole life clinging to your PLANS you miss out on receiving what may often be a far better option than what you could have ever mustered up alone. When this clicked for me, my life truly changed. When I released the control, I began to flow with life and was open to the lessons and whatever was showing up in my life rather than holding so tight to the control of how I thought life should be.

I learned early on that in order for me to be my very best I had to create time each day to prepare my spirit for what was to lie ahead and at the end of the day to call my spirit back. This practice helps you to discern what you’re engaging in that either feeds your spirit, or takes away your spirit. When we connect to ourselves on this deeper level, we realize that we are not all the labels that have been stuck to us and we are not the outward expression of our body. We come to realize that our spirit is fed with being aligned with love and that some things steal that love, and steal our spirit.

Remember that each day is a new beginning. Your task each day is to learn the practice of consciously entering your body and your day. Begin by focusing attention on your entire day from morning to evening. Take a few moments to review where you need to go, and who you need to see. Ask yourself if you have expectations about the day and notice if you feel stressed or comfortable. Are you prepared? Then sit with yourself for a few moments and open yourself up to whatever comes during the day.

We go about our day so often asleep and unconscious. W go through the motions, allowing ourselves to get caught up in the whirlwind of expectations, judgments, and ultimately disappointments. We invest our energy into other people’s dysfunction and often hop on the familiar “what if” train. Sometimes we also give so much of ourselves that we feel unbalanced and drained.

This can all be exhausting.

Just as the morning practice of welcoming in and opening yourself is so important, the evening ritual is equally important. As you prepare to enter sleep, review how you used your energy during the day, how you invested your spirit, what you learned about the investments you should or shouldn’t have made. I like to imagine that I left tiny little sparks of light with each step, with each moment of eye contact, with each smile or touch. I think about my reactions to things that were not mine to react to. Did I waste energy in gossip, complaining, comparison or judgment? Those are all energy drainers. I watch my day in my mind and see where there was light left and where I contributed to a lesser energy that takes away the goodness of my spirit.

And finally, as you close out your review of the day, ask yourself, “How do I open myself to receive guidance as I sleep?”

Then listen.

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Sun Damage Face Serum

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I grew up in the 70’s era where the only sunscreen around was the infamous zinc oxide slapped onto the nose long after the sun had already blistered it a few times. There might have been something call sea and ski that had a distinct smell but the memory of it is not super vivid. All I know is that this redheaded gal spent most summers with sunburns and blisters. As an adult I admit I was far from consistent when it came to sunscreen, until a few years ago.

Sadly, the damage of 50+ years in the very strong Colorado sun has taken its toll. I have had more basal cell cancers cut out than I can recall and a few squamous ones, too. A recent trip to the dermatologist resulted in yet another biopsy and the unexpected follow up call saying I need to have surgery to get the rest of it. Not fun. This particular spot is on my collarbone where the skin is super thin and fragile.

Most people who know me are surprised that I am a mom to a 32 year old and that I have a handful of grandkids because honestly, I do not look 52… at first glance anyway. Sometimes my son and I when out together get confused as siblings or worse, that we are a couple. (It helps that he is balding and looks much older than his 32 years and I can most days pass for 40-ish). Overall despite the decades of sun exposure my face has not taken too much of a beating and I have been taking really good care of it.

For the last 10 years I have been very diligent with what I put on my skin and besides sunscreen, the only thing I use on my skin is stuff that I make myself so I know the ingredients are pure. Our skin is after all our largest organ and it absorbs everything we put on it. I make my own foot salve, body butter, eye lash serum, cuticle and nail serum, and hand balm. Sure, it takes a little time but it is so worth it. I know exactly what I am putting on my skin and consider it to all be the cleanest and purest skin care. Plus, I cringe at the thought of paying upwards of $50 – $100 for a high quality facial serum.  The DIY facial serum that I use works the same or better, lasts longer, and costs significantly less.

I have been making a face serum to offset the damage of the sun for quite some time and I think it is amazing. I use pure essential oils and rosehip oil as my carrier. I have found rose hip to work best with my aging skin, but I also know that jojoba is a great option, too.

You only need 3 items to make this DIY Face Serum.   
These are my favorites— dropper bottle, carrier oils, and essential oils.  

  1. Dropper Bottle
  2. Carrier Oil
  3. Essential Oils

The carrier oil is generally inexpensive and can be used for other DIY projects.  All together, depending on the essential oils you use, this serum will likely cost under $10 per bottle. The essential oils you invest in can be used for a variety of other uses, or you can just use them for serums and they will make about twenty-five 2oz serums. Can you imagine spending department store prices twenty five times??? Another benefit to this investment is that I know exactly what I am putting on my skin. There are no unnecessary fillers, synthetic ingredients, or preservatives that are not good for me. 

A few words of caution when it comes to essential oils.

First, please be sure you are using a high quality essential oil, and do not use fragrance oil from the drugstore.  Even though these are labeled as pure oils, they have been tested and they are synthetic. These will damage your skin!  If your bottle of essential oil states fragrance oil anywhere on it, do not apply it to your face.

Second, be wary of ordering on Amazon because most of these have been tampered with.  If you’ve ordered from there and your oil has smelled or looked “off”, then you’ve experienced this.  These can damage your skin because you don’t know what’s in them. They are frequently diluted with low cost coconut oil which can sometimes clogs pores. Because of this, the essential oils I trust to use with my skin and my family are doTERRA essential oils because of their purity, testing standards, and commitment to sustainable practices.  

You can customize this serum to your skin’s specific needs. Since I am targeting aging and sun damaged skin, I carefully selected the essential oils listed below. At my age, I need all the anti-aging wrinkle fighting help I can get.  So I chose some specific oils to help with those needs, like Blue Tansy. You can use as few as 1 or 2 essential oils in this, or as many as you like.   Use what you have or grab a few new ones.

If you’re not sure where to start, Lavender and Frankincense would be good choices.  Of course grabbing these at wholesale makes the most sense and is easy to do! With wholesale pricing you get a 25% off retail cost and there is no requirement to make purchases.

  • Frankincense – I consider this one a must in this recipe.  They knew even thousands of years ago the amazing benefits of Frankincense.  It can help with fine lines and wrinkles, reduction of the appearance of scars, and give an overall radiant and youthful glow.
  • Lavender– The is one of the most popular essential oils of all time and with good reason.  It has incredible benefits for the skin.  It can help reduce redness, blotchy patches and reduce acne.  It has anti-inflammatory properties that help your skin heal from irritations, sun burn, insect bites, or bacteria.  It can also help detoxify the skin, heal, soothe, and prevent wrinkles.  It’s a superstar!
  • Helichrysum  – This is a beautiful healing oil that is great for inflammation, cell regeneration, and can help diminish scars.  It is called “The Everlasting Flower” because of its ant-aging rejuvenating benefits for the skin and ability to improve the complexion.
  • Yarrow | Pom – This is so wonderful for skin all on it’s own that many people will slather this all over their face to reap the benefits.  It has a beautiful blue tint to it that may turn the skin a bit blue at first, but will go away in a few minutes.  
  • Geranium – Geranium essential oil has fantastic benefits for the skin.  It can help with acne breakouts, wrinkles, skin irritations, and skin infections. I highly recommend adding this one.
  • Tea Tree – Tea Tree essential oil especially good for acne prone or oily skin.  It is naturally cleansing and purifying and will help fight acne causing bacteria. A must for any serum.
  • Copaiba –  Copaiba essential oil is widely used in cosmetic products including soaps, creams, lotions, and perfumes.  It is high in beta-caryophyllene which has been studied for its affects on skin. Perfect for any facial serum.
  • Cypress– Cypress oil supports restoring skin’s hydration and eases oil and dry skin issues. The decongestant quality of cypress oil reduces skin pigmentation and puffiness. Skin-soothing properties calm the irritated and inflamed skin and accelerate the healing process.
  • *Blue Tansy occasionally I add this special blue oil because it truly is amazing for the skin. While it is a pricier one, it has some amazing benefits and is a very popular essential oil in many skin care products you can buy anywhere. This one is the purest of the pure.

I apply the serum to a clean face at night and use the rose quartz roller to spread it all over my face and neck area. I smell amazing and while I sleep my face is getting restored by the essential oil benefits.

This gorgeous ebook has some great ideas and tips for how to use essential oils in your home. The investment goes way beyond this face serum!

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Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life. Stacie is currently contracted across the country in a variety of residential programs for adults with traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.

With over fifteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is a E-RYT 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes. In addition to teaching classes in her studio and in the community, Stacie also continues to offer Yoga and Wellness coaching individually to those seeking private sessions.

Three Different Versions

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When one finds their true purpose in life, whether it is being a parent, a doctor, an electrician, an artist or a Yoga teacher, it is unequivocally important to listen to and to pursue the nudging that your soul speaks.  I believe that if we never follow what our inner voice is asking to do, we will endlessly spin during this human life looking elsewhere for fulfillment, continually lost and yet often seeking.

It is hard for me to imagine what may have happened had I not listened. Especially during those days of diapers and snotty noses, when I was seeking some sort of resemblance of control by manically cleaning and organizing my life, that my purpose was lying dormant until the perfect time to emerge from the darkness.  I know more than anything that my girl was absolutely placed in my life to open the door for me to walk into my soul purpose.  The winding road was difficult and took many detours, but ultimately it was her who said, “Come on Mom, something really great awaits you.”

This is how I have come to be here today, and how my passion became my purpose.  It is also how I took a challenge that life handed me and helped me to create meaning not just for myself, but more importantly for others.  If you can glean any insights into not only teaching Yoga to people with unique needs but in everyday life, then it was all most definitely worth it.  I believe after-all each of us is supposed to do something powerful with our lives and we use our challenges to make the world a better place.

Part of my yoga teacher mentoring program is diving into the method that I have created and have seen incredible success from across various settings and abilities. My method touches on the teachings of Yoga and has much less focus on the physical body than many Western teachings. It seems our physical focused culture equates Yoga with touching our toes or putting ourselves into strange shapes. This focus lends many who mentor with me or those who are curious about my students to ask questions and wonder.

The question that I get asked more than any other question in the mentoring program from other yoga teachers is — how do you take traditional yoga postures and make them available to people with various levels of mobility?

I teach in my mentoring program that fundamentals that I believe every class has to HAVE to happen: community, movement, breathing, and gratitude. The movement part is what we tend to focus on, but many of my students are not able to move their bodies independently so some tweaking to the postures becomes a little more challenging. If they are willing to allow you to move their bodies for them (with lots of tenderness) then it really is not much different. 

Notice below in this picture there are three different versions of seated mountain pose. One with both arms, one with one arm, and one with the student assisting herself with her partially paralyzed right arm to extend it to the sky. 

Are all of these versions “correct”? Does that even matter? To me, not at all. Each of these students are connecting to themselves and are in it. They are each experiencing their own unique sensations, thoughts and feelings about the shape that their body is creating, and that is the ultimate essence of Yoga.

Nothing makes me shake my head more that when someone says that can’t do yoga because they are not flexible. Our silly minds have such a way of distorting truth and coming up with irrational reasons as to why we resist something that may be different or new.

I say often there is a method to the madness. Yoga is about awareness and union with ourselves and the avenues in which we travel to get there is actually quite similar to a traditional class, regardless of style or ability, if the intention is aligned. When we connect and let go of the chatter that something has to be “right” or done in whatever ideal of perfection one thinks, we then find the union we are seeking.

If you are a curious Yoga teacher wanting to learn more, reach out to me for additional opportunities to learn and be part of an online forum of learning.

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Raspberry Smoothie Bowl

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I am not a fan of drinking my meals so smoothies are my least favorite thing but I get the nutritional benefit and the ease of it. Smoothies are a delicious, convenient way to get in your fruits and vegetables for the day.

This smoothie bowl recipe includes antioxidant-rich raspberries, as well as Lime essential oil which is often used as an internal cleanser. Whether you want to start off your day with a nutritious breakfast, or blend up an afternoon snack, this raspberry smoothie bowl is a delicious addition to any day of the week. I LOVE active stacks protein and this keeps me full for hours.

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 1 large frozen banana
  • tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 scoop chocolate active stacks protein
  • 2-3 drops Lime Essential oil
  • Shredded coconut
  • Shaved dark chocolate

Instructions:
  1. In a blender, combine frozen fruit, coconut milk, chia seeds, and Lime oil.
  2. Puree until mixture is smooth.

    Tip: For desired consistency, add more frozen fruit if too thin, or more water or coconut milk if too thick.
  3. Pour mixture into bowl and top with shredded coconut, shaved dark chocolate, and any other desired toppings.

Yum! And you get the benefits without having to drink it! I have a gorgeous ebook that gives you tons of ideas on how to use essential oils in every area of your home!

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May Inspiration

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May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel most alive.

– Fennel Hudson

It is hard to believe just how fast this year has already flew by and here we are embarking on a new season. Spring is in full season and yet Mother Nature has been quite active this spring giving us many days of wind and learning to lean into patience. The seeds are planted in my garden and now I watch and wait. There is something so exciting knowing that there are little seeds in the soil coming to life and will soon produce some amazing things to eat.

In Colorado the weather can change often this time of year. I recently read a passage in a book about how we interpret, and perhaps even how we have been trained or conditioned to view something that really is neutral. She uses the example of rain (or in Colorado’s case, snow) and how we might habitually complain about the gloom and doom of rain, when instead we could feel happiness that the flowers are being watered and rejoice in the sound and fresh fragrance. Rain is neutral, it is how we choose to view it. Another example is how we have been accustomed to dreading Mondays, when really it is a neutral and naturally occurring event. Rather than say, “ugh, its Monday”, try shifting your thinking to seeing a Monday as a whole new experience that you get to create a week of productivity, learning, joy, and love.

I love when I am called back to the simplicity of choice. I encourage you to look at your thoughts and when a neutral event occurs (rain, Mondays, traffic), shift your immediate thought that is usually negative into an opportunity to create a beautiful new experience. Ultimately we get to choose how we react, or respond to the events and experiences around us.

This month I will be offering yoga classes that focus on the energy in the body, specifically the divine feminine energy. I also have some fun offerings in-person and online to deeper your understanding of yourself and how to live the healthiest life you can (mind, body, sprit). I am passionate about how we can learn to go back to nature for our health, how we choose to clean our spaces and a general sense of natural living. I would love to share with you! You can learn more about these things here.

And finally, remember to honor the Mom’s and other lucky ones who have nurtured you. It is so important to acknowledge those who give so much love to others, and have one of the hardest (and most rewarding) job in the world. And don’t forget about the grandmothers out there–we are extra special people!

Photo by Polina Kovaleva on Pexels.com

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Divine Feminine Energy and Aromatherapy

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Spring is the perfect time to dive into personal growth right alongside of nature. The month of May is perfect for tapping into the divine feminine energy to foster some nurturing for the growth ahead.

if you’ve been following along with the the last few months, you may have caught my theme of personal growth. Back in March we learned how to prepare our “soil” in the garden in our heart by removing the trash, twigs and weeds that take can take over when left unattended. In April, we took some intentions into our hearts and planted them within with hopes that we will grow in an area of ourselves that we may be lacking. I personally chose to grow some acceptance after I worked hard on removing some disappointments.

Nurturing the Seeds

Now, this month we continue on by looking at how do we nurture these “seeds”? What types of things will act as sunshine and water for the precious intentions we have cultivated in our spirits? 

One of my favorite ways to work with the energy of nurturing is to really tap into the divine feminine energy.

Divine feminine energy is of receptivity and stillness.

Divine feminine energy is of non-doing.

Feminine energy dwells in the shadows and is connected the the lunar energy. Feminine energy is the receptive side of us that is softer, slower, still, and welcoming of ideas and thoughts.

Slowing down in general especially on the days where you do not have to be doing and going. Society glorifies busy. Then burnout happens.

How to work towards the still, peaceful moments that connect you to a deeper part of yourself.

Also attempting to tap more into your intuition is another aspect to living more in the divine energy flow of life. Having daily rituals is important to stay connected to this energy. Mastering self care rituals which include bubble baths and time alone in the garden. Waking early and spending some quiet time alone. These little moments in a busy day help to keep the divine feminine energy there.

This month in my personal practice as well as my teachings, I intend to move on my mat in ways that nurture this energy. Coming into flowing and graceful movements while then holding postures in stillness and looking inward. Slowing down my body on the mat to lean into the stillness within will transfer to my life which is the true purpose of yoga.

Aromatherapy and Divine Feminine Energy

Also part of my slowing down softening the edges of myself, and being more intuitive and intentional about things includes using aromatherapy. I love to use essential oils to help the process of connecting. It sounds crazy, but essential oils and plant therapy have been used for centuries in various forms and during rituals. Most modern medicine is derived from the properties of plants and I love using the purest form of the plant.

In my experience, the higher noted citrus oils or flower-scented oils offer a strong connection to the divine feminine.

Once you have experimented with scents and their effects, you may like to also integrate yoga and crystals into your practices to tap into the divine feminine. It took me some experimenting to find what I love, and what I need.

Suggested Essential Oils for Awakening the Divine Feminine:

  • Bergamot — The oil of self-acceptance and self-love. Also promotes self-confidence and the knowing that you are enough.
  • Geranium — The oil of love and trust. Geranium helps us forgive, become more tolerant and gentle. It eases heavyhearted emotions and feelings of abandonment.
  • Lavender — Oil of Balance. If all else fails, this oil is one of the most versatile. If you’re up and not grounded, lavender is the anchor. Conversely, if you’re down, lavender is the sunshine to shift the clouds.
  • Ylang Ylang —The oil to release. This oil helps us feel playful, free, intuitive and emotionally connected. Ylang Ylang helps us release bottled up emotions. This plant also opens up our playful side and inner child.
  • Clary Sage — The oil of clarity and vision. This beautiful oil helps develop spiritual clarity, intuition and open-mindedness. It teaches us how to use our divinely given feminine gifts. It also helps balance hormones.
  • Rose-The oil of divine love. It supports you as a queen and symbolises pure divine universal love. Rose dissolves fear and awakens our inner goddess. Rose helps us feel more compassionate, tenderhearted and accepting, drawing out those feminine qualities. Rose allows us to choose to receive divine love. 
  • Cedarwood — Oil of Community. Cedarwood inspires the feeling of belonging and assists the heart in opening to receive the love and support of other people.”
  • Magnolia — Oil of Compassion. Magnolia encourages all individuals on a profoundly spiritual level to interact without causing pain or suffering and to refrain from seeing others as somehow less than oneself.
  • Thyme — Oil of Releasing & Forgiving. This herbal essential oil is beautiful for becoming more openhearted and understanding. Thyme “assists in addressing trapped feelings which have been buried for a long time.”

Ideally when we use essential oils to support feminine energy, we are looking to feel all the feelings we’ve likely been suppressing–self love, acceptance, intuition, and the softness of our spirit.

Using these oils will gently soften and bring out the feminine side of you. They are a lovely way to self empower and value add to any self-care activity you are undertaking to better your life and mindset. I love to make a roller blend with these oils during this month to tap into the feelings of nurturing my divine feminine and start to really give the seeds in my heart that I’ve been working on planting the last month or so.

I have a gorgeous free ebook that walks you through the use of essential oils in everyday life for your family. Whether you opt for the more energetic and emotional uses or the practical everyday remedies, you can check it out here.

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