Feeling super lost, unfocused, cranky? Wonder what meditation is all about? Do you have to be perfectly still? Check this out!
Meditation offers a wide range of benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. Here are some key advantages:
Mental Benefits
1. Reduces Stress: Lowers cortisol levels and promotes relaxation.
2. Enhances Focus: Improves attention and concentration.
3. Boosts Emotional Health: Encourages positive thinking and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.
4. Increases Self-Awareness: Helps you connect with your thoughts and emotions.
5. Improves Memory: Supports better retention and cognitive function.
Physical Benefits
1. Lowers Blood Pressure: Supports heart health by reducing stress-related hypertension.
2. Improves Sleep: Helps you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper rest.
3. Boosts Immunity: Reduces inflammation and supports overall health.
4. Relieves Pain: Eases chronic pain by increasing body awareness.
Spiritual Benefits
1. Encourages Inner Peace: Creates a sense of calm and harmony.
2. Deepens Connection: Fosters a sense of oneness with yourself and the world.
3. Enhances Gratitude: Cultivates a mindful appreciation for life.
Practical Benefits
1. Improves Decision-Making: Helps with clear thinking under pressure.
2. Supports Productivity: Balances mental energy for better performance.
3. Encourages Patience: Builds resilience in stressful situations.
Even just a few minutes of daily meditation can yield noticeable benefits.
Try this simple meditation to get you started!
With over seventeen years of experience, Stacie Wyatt is a E-500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is featured on Insight Meditation and all major podcast platforms featuring her podcast Embracing Wisdom with Stacie.
In a world that often feels fast-paced and self-centered, the act of serving others stands as a profound counterbalance—a way to connect, inspire, and build a greater sense of purpose. Service to others doesn’t require grand gestures or vast resources. Instead, it begins with small, heartfelt acts of kindness that ripple outward, creating an impact far greater than we might imagine.
Why Service Matters
When we serve others, we tap into a deeper sense of humanity. Science and spirituality alike remind us that helping others not only benefits the recipient but also nurtures the giver. Acts of service release oxytocin, the “feel-good” hormone, fostering connection and joy. Beyond this, service cultivates empathy, strengthens communities, and reminds us of the beauty of interdependence.
Small Steps Toward Big Impact
Often, we underestimate the power of small actions. A simple smile, a kind word, or a thoughtful gesture can brighten someone’s day. What may seem ordinary to us can be extraordinary to someone in need. Consider volunteering a few hours at a local shelter, helping a neighbor with groceries, or simply being present for a friend who needs to talk. These moments of service weave a tapestry of kindness that uplifts everyone involved.
Cultivating the “Greater Good”
The “greater good” begins with individual intention. When we act with selflessness and compassion, we inspire others to do the same. Imagine a world where these acts multiply—where kindness becomes contagious and communities are transformed. By cultivating an attitude of service, we contribute to a collective spirit of unity and hope.
Reflect and Engage
Take a moment to reflect: How can you serve today? Perhaps it’s through your talents, your time, or simply your willingness to listen. Every action, no matter how small, carries the potential to plant seeds of positivity that will grow and flourish in ways you may never witness.
As we move forward, let us remember the power of service. Together, we can build a world rooted in compassion, one act of kindness at a time. Serving others isn’t just an act—it’s a way of being, a path to cultivating the greatest good within ourselves and our communities.
What will your next step be in creating this ripple of service?
Let’s face it, setting an intention is the easy part. Implementing your intention can be the true work. To implement your intention, you are basically saying to the universe you are willing to step into a relationship that requires work. All relationships take work and this spiritual marriage between you and the universe is no different.
My Intention for the Year
I have set out to bring a sense of renewal into my life. It is not that my life is bad, but I do have certain lifestyle choices that I know need to be adjusted. At one point in my life many of those choices worked for me. That is no longer the case.
To implement a sense of renewal, and align with the forces of the universe, I must be willing to have deliberate actions. Publicly proclaiming your intention is a powerful step to begin the process. Plus, it gives me a record for accountability.
Ditch my tracking of steps walked. Yep, that is correct. After twenty five years of logging my steps, I am going to release it. I am not going to look at the amount of steps, but rather look for quality of steps. Are they in nature? Were my daily steps meaningful? Did I enjoy my time walking?
Shift directions a bit. By fostering the things that bring me joy, I am going to make more space for them. That will give me less space for things that cause me stress. I still intend to teach adaptive yoga as my primary “job”, but implanting my own bakery business is next up for cultivating JOY.
Nurture my creative side. I intend to create some magic in my life through publishing affirmation cards, a teaching manual for yoga teachers, and an online course for mindful manifesting. Watch out! It is going to be another new direction I take my business. These options will allow me to renew my physical body by reducing my demanding workload.
Foster my friendships and relationships. Most people know I work a lot. I genuinely love what I do so it never feels like work to me. However, in my desire to do what I love, relationships and friendships have been less of a priority the last 10 years. I want to renew some old friendships and create new ones.
Tips for Implementing Your intention
To implement your action plan for your intention you must do a few things that will bring the intention into your daily life. I find these simple things bring great power to your world:
Write it down. Put the word of your intention everywhere you might see it. Your mirror, car, planner, desk, and screen saver on phone. Anywhere your eyes will be, the word needs to be there.
Tell people your intention. You have to talk about it to anyone in your life. I have been known to even tell my dentist and barista my intention! When you speak it, you become it.
Choose daily. Everyday you must be willing to think, speak and act in alignment with your intention. Not everyday will be a success, but at least you can know that you are on your way!
Affirm your intention. Every day spend 3-5 minutes speaking your intention into an I AM affirmation. For example, “I am renewing”.
Not sure what your intention is? This video will walk you through the process of finding your intention! This step by step tutorial will help you find the direction your spirit is wanting you to take this year!
I believe wholeheartedly in the process of choosing a single word that becomes a thread to be woven throughout your life each year. This intention becomes part of you in thoughts, words and actions. This word of the year embodies your choices and actions.
Renewal is not merely a return to what once was but a conscious awakening—a reimagining of one's purpose and connection to the world.
Word of the Year
For over 25 years I have chosen a word of the year. I do this not to set goals or resolutions, but to instead weave a thread into the tapestry of my life. The choices and thoughts that I make need to align with my word. In the yoga world we call intention a sankalpa.
Sankalpa is a Sanskrit term in yogic philosophy that refers to a heartfelt desire, a solemn vow, an intention, or a resolve to do something. It is similar to the English concept of a resolution, except that it comes from even deeper within and tends to be an affirmation.
Choosing a word or sankalpa for your year gives you direction in which to lead your life. For 25 years I have chosen many different words and have taken action. I have worked on some great things over that time span and all of it has lead to some greatness! A few of my recent favorites have been: refinement, deliberate, bold, reverence, and limitless. My least favorites have been peace and equanimity as they were two of the hardest years of my life.
Word of the Year 2025–Renewal
2024 and all the physical challenges of the last decade cumulated with three hip surgeries. I am ready for a big shift in my life. To restore a freshness into my life much like we do as we renew our strength in sleep. I want to make new in how I self care, how I work, how I serve and how I love. In some sort of ways I feel regeneration is in the works.
To seek renewal is to embark on a deeply personal journey of rediscovery, shedding the weight of past burdens and embracing the boundless possibility of becoming whole again. It is a soulful act of nurturing the inner self, replenishing depleted wells of energy, faith, and hope. Renewal is not merely a return to what once was but a conscious awakening—a reimagining of one’s purpose and connection to the world. It is the quiet yet profound courage to step into the light after seasons of shadow, to reclaim joy, and to realign with the essence of who we are meant to be.
My ideas so far to finding renewal include:
Choosing quality over quantity as it relates to movement, friendships, hobbies and more.
Moving my habits to a more yin style and quiet space
Shifting my work from being so active and to more passive
Creating content that is meaningful and lasting
Reclaiming My Power is Key
Here is how I intend to do it:
Set Boundaries: Renewal often requires protecting your energy. Learn to say no without guilt.
Embrace Self-Acceptance: Let go of perfectionism and embrace the beauty of imperfection.
Make Daily Changes: Choose mindful activities rather than active activities when stressed.
Essential Oil Blend for Renewal
Each year crafting a custom blend to support my vision. Here is this year’s aroma blend to support my word of the year.
Basil: The Oil of Renewal. This essential oil supports a strengthened and renewed outlook to life.
Peppermint: The Oil of the Buoyant Heart. This oil supports optimism and rediscovering joy.
Red Mandarin: The Oil of Perspective. This oil helps to feel refreshed and joy in simple things.
Green Mandarin: The Oil of Potential. This oil gives feelings of wonder and hope.
Bergamot Mint: The Oil of a Revived Heart. This oil brings feelings of hope and openness.
Ravintsara: The Oil of Expansion. This oil helps to expand the mind and find flowing ideas.
Immersion Blend: The Blend of Renewal. This blend assists in a peaceful, renewed mind.
Rainbow Moonstone: The Stone of New Beginnings. A stone for new beginnings & inner growth.
Affirmations for 2025
Daily affirmations can reinforce my healing intentions. Here are a few I have chosen:
“I release the past and embrace renewal with open arms.”
“Healing is a journey, and I honor my progress every step of the way.”
“I am worthy of love, peace, and happiness.”
“My heart and mind are open to the beauty of new beginnings.”
What Will You Choose?
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Follow along with me this year as I take action on my intention and renew areas of my life!
Every year I host an end of year ritual to release the year, look for lessons and growth, and find gratitude for what is. This year I was unable to host it so I recorded a sweet little ritual you can do in your own quiet space. I think reflecting on the year and closing it up is a powerful practice to then be open to new possibilities. Why carry over the things that no longer serve you into a new year?
An end-of-year releasing ritual can be a powerful practice for personal growth, emotional well-being, and setting intentions for the future.
Here are the key benefits:
Emotional Cleansing: Allows you to process and let go of emotional baggage, regrets, or disappointments from the year. Creates emotion space for new experiences.
Increased Clarity: Reflecting on the year helps identify patterns, lessons, and areas for growth. Clarifies what to release (habits, relationships, beliefs) and what to nurture moving forward
Stress Reduction: Symbolically releasing stress or negativity can bring a sense of relief and renewal. Encourages mindfulness and relaxation, reducing end-of-year tension.
Enhanced Gratitude: Reflecting on the past year often highlights moments of joy and gratitude. Focusing on what you value reinforces positive emotions and appreciation.
Intentional Goal-Setting: Letting go of what no longer serves you creates space for setting meaningful goals for the new year. Helps align actions with your values and aspirations.
Symbolic Closure: Provides a sense of completion, signaling the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Helps prevent carrying unresolved issues into the new year.
Spiritual Renewal: For those who are spiritually inclined, rituals can provide a sense of connection with something greater, enhancing inner peace and guidance.
You can find the video below, or on my youtube channel. Listen to it while you are still, or while you enjoy a walk outside. Either way I hope it brings you closure and hope.
I personally couldn’t have made it through this hard year without all of the love from my friends, my family, my community of people, and those who I don’t even know.
The generosity of love, support, coffee, encouragement, and pure goodness takes my breath away.
I truly couldn’t have made it without you.
Thank you and let’s close this awful chapter and turn a page for a new direction filled with hope, opportunities and joy.
“Equanimity arises when we accept the way things are”
Reflecting on 2024 is happening a little sooner than usual this year and I have begun the process of taking myself back to January when I first declared equanimity as my word for the year.
I believe in the process so much and have seen in my own life the power of intention. Not just choosing an intention, but inviting that intention into everyday choices.
Reflecting on the Year
As I set out in the early days of 2024, I knew that a total hip replacement was going to be my focus and I entered into it with a desire to be steady and unwavering no matter what. Little did I know that this often routine surgery that most people have great success with, would test me more than I can imagine.
Throughout the unbelievable amount of complications that begun with a fractured femur during surgery, I remained steady. The well-wishers reassuring me that I would be “fine” provoked me to use my voice to perhaps inspire people to be better listeners rather than solution-givers. The often used “you’ll be fine” was more painful at times than the surgery itself. I learned to utilize my strong nature to be a realist and stay grounded in navigating these painful moments. Being a realist to me means approaching life and situations with a focus on practical realities rather than idealistic or overly optimistic expectations. As a realist, I acknowledge the world as it is, considering its challenges and opportunities without distorting them through personal biases, fantasies, or extreme pessimism. It has served me well.
Midyear 2024
Remaining neutral to what was happening in my body was easier than most thought. I learned that expectations are often disappointments, so I opted to not have them. When April brought on a revision to my total hip, I forged on and just accepted it. During the first half of the year I used productivity to keep me centered and my online presence grew exponentially. I took courses and learned how to adjust my youtube channel for better viewership and overall content enhancing. Rather than spending my recovery days zoned out on TV I chose to stay efficient and productive.
This choice opened up the doors of opinions of others and assumptions. Those two things that can easily take us off our center, if we allow it.
Last Quarter of 2024
By the end of August I was facing more pain, more uncertainty, more tests, and new doctors. I was referred to a specialist who deals with complex cases of infection of the joint. This isn’t the ideal place to be, but I relied on my strong gratitude and faith to face the uncertainty.
The pain i feel everyday is becoming harder to manage and I am getting by with simply appreciating the days as they are. Part of my steadiness and unwavering way that I face challenges is by accepting it. I have found that when we strive for something different than what we have, we usually bring upon our own suffering.
Steady and Unwavering 2024
I relied on many tools to keep equanimity at the forefront of how I dealt with my challenges. I practiced daily mindfulness, I trusted my medical team, I relied on others, and I accepted what is. While the majority of my 2024 was dealing with my hip, I also found how to live steadiness in other areas:
hip surgeries and healing (all three of them)
out of work for five months
remaining financially thriving
learning and applying new skills
becoming super creative
navigating relationships
developing boundaries
speaking my truth
always practicing vulnerability
Final Thoughts on 2024
Years ago when I chose the word “peace”, I had intended the year to be an easy one where I filled my days with peaceful experiences. That year was one of the hardest years of my life. 2024 proved to be equally, if not more, challenging. I think that when we set our intention we visualize the best case scanrios. In truth, the intentions often challenge us more than we can ever imagine. It is not up to us how we are tested, but it is up to us on how we react or respond to the challenges.
Next year? Oh, I have a great word to weave into my life. It is going to be challenging for sure, but in a different way. Stay tuned.
“Karuna” is a Sanskrit word often translated as compassion or empathy, particularly for the suffering of others. It is a central concept in several Eastern teachings and traditions. Karuna goes beyond pity or sympathy; it involves a deep connection and a genuine wish to help ease the pain or difficulties of others. It is often referred to as “compassion in action” because it includes not just the feeling of compassion, but the active part of demonstrating compassion.
This month in all of my yoga classes we are going to be focused on this concept as we strive to serve others.
Here are 10 examples of practicing or embodying karuna:
1. Providing Comfort to the Grieving
Sitting with someone who has experienced a loss, listening to their pain without judgment or trying to “fix” it.
2. Offering Support to the Ill
Volunteering at a hospital, Assited living home or hospice to provide companionship or practical help to patients and their families.
3. Advocating for Social Justice
Speaking up against injustices, such as discrimination or inequality, to alleviate the suffering of marginalized groups.
4. Feeding the Hungry
Donating meals or volunteering at a soup kitchen to ensure no one goes hungry.
5. Helping Someone in Crisis
Offering emotional or practical assistance to a friend or stranger going through a difficult time, such as homelessness, mental health struggles, or financial hardship.
Engaging in meditation to cultivate goodwill and compassion for yourself, loved ones, neutral people, and even those who may have caused harm.
7. Forgiving Someone Who Hurt You
Letting go of resentment and extending understanding or forgiveness, knowing that harboring anger can perpetuate suffering for both sides.
8. Caring for Animals
Adopting or rescuing animals in need, or supporting sanctuaries and organizations dedicated to their well-being.
9. Protecting the Environment
Taking action to preserve nature by reducing waste, planting trees, or joining efforts to mitigate climate change, acknowledging the suffering caused by environmental degradation.
10. Practicing Active Listening
Listening with full presence to someone who needs to share their story, showing understanding and validation of their feelings.
These are just a few simples acts to embody karuna by addressing suffering with kindness, understanding, and a desire to alleviate it.
Karuna is not limited to specific actions but extends to a mental and emotional state of being that influences how one views and interacts with the world. It emphasizes the interconnection of all beings and the ethical responsibility to act with kindness and care.
Holistic health is an approach to well-being that considers the whole person. Mind, body, and spirit instead of just focusing on physical symptoms. It views health as a balance among these areas, each of which influences the others in creating overall wellness. Unlike conventional medicine that may concentrate on treating individual ailments, holistic health aims to uncover root causes of imbalances. It also helps to nurture each aspect to foster healing from within. This approach encourages looking at lifestyle, emotional well-being, and personal beliefs, emphasizing that true health is about harmony within ourselves.
The Mind
The mind in holistic health refers to mental and emotional well-being. Our thoughts, emotions, stress levels, and mental clarity all play a major role in our health. When we’re mentally balanced, we’re better equipped to handle life’s challenges, make healthy choices, and maintain positive relationships. Practices like mindfulness, meditation, and stress management can support mental clarity and emotional stability. This can help prevent or manage issues like anxiety, depression, or stress-related illnesses. Cultivating a healthy mind enhances our emotional resilience and contributes to better physical health.
The Body
The body in holistic health represents the physical aspect, focusing on maintaining the body’s strength, flexibility, and resilience. This includes physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and overall self-care practices that support bodily health. When we take care of our bodies—through movement, balanced eating, hydration, and rest—we’re better equipped to handle stress, fight off illnesses, and sustain energy. The body also directly impacts our mental and emotional states. For instance, exercise releases endorphins that improve mood, and good nutrition supports mental clarity.
The Spirit
The spirit aspect focuses on finding meaning, purpose, and connection in life. Spirit doesn’t necessarily refer to religion. Rather it’s more about feeling connected to something bigger than ourselves, whether through nature, relationships, personal beliefs, or a sense of inner peace. When we nurture our spirit, we feel a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy. This can motivate us to take better care of our bodies and minds. This spiritual wellness adds depth to holistic health, recognizing that our well-being isn’t just physical or mental. Spiritual wellness is also shaped by our sense of purpose and our connection to the world. Together, mind, body, and spirit create a foundation for lasting wellness and a more fulfilling, balanced life.
I have a complete three part series that goes a little deeper into these aspects of holistic health. We will learn techniques for keeping our holistic health optimal, including yoga, essential oils, breathing practices and crystals.
When you hear the word alignment, what comes to mind? The dictionary defines alignment as arrangement in a straight line, or in correct or appropriate relative positions or a position of agreement or alliance. This can mean a multitude of things as it relates to decisions we make, how we conduct ourselves, and even how we literally move our bodies in space.
To be “out of alignment” can be simply understood as an arrangement in which two or more things are not positioned correctly in a straight line or parallel to each other. In Yoga we hear a lot about the body being in alignment, but can that statement also relate to how you show up in the world?
Living Alignment
Remember last month I asked you to determine what makes up the roots or foundation that sustains you when life gets hard? Now it is time to put the proof in the pudding and see if your words, thoughts, and actions are in alignment with that.
Let’s say that integrity is a value you hold as something that keeps you steady. Then your actions dictate otherwise; you mislead people, you are a doormat for others to mislead you, you often fudge or hide the truth, or possibly you make decisions that are anything but ones packed with integrity. Simply thinking, if you say being healthy is important to you and you consume crappy food and toxic media, it is probable you are out of alignment with what you say you find important.
Alignment in Yoga
If you have been paying attention for long you may notice that I am big believer in living yoga and not just practicing yoga. I believe that far more of the yoga principles are implemented off the mat (or chair) and teach this all the time. The shape our bodies create while practicing is just a small part of it.
In Yoga, the principle of Alignment is closely related to principles like: balance, symmetry, precision and harmony – all are fundamental principles in yoga practice. Iyengar Yoga is the practice of precision. Poses are held for long periods and often modified with props. This method is designed to systematically cultivate strength, flexibility, stability, and awareness, and can be therapeutic for specific conditions. B.K.S. Iyengar, an Indian teacher and guru, founded Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar says:
Alignment is to bring balance between the flow of energy and intelligence to connect the body to the mind.” And then, he says “We adjust not the body, but the awareness. The moment the awareness is brought to function, then the body finds its right alignment and adjusts; as water finds its level, the awareness, too, finds its level.”
Having Awareness
Practicing yoga on the mat (or in chair) is a sure way to bring awareness to the language your body speaks. It invites you to pay close attention the nuances of the shape your body is in. It encourages you to listen and make adjustments along the way.
Imagine having this type of awareness in the thoughts you have? Or the words that you speak? How about the actions (or lack of) that you do everyday?
Putting the principles of alignment into your daily life following the “practice” will integrate the principles of this beautiful lifestyle into your life.
Join me on Youtube this month as I walk you through a weekly practice of alignment. There I will suggest ways to align yourself with what you said keeps you steady.
The Greatest Gift of Alignment
We have all had that magical feeling when everything in our life is flowing well. Our relationships are easy and fulfilling and we feel balanced. Or, when it seems that everything we attempt becomes a success. When life feels “easy” and we are rarely agitated by everyday things, it is likely we are in alignment. You might say it is as if you are in the beautiful flow of life where a gentle reciprocity exists in all areas.
The Autumn Equinox is a time of letting go and harvesting the good that is abundant in our lives. To allow the stalks and leaves to fall aside and go back to the Earth. With this beautiful and colorful season emerging it is our time to loosen our grip on the focus of growth and prepare to move into a more dormant season.
Autumn Equinox and cycles
This is also a great time to look at the cycles of life; seasons, months, breath, and even life. As we embrace the time of gathering our harvest we are also preparing ourselves for the cycle in which we become more hunkered down. A little more in hibernation mode. The paradox of understanding cycles exists everywhere.
The simplest observation is the breath; to inhale you must also exhale.
When we are awake we come to know that with each ending there is a beginning in whatever shape that takes; self awareness, growth, wisdom, letting go, forgiveness and grief. If we pay attention, we can see this so easily in the changing of leaves. The amazing color that emerges following a season of bounty. Then the ease in which the leaf lets go. Watch as leaves effortlessly fall to the ground. They are taken into the loving arms of Mother Earth for the new growth that waits for the next season.
Take time to look at letting go of what no longer serves you.
At the autumn equinox there is a dynamic shift. The season of sunshine, growth, taking action, movement to a more quiet and still season. This time of year during the equinox is a powerful time to pause after the often chaotic energy of summer. Back to school and busy-ness to a more dormant and contemplative time.
This is time where we replenish, regenerate and recuperate from a season of push.
Well, at least we should try to as the we are so in tune with nature and the natural rhythms of the world, if we are paying attention. Nature responds to the lessening hours of daylight by slowly fading into dormancy. Watch as the leaves fall from trees, the lush green of shrubs and vegetation fades, and animals forage and gather for a season of hibernation. How do we mimic these natural occurrences? We withdraw from the rush of outward action to a season of a more contemplative inner reflection of our spirit.
With this season also comes a wonderful reminder to gather your harvests and share with others and to celebrate the abundance of the world with your neighbors, your family, or even a stranger. We tend to want to hang on to “things”, both tangible and intangible and really all that does is is exhaust us and stop the flow of goodness.
During a yoga practice watch as you move in and out of balance and neutral. How your breath becomes rapid and slow, though we strive for equality of breath. Notice how the tension in our body is often paired with ease. Thoughts come and thoughts go.
The skills that we learn on the yoga to find neutral, equanimity, and harmony teach us the gift of following the rhythm of nature. Remember, our time on the mat is truly a practice for living yoga as we know that yoga really happens off the mat.
Our practice this time of year should reflect the message of the equinox and allow it to be filled with times of pausing to gather your breath, to reflect in mountain pose with a sense of neutrality and to find the balance between dynamic postures and stillness.
Welcome the harvest that is within and always look for opportunities to be grateful.
I know for myself, the practice of gratitude has lead me into a life of awareness that has enhanced my life everyday.
Life is really good, friends.
About Stacie
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.
With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, 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.
Self-reflection is a humbling process. It’s essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things…. then better yourself.
How much time do you spend self reflecting? Do you ever hit the pause button and reflect on your decisions for the year and if they are aligned with your goals or visions for your life?
We are headed into the final quarter of the year and it is a good time to reflect on your beginning of the year visions and see how they have evolved and what you can do in the final stretch to reach them.
Equanimity
I set out the year with a quest to live with equanimity.To be steady and unwavering no matter what shows up. I should have known to be careful what I wish for. What a year it has been. I had two major hip surgeries and an infection in the hip. Add in some horrific reactions to the medications to treat the infection AND blood clots in my arm that resulted in permanent damage to the veins.
Despite it all, with the exception of a few days where I struggled to see beyond the pain, I feel that I did a great job maintaining equanimity as it is defined: evenness of mind especially under stress… a calm mental state and without hurried movement…right disposition or balance.
Self Reflection
Reflecting on the year is a great way to see the actual tools and actions that were put into place to lean towards your goal. Where did you grow and what is left to do?
I dug into some new things and discovered quite a bit about myself.
How did I remain steady and unwavering given all that this year asked me to face?
Learning a new skill can be a great way to redirect your mind away from what ails you to a new place of curiosity and challenge. I took on learning how to bake sourdough bread, canning jams and jellies and more.
Getting creative is a great way to bring happiness to your life if you are struggling. I opted to use a fun digital planner to help me create a system of graphics and ideas for my YouTube channel. I also found joy in creating homemade body butters, lotions and serums.
Participating in education and classes uses a part of your brain that can ignite interests in other areas. I explored a variety of free online courses to keep my brain working and sharp while my body healed.
Being outside does wonders for our mental health. Whether it is caring for a simple garden, sitting under a tree or basking in some sunshine, it all helps.
Gratitude is proven to be a tool that can truly change your life. When you practice gratitude, you shift your thoughts away from negative emotions and uncomfortable sensations. A daily heartfelt gratitude practice is a must.
What will you do in these final few months of 2024 to come closer to your vision?
How can I support you? Look at my podcast for past and upcoming episodes that dive deep into this.
It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time. ~ David Allen Coe
This time of year is ideal for getting back into ourselves after a summer season of play, vacations, kids home, and way less structure. This is the time where we reclaim our sense of self and rediscover the aspects of ourselves that support us in our everyday life.
As you experience a more predictable schedule and life begins to resume some sort of normalcy, take a few minutes to consider the four walls, or four main roots of a tree, that represent your foundation. This is the scaffolding which supports all the other parts of our home, or tree, during times of turbulence.
Here are some ideas– faith, service, accountability, kindness, diligence, love, fulfillment, action, compassion, determination, optimism, etc.
Take a listen to this short podcast on how this powerful understanding can bring much stability to your life.
Foundation Essential Oil Blend
You may know if you stop here often that I believe in the power of aroma to shift our chemical response in our brain. We can influence our state of arousal and our emotional state simply by smelling something. How cool is that?
Not sure where to start? Grab one of these blends, take 4-5 deep breaths, apply it to your spine and under your nose and then listen. You already know…now, you just need to listen.
By the way, check out the emotional benefits of these oils:
Douglas Fir.This one invites you to invoke your high wisdom and learn from the past experiences and people who may have crossed your path. This essential oil is perfect for turning inward in the season of more introspection.
Frankincense.Frankincense asks you to welcome in feelings of protection, wisdom, discernment, and a spiritual awakening. This sacred essential oil invites individuals to shed the lower vibration feelings that are often negative and draining. This truly brings our your own magnificence.
Ho Wood. This peaceful oil brings out a sense of calm and helps to quiet the mind. By clearing the mind of anxious thoughts or simply clutter, we can fine tune into the deepest parts of who we are. This helps us to live in alignment with our principles and aspects of our foundation.
Blue Tansy. This one is a powerful aroma that helps to bring out inspiration and the committed response of tacking action. This helps to be more purposeful and responsible, which is such a beautiful aspect to a solid constitution. Blue tansy welcomes in a sense of freedom and sense of walking towards your deepest dreams and desires.
Blue Chamomile.This sweet and delicate flower is commonly known as German chamomile and offers a beautiful blue hue to the oil. Like its counter part Roman Chamomile, this flower oil is the perfect choice for bringing out a peaceful and serene mental state. This brings out emotional harmony and illuminates the wisdom with your soul.
Spruce.This stable, grounded aroma brings out an enduring balanced outlook to life while also giving strength through your wisdom. When we soak in this aroma we are reminded of the rhythms and ancient wisdom the earth offers.
Cassia.This bold oil which a friend of cinnamon is warm and earthy as it invites you to feel courageous, strong, self-assured and confident in your authentic self. This brings an embracing warmth to the confident and meaningful connections in our life.
Petrified Wood Chips. It helps to create balance and offers a foundation from which to launch new goals or undertake a different path. This grounding stone helps to calm scattered energies and look closely at the essence of what guides our decisions.
These beautiful oils and solid gemstones will be a constant as your dive into the fall season of a slower pace, a calmer mind, and as you seek out the principles in which your life is sustained by. To learn more about the principles I have chosen for myself, check out this blog post.
You can purchase this blend here and it will soon arrive in your mailbox with lots of grounding love.
