Teaching Yoga From the Heart: How Intentional Yoga Themes Shape Practice and Life

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Teaching From the Heart: How Intentional Yoga Themes Shape Our Practice—and Our Lives

There’s a quiet moment that happens before every class I teach. A pause. A breath. A soft tuning-in where I ask myself, What do my students need today? What do I need today?

For years, I have had the same monthly themes, and they flowed easily. Those familiar themes supported me through so much, but lately I’ve felt a deeper shift. A call to move beyond the patterns I’ve relied on… toward teaching with more intention, more presence, and a renewed sense of soulful planning.

It’s funny how yoga works like that.
We think we’re just choosing a theme, and suddenly we’re learning about ourselves.

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When Teaching Themes Become Life Themes

What I’ve discovered is that choosing themes isn’t just about cueing a class. It’s about choosing the energy we want to cultivate—on the mat and beyond it.

When we guide students through grounding, we remember to root ourselves.
When we teach about softening, we start to release our own grip.
When we focus on balance, we begin noticing the places in our lives that feel uneven.

The themes we teach become tiny mirrors reflecting back what we, too, are navigating. And that’s the beauty of yoga—it never asks us to have it all figured out. It simply invites us to be awake to our experience.

Planning With Intention Isn’t Less Soulful—It’s More Meaningful

For a long time, I resisted planning too much. I prided myself on intuition, on feeling the energy in the room and following it. And there’s magic in that, yes. But now, as I grow and evolve, I understand something deeper:

Intentional planning doesn’t restrict the soul—it gives it a container to shine.

When we choose themes in advance, we’re not locking ourselves into rigidity. We’re choosing to approach our work with care. We’re giving our students consistency, nourishment, and continuity. And we’re giving ourselves a moment to pause, reflect, and ask:

What lesson is trying to be lived out here?

Practicing the Principles We Teach

Each time we create a theme, we apply the principles of yoga without even realizing it:

Ahimsa reminds us to choose gentle words.
Satya invites us to teach what feels honest.
Svadhyaya asks us to look inward as much as outward.
Tapas nudges us to stay committed, even when life feels heavy.
Santosha reminds us to find contentment in the simple act of showing up.

The way we plan is a practice.
The way we teach is a practice.
The way we live is a practice.

When we bring intention into our teaching, we naturally bring intention into our days. Our yoga themes become our reminders, our anchors, our quiet truths that follow us long after the class has ended.

A New Season of Teaching—and Living

As I move into this new season of teaching with greater intention, I’m reminded that yoga is always evolving us. It doesn’t just shape our bodies—it shapes our choices, our energy, our presence, our perspective.

And maybe that’s the real theme of all of this:

When we teach from a place of intention, we live from a place of intention.

And in that space?
Everything—your practice, your life, your purpose—begins to align with more clarity and more heart. I cannot wait to share each month’s theme with you!

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Hearty Italian Winter Soup with Sausage & Vegetables | Cozy One-Pot Meal

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A Cozy Italian Winter Soup for Chilly Nights

There’s something magical about winter evenings—the kind where the windows fog, the house feels extra quiet, and the chill sinks deeper than you expect. That’s when I find myself reaching for my biggest soup pot and the familiar rhythm of chopping vegetables, browning sausage, and building flavor layer by layer.

This Italian Winter Soup was born on one of those nights. I wanted something hearty enough to warm my bones, but simple enough to come together without fuss. The kind of soup that fills the kitchen with the scent of garlic, herbs, and tomatoes—instantly transporting you to a cozy trattoria tucked in a little corner of Italy.

It’s rustic, nourishing, and full of flavor… the kind of soup that makes you slow down and savor every spoonful. Whether you’re cooking for your family or just yourself, this bowl feels like a warm hug on a cold night.

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Grab your pot—let’s make something comforting.

Hearty Italian Winter Soup

A cozy, flavor-loaded Italian soup filled with sausage, veggies, herbs, and tender pasta—your new favorite winter comfort meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot; ground or sliced)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup small pasta (ditalini, orzo, or small shells)
  • 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup chopped kale or spinach
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Fresh parmesan & parsley for topping

* I actually LOVE using tortellini instead of small pasta for an even heartier soup.

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage:
    Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
  2. Sauté aromatics:
    Add onion and garlic; cook 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add veggies:
    Stir in carrots, celery, and zucchini. Cook for 3–4 minutes.
  4. Build the broth:
    Add diced tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  5. Simmer:
    Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes to deepen the flavor.
  6. Add pasta + beans:
    Stir in pasta and cannellini beans. Continue simmering until pasta is tender (8–12 minutes depending on shape).
  7. Finish with greens:
    Stir in kale or spinach and cook 1–2 more minutes until wilted.
  8. Serve:
    Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan and parsley.

Notes

  • Swap sausage for ground turkey + extra Italian seasoning.
  • Add a parmesan rind while simmering for extra richness (traditional and SO good).
  • For a brothier soup, reduce pasta to ½ cup.
  • Leftovers thicken as pasta absorbs broth—add a splash of broth when reheating.
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A Year of Renewal: Reflecting on Change, Courage, and New Beginnings

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A Year of Renewal: Reflecting on Change, Courage, and New Beginnings

Every year, I choose a single word that becomes a thread woven through my life—my sankalpa, my heartfelt intention. This year, my word is Renewal, and as I close the door on another chapter, I can clearly see how life has been guiding me toward this exact moment of rediscovery.

2024 was unlike any year I’ve ever lived. It brought deep healing, unexpected shifts, and a powerful invitation to grow in directions I didn’t anticipate. After decades of helping others reconnect to themselves, this was the year life asked me to reconnect to me.

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And I said yes.

Letting Go: Stepping Away After 18 Years

One of the biggest shifts—one that still feels surreal—was ending my 18 years of traveling to more than 50 assisted living homes. For nearly two decades, I poured my heart into teaching adaptive yoga, holding space for elders, and building community through mindful movement.

It was sacred work.
Beautiful work.
Exhausting work.

And it was time.

Pulling back to only a small handful of homes wasn’t just a schedule change. It was a soul-level shift. It was an act of honoring my body, my healing, and the next evolution of my service. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to loosen the grip on what I had always done and create space for what could be possible next.

A New Path: Becoming a Qualified Behavioral Health Assistant

This year also brought a huge professional pivot—one that aligned not only with my gifts but with my capacity.
I stepped into my new role as a Qualified Behavioral Health Assistant, helping people recover from trauma through skills, connection, and compassionate support.

This work is meaningful in a different way.
It requires less physical demand, but a deeper emotional presence.
It allows me to live my values without compromising my wellness.
And most of all, it lets me continue serving others in a way that honors my own healing journey.

Sometimes renewal doesn’t look like starting over.
Sometimes it looks like redirecting your wisdom where it can thrive.

Welcoming Rosie: Joy Arrives on Four Paws

Another bright spot this year?
I got a new puppy — sweet Rosie.

She arrived exactly when I needed a spark of uncomplicated joy, and she brought just that.
There is something magical about how animals help us stay present, soften our hearts, and remember to play. Rosie has been a daily reminder that renewal can show up in wagging tails, muddy paw prints, and early-morning snuggles.

She is a gift of pure delight.

The Big One: I Wrote My Book

And then there’s the part that still makes me say, “Did I really do that?”

I wrote my book.

After years of teaching, thousands of classes, countless conversations, and decades of lived experience… something inside me said now.
The words poured out—not from obligation, but from an inner knowing that it was time.

This book is the culmination of everything I’ve lived, learned, healed, and held.
It is a tapestry of wisdom and wellness, a snapshot of my heart in this season of life.
It is my offering.
My renewal.
My beginning again.

Writing it stretched me, surprised me, and awakened parts of my creativity that had been sleeping under the weight of survival mode. More than anything, it reminded me of my purpose—and my voice.

As I Step Into 2025

Renewal is not a return to who I used to be.
It’s an unfolding.
A softening.
A reclaiming.

This year brought endings, beginnings, and a lot of gentle in-between moments.
It taught me that clarity often arrives only after the letting go.
That healing isn’t linear.
That courage can be quiet.
And that renewal is a choice we make every single day.

As I step into 2025, I do so with gratitude, openness, trust and renewal.

My sankalpa of Renewal has been eye-opening and just rich. What is next? Stay tuned as I reveal my word for 2026! It is going to be a good one!

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Easy Eggnog Scones (Soft, Festive, and Perfect for Holiday Mornings)

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If you love the creamy, nostalgic flavor of eggnog, these eggnog scones will be your new holiday favorite. Tender, lightly sweet, and warmly spiced, they’re perfect for brunch, holiday gatherings, or a cozy morning at home.

Why These Scones Are Amazing

  • Soft, flaky texture
  • The perfect use for leftover eggnog
  • Ready in under 30 minutes
  • Taste like Christmas in pastry form

Ingredients:

For the scones:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 6 tbsp cold butter, cubed
  • ½ cup eggnog
  • 1 egg

For the glaze:

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  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp eggnog
  • Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
  3. Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  4. Whisk egg and eggnog together, then pour into the dry ingredients.
  5. Stir until a soft dough forms; don’t overmix.
  6. Shape into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges.
  7. Bake 12–15 minutes or until lightly golden.
  8. Whisk glaze ingredients and drizzle over warm scones.

Make Them Extra Special:

  • Add white chocolate chips
  • Sprinkle coarse sugar on top before baking
  • Mix in a pinch of cinnamon
  • Serve warm with cinnamon butter

A cozy, festive treat that pairs perfectly with coffee, cocoa, or—you guessed it—more eggnog! Plus, these freeze so well and thaw beautifully on a busy morning!

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Karuna: Compassion in Action — How Mindful Compassion Transforms Your Life

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Compassion in Action

Karuna is one of my favorite Sanskrit words. Often translated as compassion, its deeper meaning is so much richer. Karuna is compassion in motion — the kind of compassion that not only feels but responds. It is the moment when the heart whispers:
“I see your suffering, and I will meet it with love.”

Compassion doesn’t need to be grand. Most of the time, it’s quiet and ordinary. It lives in the small choices we make every day.

Karuna is the way we soften our tone when someone is tense.
Karuna is choosing not to take something personally.
Karuna is pausing before reacting.
Karuna is reaching out, even when we’re unsure what to say.
Karuna is treating ourselves as gently as we treat others.

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In yoga philosophy, Karuna is one of the Brahmaviharas — the four heart qualities that guide us toward connection and ease. It reminds us that our compassion is not passive; it is embodied, lived, and expressed through action.

And the beautiful thing?
Karuna grows when we practice it.

When we offer compassion to someone else, we strengthen our own inner resilience. When we extend compassion toward ourselves, we become more available to others. It’s a cycle of generosity that feeds itself.

Today, I invite you to practice Karuna in one small way:

  • Offer a kind word to someone who seems overwhelmed.
  • Give yourself grace for something you’re carrying.
  • Check in on a friend who has been on your heart.
  • Interrupt a familiar stress pattern with one slow, mindful breath.
  • Choose a response rooted in care rather than reaction.

Compassion in action doesn’t change the whole world,
but it absolutely changes someone’s world.

And that is enough.

May your day be guided by Karuna —
gentle, courageous, and deeply human.

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The Best Soft & Spiced Gingerbread Loaf (Moist, Cozy, and Perfect for the Holidays)

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If there’s one recipe that instantly brings holiday warmth into the kitchen, it’s a classic gingerbread loaf—soft, spiced, and filled with that nostalgic molasses sweetness. This easy gingerbread loaf bakes up beautifully, makes your home smell incredible, and is the perfect treat for gifting, snacking, or serving with a cup of tea or coffee.

Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Loaf

  • Perfectly moist and tender
  • Balanced spices (not too strong, not too mild)
  • Incredibly simple to make
  • Makes a great homemade gift
  • Tastes even better the next day

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup hot water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a loaf pan with parchment or grease well.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
  3. In another bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg until smooth.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet.
  5. Pour in the hot water and stir until just combined.
  6. Pour into loaf pan and bake 45–55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Cool before slicing. The flavor deepens beautifully overnight.

Serving Ideas:

  • Add a dusting of powdered sugar
  • Drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze
  • Serve warm with butter
  • Pair with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting

This cozy gingerbread loaf brings all the holiday magic in one simple, delicious bake.

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Supporting Small Businesses: Why Choosing Local Makes a Big Difference

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In a fast-paced world dominated by big-box stores and massive online retailers, it’s easy to forget the incredible impact of small, local businesses. But when you pause and consider the story behind every handmade item, every small boutique, and every self-employed service provider, you begin to see that shopping small is about so much more than convenience—it’s about heart, connection, and community.

Why Supporting Small Businesses Matters

Small business owners are the dreamers, the creators, and the problem-solvers who bring unique ideas to life. They invest not only their time and money but their passion and soul into what they do. Every product they make, every service they offer, carries the imprint of their dedication. When you support them, you are directly empowering real people to continue pursuing their passions.

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Here’s what happens when you choose small businesses over big chains:

  1. You Support Hardworking Entrepreneurs
    Behind every small business is someone who has taken a leap of faith, often investing their life savings, time, and energy. Your support keeps their dream alive and allows them to continue doing what they love.
  2. You Strengthen Your Community
    Money spent at local businesses circulates in your community, funding other local services, creating jobs, and supporting neighborhood initiatives. Small businesses are the heart of local economies.
  3. You Experience Soulful, Meaningful Shopping
    Shopping small isn’t just a transaction—it’s an experience. Many small business owners offer personalized attention, unique products, and a sense of connection you rarely find at large retailers. Every purchase becomes a story, not just a receipt.
  4. You Encourage Ethical and Sustainable Practices
    Many small businesses prioritize sustainability, ethical sourcing, and quality over quantity. Choosing local often means supporting practices that are better for people, animals, and the planet.

Mindful Shopping as a Practice

Supporting small businesses can also be a mindful practice. When you slow down to choose thoughtfully, you engage more fully with what you buy and why. You begin to notice the quality, craftsmanship, and intention behind products and services. Your choices become aligned with your values, making every purchase more meaningful.

This Saturday, I invite you to explore local shops, studios, and markets. Taste handmade treats, browse unique gifts, and connect with the people behind the products. Every purchase tells a story, supports a dream, and nurtures your community in a way that online giants can never replicate.

By choosing to support small businesses, you’re choosing more than a product—you’re choosing connection, care, and community. You’re helping dreams flourish and bringing more soul into your everyday life.

Shop small. Support local. Make a difference.

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Breaking the Cycle: How Repeated Complaining Drains Us — and How Repeated Gratitude Heals

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We’ve all been there—caught in the loop of saying the same frustrating things over and over. The stress, the pain, the overwhelm, the “why me?” moments. Repetitive complaining is surprisingly natural… and surprisingly draining. It doesn’t make us bad or ungrateful; it just means we’re human.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned through mindfulness, yoga, and healing:
What we repeat becomes what we reinforce.

And while complaining might feel like release, gratitude is what creates actual relief.

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Why We Fall Into Repetitive Complaining

When something is hard — your body hurts, life feels heavy, you’re tired, or you’re juggling more than anyone realizes — the mind wants to loop. It’s trying to make sense of discomfort. But when we repeat the same story too often, it keeps us stuck in the same emotional place.

Repetitive complaining can…

  • increase stress hormones
  • shrink our perspective
  • drain our energy
  • make challenges feel bigger than they really are
  • prevent healing (emotionally and physically)

The hard moments deserve acknowledgment — absolutely. But they don’t deserve ownership over your entire inner world.

The Shift: Replacing Repetition With Intention

Instead of repeating the pain, we can repeat the gratitude.

Not the toxic positivity kind.
Not the “pretend everything’s fine” kind.

But the grounded, honest, heart-centered gratitude that reminds us:

There is still some good here.
There is still something working.
There is still something steady beneath the struggle.

This shift isn’t about silencing your pain — it’s about changing the soundtrack of your inner world.

Why Repeated Gratitude Works

Practicing gratitude repeatedly — especially in small, simple ways — can:

  • soften emotional tension
  • support nervous system regulation
  • expand your perspective
  • create new thought pathways
  • bring your attention back to what is supporting you
  • help you feel less alone
  • anchor you in hope, even during hard seasons

It’s the repetition that matters.
Just like complaining reinforces stress…
gratitude reinforces resilience.

A Simple Daily Practice to Try

If you catch yourself repeating a complaint (it happens!), try this gentle shift:

  1. Pause.
    Notice the loop without shame.
  2. Acknowledge the truth.
    “This is really hard right now.”
  3. Add one small gratitude.
    Just one.
    “And I’m grateful I’m learning to take better care of myself.”
    “I’m grateful for the support I do have.”
    “I’m grateful for the strength I didn’t even know I had.”
  4. Repeat the gratitude instead of the complaint.
    This is where your healing gains momentum.

A Repeated Gratitude Mantra to Use All Week

“Even in the hard moments, there is something supporting me. I choose to notice that.”

Say it as many times as you need.
Let it become your new repetition.
Let it anchor you back into compassion — especially compassion for yourself.

Closing Reflection

We all slip into repeating our pain. But with awareness and intention, we can choose a new pattern — one that restores instead of drains, one that lifts instead of weighs down.

A life rooted in gratitude doesn’t ignore the hard things.
It simply refuses to let them be the only things.

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Homemade Sourdough Dinner Rolls: Soft, Buttery, and Perfect for Any Table

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Nothing beats the smell of freshly baked sourdough dinner rolls wafting through your kitchen! Perfect for feeding a crowd, these rolls are soft, buttery, and just a little tangy thanks to your fed starter. Best part? They’re easy to make, and you can do most of the work in a stand mixer. I am in charge this year of rolls and have at least 30 people to provide bread for! This is my easy go-to recipe for massive baking!

Yield:
This recipe makes approximately 24–28 rolls (depending on size).

Ingredients (Massive Batch):

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  • 240 g fed sourdough starter (1 cup)
  • 7 g active dry yeast (2 ½ tsp)
  • 240 ml warm water (1 cup)
  • 100 g sugar (½ cup)
  • 9 g salt (1 ½ tsp)
  • 115 g butter, melted + extra for brushing (½ cup)
  • 720 g all-purpose flour (6 cups, approx.)

Directions:

  1. Activate yeast: In your mixer bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Mix dough: Add fed starter, melted butter, salt, and 480 g (about 4 cups) of flour. Using the dough hook, mix on low until combined, then gradually add more flour until dough is soft but not sticky.
  3. First rise: Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let rise about 2 hours until doubled in size.
  4. Shape rolls: Punch down the dough and divide into small balls (roughly 50–60 g each, golf-ball size). Place on greased or parchment-lined baking sheets.
  5. Second rise: Cover and let rolls rise again for 30–45 minutes until puffy.
  6. Bake: Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Brush rolls with melted butter and bake 20–25 minutes, until golden brown. Optional: brush again with butter immediately after baking for extra softness.
  7. Enjoy! Serve warm with butter, soups, or your favorite dinner dishes.

Tips for success:

  • Make sure your starter is fed and active for the best rise.
  • Don’t skip the second rise—it makes your rolls fluffy and soft.
  • Feel free to add herbs or garlic butter for a fun twist!

These rolls disappear fast at any table. Big family dinner? Holiday feast? Or just a cozy weekend treat—they’re guaranteed to bring smiles.

Happy baking, and don’t forget to save one for yourself!

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Geranium Body Butter Benefits: A Soulful Guide to Natural Skincare and Emotional Balance

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There is something deeply comforting about creating your own skincare — a slow ritual, a small act of devotion, a way of tending not only to your skin but to your spirit. When I make my homemade body butter, geranium is the ingredient I come back to again and again. Its aroma is soft but powerful, floral but grounding, and it carries an emotional wisdom that feels almost ancient.

Geranium teaches balance — the gentle kind that whispers rather than shouts. It’s one of those botanicals that nurtures both the outer and the inner layers of our lives.

The Emotional Magic of Geranium

Geranium has the unique ability to soften what feels tight or tangled within us. Its scent is known for supporting emotional equilibrium, calming the nervous system, and lifting the weight we sometimes carry in our chest. On days when the world feels heavy or the stress sits close to the surface, geranium has a way of helping us return to center.

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A Heart-Centered Botanical

Traditionally connected to the heart chakra, geranium invites compassion — both for ourselves and for those around us. It reminds us to breathe deeper, to lean toward gentleness, and to remember that nurturing is not a luxury but a necessity. When blended into a rich, creamy body butter, it becomes a daily moment of reconnection.

Skin-Loving Benefits

Geranium is as generous to the skin as it is to the soul. It’s often used to help improve skin tone, reduce visible redness, support balance in dry or stressed skin, and encourage a natural glow. Its gentle astringent and restorative properties make it ideal for mature, sensitive, or easily irritated skin.

A Ritual of Slowness

Making your own body butter is a beautiful way to slow down. Melting, blending, pouring — each step becomes a meditation. When you choose ingredients intentionally, especially botanicals like geranium, you’re creating more than a skincare product. You’re creating a ritual. A pause. A way back to yourself.

If you’ve been craving softness, groundedness, or a deeper sense of self-care, that little pink flower may be exactly the companion you need. And your skin will thank you, too.

Homemade Geranium Body Butter Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shea butter (raw or refined)
  • 1 cup *geranium-infused fractionated coconut oil
  • 6 tablespoons beeswax
  • 15–20 drops geranium essential oil
  • Optional:
    • 5 drops lavender (for relaxation)
    • 5 drops frankincense (for skin rejuvenation)
    • A tiny pinch of rose clay for a hint of color
    • Vitamin E (5–10 drops) as a natural preservative
  • *To infuse geraniums: take spent blooms and allow to completely dry. Once dry, place the mixture in a quart-size mason jar and cover it with fractionated coconut oil. Let it sit for 2-3 weeks before straining and using in a recipe.

Instructions

  1. Melt the shea butter, beeswax and coconut oil in jar with lid in a pot of simmering water.
  2. Remove from heat.
  3. Pour into a glass bowl.
    Let it sit on the counter or in the refrigerator until it begins to harden.
  4. Add essential oils.
    Stir in geranium and any optional additions.
  5. Whip until fluffy.
    Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the mixture until it becomes light, creamy, and buttery. This can take 3–5 minutes.
  6. Spoon into jars.
    Store in a clean glass jar with a tight lid.
    Keep away from direct sunlight and heat.

How to Use

Massage a small amount into damp skin after a bath or shower for the softest, most nourished glow.
Perfect for dry legs, elbows, arms, and as a pre-bedtime ritual to calm the mind and support emotional balance.

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Living Mary Oliver’s Wisdom: Paying Attention, Being Astonished, and Sharing Your Story

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Living Mary Oliver’s Wisdom Through Healing, Teaching, and Everyday Wonder**

There are some quotes that stay with us, not because they’re clever or inspiring, but because they feel like a compass pointing us back to ourselves. Mary Oliver’s simple yet profound guidance has been one of those touchstones for me:

“Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.”

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I return to these words again and again — especially during seasons of change, healing, or uncertainty. They’ve shaped the way I teach, the way I write, and the way I share my story with the world. And the more life I live, the more I realize how true they are.

Pay Attention

Paying attention is an act of devotion.
It’s choosing presence over autopilot.
It’s noticing the way your breath settles your nervous system.
It’s honoring the wisdom of your body — even when it’s hurting, even when it’s asking you to slow down.

In my own healing journey, paying attention has been my teacher. It’s also what inspired so many of the reflections and weekly practices in 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness. When we pause long enough to notice the subtle shifts within us, we create space for renewal.

Be Astonished

Life asks us to be astonished — not in a loud, dramatic way, but in the soft moments that catch our breath.

A sunrise after a difficult night.
The way community gathers and holds us.
The resilience that keeps rising even when we feel worn down.
The capacity for joy that still lives in us, quietly waiting.

Being astonished is not about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about allowing ourselves to be moved, touched, awakened by the small wonders that sustain us.

Tell About It

This is the part of the quote that has shaped my work the most.

Telling about it — through writing, teaching, mentoring, or public speaking — is how we weave connection. It’s how we share our healing in a way that encourages others to find their own. It’s why I wrote my book. It’s why I continue to speak to caregivers, yoga teachers, and communities who need support.

Storytelling is healing.
Storytelling is service.
Storytelling is how we whisper to one another, “You’re not alone.”

Every time I stand in front of a group, turn on a camera, or sit down at my keyboard, I carry Mary Oliver’s words with me. They help me stay rooted in what matters: presence, awe, and truth.

A Gentle Reminder for Your Day

Wherever you are in your own season of life, may these words remind you to slow down, breathe deeper, and return to what is real and meaningful.

Pay attention to the small things.
Let yourself be astonished.
And tell your story — because your voice, your wisdom, and your lived experience matter more than you know.

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Seasonal Essential Oil Blends with Gemstones: A Perfect Companion to 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness

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Revealing My New Seasonal Essential Oil Blends and Gemstones

A Beautiful Companion to 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness

As I’ve been writing my new book, 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living, one guiding truth has woven itself through every chapter: our bodies, hearts, and spirits respond deeply to the rhythm of the seasons. Each season brings its own emotional tone, its own energy, and its own invitation for how we might move, breathe, and live.

This is why I created a set of intentional seasonal essential oil blends, each paired with a gemstone, to complement the journey of the book. These blends aren’t just lovely scents. They are seasonal anchors, helping you tune into the themes of renewal, radiance, gratitude, release, rest, and reflection as you move through the year.

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Spring Blend: Renewal

Gemstone: Green Aventurine
Theme: New beginnings, emotional softness, gentle growth

Spring corresponds to Weeks 1–13 in 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness, where the focus is on healing, compassion, returning to the body, and creating space for new energy. Spring is an invitation to soften, open, and begin again. The blend supports uplifting the heart, releasing heaviness, and stepping into fresh possibilities.

Essential oils: Lemon, Geranium, Eucalyptus, Frankincense 

Summer Blend: Radiance

Gemstone: Citrine
Theme: Joy, courage, vibrancy

Summer aligns with Weeks 14–26, a time focused on presence, energy, confidence, and living with intention. This season encourages expansion and warmth. The Summer Blend supports vitality, creativity, courage, and grounded enthusiasm.

Essential oils: Wild Orange, Jasmine, Lime, Ylang Ylang

Fall Blend: Gratitude and Release

Gemstone: Tiger’s Eye
Theme: Appreciation, clarity, letting go

Fall corresponds to Weeks 27–39. These chapters explore gratitude, grounding, awareness, and gently releasing what no longer serves. Fall invites us to simplify and return to the essentials. The Fall Blend supports emotional release, inner steadiness, and the practice of gratitude as the season shifts inward.

Essential oils: Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Orange, Clove 

Winter Blend: Reflection and Rest

Gemstone: Amethyst
Theme: Stillness, intuition, restoration

Winter aligns with Weeks 40–52. These final chapters center on reflection, deep rest, quiet healing, and reconnecting with inner wisdom. Winter is a season for listening, softening, and tending to the inner world. The Winter Blend supports nervous system calm, deep rest, and spacious reflection.

Essential oils: Myrrh, Sandalwood, Lavender, Juniper Berry  

How These Blends Connect to the Book

The book is intentionally structured by seasons, with 13 entries for each, inviting you to move through the year with presence and mindfulness. These blends were created as sensory companions to those themes, offering a grounding ritual as you read each week.

You can roll on the seasonal blend before beginning your weekly chapter and let the scent become a reminder of your intention for the season. This creates a layered, embodied experience of the book through touch, scent, breath, and awareness.

A Year of Wellness, One Season at a Time

My hope is that these blends help you feel supported as you move through your year. Whether you begin with Week 1 in spring or choose to start during another season, each blend offers a simple ritual to connect you back to yourself. They are gentle reminders to pause, breathe, and honor where you are.

They Also Make a Beautiful, Meaningful Gift

These seasonal blends and their gemstones make a thoughtful gift for anyone who values mindfulness, essential oils, intentional living, or emotional wellness. Paired with 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness, they become a year-long offering of support, encouragement, and self-care.

This is the kind of gift that feels heartfelt, personal, and deeply nurturing. Perfect for holidays, birthdays, caregivers, teachers, friends, or anyone entering a new chapter of life.

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