Did you know you can whip up a “latte” that is milk free?
This version gets its creaminess from almond butter instead of milk, which gives it a much richer, more concentrated coffee flavor, more similar to a version made with espresso. Using quality essential oils gives the best most spicy and earthy flavor with all the immune boosting benefits. Remember though to never ingest essential oils unless they have a supplement fact label on the bottle. I only trust one brand to take internally.
Made with natural ingredients, pumpkin butter is a fall-flavored treat that is sure to please. This recipe combines the rich flavors of Ginger, Cinnamon, and Clove oils. All three oils have different benefits when taken internally: Cinnamon maintains the immune system, while Clove supports cardiovascular health, and Ginger assists the digestive system. Amazing, right? Ingredients
1 29-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup coconut sugar (or substitute organic brown sugar)
Some of my closest friends know the recent unfolding of some devastating news. As a private person I intended to be quiet about this, too. But after thinking long and hard I realized that maybe by speaking it, someone will be inspired to see the need for serious changes in our world.
Since my daughter was 10 years old (she is 26), I have been her certified nurses aide. This allows her to have the help she requires and me to be paid for providing. I also receive health insurance through the home health care employer I work for.
Last week I learned that the state of colroado and the resource exchange has determined that she is no longer eligible to receive services.
What does that mean?
There are layers to implications to this. It means most importantly that if I were to die, she would NOT have the services in place for her to receive the care she needs, except in a completely inappropriate placement like a long term care center. Secondly, it means that this incredibly hard working woman now loses an income and worse, health insurance. And finally, it means she doesn’t get the services she needs and is eligible for. It is all handed back to the parents to do, and the state must think parents of special needs people live forever.
I have a much needed surgery scheduled in three weeks. I have multiple preexisting conditions that prevent me from getting AFFORDABLE insurance which leaves me to have to pay for incredibly expensive, limited, and costly out of pocket insurance that covers the minimum of what I need. And deserve.
For the pencil pusher at the state level and at the agency who oversees funding—how dare you.
I’m not sure what my next steps are. Perhaps get a j.o.b. and release my dream of what I’ve created. Perhaps I sit and do nothing but pay the premium and put off surgery until something better comes along.
Mostly I pray that one day people with disabilities will have the protests, rallies and out spoken support that other groups seem to get. Until then, this most vulnerable population gets swept under the rug, forgotten about except for their very tired family to deal with.
In the Yoga world, Pantanjali wrote ancient texts thousands and thousands of year ago and have become the “rules” in which a Yogi attempts to live by. Part of the texts include the Yamas and Niyamas. The Yamas focus on the ethical standards of how we should conduct ourselves in daily life and the behavior to develop during interactions with the self and others. The five Yamas include truthfulness, non violence, non stealing, non greed, right energy. The five Niyamas are constructive tools for cultivating happiness and self-confidence and they are purification, contentment, self-discipline, self study, and self surrender.
As I have been going back to studying the Sutras, reviewing these principles is always a rich self exploration, especially during this month as I have been teaching my classes around the concept of understanding the foundation of our spirit.
Over the years I have found that knowing (and living within) my values or principles is paramount for my success and overall well-being. When I step aside from them and life becomes challenging, as it often does, I am less likely to respond well.
In contemplative questions, it is useful to ask yourself what are some of the core principles in which you live by.
I like to think of the foundation of a home being what sustains the rest of the structure when storms come by, or the roots of tree that holds it upright during turmoil.
As I have been looking inward and reviewing the Yamas/Niyamas, I spent a few weeks discovering the ten principles in which I live by.
I have come to learn that when we know who we are, we can begin to show up in life through our thoughts, words, and actions in alignment with that inner truth. Knowing who we are is very different than what we are. To learn more about labels, check out this post.
I know when I am showing up outside of these parameters or guidelines because I get easily rattled, I am quick with sharp words, I am impatient and easily overwhelmed. When I am in my truth and aligned with these principles, I feel the wholeness of who I am and know that I am showing up in my most authentic self.
Have you ever thought about what guides you? What your foundation is?
After several weeks of pondering, here are my ten principles.
Conventional dryer sheets contain mysterious ingredients, and can sometimes be expensive. Play it safe and save some money with this reusable DIY containing Lavender oil. Benefit from Lavender’s soothing properties to skin and sweet aroma as you soften clothes and fight off static at the same time.
Ingredients
1 cup hot water ½ cup white vinegar ½ cup baking soda 5–10 drops Lavender oil 5–10 simple sponges
I get asked a lot about my personal practice. The assumption might be that I am always on my mat in my gorgeous studio.I do practice Yoga everyday. But, the Truth is I unroll my mat mostly when I feel a disconnection.
I come to my mat to feel…to nurture my body…to connect with my sensations. I don’t practice asana (postures) everyday. Having a Yoga practice doesn’t have to be physical.
So yes…I practice everyday, but I come to my mat when I need to plug into my soul, and connect my physical body to that beautiful place inside.
There are seven major energy centers in the body known as ‘Chakras’. Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means “wheel”. Our seven main chakras are connected to our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. Blocked energy in our seven chakras can often lead to illness, so it’s important to understand what each chakra represents and what we can do to keep this energy flowing freely.Chakras are invisible to the naked eye and yet interconnect our physical and spiritual selves. Each of the seven chakras is tied directly to a specific region and nerve center of the body.
It is believed that each of the chakras absorbs and filters the energy that we emit through our thoughts and actions as well as through the thoughts and actions of all those that we come into contact with. When one of the chakras is out of balance as a result of negative energy flowing through it, it begins to spin too slowly or too fast. When a chakra is not balanced, it can effect that physical region of the body and also effect very specific aspects of our spiritual and emotional selves.
There are many ways to go about balancing the chakras but two of the most accessible, effective and relaxing practices are aromatherapy and crystal therapy. When paired correctly, crystals and essential oils can create potent combinations that help to release blocked energy and restore the body to full charge.
Root: black tourmaline; cypress, sandalwood, balance, vetiver and cedarwood. I AM. Apply to feet, legs.
Sacral: carnelian; clary sage, patchouli, bergamot, ylang and wild orange I FEEL. Apply to low belly.
Solar plexus: citrine; cinnamon, coriander, ginger, clove, and peppermint. I DO. Apply to center of belly.
Heart: rose quartz; lavender, cypress, lemon, orange, whisper and sandalwood I LOVE. Apply to heart.
Throat: sodalite; bergamot, peppermint, spearmint, eucalyptus and lavender. I SPEAK. Apply to throat.
3rd eye: amethyst; cedarwood, lemongrass, frankincense, marjoram, blue tansy, sandalwood. I SEE. Apply to behind ears, forehead.
Crown: quartz crystal; frankincense, myrrh, Roman chamomile, lavender and rosemary. I UNDERSTAND. Apply to heart, spine.
If you would like to order essential oils to make your own blends, just pop over here. Also, for a deeper look at each blend, check out this free chakra ebook. You can also purchase a full chakra set here!
About eighteen years ago I was referred to rheumatology for a positive antibody test result. What came next, and over a series of extensive blood work and discussions, was that I had several autoimmune diseases and needed to start medication. This was long before I was an advocate for myself or was even aware that I had choices when it came to what I put in my body. So I started the medications with zero research, zero questioning and zero information.
I stopped them as quickly as I started them.
Something in me just knew that it wasn’t the right time for me. It was during this season of my life that I was also beginning what I refer to as my “wake up”. A period where I was moving from being an angry, heavy toxic woman to someone who lived peacefully and in alignment with her greatest vision. I embarked on a journey of wellness that took me from over 200 pounds to a mere 145 pounds, but more than the weight it allowed me to find my soul and live in a way that was perfectly fulfilling in every aspect.
After stopping the medication, I went full on resistance to anything my rheumatology doctor had to say. Every visit was a heated battle of wills, until one day when she basically fired me as her patient. I went a year or so before I finally chose to drag my little tail between my legs to see her, and asked for a chance to start over. We talked about diet, herbs and exercise and although she was not a huge believer in any of it playing a large role in auto-immune disease (AID), she agreed to listen to me rant about how I believed that my extreme exercise habits and strict diet was keeping my symptoms away. Were they, or was I so resistant to the medications that I refused to acknowledge the pain I was really experiencing day after day?
My every-three-month visits and lab work came and went for many years and I was determined to have a lifestyle that was everything living with AID isn’t–active, vibrant, and full of living.
My resistance began to shift into surrender about five years ago when I was starting to have more and more periods of pain and fatigue. I told my rheumo that I would trust her to tell me if my body was taking a toll and when it is really time to start medications, not just based on a positive blood test. She agreed to watch and wait. I agreed to finally trust her expertise. I surrendered to the idea that I would likely have to start mediations if I wanted to keep my active life, and my sanity. I was by no means ready to start the medication, but I surrendered to the inevitable time that it would be coming.
The time has come. My body needs the help of medication to reduce the amount of flare ups that I experience. I walked into her office last week in total peace for the decision. The day I took the first dose, I rode my bike for miles and miles and marveled at the young woman who had so much well -served stubbornness and the need to do it her own way for over a decade. I watched in my mind how she matured into a common sense surrender of what IS, and then the wise woman who has softened into peace.
I wouldn’t trade a second of my seasons and am definitely proud of how I have handled the huge decision to know when. Believe me when I say I wanted essential oils and meditation to be enough, but I am the first to say for me, it isn’t enough. Sure, those things are my #1 and #2 choice for anything going on in my life (physically, emotionally or mentally), but I also realize that there is a time when western and eastern meet and good things happen. The oils and holistic life is one I will never trade, but I am proud of knowing myself enough to trust when something else can be added to make my life even better.
Resistance served me well. Surrender allowed me the grace to know. And, peace welcomed me into her arms.
I believe we all have a story and being at peace with our story usually inspires others to do the same.
Becoming a storyteller has been part of my practice for years and I am coming into an amazing place that lends itself to revealing myself on a deeper level.
It is my hope that in the coming months as you learn more about my story it will awaken something in you that seeks to be found.
If you’re hoping to learn to touch your toes, I may not be the best yoga teacher for you. If you want to crawl into your spirit and bring out the best of yourself, then I am.
Let’s tell each other our stories. Let’s listen and shine the light on each other.
In its highest form, yoga is a practice for your body and your mind. I have come to cherish my morning reading of one Sutra-the Sutras in simple terms are the attitudes and principles of how to live in harmony with yourself and others.
This book, Living the Sutras brings the wisdom of classical yoga philosophy into your life in an accessible and relevant way. The Yoga Sutras, a foundational text of yoga philosophy and practice, written by the guru Patanjali over two thousand years ago, are made up of 196 aphorisms that offer potent teachings on how to deal with loss and pain, and guidance on how to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.
This book is a training for the mind and spirit by introducing a sutra or group of sutras on a related theme, providing a brief commentary, and writing prompts to allow you to reflect on and apply the meaning of the sutras to your life. This active self-study helps you to engage with yoga wisdom in a deeply personal way.
Nothing can take your yoga as deep as practicing at home. There are many reasons why you think you can’t, but those are often mental obstacles that are preventing you from a rich and intimate yoga practice.
To help hurdle some of the obstacles, it’s important to set yourself up for a great home practice by creating an inviting home yoga space.
Here are a few tips:
Your space can be small. An intimate corner tucked away is a perfect place to create zen. Once before I had a studio I arranged my furniture in my family room so I had a place behind the sofa big enough for a make shift alter, and my yoga mat. Add in a device to view my videos and you’re there. A spare bedroom, unfinished basement, a tidy walk in closet, your entry way, a back patio or deck, or even a corner of your office all make great spaces.
Make your space beautiful. Add a pretty plant, some nice art, a photograph, crystals, and a candle. I used an old breakfast tray for my alter and would light a candle, and have my pretty treasures near the top of my mat.
Aroma is everything. Our sense of smell is directly linked to our mood and our excitability. My favorites to diffuse are sandalwood, any citrus and mint combo, or simple lavender.
Be grateful. It is an honor to unroll your mat and spend time with yourself. You don’t need a fancy studio to bring you back home to yourSelf. A thankful heart doesn’t care where you practice.
If you would love a free thirty minute chat to help motivate you to get started and answer questions, I would LOVE to chat with you! Send me a message and we can set something up!
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.
The last few weeks I have experienced a multitude of emotions that are very unusual for me. Rather than resist them, I have learned to sit with them and then ask.
I’m the moments that follow the simple question—what do I need to know—I am given very clear messages. It is in this sweet sacred space I listen with intent ears and an open heart
So while it may seem to some I am distant and far away, the truth is I am taking radical self care to nurture my spirit from the division and the culture that seems to have a need to be right…as Caroline Myss says there is no right, there is only kindness.
I am looking to surround myself with people who are kind. Who show up in the world with compassion as their guide. Who strive not for personal gain but instead to be light to others.
If you’re too busy looking to be “right”, I beg you to be silent enough to listen.
