The capacity to link information and emotions is why essential oils are such a powerful partner in creating and maintaining emotional health. I love the brain and when I became a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, I learned so much science that validated what I was seeing with my yoga students who have brain injuries. These individuals cannot always easily express themselves. I saw quickly how their affect and attitude would change dramatically after smelling oils.
Curious as to why? Let’s get a little nerdy because you may be wondering how the Limbic System actually works. Well, let’s dive in!
As a person inhales an essential oil, the molecules of the oil go into the back of each nostril to the epithelium patch where the molecules attach to receptors on the cilia hairs. These convert to nerves that send the odor information to the olfactory bulb in the brain. This bulb communicates directly with the amygdala, hippocampus, and other brain structures.
Still with me? Good! Getting to the good stuff – promise!
The amygdala is the center for emotions in the limbic system and it links our sense of smell to our ability to learn emotionally.
This is EXACTLY why smells will trigger memories more than seeing an image, tasting food, or even listening to music!
Some of the most popular oils to start to anchor your emotional brain are citrus oils, as they provoke happy, uplifting, and supportive emotions in most people.
What is your favorite citrus oil to grab and inhale?
Want to learn the basics of essential oils? Download this free eBook! You’re welcome!
One of the most important parts of a skin care regimen for oily skin is keeping it clean. Keeping oily skin clean helps to prevent the oil from building up and causing breakouts. I recently decided to try my hand at making my own cleansing pads and could not be more thrilled. Little things, right?
This recipe is so simple, so clean and so affordable. I love adding pure essential oils to my skin care because of the many benefits! Tea tree is known for its cleansing and antibacterial properties and lavender is soothing for the skin. If you’d like to learn more about the basics of essential oils and how versatile they can be, AND why choosing the most pure essential oils are important just download this free ebook.
Container with a tight-fitting lid (I used a wide mouth pint mason jar)
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Pack the cotton rounds into the mason jar and pour some of the cleansing solution over the rounds. Keep adding rounds and pressing down while adding more solution.
I use these before bed and first thing in the morning. So good!
The thyroid, located in the front of the neck, is a small butterfly-shaped organ. It plays a mighty role in your health by producing hormones which travel throughout the body. These hormones regulate our hearts, digestion, muscle control, and equally important, brain development. As a result, you need your thyroid to be performing well to feel well. Did you know that there are many essential oils for thyroid support?
First let’s look at why the thyroid is so important. Thyroid hormones affect your metabolism rate, which means how fast or slow your brain, heart, muscles, liver, and other parts of your body work. Amazing, Huh?
Paying attention to the language your body is speaking can really give you insight to your thyroid working too fast or too slowly. For example, if you don’t have enough thyroid hormone, you might feel tired and cold. Or, if you have too much thyroid hormone, you might feel nervous, jumpy, and warm.
The thyroid is controlled by the pituitary gland which oversees thyroid hormone production. Additionally, it tells the thyroid to make more or less according to what the body needs. The pituitary gland is even smaller, about the size of a pea, yet still vitally important to our health. In fact, we can use essential oils for thyroid and pituitary support to keep our body working at it’s best. This blend can support the thyroid in staying balanced and healthy.
The best essential oils for thyroid support are Lemongrass, Myrrh, Clove, Frankincense, Basil and Peppermint. I apply this twice a day.
1. Frankincense – Frankincense, also known as the “King of oils”, is a powerfully supportive oil for the body. Its complex chemistry, coupled with a high ratio of Monoterpenes (25%), make it a multi-purpose oil and a strong support on a cellular and DNA level. Furthermore, Frankincense is calming for the immune and nervous systems, skin and emotions. Combine with Lemongrass, Myrrh and Clove for a daily thyroid support blend .
2. Myrrh – Because Myrrh is very high in Sesquiterpenes (75%), it is a strong support for the thyroid. Sesquiterpenes also stimulate the limbic system, hypothalamus, pineal and pituitary glands. Combine with Clove, Lemongrass and Frankincense for a daily thyroid support blend.
3. Clove – Clove is a powerful antioxidant and immune support for the body. High in phenols which stimulate the immune and nervous system, they further help keep your cells performing well. Combine with Lemongrass, Myrrh and Frankincense for a daily thyroid support blend.
4. Lemongrass – Lemongrass is high in aldehydes (up to 80%). This works to calm the nervous system, relieve stress and promote relaxation while also being uplifting. Combine with Clove, Myrrh and Frankincense for a daily thyroid support blend.
5. Peppermint – Peppermint gives us a natural energy boost. If you’re tired, it’s a wonderful pick-me-up during the day, especially in those late afternoon hours. Try it in a diffuser, put a drop in your hands to inhale or just smell from the bottle. It is also supportive to the thyroid.
Remember, essential oils are so potent that it doesn’t take much to be effective. This roller blend will last about TWO months and each bottle of essential oils is 250 drops! That means you’ll have a long supply of thyroid support, but also the oils in this blend are incredibly versatile and you’ll find TONS of uses for them.
If you’d like to learn the basics of essential oils, check out this handy guide. It’s super easy to get these oils at wholesale prices, just pop over here or I am happy to make you a thyroid blend to try before you invest!
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melodie Beattie
This is a special time of year when we find ourselves being more thankful and appreciative. I love to see the focus of many people shift from the outward struggles that the collective world is feeling to a focus on abundance. If only we could all stay focused on the good in our lives rather than the nonsense that floods and feeds the division in our world.
Gratitude Practice
I believe that a deliberate practice of gratitude can truly change your life. Many years ago I began a daily gratitude journal and after a short time I realized that throughout my day I was looking for things to be able to write down in my journal. What a life-changer to be on the look-out for what is good versus what is lack. Now after 18 years of a daily gratitude practice, if I find that in times of fear or sadness, I can open up any of one of those journals and be reminded of all that I really do have in my life.
I encourage you to spend some time each day acknowledging a few things in your life that you can be grateful for, including yourself! If you are not sure what to be grateful for beyond the obvious, then I say use your senses! What did you smell today? Did you feel something amazing today? Describe something that you tasted today that was amazing? To deepen your practice, you can include why you are grateful. I love to acknowledge that I am grateful for my friends because they help me to feel connected.
How to have a gratitude practice
When we think of abundance we often think of the tangible, material, often obvious things in our life to be grateful for; house, food, car, employment, etc. I would like to offer up acknowledging the abundance of less visible things; the love you feel for someone, the colors that surround your life, the sounds of music and laughter, the aroma that fills your home from a hearty soup, or the growth that you have shown this year.
Soak in all that is untouchable. Fill your heart with the fullness of simply being alive and experiencing the sensations each day offers.
People will drop over $100 per month on lattes and hundreds more on drinking and eating out, yet not want to spend $80 on a gym membership, or hundreds on therapy or a coaching program.
And then they wonder why they don’t feel good or aren’t reaching their goals.
People spend hours scrolling on their phones or watching Netflix and but don’t have enough time to read, meditate or go for a walk.
Your actions show where your priorities are, not your thoughts and ideas.
If you’re having a difficult time making changes to your health, happiness, relationships, business, whatever, take a look at what you’re investing in. Not just with your money, but your energy, time and/or attention.
The more you give to yourself, the more you’ll get back. You deserve to have everything you desire and nobody else is gonna give it to you but YOU.
If you’re worried about the price of getting started, you should see the cost of staying exactly where you are.
We are in the last few months of 2021 and I am offering this package that is worth well over $500 for a deep discount of just $325.
Time is limited to grab this deal.
This bundle also makes an amazing gift. The awesome thing about this program is some of the content is yours to keep and return to over and over.
•Assessment and Personalized Wellness plan ($125.00) •Two private yoga sessions ($80.00) •Two follow up Wellness Sessions ($80.00) •Seven days of Wellness Program to motivate and inspire you ($125.00) •One-hour body work/energy session. ($50.00) •Crystal and Essential Oil Blend based on you primary wellness goal ($22) •Bonus Self-Care Package ($140) •Essential Oil consultation (free)
You are SO worth it.
Just send me a message and we can roll up our sleeves and get busy! I cannot wait to work with YOU!
Most of you know me as a yoga teacher, but I am also a Healing Touch Practitioner. Awesome, eh? Have you ever had a healing touch session?
In Healing Touch therapy, practitioners use their hands to help restore balance and harmony through working with the human energy field or life force. This is done in a comfortable setting, fully clothed and is a great way to treat unsettled feelings in the mind and body.
Through heart-centered intention and skill, practitioners use their hands to re-establish the natural flow of energy. Healing Touch practitioners do not force or push energy but allow balance and harmony to “reboot” the energy system.
The benefits are amazing:
•Non-Invasive
Healing Touch is done without the use of invasive procedures and offers a gentle, holistic way of healing.
•Effective
Research has shown that Healing Touch facilitates the relaxation response and enhances the healing process.
•Non-Toxic
Healing Touch restores balance and harmony to our natural biofield without the use of pharmaceuticals.
If you are feeling stuck or have feelings that just seem off, or are experiencing pain, I would love to see you! It can be done in person or virtually! Schedule yours today!
It is amazing to me how our inner narrative about ourselves can be so negative. Years ago I started a pretty solid affirmation practice and continue to this day. By rerouting our thoughts and words to a positive place, we actually retrain our brain to think and see the good in our lives.
Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts.
When you repeat them often, and truly believe in them, you can start to see positive changes in your life unfold. Practicing positive affirmations can be extremely simple, and all you need to do is pick a phrase and repeat it to yourself.
I don’t know about you, but I have spent many years, speaking things like “I am a mess. I am overwhelmed. I am stressed. I am in so much pain.” I still catch myself and can now rephrase to “I am doing my best. I am handling this with grace. I am feeling my body tell me something”.
Affirmations require regular practice they can help you to make lasting, long-term changes to the ways that you think and feel.
Do you have a list of affirmations? What’s your favorite one? I love having sticky notes and reminders around my house and I even have an app in my phone that periodically throughout the day sends me an I am_____ reminder of something good.
I encourage you to start a 30 day affirmation practice and see what shows up in your life. Need some help coming up with affirmations? I am happy to help!
Have you been hearing others talk about adrenal fatigue but not sure what it means?
What is adrenal fatigue?
The theory behind adrenal fatigue basically says that our body’s immune system responds by revving up when we are under stress. The adrenal glands, which are small organs above your kidneys, respond to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are part of the “fight or flight” response. They increase your blood pressure and your heart rate. When we live in a constant state of stress, emotional/physical pain, we can easily slip into this cycle. Of course, reducing stress and adding in some healthy habits is a great way to stop this phenomenon. Adrenal fatigue is sometimes hard to catch and the symptoms can be vague, but once you know what you are dealing with, it’s fairly easy to treat. Do you feel tired and worn out all the time, even though you’re getting plenty of sleep? Do you crave salty foods and have trouble losing extra pounds? Maybe you’ve been to several doctors and none of them can say what’s wrong with you.
Some signs that your adrenals are working too hard include:
•fatigue
•burst of energy before bed
•low blood pressure
•trouble getting to sleep
•reliance on caffeine
Along with increasing water, reducing daily stress, meditation, movement and eating a healthy diet I have also for many years been using a blend of essential oils to help support my super tired adrenals. Now, we have Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, which increases this already awesome blends effects on combating adrenal fatigue.
My tried and true blend includes: Clove, Rosemary, Frankincense, Lemon, and Basil (or Holy Basil) and literally lasts for months.
I apply this to my low back along the sides twice a day. I can tell the days I don’t use this…so easy. Of course, reducing stress, eating well, movement and plenty of water are a must too! ?
If you opt to buy these oils know that the oils in this blend have a huge variety of uses beyond just the adrenals, so you’re also investing in natural cleaning, mood support, aches and pains, hair growth, endocrine issues, and sleep to name just a few. If you’d love to try a blend, just reach out to me! I’d love to help you!
Check out this amazing ebook to learn more about how plants can help our body and feel free to reach out to me with questions or if you’d like to purchase a pre-made blend from me!
Worthiness is such a tricky beast. It seems this most everyone has at one point struggling with feeling worthy.
Have you?
Have you ever felt so uncomfortable in your skin you avoided really ever looking at yourself in the mirror?
Have you ever been so insecure that the thought of being visible scared you?
Have you ever said things to yourself that you would never say about another person?
Have you ever longed to find out why some people just seem to radiate happiness?
Have you ever been so miserable with your health that it felt like you’d never be any different?
Have you ever had so much bottled up emotion that numbing it was your only option?
Have you ever wondered what you are on this Earth to do?
Have you ever listened the quiet inner voice of yourself BEGGING to be let out?
Me too, friend. Me too.
What if I told you that I used to be an angry, bitter, lonely, extremely heavy (in mind, body AND spirit) person that could not be alone with herself for five minutes without some serious negative self-talk? What if I told you I lost over 100 pounds by changing my mindset about myself? What if I told you that I thought the only reason I was born was to struggle and raise my kids? What if I told you that I have been exactly where you are?
What if I told you I learned how to value ME?
Now, what if I told you I could give you some systematic choices and alternatives that are life sustaining and could possibly change all of your answers to the above questions? What if I was in your corner WITH you as you bravely began to navigate across new territory? What if I held the map for you as you take the first few steps? What if I was in your corner to cheer you on and encourage you to live your best self?
Are you ready?
People will drop over $100 per month on lattes and hundreds more on drinking and eating out, yet not want to spend $80 on a gym membership, or hundreds on therapy or a coaching program.
And then they wonder why they don’t feel good or aren’t reaching their goals.
People spend hours scrolling on their phones or watching Netflix and but don’t have enough time to read, meditate or go for a walk.
Your actions show where your priorities are, not your thoughts and ideas.
If you’re having a difficult time making changes to your health, happiness, relationships, business, whatever, take a look at what you’re investing in. Not just with your money, but your energy, time and/or attention.
The more you give to yourself, the more you’ll get back. You deserve to have everything you desire and nobody else is gonna give it to you but YOU.
If you’re worried about the price of getting started, you should see the cost of staying exactly where you are.
We are in the last few months of 2021 and I am offering this package that is worth well over $500 for a deep discount of just $325. Time is limited to grab this deal. This bundle also makes an amazing gift.
The awesome thing about this program is some of the content is yours to keep and return to over and over.
Two private yoga sessions ($80.00)
Assessment and Personalized Wellness plan ($125.00)
Yogi’s have known for thousands of years that there is something magical and mystical inside of each of us that is influenced by our thoughts, surroundings, foods, and even our emotions. Scientists are catching on and people are realizing that our emotional well-being, and our energy can be not just measured, but it can also be influenced with a few adjustments to our everyday habits and attitudes.
I learned about this frequency of emotions mindset many years ago, but I didn’t have the language to make sense of it or share it. With some researching and learning, I now feel confident that I understand it and I have definitely seen how the subtle changes that I have made over the last eighteen years in my mind, body and spirit has set into motion the abundant and happy life I now live. We all have met someone who seems to have really “good vibes” and I know that we have all had people in our life that seem to bring us down. That is their energy and how our own energy interacts and received it.
Prior to my great wake-up, I was living in constantly very low vibrating emotions; fear, anger, disappointment, blame, and shame. The outward manifestation of this chronic mindset was that I was physically heavy, I was depressed, I had trouble sleeping, I had little motivation, and even less joy in my life. I had yet to discover a purpose and a passion, and I was living my life on autopilot barely even recognizing that I was alive.
Since my transformation in my mid-thirties, I live in a nearly constant state of happiness and abundance. Experiences that I have wanted to happen, seem to happen. I find the right people at the perfect time. I am inviting into my life amazing opportunities on a seemingly weekly, if not daily, basis. There seems to be little to my life that I wish was different, except perhaps having less physical pain. However, despite having a chronic pain disease I am able to compartmentalize that experience into a place of better understanding and usefulness for my life.
Not that my life is unique because we all have situations in our life that are less than ideal, but it is what we do with it that changes the game. Here is what I have in my world that could send me down the spiral of blame and shame, if I chose to allow it–raising a disabled daughter day in and day out, multiple chronic pain diseases (including lupus) that cause pain and fatigue, the grueling self-employment lifestyle of being 100% dependent on myself to make money and survive, having raised three children alone and with who still lives with me (which means I have technically been a 24/7 caregiver for 31 years with no break), I have never received a financial windfall, my father chose to completely opt out of my life, my children’s father died from self-neglect at a super young age leaving them without any chance of a turn around, I have had multiple orthopedic surgeries in the last 5 years that have taken a toll on my body, and my joints continue to deteriorate despite my greatest effort to be healthy. Pretty heavy, right?
With all that heavy emotion how do we manage our emotional frequencies (vibes) and how can we work to raise our vibration?
Let’s imagine for a moment the image of a ladder. The middle rung of the ladder represents contentment. Contentment is often thought of as a Zen like experience where all is well. It is something that most of strive for at certain times in our life and when we arrive there, we sigh heavily feel as though we have arrived. Hold on. One step under contentment is complacency. Yea, complacency. That emotion where we feel like, ehhh I don’t need to put that much effort into this, or try that hard. Complacency is that who gives a shit mindset where half effort becomes routine. One more step down the ladder we are living in boredom. Then creeps in loneliness. Then sadness. Then blame. Then shame. Then defensiveness. Then anger. Then fear.
Feel that heaviness?
Go back up the ladder to contentment. Imagine again what that feels like. Now, one step UP from contentment is hope. One of my favorite definitions of hope is to expect with confidence. To me hope is walking towards something positive and good with a knowing that it will become. Feels amazing, yes? Well above hope is curiosity. Above that is joy. Above that is happiness. Above that is bliss. Keep going and you will reach the complete wholeness of feeling grateful. A grateful being is a person who lives in a constant (or near constant) state of high vibes. When we live in that plane, we attract all great things into our life–people, experiences, opportunities, purpose, and love.
Here is where it gets even better.
Simply by shifting our attention up, lifting our chin, looking up, elevating our heart we immediately move up from contentment to hope. I mean literally look up. So much of our life is hunched over, head down either worrying or working. Carrying SO much emotion that can feel heavy it makes our physical body shift downward. Constant downward looking, we begin to sink into the spiral of low and often heavy vibration frequencies.
The frequency of abundance measures the same as the frequency of a wild orange. The higher up on the tree, the higher we feel. This is why certain essential oils have the ability to shift our emotional state simply by smelling them. You can learn more about the brain and aroma here.
A simple and powerful tool to keep yourself on the upside of the ladder is to literally look up and notice the tree tops, the clouds, the sky, how your heart lifts with the simple tilt of your chin, take mindful and complete breaths and fill your heart with gratitude. Smelling pure wild orange essential oil is just an added aspect to this magic that can powerfully shift your mood.
Are you ready to work on your emotional frequencies and start attracting experiences and people into your life that resonate with you and your highest vision?
I currently have some personal mentoring session times available if you’d like to learn more about how to shift your emotional frequencies, including the use of crystals and gemstones. Reach out to me, I would love to hear from you! Also, enjoy this upward spiral and downward spiral image to see and feel how good it is to live above contentment.
It’s all things fall around my house. I love the smell of diffusing earthy and spicy essential oils. Baking good things with pumpkin and popping a hearty stew in the oven is heaven.
To me pumpkin means comfort.
These little energy balls are a little taste of fall in small bite, plus they give a great boost of energy without a bunch of sugar or processed ingredients.
You probably have all of the stuff in your pantry to make these awesome pumpkin energy balls. I take them on the go with me!!
Ingredients:
Old fashioned oats-I like to use old fashioned oats because they create a chewier, heartier energy ball. Plus, I always have old fashioned oats in my pantry. You can use gluten-free oats if you need the energy balls to be gluten-free.
Ground flaxseed meal—I love adding ground flaxseed to boost the nutritional value of the energy balls. Ground flaxseed adds fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, and protein. Make sure you use ground flaxseed meal and not whole flaxseeds.
Chia Seeds—These little seeds are a loaded with nutrients and make a great addition to the energy balls. They add fiber, protein, healthy fat, calcium, magnesium, and antioxidants.
Spices-Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves add lots of fall flavor to the energy balls. You can also use pure essential oils—buy only one drop—they are powerful!
Salt-A little bit of salt is all you need, but don’t skip it! It makes all the flavors pop and a little salt is actually good for most of us.
Almond butter-The almond butter is the base of the energy balls and makes all of the ingredients hold together. If you don’t have almond butter, you can use peanut butter.
Pumpkin-Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree, you can find it in the baking aisle in a can of almost any grocery store. The pumpkin will keep the energy balls nice and moist plus the flavor is amazing.
Honey-Sweeten the energy balls with honey! The honey also helps the energy balls stick together.
Vanilla extract-A little splash of pure vanilla extract is always a good idea!
Mini Chocolate Chips-Mini chocolate chips are the perfect finishing touch to the pumpkin energy balls. The pumpkin chocolate chip combo is always a winner. If you don’t want to use chocolate chips, you can leave them out and add dried cranberries. Or add dried cranberries with the chocolate chips!
Recipe:
2 cups oats
2 tablespoons flax and chia
3/4 cup nut butter
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tablespoon honey
Splash of vanilla (or wild orange essential oil!)
1/4 mini chocolate chips
How to make energy balls:
Mix together all of the dry ingredients to make sure the spices are distributed evenly.
Add the almond butter, pumpkin, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix until all of the ingredients come together and a “dough” forms.
Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Roll the mixture into balls, about 2 tablespoons per ball. You can use your hands or a cookie scoop to do this.
Place the balls in an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
I noticed this morning the beginning stages of the leaves letting go and I was reminded that the beautiful colors are a sign that some amazing growth is coming to the end of a cycle. This is also time when we ourselves also enter into a cycle of letting go. No longer striving to be bountiful, a softness enters out hearts and intentions, and we have the opportunity to shed, to fall away, and to take time to prepare the moments of soon to be rejuvenation and rest.
I looked at my life and considered that I too am experiencing my own seasonal change. I mean the reality is the few years have been incredibly disorienting for so many, including myself. The constant pull and push of emotions and uncertainty have been really hard to keep a grasp on. The division and attempt to stay steady has been exhausting.
Although perhaps it is that this seasonal shedding is that I am seeing what no longer serves me personally and professionally, and what I have carried through perhaps too many seasons. I believe at the heart of these metamorphic transitions– whether subtle or bold–we hold the key to the life we deserve and are destined to live.
As my feet plodded along the rocky trail and while I took in the presence of Life in my moments of reflection, my heart centered prayers easily flowed.
May I find within my shadow what needs to be shed and allow it to shed.
May I have the grace to loosen my grip on the aspects of my daily life that impede my peace.
May I find the forgiveness for others that I wish upon for myself.
May I let go of what is holding me back and keeping me from what I am worth.
May I be the light that I am and not hide in the dark corners of life.
May I release the old to make room for the new.
May I find the clarity to embrace what is and let go of what was.
May I surrender, and in doing that, be free.
May I remain beautiful in the process of letting go.
