healthy living

Mother’s Day Gifts

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A mother’s love is more beautiful than any fresh flower.

Mother’s Day is a great spring tradition to honor the people in your life who have nurtured and loved you. It is such a special treat to receive a handmade gift and I am thrilled to have put together a variety of my favorites things for the special mom’s in your life. These little gifts make the perfect gift to appreciate the hardworking givers in your life.

Gratitude Essential Oil Blend

$22

This perfectly crafted blend is my most popular mingling of aroma and gemstones. This wonderful scent is the perfect gift to show your thankfulness to the special momma in your life.

  • Siberian fir: breaking negative emotional and spiritual patterns,
  • Frankincense: raise awareness, shine your bright light
  • Grapefruit: appreciate who you are;
  • Wild Orange: abundance and bright future, gladness to the heart
  • Geranium: heart opening, realize security in what you do have
  • Clove: instills power, sense of protection, integrity
  • Amber chips; radiates laughter, vitality, and courage.

Aromatherapy Bath Salts

$7

These gorgeous tubes are the perfect end to a stressful day. The make amazing teacher gifts or special offerings for loved ones. Each tube is filled with epsom salt, lavender petals and soothing essential oils to bring a spa like experience for the lucky recipient. One tube will fill one or two baths.

Bath Fizzies

$20 for 10 Fizzies

There is nothing like sinking into a tub with a hot bubbly tub with fizzing bath bombs. If you know me well, it is my ultimate form of self-care. I have mastered the bath bomb and have found the perfect combination for a deep relaxation for the body. These smell amazing and are also so good for the skin and detoxing the body.

Glowing Face Serum

$35

This gorgeous face serum is my go to for glowing skin. This gorgeous blend includes rose hip oil, blue tansy, yarrow, rose, and geranium essential oils. I apply it in the evening after cleansing.

Body Butter

$25

This fan favorite is a popular gift for anyone! Handmade with natural shea butter and pure essential oils this creamy skin soothing butter is the perfect gift. Not only does this smell amazing but it is a completely natural and skin loving cream that makes the skin feel so soft.

Gift Certificates

Do you want to give the gift of goodness to your loved one? I have you covered! You can purchase a gift card from me and then your person and I can come up with exactly what they need! Reach out to me below to purchase!

Purchase Gift Certificate

How to Order

To simplify the process of ordering, simply email me below (or you can text me) and tell me which items you would like and if you will be picking them up, or if you’d like me to ship them. I will email you back a confirmation and a total. You can venmo, Zelle, PayPal or good old fashioned cash.

Email Me Your Order

Thank you!

So many of you have been so supportive of me during this unusual time in our lives. I am so blessed that I can continue to share my passion and touch your life. It means a lot to me that you know that you are very important to me, and I am incredibly grateful that our paths have crossed. I believe that now more than ever, we need to recognize the people and meaningful connections that we all have.

As always, it is my hope that you stay healthy and happy in your mind, body and spirit.

xo, Stacie

Ten Books Every Yoga Practitioner Must Read

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There are so many good Yoga books out there and most people who are serious about their practice, or who teach Yoga have quite a collection of books. Most Yoga teacher trainings also have a requirement of reading some books during the training but I have found as time goes on the collection grows into more personal choices.

These are the top ten books I believe anyone who practices or teaches Yoga needs to have on their bookshelf.

  1. The Inspired Yoga Teacher. This gem of a book is a must for all people who love to practice, even if you aren’t a teacher. It is packed with great suggestions for how to take Yoga off the mat (or the chair) and live the principles and philosophies that make this discipline so good.
  2. Polishing the Mirror-How to Live from Your Spiritual Heart. This book is not a “Yoga” book but instead of beautiful collection of wisdom that will help you live from the heart. It is just a must.
  3. The Yoga Mind. This is the book that I believe will change your mind the most that Yoga is not just a physical practice, or worse and exercise. This will help you see that Yoga is a way of living and is suitable for ALL people.
  4. Anatomy of the Spirit-The Seven Stages of Power and Healing. Another choice that is not per se a “Yoga” book but instead a book that can easily become a manual or guide for living your best life. This read will dive deep into parts of you that you may not even knew existed. The audio version is amazing, too.
  5. The Practice is the Path. This book will help anyone with the mind-body connection that Yoga helps to encourage. This book will depend your spirituality and learn how the practice plays a critical part in the journey of the spirit.
  6. Living the Sutras-A Guide to Yoga Wisdom beyond the Mat. Most books that attempt to make easy sense of the Sutras are still hard to apply to everyday life. This little book is the perfect tool for applying the Yoga principles to everyday life.
  7. Living Your Yoga-Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life. This book will stretche the meaning of yoga beyond its familiar poses and breathing techniques to include the events of daily life as ways to practice. A must for taking Yoga into every aspect of your life.
  8. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. One of the hardest parts of personal growth is accepting who you are. When it comes to teaching, or even practicing Yoga, we tend to live in a space of comparison. This is such a great book to stop that and start living authentically.
  9. Wheels Of Life – A User’s Guide To The Chakra System. This in-depth book will help you understand the powerful energy that exists as part of every human being. Not only will you learn about yourself, you will be more aware others and develop a deeper understanding of differences.
  10. Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom. This book brings readers this new and more complete understanding of the yogic journey. In reading this you may learn how to  integrate the different parts of the self (body, emotions, mind, and soul), the role that the yoga postures and how breathing techniques play in our search for wholeness.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

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.

Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes.

Evolving Self-Care

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“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” —Eleanor Brownn

Self care Mastery

Over the years I have become a master at self care and what I once thought of as purely selfish or saved for the elite has long since diminished. When I had my great “wakeup” I realized that self-care is actually a necessity to living a whole and complete life. I learned that loving myself meant taking time for certain things that bring me joy and in doing that, I am able to more effectively give to others.

Self-care doesn’t have to be weekly (and often expensive) things like massages, facials or extravagant shopping sprees. Self-care should be simple in nature and definitely doesn’t need to cost a lot. It might be that taking the time to perfectly craft your coffee in the afternoon is your version of self-care–in fact, since I am not out and about as much while I recover from hip replacement, I have found sprinkling a little ground cinnamon on my afternoon coffee to be a fabulous substitute to my usual coffee shop Americano. It may be that your self-care is gardening, or baking bread (YES!), or a solo walk, or organizing your office, or a long shower with special smelling soap, or sitting in the sunshine, or the occasional binge on Netflix.

Self Care Before Surgery:

My self-care before surgery was long, long walks everyday and vigorous strength training sessions. It was also daily coffee(s), Yoga, and weekly massages. My self-care post surgery has changed quite a bit but I am still committed to making sure that I am loving on myself every single day. When I redirect my thoughts away from pain and towards something that brings me joy, I am practicing the best kind of self care there is. I am no longer taking long, long walks or hiking in the mountains. I am not getting on the floor for Yoga, or taking long bubble baths, or splurging on multiple trips to a coffee shop throughout my day. Since I am unable to do some of those things due to limitations in mobility, driving myself and being off work for two months, I have evolved my self-care to fit my current situation.

Self Care After Surgery:

  • Long hot showers instead of bubble baths
  • Daily affirmations (I have used affirmations for years, but being a bit more intentional about them)
  • Making anything and everything sourdough (who knew how fun that could be?)
  • Dabbling more in aromatherapy when I feel my mood changing to a negative one
  • Using and enjoying my crystals in a deliberate way
  • Jigsaw puzzles, digital planning and a lot of iPad goodness
  • Easy stretching and spine work
  • Making soothing DIY skin products
  • Being creative and productive every day

I have come to realize that self-care is a constantly evolving practice. I know for me that being productive and using my creative nature to accomplish something everyday brings me joy. That something might be baking a gorgeous loaf of sourdough, or completing a challenging jigsaw puzzle, working on a new project, or finishing a juicy novel. Or, it might be whipping up a body butter for my skin or enjoying an extra long shower. Whatever it is, I am still loving on me and that is a must for all of us.

How do you self-care and how has it evolved in your changing seasons?

Follow me for more goodness!

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.

Movement is Medicine

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We have all heard it before, but I am here to tell you there is so much truth to it. Movement truly is medicine in its most natural form.

For years and years I have struggled with the effects of fibromyalgia and I have learned the more I move, the less I hurt. Many people who live with fibromyalgia—me included—would probably rather lay on a heating bad and hope the exhausting pain goes away, but the reality is movement will in fact make you feel better.

When we live the yoga lifestyle and endure challenges like this it’s imperative to pull our awareness into the sutras, or principles that enhance how we show up in the world. For examples, living with truth means we listen to our bodies and only do what truthfully feels right. It’s about not stealing from ourselves by overdoing (or under doing) it and taking away from healing process. It’s also about non-harming and being intentional with what we say yes to.

Each day since coming home from the hospital I have made a deliberate and mindful choice to move my body. It may be that my six directions of the spine is my max, or a simpler morning sequence, or I might add onto my physical therapy exercises by grabbing my dumbbells for some upper body endorphins.

Besides the intentional ways to get movement, it’s so important to realize the simple everyday tasks that count towards movement! Think back to your first few days home from surgery, or when you were struggling with illness, and the small victories that came with making your own meal or even showering! I am so thrilled that I am not as exhausted showering and getting dressed as I was just a week ago.

All the ways we navigate our day also count as movement!

  • Showering and getting dressed
  • Preparing an easy meal
  • Walking to the mail box
  • Emptying the dishwasher
  • Doing a load of laundry
  • Making the bed
  • Walking around the yard
  • Tidying up your space
  • A short trip to the market

Of course deliberate and intentional movement is important, but during this recovery time be sure to pat yourself on the back for the small everyday tasks that require movement and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Try to incorporate the yoga principles into your daily life and opt for staying aligned with who you are, and not what you happen to be going through.

You CAN do this and you ARE doing amazing.

Watch this—

With over sixteen years 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 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.

Tips & Tricks for Mindful Healing

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How can we maintain our strength and equilibrium in the face of our greatest challenge?

When we are going through a health challenge it is so important to remember that mindful healing is a big part of the successful outcome we wish for.

Tips & Tricks to Mindful Healing

Each morning I sit and read something with the intent to be inspired or at the minimum give me something to ponder throughout the day. This morning I reached for my Yoga 365 book and today’s passage was so aligned with a video I created yesterday. In the video I talk about the mindful ways we can bring an added element to our healing process.

For me specifically with my recent hip surgery, I am implementing a few strategies that doctors do not necessarily tell you when you are faced with a major surgery. While I greatly appreciate the practical things that a person needs, it is the nuances of daily living that I believe go quite far in the healing process.

Our mindset will greatly influence our mental health during any sort of healing process, whether it is a surgery, an illness or a major life upheaval.

These six mindful healing tips are perfect for anyone:

Keeping a daily routine.

If you have always been a person who gets up and reads, or meditates, or journals, or prays, then keep doing that. Don’t sacrifice your spiritual practice because your physical body is working hard to improve. Also, if you are a person that gets up every day and puts a little makeup on, then keep doing that. Taking care of yourself and helping yourself to feel somewhat “normal” during this temporary healing time will do wonders for your happiness factor. Finally, getting dressed everyday and getting out of your pajamas (even if you wear comfy house clothes), the simple act of getting up and dressed everyday will send a message to your brain that you are in fact getting better. Plus, you’ll look better and when we look better, we have a tendency to feel better. I am a huge fan of lipstick and mascara and not a single day has passed that I don’t take the five minutes to make myself feel beautiful.

Develop a mindset of gratitude.


Each day I spend a few minutes in deep gratitude for the surgeon and for the implant in my body. Even though I still have a lot of pain and mobility is hard, I am mindful each day to thank my body for accepting this new joint and welcoming it into my body. I am grateful for my cells moving around my body to encourage healing. I am grateful for my strong muscles that are working hard to regain their strength to support the new joint. When we shift our mindset from a pain point to a gratitude point, our entire mental outlook can shift. Sure, it would be easy to sit in my 3 days worn pajamas and mope that my body hasn’t healed as fast as what others have, and I could complain that the surgery must have somehow gone wrong, and my immune system is overactive causing extra pain, OR I could embrace this new challenge through the lens of gratitude and be intentional about loving this new body part.

Speak kindly to yourself and others.

We have all heard that kindness is the path to a better world. Speaking kindly about yourself and to yourself during this time of vulnerability is so important. Falling into the trap of self-pity, or worse self-defeating language will only slow your progress. For the people who are helping you, they are doing their very best to make sure that you are healing and comfortable and if you are a person who is usually very self-sufficient, it can be emotionally draining on your family and friends to see you in a different way. Be kind and thank them for every small thing that they are now doing for you. We have a tendency to be hardest on ourselves and those closest to us so remembering to speak kindly will be a huge asset to you.

Setting up your space.

The doctor will likely give you a few tips to get your home ready for when you come home from surgery–things like remove loose area rugs, move items to waist level, get your medications refilled, have a grabber for picking up dropped items, etc. These are all great and much needed suggestions, however I found a few more things that have helped me feel better. I made sure that the items I use regularly like essential oils, diffusers, herbal teas, supplements, hand lotion, and other self care items are accessible. I created a space in my house specifically for this healing process where I have a comfy chair, a basket of healthy snacks, a stash of essential oils, books, my iPad, beautiful plants, and plenty of chargers within one room. This eliminates the constant need for someone to run get something for me AND it gives my space the homey and comfortable feel. Imagine trying to heal in a cold, dark, sterile, or dingy environment. Yuck. Make your space pretty and just what YOU like because you are gonna be there a while.

You have to have movement.

Any type of movement to get circulation going is so imperative. If you have had hip surgery like me, move your upper body. If you have had shoulder surgery, move your lower body. At the minimum move your spine in all six directions once a day. It literally takes five minutes and will increase circulation, get your chi moving and make you feel good which are all good things when it comes to healing. Movement is medicine.

Start a new hobby.

You might be thinking that a new hobby right now is too overwhelming but the distraction will shift your awareness from hurting to something productive and potentially fun. If you have never been a big reader, now is a great time to download your free library app and start borrowing books, or ask to borrow books from friends. Maybe you have always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet. YouTube is filled with tutorials and Amazon delivers yarn and crochet hooks. Perhaps you have been wanting to take up writing your own blog on a topic you are passionate about. I have enjoyed crocheting, jigsaw puzzles on my iPad, digital planning, and making sourdough anything. The joy factor is increases while I am doing those activities and my mind is less focused on hurting.

Mindful Healing

These are easy ways to maintain your strength and equilibrium while faced with one of the hardest things you may ever go through. Mindful healing is something you can do! By redirecting my thoughts, speaking kindly, wearing my favorite shade of lipstick and clean clothes everyday, easy movements, eating healthy organic cashews and sipping tea, AND feeding my brain with wholesome hobbies while being SO grateful, I am on my way!

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy

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Comparison is the thief of joy.

Theodore Roosevelt

Comparison is the thief of joy.

As human beings we are likely to have had a few times in our life where we longed for the greener grass that others seem to have. We might even spend some of our time filled with envy wishing that our experience is different than it is and that others have it better than we do. Comparison is indeed the thief of joy.

When I was a young mom I spent way too many days comparing myself and my kids to others. It was exhausting and I broke free of all of that during my great wake up in my early thirties. I dropped the desire to compare myself with others long ago for the most part, however, major life events typically bring out our vulnerability and we might find ourselves once again looking at other people’s experience and comparing ourselves to them.

This old feeling of comparing myself started to come back lately when it comes to my recent hip replacement surgery. If I had a nickel for everyone who has told me that their 80 year old whoever was walking in a week without a cane I probably wouldn’t have to go back to work. Seriously…how is that useful? Or the stories of young athletes getting back to their sport within weeks. I get it…those miracles and amazing stories do happen and that is awesome, but not everyone has that experience.

When I hear these examples it is hard to not compare myself with them and it is something I am working on daily while also finding the opportunity to remind others who share their fast healing stories with me that it isn’s always that way for everyone, although I am thrilled for them.

Awareness is the key to cultivating true compassion but that is another day’s blog post.

Instead of comparing myself to those stories I have decided instead to look for small daily wins and remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. It might be that showering without any help is my win. Or getting out to my yoga studio to record a session is a win. Maybe making a simple dinner is a win. Definitely the sourdough English muffins this week were a win. ?

If I spent my days comparing myself to others I would lose my joy in those small, yet huge wins.

My surgeon and physical therapist were great this week at reminding me that my experience is vastly different than most. The factors that go into my own healing are unique to me, so breathe and be patient. Also look for those small wins each day to carry me through until I am back in the “normal” swing of things. And, I am reminding myself that “normal” may look very different for me compared to pre-surgery.

It is natural for people to compare themselves with others. I want to encourage the world to stop doing that. Many times people even compare themselves with me. Instead, I try to ask them to look at their own gifts and be proud of them. We are all special in some way. While it may seem to some that I have myself all together, I really don’t. I work at it each and every day.

Find the joy in YOU and in your own small victories. Comparing yourself will definitely steal your joy and life is simply too short to live a joy-less life.

I have also learned that although the grass may appear greener, there is always some other species of “weeds” that have taken space in the seemingly green space and my own green is perfect for me, weeds and all.

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.

Sourdough Bread

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I am a tad late to the sourdough bread frenzy but now that I am all in, it’s been so fun. I have seen so many people explain why to eat sourdough bread and I just didn’t get it. Until I did.

I have never been a big sandwich or bread eater so it’s more of a hobby than a homestead mission. My loaves may not be the perfection instagram worthy photo yet, but they taste delicious and work for my family.

Why bake/eat sourdough bread?

There are so many benefits to sourdough. Plus, it is so fun to make and the extra goodies that you can bake make it so versatile.

Here are my top 20 reasons:

  1. Prebiotics: Sourdough fermentation increases the availability of prebiotic fibers, which promote healthy gut bacteria and aid digestion.
  2. Reduced Gluten Content: Fermentation breaks down some gluten proteins, making them easier to digest for individuals with mild gluten sensitivities.
  3. Enzyme Activity: The fermentation process activates enzymes in the sourdough, which help break down complex carbohydrates and proteins, aiding digestion.
  4. Phytic Acid Reduction: Sourdough fermentation reduces phytic acid, a compound that can impair mineral absorption and cause digestive discomfort.
  5. Improved Nutrient Absorption: Sourdough fermentation enhances the body’s ability to absorb important nutrients like iron, zinc, and magnesium.
  6. Lower Glycemic Index: Sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index than regular bread, resulting in more stable blood sugar levels and sustained energy.
  7. Acetic Acid: The acetic acid produced during sourdough fermentation can improve digestion by supporting the production of digestive enzymes.
  8. Lactic Acid Production: Lactic acid produced in sourdough fermentation supports healthy gut bacteria and aids digestion.
  9. Alleviation of Digestive Disorders: Some individuals with digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), report improved symptoms when consuming sourdough bread.
  10. Increased Mineral Bioavailability: Sourdough fermentation increases the bioavailability of minerals present in the bread, making them easier for the body to absorb and utilize.
  11. Reduced FODMAPs: The fermentation process of sourdough helps break down fermentable carbohydrates, reducing their presence in the final bread product and making it more tolerable for individuals with FODMAP sensitivities.
  12. Reduced Antinutrients: Sourdough fermentation reduces antinutrients like phytates and lectins, which can interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption.
  13. Balanced Acid-Base Ratio: Sourdough bread has a more balanced acid-base ratio, reducing the risk of acid reflux and indigestion.
  14. Improved B-vitamin Production: Sourdough fermentation increases the production of B-vitamins, which play a crucial role in digestion and overall health.
  15. Enhanced Flavor: The complex flavors developed during sourdough fermentation can stimulate the production of saliva and digestive enzymes, aiding digestion.
  16. Extended Fermentation: Longer fermentation times commonly used in sourdough baking allow more thorough breakdown of proteins and starches, making the bread easier to digest. 48 hours is optimal for cold retarding in the fridge.
  17. Natural Preservatives: Sourdough contains naturally occurring preservatives like acetic and lactic acids, which help prevent spoilage and promote digestive stability.
  18. Reduced Additives: Sourdough bread often uses fewer additives and preservatives compared to commercially produced bread, making it easier on the digestive system.
  19. Milder Wheat Allergy Symptoms: Some individuals with wheat allergies report milder symptoms when consuming sourdough bread due to the fermentation process altering the proteins.
  20. Personal Digestive Tolerance: While these reasons generally suggest that sourdough bread is easier to digest, individual tolerance can still vary based on specific digestive issues and personal sensitivity

Credit to Dr Dawn M. O’Brien Taylor

I have tried many sourdough recipes but have found this simple one to be my fave:

  • 100g of “starter” *tons of how to make out there. It takes patience or a friend who has a healthy starter.
  • 300g of all purpose flour
  • 500g water
  • 10g salt

I feed my little starter and wait for it to double (usually 3-4 hours). When it has I add it to the mixing bowl, add the water flour and salt, and mix with a danish wisk until shaggy or 30 minutes. Then every 30 minutes I stretch and fold the dough (this is where the magic happens). I do four sets of folds. Then I plop it back into the oven on the proofing setting for about 2-3 hours. If your oven doesn’t have that setting, place bowl on the counter covered up and it will take more like 5-6 hours of bulk proofing.

Once it is doubled in size, then remove it from the bowl to a floured surface. Fold the dough like an envelope and then roll the entire envelope into a log shape, then to make it a circle begin dragging it along counter to seal the seams and create a perfect round. Toss into a banneton basket and close seam by pinching. Place into your refrigerator covered for up to 3 days! This method I have found in my busy life works the best because I can let it cold ferment in fridge until I am ready then bake. I usually mix on Friday and bake on Sunday.

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Valentine’s Day Gifts

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It’s that time of year when the shops fill up with hearts and roses. But is Valentine’s just for the romantics? More and more people are choosing to see Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love. Whether it is for a friend, a pet or loved one. You don’t have to be in a relationship to celebrate. And you certainly don’t have to do it with hearts and roses. But celebrating love can’t be such a bad thing, can it?

Unconditional Love Blend

These make fantastic little valentine’s love gifts for all your special people. These are packed with powerful essential oils and beautiful rose quartz. Plus, I add a few rose petals for the pretty sake.

What is inside:

  • Rose: Opens the heart chakra and allows you to feel unconditional love. Creates a sense of well-being and calmness while awakening your ability for self-compassion, nurturing, and love.
  • Lemon: Opens the heart chakra to self-love and self-nurturing. lightens while uplifting your spirit and bringing clarity into your life.
  • Neroli: A natural tranquilizer and regulator of the nervous system that opens the heart chakra, uplifts your spirit, and encourages confidence, joy, and peace.
  • Marjoram: Restores warmth, self-compassion, and self-nurturing when feeling lonely or isolated.
  • Lavender: Helps you to relax, let go of the stress, and release fear, which fosters connect with the heart center and opens you up to more love.
  • Jasmine: Uplifting and joyous oil that balances the emotional system, soothes anxiety, and helps with depression and apathy.
  • Geranium: This emotional healing oil restores confidence and trust in others. It can help to heal a broken heart and open one up to love.
  • Ylang Ylang: This is a powerful remedy for the heart and releasing trauma from the past. This oil helps to release bottled up emotions that weigh heavy on the heart which allows for a more playful, carefree, emotionally connected and loving experience of life.
  • Tranquility Blend (Serenity): Includes Lavender Flower, Cedarwood, Ho Wood Leaf, Ylang Ylang Flower, Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Vetiver Root, Vanilla Bean Absolute, Hawaiian Sandalwood. Encourages individuals to first reconnect with themselves and discover peace that lies within, and then to reconnect with the humanity in others. This brings a calm, tranquil, peaceful, relaxed, compassionate and connection person.
  • Rose quartz: Rose Quartz is the stone of universal love. It restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace. Calming and reassuring, it helps to comfort in times of grief. Rose Quartz dispels negativity.

Ready to get yours?

Buy Your Unconditional Blend Here

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.

Disappointment

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“Disappointment is a stepping stone to resilience. It toughens you up and prepares you for the challenges that lie ahead.” ~ Michelle Obama

Disappointment is such a strange thing. In my mind I know that all disappointments lead to some sort of lesson or growth, if we choose to look for it. It may be that we learn our own value, how to walk away, or even deep acceptance. Regardless of the lesson, it usually comes after experiencing some version of disappointment.

Most people already know of some pretty major disappointments that I’ve experienced in my life that have led me to greatness.

I’ve taken one of the biggest disappointments in my life and turned it in to my purpose and my passion.

What a lot of people don’t know is that for over 20 years I have struggled with the disappointment of my body. I have sat in pain management clinics for that duration trying spinal injections, varieties of medications, alternative methods, and eventually facing the pain with resiliency and movement. The disappointment fueled me to be stronger and stronger. It guided me to places I didn’t know I had in me. I faced the disappointment of many diagnosis with the fire to fight back.

The early weeks of January 2016 I experienced a new pain. A horrific pain. Within a few weeks I learned I had torn tissue in my hip. Three surgeries over the course of 18 months, and once again I am ten days away from yet another hip surgery.

I have needed this surgery for over a year but put it off last February because the timing wasn’t right. It’s right now.

In my preparation to get my body at its best form and fullest strength going into this big one. I have been consistently strength training five times a week for over two years. Refining my muscles and gaining strength and confidence has been empowering.

But, disappointment shows up again.

The familiar pain that grinds deeps into the lower back. That pain that prevents movement. Startling pain that makes my breath short and shallow. Pain that has brought me to the hospital twice unable to move in the past. The pain that makes my world shatter.

Not now. It can’t be now.

  • I need to be strong.
  • I need to be healthy.
  • I need to not hurt this much.
  • I need my back to settle down so I’m strong for my new hip and I need this disappointment to move along.

Or, is this disappointment inviting more resilience than I knew I had? Is it showing me what I have in me to face the challenge?

Maybe it’s both. I need to not hurt like this AND I need to be reminded of my strength and ability to overcome.

Sourdough Croutons

/ embracingspirit / Leave a comment

Since I am a newer sourdough fanatic I have quite a bit of extra sourdough. Honestly, I try not to eat the whole loaf in a couple days so I usually have a quarter of loaf hanging around and found the perfect use of stale sourdough.. Sourdough CROUTONS!

Sourdough croutons provide the perfect crunch to a fresh salad. This homemade version of sourdough croutons does not contain any extra ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6-8 cups cubed sourdough bread (at least one day old, or sliced and dried; ¾-1 inch cubes)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced 
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

How to Make Sourdough Croutons:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. If you haven’t already, cut your sourdough bread into ½-1″ cubes. 
  3. Add the olive oil, garlic, salt, dried parsley, and black pepper to a very large bowl. Whisk to combine.
  4. Add the cubed dried bread cubes and toss them until they are lightly coated with oil.
  5. Spread the sourdough bread cubes out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. 
  6. Bake until browned, 12-18 minutes (mine were done at 15), tossing halfway through baking to ensure even browning. 
  7. Allow your sourdough croutons to cool completely before transferring to an airtight storage container or ziploc bag. 

Seriously the best!

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