Imagine a self paced program that is on your own time that includes yoga, mindfulness, wellness coaching, intention setting, self care and much more delivered right to your inbox?
Beginnings is for you are wanting to make changes to your life and need a little push and motivation.
It’s time for you to begin.
It’s time for YOU.
Starting in January this three day program will be available for YOU. The content is yours forever and you can revisit it any time you feel like you need to begin again. That happens to all of us, believe me.
This program called Beginnings is well explained in this short video.
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.
I love people—I really do. But I also love taking care of my introverted self and my favorite way to do that is to go into the forest. To commune with the trees and be totally at peace and in oneness by the sights and sounds.
Research is showing that visiting a forest has real, quantifiable health benefits, both mental and physical. Even five minutes around trees or in green spaces may improve health. Think of it as a prescription with no negative side effects that’s also free.
Health Benefits From Forests
Exposure to forests and trees:
boosts the immune system
lowers blood pressure
reduces stress
improves mood
increases ability to focus, even in children with ADHD
accelerates recovery from surgery or illness
increases energy level
improves sleep
Usually on Saturday mornings I take off on a solo hike and find that silent, yet so alive space. I usually visit one of my favorite tree friends I have ever known. She has been a friend for many years and though I haven’t gone to say hello in a long time, she still greets me with the same wonderful welcome. Over the years on this trail, I have played on the icy trails and I basked in the warm sun. I love to cross over the miles of Mother Earth and it usually is just what I need to refuel and get clarity on a few things weighing on me.
I love how the sound of my feet crunching the earth somehow brings the answers I have been seeking. It’s like the world stops for a moment and I can listen.
I am often reminded again just how blessed I am and how grateful I am that my life has unfolded in perfection. Just like the trees and how they know exactly when to let go and when to grow, I find myself in the same cycle.
During these solo walks I reconnect with the truth of myself. I find the quiet space between my thoughts. I receive all the goodness the trees offer.
Of course putting my hands on my favorite tree friend never hurts.
When we combine our thoughts, our bodies and our minds with the magical gifts of mother nature, we reveal wisdom.
The wisdom of our true Selves. The wisdom of the Earth. The wisdom held in the vibration of every living cell.
Last month we dove into discovering what our true values are that sustain us during hard times or simply how we navigate our everyday. Knowing our values is step one, living in alignment with those values is step two.
Our actions and the words we speak, and even the thoughts we have, all must strive to be in alignment with those values. When we step into daily living in alignment we become our best selves.
I try to look at my values daily. I try to pause before I respond. I think before I speak. And, I try to ask myself if what I am about to do going to help me create the life I want.
I also love my body everyday with intention. I try to eat mindfully. I also find time every day for moments of stillness.
This beautiful blend I perfectly crafted and named Alignment helps me to stay in living within my values. This blend includes Frankincense–Oil of Truth, Rosemary–Oil of Knowledge, Lavender–Oil of Communication, Roman Chamomile–Oil of Spiritual Purpose, Sandalwood–Oil of Sacred Devotion, and Tiger Eye which is a stone of protection. Tiger Eye may also bring good luck to the wearer. It has the power to focus the mind, promoting mental clarity, assisting us to resolve problems objectively and unclouded by emotions.
This blend is perfect for creating a sense of alignment with yourSelf and with others. Grab yours HERE!
Imagine for a second living your entire life without a concept that you are anything more than just your body. You spend every year working to lose the extra fifteen pounds around the middle, you obsess on the dress size, you might try exercising but realize it can be challenging, you spend the majority of your adult life defining what you do, you gather accolades and awards and letters behind your name, you seek people to validate your existence and then one day, usually when life becomes gravely challenging, you realize that you are so much more than the what that you have aimed for decades to become.
What if I could encourage you to see that you are so much more than the what that you have been told you are, or what you have strived to achieve? What if I could invite you into a place where you see that much more than what meets the outer eye.
Let’s back up. Think about this:
What is the most important part of a house? What is the most important part of a tree?
Without the foundation and the roots, we may never see the beautiful windows and stunning branches and leaves. So if your body is the windows and branches and you have neglected the foundation or the roots, what will happen when life gets hard? (It will get hard, you know that).
Will your walls cave in? Will you blow over in a “storm”?
What are the parts of you that hold up the windows and branches?
What sustainsyou? What supports you?
What are the aspects of you that is your foundation or your roots?
I like to think of these as values or principles in which we live our physical life as. The branches that we become are all based on the root system that feeds, stabilizes and ensures we are our best self.
For me, my root system consists of the following four main roots (or four main foundation walls):
gratitude: the minute I step away from recognizing all that I have in my life and start complaining I have gotten lost and the root rot begins
strength: opting for the easy way out or choosing to give up is a sure sign that I will blow over the second life gets hard
positivity: there is nothing like a dose of negativity to squelch your growth. Period. If it isn’t nice or hopeful then don’t say it.
responsibility: doing what I say I will do and keeping myself accountable has served me so well both personally and professionally. If I walk away from that, I am done.
Ask yourself these questions and sit with yourself. Peel away all the “what’” that makes you up—man, woman, mother, father, heavy, thin, your job title, your credentials, and your outer form.
Now, ask yourself whoam I? What is the essence of me? How do I show up in the world? You might find that the values/roots that make up your beautiful tree are things like love, purpose, courage, family, service, honesty, respect, accountability, knowledge, faith, and many more.
Do this important work now because soon we will take it a little further and look at how our actions, thoughts and words are aligning with those identified values.
I hope that you are doing well and are finding ways to bring joy into your everyday life. This time of year is always a favorite as temperatures (hopefully) cool down a bit and we can soak in the bounty of goodness. For me, the garden is always evidence of the great things that have been happening.
This is also my favorite month to teach yoga. Every year that I share the theme for this month, I am amazed at what I learn from others. Keep reading to learn more about what foundation means to me and how I apply this concept in my life.
A huge aspect to learning about what your unique foundation is includes learning about the principles in which we live, or the values that we hold dear, and how they sustain us during challenging times. I look forward to sharing more about this throughout the month, and be sure to to learn what my ten principlesare for living a wholesome life full of solid values. When we can identify our principles we can more easily handle whatever life throws our way, much the way a home’s foundation keeps the walls and windows in tact.
As we come into September it is a good time to remember that The Autumn Equinox is a time of letting go and also harvesting the good that is abundant in our lives and allowing the stalks and leaves to fall aside and go back to the Earth. With this beautiful and colorful season emerging it is our time to loosen our grip on the focus of growth and prepare to move into a more dormant season. This is also a great time to look at the cycles of life; seasons, months, breath, and even life.
The paradox of understanding cycles exists everywhere and yet the simplest observation is the breath; to inhale you must also exhale. We know that with each ending there is a beginning, in whatever shape that takes—self awareness, growth, wisdom, letting go, etc. We see this so easily in the changing of leaves–the amazing color that emerges following a season of bounty, and then the ease in which the leaf lets go. Watch as leaves effortlessly fall to the ground to be taken into the loving arms of Mother Earth for the new growth that waits for the next season.
I encourage you to go outside. Take a breath. Take time to look at letting go of what no longer serves you. Thank it for its time in your life as the teacher it is and then release it.
Finally, welcome the harvest that is within and always look for opportunities to be grateful. I know for myself, the practice of gratitude has lead me into a life of awareness that has enhanced my life everyday. Let the practice of acknowledging gratitude for all that you have become your foundation as you move into this next season.
Life is really good, friends.
Blessings,
Stacie
Yoga
Studio Classes
Monday Evening Yoga
Monday evening sessions at 515pm are a great way to kick off your week in the comfort of my cozy studio. Spaces are limited so sign up for which dates you can attend. (No class Monday September 4th). Cost: $20
Join me for a special Essential Yoga! Wednesday September 27tht at 5:30pm in my studio. This class will explore the energies of the Earth to ground us in both aroma, sound and movement. Cost: $25 Space is limited and includes essential oil blend and crystal.
Are you wanting to have access to a yoga or pilates practice that fits into your busy schedule? I offer chair yoga, sensation and intuition based guided gentle yoga, pilates and meditation without having to log in to a specific class time. All of my classes are offered at a donation. You can find ALL of my videos (including the 30 days of yoga series!) on my YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to get notified when I upload a new Yoga practice or mindfulness talk!
Essential Yoga–Foundation
If you missed the Essential Yoga in person, you can now get it online! Just click on the link below and you’ll have access to the online class. Donations are appreciated.
Are you a current yoga teacher? I am also offering a yoga teacher mentoring program to help yoga teachers learn how to modify and teach to those with different abilities. Check out this link below or reach out to me!
Many of you know that I use and rely on essential oils to maintain the health of my mind, body, and spirit. I use them throughout my home from cleaning, for pain management, energy, sleep, mood and much more. One of my favorite things is helping others get started using natural remedies and plant medicine.
You will also get an awesome welcome package from me, access to my VIP community group, education and mentoring and much more. It is easy to get started! I am also happy to chat personally with you to find the perfect options for your needs.
I offer FREE wellness consultations to talk about your goals and desire for a healthier, mind, body and spirit. Together we will create a personalized plan. Schedule yours today!
New customers can continue to customize their own enrollment kit with no membership fee. If you aren’t sure where to start, I recommend making an appointment with me to figure it out! We can do this over coffee or on the phone! You can also choose pre-selected bundles that are great for most family needs, office or agency.
This months carefully curated blend is all about the Earth. This is such a great blend for staying calm and grounded. Really, one of my favorites.
This earthy forest blend will take into the depths of stillness so that you can ask yourself some of those important and soul revealing questions. If you are curious to learn more about this, check out this blog post.…and in the meantime, grab one of these woodsy smells and get connected.
Did you know you can use essential oils to add flavor and health benefits to your recipes?? Fall is such a great season for warm, inviting and soul-feeding foods. Check out some of my favorites below.
I love the smell of fall and these diffuser blends will not just smell great, but your family will benefit from the healthy supports essential oils add when used aromatically.
Life Lessons from an Autumn Leaf
We know change is coming, so we embrace its beauty for all the world to see. It’s exciting when my friends and I all begin to turn colors. I can imagine its much like when humans get their hair done or change their style of clothing. You just feel brand new, hot, beautiful–a sight to be seen, for sure. When most of us receive our new colors, and a few begin to fall, the humans come out by the droves. I’ve watched so many walking hand-in-hand. I’ve heard many intimate conversations and often witness family portraits. Children ooh and ah about the wonder of our change, and the whole world seems to take a second glance to admire our new look.
However, as the cold winds begin to blow, we know we must hold on tight to our branches until it’s our time to fall. It’s interesting because none of us want to drop. We just want to stay in our spot, high above the ground and admire the magnificent atmosphere fall brings.
1. Radiate Beauty. Autumn brings an abundance of fall colors and textures. The reds, oranges, yellows, golds and rust tones of autumn delight the senses in landscapes and rich sunsets, inspiring poets and visual artists. Take the time to radiate your own beauty and creativity to the world.
2. Connect with Your Shadow. After the long, bright sunlit days of summer, autumn brings earlier sunsets and longer shadows. It’s an ideal time for thoughtful introspection and shining the light of awareness on our own shadow parts.
3. Let Go. Trees willingly and naturally shed their leaves after putting on a radiant fall show of colors. Is there anything in your life that’s ready to be released? Enjoy the brilliance of all that has ripened and come to fruition, but be willing to let go; it will pave the way for new beginnings.
4. Save for Lean Times. Even as birds and woodland creatures are enjoying the abundance of fall, they are also storing away portions of their autumn harvest and preparing for leaner times. Enjoy the blessings of the season, but remember to plan for the future.
5. Find Balance. In a world of duality, balance is key. The autumn equinox signals equal amounts of night and day, serving as a reminder to find balance in our own lives.
Autumn is a study in contrasts, and the result is a rich, multi-sensory experience. Apply these five lessons from autumn in your own life, and drink in the bounty of this inspiring time of year.
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 E-500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, 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.
In addition to teaching classes at a variety of local centers and health clubs, Stacie also continues to offer Yoga and Wellness coaching individually to those seeking private sessions.
Self-reflection is a humbling process. It’s essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things…. then better yourself.
It’s been a little quiet on here since I have been swamped with teaching, gardening, and I also completed a 30 days of yoga series this month.
We are headed into the final quarter of the year and I find it’s a good time to reflect on your beginning of the year visions and see how they have evolved and what I can do in the final stretch to reach them.
I set out the year with a quest to be more vulnerable. Part of me starting an online yoga teacher forum group was to open my self up to not only questions and connection, but also to open myself up to criticism and accountability. My teaching style in assisted living settings, may be much different than what one might think of when we think of adaptive Yoga.
Just this week alone some of the time I spent in assisted living was holding hands with a lonely 92-year-old woman, and helping her take her hands down to her toes for a stretch. I also rubbed the feet of a 57-year-old man with a terminal disease.
Is that yoga? I believe with 100% certainty that it is.
This year I also opened to myself up to finding someone to partner with me and shadow me to learn how to apply the principles of yoga, without such a strong focus on asana, to those unique settings. As I wait for that person to arrive in my life, I continue to serve and love each day doing it.
What will you do in these final few months of 2023 to come closer to your vision?
It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.
Anthony Robbins
I say all the time in my classes that Yoga is how we show up in life. It’s taking the tools we access in a physical practice—steadiness, concentration, presence, acceptance, surrender, courage—and applying them to life.
At the beginning of August I started a program to help me get back on my Yoga mat (or chair) consistently. To be honest, I was dreading it. The commitment that I made felt overwhelming and more than I could handle. I was so stressed about the details of recording the videos, when I would carve out the time, would it be good, what would I have to give up to make the time, etc.
Surprise surprise it has been one of the best months of my life. I crave the time to go out and move my body. Just 15-20 minutes a day and I am feeling more grounded, more aware and my body feels good.
The practice of consistency and showing up in your life with a commitment to be the best version of yourself you can is where the magic is.
I believe 100% that every aspect of our life will be influenced by being consistent. Our friendships, intimate relationships, work place connections, and our presence is the world itself will be effected in a positive way when we consistently show up for ourselves and others.
Consistently showing up.
Something magical happened yesterday in my work world that bleeds into this commitment of consistency. I FINALLY broke the code at a house I’ve been going to for TWO years with zero interest from the residents, minus one guy whose feet I rubbed consistently for two years until he passed away.
Every two weeks for two years I would knock on the door and ask the residents if they wanted to hang out with me. Saying the words “yoga practice” is far too intimidating because the image comes up in most people that it requires being on the floor like a pretzel. I have found just getting them to sit down with me is step one.
Today I unlocked the code of their resistance.
I had talked many times before to this guy but usually just asked how he was and if he wanted to try yoga. Always a no. He said he preferred to walk. I often thought to myself “me too, dude”. Nevertheless, I offered.
Today I asked about what I knew was HIS passion. I asked him which foot goes on the back of the surf board. He grew up surfing in the summer and snowboarding in the winter.
That is all it took— meeting him at HIS INTEREST. The next 45 minutes three other residents joined (one young young YOUNG man who is new) and a man who has refused to even speak to me for two years.
Today I broke the walls. They all participated and I was so happy for them.
Consistency.
Showing up week after week even if they say no builds SO much trust. Trust that many of them desperately need. One student told me recently that the reason he comes to Yoga is because I am one of the only people in his world that do what they say they will.
Showing up in our own lives and practice takes consistency but the benefit is so remarkable. Whether you’re committed to your health, your business, your family or others the consistency is what will be the game changer.
Believe me, they are watching and you never know who you are inspiring.
“Nothing brings to life again a forgotten memory like fragrance.“
– C Poindexter.
Did you know that you can use aromatherapy to improve your mood and remind you of memories??
Scent plays a huge role in how we think and feel, AND triggers memories. Our olfactory system (sense of smell) has a direct connection to the part of the brain (the amygdala) which acts as our emotional processing center and a direct link to memories. Don’t we all have a grandmother or aunt who had a certain “smell” that when we smell it we transport in time? This is why when you smell certain things you may experience a particular memory. Pretty interesting, right?
My little granddaughter Sawyer recently took home a box of crystals from my house and exclaimed to her daddy the other day “oh no, these don’t smell like maymay anymore”. I’ve been wearing the same blend of oils every time I am around her since the day she was born. Love that she associates my “smell” already. I have my grandmothers old medicine cabinet in my home and when I open it I instantly go back to being a little girl and getting treated with iodine and a bandage. Since I live in the house I grew up in, every once in a while when I open the coat closet I get a whiff of my mom and her career as a hairdresser and remember her coming home tired after giving perms all day and hang up her coat. It is such a crazy thing that our limbic brain holds onto memories that are associated with smell. Definitely check out this post about the brain…it is fascinating!
In my work with people with dementia and other neurological conditions, I use aromatherapy all the time. I love to share a blend of citrus oils with a touch of vanilla and tell a story that we are all young kids and the ice cream truck comes and on the side of the truck is something that smells just like that. I put a few drops in each of their hands and they smell it while I tell the story. Sure enough within a few seconds, someone will say “creamsicle” or “orange sherbet”. Sadly though not all memories are good. I usually spray the area that I will be teaching to gift an aromatherapy boost before the class. One day I sprayed a blend of orange, cinnamon, and clove. To me it smells like fall and the holidays, but to one of my students the clove triggered a horrible childhood memory and he was unable to stay in the class. I felt terrible and realized that not all smells are going to be welcomed. Lesson for me learned. Now I stick with pretty benign smells like citrus, lavenders and trees.
Pretty amazing that now that that we know this, we can use certain oils to uplift our mood or even relieve feelings of stress or worry and also create or trigger memories.
What is your go to mood oil? My all-time favorite is Wild Orange! It’s a beautiful “balancing” oil, meaning that depending on what are are feeling it can either lift us up or calm us down. It is a very unique citrus oil that has some pretty amazing benefits. I love it!!!! Heavenly! The blend that I have been wearing since my granddaughter was born that she now associates with me is orange, lavender, patchouli, rose and sandalwood.
If you are not sure but would like to try I’m happy to send you a sample to help your mood and memories!
If you’ve been following me for a while, you may see that I am a master at self-care. If I ever have an opportunity to wait for some thing, like an appointment, or my car to be serviced, or any time most people sit and scroll, I head off for a long walk to care for my mind, body and spirit. I didn’t used to be a practitioner of radical self-care, but it is a way of life for me now.
Have you ever noticed a waiting room and the head down, phone in hand, glued to the screen daze most people have? Sadly, so many people choose that versus a brisk walk with fresh air and sunflowers.
Stop the scroll. Move your body. Pay attention. Be grateful.
If you’re struggling with self-care and glued to your phone, I challenge you to put your phone down and go for a walk and pay attention to the real things that surround you like trees and birds and wildflowers and clouds. You might just find a clear mind and a better spirit. Plus, the benefit to your body of walking.
I used to think that being a full time Yoga teacher would be the ultimate dream career. In many ways it has been, but the things I thought would be amazing turned out to be less important and there are a few things that have been really challenging and that has made the career a pretty tough one. Believe me it is not all comfy clothes and peaceful vibes.
Here are a few things I have learned in my nearly two decades of teaching:
1. Teaching Yoga is lonely.
I have been teaching Yoga for over 17 years and 99% of that time has been as a solo teacher out in the great big world all on my own. I taught at a gym studio briefly where I would occasionally pass by another fellow teacher. The rare team/staff meeting lended itself to some resemblance of a community, but that is it. When I left my j.o.b. to strike out and become a full-time Yoga teacher, the thing that hit me the hardest was how lonely it is. There are no weekly team meetings to bounce ideas off of a colleague. No lunches together to process tough situations. There is definitely no happy hours to celebrate successes. Instead, I sit in my car all alone feeling all the feels of what I witness and celebrating all by myself the “wins” of the day or week. There are no birthday lunches or holiday gatherings and there is absolutely nobody to collaborate with. Most days I wish more than anything I had someone who I could talk to that didn’t just say “wow that is so amazing”. Or hearing “what a difference you are making in the world”. Instead I’d love to be able to ask questions, give me feedback and really help me grow as a teacher, and a human being. I am making a difference and I do think it is all amazing, but I need collaborating and honest conversations about the work and the clients I serve. I need someone to hold me to the line when I need it. I am trying to find a community of teachers to collaborate with but it is tough. Sadly, the Yoga world is so competitive and I am finding that someone with a YTT piece of paper assumes they know it all and sharing ideas is not something of interest to most.
2. You are also a business manager and marketing guru.
Students don’t just fall into your lap. You have to market yourself and hustle if you want this to be your main focus in your work life. I spend on average 2-3 hours per day marketing my classes. My time is reaching out to students, and communicating with agencies. I do all of my own invoicing and accounting. I had to learn all of this on my own through trial and error. You might learn a few things in Yoga Teacher Training about running a business. It isn’t until you really step into teaching that you will begin figuring out your business name/model or how to get your name out there. You have to figure out what works for you in your location. Social media is a great tool, but not your only option. Learning how to do this is tough unless you have a marketing background. You will likely be doing do this all on your own.
3. Wearing Yoga clothes everyday isn’t all that great.
Okay this might be a silly point to make point but there is some truth in it. I mean, yes, it is nice to be comfortable, but there is a limit to feeling like a slob seven days a week. I long to wear regular clothes. I look so forward to slipping on a dress or a pair of tights jeans on a day off or out for the evening. This may seem like a silly thing to everyday people but I am shocked at how many people tell me how lucky I am because I get to wear Yoga clothes everyday. I thought so too until I realized it isn’t all that great.
4. Being “on” and inspiring everyday can be exhausting.
I give myself so much more grace on this than I did when I first began teaching. I thought I had to have the perfect theme and say every word precisely. I still hold myself to a very high standard when it comes to being prepared for my classes. I continue to teach topics that people can use to improve their lives (off the mat or chair), and I want to also challenge myself to grow right along side my students. I realize somedays are going to be a little off. Whether I had a horrible commute, am living with a lot of pain, or simply just don’t feel it on a certain day I still have to deliver.
5. The teacher teaches what the teacher need to learn.
I have learned over the years to go there with your students. This includes my students with TBI and dementia, or my everyday able bodied students. By go there I mean be with them, sit with them, feel with them, laugh with them, receive with them. Be willing to learn from them, be humbled in yourself and you will be just fine. Be open to learning about yourself through the process of teaching and you will not only inspire others but you will grow exponentially as a teacher and a person. The more you teach a hard topic (for me this can be something like acceptance), the more you embrace it. Be willing to learn and never think that you know everything. Even if you can speak fluent sanskrit and can translate all the sutras. To me, a great teacher is one willing to learn alongside the student.
I wouldn’t change a thing when it comes to what I have chosen to do with this special life. I am grateful every single day that I get to serve. Before each class, as I enter through the threshold of a doorway, I say this, “give me the words and show me the way”.
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.
“How can you live without knowing what your spirit is doing and what your spirit is saying to you?”
Caroline Myss
Learning to be in touch with who you are at the deepest level is the GREATEST gift you can give yourself in this lifetime. If you don’t know who you are, there is no chance you will live your best life, and that is a tragedy. One of the very first ah-ha moments when I had my great wake up was realizing that I was not my anger or my sadness or my physical form. I was learning that I was something much more powerful than that.
Part of being human is the tendency to want to control things. The trouble with this is that there is a whole Universe that exists outside of the realms of your control, and if you spend your whole life clinging to your PLANS you miss out on receiving what may often be a far better option than what you could have ever mustered up alone. When this clicked for me, my life truly changed. When I released the control, I began to flow with life and was open to the lessons and whatever was showing up in my life rather than holding so tight to the control of how I thought life should be.
I learned early on that in order for me to be my very best I had to create time each day to prepare my spirit for what was to lie ahead and at the end of the day to call my spirit back. This practice helps you to discern what you’re engaging in that either feeds your spirit, or takes away your spirit. When we connect to ourselves on this deeper level, we realize that we are not all the labels that have been stuck to us and we are not the outward expression of our body. We come to realize that our spirit is fed with being aligned with love and that some things steal that love, and steal our spirit.
Remember that each day is a new beginning. Your task each day is to learn the practice of consciously entering your body and your day. Begin by focusing attention on your entire day from morning to evening. Take a few moments to review where you need to go, and who you need to see. Ask yourself if you have expectations about the day and notice if you feel stressed or comfortable. Are you prepared? Then sit with yourself for a few moments and open yourself up to whatever comes during the day.
We go about our day so often asleep and unconscious. W go through the motions, allowing ourselves to get caught up in the whirlwind of expectations, judgments, and ultimately disappointments. We invest our energy into other people’s dysfunction and often hop on the familiar “what if” train. Sometimes we also give so much of ourselves that we feel unbalanced and drained.
This can all be exhausting.
Just as the morning practice of welcoming in and opening yourself is so important, the evening ritual is equally important. As you prepare to enter sleep, review how you used your energy during the day, how you invested your spirit, what you learned about the investments you should or shouldn’t have made. I like to imagine that I left tiny little sparks of light with each step, with each moment of eye contact, with each smile or touch. I think about my reactions to things that were not mine to react to. Did I waste energy in gossip, complaining, comparison or judgment? Those are all energy drainers. I watch my day in my mind and see where there was light left and where I contributed to a lesser energy that takes away the goodness of my spirit.
And finally, as you close out your review of the day, ask yourself, “How do I open myself to receive guidance as I sleep?”
Spring is the perfect time to dive into personal growth right alongside of nature. The month of May is perfect for tapping into the divine feminine energy to foster some nurturing for the growth ahead.
if you’ve been following along with the the last few months, you may have caught my theme of personal growth. Back in March we learned how to prepare our “soil” in the garden in our heart by removing the trash, twigs and weeds that take can take over when left unattended. In April, we took some intentions into our hearts and planted them within with hopes that we will grow in an area of ourselves that we may be lacking. I personally chose to grow some acceptance after I worked hard on removing some disappointments.
Nurturing the Seeds
Now, this month we continue on by looking at how do we nurture these “seeds”? What types of things will act as sunshine and water for the precious intentions we have cultivated in our spirits?
One of my favorite ways to work with the energy of nurturing is to really tap into the divine feminine energy.
Divine feminine energy is of receptivity and stillness.
Divine feminine energy is of non-doing.
Feminine energy dwells in the shadows and is connected the the lunar energy. Feminine energy is the receptive side of us that is softer, slower, still, and welcoming of ideas and thoughts.
Slowing down in general especially on the days where you do not have to be doing and going. Society glorifies busy. Then burnout happens.
How to work towards the still, peaceful moments that connect you to a deeper part of yourself.
Also attempting to tap more into your intuition is another aspect to living more in the divine energy flow of life. Having daily rituals is important to stay connected to this energy. Mastering self care rituals which include bubble baths and time alone in the garden. Waking early and spending some quiet time alone. These little moments in a busy day help to keep the divine feminine energy there.
This month in my personal practice as well as my teachings, I intend to move on my mat in ways that nurture this energy. Coming into flowing and graceful movements while then holding postures in stillness and looking inward. Slowing down my body on the mat to lean into the stillness within will transfer to my life which is the true purpose of yoga.
Aromatherapy and Divine Feminine Energy
Also part of my slowing down softening the edges of myself, and being more intuitive and intentional about things includes using aromatherapy. I love to use essential oils to help the process of connecting. It sounds crazy, but essential oils and plant therapy have been used for centuries in various forms and during rituals. Most modern medicine is derived from the properties of plants and I love using the purest form of the plant.
In my experience, the higher noted citrus oils or flower-scented oils offer a strong connection to the divine feminine.
Once you have experimented with scents and their effects, you may like to also integrate yoga and crystals into your practices to tap into the divine feminine. It took me some experimenting to find what I love, and what I need.
Suggested Essential Oils for Awakening the Divine Feminine:
Bergamot — The oil of self-acceptance and self-love. Also promotes self-confidence and the knowing that you are enough.
Geranium — The oil of love and trust. Geranium helps us forgive, become more tolerant and gentle. It eases heavyhearted emotions and feelings of abandonment.
Lavender — Oil of Balance. If all else fails, this oil is one of the most versatile. If you’re up and not grounded, lavender is the anchor. Conversely, if you’re down, lavender is the sunshine to shift the clouds.
Ylang Ylang —The oil to release. This oil helps us feel playful, free, intuitive and emotionally connected. Ylang Ylang helps us release bottled up emotions. This plant also opens up our playful side and inner child.
Clary Sage — The oil of clarity and vision. This beautiful oil helps develop spiritual clarity, intuition and open-mindedness. It teaches us how to use our divinely given feminine gifts. It also helps balance hormones.
Rose-The oil of divine love. It supports you as a queen and symbolises pure divine universal love. Rose dissolves fear and awakens our inner goddess. Rose helps us feel more compassionate, tenderhearted and accepting, drawing out those feminine qualities. Rose allows us to choose to receive divine love.
Cedarwood — Oil of Community. Cedarwood inspires the feeling of belonging and assists the heart in opening to receive the love and support of other people.”
Magnolia — Oil of Compassion. Magnolia encourages all individuals on a profoundly spiritual level to interact without causing pain or suffering and to refrain from seeing others as somehow less than oneself.
Thyme — Oil of Releasing & Forgiving. This herbal essential oil is beautiful for becoming more openhearted and understanding. Thyme “assists in addressing trapped feelings which have been buried for a long time.”
Ideally when we use essential oils to support feminine energy, we are looking to feel all the feelings we’ve likely been suppressing–self love, acceptance, intuition, and the softness of our spirit.
Using these oils will gently soften and bring out the feminine side of you. They are a lovely way to self empower and value add to any self-care activity you are undertaking to better your life and mindset. I love to make a roller blend with these oils during this month to tap into the feelings of nurturing my divine feminine and start to really give the seeds in my heart that I’ve been working on planting the last month or so.
I have a gorgeous free ebook that walks you through the use of essential oils in everyday life for your family. Whether you opt for the more energetic and emotional uses or the practical everyday remedies, you can check it out here.
