Calling Your Energy Back

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?”

Then listen.

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Morning Routine

What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

Many years ago I would get out of bed and just start “doing”…. I was asleep living my life and just going through the motions of existing.

Then I started a ritual of being quiet and still. I made a commitment to getting up a little earlier before the house woke up and began making time for myself. I say this a lot, but when I WOKE UP to living, I became a better person. Part of the waking up process was cultivating a morning ritual. 

The results were amazing; I yelled less, I reacted less, I was angry less, and I was peeling off all the garbage I had accumulated through my life. It was clear to me that anger had eroded every cell of my being and I was a perfect example of what that looked like.

I was toxic mess in every aspect of my life. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. A toxic, heavy mess.

And then I began this simple morning ritual. I started the great wake up of my life where I went from unconscious living to conscious and deliberate living.

The rest is history 😂

Here is how I start my day: I usually take 30 minutes to do some of these things before the day gets busy.

  • I am a big intention-for-the-day person and I almost always pull a positive card that gives me something to think about throughout the day.
  • I note all the goodness in my life and welcome in the day with an open heart by breathing mindfully for 5-10 minutes and sitting with all that IS.
  • I enjoy my coffee with mindfulness. I practice the art of tasting it, smelling it, and enjoying the warmth.

After this part of my morning is complete and my spirit is cared for, I go and take care of my physical body with movement. Right now I am enjoying short walks and time on my yoga mat or pilates reformer.

Once I have had a little time for myself I can be ready to give to others. You know the old saying you cannot pour from an empty cup.

What’s your morning routine like?

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Japa Meditation

Have you ever used a Mala and practiced Japa meditation? Malas — also known as yoga beads or japamalas — are necklaces that usually have 108 beads. Mala, in Sanskrit means “garland”. Malas are meant to help you focus your mind during meditation. While Japa meditation is my favorite way to meditate, the beads themselves hold a powerful visual reminder throughout the day of the statement I meditated on and the tactile sensation brings me right back. When my mind wanders throughout the day, I can simply touch my mala and I am reminded of what statement I chose.

In meditation practice, Japa meditation holds a special place. It is the process of mentally repeating a mantra or speaking a phrase while meditating using a mala. The word Japa means muttering in Sanskrit. The meditative practice of Japa keeps the human mind steady and resistant to disturbance.

Meditation could mean different things to different people. I have written and taught how to transform meditation into mindfulness and how learning to live each moment in the state of mindfulness can change your life. While sometimes I have a “formal” meditation practice, it is often that my meditation/mindfulness practice takes shape in other ways.n

Many consider meditation as a quiet observation, wherein others often consider it a practice of self-awareness or reflection upon themselves. Either way, stillness and introspection is an amazing insight to your daily life.

I love to practice Japa meditation because for me it helps me to focus on a powerful statement, 108 times. It embeds in my spirit something positive and powerful. Plus the tactile use of the mala adds an element to the meditation that my mind enjoys. I have several Malas—some are made of stones like jasper and agate but my favorite is a sandalwood mala that has become richer over times as I use it.

The practice of Japa creates beneficial mental pathways and is a strong technique for focusing the mind and harnessing the subtle powers of the body/mind. I have seen this practice in my students many times as we learn Japa together. Some have even purchased mala beads to continue on their own.

How to practice Japa meditation:

Japa meditation is practiced by moving your fingers along a mala or the strings of beads known as Japa mala. There are many types of Japa that include speaking the mantra aloud, whispering the mantra or silently repeating the mantra. I prefer to be silent. There is also a technique you can use if you don’t have a string of mala beads. You can see that technique in this video.

Now that you know how to practice Japa, choose a powerful statement and try it.

Here are some positive affirmations to try:
  • I am calm
  • I am centered
  • I am in control
  • I am loved
  • I am grateful
  • am worthy of what I do and speak
  • I am valued and loved
  • I am allowed to put myself first
  • I am safe
  • I am secure
  • I release all my shame that I am holding
  • I love my body and what it does for me.

Most often, I simply say “I am____” and follow it with a variety of words like patient, strong, healthy, resilient, powerful, etc.

Are you going to give it a try?

* this is my sandalwood mala and a Sanskrit word Shanti tattoo which translates to peace

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Simply a Reflection

The beauty you see in me is a reflection of you.

rumi

Tell me what do you love or admire about yourself?

I asked this question in all of my adaptive and traditional Yoga classes last week as we delved into the idea of Self-Love. The answers often are so sad when it comes to my students with brain injuries. You see these people have lost what most of us value and are having to rediscover the aspects of themself that they actually like. Most have lost their livelihood, their purpose, their families, their independence, their freedom to come and go, and oso much more. When they look in the mirror they often see the challenges and the impact of the injury so finding the qualities within can usually be really challenging. I also have enjoyed asking my group of students that are all over the age of 85 and living in assisted living. I am startled that so few of them can proclaim something that they love about themselves. Perhaps it is a generational thing where they didn’t spend as much time as younger people these days who seem consumed with the Self.

The answer seem to be so hard for them to find.

I ask the question anyway and the answer is usually that they are blank on what they love about themselves.

I keep asking, though.

On one particular day in a class that included a range of ages and abilities, I asked a woman living with a brain injury who is close to my age and is often very down on herself the question. When I asked her what she liked about herself her eyes dropped down to the ground and she quietly said, “nothing”. She was hunched over with her arms on her legs looking so hopeless and sad. This woman is so kind, so willing, so sweet and is so beautiful.

I knelt down so that I was in her eye gaze and asked again. And again, I got the same response.

I knew that I was about to open a beautiful can of worms and an opportunity to teach exactly what Rumi was saying.

I turned the question around. I asked this woman what she liked about me. She looked at me and easily said, “You are brave, and strong and so beautiful”.

We smiled at each other and I looked into her eyes.

My response was this—I am simply a reflection of you. What exists in me is also in you otherwise you would not recognize it. We are indeed a mirror reflection of each other.

She sat tall and said, “really?” Yes my sweet friend, really.

I learned this concept many years ago and try to always remember it, especially when I am with someone who feels that they are not enough or someone who struggles with identifying what makes them special. I ask them to think about someone they admire and what qualities do they see in them that they like? It is those qualities that also exist in ourselves.

Consider that. What you see in others exists in you. Kindness, integrity, compassion, love, bravery, beauty, honesty, humor, etc. If it was not part of you and familiar, you would not recognize it.

The tricky and often sticky part about this is that when we also see a quality within others that we find less appealing, it is because that too is familiar in us. When this happens to me I say, “ahhhhhh yes, there you are to remind me what I am here to work on”.

When we stumble through those ordinary days of self doubt and wondering what is really good about ourselves this can be an amazing concept to return to. When we feel burdened by life’s hardness and separate from the ideals in which the world has attempted to create, and we feel so less than, simply look into the eyes of someone you admire and know that the only way you can see those qualities is because they also exist in you.

It is familiar. It is a mirror reflection of yourself.

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And So It Is

Dear life,

Grant me the courage
To change what I am capable of changing
And the grace
To accept what is beyond my control
And choose my battles wisely.

Please help me to fix what has fallen apart and is broken in my life
That would benefit from being mended
And accept what would not
And move on accordingly.

Grant me the strength
To fully seize each day
And make the most of each moment
Savouring the ones that provide me with joy, meaning and fulfilment

And remind me to treasure time spent with those I love
And pursue my passions and what uplifts and energises me
And focus on all that lies ahead of me
Rather than all that lies behind me.

Please help me to embody love
And radiate it to all whom I encounter
Regardless of whether they remain in my life
Or are no longer with me.

Please help me to remain calm and at peace
During the chaos and shifting seasons of life
And flow with it
Understanding that everything is fleeting and temporary
But that the true nature of who I am is eternal
And more than this limited body
And transitory physical experience

Please show me how to let go of fear, pain and resentment
So I can feel light, unburdened and free
And prioritise what is important
While disregarding what is not.

Please comfort me in my grief
And reassure me with the knowledge
That I will one day be reunited with those I love who have left this reality
But remain in spirit with me

And in the times when I am hurt
May you show me how to heal and move forward

In the times when I feel small and fragile
May you remind me of my inner strength

In the times when I feel weak
May you remind me of my inner power

In the times when I feel lost
May you help me rediscover purpose and meaning

In the times when I feel lonely and isolated
May you remind me that everything is interconnected

And in the times when I have lost confidence and trust in myself
May you help me remember who I am.

Words by Tahlia Hunter

(Inspired by the Serenity Prayer by Dr Reinhold Niebuhr)

Artwork by Elaine Bayley Illustrations

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A Common Question

I get asked this question all the time—why can’t I just use oils from natural food stores or Amazon?

👉🏻doTERRA’s transparent testing assured me that the rigorous testing ensures pure and potent essential oils. If you can’t get access to the companies testing, I’d steer clear. Most store bought oils are adulterated and contain synthetic and potentially harmful ingredients, even though the label says “100% pure”.

👉🏻 the sustainability practices for the earth play a huge part in what company you choose. Is the company honoring the earth by not depleting natural resources just to make a profit?

👉🏻 the ethical treatment of growers and farmers.
doTERRA makes sure that farmers and growers are not just paid, but they help contribute to the greater good by providing hospitals, schools, water lines, jobs, training and better living quality of life. It’s a true honorable partnership based on ethics. This isn’t mass produced/grown in a green house fast production. Every drop changes the lives of growers. Imagine knowing that you’re health investment is providing schools, healthcare, water and more to people all over the globe!!!?!

👉🏻the benefits of pure oils is clear. I used to use store bought and had minimal results when treating things like sleep and skin issues. Using pure and potent essential oils, I have successfully bettered my health and my families. I especially like the benefits for my students with brain injuries who respond intuitively and naturally without cognitive bias. This goes far beyond what smells good 😉

This beautiful link explains how many lives are enriched by using doTERRA.

I have a special bonus for those ready to jump in or make the switch. Message me for details.

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Morning Ritual

Many years ago I would get out of bed and just start “doing”…. I was asleep living my life and just going through the motions of existing.

Then I started a ritual of being quiet and still. I made a commitment to getting up a little earlier before the house woke up and began making time for myself. I say this a lot, but when I WOKE UP to living, I became a better person. Part of the waking up process was cultivating a morning ritual.

The results were amazing. I yelled less, I reacted less, I was angry less, and I was peeling off all the garbage I had accumulated through my life. It was clear to me that anger can erode every cell of your being and I was a perfect example of what that looked like.

I was toxic mess in every aspect of my life. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. A toxic, heavy mess.

And then I began this simple morning ritual. I started the great wake up. The rest is history 😂

I usually take 30 minutes to do some of these things before the day gets busy. I am a big intention for the day person and I almost always pull a positive card that gives me something to think about throughout the day. I note all the goodness in my life and welcome in the day with an open heart. After this part of my morning is complete and my spirit is cared for, I go and take care of my physical body with movement.

Once I have had a little time for myself I can be ready to give to others. You know the old saying you cannot pour from an empty cup.

What’s your morning routine like?

Follow me for more goodness!

DIY Lotion Bars

Seriously? Lotion in a bar form? YES! These glide over your skin making your body feel (and smell) amazing. Using all natural ingredients you eliminate toxic junk from going into your body. Remember our skin absorbs EVERYTHING you put on it so those store bought bottles lotion contain lots of stuff that can be harmful over time for our bodies.

Making these is quick, easy AND fun. Plus, they make awesome gifts!

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup beeswax
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup cocoa butter
  • 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
  • 15 drops of doTERRA essential oil

Recommended essential oils: my favorites are Citrus Bliss, Peppermint, Lavender.

Directions:

  • Measure all ingredients, except for essential oils, in large glass jar.
  • Place jar in saucepan with one to one and a half inches of boiling water.
  • Stir ingredients until combined.
  • Once melted, remove from heat. Let rest three minutes.
  • Add essential oils and stir or swirl jar.
  • Pour mixture into silicone mold.
  • Massage lotion bar on skin for moisture.
  • Wrap in a fun paper and tie with twine for a cute gift.

These are so fun! You can find the molds in my Amazon shop listed below and if you check out this handy ebook you can learn more about essential oils and how you can get the most pure and potent in your home.

Gratitude Diffuser Blend

Gratitude is the #1 way to shift out of low frequency emotions like fear, grief, shame and lack… and into high frequency emotions like joy, peace, trust and love. Gratitude produces dopamine! Dopamine is our brain’s pleasure chemical. The more we think positive, grateful thoughts, the healthier and happier we feel. Amazing, eh?

What if you started saying 5 DIFFERENT things you’re grateful for every single day. Try it! it has changed my life!

Gratitude 💜Gratitude🙏🏼Gratitude😇

I hope you enjoy this diffuser blend today and I invite each of you to pause for a moment, and recognize all that is GOOD!

Gratitude Essential Oil Blend

• 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—A fossilized tree resin, amber radiates laughter, vitality, and courage. This stone holds the protective energy of our beloved trees, the guardians of Earth. Radiating the golden ray, amber shines light on new paths as obstacles become the stepping stones of growth. Amplifying one’s life force and physical drive to fulfill one’s destiny of simply being human. Amber is a powerful healer and cleanser of the body, mind and spirit. It also cleanses the environment. Amber draws disease from the body, healing and renewing the nervous system and balancing the right and left parts of the brain. It absorbs pain and negative energy, helping to alleviate stress. Amber clears depression, stimulates the intellect and promotes self-confidence and creative self-expression. It encourages decision-making, spontaneity and brings wisdom, balance and patience.

This blend is also available to purchase!

Circadian Rhythm

Have you ever heard of the circadian rhythm?

The circadian rhythm, also known as your internal body clock, is responsible for making you feel alert and sleepy throughout the day. Ideally, you should feel most alert early in the morning and sleepy as it becomes darker and later in the day.

The circadian rhythm is the reason why teenagers find it difficult to go to bed and wake up early, because their melatonin is released later than adults and children, so they’re awake later. Jet lag and shift work also interfere with the natural body clock as well as long and irregular hours.

Get ready to hack your circadian rhythm for sleep:

✅ Go to bed and get up at the same time every day and diffuse trees and flowers
✅ When you wake up, take a morning walk and get some sunlight on your face
✅ Try a sunlight alarm clock that wakes you up with light
✅ Pop citrus and mint oils in your diffuser to start waking up your senses