According to Taoism and Chinese Medicine, humans are actually microcosms of nature. Summer is related to the element of fire and to the Heart and Small Intestine organs in the human body, as well as the Pericardium & Triple Burner (which do not exist as functional organs in Western anatomy). When the energetic channels that connect to these organs are out of balance, we could experience more heat in the body which may manifest as headaches, high fever, high blood pressure, mania, delirium, anger, constipation/dry stools, rashes, sleep disturbances, and more.

Through yin yoga, we can increase the flow through the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, and Triple Burner channels. The slow, mindful approach is cooling in nature and is the perfect solution to the problems mentioned above. By cooling and grounding in the heat of summer, we can also maintain inner harmony. Try this Summer Yin Yoga sequence to stay cool & balanced!

Cool Down With Summer Yin Yoga 

This Yin Yoga sequence dilates the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, and Triple Burner energetic channels (in addition to all the others that reside in the upper body). Hold each posture for 2-5 minutes while releasing with gravity. As you let go in the muscles, the stretch will move deeper into the connective tissue, which is where the energetic channels reside. Stretching the connective tissue is perfectly safe as long as you’re not moving quickly in and out of the shape.

You’ll experience more space and freedom in the chest, arms, upper back, neck, and around the scapula in addition to finding equanimity in the heart and a wider perspective in the mind.

Eagle arms forward bend

Stand with your feet hip joint width apart or slightly wider. Reach your arms out in front and cross them over your chest at the upper arms. If you have the flexibility, continues winding around the forearms and joining up the palms. Let your knees bend as you fold forward at the hips. Allow your arms and head to be heavy to release around the scapula, upper back, and neck where the Small Intestine channels traverse. After holding for 1-2 minutes, unwind the arms, allowing them to hang. Repeat on the other side.

 

 

Prone Arm Cross

Lay on your belly and start with your arms out to the side. Sweep them forward as you lift your torso away from the ground and cross deeply at the upper arms. Reach the fingers away from each other. Once at your maximum stretch, relax your weight down onto the arms. When ready to exit, engage your core muscles to lift the torso and gently unwind the arms. Rest in neutral, prone, until ready to cross the arms the other way.

 

 

1/4 Downward Dog

From hands and knees, place one forearm to the ground under the shoulders perpendicular to the spine. Reach the other arm straight out in front. Relax your chest down and forearm down. You may want to stretch in cat pose before going to the other side.

Prone Twist

Come down onto your belly again for a deep chest/front shoulder stretch. Bring one arm out to the side with the elbow bent and palm down (this position creates a deeper stretch than with the arm straight and palm turned up). Use your other hand to tip your body over to the side. Place your legs in a position that helps you stay sideways for the appropriate amount of time. Rest on your belly in neutral, then go to the other side.

 

 

Fish in Reclined Bound Angle

Sit up with the soles of your feet together and your knees opening out to the sides from your hips. Place your hands under your buttocks. Lift your chest, reclining onto your forearms. If it feels safe, slowly bring your head to the ground.

 

 

Reclined Twist

Lay on your back with your feet on the ground, knees bent. Lift one leg, crossing it deeply at the upper thighs. Continue bringing the knees over into the direction of the cross. Open your chest to the other side, letting your arm move over head or out to the side to open the chest. Turn your head in the direction that feels best for your neck.

 

 

Be sure that you’re moving out of the Yin postures just as slowly as you’re moving into them. In between postures, give yourself some time in stillness to observe the energy circulating through your body into the places that need it. End in Savasana or a seated meditation.

Let me know what you think of this sequence after trying it! How does it make you feel?

How do you get picky eaters to make healthy choices? I have 5 tips that will help your children try new foods, understand why a balanced diet is necessary, and set them up with healthy dietary habits for life.

Moms know that our most important job is to help our children grow and thrive. Therefore it can be disheartening when our kids start refusing to eat what we provide. Our basic worry is that they’ll starve, so we give in to their desire, which is usually some processed, grain-based “food”. But these foods are high in calories, void of important micronutrients, low in fiber, and break down much too easily into basic sugars which then often damage gut flora. Giving into children’s picky eating can still lead to malnourishment, which is the basis of chronic childhood illnesses in the U.S. today.

Then how do you make your child eat what you provide? The truth is that you can’t unless you threaten them, bribe them, or try hiding the healthy food (like vegetables) in something else they like which is not as healthy (like Kraft Mac n’ Cheese). This does not help your child make conscious healthy choices though. Preferably, they should have some internal motivation to eat healthy foods so that they grow into adults who value healthy eating.

I know this isn’t easy moms, I have a picky eater too. If he could, my son would just each fruit and bread all day. At 8 years old though, he is now turning a corner and making better choices. I would love to share my tips on what’s working in our home with the hope that your family will benefit too. Realize that it may take some time for your child to come around. But when they do, they will be set with great habits for life.

5 Tips to Get Picky Eaters to Make Healthy Choices

1. Be persistent

It’s important that you don’t give up. Keep placing healthy foods in front of your child. Do not assume that their palate is set and that they will always be this way. Their tastes will constantly change throughout childhood.

If you keep offering a food, someday they will eat it! Think about Green Eggs & Ham. For example, if you’re wanting your child to eat more vegetables, offer a variety of them and with multiple of ways of cooking them. Maybe they won’t eat broccoli steamed alone, but they will if you have a yummy dip for it. Or perhaps they’ll eat broccoli creamed with potato in a soup or in a stir fry with rice and soy sauce. Maybe you can involve them in the cooking more or ask them what they’d like to have with the broccoli so they feel like they have some control. Just keep offering the broccoli or even another vegetable with similar nutrients.

Broccoli has not been a problem in our house, but eggs has. My son doesn’t like eating too much meat (which is fine because we don’t as well), so we try to include more plant-based proteins, fish, raw dairy, and eggs in our diet. Right now he’s not eating eggs scrambled (which is a bummer because I used to be able to mix zucchini & scrambled egg in a yummy burrito). But he will eat “Egg-in-a-hole” which is a piece of bread with a hole cut out of the center in which you fry an over-easy egg. I still offer scrambled eggs & omelets. Sometimes he’ll eat them with organic ketchup, but I will make the egg-in-the hole more often because I’m just thrilled that he’s still eating egg.

2. Model Healthy Eating

Moms, I love to empower you! You are the center of your family and if you’re also the main shopper & cook, then you have much of the control. This also means that you will need to take responsibility! Sorry, but I need to give you some tough love.

Buy healthy foods so your kids can eat healthy foods. Realize that if you’re modeling picky or unhealthy eating, your kids are learning from you. If you’re too busy to cook and prefer to eat out of a box or getting fast food, your kids are also learning that food quality doesn’t matter to you and it’s something they shouldn’t care about either.

If you’re not sure what it means to eat healthy, it’s not your fault! We’ve been given the wrong information from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and their Food Pyramid and MyPlate suggestions (which are of course grain-based to support their main industry). It is becoming evident that these dietary suggestions are not helping our population become healthier. You can read this post for my advice on choosing a healthy diet for your family which is based on traditional diets of people throughout the world and is what most holistic nutritionists would suggest.

3. Make Sure All Parents/Guardians Participate

If you’re trying to make healthy changes at home to curb your child’s picky eating, it’s important that all the adults in your child’s life are also on board with your mission. You may need to point out that it’s not helpful and is actually creating a weird power dynamic if you are the “healthy” and maybe “not as fun” parent, but your partner is the one who gives into the processed foods & treats. Really, this should be a goal for the whole family – to live long healthy lives fueled by whole foods.

Same goes for caregivers and teachers. If you need to, pack a meal for your child when leaving them in someone else’s care. It may also be important for you to pack a lunch for your child at school as well.

Side story: When my son was in Kindergarten (which we tried for 2/3 of the year before pulling him out to homeschool), the teachers loved to emphasize that it was important for kids to make their own choices at lunchtime in the cafeteria. That’s a great message except that the food provided was horrible. To this day my son says that the best part of Kindergarten was being able to drink chocolate milk at lunch which makes me roll my eyes every time.

4. Allow Some Consequences

Admittedly, #3 above has been a challenge in our family. My husband makes different, not as healthy meals for our son. I’ve stayed quiet when teachers and parents of friends have given him a lot of candy. I have also given in here and there, still giving him bread and cold cereal occasionally, but for the most part I’m the constant who is always trying to get him back on track.

Where I really failed was enforcing thorough teeth brushing and flossing, even knowing that he was getting more sugar than I would have liked. I have no excuse other than I’ve been too busy and assumed that what he was doing a good-enough job. My heart sank when I learned at his last dental check-up that he had FOUR (!) cavities. When the dentist recommended fluoride I was even more upset. (Fluoride is a neurotoxin and something we avoid in our house because of my thyroid issues.) After I refused, she said, “well, I guess you’ll just need to eat less sugar, bread, chips, crackers…” That was the answer I wanted my son to hear.

Since that check-up and especially after having two of the cavities filled last week, we’ve had many conversations about healthy eating. I can tell that he’s trying really hard to make better choices, even joining me in drinking celery & cucumber juice in the mornings! He’s also more agreeable with us monitoring his brushing & flossing. So while getting the cavities was not ideal, at least my son learned from the experience.

5. Explain What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Well And When You Don’t

Kids need to know that health begins in the gut. When we’re eating well, our beneficial gut flora is nourished and we experience lots of energy, great sleep, efficient digestion, clear skin, and sharp thinking. When we’re eating too much sugar or another dietary imbalance, we’re feeding pathogenic bacteria in the gut instead of the beneficial species. We can experience problems with energy, sleep, attention, behavior, digestion, skin, may experience many illnesses, and may even develop chronic illnesses and secondary infections.

Try to have discussions about this! You are your child’s best teacher. But if you can’t explain it, I encourage you to seek out a holistic nutritionist to help.

You can also review these articles:

Practical Dietary Advice for Healthy and Happy Kids

What Does It Mean To Be Healthy?

How to Keep Grains in Your Diet and Your Gut Happy

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 1

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 2

I hope this gives you some hope that you can manage your child’s picky eating and that it’s worthwhile to take steps in improving it right now! If you have any other advice for parents, please let us know in the comments!

Well wishes to all…

As the weather begins to warm, cute fluffy animals are not the only forest inhabitants to awaken, but also the disgust-provoking ticks that like to feed off of them. People fear ticks not just for their blood-sucking nature, but also because they can occasionally transmit Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Fever.  It’s best to prepare yourself with these natural tick repellents to help avoid these pesky parasites and the diseases they carry.

You don’t need to boycott nature just to avoid ticks. Your heart and soul would be very deprived, as nature is so healing! It’s best to just be prepared. You can repel them safely and effectively with therapeutic grade essential oils. Yes, there are heavy-duty N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET)-containing tick repellents on the market. However, families like you are becoming more concerned about the side effects of these poisons not just on our health, but on the environment too. Even the Center for Disease Control acknowledges the reluctance to use pesticides in this article, and suggests using these essential oils as alternatives to repel ticks effectively:

CDC recommended essential oils to prevent ticks bites.

 

Unfortunately for me (but fortunately for you, as you will learn from my mistake), I was not prepared with my essential oil blend this weekend when my son and I spent a weekend in the wild. You can hear about our story in the video below. It was horrifying, but I’m glad that it prompted me to write this post so others can benefit.

There are many natural tick sprays you can get from your local health food store. I prefer this blend which uses high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils that are sustainably sourced.

If you’d prefer to DIY, here’s a quick and easy recipe you can use when threatened by ticks:

Tick Repellent Spray

• ~ 2 ounces Fractionated coconut oil (a lovely carrier oil because it’s not greasy!)
• 20-40 drops (total) essential oils from this group, use single oils or in combination: Geranium, Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Thyme, or Rosemary.

Add essential oils to a 2 oz. spray bottle and top off with fractionated coconut oil. Shake gently to mix. If you store it in a cool, dark area when not in use, it should last 2-3 months.

To use, spray directly on skin before going outdoors.

 

Having this blend handy may have helped us avoid taking home 3 ticks from our weekend away. It would also have been wise to check ourselves before getting in the car and then showering right away when we got home (to make sure they’re not in your hair).

You should know that ticks usually need to be attached to the skin for 36-48 hours in order to pass on diseases (symptoms then show up within a week of infection). We knew that the ticks on my son had just attached, so weren’t worried about disease. However, I was sure to treat the wounds with lavender essential oil to speed up the recovery.

I hope you find these natural tick repellents useful so you can enjoy your time outdoors to the fullest!  Please let us know if you have any questions or important information to share in the comments!  If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it with your friends.  Well wishes to you…

Words have power! They can inspire us and lift us up. They can shame us and bring us down. Yet even though most of us acknowledge the influence of words, we don’t realize how our simple every-day speech can affect the connection to ourself and others. When we speak mindfully with the intention to relate, we tap into our natural, compassionate state of being, helping us become a more loving parent, friend, partner, and human-being.

Why I Started To Speak More Lovingly

For the longest time, my negative way of speaking was influenced by my family and social circles. I was sarcastic, cynical, and would say things I didn’t really mean to be funny and interesting.

I started to become more mindful of speaking in a positive manner in massage school. We learned how to speak to clients in a way that made them feel supported. We also learned how to speak about ourselves in a more loving way. Our instructor warned us seriously, “Be careful, your body believes everything you say!”

It was the first time I considered the impact my own words had on self-esteem and physical manifestation of our thoughts. Never again did I complain about a “bad” back or other body part that was simply sending pain signals to the brain in it’s own language. I embraced the idea that I should be talking to and about my body in a positive manner so that it could heal.

Still, I had much more room to go in speaking gently. Several years later at the end of a Yoga class, one of my students came up to me and we were talking about Chinese Medicine school (which I was in the middle of). I must have been talking about a test and I said something like, “I’m not going to kill myself over it”. The student’s expression turned to one of horror and she said, “nothing is worth killing yourself over”. Of course I was kidding, but she reflected back to me that it wasn’t funny. To some people this could be very disturbing. And it made a very deep impression on me because I realized that I was supposed to be modeling love & peace for my students and I wasn’t quite there.

Framework for Speaking Positively: Right Speech and Non-violent Communication

When I made the intention to speak more mindfully, I turned my attention to my meditation practice. I also immersed myself in the Buddhism classes at Insight Meditation Center.

Later on when I became a parent, I learned more about Non-Violent Communication which is very similar (but without the religious connotation, so might be more comfortable with some people although I feel that Buddhism is a philosophy for living peacefully, not a religion!) The Attachment Parenting play group we occasionally attended used NVC as a means to connect deeply with the kids and build relationships among the parents. Since I had the background in Right Speech, NVC was not much of a stretch. I’ve done my best to adhere to it’s guidelines ever since.

I was lucky to already be familiar with these concepts, but they are certainly not mainstream. Here’s more information about each so you can decide if either is intriguing and how to apply some of the simple principles.

Right Speech

Right Speech is one of the moral disciplines of the Eight-fold Path in Buddhism and includes these 4 aspects:

1. No false speech (lies)

2. Do not slander or discredit others

3. Abstain from abusive language

4. No idle talk or gossiping

It supports the saying we’ve all heard:

“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!”

When one practices Right Speech, we speak honestly and are more authentic in our communication. We mindfully promote harmony and use language to lesson anger and tension in our social groups.

Practicing Right Speech is not easy, especially in this age of social media and with an inflamed political atmosphere.

In Right Speech From the Buddhist Eightfold Path, the author writes:

“Sometimes people justify harsh speech because they are speaking on behalf of a worthy cause. Ultimately, stirring up acrimony is planting karmic seeds that will hurt the cause we think we’re fighting for.

When you live in a world of acrimonious speech, practice of Right Speech requires Right Effort (another tenet on The Path) and sometimes even courage. But it is an essential part of the Buddhist path.”

Nonviolent Communication (NVC)

The Center for Nonviolent Communication is a good place to begin your education on this practice. They have many helpful articles, resources, and even have a training program for those who feel called to share this training with others. NVC was created by Marshall B. Rosenberg in response to the increasing violence he’s observed in our culture. Basically, practicing NVC consists of these four components (these are taken directly from the website):

1. Observation: Observation without evaluation consists of noticing concrete things and actions around us. We learn to distinguish between judgment and what we sense in the present moment, and to simply observe what is there.

2. Feeling: When we notice things around us, we inevitably experience varying emotions and physical sensations in each particular moment. Here, distinguishing feelings from thoughts is an essential step to the NVC process.

3. Needs: All individuals have needs and values that sustain and enrich their lives. When those needs are met, we experience comfortable feelings, like happiness or peacefulness, and when they are not, we experience uncomfortable feelings, like frustration. Understanding that we, as well as those around us, have these needs is perhaps the most important step in learning to practice NVC and to live empathically.

4. Request: To make clear and present requests is crucial to NVC’s transformative mission. When we learn to request concrete actions that can be carried out in the present moment, we begin to find ways to cooperatively and creatively ensure that everyone’s needs are met.

If you’re wanting to speak more mindfully, it needs to be a conscious shift you make in the heart first, then the mind. Know that it will take some time and don’t feel too bad if you regress back to old patterns of communication. You’re doing your best and that’s what matters most. I still yell at my son everyday, but it’s the practice of Right Speech and NVC that I’m engaging with 95% of the time that makes it much easier for us to forgive each other and reconnect. I hope it does the same for you and all of your relationships.

Have you practiced mindful speech? How has it worked for you? I’d love to know in the comments!

Want to achieve New Year success in business, parenting, health, home-tending, or life in general? Me too! What I’ve learned from several life-coach gurus is that you can accomplish anything as long as you follow a few key steps. Read on to learn how to create achievable goals for the New Year!

How To Create Achievable New Year Goals

1. Get quiet and take some time to reflect.

You don’t need to spend hours in seated meditation, but it is important that you find some way to detach from external distractions so you can listen to your heart and reason with your mind. Take a bath, go for a walk without your device, or just sit in the morning sun with some tea, a pencil, and paper. In quiet solitude you’ll allow space for your inner voice and creativity to speak.

2. Be grateful for everything that happened the previous year and look forward to the future.

Don’t get caught up in the things that made last year challenging. It’s important to acknowledge challenges and be grateful for them since you now have a greater vantage point to see how to make changes. This challenge had to happen so that you can achieve amazing things in the future.

3. Use tools to guide you.

If you’re new to goal-setting, it’s a good idea to use a planner or journal that will guide you. Using a planner should keep you on track and inspire you. I love my Brilliant Life Planner which is fabulous for entrepreneurs.

Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, and have a time limit to them. It’s also important to not make goals that just solve problems. If you do that, you’re only creating tasks to perform, not dreams to achieve.

4. Ask yourself thought provoking questions.

Ange Peters, owner of Hol:Fit, Health Coach and Double Diamond (= super successful person) in dōTERRA shares these questions to help you reflect on last year and plan for the New year.

• What is the 1 word that can describe last year?

• What were the highlights?

• How did you grow the most? (This doesn’t need to be something you achieved, but even a lesson learned from failure.)

• Who inspired your growth the most?

• Who drained you the most?

• What is one area you need help with, that you might be able to delegate or hire out?

• What is one area you need to develop in, that requires more education and skill?

• What is one area that is not working for you, that you may need to reduce time in or let go completely?

5. Create a Spacious and Supportive Environment

In a recent Rachel Hollis podcast she said, “you are a combination of the 5 people you spend the most time with”.

Hmm, think about that. If you resonate with that statement, it may be time to re-evaluate your social circle. You’re more likely to achieve your goals if you’re hanging around with supportive people and those who actually have qualities that you’re wanting to emulate. Spend time with friends who are smarter than you, more organized than you, in better shape than you, are more patient parents than you, or whatever it is you’re trying to achieve.

Ms. Hollis also points out that your physical space needs to be supportive. A cluttered car & home is indicative of a cluttered mind. They are also very distracting. Before goal setting, it would be a good idea to clean the house or at least your workspace. Then create the intention to maintain this supportive environment as you nurture your dreams.

I hope that these prompts & resources help you get excited about the life you’re trying to create! If you have any bits of advice to add, or any questions about how to begin, please let us know in the comments!

Taking care of kids in this day and age can be tough, especially when it comes to healthy eating! If we didn’t grow up eating wholesome food, we may not know where to start. However, it is possible to learn the basics of holistic nutrition, even if you were raised on processed food (as I was). In this article, I offer you some practical dietary advice for healthy kids.

My son admiring our home-grown kombucha!

Everyone desires beautiful skin!  Few have escaped the embarrassment of acne and blemishes. Many moms have experienced concern for their kids with rashes and eczema. As we age, and particularly in Autumn & Winter, we experience more dry, wrinkle-prone skin.   I’ve experienced and overcome all of those conditions.  I’m thrilled to share my natural secrets for clear skin with you, while boosting your health & confidence!

Plump, moist skin is reflective of hydrated cells.  You’ll want to make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day, which should total half your body weight in ounces (eg. if you’re 160 lbs, you’ll drink 80 oz. of water).  Try to have much of it first things in the morning upon waking, so you’ll prime your digestion and hopefully poop.

Sweat to Detox

Toxins are released from the body through the pores of our skin as we sweat.  This is best done with exercise so you’re benefiting the lungs too with the exertion.  You only need to do enough to break a sweat, as you don’t want it pouring out, dehydrating you!  

Sweating in saunas and hot baths can also help free the body and benefit the skin.  Just be sure to have clean skin before you sweat.  If you’re wearing makeup or sunscreen, they can clog your pores, reducing the potential of detoxing through the skin.

Heal the Gut

Also, many of these same substances (including stress and too much sugar!) can damage beneficial bacteria in the gut. Without their defense, “bad” bacteria take over, making it more difficult to digest your favorite foods and causing inflammation. This inflammation vents to the skin.I always suggest doing an elimination diet which will help you identify any food intolerances and will also give you time to detox. If you follow this diet for 90 days, you’ll be giving your gut ample time to turnover damaged cells for healthy ones which may be enough to heal the intolerance.

Read these posts to learn more about how gut health is impaired and how to improve it:

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 1

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 2

I suggest this program when embarking on an elimination diet. I’ve done it a few times with great success:

The Elimination Diet

If you need even more structure, I recommend this program from Standard Process which includes some whole food supplements and a shake. If you’re interested, contact me for a consultation and I can help you get it:

Standard Process Purification Program

Essential Oils & Natural Products for Beautiful Skin

Cleansing the skin is still important on the outside, but we need to be careful because there are beneficial bacteria on the surface of the skin as well. I suggest always opting for natural products that can improve skin tone without stripping the skin of this important defense.

I am very particular about the essential oils I use.  I’ve aligned with one company because of their commitment to quality and purity. They are also making a huge impact in integrating and improving health care in this country while supporting global communities where these oils are sourced.

Best Essential Oils for Skin:

Melaleuca

Lavender

Frankincense

Myrrh

Yarrow/POM

My Favorite Products:

HD Clear (great for teens!)

Verage skin care

Detoxifying mud mask

Hydrating Cream

I hope you’re feeling hopeful and inspired to treat your skin issues with a natural, inside-out approach. Once you have, I’d love to hear about it! Please leave a comment below.

Managing stress is also key to keeping the gut healthy and well. Download this guide to get on your way: Stress-Relieving Acupressure Guide for Moms. Well wishes!

Almost everyone knows the life-changing benefits of meditation, but putting it into practice can still be challenging. People often think that it needs to be perfect and give up way too easily. Over decades of teaching it, I’ve heard all the excuses.

“I can’t clear my mind”

“I can’t sit comfortably”

“I can’t sit still”

“I’m distracted by my family”

The most common excuse by far is…

“I don’t have enough time”

You know what? I don’t have a lot of time either! But I do manage to prioritize meditation everyday. It just takes on a different form from the disciplined seated practice most people assume you need to do for it to be “real meditation”.

While a 20 minute seated practice upon rising is what starts my day off best, there are some days, like today, where that just wasn’t possible. I had to get out the door quick to teach a yoga class. Of course I couldn’t enter the room with frantic energy. I needed to ground, to focus my mind, and give myself space to let my creative sequencing juices flow. How did I do this from the car to the class?

WALKING MEDITATION

That’s right. You can quiet your mind with the simple movement you do every single day as you transition from one space to the next.

This simple 3-minute walking meditation helped me teach one of my best classes. I know walking meditation can help you as well when you need to anchor fully into the present moment.

The technique is super easy.

1. Focus on the sensation of each foot, one at a time, connecting with the ground from heel to toe. Over and over, heel-arch-toe, heel-arch-toe, heel-arch-toe…

2. You can do this at any pace, but most people can focus easier the slower you go.

3. You’re not clearing the mind, you’re focusing the mind. We brush off distracting thoughts that are not focused on what you’re doing in the present moment, which is simply walking on the earth.

4. You can strengthen your mind even more by using your imagination to ground your energy. Imagine that you’re walking through mud, or that you’re rooted underneath the earth and these roots are traveling with you.

I invite you to try this method! I promise it will help you prepare your mind for your daily activities. Brilliance lives in the present moment – not from time spent imagining what might happen in the future.

Certainly time spent in seated meditation with help you drop into a meditative state quicker when you need to do walking meditation instead. Please click here to browse my free guided meditations to help you along.

Namasté

Concerned citizens have been talking about the dangers of glyphosate for several years. How do you keep your family safe from it and other toxins?

My awareness of it being a potential carcinogen was heightened in 2015 when my stepfather (who was an enthusiastic Roundup user on his ranch) passed away from a quick and aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. This is the same cancer that plaintiff Dewayne “Lee” Johnson has, who just successfully won a case against Monsanto here in San Francisco on Aug. 10, 2018.

From the Organic Consumer Association:

“After eight weeks of trial proceedings, the jury found unanimously that Monsanto’s glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused Mr. Johnson to develop NHL, and that Monsanto failed to warn of this severe health hazard. Importantly, the jury also found that Monsanto acted with malice, oppression or fraud and should be punished for its conduct.”

Why should you be concerned about glyphosate if you’re not the one actively spraying RoundUp in your yard?

It’s a fact that we have loads of information coming at us from the external world, more than any other time in history. And if you’re an intellectual being, getting wrapped up in thoughts (regardless of whether they’re positive or negative, necessary or not) can keep you from resting or progressing.