If you have tight hips or low back pain (which are usually related), then you will love this hip opening yoga sequence.
Not only will you get the relief you need, but the addition of Yin Yoga postures can help release stuck emotions that can be causing these physical imbalances in the first place. This is because we focus on mobilizing the energy in the Liver and Gallbladder meridians that run through the inner and outer legs, respectively.
You can learn more about how to balance liver and gallbladder energy in Spring Health Tips from Traditional Chinese Medicine . These organs and channels tend to become imbalanced in Spring, resulting in a condition we call Liver Qi Stagnation. It results in issues like:
eye strain
headaches
angry outbursts
tight hips & groin
menstrual irregularities
PMS
and much more…
Of course some people just have a this type of constitution and can be prone to these issues at any time. This makes this Yin Yoga Liver and Gallbladder yoga practice even more important so that you can do it regularly to find balance in your life.
Before you begin, make sure you have:
a blanket or cushion to prop up the hips
1-2 blocks
You may also want to download my Stress-Relieving acupressure guide. You can do these acupressure points while you hold some of the Yin Yoga shapes! This acupressure sequence will make the yoga practice even more effective and can help you sleep at night. You’ll love it!
Hip Opening Yoga Practice Video
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I hope you enjoyed this hip opening yoga practice! If you were experiencing issues with Liver Qi Stagnation before you began, did they resolve by the end? Let us know in the comments!
Spring has sprung! The shift in temperature is obvious, but can you also notice the change in energy and feeling? There’s the flurry of activity in nature – from the behavior of local animals to the different seasonal fruits and vegetables bursting from the branches and soil. We need to adjust our activity and lifestyle to the energy of the season in order to experience vibrancy in our lives too. I’m going to teach you exactly how with these Spring health tips from Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Spring
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete holistic health system that supports the body, heart, mind, and spirit. It’s based on the concept that we are all microcosms of nature. We achieve a relative balance of Yin and Yang energy based on our personal constitution and that of the current season.
In Spring, we experience a balance of Yin and Yang energy at the Spring Equinox, and then the Yang, hot, vibrant energy of the sun starts to accumulate as we approach the Summer Solstice. For this reason, we feel the desire to be more active, to be outside, to soak up the sun when it makes an appearance, to move our bodies more, and we may find ourselves wanting to stay up later and rise earlier in the morning, making the most of the day.
In Chinese Medicine and Taoist philosophy,Spring is associated with:
The element Wood
The color Green
Movement of Qi (vital energy)
Liver & Gall Bladder organs & channels in the body
The Tendons
Our Eyes & Sight
Sour taste
Compassion & Decisiveness when in balance
Anger & Indecisiveness when out of balance
Wind as the Weather that can cause harm
We can consider all of this as we strive to find balance this season. Here are my Spring health tips on how to do this on every level!
How to Support Your Body in Spring
Change Your Diet to Lighter, Cooler Foods
It’s time to let go of those heavy, nourishing, comfort foods of Winter and start adding lighter, more cooling foods into the diet as the weather gets warmer. But this transition should take time, and may still not be appropriate if your constitution is more cold and damp (tending toward loose stools and generating a lot of mucus in the nose/lungs). If digestion is okay, you can eat more salads and raw in-season fruits & vegetables, otherwise, cook your veggies and fruits well.
Lemons, limes, pickles, and vinegar all support the liver. But if your Liver energy is too strong (with feelings of heat rising up to the head, anger, tinnitus/ringing ears, frustration, see more in the Emotions section below), then avoid these foods.
Clear Your Body of Toxins
Spring is a popular time to try detoxifying protocols to clear the Intestines, fortify the gut lining, support the Kidneys and Liver, and boost immune function.
Of course it’s best to detox under the guidance of a qualified practitioner to make sure you’re still eating a balanced diet and that it’s not too strict or done too long.
Find Natural Allergy Relief
If Spring is your least favorite season, I bet it’s because of seasonal allergies!
I totally understand any discomfort you’re feeling. I used to have intense allergies every Spring too, until I changed my lifestyle. Your can read more about my story here.
Now I may have a slight runny nose, but that’s it. This is a huge deal since I use to get frequent sinus infections and stuck in a horrible cycle of antibiotic use.
Spring is a great time to pick up a new sport or activity, and for weight loss endeavors. You’ll enjoy exercising outdoors and the motivational energy of the season will keep you going!
Give Your Eyes a Rest
When the eyes are heavy and strained from time on the computer or other electronic device, the best thing you can do is go outside and look at the leaves on trees and bushes. The green color is soothing for the eyes (supporting Liver/Gall Bladder energy) and being outside in 3D will use your eye muscles in a more balanced way.
How to Support Your Emotions in Spring
Soak up the sun
Sunlight is known to improve your mood. Plus, you’ll be storing vitamin D at every exposure, which is vital for immune health (related to gut health which also supports your emotional health!)
Recognize Feelings of Overwhelm
For some of us, Spring is glorious! But for others who are already very Yang (active, hot, intense characters), the increased energy of this season can be too stimulating.
Instead of going with the flow, they can try too hard to control what is happening, creating more emotional & physical stress and energetically what we call in Chinese Medicine “Liver qi stagnation”. Symptoms include sensations of heat rising, high blood pressure, headaches, neck/shoulder/upper back/side rib tension, impatience and angry outbursts.
* When any of this happens (anytime of year, really), it is a sign to chill out.*
Eat cooling foods and use diluted peppermint essential oil as a cool compress on the head/neck. You can also move your energy down by taking a casual walk outside; grounding in the earth, grass, or sand; and really paying attention to your feet making contact with the ground.
How to Support Your Mind in Spring
Adopt a Playful Attitude
Do you have to hold onto stress in order to prove that you’re successful, doing something worthwhile, or care deeply about something?
Are you upset about things happening in the world that you cannot control?
There is no need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and it’s not your sole responsibility to solve it’s problems. You will be more useful in coming up with impactful solutions if you’re balanced in body, heart, and mind anyway.
Oftentimes when I’m stressed, taking life too seriously, or just feeling overwhelmed, I sit and imagine again what it felt like when I was young and did not have so many responsibilities. I was empathetic, compassionate, and could be oversensitive in the moment. But I did not dwell on sadness and what was negative in the world. I moved forward.
Maybe you can try connecting in with your younger, more relaxed & trusting self. See if you can carry that attitude into everything you do – parenting, working, cooking dinner, whatever. Or maybe you can connect with your faith or higher power to guide you along. Life is what you make it!
Just do what you can, when you can, and appreciate the life that has been given to you!
Embrace Change
There’s a saying in Yoga that the only thing you can count on in life is change. And our resistance to change is what causes suffering.
If you’re resisting change and suffering, this maybe a great time to move with the wind and try something new. Open up your mind to other possibilities. Trust that where you’re going is exactly where you need to be! It may be uncomfortable, but sometimes we need to experience unease before we can expand and grow.
If seated meditation does not suit you, try walking meditation. Move as slow or fast as need be, but keep the mind fixed on placing one foot in front of the other and all the sensations that arise from that action. This is a skill we can all develop in life when things become overwhelming
Spring asks us to be like the trees – sturdy, strong, and focused on reaching for the sun (or our passions, goals, plans), but flexible enough to sway and adjust in the wind to avoid breakage.
So when you feel like the branches of your body, heart or mind are becoming too taut & resistant, I hope these Spring Health Tips help bring more ease to your life.
Are you hopping about with Spring fever? Or are you laying low with allergies and other seasonal discomfort? In this Ayurvedic kriya technique series, we’ve been exploring ways to stay well since the transition from Winter to Spring is challenging many of us, myself included! Last week, I showed you how to perform Jala Neti, or how to cleanse the nasal passages with warm salt water and a neti pot. Have you tried it? This week I’m teaching you Kapalabhati pranayama, translated as skull “shining breath”.
Kapalabhati pranayama clears energy and blood stagnation from the center of the body, where it can remain as a sludge that slows the body and mind. It also helps to break up mucus in the upper respiratory tract. Kapalabhati builds heat as it pumps and increases circulation.
This circulation of blood and energy is what’s needed to maintain proper gut health, immune function, and inflammatory response.
It’s a part of my Spring yoga practice to help lighten up my body, but you may find that it’s useful whenever you’re feeling lethargic or uninspired too! Read on or watch the video to learn how it’s done.
Kapalabhati Breathing
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Benefits of Kapalabhati
Kapalabhati breathing is one of the 6 Yoga kriya exercises to promote health and wellness. It’s also an invigorating practice that is a wonderful way to start the day!
Here’s some of Kapalabhati’s benefits:
Invigorates the body and mind, removing sluggishness
It strengthens the lungs, liver, heart, and mobilizes the intestine
It tones the abdominal muscles.
Increases breath capacity
Clears mucus and pens the sinuses and airways
Contraindications: This technique should not be used if you have a headache, vertigo, high/low blood pressure, history of stroke, gastritis, hernia, or ulcers.
How to do Kapalabhati Breathing
It’s best to perform Kapalabhati on an empty stomach.
Come into a comfortable seated position.
Take a few deep breaths to settle your mind down into your body.
Keeping your mouth and nose closed, exhale forcefully by pulling in the abdominal muscles. Let the inhalation fill up the abdomen and lungs passively. This is one “pumping”
Start by doing 10 pumpings. You can build up to 50+ with time, but want to make sure that you don’t hyperventilate or get dizzy. Stop when you feel that you’ve had enough.
After the pumpings, inhale long and deep. Lift the pelvic floor (mula bandha) as you bring your chin down (jalandhara bandha). Hold the breath in as long as is comfortable.
Then let go of the pelvic floor and chin locks, and release the breath completely.
Breathe normally and repeat 2-3 more cycles if you wish.
Note that while these kriya exercises can help keep you healthy and vibrant, you still need to do other work to maintain it. They’re not going to erase the immune challenges that come with poor sleep, an unbalanced diet, or overwhelm & worry.
I hope you find this breathing practice useful! Let me know how it works for you, in the comments below! Well wishes to you..
Want relief for your tired, dry, computer-strained eyes? Want to focus with more ease? Do you want relief from minor headaches? Trataka Meditation, also known as candle gazing, is one of the Ayurvedic yoga kriya cleansing exercises for the body that can help with these issues and much more!
I especially love doing Trataka in the spring time, when the energy of our Liver and Gall Bladder organs and meridians tend to become imbalanced from the Chinese Medicine perspective. These organs are associated with the eyes and our ability to follow through on projects with more direction and less frustration.
Watch the video below, or read on for instructions on how to do the meditation. You may also want to check out my stress-relieving acupressure guide, which would be a wonderful accompaniment to this Ayurvedic technique. You can get it here:
Trataka Candle Gazing Meditation
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Benefits of Trataka
Trataka is a has many wonderful benefits. People perform Trataka in order to:
tone the muscles of the eyes which may improve vision
Trataka is one of the easiest, most relaxing meditations you can try. Even kids can do it!
Just know that this meditation is not appropriate for people suffering from migraines or severe eye issues, such as just had eye surgery. It’s also a good idea to go very slowly if one has had any psychological trauma.
Instructions:
It’s best to be in a dim or dark room.
Light a candle, placing it at the same height as your eyes.
Sit about an arms length away from it in a comfortable position.
Take a few deep breaths, relaxing your mind into your body.
Gaze at the tip of the candle flame, the brightest part, without blinking. Continue to gaze until your eyes start to water or for up to ~ 30 seconds.
Then close your eyes and gently concentrate on the image of the flame that may still be present against your eyelids, or imagine the candle flame if the image disappears.
Concentrate here for ~ 1 min. or so.
Repeat this process 3 more times.
Once you’re done, take some deep even breaths with the eyes closed to fully come back. If you’d like, you can imagine that the candle flame is burning bright in your heart space, symbolic of the light inside you.
Be sure you blow out the candle!
Let me know how you feel, in the comments below, after doing this Trataka Candle Gazing meditation! I hope you have the relief or connection you desire!
Are you looking for more ways to stay healthy this season? Want some internal Spring cleaning for your body? Ayurveda cleansing techniques, like Jala Neti (nasal lavage with a neti pot), help Yogis stay healthy and strong. They can do the same for you!
Yogis hold their bodies in deep regard and have many ways to support their health. Kriyas are special purifying exercises. They allow one to practice Saucha, cleanliness, as outlined in Raja Yoga and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
The 6 Kriya Practices:
Jala Neti – nasal rinsing
Kapalabhati – invigorating breathing exercise
Trataka – candle/steady gazing
Dhauti – cleansing the esophagus & stomach with gauze
Basti – cleansing of the intestines with an enema
Nauli – abdominal churning
These exercises are so effective, they’re still practiced today by serious yogis. But a few of them, especially numbers 4 – 6 above, are either extremely difficult to perform or may be too weird for many Americans.
B.K.S. Iyengar, in his book The Tree of Yoga, says that the kriyas should not be performed by healthy people. He says they’re “drastic treatments, only to be given in drastic cases, and not for everybody.”
Yes, there are contraindications that I’ll list below – they are certainly not for everybody. But I would also argue that many of us in America are NOT healthy and DO need more drastic help!
The first 3 exercises are easy to do and are very therapeutic. I do them all regularly and feel they are safe enough to suggest them to you too.
You can start practicing Jala Neti before exploring the other two kriyas that I’ll introduce next week.
Jala Neti | Neti Pot Benefits
Directly translated as “water net”, jala neti is nasal rinsing with salt water from a neti pot into one nostril and out the other.
Benefits: Removes microorganisms, pollen, dust, excess mucus, and other impurities from the nasal passages. Can help immensely with seasonal allergies and can shorten the span of the common cold if done in the first few days.
Contraindications: Do not use untested well water or even water from the tap. Because of the intimate nature of the sinus cavity and the brain, it’s best to use the cleanest water possible. Deionized or reverse osmosis water is suggested. Do not do Jala Neti if you have a serious sinus infection or earache (see your primary care provider first).
Jala Neti Instructional Video
If you’re intrigued by the idea of cleaning the nose & sinuses but are concerned about using a neti pot, you can use a purified saline spray. In my experience it can help, especially with kids. For adults with chronic allergies, a neti pot is definitely more effective.
I would love to hear how your experience with jala neti has been. For those of you who’ve done it, did it work as you expected? And if you have any questions, please post in the comments. I’ve been using one for almost 20 years so I can probably help you out!
This Winter Solstice meditation is a guided, relaxing mindfulness practice that will help you rest in the Winter darkness and renew your being with light on all levels. It’s also an opportunity to let go of what is no longer serving you, allowing space for focused New Year intention, and a rebirth of ideas to achieve your life goals.
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Meditation Preparation
To set up, you’ll want to find a place that is dark and quiet. You may want to light a candle to represent the light inside of you, that creative spark that we’ll be stoking.
Essential oils can help calm your mind and create more focus. For this meditation I’m using Frankincense and Lemongrass. Frankincense helps lessen depressed and anxious feelings which tend to be more pronounced this time of year, prompted by the darkness. Lemongrass helps to clear negativity and uplift your mood. You can place 1 drop of each in your hands with a dollop of carrier oil and anoint your temples, heart space, and soles of the feet.
Have a pen and paper or a journal nearby where you can write down any insight that comes as we sit.
Also, you can briefly use the acupressure points in my free self-acupressure guide to help you relax. As you release tension, you’ll be better able to focus on the meditation process. You can download the guide below.
Winter Solstice Meditation Instruction
Center Your Attention
Come into a comfortable seated position on the floor or on a chair. If you’re using a chair, make sure your feet are fully planted on the ground.
Closing your eyes, take several deep breaths, consciously focusing your mind on the present moment.
Exhale out through the mouth to let go of physical tension. Once you’re feeling settled, allow the mouth to stay closed.
Center your attention by following the movement of the breath. Inhale through the nose. Feel the breath moving through the trachea, filling the lungs, and feel the diaphragm pressing down toward the pelvis, grounding you. Stay energetically grounded as you exhale and feel the breath moving up and out through the nose. Watch the ebb and flow of the breath.
Now see if you can make each part of the breath deeper, and longer. Lengthen the spaces in between breaths, noticing any emotions that come up in the stillness. It’s common to feel fear when empty, the same feeling that many people have in Winter.
We are microcosms of nature and energetic beings animated by breath. Consider this, each breath is keeping you alive. We need both the inhalation AND the exhalation, the life giving breath and the clearing release which creates more space for the next breath.
What Can You Release in Order to Create?
Now as you continue to breath deeply, let’s see how we can relate to the other aspects of ourselves. What can we let go of? What can we let rest in the darkness or even die away in order to make space for something more new, more healthy, or even more exciting?
Feel the full volume of the body pulsing with breath. Feel it’s fullness, emptiness, and the flow in between. Consider the health of your body and as you ask this question, see what comes up in this space:
“What habits can I let go of that will help my body be more healthy and vibrant?”
Sense the answer in your body.
Now connect in with your heart, your capacity to love and relate to others. Some relationships served a purpose in the past, but are no longer helpful. Ask yourself the following, or change the wording to fit what you would like to create in your heart instead:
“What relationships can I let go of in order to feel more emotionally spacious and loving.”
Watch the movement of the mind…
The mind can be the most challenging to shift. Many people are wired for self-criticism and negativity that their belief systems are very limited. Once your open to changing your beliefs, you have the greatest potential to create more happiness in your life. Ask yourself:
“What habits or beliefs can I let go of, can I let die, in order to experience more clarity of mind?”
Give yourself some time to let any thoughts bubble to the surface in answer to this question.
Letting go of the previous attachments in the body, heart, and mind may get you closer to spiritual connection. To explore further, you can ask yourself:
“What can I let go of to experience a deeper sense of myself, to connect with spirit”
Feel into your wholeness. Notice the warmth inside you, imagining a spark of hope in the heart that grows to a flame, and then to beams of light radiating out of your body in every direction.
Remember that this light sprung from darkness. We needed to let go and experience a symbolic death to some aspects of our lives in order to rebirth new experiences. We needed to visit the past and make peace with it in order to imagine new possibilities for the future.
Slowly Widen Your Awareness
Return your awareness to the breath moving through the central channel of the body.
Open up your ears to what you hear, notice what you’re tasting, smelling, and feeling against your skin. Finally, gently open your eyes.
Take some time here to make sure your attention is balanced, inside and out. Write down anything that came up for you during this meditation. This is a special time for reflection, but of course this is appropriate to do anytime of the year, not just the Winter Solstice. You can repeat this simple meditation practice whenever you’re feeling stuck and that you need to make a major shift in one layer of your being. When we meditate, we’re tapping into our innate wisdom that’s beyond the mind’s comprehension. It’s this place where we receive the most helpful guidance for living a joyful life.
Did you enjoy this meditation? Do you already meditate? Is it for relaxation or to receive guidance or other motivation? I’d love to know about it in the comments!
Summer is the season we associate with fun, relaxation, and carefree living. Our days are less structured, so our kids tend to stay up and sleep in later. We often become more lax with our diets too, as restaurants visited on family vacations don’t always have the best quality food. To stay well in summer, it’s important not to fall into unhealthy habits. Learn how to stay healthy in summer with these simple guidelines, so you can enjoy this season to the fullest!
How to Stay Healthy This Summer with TCM
1. Adjust Your Activity Level
The Yang energy of the sun reaches its maximum at the summer solstice on June 21. From there it starts a gradual decline until the winter Solstice in December.
What does that mean?
Since Yang is decreasing, Yin energy is increasing; we need to adjust our activity to become more Yin as well. Being “more Yin” means to embrace quiet, stillness, and our calm, receptive feminine nature.
I know, it doesn’t sound like summer. It’s supposed to be exciting!
Remember, this is a gradual change we’re adjusting to over the season. We can be lively in June and then start to ramp it down. By the end of August, hopefully we’re all grounded enough that kids can adjust well to the new school year and we can easily commit to our work life again.
If we ignore the cues from nature and go full force in the Summer Heat, we’re likely to burn out. This is bad new for our health in Fall, as we may get sick quickly and often without the restorative energy of Summer.
2. Get Some Morning Sun and Finish Activities Early
Part of adjusting your activity level is to also adjust the timing of your activities. If you live in a really hot climate, you already know how to do this well:
Get your workouts, errands, gardening, and other outdoor obligations done early.
You’ll need to resist the temptation to start the days slow. Trust me, you’ll be feeling great after absorbing that morning sun. It will elevate your mood and give you the energy you need to be productive. Then you can rest in the afternoon (which will become the hottest part of the day as summer progresses) completely guilt-free.
3. Eat These Foods to Stay Healthy in Summer
Summer is packed full of opportunities to eat out – restaurants, ballparks, amusement parks, family BBQs, etc. Since you may not always have control over these meals, it’s extra important to eat well at home.
Our digestion is stronger in summer. We’re now able to eat raw and cooling foods without gas and bloating.
Everyone should do their best to refrain from these foods which may increase heat in the body and cause inflammation, dryness, constipation, and headaches.
4. Be Cool and Refrain From Anger & Overexcitement
Anger and mania cause heat to rise internally according to Chinese Medicine philosophy. Accumulation of heat internally over a long period of time can cause disease. Anger and excitement are normal human emotions, of course, but it’s important to be mindful of what is causing them so we’re not caught up in these emotions continuously.
Meditation helps us become less reactive, and is a great practice to remain calm, cool, and level-headed. If you’re not ready to meditate, you can try to process your emotions through journaling or talking with a dear friend. You can try a Yin yoga practice which is an active meditation. Or use essential oils to manage your emotions and the heat that can arise.
Chinese Medicine helps us to see the connection between us and nature. Living in harmony with the rhythm of nature and preventing disease is the basis of it’s philosophy. If you adhere to these guidelines, or at least try returning to them whenever you get off track with summer (& sometimes unhealthy) fun, then you’ll find that you maintain wellness longer.
If you enjoyed this article, please share with your friends! Let me know what you think of these summer health tips in the comments. Well wishes to you…
Yin Yoga embraces the essence of Taoist philosophy: living in harmony with nature. It’s a calm, restorative, healing approach that balances the Yang, active, and often aggressive nature of being that predominates our society. Try this summer yin yoga sequence to stay balanced this season.
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:
Through yin yoga, we can increase energy flow in the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, and Triple Burner channels. The slow, mindful, yin 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 This Summer Yin Yoga Sequence
This Summer 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?
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.
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…
Summer is a favorite season for many people, but it comes with certain challenges. Longer stretches of powerful sunlight, warm-weather pests, and eating unhealthy foods on family vacations are just some of things that can dampen one’s enthusiasm for summer fun. Be prepared with these essential oils for summer challenges to keep your family naturally healthy and happy all season long!
Essential Oil Remedies for Summer Challenges
Bug repellent
Do you have a family member who is a mosquito magnet? That would be me, in my family. So believe me, plant power is safer and equally effective at keeping them at bay than DEET-containing concoctions!
The recipe below incorporates dōTERRA Terrashield, which actually works fabulously on it’s own. The additional oils kick the power up a few notches.
Insect bites & stings
If pests get past your defenses, try these essential oil remedies to soothe the pain, itch, and swelling (from Modern Essentials, 8th edition):
Bee/Wasp/Hornet stings – After removing stinger, apply a cold compress of Roman Chamomile to the area for as long as possible.
Mosquito bites – apply lavender (diluted as recommended in chart at bottom) to the bites every few hours.
Spider bites – Dilute basil as recommended and apply as a cold compress to the area.
Tick bites – Don’t add oils to remove the tick or they may inject their toxin into the wound! Pull out the whole tick out close to the mouth without twisting. It’s wise to save the tick to get it, and the person bitten, examined by your doctor. Apply 1 drop of lavender to the wound every 5 minutes.
Sunburns
For minor sunburns, mix 10 drops of lavender with 1/4 cup water in a small spray bottle. Be sure to shake well so the oil is suspended in solution before spraying over the affected area.
Poison Oak
Though the red color on the “leaves of three” makes this plant more recognizable in the summer, avoiding it can still be tricky when it comes to kids and pets.
Rose, lavender, and Roman chamomile are all indicated for helping to relieve the itch. However, with conditions like this that ooze blisters, sometimes adding oil alone can spread the rash. You may want to look into combining the power of essential oils with a drying calamine lotion, or see an acupuncturist/Chinese herbalist for a drying solution like this one.
Indigestion
Eating heavily processed, greasy, and low quality foods at amusement parks or on the road can lead to an upset stomachs, gas, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea. DōTerra’s DigestZen blend can help immensely with all of these symptoms! Ginger, Fennel and peppermint are the main oils in this blend that help ease discomfort and can regulate the bowels. These oils have also been reported to help relieve food poisoning, stomach bugs, or motion sickness.
You may also consider increasing your whole food supplements to fill in any nutrition gaps, keeping your gut flora happy and your immune system working well while away from home.
Cooling down
Combine 2-3 drops of peppermint with 1/4 cup pure aloe vera and 1/4 cup witch hazel in a spray bottle. Shake well and mist body as needed to cool down which might be especially helpful at night to prevent restless sleep. This solution can also help easy sunburn discomfort.
Do you have any ideas for using essential oils in the Summer? Please let us know in the comments! And if you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends!
