Mantras are a repetitive word, phrase, or sound with vibrational qualities and inherent meanings. Mantras are believed to have spiritual, transformative, and religious power. The use of mantras is at least 3500 years old and appears to originate from India, with records in Vedic Sanskrit of mantras still in use today. Mantras have many uses in our modern lives. They serve to quite the mind for meditation, offer the power to bring focus to your mind, and bring a sense of happiness by countering negative thinking. Mantras are mind tools meant to bring you into a higher state of being, a higher vibration.

The word mantra is believed to originate from the Sanskrit words manas= mind + tra= tool, thereby meaning a “tool for the mind”. Science is beginning to grasp an understanding as to exactly why this ancient technique actually is a mind tool. As humans we have what is known as a “Default Mode Network” or DMN. This DMN is a network of regions within the brain that are active and interacting with one another when a person is not focused on the world outside of himself or herself. Essentially, anytime we are not engaged in a cognitive task or external stimulus our brains are operating in DMN. To an extent this is totally normal, however, there is a correlation between an overactive DMN (someone always in their own heads) and negative thinking. One of the wonderful effects of using the repetition of mantra is by engaging a person in the cognitive task of repeating the mantra, the DMN is deactivated. For ailments such as depression, turning off the negative inner critic or negative ruminating can be the difference between recovery or continued illness.

Mantras are more then just a sound or a word, they are also a vibration. Vibration is the language of energy, and the vibrations of some mantras have the ability to shift our internal energy, which in turn shifts our external energy for the better. When we consciously raise our personal vibrations we experience more synchronicities and positive experiences in our lives. When we keep our energy and vibration high, we attract more of the same into our lives leading to an overall more positive life experience. By raising our vibrations through beneficial mantra we are bringing ourselves into tune with the vibration of love and abundance in the universe.

Mantras have meaning. Because of these meanings, mantras have the ability to strengthen our divine connection, increase our focus, and deepen our self-worth and self-love. Through repetition we increase our connection to the meanings within the mantras allowing the truth of those meanings to burn like a flame as truths in us. When mantra is used to elevate your beliefs of love, truth, and connectedness over time it simply becomes who you are and not just what you believe in.

There are several ways you can begin to incorporate mantra into your life:

• If you have been looking to start a meditation practice the use of mantra is a wonderful tool to help focus the mind from random or not-so random thoughts such as your grocery or to-do list. You can use the mantra in rhythm with your breath or you can just use the mantra when you become aware that your mind has started to wonder. If you are just getting started you can read more about meditation here: https://flowingriverretreat.com/meditation-101/

• Sometimes in life we can find ourselves sort of stuck on a negative past occurrence, an event, interaction, or something observed that has hooked our attention. It’s something our coworker said that rubs us the wrong way, the person who cut us off in traffic, or we wish we would have responded differently in a situation and we replay this over and over in our minds. Anytime you catch yourself in a negative thought loop, using mantra is an excellent way to break the pattern and shift your thinking. Begin by taking a big inhale and an even bigger exhale and then begin your mantra at the pace and length that suits you. You don’t need to repeat the mantra for a long period to get its benefits when using it for this purpose; it really takes less then a minute to shift your mindset.

• A traditional way to use mantra is the practice of  Japa, which translates into “muttering, whispering”.  Sanskrit mantra is used by speaking the mantra out loud, whispering the mantra, or speaking it silently to oneself. Malas or rosaries made of various natural manmade beads are employed in this mantra practice to keep count of the number of times the mantra is recited thus becoming a sacred spiritual tool. Malas and rosaries traditionally have 108 beads but can sometimes be half (54) or a quarter (27) of the 108 beads. 108 is thought to be a significant number in yogic philosophy relating to the planets, therefore it is believed that by repeating a mantra 108 times it helps to bring one into harmony with the universe.

If you’re wondering how to find a mantra, here are a few of my favorites:

• So Hum is a simple mantra that translates literally to So = “That”, Hum = “I”. It’s meaning is “I Am That” or “I Am”. The energy of this mantra is of oneness or becoming one with all and the universe. So Hum is fairly easy to remember as well as pronounce making it a wonderful mantra to start with. When using this mantra try to incorporate your breath with the mantra, such as using “So” on your inhale and “Hum” on your exhale.

• Sat Nam is another simple mantra which translates to Sat = “Truth”, Nam = “Identity”. It’s meaning is “Truth is my Identity”. The energy of this mantra is about identifying with the truth of your own divinity and as a being of this divinity your true nature is love. Sat Nam is another easy to pronounce and remember mantra, making it a handy tool to keep in your toolbox of wellness. Like So Hum, you can use your breath to deepen your mantra practice by using “Sat” on an inhale and “Nam” on an exhale.

• Om/Ohm is a common but powerful mantra. Om/Ohm is a sound/vibration and therefore does not have a literal translation. Om/Ohm is said to be the first and most prevalent sound vibration in the universe. It is the vibration that underlies all other vibrations. The energy of this mantra is of connectedness or oneness with all, as well as bringing oneself into the harmony of the universe. This mantra is uttered exclusively on the exhale, and its use serves to extend the exhale creating more calm in the body and mind.

• Aham Prema is less common but one of my go-to mantras which translates to Aham = “I”, Prema = “Love” or “Affection”. It’s meaning is “I Am Divine Love”. The energy of this mantra is of connecting to the divine love that is our core essence. This mantra is a more energizing mantra and is very easy to sing making it a great mantra to use while being active.

In this modern word we have access to so many amazing tools to increase our life satisfaction and day-to-day experiences, mantra is without a doubt one of those tools with the added benefit of being very easy to incorporate into daily life. If it feels like too much to take on another wellness practice, try to add mantra into your daily life with activities you are already doing, (especially if your body is busy but your mind is free). If you want to try mantra give it a go in meditation, on your commute to work (be sure to use an energizing mantra if you’re driving), walking your dog, while your doing the dishes, folding laundry or any other housework. One of the beautiful things about mantra is that you do not have to say them out loud to get benefits, which means you can use them just about anywhere and anytime.

Wish you more ups then downs in this journey of life. Leave a question or comment if you feel called to do so. Namaste.

Fasting is an ancient practice that is still useful in modern times to clean the body and mind, helping us to live in our healthiest expression. Fasting has gained popularity in the last several years as a health trend for many ailments, including weight loss. Fasting, however has been practiced intentionally and unintentionally for the entire duration of the human species. The human body when free of diseases is well adapted to fast. Throughout our existence, until very recently in the human history there has almost always been food scarcity. Our ancestors hunted and foraged food for their families and tribes. If no animal was killed or plant found then of course that meant no meal was going to be had. Our biology is wired to gain weight rather than lose it, which has served us in the past to help us persist during times of no food. But, in modern times there is an over-abundance of food on a scale we have never known as a species and as a result many people eat out of habit and availability more than hunger.

There are several religions that observe fasting as a part of their practice and observation. Religious fasting is done with the purpose of cleaning the body, being humbled to understand and relate to people around the world who do not have food, breaking the grip of habit by exercising control over the physical body, and to deepen their connection to their higher power by refocusing their spiritually. Lent, Ramadan, and Yom Kipper are several examples of religious based fasting. Each religion has its own perimeters around fasting and when this fasting is done mindfully it has the power to bring many health benefits with it to the faster.

Fasting is an ancient habit that modern science has come to back up. One of the main reasons fasting is so beneficial is due to the autophagy process that is activated by fasting. If you have never heard the term, autophagy translates to “self eat”. Autophagy is a self-healing, self-preserving process in the body. When autophagy is activated the body is cleaning house and getting rid of any compromised or dysfunctional cells throughout the body. The digestive process itself takes up about fifty percent of a person’s energy, possibly even more if that person is eating foods which are disagreeable to their individual body or heavily processed foods. During a fast the energy usually directed to digestion is redirected to cleaning and repairing the body. Because the digestive energy is freed many people who fast regularly report feeling more energized during their fasting state. These processes aid the body in optimal functioning. Additionally, it’s worth noting that longevity science has shown that calorie restriction is the most effective method for anti-aging.

Lastly, before diving into the different types of food fasting, know that fasting is not always limited to food intake. While the overall benefits are different you can make a fast for just about anything that you feel called to take a break from. For example, a fast from TV or electronics can be done, with the possible benefit of having more presence in your daily life or deeper conversations with family/friends. Fasting can be used as a tool to break old habits and rewire new ones. Now, back to dietary fasting, the following are the most popular types of fasting. Not every type of fasting works for every type of body/person and you may have to experiment with the different types to find the one that is sustainable for you since ultimately what is sustainable is what you will practice and therefore get the most benefit from. Furthermore, timing can play a big role in successfully doing a fast, women in particular may find that fasting during menstruation is particularly difficult but work and family stress or lack of proper sleep also tend to have an impact on appetite and will power. Lastly, fasting while a wonderful tool, is not for everyone, individuals who take certain medicines requiring consistent food intake, having metabolic diseases like diabetes, and individuals prone to eating disorders are advised to avoid dietary fasting and would benefit more from non-dietary fasting. Even for the healthy individual its advised to speak to your doctor first and take baby steps rather then jump into a big fast without preparation, a plan, and working up to longer periods.

Water Fasting: is consuming only water for 24hrs or longer as this is the time it takes to activate the autophagy process to rid the body of dysfunctional or damaged cells. The water consumption makes the fast a littler easier as well as hydrating the body and flushing metabolic waste or toxins.

Dry Fasting: is fasting from all foods and liquids for 24hrs or longer as this is the time it takes to activate the autophagy process. Since there are no liquids in this fast it is advised to practice first with the water fast and if possible to practice this fast during cooler weather. Additionally, it is very important to actively deeply hydrate yourself prior to fasting as well as after fasting to flush any metabolic waste. For Muslims, dry fasting is the type of fasting performed during Ramadan from sunrise to sunset based on the prayer calls.

Intermittent Fasting: is typically reducing the time window of eating without reducing the amount of food/calories. There are many ways to do this type of fasting. There is the 16/8 fasting, where a person eats for 8 hours out of the day and refrains from eating the other 16 hrs. Some of this fasting time includes sleep so this fast can be as easy as skipping breakfast or dinner. For people up for a bigger challenge there is also 18/6 fasting. This is reducing the eating window to 6 hrs. a day while abstaining from food for 18hrs a day. Fasting intermittently this way will not activate the autophagy process, however fasting 12 to 18 hrs. will move your body into a fat burning state which can be useful for individuals trying to get more lean. Typically intermittent fasting is done 5-7 days a week and tends to become a lifestyle.

Juice/Soup Fasting: is limiting all intake to very easy to digest juices and soups. Anytime the fiber is reduced, most especially with juicing it is important to be mindful of the sugar content. Juice and soup fasting can be a wonderful way to break an extended water or dry fast.

Whichever fasting you decide to give a try, planning will be your strongest way of ensuring success. Choosing a time where you have freedom and flexibility in your day will ensure that hunger related feelings can be dealt with by taking a nap or going for a walk or any other activity to distract yourself. Taking shorter fasts and working up to a longer fast will help you to be accustomed to navigating how you feel and what you need to do for yourself. Once you get to a place of longer fasting, consuming softer easier to digest foods such as fruit, smoothies, salads, and soups before and after your fast will help your body transition more smoothly into and out of the fasting state. Take your time to discover what works best for you and be gentle with yourself when first beginning to practice fasting.

Wishing you more ups then downs in this journey of life. Feel free to leave us a comment or question. Namaste

Auras are an interesting topic that more people need to know more about. Maybe you’ve heard the word in a new age bookshop or seen an image of a person with layers of colors outlining their body. The Oxford dictionary defines “Aura” as: 1.The distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing, or place. 2. (in spiritualism and some forms of alternative medicine) a supposed emanation surrounding the body of a living creature regarded as an essential part of the individual. (There is also a medical definition of the term aura but that is not what we are talking about here.) Science recognizes a biofield or electromagnetic field that surrounds each of us thought to be generated by the electromagnetic activities of our body. This field is unique to each one of us like an energetic fingerprint but also follows typical patterns within each species, such as hands having an expected shape and function that signifies their normalcy and health.

The human aura is said to have seven layers. Each layer has its own function and an associated color. Most people do have their own predominate color and some people believe that groups of the same dominate color come to earth at the same time, kind of like generations and based on what the collective needs to be balanced. However, it is important to note that the colors of your auric field can change based on your current thoughts and emotions as well as over time from on-going thoughts, experiences, trauma, good/bad health, addiction, and so on. The size of the auric field is also changeable depending on your state of mind, emotions, and overall wellbeing. When a person feels scared they unknowingly draw their aura close to them, when a person is feeling happy, in love, and confident their aura is naturally bigger (and because of that big aura they tend to attract a lot of people). Starting from closest to the body and moving away from the body there is:

The Etheric Layer: it is the most easily seen by people who can see auras. It is connected to the Root Chakra and reaches 2-4 inches out from the body. Its color is said to be a grayish violet but it is often shown as red in photos due to its relation to the Root Chakra however a bright white or yellow is the color I’ve personally seen. This layer is the closest to the physical body energetically and is a lower aspect, meaning it’s more rooted in our physicality.

The Emotional Layer: as you might guess, holds our emotions and feelings. It extends about 1-3 inches from the Etheric layer and is connected to the Sacral Chakra, so you will often see this layer as orange in depictions but the actual color will depend on your emotions, both predominate and in the moment. This layer is also rooted in our physical-ness.

The Mental Layer: contains our thoughts and thought processes such as judgment and “rules”. This layer extends 3-8 inches from the Emotional layer. It is attached to the Solar Plexus and is represented as yellow, but just like the Emotional layer our thoughts have the ability to change and shift the color of this layer. Similar to the chakra system this, third layer is the last layer that is rooted in our physical selves.

The Astral Layer: like the Heart Chakra is the bridge between our physical and spiritual selves. Connected to the Heart Chakra, this layer is depicted as green. The actual color of this layer will depend on the persons relationship with love both romantic and self love or lack of love. It extends about a foot from the Mental layer and holds a higher vibration then the previous 3 layers.

The Etheric Template: is as its name suggests, like a template or blueprint of the etheric body. Extending about two feet from the Astral layer this layer is connected to the Throat Chakra and is represented as light blue. This layers actual color will be influenced by how an individual speaks his or her truth. This layer is the spiritual aspect of our physicality and holds yet an even higher vibration then the previous layer.

The Celestial Body: is connected to the 3^rdEye Chakra and it is the layer, due to its high vibration, where our energy begins to make a spiritual connection. This layer extends out from the Etheric Template about 2.5 feet and is depicted as a dark blue or indigo but, in reality the color will depend on the strength of connection to personal intuition.

Ketheric Layer: is the last and furthest layer from our physical bodies. Connected to the Crown Chakra this layer can extend out 3-5 feet from the Celestial Body and is represented as purple. The individual color of this layer will vary by the depth of spiritual connection. This layer is the highest vibration of all the layers, holds your soul information and blueprint, and it is the most protective of all the other layers. This layer is considered our link the divine and contributes to our feelings of oneness.

You have already experienced the aura of another person but maybe you have not realized you were picking up on that energy. Meeting a person for the first time that you just like, that you have a strong unexplainable desire to have a friendship with before you really know anything about them is a good indication you are feeling their aura, and your aura finds compatibility with their aura. The opposite scenario is that you meet a person and automatically dislike them, this is a sign that your auras do not have compatible energy. Our Auras, believe it or not, actually play a big role in the types of people we seek and bring into our lives. The aura also acts as a protective energetic barrier to our physical bodies. If our aura is strong and healthy, we are strong and healthy. If our aura is weak and damaged, we are on our way to weak and dis-eased, if not already there. This is because we experience everything on an energetic level before we have the physical experience. And, often we have the energetic experience many, many times before we ever see the results physically. A great example of this is our thoughts, which create feelings and emotions. Those feelings and emotions in turn either support positive or negative energy in our auras and bodies. Take a person who is generally happy and positive, if that person catches a cold they are likely to recover quickly with a minor inconvenience in their lives. If another person who is typically moody, negative, and easily stressed were to catch that same cold they can easily take twice as long or longer to get better. While there are many factors involved in illness on an individual level it has been shown that people who think positively recover faster with less complications then people who think negatively. Our thoughts have a big impact on our aura, either acting as an ally and strengthening our auric field or to our detriment by weakening our aura.

The company we keep also has a big impact on the health of our aura. If you have ever noticed feeling tired or depleted after interacting with a specific person, chances are high that they are an energy vampire. I am not going to go deep on this subject here but the simplified version is that throughout your life you will come across people who are literally feeding off of your energy. Some know they are doing it and even do it intentionally, others are completely unaware, but in short when the two of you spend time together they are energized while you are depleted. The best thing to do in this case is to spend as little time as possible with that person.

Another thing worth mentioning is how detrimental addiction is to the auric field. There are many addictions in this world, to many to cover here, but all of them deplete the auric field and energetic protection. The worse the addiction, and the more affected the person is by it, for example a drug addict who commits crimes to get the fix, the more damaged the aura is and the less protection it provides meaning that the person is more prone to being affected by outside negative energies. If recovery does occur that person will have to do a lot of healing to repair their auric field.

Thankfully we do have some power to help the energy of our aura and we are not simply bystanders who just get what we get. By actively shifting your thinking to realistically positive thoughts you help your aura to expand and brighten. Love is the biggest boon to our auric field creating a bubble of beautiful energy all around. Romantic love is the best example of this but the heightened feelings typically diminish, therefore self-love and/or doing an activity that you love is actually the love that will get you the most benefits in having a strong, vibrant aura. Mantras and chanting are wonderful tools to raise your energy and in turn expand your auric field. There are many to choose from so just choosing one that makes you feel good when you use it is key. Eating fresh vibrant foods is another way to strengthen your aura since these foods have more energy then process and precooked foods. Wearing or working with crystals can also help to balance, strengthen, and expand your aura, once again allow your intuition to direct what you most need by choosing a stone you are attracted to. Lastly, meditation can be a good way to keep your aura healthy, by bringing more peace and balance into your emotions and thought processes. Explore any method you feel called to and see if you begin to notice a difference in your overall energy or how people interact with you, you might be surprised.

Wishing you more ups than downs in this journey of life. Feel free to leave a comment or question. Namaste.

The Gift of Time

A few years ago I knew a man who said he always liked to give himself the “gift of time” when he was in a conversation or personal interaction, and especially if that conversation had a passionate or disagreeing nature. This is a phrase that has stuck with me because it empowers us to show up more clearly in our conversations and interactions.

If you are wondering exactly what this “gift of time” is, it is that moment of pausing or taking a step back (literally or figuratively) before reacting. It is the stopping of automaticity and the engaging of intention in our communication. This gift is the difference between reacting and responding. It is the contrast of being in the driver’s seat or just going along for the ride.

When we gift ourselves with this time to be aware of our thoughts and actions we are able to take more charge over how we engage in our own lives. We are acting from a place of logic and conscience. We can see the bigger picture of how our words and actions have an impact not only on the other people involved, but also on what we actually want to achieve through our communications and interactions. Often, in hindsight, with a little introspection it is easy to see how the way we showed up through our tone, choice of words, volume, and even body language had an impact on the desired outcome of our conversation. It is truly powerful to be able to express thoughts, ideas, and concerns with clarity and intention. To say what you mean and mean what you say. Taking that moment to pause and gather your thoughts can be the difference between a positive outcome and a negative outcome, the latter requiring much more energy to shift back into harmony. When we give ourselves the gift of time we are responding to the person, people, and situations in our lives allowing us to be proactive in our expressions and giving us the power to direct our communications towards better outcomes. In an experiment by a well-known relationship expert, couples were observed together during interactions of stressful topics. During the experiment once the conversation became heated and heart rates were 100+ beats per minute the couples were told there was some technical issues and they we asked to wait separately while the equipment was fixed, once the couples were brought back together they had a much more calm and logical approach to the topic. The couples did not know that the actual experiment was in separating them to observe if the time apart would have an impact on their reactiveness, and indeed it did.

Science has demonstrated that it takes 1.5 minutes for an emotion to arise and then dissipate, unless it is fed into by our thoughts and actions. What this means is that taking a brief break from our conversation or interaction just may prevent an unjustified emotional outburst. Think back to the last time you hit send on a text message or let a word or two slip, that you wanted to take back because you did not “really” mean to say “that” or to be hurtful and to speak in a way that did not honor yourself as a being of love. And, lets face it, sometimes the person who is on the receiving end of our emotions may not even be the source of those feelings to begin with, so taking a step back can help us realize this. When we do and say things we do not mean because we do not stop to think about the bigger picture; why we have the feelings we have, and what the outcome will be, and if it’s the outcome we want, then we then end up having to do damage control afterwards in hopes of repairing our mistake.

The “gift of time” is the art of responding. It may take some practice and it requires cultivating self-awareness of your emotions but your efforts will be rewarded with communication that is outcome focused and with less time spent trying to undo any resulting harm from saying or doing things unintentionally.

A proven way to take a step back if you are getting upset in a conversation or interaction is to do 4X4 breathing. Simply inhale for 4 counts and exhale for 4 counts, continuing this breath for 60 seconds or longer. If it feels better you can increase to 5X5 or even 6X6. When you redirect your attention from your thoughts and feelings to your breath it allows your body to reset and allows you to approach your conversation or interaction from a calm and logical place.

Wishing you more ups then downs in this journey of life. If you feel called to do so leave us a comment or question. Namaste.

Sahasrara, Crown Chakra

The Crown Chakra is the 7^th chakra of the seven major chakras. Sahasrara is the Sanskrit name for this chakra meaning “Thousand (Spoked or Petalled (Lotus))” because this chakra radiates like the rays of the sun, extending our soul up into the cosmos and connecting us with our Divine Source when it is healthy, balanced and open. The main function of this chakra is “To Know” as it is our connection to Spirit and to our innate wisdom. The Crown Chakra is known as the seat of liberation allowing us to dissolve our attachment to ego resulting in the union of our truest and highest selves. The lower six chakras are a journey through the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of being, coming together and building up to the shifts needed to allow our Crown Chakra to fully open. When our Crown Chakra is healthy and balanced we experience feelings of unity, wisdom, bliss, understanding, and an awareness of our own divinity. When this chakra is blocked or out of balance we may be spacy, suffer from mental illness, have depression, learning disabilities, or apathy, as well as feeling as though we are alone and separate.

Along with opening, strengthening, and balancing the other six chakras here are ways to work with the Crown Chakra:

• Violet & White are the colors most associated with this chakra. Color can be utilized by wearing violet or white clothing, visualizing one of the colors as a radiant ball above your head where the crown chakra is located, or eating violet/purple colored foods such as purple kale, mulberries, grapes, and any other naturally colored purple food.

• OM/AUM is the seed sound of the Crown Chakra. Om can be chanted to strengthen and balance the connection to all. Additionally, because the Om seed sound also has a symbol, quieting the mind while gazing at the symbol is of benefit.

• Crystals are wonderful tools to work with the chakras. They can be worn, used in meditation, placed around your home in areas where you relax and also placed under your pillow while you sleep. The following crystals are beneficial for the crown chakra: diamond or Herkimer diamond, amethyst, clear quartz or any other purple, white or clear gemstone you feel called to work with.

• Essential oils that support this chakra are frankincense, myrrh, and sandalwood. These oils can be diffused in your home or car, or can be worn diluted.

• Affirmations are a powerful tool to shift your thoughts to bring in healthy balanced qualities you wish to nurture. The following affirmations help focus good energy to the crown chakra:

“I am one with ALL”

“I am wise and share my wisdom”

“Bliss is my true nature”

• Yoga is a way to bring balance into our entire being. The following yoga asanas or postures can be practiced to bring vitality to the Crown Chakra:

Headstand

Rabbit Pose

Corpse Pose

I invite you to explore any or all of these tips to work with your Crown Chakra. Each of these suggestions is powerful tool when used with intention to help you create the life and experience you desire. Trust that what you are drawn to is because it will have benefit for you.

Ajna, Third Eye Chakra

The Third Eye Chakra is the 6^th of the seven major chakras. Ajna, the Sanskrit name for the 3^rd Eye Chakra means “Command” due to its function as our command-center and is the key to accessing our higher perspective. The main function of this chakra is “To Perceive” as it is the gateway to our intuition or inner knowing. When this chakra is open and balanced we experience insight, clarity, a connectedness and belief in our intuition, vision to imagine our lives the way we desire it, and it gives us a deeper perception to the larger picture of our lives and relationships. When the 3^rd Eye Chakra is closed or out of balance we can experience a disconnection to our intuition, headaches/migraines, hallucinations, nightmares, sleep disorders, and sinus problems.

Ways to bring balance to the 3^rdEye Chakra:

• Indigo is the color most associated with this chakra. The indigo color can be utilized by wearing indigo clothing, visualizing indigo light at the center of your forehead where the chakra is located, and eating foods that resonate with this chakra such as grapes, blackberries, plums, eggplant, and any other naturally indigo/purple colored foods.

• OM/AUM is the seed sound of the 3^rd Eye Chakra. Om can be chanted to strengthen and balance the seat of our intuition. Additionally, because the Om seed sound also has a symbol, quieting the mind while gazing at the symbol can be used as a meditation to bring vitality to this chakra.

• Gemstones such as sodalite, lapis lazuli, and azurite, as well as any other deep blue/indigo/deep purple crystals you are called to work with can be worn as earrings, used in meditation, or simply placed in spaces of your home where you relax to bring in vibrations that heal the 3^rd Eye Chakra.

• Essential oils that support this chakra are clary sage, rosemary, and ylang ylang. These oils can be diffused in your home or car or can be worn diluted. (With strong oils such as rosemary always use small amounts if applied to the skin and test for sensitivity.)

• Affirmations are a powerful tool to shift your thoughts and bring in health, balanced qualities that you wish to nurture. The following affirmations help to strengthen the 3^rd Eye Chakra energy:

“My intuition is strong and clear”

“I trust and follow my inner guidance”

“I see the bigger picture in relationships and situations”

• Yoga is a practice to bring balance to our entire being. The following yoga asanas or postures can be practiced to bring more vitality and awareness to the seat of our intuition:

Child’s Pose

Wide-Legged Forward Fold

Dolphin Pose

I invite you to explore any or all of these tips to balance and strengthen your 3^rd Eye Chakra. Each of these suggestions is powerful tool when used with intention to help you create the life and experience you desire. Trust that what you are drawn to is because it will have benefit for you.

 Vissudha, Throat Chakra

The Throat Chakra is the 5^thof the seven major chakras. Vissudha is the Sanskrit name for this chakra, meaning “Purity” and is related to the need to balance and open the lower chakras 1-3 and the 4^thchakra in order to fully activate, open, and balance this chakra. This is because the throat chakra is about expressing your truth with honesty and purity, most especially to yourself, requiring a lack of fear (1^stchakra), creativity (2^ndchakra), personal power (3^rdchakra), as well as compassion and love (4^thchakra). The main focus of the throat chakra is “Self Expression & Life Purpose”. When our throat chakra is open and balanced we can experience our truth, purpose, our expression and communication is compassionate, and we experience synchronicities in life. When the throat chakra is blocked one can experience teeth and gum issues, hearing problems, and thyroid imbalances, as well as habitual lying, a fear of speaking and a lack of purpose.

Ways to help bring balance to the Throat Chakra:

• Blue is the color of the throat chakra and can be used by visualizing a ball of color at the throat area, wearing blue clothing, and eating blue colored foods such as blueberries, blue-green algae and blue potatoes.

• HAM is the seed sound of the Throat Chakra and can be chanted to strengthen and open this energy center of personal truth.

• Gemstones such as lapis lazuli, turquoise, blue kyanite or any other blue stone you are drawn to can be worn as a necklace or earrings. Additionally, these crystals can be meditated with or simply kept nearby in relaxing areas of the home.

• Essential oils that support the throat chakra becoming fully expressed are jasmine, lavender, and frankincense. These oils can be worn diluted or diffused in the home or car.

• Affirmations, a powerful tool, can be used to shift your thoughts and bring in the healthy, balanced qualities that you wish to nurture. The following affirmations help to strengthen the throat chakras energy:

“I live my truth by speaking my truth”

“I am guided to live my purpose”

“I express myself with compassion”

• Yoga is a practice meant to bring balance into the entire being. The following yoga asanas or poses can be used to focus on the throat chakra:

Lion’s Breath Pose

Shoulder Stand Pose

Plow Pose

I invite you to explore any or all of these tips to balance and strengthen your throat chakra. Each of these suggestions is powerful tool when used with intention to help you create the life and experience you desire. Trust that what you are drawn to will have benefit for you.

Anahata, Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra is the 4^th of the seven main chakras. Anahata is the Sanskrit name for this Chakra meaning “Unstruck” referring to the Vedic concept of unstruck sound, encompassing a calmness which is without violence. The main focus of this chakra is “Love & Connection” and it is the well within us that compassion and serenity flow from. When this chakra is open and balanced we experience deep love, trust, connection, balance, an ability to surrender our control, and equanimity in our lives and relationships. When the heart chakra is blocked or stagnant ailments of the heart, lungs, and breasts can arise, as well as feelings of loneliness, disconnectedness, and anti-social behaviors.

Ways to help keep the Heart Chakra balanced:

• Green is the color most associated with the heart chakra, however pink is also a color that resonates with this love-energy center. Color can be used to contribute to a healthy heart chakra by visualizing it in the physical heart/sternum area where the chakra is located and by eating green foods brings.

• YAM is the seed sound of the Heart Chakra and can be chanted to help strengthen and balance this center of compassion.

• Crystals such as emerald, green aventurine, and rose quartz, as well as any other green or pink stones which you feel called to can be worn as pendants, meditated with or kept nearby in areas of your home where you relax to bring in the loving and healing vibrations of the heart chakra.

• Essential oils which support the heart chakra are rose, rosewood and neroli. These oils can be worn diluted or diffused in your home or car.

• Affirmations are a powerful tool to shift your thoughts and bring in the healthy, balanced qualities that you wish to nurture. The following affirmations help to strengthen the heart chakras energy:

“I am a being of love, both loving and lovable”

“I am compassionate”

“I am calm and balanced”

• Yoga is a practice to balance our entire being. The following yoga asanas or postures bring more vitality into our heart centers:

Camel Pose

Upward Facing Dog

Wheel Pose

I invite you to explore any or all of these tips to balance and strengthen your heart chakra. Each of these suggestions is powerful tool when used with intention to help you create the life and experience you desire. Trust that what you are drawn to is because it will have benefit for you.

Manipura, Solar Plexus

The Solar Plexus is the 3^rdof the seven main chakras. Manipura, which is the Sanskrit name, means “Lustrous Gem” which, is representative of the precious nature this chakra’s role plays. The main focus of the Solar Plexus is “Power and Identity” and indeed is the foundation of our personal power, which informs and shapes our identity. A healthy, open Solar Plexus fill us with confidence, humor, mental clarity, will power, and the personal strength (power) to be able to act on our passions and ideas. In essence it allows us to show up authentically and fully in our own lives. When the Solar Plexus is out of balance a person may experience low self-esteem, rage, timid-ness, chronic fatigue, and issues related to the digestion and processing of nourishment.

Ways to keep the Solar Plexus balanced:

• Yellow is the color associated with this chakra. Yellow can be used by: visualizing a vibrant yellow color below the ribcage, above the navel in the diaphragm area, by wearing the color yellow, and by eating yellow colored foods such as: yellow squash, melon, and golden delicious apples.

• RAM is the seed sound of the Solar Plexus and can be chanted to help balance and strengthen your Lustrous Gem.

• Gemstones especially resonate with the energy of the Solar Plexus and can be worn as jewelry or carried on your person. Meditating while holding your crystal or placing it nearby can also be a powerful way to bring this energy into your Solar Plexus. Some gemstones to use are: citrine (natural), tiger’s eye, and honey calcite, however any yellow colored crystal you are attracted to will work nicely.

• Essential oils that can be worn (diluted) or diffused in your environment are: bergamot, ginger, or lemon.

• Affirmations are another powerful tool to work with your chakras. When we begin an affirmation with “I am” we bring the words following into our experience. Here are a few to help with the Solar Plexus:

“I am powerful”

“I can do anything”

“I live my life authentically”

• Yoga is a tool that we can use to help keep our Solar Plexus strong and balanced with the added benefit of contributing to a balance in our whole being. The following asanas or postures are beneficial for the Solar Plexus:

Boat Pose

Reverse Plank

Warrior 3

Implementing any of these tools is a great way to help bring stability and balance into your Solar Plexus. You can choose one or two or you can combine many of them to fit what resonates with you and trust that what you are called to include is because it is the most beneficial for you.

Svadhisthana, Sacral Chakra

The Sacral Chakra is the 2^ndof the seven main chakras. Svadhisthana, the Sanskrit name for the chakra means “One’s Own Place” and is representative of our emotional body, encompassing our sexuality and creativity. The main focus of this chakra is “Emotions and Intimacy” and it governs our connection to our partners and the creative force in our lives present through the act of creating another life as well as the creative expression found in passions such as making music, art, food, and other form of expression. A healthy, open Sacral Chakra leads to a sense of joy, sensuality, creativity, fertility, and ability to indulge in pleasure. When the Sacral Chakra is out of balance a person may experience issues around sexuality and fertility, fear and insecurity, jealousy, disorders of the sexual organs, rigidity, and a lack of inspiration or creative expression.

Ways to help keep the Sacral Chakra balanced:

• Orange is the color associated with the Sacral Chakra, visualizing this color in the area above the pubic bone and below the navel, wearing orange and eating orange colored foods can all contribute to a healthy Sacral Chakra.

• VAM is the seed sound of the Sacral Chakra and can be chanted to help strengthen and balance this sensual and creative chakra.

• Crystals the resonate with this energy center are: carnelian, peach moonstone, orange aventurine, and any other orange colored gems which can be worn or kept in your pockets.

• Essential oils that can be worn (always dilute before applying to your skin) or diffused in your space are cardamom, clary sage, and orange blossom.

• Affirmations are another powerful tool to work with your chakras. When we begin an affirmation with “I am” we bring the words following into our experience. Here are a few to help with the Sacral Chakra:

I am creative, and adaptable.

I am sensual and sexual.

I enjoy life’s pleasures.

• Yoga is a wonderful tool to help strengthen your Sacral Chakra energy center and contributes to an overall sense of wellbeing. The following asanas or postures are beneficial for our center of creativity:

Bow Pose

Low Lunge

Goddess Pose

Any or all of these tools can be used, individual or combined, to help bring strength and vitality into your Sacral Chakra. Trust your intuition that what you are most called to implement is the best choice for you.