grounding

I saw it in a crystal shop in Pune, India, and I couldn't put it down. It was calling to me. Something inside urged me to listen and I held it next to my navel center as I sorted through the array of stone carved bowls, silk scarves and other delicate trinkets. Its color was warm, comforting and powerful. I felt stronger and more able to see what would unfold for me from there after the soul-transformative experience I had just engaged in for the previous four months. This Citrine had to come home with me, there was no doubt.

Hold the ground, that’s what I tell myself. Hold the ground. I’ve been telling myself this for the past few months. The term tree hugger has an entirely new meaning for me. Lately, I find myself clutching trees, holding trees, and hugging trees to anchor myself to the earth. Knowing how to work with the first chakra--also known as the root chakra--is essential to feeling grounded and confident in our ability to fulfill our potential. Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is a powerful circle of energy that gives us a sense of well-being and safety.

The earth is a treasure chest full of magical tools for healing and alignment. The very ground we walk on is made up of crystals and metals that are vibratory in nature and affect our very being. By learning the properties and vibratory qualities of different stones and metals we can partner with them to adjust our own personal vibration, align with the pulse of the earth, heal and live more authentically. This article is meant to be a simple introduction to the healing power of crystals and gemstones. I hope you can find resonance in the words and joy in this mutual journey!

In Chinese Meridian Theory there are 5 Elements and each Element corresponds to a time of the year. Now, we are in the season of Earth, the late summer time of year. These are the last few hot days of summer, which will soon be turning into autumn. The Earth Element is about being grounded.

One of my yoga teachers says we don’t notice the breath until we’re out of it.

By the time I started a yoga teacher training in 2011, I was out of it, both figuratively and literally: my breath was labored, shallow, strained. I was a first-year 4^th grade teacher, and my heart was always racing, whether I was standing in front of my classroom, lying in bed, or brushing my teeth. I was clearly overwhelmed, my body was rebelling, and I couldn’t find the off switch. I was sure my short, panicky breaths were announcing my anxiety to the world.

Maybe you’ve heard yoga is great for your body, mind, and spirit, but you can’t get into it. Maybe you’ve been doing yoga for years, but you don’t feel as connected to your practice as you used to.

Some of us commit to a particular yoga style and never look back, but if you’re still looking for that perfect asana practice, or you want to mix things up in your current practice, you might find the remedy through the discovery of your dosha.

Power struggles seem to be more and more common as the number of individuals “taking back their power” increases. Where perhaps men, corporations, religious figures, medical practitioners and “anyone in a position of authority” used to automatically assume the upper hand in both conversation and assumed appropriate action, these days individuals are learning how to manage their own lives. Yogic breathing is the perfect tool to use when looking at how to alleviate the potentially harmful affects of power-struggles in any relationship situation, be it work, intimate or otherwise.

4-7-8 breathing is the kegel of mindfulness cultivation. You can do it quickly, any time, anywhere, with great results, and without anyone even noticing (okay, unless you’re in the middle of a conversation and decide to practice deep breathing—you got me there). As an added bonus, its practice isn’t limited to beings of the female variety. In fact, it’s not limited to anyone at all. You don’t have to be female, crunchy, green, hip, square, a yogi, a hippie, or an MD. You just have to breathe.

Breathing. You might say it’s important.

Sure, we know it is life juice – a necessity to think, do, speak, say, move about our ways. But what is the real deal behind breathing? Why do yogis and mindfulness practitioners believe in the power of the breath?

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir

Imagine walking through a forest - the soil hugs the soles of your feet, birds chirp in the distance, and the smells of moss and morning dew fill your nostrils. Sounds nice, right? Turns out, there's a science to it.