Happy Easter Friends!

I am enjoying this Spring weather, and nothing makes me happier than digging in the dirt. I am working on getting my south side of my house prepped for my new plant babies! I’ve been growing plants from seed that still need time to get big and strong. I have cannas I got from a friend I’ll be planting, and I heard from my favorite farmer I can get my dirt tested. Isn’t that music to your ears? I wanted to know what would thrive best in this sunny area. I cannot wait to explore this! I want blackberries, elderberries, tomatoes (later in May), and roses. I’m thinking they would all require the same type of dirt, but I’ll wait till I get my results. 

So far me and my husband pulled bushes in the front yard and evened out the dirt and placed pavers to extend an outside sitting area. JOY! I love sitting outside and working or just reading a book. Any reason to be outside is my highlight. I still need to pick out furniture and a new umbrella so stay tuned for an update!  

My 21 day Spring reset is over as of today. What a great time I spent recovering from the winter and introducing lots of bitter greens to my diet. I began to forage and really love doing so. There is something so grounding to find and eat your food. It’s amazing and powerful to trust myself fully in this process. I tell you the things that brought me joy just a year ago, things I never would have let go, cannot hold a candle to this year. I have grown so much and I have learned so much. I look back in amazement. Me. (Pat on back.) 

I am working on planting seeds not only for my garden but for my life. I am exploring many avenues in my life and being fully committed to things/people that bring me joy. I am done spending my time doing things that bring me down. I cannot lose sight of my future I’m planning. I worked so hard to get here in a place of peace and comfort. I feel so grown up. It’s about time and I’m planting my seeds so my roots become so rooted nothing can uproot me. (I’m back.) 

I find the most peace on my mat. I am trusting myself more and pushing my limits as I explore new poses and possibilities. I am working on getting my arm, core, leg strength in shoulder stand. I’m not perfect in my pose but building muscle by practicing. I get most of my guided instruction on my W.I.P. (work in progress) poses on Saturdays during “yogi playtime”. Trust the process and ask for help. Yoga teachers love to help, if not, then find another teacher.  

We are learning about twisty yoga poses and how they move and squeeze organs and why we want to move our organs in a safe, controlled twist. I seriously was so shallow in my thinking that when I turn my upper body to stretch that it was only involving my bones and muscles. There are organs in there too that need to move and groove. The twist stops the blood flow to the organ and squishes it to then release all the blood flow (think about ringing out a sponge). The new oxygenated blood will feed into the organ and bring new energy. Makes sense, right? I love being a student and learning so much about my body. 

Wim Hof progress is happening and I’m gaining control over the forceful breathing out. I like to breath slow and full when I’m concentrating on breath. This is a new one for me so it’s still a W.I.P. I do enjoy the work and my mind is free of distractions. Just me, my breath, and I. If you are just starting a daily meditation. I highly suggest sitting on the floor to feel more grounded or laying on the ground and listening to a guided meditation. Try 5 minutes and work your way up. Meditation is key to getting you in line with the day. It’s quiet time, just a little pep talk and encouragement to all your whole being to produce the best day possible.  

In my Ayurveda group we are working on self-massage. Do you massage yourself? Ideally, you will brush the dead skin off, lay a towel down and sit on it, and rub your body with oil. The longer you let it soak in the better, work up to 20 minutes. Then, you will bathe/shower and not use any soap. The oil traps the dirt and rinses off with water. I’ve read about oil in the drains and that scares me, so I dry brush, shower/bathe, then self-massage with oil. You should massage up and down on the bones and rub in circles on the joints. See if you sleep better. I am making sure I oil my feet with a good sesame/almond oil blend (try this) and mix it with my favorite scents. Currently, I am using 20 drops ylang ylang, 20 drops vanilla, and 20 drops cardamom. It is divine. I added it to 2 oz. Sesame oil and 2 oz. Almond oil. 

I look forward to spending time with my family today and enjoy the beautiful weather! I planned meals and grocery shopped last night so I cannot wait to share some more recipes! Please drop a line on what you would like lightened up or a new perspective on an ingredient. Food is fuel but good food nourishes the soul!

Namaste, friends!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.