Happy Monday Friends!

I’m so very excited to begin this week! Last week was one for the books! I deadlocked my business plan and I’m ready to get the ok to start selling my lemonade at the farmer’s market! It could be as early as THIS WEEKEND!! GULP!

I am 1 week in with my dandelion oil infusion. I bought bees wax and shea wax from my honey dealer, and I plan on making my dandelion salve this weekend so stay tuned! Dandelion is excellent for sore muscles and joints which I will need in the summer months since I’m constantly moving. I cannot wait to play with this recipe.

I also came across a recipe for sore joints using pine needles, juniper berries, chamomile, and sage wrapped in a cheesecloth. You will place under running water when preparing your bath. This sounds amazing! It’s good to look ahead at options to use when you are sore and achy. You can store it after it dried in a mason jar for a few uses. I need this after my weekend of gardening and fixing my compost.

I feel very in charge of my life this Monday. It’s a pretty dope feeling to have control. I actually finished my “To Do” list last week and that was a BIG list so I’m completely in awe of myself. Pat back. Now I can sit and wait for my life plans to unfold and watch my newly planted seeds emerge.

I only did my yoga classes 2 times last week. I ran into many time constraints and instead of stressing I decided to go with my gut on what needed to be done and worried no more. I’m itching to get back with my yogi friends! This is going to be a great week as I’m all in 7 yoga classes in 7 days.

Spring is definitely in full swing, and I feel so rejuvenated by it. Spring renewal, when everything is rebirthed and fresh. My husband created a metal art piece about 7 – 8 years ago and this Robin keeps building her nest there every year. Well, every year up until now the eggs get eaten 😦 This year as I was planting my Cannas and Dahlia’s I peeked and was shocked to see 2 babies and 1 egg. What a beautiful sight!

I hope you have the best week ever! I feel very connected to my goals again and glad last week was as productive as it was. I’m going to soak away my sore muscles and get ready for a busy weekend again.

Namaste, my friends!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi.

Hello my tired friends,

I just wanted to share my comfy cozy bedtime ritual that I love to spoil myself with most nights. Get the kettle on and let’s unwind!

I try to wind down about 1 – 1.5 hours before I go to bed. I begin by drawing a bath. I love to read and lately I’ve been cold all the time. I love using my rose bath salts to soften my skin and help alleviate my sore yogi body. I try not to forget to dry brush before I soak but this is a work in progress still.

After my soak, I’ll use my favorite body oil and carefully massage into my skin. Depending on my body soreness I’ll spend 10 – 15 min massaging the oil into my tired skin. Next up is my face care routine. I wash and exfoliate (cause I’m 40 and cell turnover is slow) my face and will either apply a facial mask or follow up with eye cream, serum, & rosehip oil. I use a gua sha tool to drain my lymphatic fluid from my neck, chin, and face. I love this part because my face has been looking tight and great! I apply a nighttime moisturizer after and exit to my kitchen.

I will take my CDB tincture, melatonin, or valerian root herbs to help me get tired. I suggest you ask your Dr. which herbal supplement may help you better sleep. I also heat up my kettle or almond milk to make chamomile lavender rose tea or turmeric milk. I tell you that these drinks are immeasurable!

For my turmeric milk I add 2 C. almond milk (or any other milk or plant milk), 1 tsp. turmeric, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. ginger powder (or 1 or 2 slices of fresh ginger) and heat slowly. After heated I will pour in my cup and let cool a few minutes and add 1 – 2 tsp honey and enjoy.

My chamomile tea is 1 T. chamomile, 1 tsp. rose buds and 1 tsp. lavender which I steep with boiling water for 15 – 20 minutes. I do not need any honey in this beauty. I just drink hot or iced. This is an A+! Try it!

I cannot begin to speak enough on how much I enjoy my bed. It’s in my kapha dosha and I am so kapha. I learned to utilize it outside of just sleep. I will journal my day and reflect. Just as we digest food, we need time to digest our day or experiences. I love to savor on the thoughts and memories of the day.

This may or may not spark a blog post. Either way I’ll write or read. I’m enjoying writing my truths and being transparent even though it’s scary as hell! I feel so vulnerable yet so healed from it. I can’t explain it….maybe one day.

About 30 minutes before bed, I will take off my mask if I applied one and follow up with my face routine and brush and floss my teeth. I’m typically wrapping up my nightly abhyanga with a foot rub to get me fully relaxed before I close my eyes.

I have this pinned down and can do it all with my eyes closed, maybe not ALL of it, LOL! Enjoy unwinding with your favorite drink and your favorite ways to relax. These are just a few of mine and they bring me so much joy. If I don’t feel like doing something one night, I won’t do it. The point of my ritual is all things that bring me joy and give me the gift of sleep. That is all.

Let me know your favorite routine or try mine and see what you like. It’s a great experiment to get you in the mood to sleep. It’s a win-win! You get a good night sleep and you get to know yourself better by finding out what gets you in the mood….to sleep! Night, night!

Namaste!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi.

Happy Thursday, Friends!

What a beautiful misty day it’s been! I’ve been busy creating and working on stellar projects! I’ll update you on Sunday! I’m trying to hone in on my morning routine still but that night night routine is an actual keystone habit. A keystone habit is one you don’t have to think about. You just do it and it lines up other habits to support you fully.

My keystone is early to bed, and I’ll share tips to help alleviate the stress and get you ready to rest your tired, overworked mind and body🙏🏽

I typically start my morning without an alarm. My husband’s been waking at 4am this week so I get up around 4:30. I use the bathroom, brush my teeth, scrape my tongue, and use my Nettie pot to flush my sinuses followed by Nayasa oil.

I began my meditation with morning sage. A great tip is to take off a leaf and burn that. Just a single leaf so your bundle lasts forever! I grew my own sage last year and bundled it for my prayers and meditations. I bought amethyst (crown chakra) & citrine (solar plexus chakras) to assist me keeping my chakras balanced and each stone serves a purpose. My citrine attracts wealth & success and if you place it directly on your root chakra for 15 – 20 min it regulates energy and stamina. So in case you were wondering what that pocket in your panties were for…. wonder no more😂

After, my meditation & water therapy (I chugged 2 – 24 oz. Cups of water) I stretched and moved in the form of 4 – 5 full sun salutations to greet the morning! Yummy! I like to get in some twists to preheat the digestive fire oven! I usually don’t eat till 11 or so but no harm in getting my body ready for lunch!

Post sun salutations I went outside with my dogs, and I enjoyed the clouds and got in some steps. I love grounding my day being outside.

I spent the morning working my day job. Lunch was a hit, and I created a new recipe based off my friend’s nettle soup she shared with me. It uses nettles, potatoes, lots of garlic, chicken broth, lemon peel and the lemon juice. This soup is so bright and lovely.

Me and my mother-in-law decided to meet up and shop for plants when I ended my day job duties. I absolutely love all the possibilities and enjoy digging in the dirt! My M.I.L. does too so we are best friends! LOL! I bought St. Johns Wart which (yes, the sleep/antidepressant herb) has the most beautiful flowers! Also, bee balm, golden rod, dutchman’s pipe, and so many dahlias and black satin petunias.

For dinner I enjoyed a chicken salad. I marinated my chicken in sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and coconut sugar then grilled it! Yum! I added it to my Dole salad mix, added mandarin oranges and this was a great dinner! Full!

I made it to my Wednesday class of Yin Yoga. I love it! We hold our poses for quite a while and there’s nowhere to escape to! Just you, your breath, and the pose. How positively freeing it is to me. I give myself too much leniency and with Yin I accept the rawness of my thoughts and use all the love I can muster to alleviate the intrusive thoughts without moving out of my asana. It’s a lot for real! Like if I let go of the pain and concentrate on my breath, I find my jaw tightens or my shoulders hunch. The trauma and self-doubt have to live somewhere, right? I am working on this which feels like it’ll be a lifetime! But I have nowhere to be but here.

My favorite time of the day is my night routine. Yoga was amazing and I’m ready to unwind fully. I used my dry brush to help scrape off the day and I draw my bath using my rose scented bath salts and bubbles. I made myself some moon water with roses and essential oils from the last full moon, and I add all to the bath and nestle in with a great book. Right now, I’m reading “Violeta” by Isabel Allende.

After my bath I did self-massage with my sesame oil and some rose lotion and dressed for my comfy bed. It’s 9 pm and I’m oiling my feet with intention to every inch. Feet like to be touched and oiled, I’m finding. It helps me sleep like a baby. I also take Valerian root or melatonin as needed to get me in the mood for sleep. I heated up some turmeric milk to aid with sleep as well. Yummy! I mean…yawnnnn! I love my Insight timer which has thousands of meditations loaded on the app. It’s free and I love it! I played “Back to Sleep” by Andrew Johnson. Way better than counting sheep.

This has been a really amazing day and I signed up for my herbalist classes. I’m so excited to begin this journey! I can’t wait to take you with me, and we can learn together! Well, I’m off to dreamland and we’ll talk soon! Have a great week and enjoy the beauty in everything!

Namaste!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi.

This soup is like the sun on a crisp spring day. It’s bright, warm, and alive! My friend gave me her nettle recipe sans measurements (who needs those?) and I added my own flair and here she is.

I used my processed (washed and placed in boiling water for 30 – 60 seconds) nettles I picked recently. I sauteed onions until translucent with roasted garlic and raw garlic.

I added potatoes and chicken broth until the potatoes were soft.

I mixed it all in a blender with the nettles and whirled it into submission.

I added lemon juice to finish my soup. Yum, yum!

Recipe:

2 C. Nettles (already processed)

2 C. red potatoes

1 bulb roasted garlic

3 crushed garlic cloves

1 C. chopped onion

4 C. chicken broth

Lemon zest from 1 lemon

juice from 1 lemon or 3 T.

Chop onion and cook until translucent. Add both garlics and add potatoes. Add chicken broth. When potatoes are fork tender add to the blender with nettles and process until creamy.

Serve hot!

Enjoy!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

**Take note with how you feel and journal. Remember food is an experience and taste is so super important. If you don’t like an ingredient I shared then replace it with your favorite(s). Food is personal and if you can tweak this to fit your tastes then I have done my job. I love to share my experiences and most importantly if what I’m eating will pay me and my body back with health and nourishment then I will try it all!** 

This information is for education purposes, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Life Asanas and Pranayama Mama recommends that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional before using any recommended herbal products, particularly if you take other medications, or if you are nursing, pregnant, or expecting to become pregnant. 

Happy Sunday, Friends!

I have been busy tending to my little seeds I’ve been planting this year and have they grown! Let’s take a walk around the garden and see what’s been happening!

I have been wanting to get my foot in the door to sell my gourmet lemonade and I made so much headway this past week. I actually have my official business and I’m currently getting my business plan wrapped up. I plan on selling at my local farmer’s market to start. I just love sharing my appreciation for food and tasty drinks. I cannot wait to embark on this adventure, and I will be sharing more information as it unfolds. Who knew how much work it can be to sell lemonade! I mean, when life hands you lemons… start a business.

Another yoga filled week and not without flaws and new asanas in the practice round! I am really focusing on my mind-body connection. I want to feel my way into a position but in order to do that I have to look at my position to make sure it’s correct and close my eyes and match the feeling of engagement with my mind. I don’t know if it’s just me in my weirdness, but I walk around in the dark (most of the time with my eyes closed) to be fully aware with my area. I’ll walk from my bedroom into the kitchen for a glass of water with my eyes closed. I feel more connected with using my other senses to guide me there. I love testing my knowledge without being aware of that knowledge. I know, I’m weird.

There are many positions I can automatically flow to in my yoga poses and it’s in sync with my breath and I’m fully present in my mind and breath. I want to venture out of my comfort and explore my edge, my vulnerability. So many lessons to learn here. Stay tuned.

Last week, I met new friends that own a business and teach how to forage and create earth healing compounds. They are nearby my mother in laws house. What a beautiful world this is. I enjoyed learning so much and appreciated the time my new friends took on my questions and even showed me weeds that I can eat now. JOY! I bought a book called “Braiding Sweet Grass” by Robin Well Kimmerer, Santo Palo sticks, and cedar incense.

I began picking dandelion flowers this week and dried them for 24 hours and placed in a mixture of sweet almond oil and olive oil. They are sleeping right now but should be ready to attempt to make a salve for bug bites in a few weeks so stay tuned! I also dried stinging nettles and purple dead nettle for teas. I can’t wait to show off my apocatherapy cabinet soon! It’s a work in progress.

I enjoyed our local film festival this last week. I went to 3 shows, and they were fabulous! One of them was a documentary about Indian boarding schools and how they took Native children from their families and taught them how to be “white” and depend on the government for everything. A lot of children never came home and died on site. This was very heavy but I’m grateful for my friends to help me talk it out and release the negative energy. We had dinner afterwards to discuss the film and laugh because after an hour of crying we needed some lightness in our life.

Have your farmers markets opened up yet? Ours did a few weeks ago and I have been to every single one. I enjoy meeting the producers and getting to know their products. I get my adaptogen tinctures, kale, microgreens, breads, seasonings, and whatever else touches my interests. Support local! I really have been exploring all the spring bitter lettuces and peas. Green, green, green! I love getting out of the house and walking around my local farmer’s market.

This has been a big week of growth for me personally and workwise. I’m not big in astrology or tarot cards but they have been letting me know I need to use now (because of the full moon) to manifest new ideas. I feel like my brain has not been turning off the past few days. I’m like a floating leaf. Do you follow astrology? This is a very interesting topic to me, and future exploration is a definite possibility. Please share your favorite books or astrology fairs!

I cannot believe this whirlwind of a year, and April is almost over. I started making food videos on my Instagram 12/31/2021, I created a website and write blogs, I started a business, I created a business plan, and I am planning a trip to the Philippines very soon. I never worked so hard in my life and it’s so much fun! I truly cannot wait to see how this year pans out! Even my professional career is going well! Trust, I pinch myself every day. I’m awake.

I feel like my blog and my thoughts are all over the place! LOL! I’m emanating the windy days we’ve had all week! We are all connected to the Earth and weather cycles. There is no denying because there is a creativity storm brewing in my head and it’s about to lose control! In the best way, friends!

Have a great week and do something great for yourself! I will be outside in the dirt (A.K.A. Happy Place!!).

Namaste!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

There is nothing like a hot, spicy cup of chai. You can make it with water, plant milk, or any animal milk. It’s such a motherly hug from the inside. True love right there!

I decided to start making my own chai spice a few years ago when I couldn’t find any locally. There are tea bags around me but I didn’t want any caffeine so where there’s a will, there’s a way. Right?

Welcome to my “how to make chai spice” moment. This spice is very warming with the ginger and long pepper. What is long pepper you ask? It’s like a small, dark pinecone. It’s used for a lot of digestive issues such as, heartburn, indigestion, gas, etc. You can always skip the spice and add peppercorns if that is easier to find.

I’m not the biggest cloves fan unless it’s involved in my chai. I just remember the ham with the cloves and how it ruined my childhood…

Ginger is my best friend, and we go everywhere together. Every day. It helps kickstart my digestive fire in the morning. I add it to my hot lemon water and sip. It’s a great spice and so many benefits!

Cardamom is so delicious and a little does go a long way so sniff and figure out how much you like (or don’t like) this beautiful, scented spice.

Cinnamon is used so much by me. It’s a great sprinkle for apples and pears. I just love this spice so much! So many benefits as well! This team of spices makes your insides glow with health!

Recipe:

2 T. Cinnamon powder

2 tsp. Ginger powder

1/2 tsp. cloves powder

1 tsp. long pepper powder

2 tsp. Cardamom powder

Mix well & store in a sealed jar.

Enjoy!

**Take note with how you feel and journal. Remember food is an experience and taste is so super important. If you don’t like an ingredient I shared then replace it with your favorite(s). Food is personal and if you can tweak this to fit your tastes then I have done my job. I love to share my experiences and most importantly if what I’m eating will pay me and my body back with health and nourishment then I will try it all!** 

This information is for education purposes, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Life Asanas and Pranayama Mama recommends that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional before using any recommended herbal products, particularly if you take other medications, or if you are nursing, pregnant, or expecting to become pregnant. 

I am a sucker for French toast and of course I had to level up by buying fresh baked cinnamon brioche bread from my local bakery. I make my own chai seasoning to keep on hand for tea or my favorite cacao chai recipe. I also added the chai spice to the egg mixture and the crunchy corn flake dredge.

I mixed my three eggs with 1/2 C. fat free half and half. You can use any dairy free milk, heavy cream, milk. I wouldn’t suggest water. I added 1 T. of my chai spice and a splash of butter extract for extra flavor. You can of course, use vanilla or almond, whatever your heart desires. Lastly, I add 2 T. coconut sugar and again, you can use whatever sweetener your heart desires. Mix well.

I whirl up 5 C. corn flakes with 1 T. chai spice and place onto a plate to begin the French toast creations. I add bread slices 2 at a time, or whatever you can place in your wet mixture dish. Let soak up to 1 min on each side. Then carefully place in the corn flake mixture and pat the crumb coating well onto the bread.

Heat up a skillet with 2 T. butter and add bread onto skillet in one layer and brown a few minutes each side. Serve immediately with syrup.

Recipe:

Wet ingredients: 3 eggs

1/2 C. 1/2 & 1/2 or other milk product.

2 T. Coconut sugar or other sweetener of choice

1 T. Chai spice (recipe here)

1/2 tsp. butter extract or favorite flavoring extract.

Mix well.

Crunchy topping:

4 – 5 C. corn flakes; crushed or food processed to make a fine crumble.

1 T. Chai spice

Stir to incorporate together.

Place sliced bread in wet ingredients up to 1 min. per side and place in crunch topping. Place slices in preheated pan with 2 T. butter. Brown a few minutes per side and flip to cook other side.

Serve with fruit and/or syrup.

Enjoy!

**Take note with how you feel and journal. Remember food is an experience and taste is so super important. If you don’t like an ingredient I shared then replace it with your favorite(s). Food is personal and if you can tweak this to fit your tastes then I have done my job. I love to share my experiences and most importantly if what I’m eating will pay me and my body back with health and nourishment then I will try it all!** 

This information is for education purposes, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Life Asanas and Pranayama Mama recommends that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional before using any recommended herbal products, particularly if you take other medications, or if you are nursing, pregnant, or expecting to become pregnant. 

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.