ayurveda

Relearning to Reset

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Hè, friend!

I have been enjoying the new energy I have past 4pm. I used to crash so hard after work that I thought it was just my 40’s. That’s what everyone else says, right? Well, I found a holistic Dr that treats the whole body, mind included. After an hour meeting with my Dr, he ordered labs and I found out I was super-duper low in B12 and Folate. I got a B12 shot, I’ve been taking 2 methyl B Complex vitamins every day for 10 days now and I feel really good! Now that I’m in a better place to function (past 4pm), I’m relearning to reset my body and mind and find what works and what doesn’t. The only way to do that is to stop everything and see what happens.

What I do today impacts my tomorrow.

Meditation:

My focus and mindset begin with my meditation. I stopped meditating for about a week, and I felt so ungrounded. I am a very grounded person naturally. I started meditating and BOOM! Order in the mind got me putting this bad boy on the daily 6am calendar, fo’ life! I have been meditating for 12 days now (so far, I only missed one day) and my brain fog is lifting. I just enjoy a clear brain! I know there are lots of benefits to meditating and I find myself doing this more than once a day. It’s a great reset, especially if I just released a lot of emotions.

Me and my bud.

Mindful Movement:

Yoga, yoga, yoga. Ok. So, I never went to a yoga class and went “I wish I didn’t go”. Ever! I love yoga and how it makes me feel! I am centered and empowered. Yoga is when I spend an hour loving my beautiful body in beautiful poses moving and lubricating my joints and organs, breathing mindfully, moving my eyeballs all around in different Drishti (eye focus points), and come to a Savasana quiet meditation. This is the magic. I went a week without, and my joints were stiff, my muscles were sore, I felt unmotivated and stuck. What a shitty feeling to be stuck. After my week, I ran to yoga. Yoga is where I go to digest my life experiences. I get to check in on my body and each part. My mind connects and I am whole. That give me all the happy tears because yoga gives me all I need inside and out.

Yoga with Aiko💝

Nature Calls:

Being outside in nature is my daily dessert. I find when I connect with life outside of myself and other humans, things begin to make sense. Follow the sun, when it wakes, I am too. The sun is highest at noon so is my digestion. When the sun sets, I will have already eaten and spend my evening winding down and getting my body ready for bed. I cannot quit this for a whole week. I have days where I did spend my time in artificial environments and not exposed to life outside. I lose connection with outside of me which is me. I don’t know if I’m making sense, but I am just as connected to earth and nature as I am my family. It’s the same thing to me. Without either, I would be sad and lifeless. Geez, just writing this makes me want to put my feet in the dirt.

We enjoy a morning sunrise!

Exercise:

Walking doesn’t require a whole lot of equipment or work. I can walk anywhere at any time without any direction. My only purpose is to walk, so why don’t I? I began my quest to find my walking shoes and get to pounding the pavement. I kind of love the way my thoughts process and get organized in my mind. I also get my focus on my tasks depending on the day so I don’t feel flustered and out of control. I stopped walking a week and found myself wanting sweets more. Oh fun, I’m not walking so why not eat empty calories? My favorite are peanut M&Ms. My thoughts began to be negative. I was moodier for sure! I’m sure my husband was happy I started walking again but not happy he was a part of my weekend walks too. LOL!

Walking to begin the day!

Massage:

Massage is so nourishing to my mind body connection. I have to hit every inch of my body though with my Banyan sesame oil blend (I make my own scented body oil) and use my hands to work out knots and tend to the sore spots. I get a monthly massage from a professional, as well. This massage gives me time to understand how each part feels now and become familiar with normal and not normal. I am so familiar with myself and each mole, that I trust me when something is not right. I don’t need anything or anyone outside of me to tell me something is wrong. I’ll know and go get trusted help. I went half a week without my self massage and I was out of sorts. I felt lost, like my brain was wondering where all its friends were, leg, arm, neck…no connection. Just like Covid, shut out of homes and left to yourself. I know I need to always be there to tend to myself and never lose myself again. Home 🙂

Sunset reminds me to begin to slow and tend to my body needs, like massage.

Hobbies:

Man, back when I was a kid, I played the piano, violin, loved exploring my area, bike riding, swimming, reading books, cooking, pretending and using my imagination! When did I stop to learn how to fly? When I grew up who told me I had to give up my loves? I really don’t remember this build up but I forgot when I had kids. They became my life and that was it. I watched them make their dreams and I took a back seat. The manifestor became the back seat driver. I found out I like a lot of things and they became important again. In fact, I get to enjoy my joys with my kids and that swells my heart with all the magic of being a mom, full circle. I really enjoy this crazy life learnings and this is what life is! Learn and learn, who says to stop? I find that my hobbies are a great balance in my life. I get my fix of my hobbies for me, and I can do what I need to as a wife and mom.

I am a proud mom, wife, daughter, sister, Auntie, niece, friend😍

I hope there are some nuggets you can manifest into your life from my blog. I have spent the last 2 years stripping old layers of decay off my plate. I don’t know why we don’t ask why more often. I never received any responses to my questions so I took that old way of thinking out of my way. It didn’t serve me. What doesn’t serve you? Can you go without it and find your truth? I hope you do and I hope you keep learning too!

Namaste & wanìshi!

Everything Has To Flow

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Hè, friend!

Did you feel insane last month? My March had me holding on for dear life! In retrospect, the ups and downs in my life seemed to mirror the weather outside. Cold, hot, warm, cool, windy, foggy, rainy, snowy, sunny. One thing I was able to manifest after a stagnant winter was walking every day. When I move my body, my thoughts digest, and I’m able to get in a stable headspace so I can focus. This is a great habit before work for me. If I stay too stagnant, my thoughts get stagnant, my body gets stagnant, and I find myself in a self-made prison. Everything has to flow. That’s my rhythm.

Catch me outside. That’s where you’ll find me.

I insist you learn all about you. I found out I knew nothing about myself outside of my family and busy worklife. It’s like one day I woke up and decided to get to know me. I spent hours by myself. Reading, paddle boarding, yoga, meditation, cooking, Ayurveyda. I found hobbies and met so many people, now friends! These things opened my comfort zone to new abundance. I was learning so much, and my heart opened. My anger subsided. I found this new phenomenon called inner peace.

Mr. Baby loves to go outside daily😻

One amazing morning ritual I can not skip is hot lemon water. The hot water helps release gunk clogging up our organs. How? Well, when I clean my floors, I love to use my steam mop. To me, the hot water steam gets deeper into the floor and scours stains and sticky spills. So I want that for me too! It’s deeply hydrating, and the lemon makes it delicious and other great benefits. Just try it for a week and see how you feel. I tell ya, you won’t be the same.

Hot lemon water or herbal teas are my #1

Getting outside in nature is one of my therapies. I listen. It’s beautiful. I watch the sun make its way up. The frogs. The moon fades into the brighter, bluer sky. Spring’s cool breeze flutters its warmer promises over my body. The breeze carries off yesterday’s burden. I feel lighter and purposeful. I love to journal in nature. My mind thrives in nature. I can not explain it. It’s magic.

We enjoy our afternoons outside💖

I hope this plants a positive seed in your thinking. Manifest your flow. After all, you know you better than anyone else does. Make mistakes on your journey so you learn. If everything has to flow, what does it take to put you back on track after chaos?

Namastè & wanishi!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

Finding Inner Peace

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Hè, yogi friend!

There is lots of growth happening outside right now. I have Creeping Charlie on the side of my house blooming. My yarrow is waking up and showing her beautiful leaves. I love feeling the squishy, cool mud between my toes as I have been trying to feel grounded these past few weeks. I have busted out my arsenal of tools to help me cope while I get through this. Sometimes feeling all the feels is the best medicine. Sometimes not having all the answers and ability to immediately fix the situation is the solution. How can I sit in peace when there is a whirlwind manifesting craziness in my head? I have to be okay with not being okay and find my inner peace in the chaos. Hold onto your yoga mat as we explore finding inner peace.

Spring is here!

Movement

"I 1,000% know moving my body gets everything moving, thoughts, blood, energy, feelings, breakthroughs."

First things first, I enjoy a brisk walk whether it be on the sidewalk or in nature. Get me moving so these thoughts can get in order. I find myself able to feel clear-headed as my blood pumps. I love yoga and lately have been intuitively moving to music for 30 minutes. I feel organized and in control when I make the time for me. I am not the best at immediately getting up to go but this morning I worked out my back with my husband and earlier this week, I worked out with my daughter. I 1,000% know moving my body gets everything moving, thoughts, blood, energy, feelings, breakthroughs. When I feel out of control, I find something I can control.

Rain or shine, me and my doggos go for a walk🐶💝

Nature Bathing

Being out in nature is pure essence of all life force. I feel so safe and sound tucked away with the trees. I never bring headphones so I can intently listen to my surroundings. All the joy and love swirl within me. I can write for days about my experiences outside. First of all, it’s free! I will sit and listen. There are so many messages and soft whispers in these moments. I do not know how to express all of the gratitude I get from listening. It’s peaceful in my soul and fills me back up with Prana so I can enter my demanding world of giving.

Early morning walks in nature makes my soul soothed.

Meditation

Meditation is my time to quiet my active mind. A good 30-minute session gives me the impression my thoughts are just thoughts, and they cannot control me. I control me. I have been appreciating guided meditations. I use Hemi-Sync which is a paid app. It’s phenomenal! I do not use it daily, but I am highly intrigued to commit to doing 30 days and blogging about it. Let me know your thoughts if you’d like me to do this soon!

Meditating by finding peace with stillness💜

Fasting

I have been feeling better feeling empty. I have been skipping breakfast and feeling all the tummy grumbling. I do keep up on my hydration and feeling like my hot lemon water ritual is keeping all my cells squishy! Nothing feels better than feeling. I know a huge part of my alcoholism was covering up the feels. So, feeling good is the ultimate goal but how can I know what feeling good is if I don’t feel bad. I don’t think that slight hunger is bad, more like uncomfortable. How can I feel bad in my life and add hunger on top of that? I have a relationship with my food and take the time to eat. When I do eat, whatever it is, I know it will nourish me.

My nourishing hot honey salmon sushi bowl😍

Seek Community for Your Journey

I have the best community of women in my life. We all have problems, and when I talk, I know someone will listen and identify. We are all strong in ourselves, and a strong community brings power back to ourselves. I am not crazy; I am on top of my game! Making friends can be outside of your comfort zone, but if you sign up for something you like, maybe you’ll find someone just like you! Someone who quickly gets out of stranger status and becomes bestie status! Never say never. Everyone has a story and most love to share if someone will listen. Find your community💞

Namastè! Wanishi!

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

Self-Care on Vacation

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / 2 Comments

Hello, Yogi Friend!

I have been amongst many strangers in the last few days on vacation in Phoenix. I am so very humbled by my experience and found my peace in a bustling city full of unknowns. My intention was to experience all I can muster each day and make sure I am taking time to tend to my needs as well.

I’m just following the sun’s rhythms.

I have been experimenting with my self-care routine for over a year now. I know what works best for my morning and night routine to keep me going and going and going. I just have a few requirements (even while on vacation), they are 7 hours of sleep and meditation, Abhyanga (self-massage), movement, hydration, and eating with intention. I was on vacation and stayed up late on a few nights and had to get used to a different time zone. I still made sure I got in my 7 hours of rest. I had my maps on my phone and I walked everywhere! I even did 22,000 steps in one day which plows my 5,500 step average! I made sure I tended to my sore legs and the rest of my body with a self-massage every night after my shower. I enjoyed journaling by the pool every morning with my cup of hot herbal tea to help keep me hydrated amongst lots of water daily. I didn’t eat the healthiest foods at every meal, but I did take my time and enjoyed every bite.

Rest and relaxation💖

Sleep and Rest

I used to put my body through the wringer when I was on vacation. I would drink alcohol late into the night most nights and not have a great night’s sleep. I wouldn’t listen to my body for cues of dehydration and being overworked. Have you ever come back from vacation exhausted? I don’t like feeling drained if I can help it. I love to love me. I have the recipe to keep my body in check because I learned to listen to my body.

I found myself lounging by the pool after our morning hikes. It was a great place to journal and watch nature. I was able to meditate as well.

Self-Massage

I must tend to my sore body or my body won’t want to carry me around the next day. At least it won’t feel happy about it. I made sure to spend time massaging my sore legs and feet. I’m telling you that 5 minutes made a huge difference! I would pay attention to my toes and gently pull on each one front, back, left and right sides. I would knead my thumbs or knuckles into the bottom of my foot and up to my calves. I am someone who will pay for a good massage but knowing I can do the same for myself is priceless.

Watching the city life 💜

Movement

I experienced my first guided hike, and it was phenomenal! First, we met at the trailhead at 6 AM and we were led towards the peak. During our ascent I learned all about the flora and fauna of the land. I found myself challenged by the steep inclines and navigating in the early morning darkness. We finally got to our destination, and it was spectacular! I had a moment with the sunrise, and we began our descent. I loved moving my body in this way. I challenged my mind and body and didn’t get hurt.

I found multiple opportunities to walk in nature. I also walked downtown to most of my destinations. I would stay within a few miles our home rental. I really enjoyed walking and taking in the sights and smells. I loved walking by the orange trees and smelling the orange blossoms. I enjoyed some stretchy yoga poses by the pool as well to get me feeling juicy and restored.

Hydration

I used to not love water and it had to be seasoned to not taste like water for me to drink it. I am not her anymore. I love, love water! I know it is a necessity for my well-being. My body loves hydrating with warm lemon water. I didn’t think it would matter too much but I was drinking many bottles of water and my lips were dry requiring moisture. I was in the desert, but it didn’t feel 100% dry but I’m thinking next time I will carry hot water with me.

Eating with Intention

I love vacationing because I let myself splurge on either lunch or dinner. My husband loves to eat at places that don’t have a lot of veggie options, so this is my compromise. I can keep a healthy relationship with eating even if it’s not the best for my body. We ate burgers every day. I took my time to enjoy my experience enjoying my food. I had the best company, and it really satisfied my soul. I never had room for dessert, but I did my best to balance my choices.

The best sweet, salty, bitter, sour, pungent non-alcoholic drink!

I am currently writing and listening to the birds enjoy the spring morning. It’s beautiful being in my natural inner peace right in the heart of downtown Phoenix. I am in love with this place, and I witnessed a bird’s mating dance right above my head! I felt like “National Geographic” happening right before my eyes! My soul is overflowing with contentment, and I don’t want to leave it, but I must. I will just make sure I visit my favorite places that manifest heart searching soul work often!

I will put the AirBNB we stayed at and to meet Paul, our hiking guide, in the comments!

Namaste!

Spring Awakening

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Hello, yogi friend!

Spring is in the air! Yes, there are lower temperatures in the coming days, but on my morning walk today I saw life. The plants are coming to life as their spring awakening comes right on time. As far as I go, I’m ready to wake up and clean out my old, partially digested leftovers living in my body. Not just food but bad thoughts I may have picked up, or bad habits. I also cannot forget to clean out my closets and clean out all the corners of my house of clutter. It’s spring cleaning so I mind as well add in green juices too. I am craving bitter greens and thoroughly enjoyed orange grapefruit ginger juice to help boost my immunity. We made this in my Ayurvedic class, along with veggie buddha bowls and dandelion greens. Oh, my favorite!

Sleepy heads

1st Things 1st — Movement

I have been enjoying my morning nature walks. Just waking up with a purpose to move my body is life changing. I find my thoughts move in my head faster versus my body in rest. I can lay down with my phone and have a great time researching every idea that crosses my mind. That puts too much information and no focus in my mind, I then have this overwhelming thought that I wasted my morning. There is my old pattern, negativity. I choose to get up and walk. I have power and I show up for myself every day because I know this works best for me. When I walk my thoughts become ideas and I can decide how I want to explore those possibilities. All that in a walk. Good morning to me!

Greeting the sun!

If it’s raining outside and just not enjoyable at all, I will get my body and my thoughts on my mat. I have been enjoying moving intuitively lately to music but there are mornings where I don’t want to think about my next move so I will utilize my yoga studio’s recorded sessions. As long as I am moving, my thoughts are grooving in sync what you think? I think, I am enjoying the best balance I can ever manifest for my morning routine. Not everyone is up early enough to walk before work, I understand, the movement is the only purpose of this paragraph. Move.

Keep Them Thoughts Moving

I am admiring the swirling warm air (Vata) outside. I find these days help me figure out what I need to figure out. My thoughts are active and ready for solving, I find. What does this mean in Layman’s terms? So, we are all connected to nature whether we like bugs or not or enjoy a rainstorm or not. It isn’t all about likes and dislikes. We can’t tell the rain to not be so wet and when you begin to notice when you are gassy on a Tuesday (before tacos) and you also begin to notice it’s really windy outside. Hmmmm. Maybe we are intertwined. I find my thoughts surface on windy days, and I find time to get things in order! Kaphic people are earthy and watery, these are heavy, heavy grounding elements. I enjoy the elements of ether and air as I begin to focus on my seasonal awakening.

Rosemary tea is antimicrobial and is great in the morning when I need to focus 😃

Clean the Clutter, Save Your Mind

I cleaned out my closet about a month ago. Lifechanging! I can find my stuff! I let go of a lot of clothes. It also encourages me to design a better functioning closet for me. I am in the design process currently, so I moved my energy to the entry way closet, and it felt so good to let go of the things that no longer excite me. I started my donations box and I plan on getting my basement organized. We have a few things to get rid of and I plan on going through my holiday decorations. I am ready to let go of a lot of things. I feel my heart lighten and my mind doesn’t have to work as hard to find things. I have space! I have accomplished so much by doing so little. Try it, just a small study of one. My study has really helped me in my daily life.

I have decades of stuff in my house. I am not going to fret and feel like I need to do it all now. I am taking my time and not forcing myself to “let go” on days I need to “receive”. In Ayurveda, kaison is “small steps” and that’s how I will attack my clutter. A bit at a time to not overwhelm myself and these small steps ensure I’m always moving forward.

My flower agate to help me manifest my ideas❤️

Journal Your Truths

Writing down my thoughts and how I process my day is the best thing for me. I am able to see my thoughts on paper, but I get to experience it again by writing. Things come up in my meditations that I need to process outside of my head. The more I create a relationship with my thoughts the better outcome I get. I have been curious with how I perceive myself. Am I being my most authentic self to myself and others? If a thought of someone gives me a bad feeling, why? What is truth and what is made up in my head? I have played a whole scenario in my head of what I think is happening and be so off on a tangent that I fail to see that I’m headed into a wall. If I react, I would be in emotions only. Or only reacting with no true purpose. Until we know our truth then we are speaking someone else’s truth, right?

I have to be honest with myself how people or places affect me. I sometimes brush over small thoughts and concentrate on the bigger issues at the time. Well, over time small can get big and my journal is great to go back and see if it was mentioned before. My journal is my truths only. I cannot hide my true feelings all the time. They show up in my journal, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Greens, Greens, Greens!

My body is craving the scratchy fibrous greens and I am so glad we live in a day of unseasonal vegetables available all year round. I saw dandelion greens at my local co-op. I, of course, bought them and I have been eating them in my buddha bowls for lunch. I just prep and cook my food on Sunday and I have a whole week of meals. Dandelion greens are bitter and help to awaken my digestion. Nothing like digesting fibrous juicy greens for my organs. I also plan on buying a few fresh juices from my local juicery. I know a lot of juiceries combine veggies and fruit and I typically eat my fruit by itself. I will look for veggies only or just stick with good ‘ol celery juice.

Lunch is my biggest meal!

I know it’s not quite Spring equinox yet, but my body is wanting to slowly begin my spring awakening. I find listening to my body gives me the best use out of my days. I have a phenomenal morning and evening routine that works so well to soothe my soul. I crave my routines and I give myself all the attention. I only need an hour in the morning, after my meditation, to get my mind right for the day. I hope you find inspiration to begin thinking about what you want in your Spring awakening.

Wanishi (Thank you — Lenape)

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

Winter/Spring Transition

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Hello, Yogi friend!

I have been lying low taking in all the rest and recharge winter has to offer. I am ready to re-emerge and plant all the new seeds I collected over winter solstice. I cannot wait to share with you as my ideas unfold and manifest! Winter in my area is holding on with a vengeance. We had a few days of warmth and now we are enjoying the drying, cold air under gray wet skies for a few days before another shift change. Welcome to the Midwest, right? How do we hold on to our sanities and keep our bodies and minds in check when outside is a season away from a meltdown? I can explain how I find myself listened to, spiritually motivated, nourished, and keeping up with movement when all I want to do is rest. What we want and what we need are two separate things and yes, I struggle too because I am human. 

Subtle whispers can be heard in silence.

I find meditation time so very relaxing. I am in peace in the silence with my thoughts. As I put my thoughts to bed, I find the emptiness of my head vast. Sometimes, I can explore that vastness. Some days my mind shuts down immediately when I think about the vastness, I think my colonized finite brain rules pop up again and I am stuck in a dark head. Yawn! I would like to keep exploring in my meditations and see what comes up. I find problems in my life get solved. I’m not saying by the flick of my wrist they disappear, I’m more advocating that most of the time we are stressed over thoughts, right? I find when I am able to think on it the thought fixes itself and goes away. I don’t physically have to do a lot to get my thoughts moving and getting solved. I get great plans and I am very methodical in my thinking in waking times thanks to my daily meditation routine.

Nature is amazing!

I know there is more than our minds can comprehend, humans have been around a long time, and we are more than our bodies. I think sometimes people are really scared of the unknown and they project their fears, and those fears are passed down but never really explored. I know there is a study on crows that prove they do that too. I do admit fears are scary and everything I explore is high sensations. Fear shows up and I am currently exploring this and using my tools to be safe in my thoughts. I do have a therapist as well. Honestly, we should all have someone we trust in our lives that we can tell anything to and get very good advice from. Someone who will be there for you, and you can trust will keep you safe, whether you pay them or you don’t.

Journal Rituals

Did you know we just had a full moon in Pices? Did you feel the energy? I sure did, it caused me to write this blogpost! I also did my Lenape Full Moon ceremony that my auntie passed down to me. I tell you; my younger self would have loved to be in that moment with me. I had fun and felt the release of my prayers be carried off. It’s a great feeling to let go. Do you hold onto stuff in your mind that isn’t yours? Or maybe it is yours but your ashamed of it and you can’t think about it without a great deal of pain, so you stuff it further down. Writing in my journal helps me find what I need to focus on for that month, week, or day. Some days there is a lot so I write it all down because I focus better on tasks when I can see it on paper. Plus, writing it down gives me another tie to remember it.

Another journal entry, another amazing sunrise!

I can take my journal everywhere and I do. I will intentionally watch the sunrise by the water. That is my favorite. I will drive myself to our local wetland area and walk to greet the sun. It’s breathtaking as I witness the birds wake up and take flight to get breakfast. I will take a seat on dry grass and journal my thoughts as I feel them. My journal can handle all my emotions. I sage my journal because I have secrets and my feelings about people never leave my journal. It’s a written expression of my mind. I know that it’s safe and I am safe to have it because no one will read it that lives with me. If I left it somewhere and someone read it, they are welcome. LOL! No one will know it’s me…My point is my journal keeps me going forward in my thoughts because I work them out all the way through. I don’t partially brush my hair, even when it hurts and takes an hour of brushing or an overnight moisturizing hair mask.

Spiritual Yoga Pose

If I were to choose my favorite movement, it would be sun salutations. I don’t just fall into sun salutations though; I will be very slow at first. Especially, if it’s first thing in the morning. One salutation hits every part of your body in movement! I usually hang out in forward fold to get a great lower back and hamstring stretch. As I get to 2 or 3, I will speed up and get my heart rate going. As Spring approaches it’s calling me to be more adventurous with yoga and possibly get back into my favorite hot yoga studio for early morning movements.

Warrior I❤️

My spiritual yoga pose has to be Warrior I. I have power in my pose and so very grounded. My arms are defined in their space and graceful. My breath is able to freely dance but be masculine in my femineity. I feel neutral and all the things that come with peace. Yoga is so amazing! I can get my movement in, keep my spine fluid and flexible, I get into poses that create movement for my organs, I get meditation done in savasana and BAM! I covered 1 hour of mindful breathing, mindful movement, rest for my body and my mind to process what just happened. My journey down the rabbit hole started with yoga. Just sayin’.

Nourishment

I have been struggling being consistent with cutting out sugar. It is truly an addictive drug. Uggghhhh! If anyone has tips, please pass them along! I bought pineapple and cotton candy grapes but that may be inhibiting my addiction. I do know that this is winter still and its ok for me to sit with nourishment contemplation. Will I cut it out 100% and eat only my dosha fruit/sweets recommendations? Or will I be able to have a dessert once a week? What is it with numbers and eating? LOL! I’m not sure but it’s limiting skills on my mind regarding eating is interesting.

7 veggies and steak tacos❤️

I have been craving kale and sweet potatoes which I do imbibe. Salads have been showing up on my plate as well. I truly honor what my body is wanting, within reason. I do know how to limit myself and not overindulge. It’s seriously a fine line from throwing in the towel and being ravenous with no purpose. I just try to meal plan using 30 different plants in my weekly dinners and lunches. It’s not hard if you learn to cook with herbs. I love herbs and I just took an herbal tea class. The class reminded me of how much I know about herbs and how they feel in my body. It’s time to slowly wake up and welcome in Spring solstice in a few weeks!

I do enjoy sharing my life and nuances I find out along the way. I hope these thoughts can plant healthy ideas in your life. If not, that’s ok too! We are all different and in different stages of growth. Not that my growth is the only one. Just think of how many plants there are out in the world. They are all different but require the same water to grow and be nourished. May your path be blessed with many beginnings!

Wanishi (Thank you – Lenape)

All pictures by Lenapè Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

Winter Solstice

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Happy winter solstice, friends!

The snow is a comfort to my eyes. It’s memories of sledding with my brother and dad, snowball fights, snow angels and bravely looking up towards the gray abyss and catching fat snowflake clumps in my eyes and mouth. I dance in these memories. Nothing but pure joy on memories. I have many. This was my childhood. I need new memories in my 40s of winter. I’m planning on ringing in the new year in Colorado! I’m so excited to spend 6 days with my family in a beautiful cabin home. I will relish in these memories for years to come. Until then, I will bring some food comfort memories into the game!

Happy winter solstice!

I find myself skipping breakfast most days. I have been on a sweets kick for a few months now. It’s so annoying but I quit drinking alcohol so if I have a cookie or 2 a day it’s better than picking up a beer…or more, which usually is more than 1. So skipping breakfast is my balance. Some days, I’ll just have stewed apples. I’ll peel 2 small apples and cut them into chunks with filtered water and my chai seasoning spices. I’ll cook for 5-10 min and add more cinnamon before eating. I’ll save the hot spiced water to add to my morning herbal tea. I have been enjoying sipping on CCF (Cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds) tea throughout the day. I also, toast pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds and mix them in a jar. I will eat 1 tablespoon a day to help me thicken my hair. I’ve had covid once a year and the hair loss is sad 😔

Me and Mr. Baby like to be lazy together ❤️

So, if you know anything about Ayurveda then you should know your dosha. Doshas are based on elements of fire, water, earth, air, and space. I am Kapha – Pitta which affords me water & earth (Kapha) and fire & water (Pitta). I know I am missing space and air, so I can incorporate these into my eating habits. I create “space” by eliminating breakfast. I can add vata foods but since it’s winter, this is known as Vata season. I feel pretty balanced thus far. I make sure I check in every morning during my meditation to see where I’m out of balance. I can find myself feeling heavy if I don’t move and I feel too grounded and not connected to things that bring me joy, like yoga. Food can initiate pleasure as well, as long as it doesn’t create more kapha in me. Like fried foods, heavy meals late, sweets and buttery fats, geez typing this made me sweat. Lol!

I typically eat soups and stews but my corn soup needed a fry bread accompaniment 🥰

So, my lunch will be between 11 and noon. I break my fast with a well thought out meal. I typically like to meal prep a big pot of stew or soup for the week I can eat off of but this week is short for me so I’m having leftover arrabiata gluten free spaghetti with beef and a kale salad. Beef is sweet, arrabiatta is pungent with garlic, onions, red pepper, parmesan cheese is salty, tomatoes are sour, basil dried from my summer garden enhance astringent flavors, and a quick tossed kale salad to introduce bitterness to my fully balanced meal.

As long as love is included, all foods are good foods💖

After lunch, it’s important to let my body do its thing and digest. I will watch Youtube videos or read for a bit before beginning working. This is a sacred time for me to be with my thoughts and make sure I’m digesting my experiences as well. I won’t need to eat again until dinner. I used to be in a rush to eat before yoga but I feel an empty stomach gives me a better practice. I’m not sure why but instead of my body focusing on digesting, it can focus on my mind- body connection. I feel all the hallelujahs when I’m empty of food, not on love🤩

We digest after lunch😃

I have been enjoying dinner with my family. My daughter has been working on a 500-piece puzzle and I like to talk to her while she matches up pieces. I find eating the exact same thing my family eats at the same time gives me what I need in this season. It’s more 80/20 and I give myself leniency because I work for myself and not against myself. I find all the love in the season and take what I want to keep. I am not obligated to always be what I think I’m supposed to be. I’m evolving and taking my family for a ride on the crazy train! We love it cause we are together. We are a family that isn’t dripping in our perfections 24/7, I love them and they’re my perfect family🥹💞

Lots of cookies to gift😍

For dinner, I enjoy a small plate of food with as much adherence to the 6 tastes as possible. I may have a cookie or 2 and a cup of cacao to settle me into my bed. Crumbs and all.

Namastè 🙏🏽

All pictures by Lenapè Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

Feeling Kapha-tastic!

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

The northern hemisphere part of the world is getting ready for the winter solstice. The shortest, darkest day of the year will begin to descend upon us and bring the cold wintry air with it. Brrrrrrr! It’s so cold this week and we’ll get a blanket of snow twice! Fingers crossed! That is an increase of kapha outside. Cold, wet, heavy…I better get a jump ahead of the weather or I’ll be dragged down in my kapha-isms, if I may make up an “ism”.

Winter wonderland dreams of a white Christmas 😍

When the weather outside is frightful, how do I keep Kapha in check? How can I ensure I feel kapha-tastic? I make sure I’m moving and grooving! I work out with my husband at 5 am lifting weights followed by walking on the treadmill or bike for 30 min. I follow that with a yoga practice with no mind on time. I’ll just move the way my body craves. Lots of forward folds, vinyasas, side bends, and child’s pose. I find movement counteracts my want to be lazy.

Weekend reads: “Hester on the Run” by Linda Byler & “Mythology of the Lenape: guide and texts” by John Bierhorst

I had a very balanced weekend. My dogs and I walked around the county lake, I visited with my dad, me and my daughter decorated sugar cookies, I read two books, and I found time for yoga and meditation. I’m enjoying utilizing my healing bowl as I settle to meditate daily. It’s so important for me to clear my head and begin the day again. So freeing! Kaphas tend to hold onto stuff that doesn’t serve them. I readily admit that is me all day! If I’m cleaning my mind, life, closets, and my car; I have a better,  healthier mindset. Plus, I can find my stuff quicker! Winning!

We decorated 4 dozen sugar cookies😂🥰☃️🎄

When I begin to feel the winter blues, I will steep me a tea with St. John’s Wort and Chamomile. Yum yum! I will pour this into my to go cup and get winter ready in my gear and go for a walk. I must get into this weather and enjoy nature. I need a refueling, if you must know. Refueling prana is amazing! Prana is the life force of everything. The trees, birds, squirrels, water flowing, wind moving, the earth rotating. Deep breaths in as I pause by a creek listening to the water flow heavily over rocks, it tickles. Life is truly abundant in my heart and soul. I am alive!

Puppy pose with a right head twist 🧘🏽‍♀️

I also find the air drier. My hair feels drier and definitely my skin! I like to make my own body butter with my herbal oils, Shea butter, beeswax, and essential oils. I’ve been digging peppermint, eucalyptus, ylang ylang, rosemary, and vanilla. Yum yum! I’ll pay attention to all my limbs and really massage the oils in with all the caring love my hands can muster. I also add oil onto my scalp and hair ends a few times per week. I’ll brush it through and braid my hair for the day. I’ll wash it out in a bath later that evening. It really helps keep my hair shiny and moisturized!

Me and my Fam taking pictures with a famous lamp😅

So, to wrap up my post, in the longer, darker, winter days I do not stay on the couch and get lost in my thoughts and dreams. I must get up and move, I keep clutter at bay (not only my closets and pantry, but my mind too!), I get outside into the elements and breathe in all the prana I can handle, and I self massage with oils. I also eat seasonally and include all 6 tastes. If I’m feeling overly kapha then I will use food/spices that counteract it. We’ll discuss that Wednesday (also, the winter solstice!) over CCF tea😘

I love food😍

All the love, all the blessings💗

Namastè 🙏🏽

All pictures by Lenapè Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

Falling Back in Love with Meditation

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Happy humpity-hump day! A.K.A. Wednesday!

I have been swaying in the autumn wind. No purpose at all, just the intent to survive. I, once again, found myself stuck. I know meditation grounds me when I’m floating in the unknown. I get bored and feel suffocated when I’m idling for too long with no purpose. I must move out of this mindset and clean house. I’ll show you how I fall (back) in love with meditation.

We are present today.

First things first, I have many different altercations with people in a day, I express and manifest many different emotions, and I just keep moving along. When do I address my day? Well, when I journal and meditate. For me, this is my daily prescription. Just like our brown pill bottle prescription, we forget to take our prescribed medication, and if we do it enough, we lose the benefits of the prescription. I was feeling the strain. I’m talking weeks off. I needed my love back in my life.

I will meditate by the water to get immediate benefits. I instantly fill up from my pranabath.

All I have to do is find a quiet place where I’ll be undisturbed. I’ll get myself settled, comfortable, and close my eyes. Why is this such a hard task? My mindset has been comforted by my lies. I am not ok skipping my meditation. I know this as fact, I need to curb my beliefs away from believing I can live without meditation. Before I get back into my bed or attempt to conquer my day, I require an investigation in my head. Where am I at with my thoughts? I must sit, Gyan Mudra, and Ommmm!

I can sit still with the still life 💖

So, what happens when I meditate? First, I have to take in my environment with sight. Second, I breathe in deep and take in my environment through smell. Third, I’ll listen. I need to know I’m safe and will be uninterrupted. I’ll sit cross-legged on a blanket or bolster, I’ll sit on the ground, or just today I sat on a long blade of a rock softened with my yoga mat. I will always be mindful of my comfort. I truly want to be uninterrupted. I’ll gently close my eyes and find fluidity of my thoughts. My intent is to clean. I acknowledge every thought and may categorize each one in my head to gently clear out of my mind. In order to clear, I must be mindful of the depth of thought each situation requires. If something is triggering then I’ll journal about it after. I will figure it out, if not by myself, I will address it with my therapist, sponsor, friends or family.

My journal and I, we see the coolest.

When I find my head clear I sit. Empty headed. Breathing, barely. I feel enlightened. This is where it’s at. Nothing replaces this euphoria. Nothing beats this human experience. Better yet, it’s free! When I’m done rejuvenating my spirit I will journal my experience. I have to tell someone right? I just hope this sparks an idea to incorporate this very old ancient practice in your life or to bring it back. See what it can do for you. I mean don’t just take my word for it. This is something good for me. This I know💖

Namastè 🙏🏽

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.

Fall Edition: Yogi morning routine for self-empowerment💖

/ Self-Diagnosed Yogi / Leave a comment

Hi, yogi friend!

I am thrilled to share my Fall morning routine. It will always include my well-rehearsed “start your day right” routine.  This is my best chance at grabbing control of my day before someone or something else does. This will prove to you how much control you truly have over you, yourself, and YOU!!

Greeting the sun!

First things first, I will eliminate, by the way, Triphala works wonders if you need help to get that started. Don’t continue carrying yesterday’s shit into today! Then, I brush, floss, and scrape my tongue. Next, I wash my face and apply my homemade oil concoction and will begin a quick Gua Sha session. I will dry brush my whole body with long strokes creating movement towards my heart. I will finish with my oil and pay attention to my body. Lots of long strokes and circle rubs on the joints. This all can take 15 – 20 minutes but so very worth it!

Nature shows is resiliency to exist in every season well🥰

Now, I can begin my Reiki session and I just bought a new healing bowl. It has seven metals to represent the seven planets. It has nine chakra signs and it’s one of a kind…literally. These healing bowls are made by hand in Nepal. I absolutely love how low the sound is and the vibration it sends to my body is so amazing! I show it off to all my visitors and I cannot wait to learn our powers together! I am in awe with this new partnership.

My first healing bowl💖

After, Reiki I need to move. I will begin my yoga session for 30 – 60 minutes depending on my time constraints. This has been a curious thought to begin early morning walking or even a weightlifting session. We’ll see how this manifest as we carry on through the season. I know my body well and movement first thing is very important to me.

A bit late but always on time.

By now, it’s time to wrap up my self-love and self-intention morning to take a shower and rinse off the oil. I try to end my shower with the last minute being COLD! It’s meant to increase endorphins and increase blood flow. There a so many more benefits but I just do it because it makes me feel good and increases my focus every day. Win!

After I dress, I get in a meditation. Lately, I love a great prana bath in nature and a meditation while the sun rises. This is the best self-love I can present myself. This is my RX. I will also journal to wrap up my ah-mazing morning love fest.

I got to journal next to this beautiful doe❤

I will get my breakfast ready which has been cold cereal or yummy stewed apples lately. I also make myself my yummy chai cacao with Brahim/Gotu Kola and Moringa powder. These help me with my focus concentration. Another win! I typically begin work.

Yummy stewed apples!

I hope this inspires you to start or tweak your morning routine to celebrate YOU! Let’s get in a mindset to get up early and care for ourselves before we have to present to the world. I love a good love fest especially in the morning!

Namastè 🙏🏽

All pictures by Lenape Spiritual Yogi Awakened.