Tag Archives: Yoga

Fall Into Ease: Free Talk in Lander, WY

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October 21. 2017Fall Into Ease

Why do we often seem to make life harder than it needs to be?
We push ourselves too hard to produce. We try to fit too much into each day, live up to the expectations that we “think” others have for us, and then there’s FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

After all of THAT, there’s absolutely NO TIME left for YOU. Sound familiar? We all do it. That’s why I’m giving this talk. I want to share with you SIMPLE, EASY ways that the wisdom of Ayurveda can help bring more Ease & Energy into your life!

In this Free Talk, I’ll be giving tips on How to Nourish Yourself for More Energy & Mind/Body Ease. If you suffer from Auto-Immune issues, Chronic Fatigue, or if Stress and Overwhelm are part of your daily life, THIS IS FOR YOU!

In addition to Ayurvedic wisdom, there will be healthy seasonal snacks and beverages, awesome freebies, and a giveaway to look forward to! I hope to see you there!

What: Falling Into Ease
When: Saturday, October 21st at 10:00am
Where: Sweetwater Wellness, 628 Main St, Lander, WY

BRING A FRIEND & GET A SPECIAL TREAT!

Chances are, you know someone who would benefit from this event. Please use the SHARE buttons below to let others know!

TOO MUCH!

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“The two 
main causes 
of illness are 
Too Much Food and 
Too Many Thoughts.”More isn’t better.

You probably know that intuitively, even though our culture doesn’t currently support this truth (or your intuition for that matter). What can you do when all of the messaging around you is the OPPOSITE of what is Healthy and Whole? I have TWO answers. Both require a little effort on your part, but are easy peasy! Ready?
……………………………………………….
1) Make a commitment to yourself to find moments throughout your day to sit in silence. Sit well. Close your eyes. Tune into your breath. Listen for what arises within you. First you might sift through lots of thoughts, but let them pass through your mind without grabbing hold of them or examining them. Like the way clouds pass in the sky. Soft. Quiet. Spacious. Slowly allow more space between thoughts and more space within your mind and body. Deepen your breath. Settle into your Being. Let your jaw relax. Face soften…….
FEEL GOOD? (More of this will begin to help you align to your intuition and deeper truth.)
2) Take my Habit course to hone your awareness of what YOU need to live a life of THRIVE! (Read more about that HERE.)

✨Click THIS LINK to Grab Your FREE MEDITATION Audio and start tapping into your Authentic, Intuitive Self TODAY!
#truth #thrive #wholisticevolution #10weekstowellness #ayurveda #itsyourtime

Real Freedom + Invitation

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More and more, I’m wanting STRUCTURE in my life. I’m seeing how all of the “freedom” I’ve upheld as so important for most of my life, has actually been HOLDING ME BACK!
Thank You!

^ WHAT?! How did I miss this life memo? ^

I’ve been hearing it all along, but I believed structure threatened my precious freedom. Little did I know it was the thing I was missing — the thing that would prove to be the container for the freedom I craved so much!

So now the question is…Am I willing to commit to following through with actions that I deem necessary for the results I want, EVEN when I don’t want to do them in the moment?

Is it just me, or is it so much easier to feel inspired to wake up before the sun rises the day before than when the alarm goes off?

Are you interested in learning how you can set yourself up for SUCCESS to…

  • lose weight
  • eat healthy
  • have more energy & clarity
  • reduce stress in your life
  • _________________________ (fill in your own)?

ME TOO!!! Last year I was at the end of my rope with being FED UP with consistently NOT living up to the potential I felt was mine (as a human, a mother, a teacher, etc.), not following through with what I knew was in my best interest, and not being happy in my mind/body/life. I made a choice to try a different way. I found a teacher and a tribe of like-minded folks, and I invested in my SELF.

That choice has proven to be one of the BEST decisions I’ve EVER made! That’s why I’m sharing my journey with YOU! I want to Invite YOU to START NOW! Next Week I’m going to be Leading a Group of Beautiful, Like-Minded Souls on a Journey — Your Health (r)Evolution!

For 5 days I’ll be sharing personally with you about my struggles and what habits have gotten me from there to where I am NOW. You’ll get daily emails, videos, and tips about healthy living, including HOW TO:

  • Tune into your Inner Wisdom
  • Age More Gracefully
  • Cultivate a solid Self-Care Routine
  • Make Better Eating/Lifestyle Choices
  • Reduce Stress

And it’s FREE! Sign Up for Your Health (r)Evolution! Click HERE!

What is Pranayama?

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Pranayama is a term that refers to yogic breathing exercises, but there’s much more to be gained from learning to practice pranayama than just taking deeper breaths. The word “prana” actually refers to the vital life force that is within all living things. In Light on Pranayama, perhaps the most quintessential text on pranayama, B.K.S. Iyengar says,

“It is as difficult to explain Prana as it is to explain God. Prana is the energy permeating the universe at all levels.  It is physical, mental, intellectual, sexual, spiritual and cosmic energy. All vibrating energies are prana. All physical energies such as heat, light, gravity, magnetism and electricity are also prana. It is the hidden or potential energy in all beings, released to the fullest extent in times of danger. It is the prime mover of all activity. It is energy which creates, protects and destroys. Vigour, power, vitality, life and spirit are all forms of prana.”

Prana also denotes pure consciousness — mental focus is just one other facet of energy. The practice of “prana” (breath, life, vitality, respiration) – “yama” (expansion, extension, breadth), is the practice of expanding the vital life energy throughout the body. Pranayama has VAST benefits including — mental clarity, increased energy, a calm mind, emotional/energetic balance. According to Iyengar, “through the abundant intake of oxygen by its disciplined techniques, subtle chemical changes take place in the …body…and the practice of pranayama regulates [the] flow of prana thorughout the body…it also regulates…thoughts, desires and actions, gives poise and the tremendous will-power needed to become a master of oneself.”

So much potential gain from some breathing exercises, right?? Whether you’re sold yet, or not, I can assure you that it’s a worthy practice! This is why I created two videos to introduce you to the basics of pranayama.  Regardless of whether yoga is your thing, or not, everyone can benefit from learning how to breathe better. Check out the two videos below and comment below this post to let me know how it goes! I’ll be sure to read all of your comments/questions/suggestions.

In Part 1, I talk about what “prana” is and the importance of sitting properly during breathing exercises. I also teach you how to practice Ujjayi (you-JI-ee) pranayama, along with reclining options for practicing breathing exercises.


In Part 2 I show you how to practice Nadi Shodhana pranayama. ***Note: I got distracted at the end by my kids arriving home. I was afraid someone would come in and interrupt the video, so I ended it without finishing the last round of nadi shodhana. When you practice, continue as long as you’d like making sure to finish with exhaling through the left nostril.

Interested in learning more about Pranayama and Yoga? I’ll keep offering freebies on this blog and my YouTube channel. Let me know below what you’d like to see more of! Or, if you’re ready to dive in deep, check out my 6-week online yoga course, Renew You!

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Holiday Gifts that GIVE BACK!

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Are you like me?  When I’m thinking of gift-giving for the holidays, I look for something of real quality that will last. My gift-giving requirements are pretty steep.  Specifically, these are some of the things I look for —

  1. Something that LASTS.  A one-time amusement doesn’t meet my standards. Because it will spend much more time in a landfill then in my friend’s life.
  2. Something of VALUE.  I prefer my gifts to have some true purpose, or meaning — again, not just a cheap thrill.
  3. Something that has a positive effect on the HUMANITY and/or the PLANET.  Cheap toys from China don’t make it under my tree. I don’t want to support sweat shops, child labor, or any other practices that are doing way more harm to people and the environment than good. Extra points for buying from small businesses with conscious and sustainable practices!!
  4. Something that ENHANCES the life of the recipient.  If a gift I give can somehow bring more ease, enjoyment, or educational value to the life of my friend, or family member, then I feel good knowing that I really made a difference.
  5. Something HANDMADE is always extra awesome in my book, whether I make it, or I purchase it from someone else.  When you buy from small, local businesses, the money goes directly back into the community where you live, so you’re doing a service to your town!

One thing I feel good about giving is dōTERRA essential oils, and homemade products using these oils.  Last year I made homemade candles using dōTERRA essential oils, and they were a big hit! I think I hit every single one of my gift requirements with that one. My family got to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of essential oils every time they burned their candles and thought of me!

This year I wanted to share the  dōTERRA Holiday Gift Guide 2016 with you! One of the things that caught my eye in their holiday collection this year is the Peace Basket.

Gift of Peace
The story of the Rwandan peace basket is one of triumph over tragedy. One hundred days in 1994 became known as the Rwandan genocide. Officially known as the genocide against the Tutsi, an estimated 70 percent of the Tutsi population in
Rwanda was killed during a few short months. While the stories of loss and tragedy are innumerable, the real story is told through the people, the landscape, the
children, and mostly, the future. Communities of people joining together in
traditional basket weaving cultivated healing and harmony. Gifting the baskets
to others continued the united pledge to establish peace. Love and nurturing pulsed through the streets of Rwanda.  As women gathered together building pieces of art, they left behind healing, hope, strength, and honor.

In the same beautiful countryside that once rang the sound of destruction, the sound of laughter and love echoes off the beautiful, joy-filled faces of the Rwandan people choosing each day to build peace.

Through the Rwandan Peace Basket project, over 2,000 women were provided work and paid a fair wage for each basket made exclusively for dōTERRA. To further community impact, an adult literacy program was established to provide an
opportunity for those who were unable to attend school. Through this program, dreams become reality as men and women are finally able to write their names, read employment applications, open and use bank accounts, and teach generations to
come how to do the same.

This set includes a uniquely colored, randomly selected ornament basket. Each basket is handmade with sisal fibers from agave plants and features a tag signed by the specific artisan who made it. A 5mL bottle of dōTERRA Peace® Blend is included.
Thank you for choosing the Gift of Peace this holiday season. We hope you may feel your continuous role in supporting the 2,000 artisans as you share the Gift of Peace with those you love.

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If you’d like to take a closer look, click on the image, or the “dōTERRA Holiday Gift Guide 2016″ link above. Ready Give Back with some of these gifts?  CLICK HERE to go directly to my dōTERRA site to purchase. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to give you a FREE consult on how you can start using these amazing essential oils and seeing results today!  Looking for a way to make extra money on the side? CONTACT ME to find out more and become a member of my dōTERRA team!

SOOOOO Much LOVE!!!

Jessica

Meet Piriformis

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I love all the variations of Pigeon Pose, but that’s not the reason I use some variance of it in almost EVERY yoga class that I teach. One of the major target areas in the pose is the lateral rotators of the hip. One of them is pretty famous. Have you met Piraformis yet? Even if you don’t know her by name, I’m almost positive you’ve felt her presence. Especially if you’ve ever attempted any form of #Ekapadarajakapotasana.
The reason this group of six muscles is so important is because they get a LOT of use, and not a lot of thanks. Any time that you walk, run, jump, turn a leg out, or do Urdhva Dhanurasana, you are using them. These muscles are balanced by the inner thighs, but unfortunately there aren’t as many instances where we use the inner thighs in our daily lives. (Tips for strengthening those coming soon in another post!)
TO1-Figure-7
Since we are so demanding of our lateral rotators, it becomes even more important to S-T-R-E-T-C-H them! All of the pigeon variations, and any other poses that include forward bending with a bent knee and externally rotate the thigh are really great for targeting the piriformis, and the other 5 lateral rotators. Baddha Konasana, Thread the Needle, and Happy Baby to name a few.
One thing to be keenly aware of as you’re attempting any of these types of hip-opening poses is the placement and actions of your feet. Keeping the front foot (or both feet in symmetrical poses) flexed and ankle(s) engaged will protect the knees from straining, so that the stretch is directed into hip.  In comparison to the hip joint, which involves large bones and several strong muscles to hold it in place, the knee is a very unstable joint which is built more for agility, and not so much stability; therefore, especially when the hips are tighter, it is imperative to pay attention to the articulation of the feet!
 Yoga can make such a significant, positive improvement in the quality of one’s life, but good alignment is of utmost importance.  The feet play a very important role in the safety and efficacy of hip-opening asanas (postures), but there are many other pieces of the puzzle, too — like making sure that your sacrum is in the appropriate place so that you don’t injure your lower back, knowing when to sit up vs. bending forward (and how much), as well as proper action of the legs, and placement of the groins. My recommendation is that you come to a yoga class (wink! wink!). But seriously, a great yoga teacher is worth way more than the national average cost of a yoga class ($10-20)!  How much do you value your well-being?
If you’d like to learn more about how Yoga can help you with hip and/or lower back pain, I would love to see you for my next Therapeutic Yoga for Hips workshop coming up…
Sunday, August 14th 3:00-5:00pm @ Sacred Space! Please call to sign up: 349-4986!
Please leave a question, or comment below, or contact me through the form provided under the ‘Yoga’ tab at the top of the page.

Sacred Space Yoga, Massage & Birth Services

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Sacred Space Yoga, Massage & Birth Services offers a wide variety of services for the greater Lander community, including Yoga classes (group and private) and Massage Therapy (for non pregnant folks).

Sacred Space offers several services for Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond…

Prenatal Yoga – Tuesdays at 5:00pm – CALL AHEAD TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE
Yoga helps to relieve many of the uncomfortable symptoms of pregnancy, tones your body to make birthing easier, and gives you many tools to help during labor (like breathing exercises, focusing techniques, etc.)

Prenatal, Labor & Postpartum Massage
Massage is GREAT for helping to deal with all of the discomforts of pregnancy, can help with pain management during labor, and is very helpful postpartum to bring the body back to it’s pre-pregnancy alignment. To learn more about how beneficial massage is for this period of life, read more about Nurturing the Mother Pregnancy Massage here: http://clairemariemiller.com/what-is-pregnancy-massage

Natural Childbirth Preparation Course
This course contains valuable information on how to have a natural childbirth, yoga/relaxation practices for help with normal pregnancy discomforts, nutrition for a healthy pregnancy, labor techniques/positions for moms and their partners, as well as massage for newborns and infants.

Doula Services
A doula, or a professional labor assistant, provides physical and emotional support to a woman and her partner during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.

For instance, a doula might offer:

Suggestions on pain relief techniques, such as breathing, labor positioning and massage
Emotional reassurance, comfort and encouragement
Information about what’s happening during labor and the postpartum period
Assistance with breast-feeding
Guidance and support for loved ones

Often, however, a doula’s most important role is to provide continuous support during labor and delivery. Although research is limited, some studies have shown that continuous support from doulas during childbirth might be associated with:

A decreased use of pain relief medication during labor
A decreased incidence of C-sections and forceps deliveries
A less difficult childbirth experience

Placenta Encapsulation Services
The placenta contains oxytocin, a hormone that reduces pain and increases bonding with baby, it also contains thyroid stimulating hormones, interferon and prolactin, which can boost the immune system and milk supply. – See more at: http://www.mamanatural.com/why-eat-your-own-placenta/#sthash.quI5yyeV.dpuf

To inquire about any of these services, call Jessica Robinson at 349-4986.