- Frankincense
- Palo Santo
- Myrrh
- Vetiver
- Patchouli
- Cedarwood
- Sandalwood
- Cypress
- Clove
- Ginger
- Clary Sage
- Cinnamon
Simple Ways to use Essential Oils
Simple ways to use essential oils during yoga and meditation practices are to apply essential oils topically at specific points such as the wrists, behind the ears or the forehead or over your heart, or simply use a diffuser.
How Essential Oils Can Enhance Meditation and Yoga Practice
Essential oils are a great tool for deepening your meditation or yoga practice. One of the ways to help you enter a meditative state is to use essential oils that bring focus, clarity, relaxation, and connection. You can choose a single oil that your intuition tells you is perfect for you at this moment, or you can choose or create your own blends that help you relax. Because of their thousands of benefits, essential oils are able to stimulate deep breathing, therefore improving this aspect of your yoga practice.
The practice of yoga includes holding postures (asanas) and observing prana (life force energy) in the body to strengthen the connection we have to the energy flow in our bodies. Essential oils are known to aid in this process, and further support the practice of yoga through aromatherapy. The quickest ways to bring your body back into balance are through natural therapies such as Aromatherapy, Meditation, and Reiki.
Both meditation and essential oils help to stimulate the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. When paired together they do wonders for managing emotional wellness and releasing negative thoughts and feelings. The more these tools are used, and in conjunction with each other, the quicker we can stimulate the relaxation response when we find ourselves in a stressful situation.
How Essential Oils Work With the Five Senses
Our sense of smell is the most primitive and most closely associated with our emotions and how our body responds to them. Essential oils activate the limbic region of the brain to release emotions that are stored there, including emotions that have been stored in our DNA from previous generations.
Together with a balanced diet, nutrition, adequate exercise, and water, aromatherapy can help you achieve a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. It can become a part of your daily routine and when paired with other mind-body exercises, it can also help to gently access the deeper, unconscious levels of physical process, including the release of habitual tensions and emotional blocks.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is an experience that engages your mind and can offer both relaxation and energizing benefits. It develops a mind-body connection that encompasses fitness, health, and wellness.
Essential Oils are a great way to further deepen that connection and ignite your inner senses.
Meditation exercises, when practiced regularly, can be powerful at calming the nerves and bringing the mind to a restful state.
Research shows that meditation may physically change the brain and the body and can potentially improve health and promote healthy behavior.
Makeup and Essential Oils
Hello again. So let’s talk about Makeup. Have you ever looked at what is in most makeups? You may want to sit down first but most makeup contains chemicals and toxins. Our skin actually absorbs most of what we put on it. Do you really want those chemicals and toxins on your skin and in your body?
Young Living has a Savvy Minerals makeup line that is both chemical and toxin-free. In fact, my skin is actually healthier now that I am using Savvy Minerals and I have very sensitive skin. The makeup feels great and does not damage your skin – a win-win.
Savvy Minerals has no gluten, no soy, no mineral oils, no petrochemical, no talc, no parabens, no nano-particles, no phthalates, no bismuth, no metals, no synthetic dyes, and no synthetic fragrance.
What does Savvy Minerals have in it you ask? Well, there is arrowroot power, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, vitamin E, mica, aloe aspen bark extract, beeswax, and pure essential oils.
If you are ever interested in learning more about any of the information in these blogs please feel free to contact me through The Hammock LLC.
Well, that is it for now. We will chat again later.
– Melissa
Brain Health
These are 3 simple tips that can have a major effect on your brain health:
- Eat Turmeric. Curcumin is an active component of turmeric which is a herb used in curry. Studies have shown that Turmeric helps to reduce inflammation in nerve cells and may lead to a promising treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. It shows that turmeric can support regeneration in neurologic disorders. Try this: Shake curry powder over popcorn, add to soups, stews, and even when cooking eggs.
- Drink Tea. A daily cup of tea provides more than a caffeine boost. Studies show that regular tea consumption can lower the risk of cognitive decline by 50%, and lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease by 86%. Bioactive compounds found in the tea leaves such as catechins and L-theanine are what give tea its cognitive-boosting benefits. These compounds have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may help the brain.
- Focus on Gut Health. The gut-brain relationship is critical for healthy living. Your intestines are filled with healthy bacteria which play a role in helping to lower inflammation and limit the activity of free radicals, reactive molecules that can damage cells. Both inflammation and cellular decay are thought to be factors in brain dysfunction. By eating to promote a healthy gut, you can protect your brain from degeneration.
Check with your physician on what is right for you.
Wellness Coaching Benefits
Wellness coaching is ideal for addressing the flowing health and wellness benefits:
Losing weight- Lowering your stress levels
- Quit smoking
- Improve interpersonal relations and your relationship with yourself
- Eating better
- Achieving better work-life balance
- Improve your sex life and relationships
- Practicing personal goal setting and follow-through
- Stretching your mind to adjust your perceptions of yourself and others
- Prioritizing self-care
- Balancing wellness with a busy/crazy schedule
- Practicing a positive mindset.
- Being ok with who you are right now
- Making progress as you never knew how before
- Finding balance, freedom, energy, happiness
It’s helpful to think of working with a certified wellness coach will help you to become accountable for your health and wellness goals. Our coach is there to give you inspiration and guidance when you begin and will support you when you feel like giving up. When you have a wellness coach at your side, setbacks are temporary, not permanent. Success will be great in your life.
4 Things You Can Do Instead of Complain
One of the biggest threats to building a great team and organization is complaining. When we complain we focus on everything else but being our best. Complaining actually costs the economy billions of dollars in lost productivity and it will sabotage the morale, engagement, and culture of your team if you let it.
We complain for two main reasons.
- We feel powerless.
- It’s a habit. You can break the habit and when you stop complaining.
Think about starting to create the life that you want. Let’s face it, if you are complaining, you’re not leading.
To help you break out of a “complaining” rut; here are four things you can do instead of complaining. These tips will help you realize you are not powerless. You have the power to choose your beliefs and actions, and focus on the positive instead of the negative, you’ll find the faith, strength, and confidence to take on life’s challenges and identify the solutions to your complaints.
- Practice Gratitude. Research shows that when we count three blessings a day, we get a measurable boost in happiness that uplifts and energizes us. It’s also physiologically impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time. Two thoughts cannot occupy our minds at the same time. If you are focusing on gratitude, you can’t be negative. You can also energize and engage your coworkers by letting them know you are grateful for them and their work.
- Praise Others. Instead of complaining about what others are doing wrong, start focusing on what they are doing right. Praise them and watch as they create more success as a result. Of course, point out their mistakes so they can learn and grow, but make sure you give three times as much praise as criticism.
- Focus on Success. Start a success journal. Each night before you go to bed, write down the one great thing about your day. The one great conversation, accomplishment, or win that you are most proud of. Focus on your success, and you’ll look forward to creating more success tomorrow.
- Let Go. Focus on the things that you have the power to change, and let go of the things that are beyond your control. You’ll be amazed that when you stop trying to control everything, it all somehow works out. Surrender is the answer.
Newsletter – November 2019
New News!!
Great time to purchase Gift Cards for the holidays and special occasions for the ones you love; and the ones who would benefit from yoga practice and/or wellness coaching sessions. Contact Sarah to get one now at 616-893-5661.
YOGA SPORT
Are you ready?? We are excited about will be starting our new class starting in January 2020 on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. It is a 60-minute class with vinyasa flows designed to build heat and strength. This practice is a total body workout that will enhance circulation and lengthen and strengthen musculature, improve performance, prevent injuries, and bring more joy to your sport by supplementing it with this yoga class. Great way to enhance your sport!
Special Events and Schedule Changes
There will be NO yoga classes on December 24, 25, and 31st. and January 1st due to the holidays. Take the time to find gratitude with your friends and families. Time to refresh, renew, and relax in this busy time. Find your breath in all situations…it will help you to be fully present and have less stress during the holiday times.
Family Yoga Saturdays, ongoing classes 11:00-11:30 AM
Family yoga is an all-ages activity with a focus on the benefits of mindfulness. Parents/family and children together will engage in fun poses, learn how to breathe, be creative with yoga activities/games, and relax. Location: Englehardt (Lowell) Library. Space is limited; first-come, first-served. This class is FREE.
There will be no Monday evening classes in December. We apologize for the inconvenience.
HEALTH & WELLNESS COACHING
How many are you afraid to change? What is holding you back from growing and becoming the person you really want to be? Coaching is a great experience. You will be amazed with yourself on what you are capable of doing!
Health and wellness coaches help clients make positive and lasting changes to their health. Our coach guides clients through the process of creating a vision for their health and well-being, developing a healthy mindset and healthy habits, and encouraging them every step of the way until they accomplish their goals. Are you ready for a change?? Together we can do this! Call today for a FREE discovery session at 616-893-5661.
LIVE.PLAY. SHOP. LOCAL. We Accept LOWELL BUCK$ at the Hammock.