Beginning the Week with Intention

The start of the week is an opportunity to renew and revitalize your energy.

In ways, the beginning of the week is a kind of rebirth of your sense of self, resolutions, dreams, and responsibilities. Cultivating a drive to revive your inspiration and stimulate your creative forces can be done simply through formulating a ritual.

Whether you commute to your place of employment, or work from home, begin your week by taking 30 minutes to an hour to fully dedicate to setting an intention, and engaging in a form of mindfulness practice.

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Mindfulness Practice

Meditation is not an easy practice for a busy mind, but it can do wonders for the health of your mind and body. You can begin meditation with a simple breathing exercise using your hands, creating a space for concentration and grounding.

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Begin by taking a seat somewhere peaceful. Light a candle, or burn some palo santo, create an environment that makes you feel warm and comfortable. Cross one leg over the other, and begin to align your spine. Imagine each vertebrae perfectly stacked on top of one another, keeping a long neck, slightly dropping the chin, and lifting tall through the crown of your head.

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Hand Counting Pranayama is an ancient Indian ritual used to engage the mind in meditation. Closing your eyes, stack your hands together on your lap, with the dominant hand on top. With an open palm, and use your thumb to draw a spiral, counting each joint of your fingers until you have completed 12 deep, rhythmic breaths. If you break concentration and lose count, begin again. Bring your mind’s awareness entirely to the 12 cycle spiral of breath.

Inhale deeply through your nose, opening the back of the throat to a point of making a course, audible breath. Envision the air flowing into your body and circulating like blood does within your veins. Exhale through your nose, until all the air has been expended fully. Repeat these deep cycles of breath while completing the 12 count spiral on your hand, as many times as it takes to feel completely relaxed and centered. Become completely still and aware of the present moment.

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Once you feel really connected to your breath, and have quietness of the mind, you can begin visualizing all that you wish to transcend or achieve in the following week. Maintaining your lightness of being, keep your mind away from negative thoughts and energy. Only allow your focus to be on tangible, positive notions.

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Find Your Flow

Formulate positive affirmations to support the success of all that you do. After reflection, begin writing your affirmations and revelations in a journal. Carry confidence with you to your next task, and next meal. Make each household chore a time for quiet contemplation, each movement becoming a motion of zen. The next time you eat, concentrate fully on each bite of food you take, chewing slowing, savoring every flavor, and feeling gratitude for the nutrients you are taking into your body.

Release all resistance to the natural flow of the day. This means being gentle and patient with yourself, listening to your body and its needs, and releasing control over matters that are not directly within your grasp to navigate. Take care of tasks that are your responsibility to complete, and allow anything else to flow towards you. Remember that what you seek, is seeking you. The positive things that are of real necessity in your life will inevitable cross your path. Walk with openness and lightness of being!

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Create a sacred space, learn some ways to Improve the Vibes of Your Home!

Host With Intention Plant Based Recipes

Weekly Healthy Recipe Feature: Japanese Poke Bowl

Following health-conscious recipes filled with nutrient packed foods will contribute to the energy of your body and your mind. Healthy food doesn’t have to be bland, in fact, some of the tastiest flavors can be combined to create exotic fusions. Eat clean to feel clean!

This island delicacy may appear complex and slightly intimidating to create, but it really is quite simple! The contents are fresh and raw, and require little preparation.

Ingredients You’ll Need

8-12 ounces of Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna, Salmon, or Tofu
1 cup of Steamed Jasmine or Brown Rice
1 Cucumber, Thinly Sliced
1 Avocado, Diced
3 stalks of Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
2 tablespoons Minced Shallot
2 radishes, Thinly Sliced
1/2 cup of Shredded Carrots
Fresh Minced Cilantro and Basil
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
Freshly Grated Ginger (to taste)

The Dressing

Soy Sauce or Tamari (Gluten Free)
Rice Wine Vinegar
Sesame Oil
Shichimi Togarashi*
Dijon Mustard
Cayenne Pepper

*Shichimi Togarashi is a mix of spices and herbs including Sansho (Sichuan pepper), dried citrus peel, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, ginger, garlic, shiso (Japanese basil), and nori (pressed seaweed). Most of these ingredients might already be in your pantry, but the rests should be available at your local Asian food supply.

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Instructions

Begin steaming your rice of choice; I personally prefer jasmine sticky rice for taste, but brown rice has a bit more fiber. Whether you choose white or brown rice, you will still be consuming almost exactly the same number of calories, carbs, protein, and fat.

Shred carrots into a jar. Whisk together shredded ginger, and rice wine vinegar and pour into carrots. Shake and refrigerate one hour to pickle carrots.

Cut the Ahi Tuna, Salmon, or Tofu neatly into 1/2-inch cubes, and place into a bowl.

Stir in soy sauce or Tamari, sesame oil, Dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar, cayenne pepper, minced shallots and garlic, and chopped green onions. Refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

Fill the bottom of your bowl with your rice of choice, and top with freshly minced cilantro and basil, diced avocado, the pickled carrots, grated ginger, and thinly sliced cucumbers and radishes.

Scoop the tuna, salmon, or tofu on top, and garnish with Shichimi Togarashi and green onions.

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Check out another delicious and simple healthy recipe for a Thai Cucumber Salad!

Bring Nature Inside Create A Sanctuary Crystals Natural Healing

Healing Stones for Your Modern Home

For thousands of years in folklore and traditional medicine, stones have been used for healing, protection, and stimulating or moving energies.

All crystals and gemstones are living organisms, and contain a life energy of their own. They are evolving entities, growing in clusters that can take thousands of years to fully mature. Each stone vibrates at its own individual frequency, and each unique vibration that they emit are said to affect us in a vast array of ways.

Many crystals and gemstones are as old as our planet itself, and some even originate from unknown sources in our cosmos, such as moldavite, which was found inside and partially formed within the crater of a meteor that struck in Southern Germany about 15 million years ago.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the use of stones provides the most profound and permanent effects to treat the most difficult of diseases. Ancient healers contend that the density and solidity of stones represents a stabilizing effect. Wearing specifically prescribed stones near your body over a length of time is said to promote the healing of a chronic health condition, or promote evolutionary changes and development. Stones can be used in combination for a synergistic effect, just as the process of combining herbs when formulating an an elixir or tonic. Preparing stones through cleansing, clearing, and recharging is imperative. One can purify stones and crystals by submersion in salt water, smudging with Palo Santo or Sage, and soaking beneath sunlight and moonlight.

Obsidian

Protection + Grounding + Peace + Severing Negative Emotional Bonds

Originally discovered in Ethiopia, obsidian is a dark volcanic glass formed by the rapid solidification of lava without crystallization. It has been used for thousands of years for ritual ceremonies, pottery, and weapons. Place Obsidian near your entryway in a planter or on a table or altar to ward off anything negative from entering your home. “Wash” yourself on every length of your limbs and up and down your energy centers while concentrating on affirmations to free yourself of emotional attachments that are no longer serving you. Hold the obsidian near your heart center during breathwork and meditation to create an energy of grounded stability and peace.

Rose Quartz

Manifesting Love + Compassion + Tranquility + Balance

Rose quartz is most commonly found in Brazil, India, South Africa, and Madagascar. It has a blush tint due to its contents of titanium, iron, manganese and an aluminum boro-silicate called dumortierite. Traditionally, it is said to dissolve emotional wounds, fears, and resentments, promoting loving energy to circulate throughout your body and essence. Rose quartz can induce receptivity to beauty of all kinds, attracting love and restoring trust and harmony in existing relationships. Place rose quartz in the Southwest corner of your bedroom to attract abundance of love and balance existing relationships. Wear a rose quartz pendant in level with your heart energy center to create a flow of peaceful, loving energy in your life.

Citrine

Spiritual Rejuvenation + Manifesting Prosperity & Abundance + Dispelling Negativity

Citrine is formed when amethyst undergoes extreme heat exposure. Rio Grande do Sol in Brazil is the world’s largest supplier of natural citrine, but other mines can be found in the USA, Russia, Madagascar, England, France, Scotland, Spain, Brazil, and South Africa. Citrine will aid in increasing confidence, therefore making it a fluid path to manifesting wealth and abundance of all things. Set an intention of that which you wish to manifest, and hold a citrine near your solar plexus energy center. Place a genuine citrine in the Southeast corner of your living room and office, preferably both on a wooden surface and near a water fixture like a fountain or water vessel.

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What stones do you use in your home or wear as jewelry?

Aromatherapy Bring Nature Inside

The History of Palo Santo

“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just the mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of Human compassion.”
- HH Dalai Lama

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Palo Santo, or the holy tree bursera graveolens, is native throughout Mexico, Central and South America, and the Galapagos Islands. It belongs to the same family of trees as the resins Frankincense and Myrrh, and it emits resonant aromas of citrusy sweet, earthy tones.

Palo Santo trees grow in groups of one male surrounded by eight females. The lone male outlives his female counterparts by up to a couple hundred years. Wood from female palo santo trees is golden, solid and heavy, whereas that of the male is white, hollow, fragile, and light. Shamans teach that Palo Santo trees have a distinct spirit that lives in the wood long after the tree’s life has ended, so they strongly consider this tree as a sentient entity.

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This sacred smudging instrument has been utilized ceremonially for ritual cleansing, purifying, prayer, and healing for thousands of years. In traditional folk medicine, indigenous peoples and shamans across the Americas use Palo Santo to aid both physical and spiritual ailments ranging from stomach aches to stagnant or repressed energies. It is common for it to be forbidden to harvest the holy wood from live trees, but only collected from fallen branches and twigs, and must be allowed to dry and cure for 3-5 years. During this period, a magical chemical transformation occurs. The sap, once fluid in the living tree, proceeds to crystallize and form deposits, giving the Palo Santo its rich resin deposits that are the very essence wood. Thus, Palo Santo must undergo a metamorphosis beginning with a tree falls under natural circumstances, and remains resting for years.

The Incas of Peru and Ecuador use the rising smoke of Palo Santo to eliminate mala energía, or bad energy, rid negative thoughtprints, and clear misfortune. Indigenous peoples also prepare teas and tinctures from wood shavings to aid indigestion, boost immunity, and reduce inflammation. Essential oils produced from Palo Santo are used as topical emollients to treat arthritis and joint pain, and are widely used in aromatherapy as a pleasurable means to treat coughs and bronchial conditions.

Try a sample of this heavenly scent, and notice the healing properties take hold. How do you like to use Palo Santo? Where is your favorite source to buy it? Submit comments and questions below!

Create A Sanctuary Sanctuary

Make Your Modern Home More Magical in Five Simple Steps

Create an Altar

No matter your faith or spiritual preference, pick a corner of your bedroom or living area and make yourself an altar. Place crystals, trinkets, keepsakes, or anything else with great personal significance, and begin setting intentions. Create a space in your modern home fully dedicated to your wishes and your dreams. The visual representation will be a constant reminder of all you wish to manifest, and that’s where the magic begins!

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Hanging House Plants

A touch of plant life is a perfect way to bring natural beauty into any environment. Short on floor space? You can hang almost as many plants as you want, and take up no surface area! Follow the links below for some DIY macrame plant hangers!

Learn How!

Great For Beginners!

Throw Pillows Galore!

Your bedroom and living area can never have too many pillows. To make any modern home cozy and magical, add some ethereal modern pillows to lounge in!

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Candles Everywhere

The soft, natural glow of flame will illuminate every room of your modern home with a warm, magic vibe. Place candles in your entry way, on your coffee table, in the kitchen, on your dining table, next to your bed, and all over your bathroom, and you are sure to feel a noticeable shift in energy! Even better to find candles with a delicious aroma!

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Purify the Air

The last but certainly not least important step to creating magic in your modern home, is keeping the air clear of organic and energetic impurities. Check out our articles on Smudging your home using Sage or Palo Santo, and utilizing Himalayan Salt Lamps!

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We are all capable of of wonderful magic, the potential is always within you. Create beauty, serenity, and fluidity in your environment, and you will notice the impact it has on your mind and body. Our external environment directly affects our our internal environment, and with inner peace, we are empowered, and have the ability to influence everyone we interact with.

How do you make your modern home magical? Submit comments or links for us to see your home below!

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Aromatherapy Bring Nature Inside

Himalayan Salt Lamps to Enlighten Your Modern Home

Origins

Himalayan salt is composed of dried remnants of the original, primal sea, dating back to the Precambrian Age over 4 billion years ago when planet Earth first formed. Discovered in 326 B.C. by Alexander the Great, the beautiful blush Himalayan salt is a rock salt, or halite, from the Punjab region of Pakistan. The earliest records of mining are around the 1200s, documented by the Janjuna people.

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Purification

In every home, dirt, dander, pollen, and other allergens exist in airborne water molecules in the air around us. When Himalayan salt lamps are utilized in your space, their hygroscopic properties, (their ability to absorb moisture from the air), trap unfriendly particles. The heat produced from Himalayan salt lamps dries the vapor leaving the particles clinging to the salt. Hence, it is important to wipe down your salt lamp every few of weeks to remove any buildup it has been collecting.

Himalayan salt lamps also contribute to the purification of the air in a space by emitting negative ions, which are essential to neutralizing a percentage of positive ions. Positive ions, which have been linked to ailments such as asthma, seasonal affective disorder, and depression, are released by things including electrical devices and air pollution. Negative ions also increase the serotonin and oxygen levels in the brain, which can minimize lethargy, alleviate stress, and boost your energy level. To achieve these effects, you need to leave your salt lamp on night and day within your space for several days, if not keeping it illuminated all the time. Place your salt lamp next to your bed or in the corner of your room to keep your sleeping environment at the utmost purity.

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Chromotherapy via Halotherapy

Himalayan salt lamps are an excellent way to benefit from Chromotherapy, an ancient therapeutic technique of using various wavelengths of colors to affect well-being. The LED displays of our smart phones and computers emit artificial blue light, which is highly stimulating, so the soft sunset glow of salt lamps in contrast will calm our senses. Curl up with a book next to your Himalayan salt lamp, and notice the tranquil impact on your mood!

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Do you have a Himalayan salt lamp in your home? What effects have you noticed from the lamp in your space? Submit comments and questions below!

Color Therapy Create A Sanctuary

Chromotherapy and the Psychology of Color to enlighten your Modern Home

Did you know that there is a psychology behind the use of color in your environment? Each color has its own immensely therapeutic effect on your state of mind, so how you utilize color in your modern home is essential to maintaining a positive and vibrant flow of energy.

Check out the links below to our articles on chromotherapy, and some of our most favorite selections of modern homes in each shade!

Read about the color psychology of RED

Read about the color psychology of ORANGE

Read about the color psychology of YELLOW

Read about the color psychology of GREEN

Read about the color psychology of BLUE

Read about the color psychology of VIOLET

Aromatherapy Bring Nature Inside

Spiritual and Scientific Reasons to Burn Sage

Smudging, or the ceremonial burning of herbs and resins, is an ancient indigenous tradition for cleansing a person or environment of negative and unclean energy.

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Purification

Research studies have proven that the smoke emitted from herbs is a powerful antiseptic that purifies the air of 94% of harmful bacteria for up to 24 hours. The results of a study that set out to examine the uses of smudging in Western medicine were published in a 2006 scientific paper titled “Medicinal Smokes,” in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. According to the abstract, “All through time, humans have used smoke of medicinal plants to cure illness. The advantages of smoke-based remedies are rapid delivery to the brain, more efficient absorption by the body, and lower costs of production.”

In the same research periodical, the Journal of Ethnopharmacology stated that the absence of pathogenic bacteria in the open room, even after 30 days, is indicative of the bactericidal potential of the use of medicinal smoke treatment. “We have demonstrated that using medicinal smoke, it is possible to completely eliminate diverse plant and human pathogenic bacteria of the air within confined space.”

Shifting Energy

Our bodies have a dense electromagnetic field, or aura, that can become blocked with detrimental positive ions that cause us to feel lethargic and depleted of energy. By burning sage, the air is neutralized of positive charge, and the smoke releases a surplus of negative ions into the atmosphere. As a result, our energy and the energy in our environment will feel noticeably lighter. Burning sage is also utilized to heal the mind of psychic and emotional trauma. The smoke can be fanned around the body to remove emotional blocks in the energy field.

Sage has antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is an expectorant, diuretic and stimulant. Sage also has a profound “estrogenic effect” on the body, so for women experiencing hormonal shifts such as menopause, symptoms of estrogen deficiency, or women who have had a hysterectomy, drinking sage tea can greatly benefit their system’s readjustment. A cup of good infusion can also aid a number of health problems such as joint pain, sprains, sore throat, colds, cough, kidney troubles, liver complaints, and digestive problems.

(Disclosure: Sage should not be ingested by pregnant women or those with epilepsy. Women who are nursing should only drink sage tea if their intention is to decrease their milk supply.)

Aromotherapy

Sage has a calming effect on the senses, and has a powerful aroma that eliminates all other odors from an environment. Any area of your home that is susceptible to undesirable scents is a great location to burn sage.The aroma from sage smoke increases relaxation, and can induce an energetic state that enables deeper meditation.

If brewed as a tea and cooled, sage can be used as a cleansing tonic for your hair. Especially for those with darker hair colors, rinsing your hair with a sage tea tonic will add a lustrous glaze to your locks. (Those with lighter hair should use this treatment with caution if they do not wish to tint their hair color.)

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A Native American Sage Ritual Utilizing the Four Cardinal Points to Dispel Negative Energy

Facing North – I welcome the energy of wisdom and blessing and the Grandmothers and Grandfathers who teach me. Welcome Buffalo, and the spirit of giving away, teach me to be generous and honor all that I receive. I welcome the energies and spirits of the North
Facing South – I welcome the energy of service to all my relatives, the heat of the noonday sun and the spirit of action in the world. Welcome Coyote spirit. I welcome the energies and spirits of the South.
Facing East – I welcome the energy of the beginning way, the rising sun at the beginning of the day and the light of illumination. Welcome Eagle, flying nearest the heavens, with the clearest of vision. I welcome the energies and spirits of the East.
Facing West – I welcome the energy of looking within to find the gifts of healing. Welcome Bear spirit going deep within to seek the gift of renewal. I welcome the energies and spirits of the West.
Looking Up – I welcome the energy and spirit of Above. Father Sky, Star people, and Cloud people. Welcome all that is masculine, grandfathers, fathers, brothers, uncles and sons. And that masculine energy that also exists within the feminine. I welcome the energies and spirits of Father Sky.
Looking Down (touching the ground) – I welcome the energy of Mother Earth, the feminine principle, the energy and spirit of Below. I welcome the energy and the spirit of our grandmothers, our mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters. And that feminine energy that exists within the Masculine. I welcome the energies and spirits of Mother Earth.
Looking within (holding your hands over your heart) – I welcome the energy of Within, the principle of being connected, the energy and spirit of Within. I welcome the gifts of balance, oneness, and the connection with all things, for all things are one and all things are related.

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How do you use herbs and resins in your modern lifestyle? What other herbs do you enjoy burning in your home? Submit comments and questions below!

Color Therapy Create A Sanctuary

Chromotherapy: Breathing in Green

Soak up the rich, soothing color of life on Planet Earth. The natural wonder and fluidity of green reminds us of new beginnings, birth and expansion.

Breathe in deep jades and cool emeralds, marvel in serene sages and moss, revel in regal arrays of the forest. Green is a color of natural balance, fertility, vitality, prosperity, and abundance, and it possesses a simultaneously soothing and energizing influence upon both mind and body.

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THE H E A R T CHAKRA

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A N A H A T A

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Anahata, the heart center, translated from Sanskrit as “the unstruck sound.” It is our connection to unconditional love, harmony, sincerity, forgiveness, empathy, and compassion. Anahata is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras, merging the manifest with the spiritual. A balanced heart chakra gives you a feeling of infallible connectedness, and a will to love fiercely.

The element associated with Anahata chakra is Air. Visit visualizations of exploring space, feeling the infinite, and expanding into the sky. The heart center is the door to our inner temple, our soul, the eternal, transcendent part of ourselves.

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H e a r t-m i n d e d Foods

The Anahata Chakra is connected to the thymus gland, and affects blood pressure and all conditions of the heart, lungs, and breasts.

Green foods like kiwi, peas, zucchini, celery, pears, green apples, avocado, and leafy greens like spinach, kale, chard, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, and leaks are essential to complete a diet nurturing to your heart center.

Y O G A

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Yogic postures that benefit the Anahata chakra are heart-openers such as Chakrasana (Wheel pose, pictured above), Bhujangasana (cobra pose), Viparita Virabhadrasana (reversed warrior), Ustrasana (camel pose), and Anahatasana (heart melting pose, explored in Yin Yoga). A daily yogic practice of postures, pranayama (breathing exercises), meditation, and mindfulness, will lead to a fuller, more peaceful and connected lifestyle!

L i v i n g in Greenery

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Dreaming in green, the natural flow of the forest in our homes and our hearts, we celebrate the color of vivid life on our planet.

How do you like to incorporate green into your home and your life?

Check out our articles on the effects of Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, and Violet!

Color Therapy Create A Sanctuary

Chromotherapy: Melting into Yellow

Luscious lemons, ambient ambers, sensual saffrons, to grandiose golds, the glorious gradients of yellow will kindle your mind, body, and soul with vitality, confidence, and clarity.

Illuminating shades of yellow stimulate your memory and nervous system, sharpening your senses and sparking intellect. Giving us a lust for life and boldly stating “here I am”, yellow encourages the well being of our psychic center, the solar plexus. A color with a wealth of warmth, yellow can ease and promote fluidity in communication by unfurling inspiration for the written and spoken word.

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M a n i p u r a

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Radiate the power of your psychic center, a golden glowing star at your solar plexus. Igniting our expression of will and psychic abilities, the energy center of Manipura is mobilized when we assert ourselves into the world. Assume full responsibility for your life by taking charge of your thoughts, which govern our decisions and shape the reality that we exist in. A balanced third chakra allows us to formulate clear opinions and beliefs with accountability, clarity of personal identity, the fluidity of navigating decisions with wisdom, and setting the clearest course on the path to your future.

Manipura, translated from Sanskrit as “city of jewels,” is connected to the element fire, and is closely tied to dancing, laughing, and physical interaction with others. With a strong connection to solar energy, time walking beneath the sun or sitting near to a flame can greatly influence the health and prosperity of this energy center.

Cedarwood, Rosemary, Chamomile, and Bergamot in the form of essential oils and herbal teas are exceptional aids in nurturing your solar plexus energy center.

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H e a l i n g Diet

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Closely connected to the digestive system, namely the gastric and hypogastric plexi, your solar plexus energy center governs your body’s ability to transform matter into energy. Closely associated with the pancreas, controlling your metabolic functions.

Bananas, yellow peppers, yellow squash, lemons, pineapple, corn, and fibrous foods like yellow lentils, flaxseed, brown rice, nuts, seeds, are imperative to balancing your Manipura chakra.

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Y O G A

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Yoga postures that greatly benefit the Manipura chakra are Ardha Matsyendrasana (half lord of the fishes pose, as pictured above), Dhanurasana (bow pose), Parvritta Trikonasana (revolved triangle pose), and Bhujangasana (cobra pose). A daily yoga practic complete with postures, pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation, will ensure a positive outcome of your entire body and mind.