Almost Done
For Day 8 of my cleanse, my son was sick so my day was dedicated to managing his digestion. There is a pretty ugly stomach flu out there right now. At first, I thought that he may have had the measles. But after further investigation, the friend, who originally informed me of the measles exposure, called me back and said that the doctor misdiagnosed. The blood work had returned with a negative indication. I was totally relieved. My son is not vaccinated. We made that choice and was totally aware of the pros and cons of the route (another blog for later). However, I learned much about managing the measles in a conscious way (another blog for later).  My son's oil regimen to heal is stomach yuckiness consisted of Eucalyptus oil (anti-biotic), Chamomile oil (digestive), and On Guard (anti-biotic). 

Night Walk
For my exercise, I waited til  my son was sound asleep with the angels (I used this term in the past and there was some confusion. I mean that he is in deep sleep with the angels and spirits in heaven.) and I went on a night walk for an hour. I realized that this whole process of transformation has been one big RESET button. We all need a time to reset our digestion or just reset our lives. And it is never to late to do this rebellious, courageous thing! What have you desired to reset? Your love life? Your career? Your spiritual life? Your relationships with your friends and families?  What areas in your life do you want to change?  Your body? Your mind? Your spirit? What areas of your life need to be reconciled? What has been lost or maybe just forgotten? What areas in your life do you not like? Are you totally excited about today? Are you totally excited about your life? Are you totally excited about your devotion to God? Are you ready to make your transformation?


Let me know if you would like a $50 Gift Card to go towards your cleanse. I highly recommend you embarking on this transformation for yourself.

My Sweet Grandmother
They say that Day 3 is the most challenging. However, I would disagree. My hardest day was by far Day 6. I think I walked right into Eat-Exactly-What-You-Are-Not-Supposed-To Street though. We celebrated Mother's Day early, and went to a pretty well-known buffet. This wasn't the challenging part of the night. I just had to mention it, because the food was horrible. I didn't eat it, but my sister  told me all about it the next day. She said that it didn't have any life force whatsoever, and she was sure it was all GMO.  We both could not understand how people could stand to pay $12 for a plate of awful, flavorless food. On the positive, it was decorated with pizazz and color. The appearance of the food was fabulous! Furthermore, the restaurant we went to was so packed full of people! I couldn't believe it, but they must not know the taste of true food.  How could so many people be attracted to such awful food? And also, I don't mean to be hypercritical and believe me, I am not always correct. Nonetheless, I offer the question still: How can so many people devour food that is not good for them? It is just part of society I suppose. Addiction?  If you have any insights on this, please let me know.

This day was my most challenging, because after the GMO Headquarters Restaurant, we visited my grandmother who is 89 years old, and we got her my favorite Mexican food. The soothing smell haunted me, and I immediately focused on the regimen of the cleanse. Mexican food, for me, is the ultimate comfort food. It reminds me of my mother. Tacos. Rice. Beans. Burritos. As kids, my siblings and I didn't call what we ate Mexican food, we just called it FOOD.  Fresh Tortillas daily.  Fresh tacos daily. Albondigas weekly. Menudo, every New Year's day.  My family has been here for generations, and my aunt even owns a Mexican food restaurant in Phoenix. Thus, I reminded myself of my intention: Ana, clear your mind. Also, my grandmother really noticed my different appearance, which was further affirmation for me.  Once I saw Eat-Exactly-What-You-Are-Not-Supposed-To Street, I am happy to say I turned around, and went to Cleanse Street. Overall, I didn't go off the cleanse. Namaste.

Welcome to the month of May, and we may be experiencing the effects of what is called the Grand Cross in the night sky. It is a rare occurrence when the planets of Jupiter, Mars, Uranus, and Pluto are all aligned to form a cross over the earth. This time has been one of great change, but not like we are not used to it already. 2014 has been packed full of surprises, and twists and turns. This month’s angel message comes from a Doreen Virtue Ph.D.’s deck, The Goddess Guidance Oracle Card.

Creating a Sacred Space

Nemetona’s message focuses on creating time for silence and retreat. Nemetona was a Celtic goddess that created, sustained, and honored several power places in England. My interpretation of receiving Nemetona card is that we all need to connect with sacred space regularly during this time of great changes. I talk about this quite often in my yoga classes. We all yearn to connect with divine silence and the practices of yoga and meditation can help. Develop a home yoga practice for fifteen to thirty minutes. Include lots of Pranayama breathing practices, which is the energetic bridge between the external and the internal.

How can we create a sacred environment within our homes? Very simple devotional scenes can bring peace to any living area. One idea is to create lovely altars. Select an empty space that is kept tidy and clear of clutter. Second, choose a center piece for your altar. It could be a picture of a deity, statue, candle, painting, art piece, rock, book, card (from an angel or tarot deck), fortune cookie message, collage you have created, life map, journal entry (with a wish list or intention), geographic map (that has special meaning to you), or flowers from a garden. Lastly, surround your center piece with offerings of love, such as flowers, silks, incense, essential oils, or fruit. Pay close attention to keeping your altar clean from dust. In my home, we have two altars with two different intentions. The altar in the kitchen is meant to keep the heart of our family healthy, and the other in the bedroom is meant for deep meditation and intuitive insights during sleep time. You can add an intention for your altar as well if you would like.

Creating Sacred Space with Sacred Essential Oils

Frankincense and sandalwood essential oils are perfect for home altars.  Frankincense is often regarded as a holy oil in many countries and throughout time.  It is mentioned in the Bible as one of the gifts given to Jesus by the three wise men.  Many ancient civilizations used Frankincense in ceremony and ritual.  As part of a home altar, it can be diffused or  burnt as incense.  Frankincense can help focus energy and calm impatience. On the other hand,  sandalwood is used to balance the emotions. Sandalwood is another ceremonial holy oil, and ancient Egyptians used it for embalming. Sandalwood can be placed at the third-eye before and after meditation.  Integrate the magic of frankincense and sandalwood into your home's environment and experience the energetic shift.



Announcements

Free Essential Oils Class May 5th at 4 pm. Location: Mother’s Nest in Cottonwood, AZ.

Peaceful Restorative Yoga Retreat in Clearwater Beach, Florida

July 23- July 26 th

Peaceful Restorative Yoga Retreat in Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona

August 30- August 31st.

Spaces are limited. Reserve your space today. More details on my website. Much love to you, Ana

Yesterday at Mother’s Nest in Cottonwood, I taught a class on Emergency Oils and I want to share with you some of the resources I found while doing my research. I especially enjoyed the Dr. Hill’s video on Youtube which is below. First, I would like to mention using essential oils with confidence. Recently, I have been helping a family who has never used anything like oils before; not anything plant-based. They became open to using essential oils because monthly (steadily for four months) they have not been able to get rid of their colds and flus, and the frustration was overwhelming and real.  I felt for them. My brother’s family has gone through that cycle of sickness. Once it get started, it is difficult to stop it. I suggested On Guard DoTerra Blend (similar to Thieves Blend) to them, and they are using it now. I spent an hour coaching them on being confident with using the On Guard.  They seemed really hesitant to use it but completely curious. I could almost read their thoughts: Does it really work? What if it does work? What if it doesn’t work?  Ultimately, I found that education is the key to feeling confident about using anything new. I also wanted them to feel empowered by using the oils; which hopefully that will grow and evolve.   I felt baby steps are the key in introducing new oils. I have been using herbs and oils for the past 13 years and I forget that some people have no background or knowledge on where to begin. I haven’t been to an allopathic physician for over a decade. And I had a midwife for my child’s birth. For me, the reflex to run to a physician when I am sick is just not there anymore; when I get “sick” I go through a whole other process (which is for another blog).  Confidence is the key; in knowing that this type of medicine has been used for a whole lot longer than chemical, synthetic-based medicines of the recent history.  Egyptians have been credited as being the first to use oils as medicine; furthermore it can be traced back as part of India’s Ayurveda and China’s Acupuncture.  All of these are ancient, sacred healing modalities that have withheld the test of time and modern industrialization.

The top Emergency Oils that I have on hand in my home farmacy are the following: lavender, Deep Blue (DoTerra Blend), lemon, and helichrysum. There are many other ones you can use as well; however these four are super versatile.

Lavender is a natural stress reliever. We often forget that emergencies come in all sized and shapes; mental and physical. Lavender is that Go-To oil in the case of all emergencies. For mental relief, we can turn to lavender to calm the nervous system; for depression; for shock; and for emotional pain. For cuts, scrapes, and bruises, we can turn to lavender oil for antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.  It helps with skin rashes or skin cuts; and pain. It is the ultimate medicine to reduce stress in the body.

Deep Blue is a DoTerra blend that was specifically used for muscle aches and soreness. This is another versatile blend that I use for bruises or any joint problems. It is similar to Tiger Balm, but with much cleaner ingredients.  The blend includes Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint, Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Helicyrsum, and Osmanthus. Ok. I love absolutely love peppermint oil, but I kept it out of my top four because it is more of a digestive in my mind; however, it could easily fit on this list, because of its cooling effect on cells and tissues. Deep Blue was specifically constructed to address problems in muscles and bones.

Helichrysum is useful in the repair and regeneration of the cells. It is safe to treat wounds, broken blood vessels, tissue repair and tissue repair.  Energetically, it is used to calm down anger emotions and shock. This is only used for children 6 years and older; and of course adults.


Lemon is your natural sanitizer, cleanser, and disinfectant.  You can make your own Lemon Sanitizer Spray by blending eight ounces of water with 10-15 drops of lemon essential oil. You can add 10-15 drops of On Guard into that blend as well.  Keep this one in your bag at all times, instead of using those chemical-based sanitizers


Overall, I could have easily added my favorite oil of ALL time: Frankincense, because of its healing effects on the nervous system.  The most important aspect of treating your child in emergency situations is being confident. Be confident with yourself and your ability to be your own physician. You can do it! I have done it and many mothers have done it too. Know that this is the tradition of real wellness and health. Also, you are showing your child true empowerment. This is priceless. Where else will they learn true health? Also, know when there are emergencies you can not treat, and when it is time to ask for more help.  Hope this helps. Much love, Ana




Resources:

http://everythingessential.me/HealthConcerns/EmergencyPrepardness.html#page=page-2

Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Oils, Fourth Edition