Guidelines for the Detox/Cleanse If you are considering Purium's Cleanse, here are some helpful guidelines. I have included a video from David Sandoval as well. His information is quite captivating, and he makes some excellent points. He is clearly knowledgeable. Here it is: 1. It is important to drink more than half your body weight in ounces per day of water. You need to stay hydrated. 2. Eliminate any temptations like donuts and cookies. 3. Avoid excess exercise because it is a form of stress. 30-45 minutes is sufficient. 4. Avoid stress during your cleanse. This may difficult due to busy schedules; just don't add anything extra. Also, let me know if you would like a $50 Gift Card to go towards your cleanse. I highly recommend you embarking on this transformation. The Perfect Day Upon reflecting on the second day of the detox, I felt like I had the perfect day. I had the opportunity to do everything that I love and enjoy: yoga, jog, meditate, play games with my son, and spend quality time with my husband. My energy was very electric, and I enjoyed my day. One of the highlights of my day was watching this Lip Sync Battle. I have included it in this blog, because it is just so lighthearted and fun. Much love. Go with peace. =)
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Open Door to Change A few weeks ago, I decided to do Purium's 10-day transformation detox/cleanse. First, let me give you an overview of the program before I share my reflections on the first day. The entire range of products are made from the purest ingredients: 100% vegan, 100% GMO-Free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, 100% free of artificial flavors and sweeteners, and 100% free of binders, fillers, and synthetics. For the detox/cleanse, there are five different products to consume; Master Aminos, Power Shake, Apothe-Cherry, Ionic Elements, and Dietary Fiber Blend. The program comes with a schedule that can be varied to fit your own lifestyle, but basically you are eating or drinking every two hours. There is also a Flex option where three times a day you eat from a Flex list, which is mostly made up of raw food choices such as apples and berries. The Power Shake, which is the main part of the program, is made up of all organic green vegetables with the exception of organic carrot powder. This means that the bulk of the diet on this cleanse is all organic green vegetables, packed with nutrients. Also, you should exercise about 45 minutes a day, but not more than this. In the guidelines, it suggests that during the 10 day program you should not have any extraneous stress. While on this cleanse, you should really be in a peaceful state-of-mind. Purium, David Sandoval's company that created this detox, also sends you motivational and inspiring text messages daily. Conference calls and email coaching are part of the support system as well. All in all, it has very structured guidelines with lots of help throughout the duration of the ten days. For the past two years, I have been feeling like I need a major detox. I have done small detoxes with triphala, the Ayurvedic medicine. But this one is the first 10 day program with Power Shakes. I want to start by saying that I am not doing this detox to get thinner, and I am not one of those people obsessed with my physical appearance. When I first had Jaidon, my son, five years ago, I became totally aware of the pressure to lose the baby weight. I heard it and saw it all around me. I saw mothers, who were already thin, starve themselves to get even thinner. I saw obsessive dieting and exercise, and how the ego took over with self-loathing. According to Ayurveda, the forty-two days after birth is one of the most special and profound times of life for both the mother and the baby. Being overly focused on losing weight is distracting and unnatural. My message for new moms is to not worry about losing weight. In my experience, the weight will naturally come off as you keep up with an energetic toddler. There is no urgency to return to your pre-baby weight; and furthermore, your body is totally changed in giving birth. Take the time to get to know your new body with your new family. Along the same thought process, in the yoga community, there are many people who are obsessed with physical appearance. In 2001, I did a power yoga vinyasa teacher training with a well-known yoga instructor in Cancun, Mexico. I felt like I was in a five-day episode of Bay Watch; which as a new student of yoga was pretty intimidating. Also, the physical aspect of yoga was the main focus of the training, and many of my students know the story about my serious injuries during that time that were caused by the poor yoga instruction (and of course my own kharma). My lesson, which was further affirmed later in 2003 when I took the hatha yoga teacher training at 7 Centers Yoga Arts, was to live yoga as an integrated practice of observing the mind and using the prana to move the breath throughout the body. Yoga can't just be a physical practice; if so, it is not yoga at all in fact. Thus, my main intention in doing this cleanse is to detox the old me and transform into a new me. I want to clear out the old thoughts that keep me scared and doubtful at times, and transform into a new me with confidence. My beginning weight is 136 lbs. My chest is 35in, my waist is 29in, and my buttocks is at 40in. One comment about my bottom; my husband and I both like my bottom. My beginning picture are below. First Day Reflections
I didn't expect to feel the changes immediately, but I did. I felt my mind stuff appear right in front of me with no mercy. My mind stuff is usually in the form of insecurity and self-doubt and lack of self-confidence. This has been my deep work for several years now. Around 4pm, I started to feel uneasy about my abilities. It was really very silly, but the voice inside my head doubted my mothering abilities, my inner strength, and my voice. I watched the thoughts come up for me like captions of a cartoon. All I could do is watch them, and I didn't act on them. Thank God for my husband, because later I was able to share it with him, and he helped by listening to me. By the end of the day, the negative thinking was released entirely. I was so surprised at the thought's intensity. Once I realized that it was a reaction to the cleanse, I felt very happy. I knew that I was on the right track. I couldn't believe the increase in energy. With the Power Shakes, I felt lighter and moved with more flow. In the past, I have felt difficulty in bringing joy and lightness in every movement and change of life. My parents both were workaholics that moved without true purpose and in the muddiness of heavy burden. I don't blame them and I don't feel any resentment. I love my parents very much and have healthy, loving relationships with both of them. I just was left with a confusion about work and movement and transition. It is only now that I am practicing bliss in every moment (that is the goal anyway). Teaching and practicing yoga for the past 13 years have helped tremendously as well. The yoga has helped me re-define work, and create an entire new perspective all together. Also, it should be made clear the work is part of your environmental diet. We are actually eating up all of our experiences, and digesting them internally. Therefore, digestion and food is beyond what we place in our mouths; it is also our lifestyle and environment. We digest our lifestyle, and we digest our environment. No experience goes without digestion and absorption. Overall, the first day was very nice. I look forward to the next 9 days. I will continue to blog and share my thoughts. Much love. 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 Hi Friends, Family, and Yoga Practitioners!
Message from Angels Hope your April season is treating you with Wonder and Grace. This newsletter will start with an Angel Card Message. Some of you may know that I am a huge fan of Doreen Virtue’s work with Angels, Fairies, and other beautiful elements. I have been reading decks for about 10 years now, and I love to communicate with my Angels. The deck that I am using for this newsletter is Doreen Virtue’s and Radleigh Valentine’s Angel Tarot Cards Deck, and the Angel Message for this newsletter is The Empress: Archangel Gabriel (3). It states, “Lavish Abundance. Give birth to your dreams. Nurture yourself and others.” My interpretation of this card is that this is the time for dreams to come true. We often do not allow ourselves to dream FULLY, because we may have emotions like fears and doubt that keep us from expressing our true nature. This is the time when we must LET GO of those emotions, and bravely take the steps in the right direction of our dreams. It is also so important to manage your mental, emotional, and spiritual harmony with care during this month. You must take care of those inner workings in order of the external environment to respond with lavish abundance. Here, we talk about lavish abundance, but we are not only talking about material abundance. The Angels mean real abundance: material and spiritual. We need to be rich in our own spiritual practice; taking the time to do yoga and meditation. If you do not know how to do yoga or meditation, this is the time to start. I noticed already this month how many of my yoga students have emotionally released during yoga class. It is a positive message to me that they are in the right place at the right time. They are definitely taking care of cleansing out the emotional body. Spend time to dream like you have never dreamed before; making dreaming a champion sport. Do it with zest! Announcements Ongoing Events: Mama & Baby Yoga @ 7 Centers Yoga Arts, Every Wednesday, 2pm Kids Yoga @ Shiva Shack Every Saturday, 11:45 am Kids Yoga @ 7 Centers Yoga Arts, Every Sunday, 12:30 pm Retreats: Restorative Yoga Retreat in Pinetop, AZ Saturday, Aug. 30- Sunday, Aug. 31, Restorative Yoga Retreat in Clearwater Beach, AZ Possible dates: July 5th-July 8th Or July 23rd- July 27th For more information, including registration and payment, please go to Ana-Yoga.com. Workshops: Basic Hatha yoga and Meditation @ Shiva Shack on April 27th, 4-6 pm Much love to you and yours. Namaste, Ana |