by Brianna | Mar 31, 2020 | Healing, Immune System
Castor Oil Packs are simple, relaxing and a surprisingly powerful aid to the immune system. They seem like a lot of work but they are not. I am using them weekly as part of my I-love-you-routines and I personally find that they restore me in ways that are hard to fully express. Plus they help me slip into a deep meditative state and when I am relaxed I cannot be anxious. I love that fact. Castor Oil is a very old healer. Made from Castor Beans it has been used both internally and externally for thousands of years and for numerous reasons. It is a wonderful home remedy and simple to put into practice. Current research has identified castor oil as an anti-toxin and as having impact on the lymphatic system enhancing immunological function. G. Harvey, Immunomodulation of Castor Oil Packs There are two ways to offer yourself this healing tool. First and foremost you will want to be comfortable. Think cushion under head and knees comfort, cozy blanket. A few towels – castor oil will stain – so use the same ones. When I come to rest with a castor oil pack I find that I move into a very meditative space or I drift of to sleep. Either is fine. I do set an alarm to end the practice. The more traditional method: Cut a piece of cotton that can cover the upper right of your abdomen and a little more (liver area). Soak this cloth in Castor Oil (this is a lot of oil the first time, less as time moves on). Rest on a...
by Brianna | Mar 17, 2020 | Breathing, Change, Healing
This is a surreal moment. Anxiety is rampant. Fear is amped. And the worry. The repetitive worry absolutely mind bending. I made this video this morning and am sharing it with no edits and no bells and whistles. Just a simple 15 minute meditative and breath practice because now is the time. Now is the time to cultivate personal peace and reduce stress. You cannot be anxious and relaxed at the same time. It isn’t possible. So come on – peace out for 15. Obviously: Do not do this meditation while driving or operating...
by Brianna | Feb 7, 2020 | Breathing, Change, Healing Yoga Practice, practice, Transformation, Yoga
I love a good 40 day practice. I find that the challenge of maintaining pushes me to stay focused and affords a depth of understanding that I can’t achieve without repetitive commitment. 40 days allows me to really experience the impact of the “work” and investigate how it makes me feel in a myriad of moods and states. Here are a few examples that I have committed to over the years: Kriya Yoga Set (Current 40 Day practice – read more below) Journaling Chanting a specific mantra Seated meditation Abhyanga (Dry Brushing and Oil Massage) Sun Salutations (2, 4, 6 – what number is right for you?) 5 Minutes of Breath work Currently I am 7 days into a 40 day practice of a Kundalini Yoga Kriya called: Kriya to Make You Enchantingly Beautiful(KTMYEB). The name irks me. So dumb. The Kriya however is a favorite. One thing I always liked about KTMYE is that it is a perfect 20 minutes – the first 14 minutes are real intense – I am modifying three of the five postures – then you rest. Over the next 40 days I will get stronger. Modify less. Meditate More. There will be days I hate it. Days I love it. Days I don’t want to do it. Days I do it twice. There will be insight and boredom, excitement and drudgery. Times it will feel like three seconds and others that I swear were hours. What I find is that there is a lot of power in the experience of simply showing up and doing the practice. What type of 40...
by Brianna | Jul 17, 2018 | Healing Recipes
I love cooking. Its something I have enjoyed since I was a child and my mom let me cook by myself (oven and all) from the age of 5. Don’t judge – it was the 80s and the rules were definitely different. For the record, I never caught myself or the house on fire. My husband and I go to the farmer’s market in our town every Saturday. Its something that we look forward to and I really enjoy knowing the men and women who grow my food. This time of year the bounty is amazing. This weekend a friend gave me a ton of cucumbers because her garden was banging them out left and right. I had purchased beautiful garlic with all its imperfect colors that morning and decided to make one of my favorite things: Tzatziki – cucumber and yogurt sauce for those not initiated to its brilliance. Armenians love their plain yogurt and it is one of my cultures most important condiments. Make if for yourself and put it on everything or simply eat it with a spoon. Tzatziki: 2 cucumbers: peeled, seeded, dried and chopped (personally I like it chunky but you can make it super fine if you prefer) 2 bulbs garlic: roasted 1 clove garlic: chopped fine 1 large container plain Greek yogurt (a little fat is good) 1 lemon: juiced Salt Olive Oil Cucumber Preparation: Seems funny but the cucumbers need to be as dry as possible. Otherwise the sauce will be delicious and watery. First, peel the cucumbers, then slice them length wise and scrape out the seeds with...
by Brianna | Feb 5, 2018 | Healing, Healing Recipes, Tea
I love tea and I drink it daily. Usually multiple times a day. Photos of tea are a large part of #365daysofsimpleselfcare. Delano and I chatted about four of my favorite medicinal teas. What’s even better is that they are simple to make and taste delicious, I mean, super yum psst….Delano was in love with the Elderberry Syrup Tea! Elderberry Tea: Good for staving off cold and flu!!!! Recipe Ginger Tea: Good for when your belly doesn’t feel right! Recipe Tumeric and Honey Tea: Good for decreasing inflammation! Recipe Chai Green Tea: Good for metabolism and digestion....
