Three years ago, I ventured into a hot yoga practice by chance. I had heard about it over social media and had been dealing with some very difficult bouts of anxiety and was looking for a new way to work out that helped with this. I was looking at it from a health perspective in the physical sense as I had injured myself running a half marathon and had taken a break from fitness. With some weight to shed and stress to burn, I decided to give hot yoga a try. It was an exhilarating experience and one that I stuck to weekly for quite a while, but eventually the cost of sessions got the best of me and I had to take a long term break as my budget couldn't handle the cost of the classes. I put bills and other responsibilities over me. Which is a common thread in my story and personal journey towards self care. It's also something that I see and hear about a lot of other moms doing as well.
Yet, over the last two years, I found that I could still practice yoga at home and my fitness routine didn't need to consist of a gym. I sucked it up and decided to begin a personal home yoga practice using Youtube as my teacher and mustered up the courage to start running again despite the fear of hurting my knee once more. It has been during these last two years that I have learned to listen to my body rather than fight it and also to find ways to reconnect to my spirit. It's through my health focused decisions that I also began to find a path back towards my spirituality, taking care of myself and working to calm my anxiety and quiet my mind. I have not reached nirvana, I'm far from it. I'm a high achieving, type-A worry wart who likes to control things. I am human and I am flawed, but I try. I won't lie, letting go has been the biggest obstacle on this journey. Yet, by pulling in a mindfulness practice consisting of working out, meditation and yoga - I've begun to unlock something deep in me. A desire to reconnect to my spiritual ancestral roots. In this process, I've also begun to work on healing myself, alleviate my stresses and the physical manifestations they show up as: migraines, muscle aches and stomach issues.
So, why yoga? There are many benefits of starting a yoga practice. Yoga can change your physical and mental capacity quickly, while preparing the mind and body for long-term health. Yoga has a place for anyone and everyone. It's a beautifully inclusive practice that really allows you to focus on healing yourself rather than competing. Yoga’s deep breathing and meditation practices help foster an inner shift from to-do lists, kids and spouse’s needs, financial concerns, and relationship struggles to something a little bit bigger than the issues you face. Yoga helps relieve stress and declutters the mind, helping you to become more focused. While my journey began with hot yoga, it's culminated into a home practice that consists of a generalist hatha practice with additional focus on kundalini and vinyasa type yoga styles. Hatha is a physical yoga practice, which is pretty much all yoga you’ll find in the Western hemisphere. One of the six original branches of yoga, “hatha” encompasses nearly all types of modern yoga. The practice of kundalini yoga features constantly moving, invigorating poses. The fluidity of the practice is intended to release the kundalini (serpent) energy in your body. Finally, vinyasa is more of an active and athletic style of yoga adapted from the traditional ashtanga system in the late 1980s that was meant to appeal to the more aerobic-crazed Westerners. I like this as it gives me a bit more of a blood moving and athletic centered practice. I personally practice yoga on my off days of running as a way to keep my body strong and also to connect with my energy to ground myself.
Although, some might be inclined to think meditation and yoga are the same thing. They are not. They are similar and many involve both into their practices, but meditation focuses on stilling the mind. I also work in a mindfulness practice to my weekly meditation practice. The term "mindfulness" has been used to refer to a psychological state of awareness, the practices that promote this awareness, a mode of processing information and a character trait. Mindfulness is looked at as a moment-to-moment awareness of one's experience without judgment. In this sense, mindfulness is a state and not a trait. While it might be promoted by certain practices or activities, such as meditation, it is not equivalent to or synonymous with them.
I want to note that while you don't need anything really to do yoga or practice meditation, there are some things that can help get you into the "mindset". When I started, I began with a towel and eventually worked my way up to a mat. Items don't have to be expensive, but they should be meaningful. I'm working to be conscious of the consumerism approach that is often taken in the blogging world and want to make sure that the focus isn't about the "things", but rather the idea. I do want to share, though, some small businesses and brands that fall inline with the same ideals that I have been approaching in my own practice. It's also a good practice of self-care to invest in yourself sometimes.
All of the below fall into my personal self-care focus for this year. I made it a goal of mine to take care of myself. As a working mom, I often put my family and work ahead of my own physical and mental health. This year, continuing on my healthy journey and adding in a purposeful meditation and mindfulness practice have been a part of my goals to take care of me. It's so important to remember that I can't fully love those around me and give all that I have if I am not loving myself or filling my personal well.
Yoga
When it comes to working out, Yoga has truly been transformative to my mind, body and soul. It works muscles I did not know I had and allows me to work within the confines of my body's ability and in my mind. It allows me to listen to myself and strengthen my connection with my mind and body. I have been able to create a personalized practice with the help of youtube. One of my favorite channels is Yoga with Adriene. I love her fluid and casual approach. She doesn't make you feel like you don't belong and her spirit can be felt through the screen. It's no surprise to me that her channel has grown so much over the last few years. Her 30 days of yoga program is really life changing. You can start with a towel and not much else, but to really help with comfort purchasing a mat is a great option. If you are on a budget, 5 Below offers some great options and if you are looking for something specific like a hot yoga mat - Amazon is your go to.
Yet, over the last two years, I found that I could still practice yoga at home and my fitness routine didn't need to consist of a gym. I sucked it up and decided to begin a personal home yoga practice using Youtube as my teacher and mustered up the courage to start running again despite the fear of hurting my knee once more. It has been during these last two years that I have learned to listen to my body rather than fight it and also to find ways to reconnect to my spirit. It's through my health focused decisions that I also began to find a path back towards my spirituality, taking care of myself and working to calm my anxiety and quiet my mind. I have not reached nirvana, I'm far from it. I'm a high achieving, type-A worry wart who likes to control things. I am human and I am flawed, but I try. I won't lie, letting go has been the biggest obstacle on this journey. Yet, by pulling in a mindfulness practice consisting of working out, meditation and yoga - I've begun to unlock something deep in me. A desire to reconnect to my spiritual ancestral roots. In this process, I've also begun to work on healing myself, alleviate my stresses and the physical manifestations they show up as: migraines, muscle aches and stomach issues.
So, why yoga? There are many benefits of starting a yoga practice. Yoga can change your physical and mental capacity quickly, while preparing the mind and body for long-term health. Yoga has a place for anyone and everyone. It's a beautifully inclusive practice that really allows you to focus on healing yourself rather than competing. Yoga’s deep breathing and meditation practices help foster an inner shift from to-do lists, kids and spouse’s needs, financial concerns, and relationship struggles to something a little bit bigger than the issues you face. Yoga helps relieve stress and declutters the mind, helping you to become more focused. While my journey began with hot yoga, it's culminated into a home practice that consists of a generalist hatha practice with additional focus on kundalini and vinyasa type yoga styles. Hatha is a physical yoga practice, which is pretty much all yoga you’ll find in the Western hemisphere. One of the six original branches of yoga, “hatha” encompasses nearly all types of modern yoga. The practice of kundalini yoga features constantly moving, invigorating poses. The fluidity of the practice is intended to release the kundalini (serpent) energy in your body. Finally, vinyasa is more of an active and athletic style of yoga adapted from the traditional ashtanga system in the late 1980s that was meant to appeal to the more aerobic-crazed Westerners. I like this as it gives me a bit more of a blood moving and athletic centered practice. I personally practice yoga on my off days of running as a way to keep my body strong and also to connect with my energy to ground myself.
Although, some might be inclined to think meditation and yoga are the same thing. They are not. They are similar and many involve both into their practices, but meditation focuses on stilling the mind. I also work in a mindfulness practice to my weekly meditation practice. The term "mindfulness" has been used to refer to a psychological state of awareness, the practices that promote this awareness, a mode of processing information and a character trait. Mindfulness is looked at as a moment-to-moment awareness of one's experience without judgment. In this sense, mindfulness is a state and not a trait. While it might be promoted by certain practices or activities, such as meditation, it is not equivalent to or synonymous with them.
I want to note that while you don't need anything really to do yoga or practice meditation, there are some things that can help get you into the "mindset". When I started, I began with a towel and eventually worked my way up to a mat. Items don't have to be expensive, but they should be meaningful. I'm working to be conscious of the consumerism approach that is often taken in the blogging world and want to make sure that the focus isn't about the "things", but rather the idea. I do want to share, though, some small businesses and brands that fall inline with the same ideals that I have been approaching in my own practice. It's also a good practice of self-care to invest in yourself sometimes.
All of the below fall into my personal self-care focus for this year. I made it a goal of mine to take care of myself. As a working mom, I often put my family and work ahead of my own physical and mental health. This year, continuing on my healthy journey and adding in a purposeful meditation and mindfulness practice have been a part of my goals to take care of me. It's so important to remember that I can't fully love those around me and give all that I have if I am not loving myself or filling my personal well.
Yoga
When it comes to working out, Yoga has truly been transformative to my mind, body and soul. It works muscles I did not know I had and allows me to work within the confines of my body's ability and in my mind. It allows me to listen to myself and strengthen my connection with my mind and body. I have been able to create a personalized practice with the help of youtube. One of my favorite channels is Yoga with Adriene. I love her fluid and casual approach. She doesn't make you feel like you don't belong and her spirit can be felt through the screen. It's no surprise to me that her channel has grown so much over the last few years. Her 30 days of yoga program is really life changing. You can start with a towel and not much else, but to really help with comfort purchasing a mat is a great option. If you are on a budget, 5 Below offers some great options and if you are looking for something specific like a hot yoga mat - Amazon is your go to.
Staying hydrated is incredibly important. I often forget how much water is needed in a day. The human body is made up of anywhere between 55-65% of water. Water is a part of our life force and helps us to maintain balance in our body. So, a good water bottle is a necessity. Proof Water Bottles are high quality, built using super high-grade MEDICAL GRADE STEEL. This means they offer not only superior corrosion resistance, but products that will last longer. The water bottles are also insulated using their own EcoProofTM technology, a non-toxic insulation technique that uses safe materials through their ENTIRE production process. They don't have any
copper coatings, contaminants or other hidden insulating elements and of course everything is BPA FREE. So, they're keeping your health in mind and not to mention, they're incredibly chic too.
After yoga, whether you are practicing at home or at a studio, the last thing you want to do is slip into uncomfortable shoes. Zenzees are perfect for active, fashionable women and their new line has some stylishly comfy shoes. The creative design combined with a cozy feel makes these the perfect shoes to slip into after a yoga session. Zenzees are truly meant for everything and in fact they call them an all-round “après shoe” for running, yoga or even a long day in high heels.
All Zenzee shoes feature an ergonomic design, including a rockered sole to minimize fatigue, a specially cushioned platform midsole for ultimate comfort and unique graphic knit uppers made of natural fibers that stretch and form to your feet. They keep your feet feeling good.
Mindfulness & Meditation
Meditation doesn't have be an every day, 1 hour a day task to start with. I attempt to meditate 3 times a week. Even if it is just stopping to focus on my breathing for a few minutes. Meditation is an approach to training the mind, similar to the way that fitness is an approach to training the body. The two two types of meditation approaches I personally take are a combination of concentration and mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation encourages the practitioner to observe wandering thoughts as they drift through the mind. The intention is not to get involved with the thoughts or to judge them, but simply to be aware of each mental note as it arises. Concentration meditation involves focusing on a single point. This could entail following the breath, repeating a single word or mantra, staring at a candle flame, listening to a repetitive gong, or counting beads on a mala. Since focusing the mind is challenging, a beginner might meditate for only a few minutes and then work up to longer durations. My sessions range between 3-5 minutes and up to 15 minutes at the most. I currently work with a fantastic mindfulness app that helps me track my time and offers sounds to keep me focused called: Insight Timer
While you don't need anything to meditate and in fact, the whole process of this really focuses on a minimalistic approach, I wanted to share a few items from indie brands that can help get you into the mindset of a meditation practice. First up is Meditation Magick spray. I like to spray this before a session. Meditation Magick is intended to purify, clarify, ground, activate and connect your energy both in and out of meditation. As a meditation tool on the physical level, the therapeutic sacred essential oils that are a part of the spray are selected to soothe stress and tension. The spray is made of a super high electrolytes solution that aids in this. The solution is structured through Scalar and Hado Therapy and is steeped in Gem Essences to magnetically enhance healing. All of which is de-stressing & calming through sound, light and vibration on a molecular level for well-being, ease & flow. It's a beautifully fragrant product that can be used before a meditation session. The brand also has a Migraine Magick spray intended to be used by those of us who suffer migraine headaches.
If you are interested in working with Mala beads for a concentration style meditation session, Andrea Kelly Designs offers a beautifully curated selection of DIY Mala Kits. Andrea Kelly is a designer based out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Her DIY Mala Kits are meant to be put together by the wearer so that they are infused with your intention and powered by your personal energy. To use your mala to meditate, sit comfortably with your spine straight and your eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths to center and align yourself with your intention. If you have one, use a mantra for this practice, chanting aloud or silently. Hold your mala in your right hand, draped between your middle and index fingers and starting at the guru bead, use your thumb to count each smaller bead. Work through by pulling it toward you as you recite your mantra. Do this 108 times, traveling around the mala, until you reach your guru bead.
The Mala shown was made with the labrodorite kit which focuses on magic and intuition. Labradorite is a crystal of the feldspar family. It tempers the negative side of our personality, the traits and actions that rob our energy and may produce depression or shame. Lore of the Inuit peoples claim Labradorite fell from the frozen fire of the Aurora Borealis, an ordinary stone that transforms to the extraordinary, shimmering in a mystical light that separates the waking world from unseen realms. It is, in every sense, a magical stone. It has been known as a crystal of shamans, diviners, healers, and all who travel and embrace the universe seeking knowledge and guidance. For self-discovery, it is excellent for awakening one's own awareness of inner spirit, intuition and psychic abilities.
Part of my mindfulness practice includes taking time to shed my thoughts, worries, ideas and energy into a written format. Journaling is a fantastic way for me to work through my anxieties, work through my spiritual education and just get my ideas down. This inspiring yoga journal from Compendium is a fantastic option to keep your thoughts after a meditation or yoga session. Compendium is one of those indie brands that truly focuses on adding a bit of thoughtfulness to every day life. Since 1985, Compendium has turned everyday items into extraordinary gifts, and everyday occasions into memorable events. They combine fresh, vibrant designs with thoughtful and inspiring words to create gift books, journals, greeting cards, stationery, and desk accessories that are sold here on their website and in thousands of specialty gift stores nationwide. Compendium products celebrate the best parts of the human spirit, and highlight what it truly means to live inspired.
Soothi is another fantastic paper product brand that can fill your journaling needs. They offer a variety of beautiful, nomadic type stationary products which aim to inspire and offer a sense of individuality. The journals are designed to truly level up style. The leather bound styles transform the experience of writing, the look of desks and elevate traditional note taking standards. The journals are also ideal for home decor, a great lifestyle product for all ages. These are the types of journals that become a part of you. The best options on their site are their refillable leather journals as they definitely stand the test of time.
Soothi's master craftsmen design journals, notebooks and stationery that reflect the uniqueness and character of their owners. The journals are customized with vision shaping phrases that can change the outlook of a moment or entire project. They're just a beautiful item to look at and for those of you who are visual people, the can spark inspiration. If you are looking for a product that can be reused, the refillable leather journals are a fantastic option. The OHM style is a beautiful reminder to stay in the present, let go and be open to what the universe has
I also add crystals to my meditation sessions. I find the energy that they emit is grounding to me. I've amassed a small collection of stones over the years and while they may seem new-age to many, I find they truly do have healing benefits. Many, including myself believe that crystals act as conduits for healing — allowing positive, healing energy to flow into the body as negative, disease-causing energy flows out. Now, I am not saying to use crystals as an alternative to going to see the doctor when you get sick, BUT they are fantastic for preventative work and I don't think enough western doctors give them props. The reality is that often, Western medicine completely bypasses the fact that the mind and body work together. Often, splitting the two and focusing on treatments that only look to prescribe a pharmaceutical. Whereas Eastern traditions see the mind and body as coming from the same energy (source). Crystals tap into this source and energy. Crystals are unique, in that they have extra electrons that are stored within them from the creation of their lattice, or structure. It is these electrons that enable crystals to become transducers, or in other words, they are able to change one form of energy into another. Energy is the essence of the human body. Each type of crystal vibrates to its own specific type of energy. When you work with crystals, the energy of the stone naturally blends with your own energy. In turn, transforming and/or amplifying your vibrational frequency or the energy within your body, Due to this, crystals help to rebalance and re-energize your body on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.
Spirituality
The interesting part of this entire journey, is that is has led me down an unexpected path. As a Puerto Rican/Mexican American, I've often felt disconnected to my roots. I heard stories growing up about my maternal great grandmother: Thomasa back in Puerto Rico and I met her only a handful of times as a child, but she passed away before I could visit the island as an adult. I was always told stories about her personal strength, power and the role she played as a healer in her small community of Jabacoa back home on the island. Yet, I never witnessed or experienced her beautiful energy as a cognizant being that could remember it fully. I only have small memories here and there of the times my abuela Lucy took me to the island to visit her as a child.
As I grew up, I often gravitated to new-age ideas, learned about energy, the healing power of crystals, yoga, magickal influences and how our thoughts were truly powerful. Whether I was reading about astrology, teaching myself to read tarot cards or having some powerful intuitive moments and dreams that came true more than I cared to admit. I always found myself coming back to these ideas that were initially scary to me. Little did I know, many of these belief systems were deeply rooted in my cultural and ancestral lineage and often were still connected with a higher being and source power that I have always believed in. I pushed a lot of these ideas away for much of my adult life, but as I've worked on reconnecting to myself, reconnecting with my cultural roots has become an important aspect of this journey.
Working on healing myself and attempting to find balance through connecting with source and being open to the wonders of the universe has been eye opening. During this journey, books have been my education. I devour them and make bi-weekly trips to the library and have started to go back through books I already had collected over the years and purchase ones that I feel called to add to my personal library when I can. As I continue on this journey, I want to share some of the books that I have found to be impactful and informative to me. As I tap into my own personal power, connect to the magickal roots of my ancestors, many of these books have truly spoken to me and shaken me to my core. Take them for what they are, but if you are experiencing a similar shift in your life, I highly suggest approaching them with an open mindset and reading them to grow rather than judge.
My friend Andrea, recently gifted me a copy of the Thirteen Original Clan Mothers written by: Jamie Sans. Although I have just begun reading through it, I've been rapidly making my way through the book and plan on reading it a few more time to take notes. As I have been looking to connect with my indigenous roots this book has offered some beautiful insight. What's amazing is that many of the ideas are so similar to other spiritual practices I have learned about and encountered. Jamie Sams, a member of the Wolf Clan Teaching Lodge, brings us a powerful new method for honoring and incorporating native feminine wisdom into our daily lives. Combining a rich oral tradition—passed on to her by two Kiowa Grandmothers, Cisi Laughing Crow and Berta Broken Bow—with the personal healing and guidance she has experienced through her female Elders, Sams created The 13 Original Clan Mothers. Each of the Clan Mothers reflects a particular teaching, relates to a cycle of the moon, and possesses special totems, talents, and gifts that can help each of us cultivate our own personal gifts and talents.
I read the The Tibetan Book of the Dead a few years ago, but find myself coming back to it again as I work to connect with my ancestors. My abuela Lucy passed away suddenly when I was in high school. It was my first brush with death, it changed my life trajectory and it was something that left me deeply depressed for many years. I didn't know how to handle the loss. I can still remember the day she passed and the experience of Deja Vu I had that day while being gone at an academic competition for school. I was shattered having to help my mother go through her things in her home and can still recall a spiritual experience that solidified by belief in spirits and scared the day lights out of me. After reading this book, my views on death and the afterlife were dramatically changed and I am no longer afraid. This book faithfully presents the insights and intentions of the original work. It includes one of the most detailed and compelling descriptions of the after-death state in world literature, practices that can transform our experience of daily life, guidance on helping those who are dying, and an inspirational perspective on coping with bereavement.
Another book that touches on death is Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Their Lives By: Brian L. Weiss. This book was recommended to me by one of my students during a point in my life that I was undergoing a difficult transition out of my marriage. This book didn't just help me look at life different, it also helped me see the interconnectedness of life and the people I encounter in this lifetime. Whether my experiences are negative or positive, they all come with a lesson. This book is a beautiful reminder that we are all working through the ups and downs of this world together. It is a classic bestseller about a true case of past-life trauma and past-life therapy from author and psychotherapist Dr. Brian Weiss
As I work to learn more about my ancestral roots and the healing work that my Great grandmother Thomasa participated in, I find I am being called to books that relate to mysticism, sanse, yerberos and spiritism practices in the Caribbean. Curandero Magic, myth, witchcraft, spiritism, and herbal remedies in Baracoa, Cuba is not a novel, but more like a history and reference book. In this book a curandero (healer/medicine man) recounts stories and ancecdotes, seemingly fantastic at times, which form part of the local collective imagination of Baracoa, Cuba. It includes a detailed glossary of common ailments and their cures. This study is the fruit of 30 years of research, and is perhaps the only written account of the historical evolution of Baracoan curanderismo from pre-Columbian times to the present. It's wonderful to look at the depth of knowledge that spans a nearly unfathomable amount of years. It offers insights to ideas and beliefs that have come naturally to me, but that I have never formally been connected through outside of my ancestors.
If you are working through a shift in your life, searching to find your space in this universe and reconnect with spirit, I hope this feature aids you on your journey.
Namaste, readers -
Jen Veguilla-Lezan
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