Thank you for coming to Root, Love, Grow ™ , & Flow with us in the FREE Root & Flow Sessions!
Before scrolling through January, be sure to read the Intro to Root & Flow to Explore what this is all about and how to enjoy it:
Note: The FREE Root & Flow Sessions are like an open wellness journal. Each day is an excerpt of main Rootin’ for your Life features. We will build upon these on our journey through the months and seasons. You can get more content on these features by joining the FREE Root & Flow Group, following our newsletter, blogs, and social media, and/or becoming a Root & Flow member for full access to guides, videos, discounted sessions and workshops, and more. Be sure to read the welcome to learn more!
January Lessons | Root & Flow Free & Open Wellness Journal & Sessions | Chapter 1
ROOT LESSONS
January 1 - 13
Release Phase: What is pulling your roots from the ground; stretching your branches too far? What needs to be released? What needs to return to the roots? What do your roots need to grow ? How will you take the steps to make this flow?
Root Lessons take place in the beginning of the month when the moon is in a darker state. The phases during this time are more introverted and require us to dig deep to conjure awareness and strength. It can be a taxing time in which our roots need attention, rest, and care. Roots can be difficult to deal with because they are deep below the surface, but roots often survive many storms and have much to teach us about our journey. During this time, we must release our “leaves” and return to the roots. Be sure to read the Root & Flow Intro to explore more on each phase.
Sometimes we store away, cling to, or get stuck in the things that cause us so much pain. Pain is our compass to life. It is important to allow yourself to feel the pain, because this is what alerts us when something is wrong and guides us to finding solutions. Some methods to resolving or dealing with pain can be equally harmful, even if the consequences are not clear or immediate. When we dismiss the pain or have to resort to immediate solutions of relief, then we are repeating harmful cycles, which can be linked to our consciousness and identity of self-worth; prioritizing our life and addressing how our actions impact the flow of life as a whole. Learning to safely and effectively manage mental and physical pain is important for the world within and the world all around.
Sometimes we really do need to “just breathe….”. (I know, I know, I too … use to get annoyed when I would be worked up about something and someone would say: “just breathe”. I use to think… “I am breathing” ! ) There is a big difference between breathing while living and living through the moment of our breath. Breathing is a powerful rhythm of nature and we can connect to all things when we collect our energy and channel the flow. Close your eyes and imagine a wave crashing in, then returning to sea. Imagine inhaling while the butterfly’s wings are up and exhaling as they glide down. It all has energy, power, rhythm, and flow.
Losing our composure whether through anger or anxiety can cause us to go into a rage or a panic; a state where the breath is in control of us and we are not in control of the breath. We all have our max limits, but the more we train and practice meditation and breath work, the harder it is to lose your breath. Just like the harder you train for a physical exercise, the more in shape you are. The more work you put into mental training, the harder it is to lose your breath over the things that challenge your mental and emotional well-being.
The “Root” of why meditation and breath work is one of the hardest methods of coping is because it is a solo; 100% self-dependent exercise in which one has to validate and channel their existence on their own. Often, as humans, we seek validation from outside sources: we want to be heard, seen, etc. If the breath work is not working, then it may be something you do need to responsibly work through or share with another person. However, it also could be that depending on someone else, over-sharing, or seeking outside validation has become a bad habit. Either way, breath work requires self-reflection, because even before you share your woes with another, you need to collect yourself and channel your energy. “Collect yo self, before you wreck yo self”.
…So…. Breathe for a moment….. imagine yourself watching the waves at the ocean or a butterfly’s wings.
Inhale when the wings are up…
Exhale when the wings glide down…
Inhale when the wave comes in ….
Exhale when the wave goes out….
However, the accumulation of stress and struggle in life can really challenge our breath, literally take our breath away, but the more we make these practices a part of our life and find ways to empower our faith in self and world, then the harder it is for our power to be drained.
4 Essential things to think / do prior / during New Moon:
Get rid of a few things: clean out some clutter from your home and/or mind & body (cleanse/detox your space). (ROOT)
Take your time. During a new moon, things are darker and our energy levels require more self-care. We are in a protective introverted state during this time; it’s nature. For survival reasons, we would not be out and about as much during the new moon phase, because it was harder to see in the wild at night, therefore it’s okay to be more of a homebody during this time; protect your space and energy. Take your time to take care of the things that you need to. (LOVE)
What is something new you want to try or start this month? The new moon is a time to think about new ideas, release old ones. Revive or create your plans and goals. Prepare yourself. Going back to the marathon lesson above; it’s nearly impossible to show up on race day and be ready to go. It takes a lot of mental and physical training prior. Everything about one’s lifestyle is vital to marathon survival; nutrition, cardio & muscular health, mental stamina, emotional endurance, and social well-being. A good portion of that is also from a lesson above; mind over matter. Save and repair the things important to your journey, release what is harming you. (GROW)
Be present. As you know, during this time, energy is darker. Therefore, your emotions may be more of a struggle; thick, confusing feelings hard to walk through. Be present in it. Do not be too hard on yourself. Do not get frustrated for feeling this way. Do not try to shove it down, run from it, or block it; let it flow. Our emotions are the compass to our consciousness when we find methods of constructively rootin’ and flowin’ through it. (FLOW)
Note: The New Moon is in the Root / Release phase of the Root & Flow method, but as you learned in the intro (here), everything follows the root and flow process, because every moment is a new moment; a journey that requires us to be consciously present to mindfully process and co-create our life. The Root & Flow Method is a 4 step/phase approach to doing so.
Meanwhile, make mental or drafted notes of ruts you would like to transform. Start making simple choices; water rather than soda, try meatless Monday, or pick a kiwi rather than a donut, etc. You got this!! One choice, one step, one moment, one day at a time!!!
#writeyoself : The Note to Self Method for Anxiety Prevention & Management : Keep index cards or a little notebook with you at all times (I use both, you can explore our wellness journey/creative process to all this in the Seeds of Our Soul Blog). When you feel anxiety creeping in, as soon as you can get or create a moment, write down the thoughts or words racing or lurking around your mind. If you are able to stay calm and focus on journal style writing with complete sentences, that’s great, if not it’s okay to just scribble down words or doodle. The main goal is to have a constructive, convenient outlet to depend on for relief. Whether you draw a beach, write random words, or scribble in circles; breathe, draw, write to calm the mind. This is a method for the early stage of anxiety. It can get beyond the resolution of this method, but this is a strategy for beginning this practice in your daily life to help cope. Stay tuned in upcoming posts or sessions, get free printable writing and doodle prompts to help with specific anxiety triggers and symptoms. Also, remember the Power of Breathing & check out tomorrow’s #bubblebreaks lesson : Blow some bubbles and doodle , it can be fun & calming.
Anxiety is a natural part of life, especially this fast-paced, divided, and “survival of the fittest” world we live in. Everything we do at Rootin’ is to help soothe anxiety. Even if you do not feel anxious; anxiety is there in the subconscious lurking around. Anxiety can be clear nervous energy and panic attacks or it can be the little voice in our minds that makes us feel like we are not enough or we need that donut or one more drink or etc..etc..
#writeyoself is also a good way to help the struggle through bad habits. When you feel the urge to splurge on a bad habit, write on your cards or in your notepad cues/reminders of your goals and reasons for working towards those goals (being a better person, for kids, etc.). Write it; make it real on paper and remember how much it means to you. It matters much more than the bad habit you are about to engage in. However, life is about balance, we can not be too hard or strict on ourselves with lifestyle either (in regards to harmless matters). Sometimes we just need that donut!
Why bubbles? It’s FUN!!!! Most importantly though, it is all about the Power of Breathing. Blowing bubbles takes focus and mindfulness. The wind conditions have to be right, if we blow too hard they pop, if we blow too gentle they do not manifest, etc. It also depends on the bubble solution, etc. Bubbles teach us about the power of breathing. We are able to see our breath come to life in a magical, fun way!!! That is what we really want in life, especially the inner-child in all of us. It teaches us mindfulness, patience, and partnership. We have to work together from the world within to the world all around to get that bubble to manifest and float. #bubblebreaks is a regular feature. This is a great way to nurture and balance the Throat Chakra. We will do lessons and post features every Friday. Subscribe to the newsletter and follow our social media to learn how to be a part of the adventure and more about the mindfulness of it, including using earth-friendly bubbles. At Rootin’ we are all about reducing the use of plastics and toxins, so stay tuned for recipes to homemade bubble solutions and more.
Journal Methods are a great way to connect the world within to the world all around. It is also a great way to catalog your dreams, reflections, memories, etc. Sure, you can do this on social media albums, etc., but sometimes it is important to remember to create space and time for just you. One of the greatest forms of empowerment is when we are able to look through the many layers of our life and piece them together in a mindful, artful way. You know more about your life than any other. Your own journals can also be your spirit guides, doctors, coaches, teachers, artists, writers, etc. Many of the answers you need for healing and creating your life are right in the book of your life. All those little pieces of your life; all the things you have learned or experienced offer great insight into how far you have traveled, what you need, who you are working to become, and what you have/ are offering this world. We are all teachers and students of life traveling through this Earth to share a story of the human experience. Look closer, listen carefully, dig deeper, and you will discover the roots of common ground; the ancient rhythms of being human. You will also discover how you are one of a kind; how you live and learn from these roots and translate them into your own perspective and authentic life is something only you can do.
Love Lessons
January 14 -20
Rest Phase: Let Yourself Be | Take Care of You
Love lessons are about self-care. “We must know how to love ourselves before we know how to love another”. The world is full of projections and mirrors. Human behavior is a collective force; we project all the good and bad vibes out into the world; love, hate, fears, compassion, are flowing in abundance. As humans we are always looking at the world all around us to find answers, but the answers of truth always come from within. How are our fears guiding us? What do we love and why? What do we struggle loving and why? How could we live with more compassion for ourselves and others? Be sure to read the Root & Flow Intro to explore more on each phase.
Ethical food does not have to break the bank. It is about prioritizing choices. It can be hard to know what choices to make when you constantly hear new terms and diets being thrown on the plate, but when we dig to the roots of nutrition there is common ground essential concepts. Food should be simple, clean (non-processed / no additives etc), & naturally nutritious. When we try to get back to the roots of healthy living, it is important to not overwhelm ourselves. Sometimes we just need to get back to the survival essentials, the bare minimum ingredients and meals to work on the mindset and patterns of eating. Nutrition really comes down to choices and portions. Stay tuned for posts, sessions, and workshops on nutrition. Right now, let’s just focus on why ethical food is important. When we do not get the pure nutrition we need, then we are left feeling empty or weighed down, which can be linked to a number of immediate problems. Non-ethical food (food sourced from harmful conditions, overly processed food, etc.) also has many long-lasting consequences in our lives and to Mother Earth has a whole. In other posts we will dig into the details, but the take away from this post is: I want you to simply reflect on the things you would like to improve about your meal choices and try to start making one new choice, whether it be cooking more rather than picking up prepared food, choosing fruit over sweets, trying meatless meals, experimenting with herbs and spices, or simply trying a new ingredient. Changes start with one choice.
Your Zodiac Sign has a lot of influence on your workout needs, preferences, and style. Each sign is ruled by an element (fire, air, earth, water, a Chakra (7 energy zones), a planet, etc. These are things we will explore more throughout all the Root & Flow content. However, right now, the bottom line is: each of these have properties and rhythms that contribute to your flow. Example: A fire sign needs fast-paced, result-oriented exercises. Their body temperature runs hot; they can easily over-heat. They do not need as much warm-up time and need to focus more on cool-down and cooling therapy to help with muscle tension. They can be at high-risk for injury, because they often rush the journey to get to the result, which can limit the results and cause dissatisfaction and frustration with the exercise style. There is a time when fire needs to get their explosive energy out, and there are times when they need to learn to practice mindfulness and patience. If they eat the wrong foods before engaging in a lifestyle activity (even sleeping, walking, etc.), it can cause heartburn and also contribute to their over-heating issues. However, we each have a whole Birth Chart of how the planets were aligned when we were born; each of the planets have properties of nature and are linked to how elements flow. Understanding these things can help create effective lifestyle plans, which is what I am here for! We will be learning this in doses throughout the FREE Root & Flow content & the Rootin’ Blogs or you can really get in flow with it through sessions and workshops. Soon we will start offering free demos of actual workouts for each sign, etc., but the take away from this post is: “know your flow”. If you are not having success with certain exercises, it may just not be your flow or conditions that nurture your needs. Stay tuned for the blueprint guide to help you discover more about your exercise roots & rhythms.
This is a concept we will expand on in blueprint sessions, posts, and workshops, including building your kits, but here is a quick look at a summary description: (Understanding your element can help you make better food choices, pick the essential oils you need, create the right conditions for roles, activities, meditation, etc. )
Creating and giving is one of the greatest ways to express and empower our heart and soul. Explore how to be a part of this project and participate in activities:
and think about the things in life and nature you feel a natural connection to. Keep those thoughts in a corner of your mind while we expand on this lesson throughout the Rootin’ Journeys.
This is a lesson and activity that we will expand on throughout the Rootin’ Journeys, we will share our projects, but we will also be offering special project prompts and opportunities to create and share with us. For right now, I would like for you to keep the thoughts of this concept in your mind, take time to unplug more, and go for walks or clean out the house to discover broken pieces, buttons, stones, etc. you connect with. Save them in a jar or bowl for a rainy day and lesson 2.
Happy Birthday my Aquarius peeps!! I too am an Aquarius in the Age of Aquarius = exciting, but stressful because it is all about MAJOR SHIFTS & TRANSFORMATION and us Aquarius folks are often way ahead of the times with our thoughts, ideas, and visions. Therefore, we have A LOT of nervous energy, because we see everything in such vibrant, vast flashes, so then having to try to slow our roll and translate such to a present and practical time period is like ….whahhhhh…… Therefore, we can be quite shy yet wildly extrovert when comfortable. We are the innovators and the visionaries. We are always in our head. Many of us crave to share our gifts with others, but finding the right flow to do so can be quite the journey. When we are not in the right flow, then we can have a lot of stored frustration from forcing ourselves to stay in a flow keeping us stagnant. An Aquarius has the power to reach their full potential when they allow themselves to explore the unusual; they / we need diversity to keep our lights on and vibes inspired.
Learn all about the Aquarius Traits and how the planetary and elemental properties influence your life and wellness in upcoming sessions and posts. Maybe even a workshop, if I can carve some time. Meanwhile, explore the intro tools:
Grow lessons
January 21 - 27
Manifest Phase: We are full of resources, light, and energy. What do we want to grow? We set our intentions in the Root Phase. We explored how to love those needs a little more. We took steps to come to terms with things and take much needed steps towards a positive, abundant life. How can we grow and share the good vibes? This is an extroverted phase where we allow ourselves to come back out from our “behind the scenes” / “below the surface” work and mindfully share what is on our hearts, in our souls, and what we are doing to create good vibes.
Challenge: Get Cookin’ ! Try something out of your comfort zone! Sometimes the best discoveries are an accident, allow yourself to explore different spices and ingredients to see what manifest.
Yoga is for all lifestyles, levels, shapes, and sizes. It can be intimidating when you see many social media pictures of people doing challenging poses, but they too had to start at the beginning of the journey of reconnecting to the body and dedicating the mind and spirit to pursuing wellness goals and practices. Yoga is the art of wellness; it is reconnecting with the Mind, Body, and Soul to rediscover your natural ROOT & FLOW. It is about holding certain poses or flowing from pose to pose while engaging your muscles and syncing the rhythm of movement with your breathing. We will do guided demos on this eventually. We encourage creating time to exercise and will focus on different styles for specific sessions, but we will also demo how to do this in doses throughout the day as well; on the go, in a chair, at the office, in a classroom, etc. For right now though, Free yourself: safely experiment with trying different poses like in the pictures above. Reconnect with yourself; ease your mind and let your body guide you.
There are rituals and tools to help you focus on and channel each energy zone. Our senses are our teachers; they tell our body messages of life. Different smells, auroas/visuals, sounds, feelings, etc. connect with and guide our minds, bodies, and energy. Even though we all have similar roots and rhythms, we are each unique with our body chemistry and needs. Therefore, sometimes we must have consultations with the world within to connect to the world all around. Creating time to engage our senses while we Root & Flow is critical for self-awareness and wellness.
Life is all about learning and growing. All those little details shape and evolve who we are, which can lead us to constantly question who we are, our purpose, goals, beliefs, etc. It can be hard to move forward from the past. Sometimes life changes so fast we feel like strangers or ghosts in our own worlds; there are familiar parts and moments, but also totally new vibrations of consciousness and existence. Life is light-speed; always on the move. Just because you move forward and evolve or take a turn onto an unfamiliar path or went/going through challenging circumstances reshaping your life does not mean you have lost yourself or become less than. Sometimes we try too hard to recreate the past or shape ourselves into who we thought we were supposed to be; expectations crush our consciousness of being fully present and embracing every moment as a part of our identity and life. Live for right now! Own your unexpected, authentic, chaotic, and messy life journey. We are all imperfect humans wondering our way through each day. It is important to be accountable for our life choices, but it is destructive and harmful to create measurement systems and expectations of never feeling like enough. It is our human instinct to do more, more, more in the nature of creating life, but sometimes “less is more”. One significant, quality choice or action can change the whole current of life. It can open a door into a world where life naturally flows. This same door may have been closed before or time and time again because of trying to swim against the current. Too often we burn ourselves out, because we overspend our energy because of all the “voices in our head” vibrating what we should do, need to do, who we should be, etc.etc. These are the echos from our past and daily experiences, ego self, and shadow self tugging us this way and that. However, when we are able to Calm the Sea Within, we are able to tune into our true self and fulfill what our soul needs. Embrace who you are today. We all have things we need to work on, but for right now: write a letter to yourself from the old you, congratulating yourself on how far you have come and the things you are proud of. Do not stress over “if they measure up”, “how they compare to others’ journey”, your reasons for your choices, etc. Sometimes the things that seem so small, are monumental in our lives, because of the amount of roadblocks we had to cross, or the many miles we had to travel, and or the odds stacked against us. Also, everything is energy. Sometimes one smile or hug can change a person’s life. Never discredit the “small things”. Everything has meaning. So today, allow yourself to just be. Be You! Write to yourself; a letter, a post, a postcard, etc. Reflect on the moments that make you the best version of yourself. Challenge yourself to think deeper; the little moments that often get overlooked or shadowed: the time you had a positive conversation with a stranger, or did a random, good deed, or surprised yourself with how you were able to handle a challenging situation, etc. If you would like to share, use the # in the pic. However, it is important to do these things often for yourself in your own private space. An important part of self-awareness is self-validation. Not every deed or accomplishment has to be shared with the world for it to matter. Sometimes it is important for us to be happy or proud with all the miles we have walked, even if it goes unnoticed by others. Happiness comes from within!
The goal of chakra meditation is to achieve balance by unblocking, opening, or stabilizing the energy zones through a variety of methods and techniques. The thing to keep in mind is: balance is temporary. We are life in motion collecting materials and experiences as we go. We must engage and sort through such often to release and manifest. Everything in the Root & Flow lessons are connected to these concepts. Keep Rootin’ & Flowin’ with us to embrace chakra work as a journey. However, like all things, the more we dedicate ourselves and practice, the easier and more natural it becomes. Unblocking chakras can be very difficult, but the more you become conscious of them, the easier it is to course correct or do the work to discover new stability. Life is unpredictable though. Therefore, there will be times that push us to our limits again causing major blockages or overactive problems, but with these practices in place, you will find your way. As much as we want to put a timeline on life, we never truly can. As we talked about before, a big blockage of embracing our self and life = expectations. When we become too fixated on expectations we are restricting life from its natural flow. The problem is life is flowing, this is nature. Expectations can keep us from missing all the moments and opportunities that are actually shaping our life. Chakra work is about being fully present and in-tune with the flow.
Flow Lessons
january 28 - Feb 2
Restore Phase: You have worked hard throughout the month restoring your life balance, but life is a spiral of growth; a journey flowing from phase to phase, season to season. In those seasons, we fall, we rest, we grow, we flow and begin the next cycle of fall,rest,grow, flow. We are always a work in progress from season to season. We learn new things. Sometimes we have to work on unlearning things; habits and methods not beneficial to our flow. Be sure to read the Root & Flow Intro to explore more on each phase.
Finding time to cook can feel like a chore, but an important part of getting life to flow is getting back to the roots; doing things with our own two hands and having fun while we do so. Sometimes we just need to get in the kitchen, dance, throw food around, taste test, and be the mad scientist of our lives. Meal planning and prep is a great way to create an efficient flow while being true to a back to the roots lifestyle. Cooking a fresh meal every night can be a handful in the fast-paced, high-demand world we live in. A little time to planning and prep can go a long way and make it possible. Play in the kitchen with us and learn how to make Mantra & Meal Vision Boards, Food Prep Jars, Preserving your own fresh foods for easy “take out”, and more. Cooking at home, in bulk actually saves quite a bit of cash…. again.. with a little planning & prep !
